Nesting: CD edition

My downstairs looks like a freaking battle ground of fluff :P I have diapers drying on every surface available and a shitton hanging in the closet we use for storage. I decided that in the middle of the night last night, I would wash all of my diapers.. mind you I now have over 100 diapers (including prefolds).. IDK if anyone that reads my blog is planning on CDing, so I will explain what I did

Previously-Loved Diapers Strip:

• I ran all of my used dipes and inserts through a long cycle on hot until I didn't see any suds in the wash (which for me, luckily was only one wash)
• I then let the water fill up on hot again and added maybe 1-1 1/2 tbsp of Tide Original powder detergent and a little less than 1/4 cup of regular old bleach (to kill any germs from the previous owners). I ran that whole cycle on hot.
• Lastly, I rinsed the dipes until I could no longer smell the bleach (I think it was 3 times)
• Hang to dry

New Synthetic Diapers Prep:
(These are all of the diapers that are made of cotton, suedecloth, fleece, etc and your microfiber inserts. Natural fibers are your bamboos and hemp -which I have none)

• I just did a hot wash with a tiny tiny bit of detergent
• After the wash, I threw the ones with PUL in the drier for about 10 minutes (I've read that this can seal the PUL)
• Hang to dry

You really don't want to dry your diapers unless you are in a pinch and it is a must. The heat can damage the PUL and if you have cotton diapers (like my Rockin' Robbies AI2's) it can make them fade and show more wear quicker (which is why I removed the non-PUL diapers bc I don't want them to fade).

Natural Inserts/Doublers/Whatever Prep:
I have some bamboo inserts and bamboo blend inserts (microfiber and bamboo layered together)
These absolutely have to be prepped separately from your other diapers and inserts because they have oils on them that can get on the diapers and cause them to repel moisture instead of absorb.
For these, I have read you can do 5-8 washes on hot, but I honestly only have about 10 and that'd be a lot of time and water/power to prep 10 inserts

• I filled a pot up with hot water and brought it to a boil
• Added a small drop of blue dawn (this is optional)
• Place the inserts in for 30-45 min while the water is boiling
• Make sure you watch it and stir frequently (especially if there are snaps on the inserts bc they can melt if you let them touch the pot)
• Throw them in a hot wash (I didn't use detergent)
• Dry or hang them

Bleached Cotton Prefolds Prep:

• Wash once on a cold cycle with a smidge of detergent
• Wash on a complete hot cycle (no detergent necessary) and dry
• Repeat the second step 5-6 times

After your new diapers are prepped and your used diapers are stripped, you can start washing everything together because the ickies should be gone from the used diapers and the oils and whatnot should be washed away from the bamboo/hemp/etc.


I completed the crib skirt! It turned out to be pretty easy and simple. I didn't do a post or take pictures bc it is terribly plain and I don't have a crib set up to even show the finished product. Also, we have those terrible red carpets and the skirt is maroon so pictures would be awful anyways.

I am going to start a new project tonight that I will be writing a DIY post with pictures and instructions for a sweet baby item I'm making for Jill and another special baby, but I won't be publishing it until the mama gets the gift on the off chance she reads my blog and sees it :P

I also plan on doing a little DIY post on the nursery letters I am making to put on the wall over Jillian's crib. The unfinished wood came in the mail today!

You can see an edge of the folded crib skirt up at the top :P

An awesome friend sent me some onesies she made for Jill for an exchange today! I just wanted to share a picture of them bc I'm so freaking excited over them!

Lastly, my dad bought some things off of our registry and another friend gave me some things for Jillian so everything really seems to be getting more real! I find myself getting really obsessed and excited getting ready for baby Jill! We now have a bassinet, changing pad (I plan on making the cover!), and cloth diaper pail. I am still waiting on several more things to come in from my dad. Every day when the mail comes is like Christmas!


EDIT Thursday night: OMG I am dying at the adorable-ness of the goody I just made for a special baby and for Jill. I will be going first thing to the post office to get it out so I can post pictures here when the mama receives it!

bump comparison(s)

Uh yeah.. so, 1. I am retiring this shirt, and 2. I cannot believe I have been pregnant (and known about it) long enough to make a 20w comparison :P

5weeks and 25weeks 4days in the same shirt

Exactly 10w difference - 15w4d and 25w4d

Sadly, the 10 week comparison is more drastic bc I lost all of that weight.

Felt HP mobile

I had to add in the almost finished product of my felt mobile bc I'm so stinkin proud of it! When I finish it tomorrow, I will update with pics of the completed mobile.

I bought two embroidery hoops to hang them on and I'm going to wrap them in yellow and maroon yarn then hang these pieces with fishing wire (probably in a similar way as they are laying bc I like the owl in the middle bc it is the biggest). I'm so proud! I think they turned out way better than my inspiration pics above and that lady on etsy is selling her mobile for 55 bucks!

Steps on how to make this mobile (or really any felt mobile):

Materials:
Assorted felt (I bought the mega cheap sheets of it for like .35 or so)
Different color threads (I used embroidery thread so I could choose how thick the stitches were)
Sewing needles
Hot glue gun (optional depending on if you want to sew every little thing or quickly glue something on)
Something to stuff it with (I used cheap crafting polyfill)
Scissors
Pen/marker/something to trace out your patterns
Embroidery hoops (or other hoops)
Some kind of string or line to hang the hoop and attach the felt pieces to the hoop
Yarn or paint (also optional and depends on what look you want for the hoop. Embroidery hoops are usually unfinished wood, so I wanted mine to be wrapped in yarn to cover that up)

Steps:
Draw out the shape that you want to make on the felt
Cut out two identical pieces
Sew together leaving an opening (I like poking the needle through the bottom and wrapping the thread around the edges. I didn't make the stitches ultra neat bc I like the look of the messy little characters)
Stuff with polyfill
Sew hole

It was incredibly easy. You can sew on little designs or buttons or other pieces of felt before sewing the back and front pieces together and stuffing. Next, you can get an embroidery hoop and either paint it or wrap it in yarn (so it doesn't look like a plain old embroidery hoop any longer). You just hang the pieces with some string or fishing line and hang the whole thing over the crib!

Keith is on duty tomorrow so I might attempt the crib skirt after my appointment in the morning!

Finished product (I need Keith's help getting it a little straighter)

Another edit.. here's my photoshop (and free) version of a print I found on pinterest/etsy

I am hoping for a new printer for Christmas so I can print it and then frame it (it'll be 8x10). I want to make a few other prints made of HP quotes and possibly the "Jillian, Yer a wizard" quote by Hagrid. I really can't make up my mind bc I like so many of the quotes :P

Nursery ideas

This is what I have in mind for Jill's nursery. I have no clue what colors we will do the walls, but I want to make some House Flags (maybe even just one large Gryffindor one) like in the top left corner, a mobile of felt owls, lightening bolts, brooms, etc, hang a few prints like the top right corner or the two on the middle row (and the prince one is an absolute must). We have already picked out (but not ordered) the crib and dresser in that expresso color. They are Graco collections. I really really want to get a rocker recliner similar to the picture and have a HP throw pillow and/or a maroon and yellow blanket to go over the back. I have already ordered two sheets in the yellow patterns above. Today, I went to JoAnn's and bought the maroon fabric to make a plain crib skirt. I am thinking maroon curtains and I kind of want to get a changing pad cover in the same color yellow as above, but maybe in polka dots (the changing pad will go on the dresser which is actually short and long, but the stupid picture editor cut out half of the pic).

I want to get one of those cube storage things with the fabric drawers for Jill's diapers.. but IDK how I can tie one of those into this since they usually come in white and have limited drawer colors/styles. I need some kind of storage solution for her diapers bc it'd be mildly inconvenient to have them in a tub in the bottom of her closet when I need to change her diaper. I thought the cube drawers would be nice bc they're light weight and we can take them out and put them in the living room so we don't have to change her only in her room.

25w0d!

Another "WTF how am I __ weeks along!?!?!?!" just popped into my head when I wrote that title..

Not much went on this week. Had a great Thanksgiving. Keith and I are just having a lazy Saturday afternoon after doing some shopping this morning. I got the rest of my newborn dipes in the mail today so I have an updated stash shot (only missing a few diapers from my completed collection).

I felt Jill kicking when I was standing up today for maybe only the second time. I guess that means she's getting bigger and stronger!

Below is my *almost* complete stash. I ordered 2 dozen NB prefolds yesterday (black Friday sale!!), and I am still waiting on the 2 Glowbugs (plus I picked up another.. so 3), and I ordered 2 Harry Potter customs by Meena and Max (One will be Harry flying on a broomstick that is similar to the one I have except the print will be all over instead of just one big image - the other has Hedwig and the HP with the snitch like my cover all over it.. if I am remembering these correctly). I will probably need some OS covers eventually (I might order a set of House Crests like my black cover) to go over the fitteds since they aren't waterproof. My stash totals come to... 37 OS diapers (including the ones I've already bought but not received) and one OS cover AND 42 newborn diapers, 24 prefolds, 6 newborn sized covers.. and then 48 wipes. WOWSA

I will need wet bags (on my registry), a bin, CD safe diaper rash cream, CD safe laundry detergent, and those OS covers I mentioned to complete everything CD-wise(unless we end up finding something doesn't work for us and then I'll try to sell and replace whatever that might be)

ONE SIZE STASH Top- (in random order) 6 bumgenius freetimes, 12 BG 4.0s Middle - random pocket, goodmama fitted, mamamade fitted, rockin' robbies AI2, 3 sunbabies, chloe's cloth fitted, 3 alvas Bottom - boogie bums fitted, 2 rockin' robbies AI2s, cutsie tooshie pocket, spider monkey designs cover (then the 6 prints I made for the wipes)

NEWBORN STASH Top row - 13 THX AIOs, 5 applecheeks size 1's, blueberry pocket xs 2nd and 3rd rows - XS BG AIOs 4th row - two random AIOs 5th row - 4 custom xs covers and one random cover (zebra) 6th row - bummies super whisper wrap NB size

I couldn't resist and got Jill this hat at Baby Gap today!

How far along? 25w0d, ~15 weeks to go!
Total weight gain/loss? Haven't weighed myself since last week, so assuming I weigh something similar, down 12lb for the pregnancy
Stretch marks? No new ones
Sleep? I don't really notice being extra tired lately, but it is getting hard to sleep through the night
Best moment last week? Coming home and seeing my husband
Movement? I feel her a lot now
Food cravings? Sweets
Belly button in/out? In, but I'm not sure how much longer until it starts popping out. It is a bit more shallow and it pretty stretched out now.
What I miss: Being comfortable when I'm sitting in bed
What I am looking forward to: 3rd tri and a big ole belly
Milestones: I'm pretty close to hitting double digits in my countdown! 105 more days as of today. 3rd tri is less than 2 weeks away!

25w0d

24w2d

Oops! I was busy this weekend so I didn't get to do my update! This will be relatively short. I have been SO busy with visiting family, but I am home now! I missed my husband and my bed so so so much!

Today, I hung up all of Jillian's clothes and put all of her stuff in the closet in our extra bedroom (it has been strewn all over the house as we collect things here and there). We will be moving in April, so Jill won't get a nursery until we move. She'll likely be in a pack-n-play or something comparable in our room until we move. We plan on buying her crib and dresser, but only using the dresser until we move. I ran out of room in the tubs for her clothes, so I decided to hang it all up.

This is before I ran out and bought 35 more hangers (which turned out to not be enough..). On the left, there is a tub and box full of clothes and some blankets. The right has a tub of her diapers. I have since hung up all of the clothes I could from the left and moved her diapers into the big tub on the left (OS and inserts) and into a small crate (newborn). The random knicknacks we have for her and the blankets and clothes I didn't have hangers for (plus things like pants that aren't hung up) are now in that smaller patterned tub. This child will not be getting any more clothes from me :P

My sister and a friend both offered to throw me and Jillian a shower! I didn't think I'd get one because no one had offered and I won't be heading back to VA for family to throw me one. It will likely be Potter themed and in mid-late February (so mega close to my DD.. hope that works out lol). I am so excited!

We hit Vday on Saturday and I couldn't be more thrilled! My belly is definitely growing too!

I'm gonna edit out some of my survey questions bc they're the same answers every week (maternity clothes and sex)

How far along? 24w2d
Total weight gain/loss? Goodness.. my scale says I'm 128 (up 8 lb..). I have an appt next Monday
Stretch marks? No new ones
Sleep? I don't really notice being extra tired lately
Best moment last week? Hanging out with my nephew
Movement? She kicks me loads (I will likely edit out this question soon too.. )
Food cravings? Subway today
Belly button in/out? In, but I'm not sure how much longer until it starts popping out. It is a bit more shallow and it pretty stretched out now.
What I miss: Nothing right now. I'd like to not have a sore crotch all of the time!
What I am looking forward to: 3rd tri and a big ole belly
Milestones: I'm pretty close to hitting double digits in my countdown! 110 more days as of today. 3rd tri is less than 3 weeks away!

How crazy! 20w and 24w (same sweater)

23 weeks

One week until viability day!!! Basically that means that baby Jillian will have a fighting chance if I were to go into preterm labor after 24 weeks with each day closer to full term making her odds even better. This is a huge milestone in my book. I know so many other things can go wrong, but any time the odds shift in my favor makes me feel a little bit better.

Today, my grandma and I went to the outlets and shopped the sales for Jill.. Omg I have no idea how we bought so much for her.. I will add pics, but I'm on mobile so I think it'll add them to the bottom of the post. We ended up scoring 4 sleepers, 4 dresses, 3 sweaters, 8 pants, 2 leggings, 16 onesies, 2 shirts and a hat. We bought everything in 6 month sizes because she's already loaded with newborn and quite a few 3 months. I honestly couldn't remember how many 0-3 months she has so I didn't want to buy that size. She's going to be the cutest dressed little girl!

I got a sweet video of baby Jill kicking my stomach. Other than that, not much is going on. I'm getting a tiny bit bigger and having a blast (mainly) visiting family. I'm really missing Keith, but I have another week to go before I head back home. I can't wait to see him!!

How far along? 23w0d
Total weight gain/loss? I've gained 1.3lb since my last appointment!
Maternity clothes? I wear maternity jeans almost every day and use a mix of my old tops and some new maternity. Maternity isn't really necessary, but it makes my bump look like a bump rather than a few too many beers
Stretch marks? No new ones
Sleep? I could sleep all day still. In fact, I'm having a hard time staying awake right now and I have only been awake for 13 hours today
Best moment last week? Hanging out with my nephew
Movement? She's kicking up a storm in my belly right now. She's getting so strong which hopefully means she's growing nice and big!
Food cravings? I haven't really had any
Gender? GIRL!
Belly button in/out? In for a long time. It's stretching a bit though.
What I miss: Not really anything. I feel normal (except I can't drink.. bummer)
What I am looking forward to: 3rd tri and a big ole belly
Milestones: I'm really looking forward to viability day at 24 weeks! Only one week away!!

 

22w1d

I have no idea where the last week went. I barely can comprehend that I'm 22 weeks right now.. I feel like I just wrote an update yesterday.

Honestly, I'm not even feeling pregnant lately except for this little person kicking me all day and it hurts to lay on my back. I have pretty much no symptoms (unless feeling like a bottom-less pit and wanting cookies and ice cream 24/7 are symptoms). It is so weird after being completely miserable for the first 4 months. I fully expected to continue to feel miserable until Jillian was on the outside. I am SO glad I feel normal (other than the weird twitching feeling my belly makes most of the day).

Movement has really increased in the last week. I also have a feeling Jillian is completely diagonal in there. I keep feeling her near my hips on one side and then to the left of my belly button by a few inches on the other. Maybe that's why my bump was big one day and then back to normal the next. I'm assuming she's a bit more stretched out and laying across my belly instead of head down and feet up like she was at my a/s.

I'm gonna (hopefully quickly) touch on my weird loss feelings. One of my good friends had her baby this week. I remember vividly when my husband told me she was pregnant. It wasn't terribly long after I miscarried for the second time. He walks in the door all cheery and looks at me and says, "So and so is.." and then makes a round belly gesture with his hand. I cried. I felt awful. I felt sad for me and I felt bad that I wasn't jumping for joy for her. I honestly felt really guilty.

I stopped talking to her and hanging out with her as much. It was really hard. I think at first she was very shocked. It hurt me that she got something I wanted so badly and she didn't seem to be totally thrilled about it (which was totally unfair since she could have been jumping for joy inside and I didn't know. She isn't the type to AW or brag about things). When we were with friends, everyone asked her a million questions and I just sat back trying to keep it cool. Then, after it sunk in maybe?, she started talking about the baby and seemed to be really excited. I was the bitter bitch that couldn't stand it either way.. I feel like I was acting pretty irrational. I wasn't even attempting to be happy for her. She really couldn't win.

I apologized to her. I think she could tell it was pretty awkward for me. We've been fine ever since. After I got over it, I felt comfortable talking to her about her pregnancy (and I honestly cared and wanted to know) and even shared some of my story with her. Whether she cared or not (although she's so sweet so I'm sure she didn't mind), I unloaded some things to her that I really hadn't shared out loud to a real person. It felt good.

Anyways, I got bit by the cousin of that jealousy bug again this week. I am jealous she's snuggling her little one (who is CRAZY adorable). This time it is SO different than hearing that she was knocked up. I am jealous that Jillian isn't here yet. I wasn't aching for my March 12 or September 12 baby. I ached to hold my little girl. I do feel guilty for feeling that way. I know there's no controlling my feelings and reactions, but it still feels wrong. It feels like I am satisfied with Jill (for lack of a better term). Like I said a few weeks ago, I don't wish those pregnancies had turned out differently any more. I don't think, "oh, I should be holding my 7 month old or my almost two month old." I think, "damn, I wish March was sooner so I can meet this little booger that keeps punching me!"

Maybe that's me moving forward a little more? Maybe this is how others feel when they finally get their rainbow. Maybe not. I'm just going to tell myself that there isn't a "right" way to feel about loss so I don't feel as bad about how happy I am. (and this totally turned into a long thing.. lol! Sorry to the 3 people that read my blog!)

I know everyone has probably heard enough, but I'm still worried (every day) and I'm still scared about Jillian's size. I have a feeling she was measuring a bit small at my anatomy scan, but I don't know how small is too small.. according to this fetus growth measurement calculator I found online, Jill was in the 10th percentile for size at the a/s.. kind of.. Okay it makes you put in even weeks (like 20, 21, 22 vs 21w2d). So, I had to round up two days because I was 19w5d and it only lets you put in 20 weeks. I don't know how much of a big deal 2 days is in ounces at that point.. In my March 13 fb group, Jill was measuring smaller than almost everyone that reported weight except those that were around 18 weeks. I know I need to drop it and trust that my doctor would say something if there was something up (especially since I told him I was concerned about my weight loss last week).

I am going home next week for two weeks, so my posts will be mobile and might suck. Also, Monday is my birthday!

This turned into a really long post.. Oops! I guess I had more to say than I thought

How far along? 22w1d!
Total weight gain/loss? Down 20lb and haven't started going in the other direction yet..
Maternity clothes? I mix my old clothes with maternity clothes
Stretch marks? No new ones
Sleep? I could sleep all day still.
Best moment last week? Feeling great
Movement? She's moving like crazy in there most days now
Food cravings? Sweets today. I really wanted some damn cookies!
Gender? GIRL!
Belly button in/out? In for a long time. It's stretching a bit though.
What I miss: Not really anything. I feel normal (except I can't drink.. bummer)
What I am looking forward to: going home to see my nephew!
Milestones: I'm really looking forward to viability day at 24 weeks

 

21w5d