Maternity Photos

"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone." ~ Author: Unknown

This weekend Jakob and I had the opportunity to meet with Jenna for some maternity photos. As I have mentioned before Jenna is an amazing photographer who does a wonderful job just playing around. Once she decides to go professional she'll be unstoppable!! Check out her photography blog at Let It Shine. Thank you so much Jenna!! Are you ready for a picture overload??

I wanted to include this picture simply because it has balloons in it. We went and got balloons as a prop for some photos but it was too windy originally. Once the wind calmed down I sent Jakob to go and get the balloons, he set down the bag they were attached too and they came lose and flew away. It was funny.

Of course Jakob had to have his signature photo. I must admit, he's got this shot down to an art!

I absolutely adore the little shoes! Gosh darn it they are cute! The only thing that beats heels are little shoes.

This is one of my personal favorites!

Jakob really wanted to stick out his belly too... he's gained some sympathy weight. ;)

Not that I'm trying to be vain or anything but I must admit... I {love} this picture!! Sometimes you have have "good eye" days. Thankfully my eyes decided to be super bright that day!

We're already imprisoned by her :).

No Photo shoot would be complete without some bloopers. Here are just a few.

This is Jakob's "Blue Steal" picture.

This is Jakob's personal favorite. He toted that little suitcase around for quite awhile.

Yup that would be my bad! I got to the "h" and thought I was spelling my name. Ooops :)

Jenna asked Jakob to be in love and this is what he came up with. As you can tell I'm not so impressed. I didn't include some of the pictures... boy that man makes me smile!

Once again a huge thank you to Jenna!!! You are incredible!!

Ethnie's Nursery

No, the nursery is still not 100% complete. I still have to hang pictures, which I cannot do until after Ethnie's newborn shoot. However, I figured it was about time to unveil the nursery since I spend most of my time before bed in here just gliding away in my rocker. This post will basically be a testimonial of Craigslist, DIY, Pinterest and Desert Shopping.

Here is our crib. We got it off of Craigslist with the dresser for $200. I absolutely love it! Funny story about the purchasing of our crib. As most know Jakob is a rather busy guy so most of the time I am left alone to my own devices. One fine evening I stumbled upon this treasure and decided that it was mine. Only problem was... I had no truck and no way to move it. I immediately called up one of my replacement husbands (I have a few) Ryan to help me out. Upon arriving to the house I looked at him and said, we can either make this awkward by explaining our situation or you can just pretend to be Jakob.

We looked at the crib and decided that we were taking it. Ryan took it apart and the woman then proceeded to ask us questions about "our" baby. She looked at Ryan and asked "What are you having?" Without skipping a beat he smiled and said "A girl!" She replied with a cheerful "Congratulations" and Ryan just beamed back and said "Thank you!!" He answered most of the questions about "our" baby until she asked what we were naming her... stumbling he looked to me for and answer. I replied with "Ethnie." It was the first time he had heard the name so he repeated with a question in his voice "Ethnie?" The lady was non the wiser and it was rather entertaining. I'm so grateful for wonderful friends! Alright... back to the nursery.

I love the bedding! I really didn't want anything pink, but after seeing this Brooke set by Bananafish I couldn't resist! I got it on Black Friday, I couldn't bring myself to pay full price. Bananafish is expensive!

This is the picture hanging to the right hand side of the crib. I saw this idea via Pinterest for a wedding and really wanted to make our own variation. Thank heavens I have a talented husband! He did such a wonderful job, I absolutely love the little bear. This was the first time that Jakob or I had written down Mom or Dad which was a surreal experience for me. Next time however I will have to monitor the thumbprint station. Things got a little out of control ;).

To the left of the crib is a quote. It says "Sometimes the littlest things take up the most room in your heart" -Winnie the Pooh. Since this isn't our forever home I did not want to put a decal on the wall. Once again to Pinterest I went for some answers.

I found this pin and set straight to work! I love how it turned out!!!!

You can't really tell in the picture but the word "littlest" and "Winne the Pooh" are different shades of pink. It adds so much to the room and it only cost me $10 for the frame at Michaels with a coupon!

Next comes the curtains. Those little blinds do absolutely nothing to block out the sunlight. I knew that I had to make black out curtains. Gosh darn it four straight seams have never been so complicated. Let's just say off grain fabric makes everything more difficult!!

Then there is our valance. I originally purchased the valance that came with the "Brooke" set however it was 4 inches too short for the window and I really didn't have it in me to spend another $25. So I ripped off the back strip of our bed skirt and made one to fit the window and I will be selling the original one! I love it when things work out like that!

Here is the dresser/ changing table that matches our crib. I swear they match, the lighting is just off! Since the dresser was just big enough for a changing table cushion I decided I needed another nightstand to sit beside it. Yes, I'll admit that I sinned and actually purchased the night stand. I will not divulge how much I spent on it but I will simply say that I am ashamed!

May I draw your attention to the light behind the rocker. I have been hanging onto that beauty for the past 5 years hoping I would eventually find a home for it. It is perfect in the nursery and adds such a warm glow to the room.

Our glider/ ottoman were another Craigslist find. We got this beauty for $66. I'm not going to lie... I was thrilled. I even picked it up and moved it home in my Dodge Stratus all by myself. :) I absolutely adore coming into the room and just gliding away! I have a feeling I'll be spending quite a bit of time in this chair once our little lady arrives.

A glimpse of her closet. She already has so many clothes thanks to family, friends, yard sales and Savers.

May I draw your attention to the dresser in the closet. Mom Tobler and I found this beauty on the curb Sunday night. That's right you read that correctly ON-THE-CURB! How people can throw away perfectly wonderful things boggles my mind! I'm just thankful I was there to snatch it up. All it needs are 2 new drawer bottoms and it is perfect. I love desert shopping!

Since our little lady has quite the wardrobe I decided to make dividers for her clothes. I would hate for her to grow out of an outfit before she even had a chance to wear it. All in all I am very pleased with her room thus far. Once I figure out what to put above the crib I will be even happier. Any thoughts?? I cannot wait for her arrival!!!

The End of Life As We Know It

Let me first place a disclaimer to my choice of title, I do not see the end of life as we know it to be a bad thing, quite the contrary. Jakob and I are about to enter into a new phase in our lives and we couldn't be more excited! Last night we celebrated both Valentines and our last date together without the need of a babysitter or having a little person with us for dinner. I decided that this year Jakob and I would simply K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Silly). I didn't want to stress out over Valentines week and Jakob agreed. This year we simply went out for dinner and wrote each other our traditional letters. Much better than something extravagant especially with a baby due any day!

Our little family is expanding and gosh darn it we are excited for the arrival of our little girl! As soon as we got home Jakob looked at me and said; "Well, let's have a baby!" If only it was that simple! She's been stubborn since day one and even though I'm doing everything I can to get things moving, she still seems to be quite comfortable. I know she'll arrive when she's good and ready and nothing I do will change that. We can hardly wait to finally meet her! Happy Valentines Day!

Just Keep Sewing

Since Jakob was heading off to Florida last week I decided that I wanted to make a little something for our newest niece Presley. Jeff and Amy are quite the Gator fans so I thought a little Gator dress would be appropriate. To Pinterest I went in search of inspiration, when I stumbled upon this beauty. Pillow case dresses are everywhere right now! I followed the link to see if there was a tutorial (not that I needed one per say but measurements are always wonderful!) I came to find that the dress pictured above cost $40. I almost had a heart attack! I knew I could do it... and do it better mind you so I set to work!

Here is my rendition. I put a double ruffle (thanks to some inspiration from Mom Tobler) instead of a single and added a header to the top layer with some polka dot ribbon. I also shortened the ribbon because we didn't want little Presley choking on the ends.

Gosh dang I love that little Gator!! My very first applique! I am so pleased with how it turned out! Perfect for a little Gator!

I was so excited about how easy these dresses were to make that I made two more for Violet and Lucia. This is where it would have been nice to have measurements. Violet's will probably fit her when she's 10 (sorry Janet!) I think Lucia's will probably fit Vi now. I kept the ribbons long on these ones for added flare since the fabric was too busy for an applique.

Of course, me being me, I had some extra fabric left over and so I made one for Ethnie too. I am quite a fan of pillow case dresses (even though I didn't use a pillow case at all.) They are so quick and easy to make! The perfect project to get done in one day!

Gone Fishin'

Last weekend Jakob went to Florida to visit Jeff and his little family. As most of you know Jakob works for Alligiant Airlines and therefore gets deals on flights throughout the country, the only downside is, we have to fly standby. Most of the time this isn't a problem. Once I encountered a full flight out of Idaho Falls (I know, who flies out of Idaho Falls?? Go figure!) At the last minute I had to pay full price for my ticket to get aboard the plane. Major bummer. With other airlines however most of the time there are several flights throughout the day so if you miss one, you just get bumped to the next one which usually leaves on the same day. I know most of you are thinking "How does this apply to Jakob??"

He caught his flight from Vegas to Charlotte, North Carolina. He was then supposed to catch a connecting flight to Gainsville, Florida. It was full and of course the last flight until 8 1/2 hours later so Jakob spent the night in the Charlotte airport. From what he has told me... you meet a lot of strange people in the airport at 3 a.m, especially in an airport that shuts down completely over night. The picture above, was where he attempted to sleep. I'm not sure why but he felt the need to document it :).

Good news for Jakob, he was able to make the first flight out Saturday Morning and arrived in Gainsville around 10 in the morning. His brother Jeff picked him up and off they went to go fishing in the ocean, Jakob was rather excited for the chance to catch a shark!

That's my man! Jakob caught a stingray.

Thanks to Jeff and Amy for some better pictures!! Woohoo! Go Jakob!

We're not exactly sure what kind of fish this is but it looked good enough to keep so it currently resides in Jeff & Amy's freezer! I'm not going to lie... I'm slightly jealous. I still have yet to catch a fish. I really want to cross that one off of my bucket list. Heck I'm not even fussy, I'll settle for a shark ;).

Jeff finally caught his shark. Jakob said it was smaller than his fish but boy it was strong! He was not expecting all of that power from such a small creature. He also said that it felt like leather which he wasn't expecting. Look how cute it is!

They then went out for dinner to 420 Munchies which was featured on Man vs Food. Jakob said it was quite the sandwich! He had such a fabulous time with Jeff and Amy and couldn't say enough good things about our newest niece Presley. Thank you so much to Jeff and Amy for taking care of my dear husband. Hopefully next time he'll be able to stay for longer than 24 hours. We now joke that he did 12 hours of travel to go fishing but he had a wonderful time!

Retaining Water

My ankles and legs are HUGE! Just look at the size of those things. I no longer have an ankle bone and my knee caps are just beautiful! I've officially given up my high heels for several reasons a) they aren't nearly as comfortable as my flats, b) I don't want to stretch them out, and c) my balance isn't what it used to be. The other day I was trying to put on my P.J bottoms while standing up. Somehow my foot got caught and it was like slow motion as I simply fell sideways to the floor. All Jakob heard was a rather loud thump followed by my outrageous laughter. I felt so ridiculous laying on the floor because I was unable to put on my pants. Pathetic.

36 Weeks

Hopefully this will be my last monthly update! It sort of boggles my mind! Looking back time has just flown by and these final four weeks are going to go by in a blink!
How far along? 36 Weeks.

Total weight loss/ gained? +32 lbs (152 lbs) It feels rather strange standing on a scale with an extra 32 lbs on me. I must admit I've gained a lot, all good weight but 30 lbs makes a HUGE difference!
Name? Ethnie Lauren Tobler
Maternity clothes? There are a few non maternity treasures I can still rock. I'm a big fan of tights and loose fitting shirts/ dresses. (Thanks to Mare for hooking me up with a few looser/ longer maternity tops!!) I've started wearing Jakob's shirts to bed simply because my loosest baggiest shirt is still skin tight.
Stretch marks? They've arrived! I knew it was only a matter of time! I'm so shocked it took so long though. Don't get me wrong I'm grateful... just surprised. I have a few on my *ahem* milk jugs and a couple small ones on my left hip. Other than that I am free and clear... for now.
Sleep? I am desperately trying to soak up these last few nights of uninterrupted sleep. It would seem that our little girl is a night owl however. Most of the time when I wake up it's because I'm having a contraction or she's just dancing the night away.
Best moment this week? This week has been wonderful. I don't really have a best moment. I really enjoy sitting in my glider and reading children's books. Ethnie really moves when we rock, it's a wonderful bonding experience.
Missing anything? I am honestly loving being pregnant. I have been so blessed over the last 36 weeks! Don't get me wrong I do get jealous when I see someone rocking an adorable outfit with their size 3 waist line and waddling isn't exactly sexy but gosh, I feel wonderful!
Movement? She has been one busy busy bee lately. There's lots of movement all day long. It is wonderful! Her kicks and rolls are a lot stronger than they once were. It's still so surreal to watch my stomach jump around. I am continually amazed by the human body and the things it is capable of!
Food cravings? Let's talk about this a bit. I hate bologna and hotdogs. They are so gross!! While in the grocery store the other day I just had to have bologna and hotdogs! I grabbed the smallest bag I could find and placed it in my cart the whole time thinking "Ugh this is nasty!" I got home made a sandwich and once again was thinking "This is so gross!!" And do you know what... it was gross but for some reason I just had to have it. I suppose I would compare it to women who crave dirt. So strange!!! I'm also really into Salsa, any kind of fruit, Popcorn covered in butter and CHOCOLATE!!!
Anything making you queasy/ sick? Only if I eat too fast! I get some pretty awesome heart burn too, especially after I eat Sour Patch Kids. So sad I love SPK!
Labor signs? Contractions all day every day. Obviously nothing major, most of them I can hardly feel but they are pretty regular.
Belly button in or out? Out.
Wedding rings on or off? Still nice and loose. Every other part of me is swollen but my hands have somehow dodged that bullet :)
Mood? I'm actually relatively calm. I'm still terrified of labor, seriously.... terrified. But for the most part I'm trying to keep a "My body knows what it's doing and I need to just go with the flow" mentality. I'm trying to let go of all of my OCD tendency's and just see what happens.
Any fun symptoms? I still have some pinched nerves, but they are much better than last week. They flared up pretty bad after I did some deep herbal cleaning. I think I'm officially "nesting." I want everything to be in order and It's slightly difficult. My ankles are rather swollen and I'm super tired by the end of the day. I want to spend every possible second I have with Jakob. I suppose you could say I've gotten clingy lol. I have some lower back ache, I say ache because It's not painful at all just uncomfortable, like a sore muscle. And sometimes I feel like I have an elephant sitting on my chest!
Looking forward too? Continuing working on the quiet book, getting the diaper and hospital bags packed and FINALLY putting the finishing touches on the nursery. Hopefully I will have some pictures up soon!!

Not the prettiest picture but hey, this is reality! :)