Sometimes things don't go as planned

For the past few weeks the most common comment I get on my pregnancy is how small I still am. 

Truthfully, I didn't give it much thought. I was small with Rhett, but when I started to look at pictures of my pregnancy with him compared to where I am now, I realized I was much smaller now than I was then. Again, I didn't give much thought.

On Tuesday at my appointment, my doctor expressed concern that my belly was still measuring like I was 32 weeks (I'm 36) and suggested we do another ultra sound to see if the baby was growing. 

The ultrasound confirmed what my doctor thought, the baby hasn't grown much at all in the past month. The first concern was that something was wrong with the placenta or umbilical cord so we went to a specialist yesterday to see what was going on. The good news from the appointment was that the placenta and umbilical cord look normal, but we're still not sure why the baby has stopped growing. 

The news we didn't expect from this appointment was that the baby's leg bones are aren't fully developed, they're shorter than they should be, and that there are two apparent issues with his heart. 

We're waiting to get an appointment with a cardiologist and the next 2 weeks will determine a lot about if we'll deliver the baby early to make sure we can get him to gain weight and grow and how we'll deliver him (natural or c-section) based on the strength of his heart.

Both Jake and I are amazed at the ability we have to create life and feel that this process is nothing short of miracle and we know that sometimes things don't go as planned. We feel peaceful that though this little guy might have a rough start, but that ultimately everything will be OK.  

If you could keep us and our little guy in your thoughts and prayers we would be so extremely grateful. 

Baby's Dresser Dilemma

I swear indecisiveness is a side effect of pregnancy. 

I've gone back and forth a ridiculous amount of times with how I want this little guys room to turn out. 

But we've finally ordered and bought a few things, forcing us to make decisions.

The last "decision" is how to refinish the dresser. 

We bought this one from IKEA and we've stained it with Minwax Gel Stain in Hickory.

I bought these knobs from Anthropolgie (in lime) and we've ordered this rug from Urban Outfitters (in the redish-orange color). 

I'm not designing his room around a theme per say, but more the use of geometric patters, shapes and clean lines.

I promise it makes sense in my head. :)

 So this is where I need your help! 

I've narrowed it down to 2 ideas for his dresser. 

Option 1:

Keeping it simple and bordering the edges of the drawers with a basic white boarder.

Option 2:

Doing some kind of arrow on the drawer fronts.

My inspiration is from this wall/blanket.

So either I could do a literal arrow or something more like my inspiration pic and my sketch below. 

Thoughts?! 

What would you do, option 1 or 2 or neither?

Feel free to offer suggestions!

Life lately according to my Iphone

OK technically, Jake's Iphone.

I'm not cool enough to get my own Iphone yet. 

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1. Pink peanut paradise

2. Family date night to Dairy Queen.

3. Yes, they are father and son

4. Family shadow

5. The Miller men

6. Our hardcore hiking backpack

7.  We sold our first car this weekend. The car we went on our first date in. The car we brought Rhett home in. Honestly, my heart breaks a little when I don't see it in our driveway anymore. 

8. Refinishing furniture? Please, we're building our own. (Aka: trying to.)

9. Bubbles

10. Nice bum, where ya from? ;)

A new years resolution: Turning my "Wanter" off

It's 2013!

What the crazy?!

New Years is always a great time for our family because Jake and I were married on December 30th and my birthday is January 2nd. So for us, the New Year is always a time for us to celebrate the start of our married life, and more me the start of a new year of life. 

I love the concept of a "word" as a resolution for the upcoming year. 

It's a clear, concise, simple way to improve.

I've been trying to come up with a single word that I want to use for my resolution  but all that keeps coming to my mind is a phrase. 

"Turning my wanter off."

Let me explain.

We have been SO blessed this past year. 

We bought our first house, found out we are having another baby boy, Jake's job is doing really well, we've been healthy, safe, and in general just plain happy. 

And yet, since we've been in our new home, I keep wanting more and more, and I am failing to count my blessings. 

And to be honest, I'm kind of disgusted with myself. 

The night before the Newton shooting, I was obsessing over the paint job on the baseboards. And I honestly (and sadly) lost sleep worrying about it. 

And then the next day, with the shooting, I couldn't believe that my biggest worry had been about baseboards. 

I mean really. 

So my resolution for 2013 is to turn my "wanter" off and to enjoy all the good that I already have in my life. 

via

I don't want to keep wishing for the kitchen table of my dreams.

I want to sit at our table and work on alphabet sheets with Rhett and scream our letters at the top of our lungs.

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I want to remember that most of my "problems" are silly compared to what others go through on a daily bases, and that I need to do more to reach out. 

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I've bought a little moleskin to act as a gratitude journal to write 3 blessings a night in. 

It's a simple thing, but I'm so excited to fill it and look back through what I've written each night. And I'm hoping it will help me focus on the blessings I have and not what I "lack".

2013, you are going to be a good year. :) 

What are your resolutions/word for the year?

Feel free to link up your posts on 2013 below!

And check out these other amazing blogs and see all of the inspiration from their holiday link parties!

Embracing Change

Bliss Ranch

Southern Lovely

Dear Emmeline

Number Fifty-Three

Alderberry Hill

It's Overflowing

The Ironstone Nest

30 week baby bump

30 week baby bump.

Love from the big brother.

When I look back at all the pictures we have documenting my pregnancy with Rhett, and then realize this is only the second one we've taken for this little boy...I feel a little guilty. 

Don't get me wrong, we are so excited for this little guy to come into our family, but we are not even close to being ready. 

Please tell me this is normal for baby number 2. 

Pregnancy is going smoothly.

This little guy was slow to get on the kicking and flipping train, but now he seems to think he is lord of dance, with long stretches of Riverdance-esq kicking. :)

I do feel a decent amount of anxiety and anticipation with the thought that the severe PPD that could happen after the birth of this one like it did with Rhett. 

I've been journaling some thoughts about it and I've debated on writing a post about coming to the decision of having another child after what we went through with Rhett, and how we're preparing for this one; but I always go back and forth on how personal information is appropriate. So we'll see. 

But anyway, we are very excited for March 10th to arrive! 

PS Rhett still doesn't seem to understand we're having a baby. He calls my belly an "ouchie" because I'm telling him constantly not to jump on it because it will give me and the baby an ouchie.    

Any suggestions on how to help prepare him as much as possible? 

Dear Santa, let me explain why I want a new toilet for Christmas

Dear Santa,

I figured by now you've received my letter asking for a new toilet for Christmas. I thought you might be a little confused by my request...considering I usually ask for new shoes and maybe a power tool or two, so I wanted to explain.

It all started the other day when our old toilet started leaking all over the bathroom floor. We wanted to be "professional homeowners" and fix it ourselves so we called some family and did a little research and figured the wax ring needed to be replaced.

We went to Lowes, got the ring, and even remembered to turn the toilet water valve off before we tried to move it. (Impressed? :))

We replaced the ring and we were so impressed with ourselves. 

Until we went to put the toilet back in place and discovered we had cracked the tank.

Sigh.

So that's why I'm asking for a new toilet for Christmas. If we replace it, it blows my budget for finishing the downstairs bathroom and laundry room and I am itching to get them finished. I promise I've been extra good this year. And I'm pregnant. Does that score me bonus point on the "nice" side of your list? Pretty please?

Love, Julia

PS Rhett has been practicing saying "Ho, ho, ho!" It's adorable. He's so excited for you to come. :)

Around this house...

We've been laying flooring.

We've been painting.

We've been cleaning and unpacking.

We've been playing soccer in our living room because our furniture is still all stored in the garage. 

We've been having cereal picnics at least 3 nights a week.

We've been meeting our neighbors and getting lost trying to find our mailbox.

We've done laundry in our bathtub because the laundry room still is not quite ready to move the washer and dryer into. 

We've been having parades around the house to this song and SO enjoying all the extra space we have now. 

We've been collecting all the rocks in the backyard and lining them up on the back porch.

And we got to bed every night exhausted, but so grateful for our new home. :)

PS: I am truly sorry for my lack of blogging for the past month. We were just a little naive with our to-do list when we moved into this house, and being 26 weeks prego means most of my energy is going to cleaning up wood glue and drawing large pictures of Big Bird (per Rhett's request) with sidewalk chalk on our driveway.

I'm hoping in the next week or so to get the remaining few items check of our to-do list and get this home ready for the holidays. :)