31 Weeks

This week has been completely crazy. Zach started a new job, poor Koda has an ear infection, Koda and I both had doctor appointments, and we are still trying to get settled in from the move back to the states. We won't even be getting our car or household goods back until the late May/early June time frame which completely freaks me out because we have nothing for Levi until they arrive- which is in less than 9 weeks! EEEK!! I'm sure everything will turn out fine but it is making me nervous to say the least. Another thing making this week crazy- the weather! It's mid April in Texas and it's getting down into the 40's?! I was born and raised here and I am positive that this has never happened. Where is my summer heat?

How far along? 32 weeks

Total weight gain: 20 lbs

Maternity clothes? jeans and tops. I had to finally give up trying to squeeze into my regular t-shirts. Way too big for that now!  

Stretch Marks? Two very tiny ones from after Koda's birth have reappeared.

Sleep: Until last night, miserable. Coughing, not being able to breathe out of my nose, usual 'cold' stuff kept me awake but I was feeling better yesterday and I slept like a rock.

Best moment this week: Seeing Levi on ultrasound. The first thing he did was stick out his tongue! He's already just like his daddy and brother...heaven help me! ;)

Miss Anything? Oddly enough, I've been missing being able to work out really hard core. So strange because I hate hate hate working out when I'm not pregnant.

 Movement? Tons! Lots of pushing/shoving going on in there. 

Food cravings?: Some days I crave super healthy food and then the next day I crave fried/fast food. Weird!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not lately.

Gender: Boy.

Labor Signs: Other than very slight pressure from him being head down, no.

Symptoms: Swollen legs, fatigue, touchy temper.

Belly Button in or out? In.

Wedding rings on or off? Off. I break out if I get even the slightest amount of water under it so I usually just keep it off.

Mood: I go from being in a great mood to being short tempered. I never really had mood swings with Dakota, so this is weird for me. I really don't like it. My poor husband is so patient with me though, thank God.

Getting ready for Baby #2

When I first found out that we were expecting our second baby, I thought we already had everything we needed for his arrival. Then, I actually did a mental checklist and realized there were quite a few things that we didn't have or that we had gotten rid of that we would need.

1.Double Stroller

2.Carseat

3.We needed to figure out the sleeping situation. Would we need another crib? Should we transition Dakota to a toddler bed and use his crib for Levi? (We decided to transition Koda to a big boy bed)

4.Breastpump. The one I had with Koda didn't work well.

And of course there were a few things that I had discovered since Koda was a baby that I would want this time around.

Here's some of my wishlist items. Things that we don't necessarily need but will most likely pick up to make our lives a little easier.
Evenflo Symphony Convertible Car seat- This is Dakota's current car seat and we love it so much that we decided to just go with it from the beginning this time. It comes with an infant insert which is perfect. We still have Dakota's infant car seat to use for trips to the store and things like that. Friendly reminder-NEVER put your infant car seat on top of a shopping cart! There is NO proper way to do it. Always put it INSIDE the basket. ALWAYS.
Dex Daydreamer- This is kind of like the Nap Nanny which was discontinued. I guess this one is 'safer'. Although, as far as I could tell, the Nap Nanny wasn't dangerous as long as you used it correctly. Who knows...I'm just glad there's something similar available.
4moms Mamaroo- This baby is amazing. It's different from a typical baby 'swing' because it simulates the motion that the mother makes while the baby is in the womb. It has a swaying motion as opposed to a swinging motion. You can also plug your Ipod directly into it and it will play your playlist. I've seen it in person and was pretty impressed and after reading the reviews on it, my husband and I were both completely sold. Besides, the swing we had with Koda lost pieces during our many moves so.....it's kind of like I HAVE to get it, right?
Snuza Halo or Hero- This is for my comfort and peace of mind. When Dakota was newborn I would constantly lean over during the night to check if he was breathing, meaning between that and feedings, I got absolutely no sleep. This doodad eliminates the need for me to check his breathing myself because it does it for me. You clip it on your baby's diaper and it monitors the movements they make from breathing. If it stops for longer than a few seconds, it alerts you. I read the reviews on this and they were all positive and have saved more than a few lives.
Woombie- A swaddler the hugs your baby tighter than a typical swaddle so that it feels more womblike.

If you're looking to save money, check your area for consignment sales. They have brand new/gently used items at HUGE discounts. I went to one recently and was able to pick up a double stroller, a brand new, completely unopened breast pump, and a few other things for both of my boys.
 What items did you realize you would need or need more of when you were expecting another baby? I hope there's not something super obvious that I'm completely spacing on!


Returning to blogging & Baby DQ #2

Yes, I'm still alive. I took a break from blogging but I think I'm ready to get back at it. I will for sure have plenty to write about because...Surprise! We are expecting Baby DQ #2! My due date is June 15- Father's Day! We are having another little man and his name is Levi Wyatt. Dakota loves to kiss my belly and hug it and say 'awwww'.

Speaking of Koda...he is so crazy big and so so smart! He amazes me every day with how much he is learning and growing. His vocabulary expands each and every day and his personality keeps growing. He is absolutely hilarious and super adorable, and believe me, he knows it. I truly cannot believe he is already almost a year and a half! Where has all the time gone?

Along with getting ready to welcome a new baby, we are also making some other big changes. We have moved back home from Germany and are transitioning out of 'the military lifestyle' and back into civilian life. That means finding a new home which I am super excited about. I can't wait to get into a new house and start decorating and making it into our home. We've never really been able to settle in and decorate and everything because every time we got to a new place, we would move very shortly after so there was really no point. Hopefully now we will be somewhere more permanent and actually be able to make it our own. When we do start decorating and all of that, I will be sharing pictures and projects on here so you all can follow along.

Keep an eye out for posts on preparing for Baby #2, Summer Style for the littles, and Cloth Diapering.

The Wonder Weeks

Wonder Weeks = A grumpy baby, and a very tired mommy

If you don't know what a Wonder Week is, let me break it down for you.
A few weeks at a time when your baby/toddler will cry almost constantly, forget all about their schedule, refuse naps, wake up 5 times a night, and test the boundaries that you've set for him/her while also testing your sanity.
Why? Because just as babies go through physical growth spurts, they also go through mental ones. These mental growth spurts are what the book The Wonder Weeks call "leaps" because after these few weeks of what you are certain is your breaking point, your baby will be able to do and understand things that he/she was not able to before. From what I understand from reading The Wonder Weeks, during the leap our babies might now know what's going on or why their world seems different every time they wake up and it can be very upsetting which is why we, as parents, experience our babies being extremely irritable and clingy (not wanting to be put down).
The bad news is that these 'leaps' can be exhausting and trying for us parents, but the good news is that not only will our baby 'leap' to his/her next stage, there is a general timeline of when these leaps will happen. I've been following this calendar since Koda was just a few weeks old and sure enough - he is right on cue with every leap.

If I notice one day that he's being extra fussy or his schedule has changed, I look at my calendar and 10 out of 10 times he will be in a leap. It even shows when the worst point of the leap will be. This is (in my experience) right on point as well. Here's the calendar so you can track your baby and maybe you will find that his/her 'fussy periods' are more predictable than you think! You can buy the book The Wonder Weeks HERE or download this APP for your phone/tablet which will track your baby on the chart and tell you what you can expect and what they are learning from that particular leap.

Dakota is right in between week 44 and 45. You see that little storm cloud over week 44? Yea...it's there for a reason. These past few days have been hard for both of us but today, I can already tell that things are getting better and we'll be out of the woods soon. I know that because for the first time in about a week, he has went down for an early afternoon nap, without putting up a fight.
That's what I'm talkin' about!

Living in Germany

"What's it like living in Germany?"
I can't tell you how many times I've been asked this question since my family and I moved here almost 6 months ago. I didn't think it was fair to give my opinion until I had the chance to actually experience it for a while. After living here for a few months now, I'm still hesitant to give an answer, but I do have one....kind of.
I'm not the biggest fan.

BUT!!!
Let's keep in mind that I have a very limited view. I haven't been able to travel much or experience all the great things that Germany has to offer. We live in a very small Army community, which is currently shutting down and lots of things aren't available to us anymore. So, there's that....along with the language barrier which can sometimes be very frustrating. I'm not saying that everyone should know English or something, because that wouldn't be fair. I just struggle with the language barrier and it can make simple things, like a trip to the grocery store, rather difficult.

I'm also not a fan of the driving here. I'm a nervous driver in general, and even though I have my German license, I am still terrified every time I have to drive somewhere. Drivers here seem very abrupt to me and it makes me uncomfortable. Maybe I'm just a wuss but, it is what it is.
There are a few other things that I don't like such as no A/C or ceiling fans, having to use bottled water, and the lack of elevators makes it difficult when you have a stroller and a baby that isn't able to walk. But now I just sound spoiled.

There are a few things that I really do love.
I love the scenery. Not necessarily where I live, but in places like Garmisch, the view is truly breathtaking.

Baby toys! Germany has some of the coolest baby/kids toys that I've ever seen. Not to mention their strollers. It's basically a bassinet on wheels. Neat-o!

"Downtown" Pretty much every place you go in Germany (that I've been to, at least) has a 'downtown' area with lots of shops and cafe's that you can just walk around for hours! When the weather is nice, it's perfect for family outings. You can go to and Eiscream shop and get these really elaborate (and delicious!) sundae's, go to a wine shop and taste all the wines and liquors, stop at a restaurant or 'brauhaus' and get a meal or a cheese platter, and go to all the other little shops along the way.  

I also love all the festivals that Germany has! There was one right across the street from where we live and we went to it almost every day that it was here. They have the best goodies and treats and also live bands and BEER, BEER and more BEER!

Hmm....maybe I like Germany a little more that I thought ;)

FALLing in love!

The weather here in Germany is already cooling off and it's seriously putting me into the most festive mood!
Yes, I'm that girl with the Fall wreath already hanging on the door.

I used to be a die-hard Summer lover, but from home décor to Halloween duds for the little one, this Momma has fallen in love with FALL.

I've got my spicy scents from Candles by Victoria in my warmer, all the classic Halloween themed movies on the TV, cute festive designs on my chalkboards and apple cider in my mug!

It might seem a little soon to be jumping into all of this but I just can't help myself!

Speaking of not being able to help myself, I've already hit up Old Navy and Carter's to get some seasonal stuff for my little man. I think that any little one (girl or boy) could rock these all season long.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to my Halloween movie marathon! (Hocus Pocus, anyone?)



Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry

Who doesn't love a good recipe? Especially when it's super easy, fast, and yummy!
This is something that I threw together one night and it turned out DELICIOUS!
The pineapples add a burst of flavor and the water chestnuts and cashews add some crunch!
Here's what you'll need:

2 or 3 chicken breast, cut into strips (depending on how many people you're serving)
3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green) cut into strips
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup baby portabello mushrooms, sliced (more, if you like)
1 can water chestnuts
1 can diced pineapple
1 cup halved cashews
Kikkoman Stir-Fry Sauce (approx 1/2 bottle)

In a skillet, cook chicken. In another skillet, combine bell peppers, onion, and mushrooms and saute until soft. In a pot or large skillet, combine chicken and vegetables and stir fry sauce. Add in water chestnuts, pineapple and cashews and let simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes. Serve. You can also serve over noodles or rice, if you prefer.  Enjoy!