Archive for November 2014

Lust List: The Christmas Edition (Revised)

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(Updated Dec. 3)

I post a Christmas Lust List about a month ago but I felt the need to give it an update, just in case any of you were feeling ultra generous this year.

Believe it or not, I received an iPhone 6 already! :-D :-D :-D

Also, Monsters Inc. is now on Netflix.

So here ya go! The updated version!



• Fossil Georgia Wrap-around Watch (at a Fossil store or on Fossil's site)
• H&M Gift Card (at H&M or on http://www.hm.com/gb/customer-service/gift-cards
• Wraparound Black watch (on Swatch) • Map watch (on eBay)
• Kindle Paperwhite (on Amazon
• Bright Orange Fossil Memoir Satchel (This is an old item so it can only be found on eBay!) 
• Toms Sandals (on the Toms site—I'm a UK4) 
• High Boots (at H&M—Size 3.5) 
• Toms Black Leather Desert Wedge Highs (on the Toms site—I'm a UK4) 
• Holga Lens for my Nikon (from Photojojo) • Black Strappy Sandals (at H&M—Size 3.5) 
Matilda (on Amazon) • Beauty and the Beast (on Amazon)

Pregnancy Log: Week 31

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Nine weeks left! We are now in the single digits! WHOA! This past week reminded me of week 27, the memorable week where I landed in the hospital. Yesterday, that all too familiar pain returned and even the meds didn't help. I was praying so hard because I didn't want to go to the hospital again—and praise the Lord, I didn't have to. They day was kind of a waste though; I spent most of the day in bed. Today is a new day though! Hello 31 weeks! Tomorrow is my baby shower...can't wait! 


Week 31:
Symptoms: Shortness of breath, back pain, swollen feet, difficulty sleeping, tummy aches, random nausea, itchy belly, and morning sickness.

How I'm feeling: I'm alright...

Cravings: I'm not sure actually...haha!

Aversions: "heavy" foods.

Anything To Report?: My baby shower is tomorrow! I'm so excited that I'm mentioning it twice! Haha! :)

Wedding Ring: On!

1st Annual Friendsgiving

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As an American living in England, the holiday is miss most is Thanksgiving. Last year, we got together with some American friends here and celebrated anyway. But they've moved away now so I was internally moping, thinking that Thanksgiving would be forgotten! But thankfully, our other American friends (there are a lot of Americans that go to our church!) planned a Thanksgiving get together of their own. They did it properly with long tables and made it a sit down meal. It was the perfect evening with the greatest of friends! Can't wait for next year's!

Before and after! Haha!











 







Pregnancy Log: Week 30

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I know I say this practically every week, but how in the world does time fly so fast?! I can't believe we are already at week 30!! Only 10 more weeks to go! CRAZY! I've been told that the weeks will start feeling slower as I get closer to being full term. Everyone says it's just a waiting game from there. I don't know if that'll be true for me or not, but the wise words of my cousin were, "...then you just have to start crocheting!" So...I did! Yesterday, I decided to make my baby boy a hat. Last year, I taught myself how to crochet watching YouTube videos so I figured I'd do the same with crocheting a hat. It was a bit harder than I expected. I spent the whooole day trying to figure it out and it came out all wrong and flat like a pancake. I was so disappointed. But I am no quitter, and today, I managed to successfully crochet a hat! Here's the final product!

In case anyone is interested, here is the video I used. The only thing I did differently was I ended it at about 5" instead of 6" like the video said because 5" is the size of the store-bought newborn hats I already have.


Week 30:
Symptoms: Shortness of breath, back pain, swollen feet, difficulty sleeping, tummy aches, random nausea, and morning sickness.

How I'm feeling: Currently okay...although I've been blah a lot this past week.

Cravings: Sweets still! Yesterday, I was soooo desperate for waffles with pumpkin spice syrup! Haha!

Aversions: "heavy" foods.

Anything To Report?: Craig got his paternity leave approved! Woohoo! Also, cankles have arrived...

Wedding Ring: On!

Nerd Questions

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So many times, I have nerdy questions that I just want SOMEONE to answer. I don't care who answers them hence my posting them on every social network possible. Anyone have an answer to this one?

Pregnancy Log: Week 29 (Revisiting The Past)

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It's really crazy. This past week has felt like a repeat of my pregnancy earlier on! I'm revisiting the past! I thought I was alone but several of my friends who are pregnant said the same things about their pregnancies! The closer I get to full term though, the more excited I get! I can't wait to meet our little baby boy! All the annoying symptoms are worth it!


Week 29:
Symptoms: Shortness of breath, back pain, swollen feet, difficulty sleeping, and morning sickness (it's baaaaack!) 

How I'm feeling: Eh. It's been a rough week.

Cravings: Believe it or not, sweets! I've been craving chocolate chip cookies for the past week and still haven't fulfilled that craving! Oreos make a good substitution in the meantime, thankfully!

Aversions: "heavy" foods.

Anything To Report?: Nope.

Wedding Ring: On!

Polaroids

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Self promotion is an interesting thing. I'm always trying to do it, but I don't know how successful I am. But I'm no quitter! So here I am, trying to promote my polaroid blog once again! I absolutely love polaroid photos and will hopefully start sharing more on this blog as well! :-D

Sutton Coldfield City Centre, Birmingham, England

Pregnancy Log: Week 28

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Hello 3rd trimester! I can't believe we are in the home stretch now!! And I can't wait to meet our baby!!!


Week 28:
Symptoms: Shortness of breath, back pain, swollen feet, and difficulty sleeping. Also, I guess I'm revisiting the wonderful phase of morning sickness once again! Ha!

How I'm feeling: Glad to be home! I had an interesting week! You can read about it here.

Cravings: Still omelettes and olives! Ha!

Aversions: The chicken + meat aversions continue...but they seem to finally be subsiding!

Anything To Report?: Nope.

Wedding Ring: On!

Counting My Blessings

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This week has proven to be the most memorable week of pregnancy thus far. Sunday afternoon, I started feeling some lower back pain. I didn't suspect anything because I know random aches and pains are common during pregnancy. But then by the time I went to bed, they had gotten a lot stronger. I took some Tylenol and managed to get about an hour and a half of sleep but then woke up with an unbearable pain. After what felt like only a few brief moments, I was on a stretcher in an ambulance and on my way to the hospital with a suspected kidney infection! The paramedics gave me some Paracetamol, but the pain relief only lasted for about an hour—the drive to the hospital was the best I felt! Before I knew it, I was sitting in the hospital getting pricked and poked, waiting for some answers, and then the pain returned. All I wanted was some relief!

The answer I received was different than what I was expecting. Actually, I don't even know what I was expecting. But after being given some codeine (thank the Lord for strong painkillers!), I was told I'd be admitted into a room and would most likely have to stay overnight. What a day of firsts! I rode in an ambulance for the first time and then I was staying overnight in a hospital for the first time. I was also spending my first night away from Craig since we got married. That was the part I was most sad about.



By the end of the day, I was hoping they'd change their minds and let me go home. After all, I had already had my kidney scan and was told the results were in. All that was needed was a doctor to go over the results with me. But by 7pm, visiting hours were over, Craig had to leave, and no doctor was available. The more I sat there, the more I had time to think, and after a bit of moping over missing my husband, I had a realization that I was blessed. God has been SO good to me. Being in the hospital ward in a room with sections separated by curtains, I was able to hear a lot. It was a humbling experience.

The lady to the left of me was diagnosed with preeclampsia. She was only 34 weeks pregnant but was scheduled for an emergency cesarean on Thursday because her baby was measuring small and wasn't very active. By the time I was discharged on Tuesday, her cesarean had been bumped up and she had already been taken to pre-op. The lady across from me was an even sadder case. She was an epileptic so she had delivered her baby reeeeeally early. The whole day, she was crying because she wanted to be with her baby. The midwives kept telling her she needed to pump her breastmilk so they could feed her baby human milk which is crucial when a baby is as premature as hers. But, of course, when a woman delivers a baby as early as she did, her body won't produce the necessary amount of breastmilk. Because of this, the midwives told her that they'd have to resort to donor milk if she couldn't pump enough. This only made her cry more and more saying things like "I don't want another woman to feed my baby!" in the midst of her sobs.

As I laid there in my bed hearing all these sad stories that surrounded me, I felt out of place. My problems seemed far too minimal compared to the other women. It was then that I began counting my blessings. Blessing #1: Craig. The biggest blessing in my life. The perfect answer to all my prayers. My lover, my best friend, my helpmate. Blessing #2: Baby Walker. A true joy already—even before his arrival! Alive, healthy, active. If I made a exhaustive list of all my blessings, the list would be too long to read! God has truly been good to me. 

I was discharged from the hospital at noon yesterday. Rather than the suspected kidney infection, it was only fluid retention in the kidneys caused by the growing uterus pressing on the tube between my bladder and my kidneys. Rather than a foreign infection caused by a bacteria, it was a more minor infection caused by fluids already in my body. I don't fully understand the science behind it, but the doctor explained to me that it was the reason for my extreme pain and placed me on antibiotics to hopefully fix the problem. He also explained to me that this was quite common in pregnancy especially for women my size and gave me a box of the magical pain killers to take home along with my antibiotics. Thank the good Lord for modern medicine!

I am praising God that the problem was so minor. I am so thankful that our baby is fine and doesn't even seem to be phased by this! I am thankful for doctors that know what they are doing and for the medicines they provide. And I am thankful to be back home with my wonderful husband!