HE or SHE?! What will it be?!

One week from today we have our ultrasound appointment to determine whether the baby is a boy or girl. We can not wait! Going based on "intuition" alone, I would guess boy, but I know life is full of surprises, and finding out its a girl would definitely be a good one. I see this as a win-win! 

So until we can know for sure whether baby is a he or she, I thought it would be fun to look at some of the old wives tales that are said to predict baby's gender.

Here it goes: 

Old Wives' Tale # 1 - What is baby's heart rate?  a boy is said to have a heartrate under 140 while a girl has a heart rate over 140.

at our last appointment bay's heart rate was 145. The doctor made a comment about it slowing down "like a boy" but then quickly retracted his statement. While 145 is close, if we're following the wives tale, it would say:
 girl 

Old Wives Tale #2 - Flowing Locks, 
Has your hair become thinner and dull? Or full-bodied and glossy? Thin and dull says you’re having a girl, gorgeous and glossy says a boy 
While I wouldn't say my hair is full-bodied and glossy, I would say it looks better than it did pre-pregnancy (even without touching up my color). So I'm going to say the verdict on this is:
boy 

Old Wives Tale # 3 - Numbers
If you combine your age at the time of conception with the number of the month you conceived and the resulting number is odd – then it’s a girl on the way. If the resulting number is even, then it’s a boy for you.
29 + 5 (for May) = 34, even
boy

Old Wives Tale # 4 - Morning Sickness
Did you experience morning sickness in early pregnancy? If you did, then you’re said to be carrying a girl, but if you didn’t have morning sickness, then it’s a boy.
I did have have a few moments/mornings of sickness (including one really embarrassing one in a Home Goods parking lot) it was so minimal compared to most stories I hear of women who experience m/s. I was very lucky and did not have much trouble at all.
boy

Old Wives Tale # 5 - Cravings
If you crave sweet foods like juice, fruits and chocolate, then you could be having a girl. If you crave sour and salty foods, as well as protein like meat and cheese you could be having a boy.
I've craved both fruit, as well as cheese, but if I had to say one over the other, it would be sweet/fruit over sour/salty.
girl

Old Wives Tale # 6 - Skin Dry or Soft
If your skin is dry, you’re said to be having a boy – and if it’s soft, then a girl is on the way.
DRY, my forehead is so, so dry. I've tried toner, moisturizer, exfoliator. I'm still flaky and dry.
boy

Old Wives Tale # 7 - Ring/Pin Test
Get your wedding ring (or other ring / a needle / a pin) and attach it to a string. Lie down and dangle the ring over your belly. If it starts moving in circles, you are having a boy, or if it moves like a pendulum from side to side, then you are having a girl.
We did a modified version of this test, so accuracy is unknown (but isnt accuracy of ANY of these tales unknown). But the result we got was side to side, at the time we thought it meant boy, but according to this,
girl

Old Wives Tale # 8 - Carrying High or Low
Carrying high means its a girl, carrying low means its a boy
I don't have too much of a bump as of yet, but the bump chub I do have is higher than I had expected to show.
girl

Old Wives Tale # 9 - Color of your "tee tee"
If your urine is bright yellow then you're carring a boy, but if its dull/clear, then you're carrying a girl. 
This one is a little TMI in my opinion and kind of gross. The answer has also changed recently. In the beginning it was really bright, and they say that is because your kidneys are working better, but lately it has been more dull/clear. Is that because I'm carrying a girl, or because I'm drinking more water. Guess we'll see!
girl

Old Wives Tale # 10 - Pimples?
If you get acne during pregnancy you're carrying a girl (as they strip you of your beauty), and if you dont then you're carrying a boy.
Thankfully no acne here (knock on wood).
boy

Well looks like 5 for boy and 5 for girl. I guess that makes sense since there is a 50-50 chance either way :)

but just for fun, lets do a tie breaker.

Old Wives Tale # 11 (Tie Breaker) -  Hairy Legs?
Is the hair on your legs groing faster than normal? because if it is, then you're said to be having a boy.
Hard to know whether this is true because of the prenatal vitamins, or because of the gender of the baby, but we'll go with it. Unfortunately the answer to this is
boy

There you have it 6 for boy and 5 for girl. We'll find out soon enough how true this is. Keep you posted!!!

1+1=3

That's right. We're expecting! Parker will become a big brother early February 2015. We are over the moon excited and can't wait to share lots of updates about this exciting new journey!

Keep it fresh

 

The Secret to Keeping Avocados and Guacamole Green (Not Brown)

The Guacamole Test: Guacamole Topped with Water
This idea came from The Kitchn and is a little bit of kitchen genius. Here’s how it works: Start by putting your freshly made guacamole in a container with a tight-fitting lid then push the guacamole down into the container to get rid of any air pockets. Next, pour 1/2 inch of lukewarm water on top, seal the container, and pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat the guacamole, pour out the water and stir the guacamole to incorporate any surface moisture. That’s it. My guacamole was still bright and green after a full 24 hours, but the Kitchn reports this method keeps your guac good to go for three days. [full article here]

Well this is just genius! I will definitely be giving this a go next time I make fresh guac 

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Chris has been out of work for a little while due to back troubles, but while he's been home he's really been cooking up a storm in the kitchen, I love it! We are trying to eat better and part of that is eliminating carbs after lunchtime. This recipe he made last night was delicious AND lower in carbs than a normal lasagna. Neither one of us has ever cooked with spaghetti squash before, but I can assure you, we are now big fans. This recipe is a bit time consuming but a big hit!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Ingredients

• 2-3 small to medium spaghetti squash
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 2/3 c. part skim ricotta cheese
• 4 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley (or basil)(we can use dried basil which we have)
• 3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
For the sauce:
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Ground Turkey or Beef
• 14 oz (1/2 can) crushed tomatoes
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• A few dashes of italian seasoning

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400º. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane. Season lightly with salt and black pepper; bake about 1 hour, or longer if needed on a baking sheet, cut side down.
• If you prefer the microwave, cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and fibers and place on a microwave safe dish and cover. Microwave 8-9 minutes or until soft.
• In a small bowl combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley.
• In a large deep sauté pan, heat oil and add onions and garlic; sauté on medium-low for about 3 to 4 minutes, until soft. Add the meat and cook until browned. Once cooked, add the crushed tomatoes and add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, adding fresh basil at the very end.
• When spaghetti squash is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes keeping the oven on. If you microwaved this, preheat the oven to 400°.
• When the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to remove flesh, which will come out in spaghetti looking strands reserving the shells. Drain the squash on a paper towel to soak up any excess liquid, then toss with half of the sauce. Place the spaghetti squash back into the 6 shells and place on a baking sheet.
• Top each with remaining sauce, 1 scoop ricotta cheese mixture, and a little mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until everything is hot and the cheese is melted. 

This recipe serves 4 or 8 if you halve the squash once complete. 

The squash shells serve as a perfect individual serving dish. This is definitely a meal that not only tastes great (without the guilt), but also pretty enough to serve company! 

(Original recipe found here)

She's Here!

On January 7, 2014, the coldest day in a decade, our new niece Kate Jameyson entered the world and warmed our hearts. After a long day of labor for mom and anticipation for the rest of us, this beautiful girl finally arrived at 6:26pm weighing  7 lbs 13.8 oz. and measuring 20",with her daddy's long fingers, toes and eyelashes and her mommy's nose and perfect lips! 

We love her so much already and cannot wait to watch her grow. Welcome to the world sweet Kate!

Kate Jameyson

As we anxiously await the birth of our new niece Kate, I figured this would be the perfect time share some of the celebrations that I have had the honor of being a part of leading up to her arrival.

Megan (mommy-to-be) and Dan (daddy-to-be) hosted a gender reveal party in August for their close friends and family. Megan was inspired by this outdoor "baby-q" and recruited my help for the invitations and signage. 

I had so much fun helping her with the party, and Megan did such a great job with all of the details, and as always was an incredible hostess.

Everyone selected either a tutu or a tie pin as their guess for the gender. Such a cute idea. And can we talk about those desserts (of course I have to comment on that)!?

She even had a gourmet burger station! YUM!

The best part was the big reveal! Excuse the shaking camera at the end as I may have gotten a little TOO excited.

It's a GIRL!!!


Then in November, I co-hosted a couples baby shower for Meg and Dan. Megan works for a furniture company and we were lucky enough to get to use her beautiful showroom as the venue. It was the perfect location for an event honoring some wonderful parents-to-be and a sweet little girl!

One of my favorite parts was that we requested guests to bring books instead of cards and to write their sentiments inside. This way Kate's library is stocked and she will get to read notes from all the people that love her so much already!

My co-host Keena is amazingly talented and made the most gorgeous floral arrangements that we used around the party.

This table also held baby pictures of the parents along with a few photos from their maternity shoot

We played "dont say baby" clothespin game: you wear a necklace with clothespins and if you hear someone say the word "baby" you can steal their pins, at the end of the shower the person with the most clothespins wins!

The top photo is a basket of "late night" diapers where guests have the opportunity to write messages, funny or sentimental to the new parents for them to read during late night diaper changes.

Diaper cake with a wearable tutu, hair bow and baby bath items. Another favorite of mine were the monthly onesies that Kate can wear for progress photos. I found the free printable here , printed it on clear sticker paper and adhered them to onesies for each month - they turned out great!
 We also had guests guess her birthdate and weight (unfortunately the day I guessed has already passed. Womp Womp).
The tree canvas in the bottom photo was used as her guest book. People took stamps of their thumbprints as the "leaves" and signed their names. This was also used at her first shower and can now be hung in her nursery.

Me with mommy-to-be and my fabulous co-host
I loved working with Keena to shower this special soon-to-be family of three with love. I cant wait for Kate to get here and spoil her rotten! Any day now - C'mon Kate, we're ready to meet you!

A little DIY and NYE

Happy Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, I know I sure did! We had a great trip to Florida to see my family over Christmas. I loved spending time with them and the weather was perfect! No white Christmas for us! Instead think palm trees, convertibles, sunshine and of course golf carts (we were at The Villages).

I made my parents a DIY wreath for Christmas and they seemed to really like it. The colors will go perfectly on their lanai or adorn their front door beautifully! I can't wait to see where they choose to put it.

Next time I'm there I need to remember to take photos of my parents house. Their home and patio is gorgeous, and the decor is magazine-worthy.

Speaking of DIY wreaths. Since we were planning on being out of town for the holidays we decided to keep our Christmas decor minimal. But I couldn't resist making a Christmas wreath (I don't want my neighbors to think I'm a total grinch).

We returned home from FL in time to spend New Years eve with some great friends.  We went to a wonderful dinner out and back to my place for dessert, champagne and to watch the ball drop. As we always do when we're together, we had a blast, and one too many ladle shots (explanation for another day)!!!

DIY NYE Banner and a goldendoodle 

 NYE Also marks the anniversary of when Chris and I started dating. This year it has been 9 years (or is it 8?)! I love him more now than I ever imagined I could!

We also got to celebrate these two who got engaged over the holiday! Congratulations Jenn and Alex!

I found this quote particularly fitting for this time of year and the resolutions that people make (and inevitably break). I haven't hammered down any resolutions as of yet, is it too late? 

This weekend we will get to celebrate Christmas with Chris' family, and I'm starting boot camp on Monday - wish me luck (and that I don't throw up or have a heart attack).

Here's to an amazing year ahead and all of the memories to be made!