tattooed fingers, tattooed toes

since everyone is dying to see the tattoo progression shot...behold.

whoa, i just looked at them side by side and i can definitely see some stretching going on. i have to laugh, cause both aaron and i looked at it last night and said it looked the same. little did we know. i'm still wearing the same jeans with a little assistance from the belly band.

so a little over half way and it's not looking too shabby. at least it's stretching out evenly. i think i'm more concerned with what it will look like afterwards. that's where the real test lies. it'll be a wait and see game til the very end.

misfit baby

today was another baby doctors appointment. i had to get an ultrasound to check on the placenta problem they found at my last appointment. and just like the doc told me it's migrated upwards and, as of now, is no longer a problem. the doc quickly did a 4d ultrasound for me and was able to get a decent face shot. i can now rest seeing the baby actually has eyelids. i was a little worried for a second there. the nurses at aaron's office have given baby westphal a new nickname, squiggy from laverne and shirley. i actually think he could be a future member of the misfits, but that's just me. it's not actually his hair, just a shadow the machine put on his forehead, but it is funny to think that it is. i don't think he's sucking his thumb. that's what everyone has been asking me. i'm pretty sure it's just his hand up by his face.

the rest of the appointment was pretty standard. i did get a regular flu shot, which was a first for me, at least that i can remember. i'll be getting the swine flu shot when it arrives in the next month or so. my quad screen also came back negative which was great and one less thing to worry about. and, drum roll please, i've gained a whopping 8 pounds in the last month. so from start of the ivf process in march to now i've gained about 20 pounds. i'm gonna guess i'll gain another 20 before it's time to deliver. yeah right. we'll just have to wait and see.

at my next appointment, which is in three weeks, i'll be doing the dreaded glucose test. i have a feeling if there's any test i'm gonna fail it's gonna be this one. pretty much all i've been eating are sweets and carbs. i wouldn't necessarily say i've been craving them but set a box of french fries in front of me and i can pretty much guarantee they'll be gone in no time flat.

here's my 22 week pic and my attempt to look a little slimmer. ;)
i finally finished the 20 pairs of scrub pants i had to alter. so hopefully in the next few weeks i'll be able to concentrate on some other sewing projects. i do have a few already in mind.

like mother, like daughter?

so my aunt's comment had me ransacking my baby photo album, looking for a pic of my mom during her pregnancy. OMG! she wasn't kidding. i can't even imagine being any bigger than i am now and i've still got 18 weeks to go. i'm hoping it's just a growth spurt and i'll even out. i should be so lucky. i go in tuesday for another ultrasound and we'll see how much weight i've gained. i would not be surprised if it's another 7 pounds. i think i've figured out where i'm packing on those pounds, around my torso and in my thighs. i've gone out for a second time to update my undergarment wardrobe. i've gone from a 34 to a 38 and a small to a medium in about a month. my next pic i'm gonna bust out the skinny jeans cause i think those dresses are making me look bigger than i actually am. i wish! i hope!

welcome to the champagne room

at least it's where we'll be at 2 a.m. come december. finally getting around to posting pics of the finished paint job.

{before}
{after}
so we have one thing crossed off our list in preparation for baby westphal's arrival. well, we do have a wardrobe somewhat started. no, we haven't gone on a spending spree. most of the stuff we've accumulated over the years. you know, parents hinting around for a grandbaby with an outfit or two. most, if not all the rest has been bought on sale or on consignment. we've come to the conclusion, there's no reason to pay top dollar for baby clothes. of course i say that now, but i'm sure i'm gonna see something absolute adorable that i have to have. so i'll say, generally, there's no reason to pay top dollar for baby clothes. which brings me to our next project: reorganizing the closet.

i've been meaning to post these for a while but i've been having terrible eye allergies. at least that's what we think they are. i went in to the doc and he could see the lipids were inflamed under my eyelids. at first he thought i had make-up caked up under there but after trying to remove them he found it was something more permanent. one eye was worst than the other and oh so painful. i couldn't open my eyes without them instantly watering. i've been taking a topical antibiotic for the eyes and allergy meds to help soothe them. they are finally getting back to normal. apparently being preggers may have caused the flare-up. with my immune system compromised if i get sick it'll be twice as bad. so it looks like i'll be getting the flu shot this year.

this week i've been feeling baby westphal kick more often than not. it's weird to describe the feeling, sorta like someone's just pushing on you. not painful at all, at least not yet. it is a weird sensation and when it started happening i started to bug out a little. (the scene from alien comes to mind). now i find myself giving a little push or shove to get him moving some more. aaron's felt him a few times. he probably gets more excited then me! ;)

we have decided on a first name. and although it is tempting to tell, we're gonna keep it under wraps. still debating on the middle name but i think we've gotten it narrowed down to a few. so i've got a secret! ;)

20 down...

20 to go. the halfway point has come and gone and so far things have been going good. my appetite has returned with a vengeance. holy cow, i seriously didn't think i could eat so much. so long kids meals, hello super-sized ones!

the last few weeks i've had to make the switch to maternity wear, at least out in public. i don't mind sporting the half shirt at home. and yes, i've been sporting the dresses more often than not. i think i've worn them more the last few weeks than i have in a lifetime. when the pants don't fit...

luckily last weekend was a tax-free weekend here in nc. so aaron and i did some shopping. me more so than him. we did get a few outfits for baby westphal, but our main agenda was to get me something to wear. i'm now the proud new owner of two pair of maternity pants, a handful of shirts and some maternity dresses. luckily i was able to find some normal clothes that can double for maternity wear. like the dress i'm wearing in the pic.

the nursery is done, at least painted. i'll post pics tomorrow of the before and after pics. already loving the color and am thinking about the rest of the decor. the crib and changing table are still on order. expected delivery between august 14 - september 1. so for now it'll remain empty. i'll have to post some of the decor i'm considering and get peoples opinion. i'm finding i'm a bit girly in my thinking and it's really hard not to be so cutesy.

i did start my registries. greyson and i hit up "babies r us" and target last week. i'm having a hard time picking out things to put on it. if anyone has any suggestions, i'd love to hear them. yeah, the stroller i registered for turns on a dime... which makes aaron very happy. lol!

nice girls swallow

to help me get back into the swing of crafting i decided to participate in an altoid tin swap. it was small and easy, so a good way to get my feet wet again. my partner received today so i can post some pics of the tin i made. i went with her swallow theme if you couldn't tell. angela, you might recognize some of the stickers i used. they came in real handy with this project. thanks!

{back}


{interior}

{close up of embroidery}

right now i'm in the process of altering about 15 pairs of scrub bottoms from an XL to a medium. i've decided it would be a hell-of-a-lot easier to make them from scratch. i also started painting the nursery sky blue. the more rooms i paint, the more i hate the color that is originally in the rooms. it's so blah! i'll post some progress shots this weekend. hopefully i can get it all done by sunday.