feb photo a day challenge. . .

Last month my instagram feed was filled with people doing the January photo a day challenge. . . and i was slightly jealous for not jumping on the bandwagon at the beginning on the month. SO this month I’m totally doing the February Photo A Day Challenge. Its a 29 (yay leap year!) day challenge where you take a picture a day and post it on instagram or twitter (read more on the instructions here). I highly encourage everyone to participate, have some fun, and fill my instagram news feed with pictures (follow me on instagram @erinvancura).

 

Alexandria’s Nursery. . .

When Mike and I found out we were pregnant we were beyond excited. . . we couldn’t think of anything else and would just day-dream and brainstorm about our future child (not much has changed. in fact i’m sure its gotten worse). Well, we needed someplace to put this child, so when it came down the nursery we got down to business and had a boys and girls nursery picked out before we even knew the gender! We wanted something our little bundle could grow into, pieces that she could use well into teen-hood, and so the hunt began for not-so-little-kiddish-nursery furniture. And in came Restoration Hardware Baby & Child, like a bolt of lightening. It was like they knew exactly what we wanted. The pink-but-not-so-pink, and not all white (but still feminine) furniture, the soft-palette, and the chandeliers (OH, the baby chandeliers!). We were obsessed. I have to admit I’m still obsessed with Alexandria’s room. I can’t wait until there’s an actual CHILD in there (but for now the room always looks impeccable!). The details will fill in as time goes on (and as i have my showers!), but for now, its sheer perfection.  Ok, ready for a peak?

awkward & awesome. . .

yup. its officially thursday. and ive been BAD at posting about being awkward & awesome (But dont worry, ive still been both awkward & awesome in the past few weeks). I’m trying to get back on the blogging train (woo woo), so i’m linking up with sydney over at the daybook to bring you awkwardness & awesomeness on this very fine thursday. I apologize in advance for this being all about pregnancy. . . but its kinda taking over my life right now.
awkward:

- putting a waterproof mattress pad on the bed. . ya know. just in case my water breaks. who wants to live with THAT smell/memory on their mattress?

- only being allowed to take 10 minute walks. its impossible to get ANYWHERE in 10 minutes (and tucker isnt a fan either).

- birthing classes. and the videos that go along with them. especially when the couple giving birth looks like molly ringwald and kfed.

- can i just say “being pregnant”. from the waddling, to the giant bump, to the growing a CHILD inside of you. the whole thing = awkward. (buuuut i guess the outcome is awesome).

 

awesome:

- new jeans. its no longer torture for me to put on “real” clothes. and i’m pretty sure my leggings are thanking me for giving them a break.

- birthdays. and friends & family who make birthdays extra special.

- being less than 8 weeks away from meeting lexasarus (yes, she already has dinosaur nicknames. which is another awesome).

- jenny mccarthy and her books. ive been losing my sense of humor about this whole “pregnancy” thing (its been replaced by sheer terror), and her books about pregnancy and newborns literally are making me laugh (OUT LOUD). i love her for getting me back on track attitude wise.

 

birthday!

Yesterday was my birthday. . . yes world I’m officially 28. I actually got three celebrations this year (and that my friends is a LOT of celebrating for this pregnant girl). It all started this weekend in Claremont with my fam– my sister was uber sweet and surprised me by coming out to dinner with us, I got to see my brother (and his lack-of-beard. HOLLA), and although my hopes of fine-dining at the old spaghetti factory were dashed (spaghetti with browned butter and mizerthra cheese anyone?!), we had a BLAST. . . and then there was some cake! Sunday we celebrated with my new-fam (the in-laws!), another delicious dinner, and even more dessert! And yesterday Mike and I snuck off for an executive lunch that 100% involved gelato.

And then i got home and there were a dozen cupcakes waiting for me. a DOZEN CUPCAKES. from sprinkles. someone (coughsaracough) is majorly praying on this pregnant girls major weakness.Overall it was one amazingly sweet (literally) birthday. And I can’t wait to see what year 28 holds for me!

sneak peak- alexandria. . .

 

well its friday. . . fridays always make me smile. Just knowing the weekend is so close. Our weekends lately have been filled with long puppy-walks and lots of home improvement projects. But guess what- the home improvement projects are winding down quickly. The nursery is done, the bathrooms have new tile, the walls are painted (minus ONE room. damn restoration hardware and their back ordered paint), and the pictures have finally been hung. We’ve entered a major state of calm. . . hopefully with enough time to enjoy it before our lives are turned upside down with Alexandria’s arrival (in approximately 9 weeks and 4 days).

Speaking of Lexi and her impending arrival. We broke down and had a 4-d ultrasound taken last weekend. We invited the grandparents, and everyone got a sneak peak of her chubby cheeks. Now, I was majorly hesitant to get this fancy 4-d thing done– mainly because the child always looks like a claymation alien. It’s a little freaky, and half the time I already feel like there’s an alien inside of me kicking and squirming- i didnt need photo proof. And then I had a dream Lexi was a boy. Yes, a BOY. Her nursery is pink, she has adorable little girl clothes, what on earth would we do if we brought a little boy home from the hospital?! I  made the mistake of telling my mom about my little dream, and day after day I would hear about how I “might be carrying like a boy”, and “maybe we can stain the furniture”, and “have the doctor check on your next appointment”. . . well my next appointment came and went, and the little bugger had her legs crossed. SO in order to put everyone’s mind at ease we got a little sneak peak of the babe. And here’s what we learned:

- she is 100% a GIRL. no questions. hands down. ALL GIRL. and thank goodness, because she already has personalized stationary.

- she smiles when she hears her dad’s voice. daddy’s girl already. melts my heart.

- she has her dad’s full head of hair. I kid you not, this child is going to be born with hair. and the longest, sweetest eyelashes EVER.

- weighing in at 3lbs and 4oz she’s right on track for being 8lbs when she makes her debut.

- she’s already a thumb sucker.

- she has her dad’s toes. Her 2nd toe is longer than her big toe. Mike claims its a sign of genius.

- she has chubby pinch-worthy cheeks.

- we can’t wait to welcome her to our little family