2011, in retrospect

What a crazy, unpredictable, eventful year it has been. I can't believe 2011 is over and we're about to embark on what is sure to be one of the most challenging and rewarding years of our lives.

JANUARY
I began the year not being able to believe it was 2011. The years seem to fly by faster as I get older. We were still newlyweds and just spent our time enjoying each other. We posed with the world series trophy and had (what would be my last for awhile) drunk fest at Candlestick Park for the 49ers game. I aired my social pet peeves. I learned a lot about myself...like my inability to follow through. But I also learned that sometimes I accidentally succeed...sort of.

FEBRUARY
I really started to focus on my business. Brittany Garner Design really started to take off as I was finally able to devote more time to PR and marketing. And the other thing? I really, really enjoy it. This work seriously makes me so happy and I feel lucky I have the time and support to do it. Plus, it makes me feel like my degree isn't a complete waste of money. :) I revealed the whole truth about how Tyler and I met. We celebrated our sixth Valentine's Day together. I turned 24 this month. A quarter-life crisis ensued.

MARCH
I blogged about our mini-moon, just five months later.  We started looking in to buying a home but never pulled the trigger and were so glad we didn't when we got some big news 'round about the beginning of June. :) Adult sprint break in Reno was a blast. I settled the Twilight vs. Hunger Games debate. I shared my top 5 places I'm still dying to visit.

APRIL
Instagram came in to my life this month and you all were suddenly subjected to more photos of my life on the regular. Sorry? ;)  If Lucy were able to read, she would be embarrassed by this video I posted. We feasted on sushi as a late birthday dinner with my closest friends. We enjoyed springtime in the 530. Seriously the most beautiful weather with a ton of outdoor activities. Why did I ever want to move? Another trip to Reno to celebrate a 21st birthday.

MAY
I reflected on blogging and still stand by every single word. Tyler and I attended the annual Margarita Mix-off and had SO MUCH FUN. The name of the blog changed...it's been a long road.

JUNE
THIS WAS A HUGE MONTH. I took that little pregnancy test on June 1st and we found out we were going to be parents. Of course, I couldn't share it on the blog right away but I still wrote about it then back-posted when we did announce. :) Pregnancy posts: 5 weeks, 6 weeks, 7 weeks, 9 weeks. I condemned jorts this month as well, it needed to be done.

JULY
I was still keeping hush hush about the pregnancy and since that was the only thing on my mind, I really didn't have anything else to write about. Plus, I pretty much because a recluse because I was sleeping all the time. Pregnancy posts: 10 weeks, 11 weeks, 12 weeks, 13 weeks. But! We finally did let the cat out of the bag and I felt oh so relieved. I hate keeping secrets! Tyler celebrated his 25th birthday!

AUGUST
We moved this month...up out the ghetto as I describe to people. Pregnancy posts: 14 weeks, 15 weeks, 16 weeks, 17 weeks. I started to get serious about something really serious...nursery design. HA! No, but I had so much fun narrowing down ideas for the nursery...and this was before we knew the sex of baby Garner.

SEPTEMBER
Pregnancy is still (and will stay) the number one thing in my life. I mean, how could it not? Pregnancy posts: 18 weeks, 19 weeks, 20 weeks, 21 weeks, 22 weeks. We found out the sex of baby Garner and even decided on a name. The fact that we are going to be parents really started to sink in...along with the panic/excitement. At some point during the month we registered for baby things and holy-waste-of-time. I ended up changing/adjusting everything online afterward anyway. Also, nursery planning started to get serious.

OCTOBER
I found it incredibly psychotic that a year ago (as in October 2010) was the beginning of our wedding month filled with a bachelorette party in Vegas, our amazing wedding and a lovely mini-moon that I will remember forever. But October 2011? A whole lot more low key, to say the least. But I did finally recap the wedding! Only one year later...gimme a break. Pregnancy posts: 23 weeks, 24 weeks, 25 weeks, 26 weeks. We celebrated our one year wedding anniversary, well...sorta. Also, if you don't want to be a douchebag driver, read this.

NOVEMBER
Work on the nursery continued...and the to do list expanded. Pregnancy posts: 27 weeks, 28 weeks, 29 weeks, 30 weeks. We celebrated baby Harrison twice with two baby showers this month. I felt so incredibly loved and I know the little one is already loved as well. I am so thankful for my wonderful family and friends who made both days so special. This was the biggest month in Brittany Garner Design history, made me so excited!

DECEMBER
I started to slow down a lot this month. Although the nursery is almost finished and all we had left to do was wait for baby H. Pregnancy posts: 31 weeks, 32 weeks, 33 weeks, 34 weeks, 35 weeks. We had a wonderful Christmas with my family.

It was quite a year! It only makes me super excited for what 2012 has in store for us. Adios, 2011!

35 Weeks :: The head is down and we're going broke from cereal purchases

How far along? 35 weeks!
Size of baby: Still a melon, albeit a large melon.
Total weight gain/loss: +20. TWENTY. Good god.
Stretch marks? Still no.
Sleep: It's a bitch getting comfortable but once I'm asleep I'm able to stay asleep and that's all I want.
Best moment this week: Baby HG is head down! And I'm not dilated at all, so that's good news. He needs to cook a little longer.
Worst moment this week: I guess just the fatigue and the sore hips. I just feel tired all the freaking time. 
Movement: Still doing karate in there. :)
Food cravings: A lot of Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal and hopefully this craving doesn't last too much longer, do you know how expensive this stuff is? Plus it's a little bitty box. But it's soooo good.
Sex: Boy boy boy.
Labor Signs: Nope. But my doctor said if I went in to labor at this point, he wouldn't try to stop it. So...holy shit.
Belly Button in or out? Holding strong, in.
What I miss: Having energy.
What I am looking forward to: Meeting him :) I just want him to be here.
Weekly Wisdom: Getting checked for dilation hurts.
Milestones: Hitting that point where he could be here anytime but it's so frustrating not knowing exactly when. Also, I kind of just want this baby out of me.

2011 Reads

Total books read in 2011: 26
I started out the year on a roll with my reading but toward the end, I slowed way down. Just got busy with life and wasn't in the mood to read in general. But I think I will be a reading machine in 2012 as I have 5 months of maternity leave to look forward to. :)

She's Having A Baby - and I'm Having a Breakdown by James Douglas Barron


I got this book for Tyler not long after we found out we were expecting and I read it before him. Ha. Really good information and an easy read.

From the Hips by Rebecca Odes, Ceridwen Morris

Lots of information but I like the way the book is set up and it's pleasant to look at.

What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff, Sharon Mazel
Pretty much the scariest book I've ever read. So much information and SO MUCH SCARY INFORMATION. But, it is informative.

Bossypants by Tina Fey
For some reason, it took me a long time to get through this one but not because I didn't like it. I laughed out loud a lot. Plus, this book has my vote for the best book cover of 2011.

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
This was ok. A little far fetched and reaching for my taste but it obviously kept my interest long enough to finish.

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
These are all out of order but I did read them in order. I love True Blood and loved the books equally as much. They are a fun, trashy, easy read.

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
 
Dead As A Doornail by Charlaine Harris
 
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
 
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Loved this book. I was having a bit of a Hunger Games hangover after I finished that series and Divergent is almost as good! I can't wait until the next book in the series comes out.

Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy
This was the first pregnancy book I read all the way through. HILARIOUS. Super easy read.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Re-read this bad boy right before the movie came out. Needed a refresher. :)

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
Pretty dumb. Don't waste your time.

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
These are also out of order but I, surprisingly, really enjoyed the Fever Series. This is so not my style of book but I couldn't put these down.

Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning

Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
OBSESSED.
 
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
LOVED.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
What can I say that hasn't been said? These books are thrilling, heart-racing and kept me interested from the very first page. I read all three books in a weekend, SO GOOD.

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
This was the first book I read on my Kindle. :) Loved this story and the characters.

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
More Sookie.

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Goal for books read in 2012: 40

Suggestions for books I should read in 2012? Leave them in the comments! :)

Merry Christmas to all!

34 Weeks :: I have an awkward belly button

How far along? 34 wiggity weeks.
Size of baby: He's a big boy. Honestly, I don't know that. I'm just judging by the way he plays kickball with my internal organs.
Total weight gain/loss: +18
Stretch marks? Still holding strong. Keep it up, skin!
Sleep: Good as soon as I can get comfortable. It can take me as long as an hour to settle in and find a good spot but then I pretty much sleep through the night (sans the minimum 2 potty breaks that I sleepwalk through).
Best moment this week: We had our childbirth class over the weekend. It was very informative (read: scary) and we learned a lot (read: we're overwhelmed) but I think we are ready to breathe and make our way through this impending labor. Well, Tyler is. The jury is still out on me.
Worst moment this week: We had our childbirth class over the weekend. One girl in it made me realize that there is a whole group of people in the world (who I have so far been able to avoid) who are going to annoy the living shit out of me. That group? Know-it-all-moms...just shut up already. Also? I've been getting extremely overheated these past few days. No likey.
Movement: A lot still. But I think he is definitely head down because that pressure on my bladder is getting more and more intense. But good news is, he's head down!
Food cravings: Same ol' things.
Sex: Little man.
Labor Signs: Negative.

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but awkwardly misshapen.
What I miss: I really, really, really just want some sushi.
What I am looking forward to: Getting the nursery completely finished. Christmas. Family time off. 11 days off of work that started today. :)
Weekly Wisdom: As overwhelming as the childbirth class was, it really was beneficial.
Milestones: Baby head down! Woo!

33 Weeks :: A honeydew!

The big 3-3. Somehow I never imagined being at this point, being this pregnant. My daydreams at say, 20 weeks, were of holding a newborn baby and thinking about all of the sleep I would not be getting. Somehow I skipped right on over the fact that at some point I was going to feel so pregnant that I might pop. Or I feel so crowded within my own body that getting comfortable is slipping farther and farther from my grasp. So here I am. Seven weeks to go and standing on that line of pregnancy is great and get this baby outta me. :)

How far along? 33 weeks!
Size of baby: A honeydew! Finally a new fruit!
Total weight gain/loss:On Monday I was still holding steady at +17.
Stretch marks? No.
Sleep: Hit or miss. Some nights are really great and others I wake up 57 times to either pee or stare at the ceiling.
Best moment this week: There's a few. Hanging up little clothes in the nursery. Friendly people asking when I'm due and if it's a boy or girl. Grandma and Grandpa getting more and more excited about little H's arrival. :)
Worst moment this week: Waking up at 4 a.m. a couple of days ago. I was the crankiest I've ever been for the rest of that day. Also, the worst heartburn EVER the other night but thanks to twitter friends, warm water and baking soda works WONDERS. 
Movement: Harrison is a little kicker. Especially when I'm laying on my left side. I love feeling the outline of a little hand or foot and trying to guess what it is.
Food cravings: Still much of the same stuff. Cereal, quesadillas, bread.
Sex: Little boy!
Labor Signs: Nope.
Belly Button in or out? In.
What I miss: Not bumping in to things with the belly. Breathing. Are these getting repetitive?
What I am looking forward to: Christmas. :)
Weekly Wisdom: I think I've figured out what I'm doing wrong on the days I'm super uncomfortable - overeating.
Milestones: I feel like, at this point, every week is a milestone...THE BIG DAY IS SO CLOSE.

Nursery Update

Things are coming right along in the nursery! It makes me so happy just to walk in and look at all of his things and imagine a little inhabitant amongst them.

TO DO LIST UPDATE

Pre To Do List :: Sell mattress, treadmill and futon that are currently taking up room in the nursery. Might result to donating these by mid-week.

To Do List ::

• Get paint. Check!
• Paint walls gray. Check!
• Paint and get new hardware for dresser. Planning to paint it yellow with crystal (clear) hardware. {Using this for help.} Check!
• DIY horizontal stripe curtains. Want the stripes to be the same color as the dresser. (Help. And more help.} Thinking I might just do white...more stripes might be too much now that I'm able to look at the space.
• Put crib together. Check!
• DIY poms. In turquoise. (Help.) Check!  Ended up ordering them from Pretty With Sprinkles Etsy shop.
• Create some art for the walls and such. {ideas so far include: Alphabet print, H is for...Print, Birth date print, framed sonogram, framed picture of mom and dad} I've got plenty to choose from, now I just need to narrow it down.
  
• Paint side table. Probably yellow as well. Check! 
• Paint frames. K-Mart was having a huge sale and I got a shit-ton of frames for super cheap. Now I can paint them to match the color scheme. Check!
• Order glider. A gift from Tyler's grandparents, now we just need to pick one out! Check! Was delivered on Wednesday!!

New Additions to the To Do List ::

• Organize closet {hang clothes, figure out where to put things, etc.}
• Organize dresser drawers {where the hell do I put things?!}
• Make final decisions on art work.

To Buy List :: 

1. Ikea bookshelf.
2. Gray Yellow area rug.
3. Giraffe Art Print.
4. Wiener lamp. In blue white.
5. Amazingly adorable elephant hamper.
6. Assortment of different size frames that I can paint yellow and turquoise.
7. Turquoise throw pillows of some sort.
8. "H" for above the crib. From Etsy seller Say It With Letters.
9. Bedding. Ordered a custom crib skirt from Etsy seller Mellissa's Boutique. Going to pair it with yellow sheets and forgo the crib bumper.
10. Wall shelves. Going with this space saver.

Look at that progress! God it feels good to check things off.

crib assembly with the Mr. and Father

Dad painting the stripes...wearing Mom's glasses

Sometimes...after work...the dogs and I like to just hang out in the nursery

Our goal is to have everything finished by the end of the year. :) I can't wait to share pictures of the whole thing, but in the mean time here is a sneak peek...

32 Weeks :: 8 to go...

I think the puffy face really accentuates the fact that I feel like I'm about to pop. I weigh more than I have ever weighed in my life and I'm not going to lie, stepping on the scale is a little scary. But! I know it's all for a good cause so I'm more than ok with it, I'm just not accustomed to carrying around this much extra weight...and I'm hurting. My joints hurt when I wake up and if I do any sort of physical activity something is bound to be sore for at least 24 hours. I keep telling myself I only have 8 more weeks though so that's getting me through it.

Saying all of that, I'm really trying to just enjoy being pregnant for these last two months. This little miracle inside of me isn't going to be there forever and that makes me kind of sad. Obviously I want to meet him but feeling his little kicks and hiccups and movement will be missed.

In other news, I only have 8 work days until 19 days off for Christmas. CANNOT WAIT.

How far along? 32 weeks! 2 months to go...Wowowowow.
Size of baby: Still the stupid squash. But he's almost 4 pounds...although he feels like he's 16 pounds when pouncing on my bladder.
Total weight gain/loss: +17ish. Our Monday appointment will give me a more accurate number.
Stretch marks? Still no. Knock knock.
Sleep: Pretty good besides waking up kind of sore.
Best moment this week: Getting the glider and realizing the nursery is just about finished. So crazy looking at all of his things that he will be using in such a short time.
Worst moment this week: Being sore and semi-grumpy. No breakdowns though...win!
Movement: So much. Tyler thinks he likes to stretch out and then hold the position so when he's poking out it's his little hand or foot.
Food cravings: Not a whole lot...Mexican food one night. Otherwise the appetite has been pretty tame.
Sex: Baby boy!
Labor Signs: I did experience 2 Braxton Hicks contractions that kind of hurt...well, I guess they were more uncomfortable than really painful but still. Craziness.
Belly Button in or out? Still in but stretched out. Tyler calls it the Chinese eye. My husband is not PC.
What I miss: The same complaints...breathing, moving, peeing, getting up off the couch in a timely manner.
What I am looking forward to: Christmas break!
Weekly Wisdom: Mrs. MFC and I decided that the week where you cross the line from mildly uncomfortable into the territory of Oh-My-God-I'm-So-Freaking-Uncomforatble-I-Could-Scream is about 31-32 weeks. So prepare yourself.
Milestones: Nursery's almost finished. :)

Brittany, lately

The maternity leave dates are set. I say dates because January 19th is my last day of work at my day job and I'm closing up Brittany Garner Design on January 20th. The tentative reopen date is March 5 depending on when the little peanut shows up, how I'm feeling and all that jazz. As for my day job? I don't have to go back until July 5th. Which sounds really awesome right? Well, it is. If it were just simple. But no I had to go and complicate things by applying for another job and interviewing for it 31 weeks pregnant. Don't get me wrong, it would be a wonderful opportunity--a step up the ladder in more ways than one (mostly pay) but it would probably mean I wouldn't get my long maternity leave and I'm really struggling with that. I want that time with Harrison. I've been counting on it. I find out next week so I guess I shouldn't stress...until then.

On other fronts, the nursery is so close to being finished! I have an updated nursery post coming at you on Friday. :)

I bought 5 onesies with ties on them from Etsy yesterday. This could be a huge problem. But I mean, come on, THEY ARE JUST SO FREAKING CUTE.

From Etsy shop EllaLuBoutique

From Etsy shop BellaSweetBoutique

I mean, come on. COME ON.

Anyway, happy hump day. And I'd appreciate it if you could think good thoughts about this whole job thing because it's the only thing on my mind. :)

31 Weeks :: Kicks to the bladder, heavy breathing and eight meals a day. The usual.

I feel like I'm carrying around a bowling ball. A bowling ball that likes to kick and punch. I've noticed he favors kicking me in the right side as opposed to the left and his kicks are strongest at night.

This whole pregnancy has just flown by and it's so hard to believe that in 2 months we will be meeting our little guy.

The nursery is coming along swimmingly, hope to have a few pictures soon! :)

How far along? 31 weeks!
Size of baby: Still the weird squash. He could be over 3.5 pounds at this point! WHOA.
Total weight gain/loss: +16
Stretch marks? Still no. Still knocking on wood.
Sleep: Ehh. Falling asleep/getting comfortable has been an issue but once I'm asleep it's usually pretty good (sans the 3 pee breaks during the night).
Best moment this week: Coming home to the nursery all painted and furniture arranged. Got me a little teary eyed that there will be a little inhabitant in there soon.
Worst moment this week: Going pee so often is getting really annoying. Getting up off the couch is bordering on embarrassing. And eating eight meals a day. Ok, I actually like the eating part.
Movement: SO MUCH. He's like a little ninja in there.
Food cravings: Nothing crazy like last week. Just the usual quesadillas, cereal and sweets. :)
Sex: Boyyy.
Labor Signs: Negative.
Belly Button in or out? In...barely.
What I miss: This week...it's wine. Let's be honest.
What I am looking forward to: Birthing class on the 17th. Christmas. Maternity leave.
Weekly Wisdom: Take a picture of yourself every week. I LOATHE taking pictures of myself but I'm so glad I did, it's so fun to look back on your growth.
Milestones: Countdown is in the single digits...as in 9 weeks...CRAZY.