Cloth Diapers

So I think its safe to say I'm obsessed! I mean I was excited before about cloth diapering but now its a whole new level. I believe I'm starting to nest and its definitely fueled my urge to buy cloth diapers. So far I have 13 organic hemp kissaluvs size 0, 2 dream eze organic aio (all in ones) size small, 2 wool covers, 1 Thirsties duo wrap size 1, and I have 4 Booroi diaper covers coming in the mail. I'm so excited for all of these and I keep falling more and more in love with cloth diapers! I still need to build up his newborn stash but I have ideas in mind of what I want...now its just a matter of finding great deals and let me tell you I am on the hunt. Its like a high! Oh man it really is addictive and its such a great feeling when you find an amazing deal and its all yours!! Even now writing about it I'm getting excited haha! I will have to take pictures and start loading them so you can see...you might not get the same feeling as me but oh man its an indescribable love and obsession. Ryan told me the other day that he was a little worried because he'd noticed how obsessed I've become...I just told him not to worry and it was a must because our little guy has to have something on his bottom when he's born and it wont be disposables! Oh and I just keep thinking how cute his little bottom is going to be...think of all the fluffy butt pictures...sigh. And who doesn't love saving money?? I mean really, more people should look into it and when you see what cloth diapering is today you'd be amazed, they make so many different kinds and really the only draw back is a couple more loads of laundry a week and its not like you have to fold them! So I've just decided its a healthy obsession, it might not seem like it to you but to me its rational! :)

Lets talk about people...

People are dumb...end of story!!

Really though people are crazy and I don't understand what they're thinking. You can have opinions but it doesn't mean you're right and don't try and push them off one me. Also if you do something and I confront you about it don't lie and then try to cover it up...I will find out and I wont like you even more! I definitely think that pregnancy has made me voice my opinions more. I never really used to tell people or confront them but now I find myself doing it more and more. Its not really a bad thing because I'm not being mean but I definitely can see myself becoming mean in some situations. I'm not saying everything has to be puppies and rainbows but don't tell me I can't do something and don't bring my pregnancy into it! Just because you hated your pregnancy and didn't listen to your doctors doesn't mean I'm an idiot too! I could go on and on but this is one post I should probably cut short because it could get really ugly!

27 Weeks...hmm I missed week 26!

Total weight gain: umm not quite sure but I'm sure I don't want to know!

Maternity clothes: All pants unless I use the bella band with them and pretty much everything else. I still have some regular shirts I can wear!

Stretch Marks: No new ones (but I think the ones on my side are starting to get a little bigger though not bad) oh and please please please stay away from my belly!

Best moment this week: I got our Amby baby hammock, baby bjorn, and some of our stash of cloth diapers! I'm so excited and everything is really starting to come together!!!

Movement: He's definitely a mover and now every time he moves my belly shakes haha!

Food cravings: Umm probably sweets. They just taste really good to me where as before I really loved salty.

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button: Still an innie though it looks funny.

What are you looking forward to this week? Going to visit my family and best friend in WI for one of my baby showers!! I can't wait to see everyone and I get a whole week!!

Gluten free cupcakes...YUM!

So I made cupcakes last week and thought I'd post the recipe. They were so good and Ryan even said that it was the best frosting he's ever had (he didn't actually get a cupcake... woops)!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Icing- a Vegan Recipe

If you don't care for the taste of coffee, use rice milk in the batter in place of the coffee and make a vanilla or chocolate flavored icing.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with parchment or paper liners.

Whisk together the dry ingredients:

3/4 rounded cup sorghum flour

3/4 rounded cup potato starch, cornstarch or tapioca starch

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup organic cane sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Add in and beat till smooth:

1 cup warm coffee (not too hot or it will make the potato starch gluey)

1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer beaten with 1/4 cup warm water

3 tablespoons light olive oil

2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon light tasting rice vinegar

Beat the batter for a full two to three minutes until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Using an ice cream scoop, plop the batter into the cups and smooth the tops.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven till done- about 20 minutes or so.

Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack (don't let them sit in the baking pan too long or they'll get soggy).

Frost when completely cooled.

Vegan Coffee Icing Recipe

2 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar

2-3 tablespoons Spectrum Organic Shortening

2-4 ounces cold coffee, as needed

1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla

Starting with the least amount of liquid, beat the sugar to incorporate the shortening, coffee and vanilla. if you need more liquid, add a small amount at a time. beat for two minutes or so until smooth.

If you need to stiffen the frosting, add a little more confectioner's sugar.

Chill the frosting before using it. I chill it, covered, for roughly an hour.

Frost the cupcakes. Cover in an air-tight container until serving. best eaten the first day. If making ahead of time, chill frosted cakes briefly in the freezer before wrapping individually and freezing.

Let me know if any of you tries them! Enjoy!

Weekly update!

25 weeks today! Baby is the size of an eggplant. Still no name but we will find one! haha

Total weight gain: 19 pounds...oh the joys!

Maternity clothes: All pants unless I use the bella band with them, dresses are a mix and so are tops but my belly is starting to sneak out the bottom of the non maternity tops haha so I have to be sure and where a long tank.

Stretch Marks: No new ones...please please please stay away from my belly!

Best moment this week: I'm it was actually last week and it was Vday!! It really is a huge relief to make it to viability week. I know we're not out of the woods but his chances of surviving get better and better every day he stays in there!

Movement: This is my favorite moments of the day! He is so active and it makes me feel so good. I really do love being pregnant and this is one thing that just can't be explained. Its the greatest feeling in the whole world!

Food cravings: Well I would probably say movie popcorn. I was going around town trying to find pre-sale tickets to a movie and at one I bought popcorn and the guy asked if I wanted to see a movie too and I just said "no, i'm just craving your popcorn!" he looked at me a little crazy but thats okay it was delish!

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button: Innie that's looking lite a crater now. Its weird to finally be able to see what your belly button looks like haha!

What are you looking forward to this week? Hopefully getting the nursery painting done. I really want that done and out of the way!!

Wow where has the time gone...

Ok so its been way too long since I've written on here! Today is the day I'm making up my mind to really start writing more often. I feel like the days are just flying by and I really want to remember this time in our lives. Everything is changing but for the better.

So today I am 23 weeks and 3 days pregnant! Can you believe it?? We are over half way there.

So here's the update..

Total weight gain: 15 pounds (ugh I hate that number but know its for a good cause and lets face it most of it is in the chest haha)

Maternity clothes: All pants unless I use the bella band with them, dresses are a mix and so are tops.

Stretch Marks: No new ones!! Yay! I have some from before but none from the pregnancy! Lets just keep believing that they'll stay away...at least on my belly!

Best moment this week: Painting the nursery and seeing things coming together!

Movement: Feeling him everyday several times a day. He's a little soccer player and I think he thinks my bladder is the ball! He's moving more consistently now and for longer periods of time which is nice because Ryan gets to feel him more and for longer too.

Food cravings: None really but I will say I do love me some sweets. I am normally not a sweet person but put some in front of me and they wont last long and they taste amazing!!

Labor signs: Nope!

Belly button: Innie but its definitely changing!

What are you looking forward to this week? VIABILITY!! I can't believe we're almost there. I'm also making some gluten free chocolate cupcakes with coffee icing and some GF vanilla cupcakes with mocha icing to take in to the dr.s office to celebrate this week!

Just Kidding...

IT'S A BOY!!
I can't believe it but we are really excited! I have to be completely honest and say I cried. I think I cried because I was getting so used to it being a girl and getting really excited about all the bows and ribbons, but now I can get excited about trucks and sports and whatever else boys like. I think it was because of shock that the tears came but they weren't sad tears...its just hard to explain. I am the youngest of 4 girls so I don't really know a whole lot about boys. It should be really interesting to say the least but I'm looking forward to it and of course Ryan is thrilled!

Uneventful and weird...

Well life has been pretty uneventful, which I guess is a good thing but that only leaves worry. I know I should worry but when a lot isn't happening its hard not to and you question all the little things. Right now I have a call into my Doc's office because of some pain. I'm really hoping its nothing and I'm just freaking but the longer I sit at home on my day off (which should be enjoyable and relaxing) the more I'm stressing.
I think I'm now getting into the stage of irritability. Its like everything sets me off these days I either get so upset that I start threatening (mostly to ryan) and I surprise even myself at the things I say... and I have to laugh about it later after calming down of course. Other times I find myself so upset I just cry because I'm so frustrated. See pretty boring stuff right... I know I shouldn't let things bother me so much but its hard with so many hormones. I swear though that my threats so Ryan are only "warning shots" I mean I warn him to stop what he's doing or saying or I'll ....
I've also started to want to do the strangest things. I know most of you will think its totally gross but as of a couple of nights ago I really want to lick Ryan's eyeball. Wow that sounds really gross but for some reason I'm super curious and don't find it repulsive. Its probably super unsanitary but I can' get over how curious I am. I just want to touch my tongue to the white part, I want to know what it would feel like on the tip of my tongue. I'm thinking this has something to do with pregnancy because I can't ever remember wanting to do something like this before and I've heard of pregnant women wanting to weird things like glue or to eat paper or toilet paper and I find all those repulsive but for some reason licking my husbands eye doesn't! Wow the more I write on this the more in theory I should find it gross and not want to do it anymore but I almost just makes me want to more. As of now he says absolutely not but I'm hoping he'll cave, although maybe its better if he doesn't because it could end up being one of those things I regret or find repulsive after the baby comes and think "how could you ever let me do that!!"

Butt Crack Santa...

is now what my husband is calling our child and I can't really be upset because I'm the one that came up with it. Here's how it all went down....

All our friends and family were wanting to know what names we like and I proceeded to tell them that we really love the name Penelope. I know that its kind of a love hate name but I did not think we'd get some of the reactions we got. One friend told me that my baby would come out ugly and with warts all over her if we names her that. She just would not give up on how awful she thinks the name is and kept texting me all this crap about it. Well I was getting so mad (oh the hormones) that I started yelling at Ryan about it. Not yelling at him but more about the situation and how rude I think it is, its not like you'd walk up to someone and tell them that their name is awful or walk up to a parent and ask how the heck they could name your child that. I understand if its not your style but you don't have to be mean!! Well in the heat of the moment I said what do people want me to name her "Butt Crack Santa??" He just started laughing really hard and asked how the heck I came up with that. I said I didn't know and that I was just upset and it was the first thing that popped into my head. Well he just thinks its so funny and now calls that baby Butt Crack Santa. I'm not sure how I feel about this though I have to say every time I hear it now or say it it makes me laugh! Oh and I text that to my friend and she said that that would be a prettier name than Penelope....oh the advice and opinions we get when we're pregnant!

It's a GIRL!!!

I would just like to say that I knew and that everyone else was wrong haha!! I even told Dr. Nilson and his nurse Finley twice that I was the only one that thought girl. Right away in the beginning of the u/s she spread her legs wide open and gave us the perfect shot! Dr. Nilson said he was about 99% sure it was a little girl and Ryan's response was something like... So they're still a chance it could grow a penis?? I couldn't believe he said that but I think he's just nervous I mean I kinda am another little me running around?? Yikes!! I do have to say that I'm really excited for the bows and big flowers and bright colors.
Later that night Amanda came over to help me make cupcakes with pink in the center so when people bit into them they'd know it was a girl. It was so much fun passing them out and watching people's reaction. I also should add that they were amazingly delicious!! While we were baking Ryan left to go fill my tank with gas (such a gentleman I know) and came back with gifts! He got me or well the baby a pink and white bib that says I Love My Mommy and a little thing you put in the window of your car that says Princess on Board! He also got me the sweetest card and he always writes the best messages in them. I am truly blessed with the best husband and we're both really excited for our little girl!

A little bit of crazy...

So we have this dog who gets all emotional and his way of telling us he's less than happy is peeing on the carpet. I can't really complain to much because I really don't have to clean it up to often. When I come home and see it I just get to leave it and I then tell my loving husband about it when he gets home. You're probably thinking that I'm lazy and blah blah blah but really my husband is a clean freak and no matter what, if I scrubbed it for hours or 30 seconds he'd come home and clean it all over again. It gets super annoying but I can't say I mind especially being pregnant. Bos hasn't done it in awhile but the other night I woke up thinking he had, he's peed while I was sleeping before and Ryan was out in the living room. See Ryan tucks me in at night because I go to bed early and he's a total night owl. We have a little routine and if I ever need anything I just yell for him (he's normally playing video games) and he comes in to see what I need...saltines, water, etc. Let me first say that when you're pregnant your nose becomes so sensitive to the slightest smells and you start to compare and say things smell like other things. Well I'm dead asleep and I wake up screaming for Ryan, he comes running in and asking me what's wrong and all I can say is "it smells like warm urine!" Ryan "what?" Me: "it smells like warm urine hurry I think the dogs peeing." Ryan"honey it doesn't and the dogs are sleeping." Well I make him look all over the room anyway and check all the blankets, all the while he's laughing under his breath at me. He comes back over whispers everything is ok and that I should call back asleep. Well I'm sleep in less than 5 minutes and the rest of the night is pretty standard. I wake up the next morning not remember anything really until Ryan rolls over and whines and says "it smells like warm urine" and then proceeds to laugh. It finally all come rushing back and I still swear to this day that he really had peed and Ryan just never found it. It really smelled like he had just peed!! Well now it seems I can't live it down and Ryan walks around saying it smells like warm urine. So I guess a little bit of crazy is starting to sneak out.

Reason's why you shouldn't...

... send a pregnant women out for food.
I finally ventured out of the house to get something to eat for Ryan and I and the experience was less than stellar. Ryan thought Schlotzsky's sounded good and it didn't sound bad to me so I figured I'd give it a try. I thought I'd just order what I normally get but that didn't sound amazing and I felt like I wanted something amazing. I order the sandwich anyway but then ask what kind of soup they have, YUM they had chicken and wild rice (sounds amazing right??) and I also see they have brownies (amazing again right) so the order is now at a sandwich, chips, drink, soup, and brownie and that's just for me. They then proceed to mess up the order and when they "fix" it they only mess it up again. I finally get home and get out all this "amazing" food and its awful. They messed up 2 sandwiches for me so I can't even eat it, the soup was pasty and seemed like it was the bottom of the batch and possible days old and the brownie didn't even taste like a brownie! I will say the chips were good but not $20 good (yes I spent that much for 2 people and couldn't even eat most of it). Moral of the story...when you send a pregnant woman for food she's probably going to order the menu. She can't help it, especially when she doesn't know what she wants. As you can see not everything turns out the way she planned and chances are everything is not going to be amazing. So just keep going out and getting stuff for her, if she has someone to limit her she'll pick one thing that absolutely sounds the best to her and more than likely it will be great or at least she'll eat it because there are no other options!
Since the whole Schlotzsky's experience taught me nothing I decided to order food again but this time from another place and that isn't fast food. I decide I want pasta and yay they just opened an Olive Garden about 2 miles from our house. I find the number to call in a to go order only to get a busy signal the first time, put on hold for over 10 minutes the second time, and then finally on the third time I tell them I will not be put on hold and I just want to place my order. I order cheese ravioli with alfredo and 2 salads (this is for Ryan and I to share) and its not a complicated order or even a big order and he tells me its going to be 45 mins!! Fine I figure its Friday they're busy and I'll just eat a snack in the mean time. I make my way up there 45 minutes later and they have no to go parking so I'm left parking way out in the boonies just to walk in and pick up food. I get in there only to be ignored and when I say something the girl tells me its going to be a little while yet...she doesn't say anything else like telling me I need to talk to another guy, I have to find that out by watching and waiting until more people come in behind me and ask about to go orders, but a nice waiter stops and tells them they have to talk to the guy in all black. I'm now getting more and more aggravated and can feel myself starting to shake. I'm now all up in the personal space of 2 women that walk in and are talking to the man in black trying to get this guys attention. He finally looks at me and all I can say is "how much longer is my order going to take?" He asks my name and says 5-10 more mins (I've already been waiting like 15 mins)! I am now ready to throat punch someone and am seriously considering walking out but then I think no I've been waiting over an hr for this so it would just be letting them win. 10 mins goes by and out comes my food. He's repeating my order and I say "no tomatoes on the salads right?" Him:"oh well there's only a couple on each of them" Me:"I'm allergic to tomatoes hence why I asked for them without" So he then tells me he'll be right back and goes to make more salads tomato free (which I specifically asked for to begin with). 5 mins later he's back and he looks at me and says Come back and see us again soon...well I'd like to say I smiled at him and said of course and have a nice day but really I just looked at him and said "I don't think so!" and walked out. Ok moral of this story if you really like a restaurant and want to keep eating there, don't "let" your pregnant wife order food from there. 1st she's got hormones coming out of her from all different holes and its really hard to reign in some of the emotions especially when it comes to food. See she has a love hate relationship with food, she doesn't really want to eat because she feels so nauseous but knows that for the most part the food "touches" her and gets to her in a way that nothing else has been. Its like a little slice of heaven when she gets to eat something that she's been craving and for that moment when she's devouring the food she feels great and forgets all about morning sickness. She doesn't want there to be an issue with this place but when something like this happens she feels almost offended because they're coming between her and her food. So again if you really like a restaurant and want to continue going there for years or at least the next 9 months you just go get the food and keep her away from situations where she feels threatened or angry because in no way does she want to be angry, her precious food becomes tainted when its suppose to be her "happy time!"

To all the pregnant women: if you do go some place and realize what your order isn't what you really want and order something else because you missed it on the menu the first time here's the best way to handle it....Just call your darling husband and tell him that you were thinking of him and you picked him up something from Jamba Juice (this was just where mine was) for when he gets home. Not only will he think this is great but he also will never have to know that you had a total pregnant moment and that you really weren't thinking of him, just yourself. It really works out better for you both in the long run haha!

Bringing my Mom in on the cupcake secret...

Today is the day. I woke up this morning (in someone else's house) feeling surprisingly great and ready to head to Puerto Rico. Our flights we're good as long as I had snacks and something to drink, the only thing I would have changed was the fact I was totally sleepless. It took all I had not to reach over and smack Ryan "accidentally" to wake his drooling face up and be sleepless with me. He's the guy that can sleep anywhere and anytime (he'll tell you the anytime part is wrong but I'm the one seeing him sleeping in the airport terminals on a bunch of chairs in the middle of the day) and then there's his pregnant wife watching and trying so hard not to hurt him. Wow I'm really getting off topic so we'll keep on going to the good part...we finally get the Puerto Rico and find the family at the car rental place. We had it all planned out to ride with mom and dad during the 2 hr car ride to RinCon. Well when we're waiting to get the cars there's a little problem of mom telling me that they are no longer renting on...well me being the hormonal pregnant women throw a little fit and Daddy ended up renting the car haha. I was going to get the video camera out and ask mom what she's looking forward to most about the trip (besides Megan's wedding) and then I figured she ask me the same thing and I'd say "telling you I'm pregnant" well it was dark and of course the video cam wont work in the dark so I decided to take a picture. I get the camera out and tell mom to look at me I say "say Liz is pregnant" and says Liz is pregnant smiles and then turns around. Here's the picture...

No big deal right?? Your daughter just told you she was pregnant and you turn around and don't say a word while my dad is just laughing. I finally say "Mom say Liz is pregnant" she then says "wait is that true?" Why would I say something like that if it wasn't true?? Mom "umm just thought you were trying to make me smile?!?" She then gets really excited and here's the next picture (which really should have been the first haha)

She then tells me that I should have said "say Liz is expecting a child"??? Really mom its the same thing. Well we all just ended up laughing at her or I should say with her to be nice. It was really exciting and it was so great to finally share the news when I had known for 3 weeks. It really was fun and will always be a great memory...so thanks Mom, thanks for giving us a good laugh and also being so excited for your next grandchild!

Sharing the cupcake secret cont.

I decided to do a little shopping and that brought me to baby depot. I'd never been there before and can't say I'll be back (its super disorganized). Anyways I decide to buy a little icing for the cupcake (a nook and baby blanket) and wrap it up in a wedding gift bag to give to my sister Megan. She was about to get married in a couple weeks so I wanted her thinking it was a wedding gift. Well I show up on her doorstep (well not really it was her work doorstep) with the icing and handed it to her. She opens it and says "is this what I think it is? Are you trying to jinks me?" I said "No, its for sleepovers" Megs "sleepovers?" she then looked at me and said "wait sleepovers are you pregnant?" I just shook my head yes and she immediately got up and started screaming and crying. So we talked about it a little bit and that's when we decided to tell my parents at her wedding in Puerto Rico.

Sharing the cupcake secret

We got to tell Ryan's parents on New Year's day via Skype. I made a shirt that said "Bun in the Oven" and decided to wear it while we talked to them and see how long it would take them to notice. Well not even 30 seconds into the conversation Ryan's yelling "did you see her shirt, did you see her shirt?!?!" Connie then says "run in the oven?" I pulled out my shirt so she could see it better and and she read it and was excited while Gary asked me if it was "for real" I said "no I just like wearing the shirt" he said "oh really?" I just laughed and said that yes it was true. They were really excited and have been ever since.

I dream of cupcakes

One of my first things I noticed was the weird dreams. I'm dreaming of crazy things and about people I haven't seen in ages. And then there's some dreams well lets just say we really don't want to end. Some I remember and some I wake up wondering what just happened. The most memorable one has been about a cupcake...the most amazing and delicious cupcake I've ever had.

Finding out you're baking

So its 4 o'clock in the morning and I have to pee. I decide to roll out of bed and open the box, I have no hope but need to test anyway so I can start Provera. Less that a minute later there's 2 lines...2 freaking lines! I'm in total shock and zombie like I walk into the room turn on the lights and show Ryan. He says "what does this mean" Me:"I'm pregnant?" Ryan:"Are you sure, these 2 lines don't look the same?" Me:"I don't know" Ryan: "I'm tired I'm going to sleep." So for the next 2 hrs I listen to Ryan snoring while I lay there wondering if this can really be happening. Its now 6 and I have to pee again so I use another stick and again 2 lines. I'm so excited but cautious and Ryan still doesn't believe it. Later on he had a haircut and decided to buy more tests on the way home...digital tests. Well when he gets home I use a digital test. If you haven't used a digital test its worse than using a line test, it has an hour glass that just goes back and forth while you're waiting for your results. I covered it because I didn't want to watch that and Ryan thought I was crazy and wanted to watch so I finally just walked away. A minute later Ryan looks at me and says "you want to know.....Pregnant!" I couldn't believe it and either could he, we just started giggling and jumping up and down...well maybe that was just me, I think Ryan was in shock. The first person I called was my best friend Brittany I couldn't believe it and just blurted out "I'm pregnant." I was so excited to share it with someone and was glad she was just as excited as I was. I couldn't call my mom because I knew we were seeing them in a couple weeks and wanted to share the news in person (which was really hard to do). So this is the story of finding out we're baking a cupcake.