EVERLY MARGARET ISOBEL : BIRTH STORY

EVERLY MARGARET ISOBEL : BIRTH STORY


A few weeks ago I wrote about the first month of Everly's life, but I never really went into my birth story with her. It is something I will want to remember forever, looking back I have a whole new appreciation for myself because leading up to that day I honestly did not think I was brave enough to give birth and frankly, I was scared shitless. 

It started on a Wednesday, I sat in my doctor's office waiting for my weekly prenatal checkup. This was a big one because I was able to get a stretch and sweep (if I wanted) and he would also check to see how dilated I was. I knew I couldn't get a sweep unless I was dilated a certain amount, and I remember joking with Eva saying how mad I would be if I wasn't dilated at all (I was almost 39 weeks). I was asked the usual questions like if I am experiencing any cramping or pain (I wasn't, I hadn't felt a thing) and if there was any spotting or leaking (fun questions I know). I went up on the table and saw a look of surprise on my doctors face as he checked my cervix and he said I was 7cm dilated. I remember bursting into laughter because I thought he was kidding, every birth story I watched and read, the women are in pain and doubled over sometimes at 5cm! How could I be 7cm and have felt no pain whatsoever? He told me I would be having this baby today, did a sweep, and sent me over to the hospital. 

When we got to the hospital they hooked me up and did a non stress test, they were SO busy, every bed was full and the labour rooms were full as well. Baby was not in distress and I was obviously not having contractions, so for this reason they sent me home. And this commenced the longest and most frustrating 4 days. I think knowing I was 7cm and considered in active labour but not actually in active labour was what was so frustrating. I wanted to meet Everly, I wanted them to break my water and get things going - but because I was considered before 39 weeks they would have had to fill out paperwork and because there was no room for me they didn't want to do that. 

Thursday came - no baby, and because of my sweep I was finally starting to feel pain and being uncomfortable.

Friday came - still no baby, and Kyle and I were getting impatient. Hearing my Dr say "you'll have this baby today" on Wednesday and still have no baby on Friday was upsetting. It got our adrenaline up and we were coming down from that. I also started feeling back labour to the point where I could barely walk, so I decided if it continued or got worse I would go into the hospital. 

Saturday morning came and I was still in pain so Kyle and I went to the hospital. They once again hooked me up to the machine and baby was still doing amazing, but my contractions were still too far apart. They were still very busy and I felt so annoyed because I knew I wanted pain medication and the window to get it was slowly closing. My Dr came in and did another sweep, this time it hurt a lot more, and they told us to come back around 5pm to see how things were. We decided to spend the afternoon walking around the mall and Babies R Us. I posted an instagram photo of a play gym we bought with the caption "Come on Everly we want you to play with your new toy." I put it because at that point I was convinced she was just never coming lol. We went back to the hospital at 5pm after walking and after checking me AGAIN there was still no progress and my contractions were still like 15 minutes apart. I remember driving home and saying how this was possible, at this point he said I was closer to 8cm and I still was not feeling anything insane, not like how other people described it. 

Saturday night we decided to go home and stay the night at our house, we had been staying at Kyle's mom's house because she lives in town and we wanted to be close. But at this point I was so uncomfortable I just wanted to sleep in my own bed. At around 3am I woke up and travelled into the bath room for the hundredth time and as I walked in I felt a sensation and a gush down my leg. I stood there for about 2 minutes because I knew exactly what happened - my water had just broke. I told Kyle and we basically threw ourselves in the car and went to the hospital. They admitted us this time and put us into a labour room and finally what we had been waiting for since Wednesday was finally starting to happen!

With my water breaking that made things happen really fast, she was sunny side up so I had back labour and it is such an intense and crippling feeling. On the way into the hospital I had decided I wanted to let my body experience contractions because I was almost 8cm my body had not built up any tolerance to contractions, but after one round of back labour I wanted the epidural as soon as possible. Contractions go away, back labour lingers and I honestly felt like I was dying. I got the epidural which felt like what a lot of people described which is basically a bee sting. And the relief was pretty much instant. The hardest part was staying still as he was doing it. 

By 5pm on Sunday I was ready to push! My Dr tried to turn Everly because she was sunny side up but she kept moving back (stubborn little girl I tell yea). After pushing for almost 4 hours my doctor came in and gave me 2 choices. I could either get an episiotomy and they take her out with forceps, or I have a c section. Since Everly was so far down the canal if I chose a c section they would have had to essentially pull her up and out. The thought of a c section really scared me and my Dr recommended an episiotomy. So I decided to opt for that, and they wheeled me into a surgery room (in case the forceps didn't work and they had to go right into a c section). The epidural on my left side started to wear off and I was in a lot of pain, I was so run down and tired, I was also super nervous because I hadn't planed for this. I was given a lot more epidural but I was not feeling that instant relief like before. Unfortunately there wasn't much time to wait for it to kick in, and they placed the forceps on her head and with each contraction I had to push. This was traumatizing almost because it probably looked like something from a horror movie, and I was feeling pretty much everything. Her head was out and some of her shoulders and all of a sudden my contractions stopped. This was the worst part because we had to sit and wait for my next contraction and I remember almost blacking out because the pain was so intense and I was worried for her (this could not have been enjoyable for her either). Once that last contraction came she was pulled out and we heard her first cry. I remember feeling so relieved and they jumped in immediately to start fixing me up. 

I told Kyle to go over to her and see her, and he did, he was able to cut the cord and once she was weighed they brought her over and we did skin to skin. 

All in all I think she was pretty easy on me, my entire pregnancy and even with labour. It was so painful at times but not nearly as bad as it could have been. I love her so much and I am so happy she was able to come into this world healthy with no bad complications. 

My husband filmed a bit of her arrival, if you would like to watch it (no blood and guts I promise ha) you can check it out by clicking here

ONE MONTH POSTPARTUM

ONE MONTH POSTPARTUM


I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I am already almost (Oct 11) one month postpartum - time truly flies and I hate to sound like every person ever but it's true. I haven't even wrapped my head around the fact that I am a mom to a person fully, sometimes it still feels like I'm babysitting someone else's baby. But here we are, one month as a family of three and it has been quite the adventure. 

A friend of mine told me to "not be an instagram mom," because being a mom is one of the hardest jobs out there, and to slap a filter on it and call it perfect just isn't true. She's right, I seem to post plenty photos of Everly sleeping peacefully which might make it look easy, but it has been such a learning curve for myself. Yea she still sleeps a lot, but what my instagram feed doesn't show is me up every two and a half hours at night to feed/change/soothe her, me battling the baby blues for the first week and a half home, me also battling with the choice to formula or breastfeed, and me just questioning everything I know in general. Nothing prepared me for this little lady, not the books, the classes, or the advice of others. I was not expecting the labour I had with her (it was traumatizing) and I was not expecting the baby blues. Luckily I had the help of a few amazing friends and fellow mommas as well as some family and I can't thank them enough for the support they gave me when I felt like I was just a terrible mom and failing at everything. 

Everly has brought so much happiness and love into my life, I cannot believe some days that she is mine forever. I spend my days just looking at her when I should be resting when she rests, but I can't help it - she is such a perfect human. Even though yes it has come with its challenges, I have never felt more alive and felt like I have a purpose. She is my everything and she has truly completed my family. Everyday she is more alert and I have enjoyed every minute with her, she has such a funny personality and she is so loved - I couldn't have asked for a better child. Right now she still sleeps quite a bit, but when she is awake she likes looking at her black and white toys, touching her brother Bentley's fur, and listening to us read her stories. I had to pack away all her newborn clothes and it made me cry, she only wore newborn sizes for one week..so she is currently rocking 0-3 month clothing. 

As far as the recovery - everyday I feel a little more like myself. The tummy still looks and feels like a deflated balloon but hey, it was far from perfect before I got pregnant anyways! I think I may be experiencing a side effect from the epidural because I do still have a lot of lower back pain in my left side (the side where it wore off during labour) which is unfortunate but it does seem to be getting better. I did get an episiotomy and the recovery from that was not fun but the last few weeks have been better. The experience in general was not what I had envisioned but I know a lot of people's "birth plan" never go the way they want it to. She was stubborn until the very end that's for sure. 

All in all, it has been a whirlwind of a month. We have all taken the time to learn about each other and get used to our new roles as a family. It has been rewarding and I am so happy that this is where I am in life - a mom to a little girl. She challenges me every day to be the best version of myself and I have a new found love and patience in my day to day life. If I could tell her anything and for her to understand it would be that she is everything I wished for and that I hope that I am doing a good job at being her momma and that I am so happy she picked me to travel through life with. 

35 WEEK BUMPDATE

35 WEEK BUMPDATE


I can't believe I have finished my 8th month of pregnancy and I am entering into my 9th month, it has been such a crazy ride that it's hard to believe it's almost over. She has been moving so much these last few days and it makes me long to see her little face but also soak in all these remaining moments. When we first found out we were pregnant it was really scary, a lot had happened up until that point and sometimes I feel guilty because it took me a long time to really connect to this pregnancy. Despite the anxiety and the fear I have felt these last few weeks as my due date quickly approaches, I feel ready to meet her and start my life with my family. I can't wait for our families to love her like we already do, and to watch her grow and make them laugh. I think for the first 2 weeks I will be a hermit who just stays home and stares at her because it still sometimes feels surreal that I have been able to do this, that I have been able to hold onto this amazing little life. 

This week is my last week of work and it makes me kind of sad, work has been my everything and I think switching gears will be a little difficult at first. I will miss the team and I will miss the kids, when and if I am able to come back nothing will be the same which feels really sad. Apart from finishing work, we have our pregnancy classes and getting the last little bit ready for Everly. As much as I want to relax a bit before she makes her entrance, I have to stay motivated to finish what it left. 

How far along? 35 weeks

Total weight gain? 30 lbs 

Maternity clothes? all day every day.

Stretch marks? My tummy is a road map lol but I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid it.

Sleep? I toss and turn and when I finally find a position, I have to pee. It's a cycle lol so no sleep for me.

Best moment this week? Watching Kyle interact with my belly, he was interacting with Everly when she was moving around like crazy. It is so beautiful to watch

Miss anything? Being able to walk without feeling intense pressure or just walking without a wobble lol

Movement? She has been moving quite a bit and I think I experienced my first Braxton Hicks contraction. 

Food cravings? Nothing really stands out this week.

Anything making you feel sick or queasy? The heat - it has been ridiculous this summer.

Showing? Yeah I'm all baby now.

Gender? Girl

Labor signs? None.

Symptoms? Still rocking the swollen feet and I have felt a bit nauseas these last few days on and off.

Belly button in or out? it's popped out now - she gone!

Wedding ring on or off? They are officially off full time 

Happy or moody most of the time? I've been pretty moody this past week but the heat really does not help.

Looking forward to: Our pregnancy classes! :) 

33 WEEK BUMPDATE

33 WEEK BUMPDATE


Hello 33 weeks! This past week has been so nice, it was our summer shutdown so we had the week off and it could not have come at a better time. I could feel myself burning out and felt really run down, with the heat and being so big working was getting really difficult. So I took advantage and used this time to really relax, I went to visit my parents by myself for the last time until baby comes and it was relaxing and calm (minus taking Bentley to the vet for dental surgery). Tomorrow is back to work and I only have 2 weeks left after this week until my maternity leave starts. I can't believe how quickly it has come, I have no idea where June and July went! I have made sure to have majority of things done, because I have had a few hunches that she may come early. We do our prenatal classes August 22 and 29, so anytime after that I'm ready for her! I have a few craft ideas that I would like to work on while I have some downtime, and I have also saved an entire season of Scandal so I can binge watch, I think it terms of keeping busy I'm pretty much set! Bentley has been really clingy to me, and it has made me kind of emotional leaving him during the day. I think things are starting to set in for him that some changes are coming really soon. It has been the three of us for the last 5 years and I have been very emotional knowing that pretty soon he won't be my baby anymore :( 

How far along? 33 weeks

Total weight gain? I haven't weighed myself in a bit so I'm not sure!

Maternity clothes? all day every day.

Stretch marks? Yeah - quite a few new ones have popped up.

Sleep? During the week off I actually started to sleep in a little which is unusual for me (not that I'm complaining). Normally I am up between 6:30 and 7, but this week I was waking up around 9 and sometimes after, it felt really nice. 

Best moment this week? Spending some time with my family one last time before she gets here, and also taking our maternity photos, they turned out so beautiful.

Miss anything? Seeing my feet, and actually sleeping through the night without getting up to pee every half hour.

Movement? She moves constantly now and it is really amazing, although lately I have felt her really low and some of her movements hurt - it is still so amazing to see her moving from outside, it really freaks Kyle out.

Food cravings? Nothing really stands out this week.

Anything making you feel sick or queasy? The heat still gets to me, also because my iron is low I sometimes tend to feel light headed and need a minute to collect myself.

Showing? Yeah I'm all baby now.

Gender? Girl

Labor signs? None.

Symptoms? Swollen ankles and the bladder is non existent, I pee all.the.time.

Belly button in or out? it's popped out now - she gone!

Wedding ring on or off? They are officially off full time 

Happy or moody most of the time? This week I have been more emotional/sentimental, I have been doing a lot of thinking.

Looking forward to: Our hospital tour this coming Sunday!

32 WEEK BUMPDATE

32 WEEK BUMPDATE


Well it has definitely been a hot minute since I did one of these (6 weeks to be exact) and that is for a few reasons. Recently Kyle and I both made the joint decision to cut his sister out of our lives, and unfortunately she was still getting updates from certain people despite both of us blocking and deleting her on all social media. At first this really rubbed me the wrong way because in my opinion, she does not deserve to see any aspect of how we live our lives, especially when it comes to our daughter. However, after talking to some amazing people who have gone through similar situations I realized enough was enough, why give her the satisfaction of thinking she is keeping our family members that love Everly from seeing her grow. Kyle and I have come so far in this journey together and I want to show people the love that comes from failed attempts and losses, that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that family members deserve to soak her in and enjoy her personality when she is born. I'm not one to come out and put our personal issues with family out on the table, but I think slowly people have begun to see it on their own, and it has been something Kyle and I both have battled a long time with, but I think we both have found peace with our choices and know deep down it is for the best. 

ASIDE from all that nonsense, summer is truly kicking my ass. Never be this pregnant in the summer ever again Kayla, it is true torture. I also only have like 3 weeks left of work which seems so crazy and surreal to me. I have grown to truly love my job and my team, so leaving them will be pretty hard. Also, Everly is due in like 57 days, which again is so surreal. Time has gone so fast and I can see why people miss being pregnant, I am never alone and she always lets me know she is there, it has truly been a magical experience.

How far along? 32 weeks

Total weight gain? I've gained a total of 20lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yes sir! How do people go back to regular clothes after giving birth haha, these are so comfy!

Stretch marks? Yeah.

Sleep? This is one thing that is different about my last update, I don't sleep anymore ha. I get up every 5 minutes to pee and I wish I was lying when I said that. I also HATE sleeping on my side, so it's been a challenge.  

Best moment this week? We got to see her one last time and it was amazing. My whole heart just filled with excitement.

Miss anything? Sleep

Movement? Her movements have become more dragged out as opposed to prominent kicks like they used to be. I can now see and feel her drag her entire leg across my belly haha it's both creepy and amazing. 

Food cravings? Strawberries and chocolate milk. These have become everyday staples

Anything making you feel sick or queasy? The heat has been really getting to me, it makes me feel light headed a lot and I recently threw up because of it. 

Showing? Yeah I'm all baby now.

Gender? GIRL!!!

Labor signs? None.

Symptoms? Just feeling sick due to the heat, also my ankles are always swollen. 

Belly button in or out? it's popped out now.

Wedding ring on or off? They are officially off full time :( 

Happy or moody most of the time? I pretty much break even lol

Looking forward to: Getting the rest of her stuff ready, like the car seat and all that jazz!

THIRD (AND FINAL) TRIMESTER

THIRD (AND FINAL) TRIMESTER


This week instead of doing my traditional "bump date," I wanted to take a moment and reflect on how the last 6 months have been for me. We have begun the third trimester and the final stretch of the pregnancy with Everly, and I feel so lucky in every way. This week we hit a little bump in the road with me feeling light headed and almost passing out - they took me over to the hospital to make sure baby wasn't in distress. Everything seemed to be fine and I feel her move on and off all the time. Overall though, she has truly blessed me with a great pregnancy - I can't complain, and even if it was a terrible pregnancy with every symptom I still don't think I could complain because of how far we have come. I have never felt so in love with my body and what it is capable of doing, she is growing every day and I couldn't be more thankful. 

The road we took to get here was far from easy, there were days when I would cry and just not understand why this was happening. However, it led me here and it led me to my daughter. Not only that but I have found so many women, many being close friends that have gone through similar things and it has allowed me to hopefully help them in some way shape or form. Six months ago I started a job that I absolutely love, I took the leap to make myself happy after months of hell and when I least expected it she came into our lives. It has been a chaotic 6 months, but in that chaos we have found beauty and hope within our own lives and we could not be any happier. 

So here we are in the last trimester, sometimes I can't believe how fast time has gone! We are entering our 7th month of pregnancy and we are excited and nervous for her arrival. I cannot wait to see her beautiful face for the first time but I understand why people miss being pregnant! I love feeling her movements, and I never truly feel alone. She has changed my life in every way, she has made me believe that even when things seem impossible there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Everly I can't believe we have made it this far together and I am so happy we have! Knowing you're continuing to grow everyday makes my heart so full - I can't wait to meet you in September!

26 WEEK BUMPDATE

26 WEEK BUMPDATE


These last few days I have really been enjoying my pregnancy and being able to be part of her for a little while longer. I can't believe that next week marks the third trimester and my 7th month of pregnancy. I feel so blessed everyday to be able to carry her and have everything be healthy so far - I have never been so in love with my body and everything it has been able to do these last 7 months. Last Sunday was my baby shower and it felt really special to have people there celebrating Everly and the love was felt all day. My last baby shower with my side of the family is just under a month away too, time is just flying and I think by the end of July it is really going to hit me what is going to come. 

How far along? 26 weeks

Total weight gain? I am sitting at around 10lbs gained now.

Maternity clothes? Yes sir!

Stretch marks? Yeah, no new ones though.

Sleep? Sleep is still hit and miss, some nights are better than others but it has been nice that our night's lately have been on the colder side which helps me sleep a lot better. 

Best moment this week? My shower last Sunday was really special - I was so happy to make some great memories.

Miss anything? Being able to sleep on my tummy. 

Movement? She seems to be really active from 5pm onwards, and I think it is because that is usually when I am relaxing and not moving around as much. 

Food cravings? Still white and chocolate milk haha and a few sweet things like ice cream.

Anything making you feel sick or queasy? Nope! I have been feeling really great this last week.

Showing? Yeah I'm all baby now.

Gender? GIRL!!!

Labor signs? None.

Symptoms? Nothing that really stands out this week, still getting the odd charlie horse at night which is the worst. 

Belly button in or out? Still just chilling half in and half out haha I thought for sure it would've popped by now. 

Wedding ring on or off? On, but still taking it off at night and putting moisturizer on my hands, for some reason wearing them at night really bothers me. 

Happy or moody most of the time? I think overall it was a very happy week :)

Looking forward to: Our second shower in just under a month, and my monthly doctor's appointment in 2 weeks!

According to my app, baby...

  • is about the size of a bowling pin
  • weighs just over 2 lbs now
  • her eyes are starting to open and she can see light 
  • she is still piggybacking off my immune system

24 WEEK BUMPDATE

24 WEEK BUMPDATE


It feels like the weeks are just flying by but at the same time I feel like I should be further along than I am! I am starting to see what people mean when they say they miss being pregnant, it is such an amazing process and right now I feel like I'm in the perfect spot. I am feeling good energy wise, I'm not overly big where I can still move around haha, and I am just enjoying feeling her movements. It is a special time, and one that I am trying to soak up (until the heat of the summer :/)

How far along? 24 weeks

Total weight gain? I have gained a total of 8 lbs

Maternity clothes? yup, everything I wear is either maternity or a size bigger. 

Stretch marks? Yeah, no new ones though.

Sleep? Lately the sleeping hasn't been the best, I have had a lot of charlie horses at night and I feel like I haven't been in a deep sleep in a long time. Despite that though, I seem to have a good amount of energy.

Best moment this week? The other night Kyle had his head on my belly and Everly kicked him in the face haha, it was so funny but so heartwarming all at once. We also got to see her this past Wednesday which is always such a treat. She was smiling for us and moving around, when we brought Kyle into the room and she heard his voice her movements changed and she was cooperating more for the tech to get pictures - she's obsessed with her dad already.

Miss anything? The cooler weather, and I LOVE summer, so it pains me to say that.

Movement? All the time, I love it.

Food cravings? I have been obsessed with cold milk, I remembered the story my cousin Cheryl told me in Ottawa, so I have been putting a glass in the freezer for about 5 minutes and it's the best. 

Anything making you feel sick or queasy? Not really, the heat the last few days has really taken a toll on me though. There have been a few times where I have felt light headed :( 

Showing? Yeah I'm all baby now.

Gender? GIRL!!!

Labor signs? None.

Symptoms? Light headed mostly but I think the heat is to blame for that.

Belly button in or out? It's still like half and half which creeps me out, I hate belly buttons.

Wedding ring on or off? On, but still taking it off at night and putting moisturizer on my hands

Happy or moody most of the time? This last week was hell and I'm so glad it's over, I was so emotional the entire week.

Looking forward to: My baby shower with Kyle's side of the family and my friends is next weekend! I am so excited to have such valued people in my life celebrate our daughter!

According to my app, baby...
  • is the size of a GI Joe (or an Eggplant)
  • has reached viability
  • has a fully formed face! 
  • developing taste buds and a sense of hearing

22 WEEK BUMPDATE

22 WEEK BUMPDATE


I really popped out this last week and a bit, there is no hiding her now! My tummy is rock hard which is really weird, and I have started to feel her a bit more, although I wish it was more often but she still has a lot of room in there so I don't always feel her. This past week although I have felt worried, wondering if she is doing okay in there, I have also felt calm and relaxed. I love the way she makes me feel, and I love knowing she's with me all the time - I never feel lonely! I have purchased a few things to do DIY's with, and later on I think I will be getting something a little pricier to use as a DIY as well. I almost bought it today but I thought I would wait a bit. Pretty soon we will start our prenatal classes, and I also plan on registering for a breast feeding class. Things seem to be progressing along faster and faster each week, but at the same time I just feel like it should already be September and she should be here. I've been trying to enjoy being pregnant because I know so many women miss it once the baby comes, lately I have been feeling really huge and it has become harder to sleep at night and I have also started experiencing charlie horses which is pretty painful. Overall I have just slowly been getting things organized, her room is coming together so when I start to have my shower's it will make getting organized easier. 

How far along? 22 weeks

Total weight gain? Total I have gained about 7lbs, so I'm still doing ok!

Maternity clothes? I am pretty much fully in maternity clothes at this point. 

Stretch marks? Yeah, no new ones though.

Sleep? Starting to get a bit worse, I can now only sleep on my side and i HATE sleeping on my side haha so it has been challenging. I have also started getting woken up with charlie horses in the middle of the night which are the worst.

Best moment this week? I think just everything overall, I have been at training for work which has been really informative and I have been loving that. I also have just been loving feeling my belly and experiencing he move a bit more.

Miss anything? My jeans haha

Movement? Yes, she is moving a lot more. 

Food cravings? Nothing really stands out, I have been gravitating towards the sweeter foods but I'm trying to make healthier choices.

Anything making you feel sick or queasy? I had a small glass of pop and immediately regretted it, I felt nauseas the entire night.

Showing? Yeah I'm all baby now.

Gender? GIRL!!!

Labor signs? None.

Symptoms? Just feeling right headed if I stand up too fast, charlie horses, and I have started feeling a bit nauseas here and there.

Belly button in or out? It's not too sure what it wants to do haha, I think it will be complete out soon. 

Wedding ring on or off? On, but lately I have always been taking them off at night. They aren't tight or anything they just irritate me. 

Happy or moody most of the time? Another emotional week for me.

Looking forward to: I get to see her a week from Wednesday which always makes me so happy. I love being able to see how much she has grown from the last time. I am also looking forward to my first shower which is a few weeks away, it will be so nice to have friends and Kyle's family be able to get together and celebrate Everly. 

According to my app, baby...
  • has eyelashes and eyebrows
  • is finally 1lb 
  • has a sense of touch 
  • is about the size of a small doll

NURSERY INSPIRATION

NURSERY INSPIRATION

my favourite part of her room so far

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew the nursery was going to be a labour of love until the baby got here. I think I changed the theme of the nursery about a hundred times, I am an indecisive person ha. At first I wanted a "vintage" looking nursery, but the more pieces I found, the more the room kind of looked like a dumping ground. That's the tricky part with vintage rooms, if you do it just right it is perfection, but if you go overboard like I did then it just looks like a giant garage sale. 

My second idea was a gender neutral woodland themed nursery, I thought it would be perfect because no matter what gender we had after this baby we could use the same elements for their nursery. I put together a private Pinterest board and this photo was what inspired me to get started:


It incorporated all the things I wanted in a nursery and a lot of the same furniture. HOWEVER (are you getting an idea of how I'm indecisive) once we found out the gender, the game changed. To be honest I thought I was having a boy, and when I found out Everly was a girl I thought this is my chance to really do the nursery I wanted. My mom had purchased this quilt from etsy and it was the base of the entire room. I loved how whimsical and girly it was, and the colours made me swoon. I went back to the drawing board (Pinterest of course) and started pulling inspiration. 




I loved how I could still incorporate some of the vintage items into her room and keeping the colour scheme. I wanted pink and mint with pops of gold, and even though we are still working on some things and waiting on a few items to finish the room, I am so happy with how it is turning out so far. It truly has been a labour of love and once it is all finished there will be a reveal post. I couldn't help but post a few photos on Instagram, but once everything is set there will be a more detailed post. 

20 WEEK BUMPDATE

20 WEEK BUMPDATE


For the last 2 years I have envisioned what being halfway through my pregnancy and wondered if I would ever experience it, so this week was really special. Kyle is so mesmerized by how my bump has expanded in just a few days, although I think after I eat it looks a lot bigger than it actually is. Life overall feels really good, I have reached that point in pregnancy where I feel like myself, less like crap, and my appetite is slowly coming back I just find I get full quite quickly. Her nursery is a mess which is not helping my nesting urges! The room itself was never fully done so Kyle needs to finish it so I can start hanging her gallery wall and organizing all the baby stuff before our showers start happening. I always walk into the room wanting to accomplish something, but get overwhelmed and walk out again ha. I have a few DIY's left that I would like to do for her gallery wall, but I want to see what we have so far up on the wall before I add anything. Once her room is fully done I plan on posting pictures or a small video just as a keepsake. 

How far along? 20 weeks

Total weight gain? I have gained a total of 4lbs so I'm not doing too bad!

Maternity clothes? I have started wearing some maternity pieces 

Stretch marks? Yeah, no new ones though.

Sleep? Has been really good! Deep sleeps which has felt really nice.

Best moment this week? Feeling her more has been so special, and just admiring how much I've grown and how every day I look more and more pregnant I love it. 

Miss anything? Nothing really stands out this week.

Movement? Yes, she is moving a lot more. 

Food cravings? Nothing crazy really this week. 

Anything making you feel sick or queasy? Nothing this week, I have noticed feeling more light headed but that is about it. 

Showing? Yeah I have a bump for sure and I love everything about it :)

Gender? GIRL!!!

Labor signs? None.

Symptoms? Just feeling right headed if I stand up too fast.

Belly button in or out? In, but it's starting to pop out haha.

Wedding ring on or off? On, but lately I have always been taking them off at night. They aren't tight or anything they just irritate me. 

Happy or moody most of the time? Moody and emotional again this week, sorry Kyle :/

Looking forward to: Finishing the nursery and my first shower which is a little over a month away!

According to my app, baby...
  • is the size a paper airplane
  • is practicing breathing 
  • can now be measured from head to toe instead of crown to rump :)