it's a baby q!

i had so many fun ideas for our baby shower {thanks to many sleepless nights browsing pinterest} and finally landed on one! we didn't exactly want a traditional baby shower. we wanted to make sure there was something for everyone. guys, ladies and kids! we planned a vintage themed baby q and had everything from a photo booth, to a bubble machine, a kids corner with coloring books, a custom made corn hole set, {thanks dad!} a killer homemade bbq meal & our favorite...sprinkles cupcakes! it was a family planned shower and was so much fun to do together! from the decor to the food, everyone pitched in and made it an amazing day for us! thank you to everyone who came and for all of your sweet gifts. we are so grateful for the love you showed to our little family!

we made our own stencil for the corn hole.

my mom working on the center pieces in the background while dad prepped the corn
hole set for its first coat of paint.

...and it's done! how cute is it?! 

found these at the $1 section of target. i put them on skewer sticks and put them in a burlap wrapped vase with gerber daisies  for the table centerpieces. the burlap was an old moving blanket that my grandma and grandpa had for over 20 years. we cut it up and covered glass vases with it. cheap and easy!

mason jars and kraft bags stamped with a "C" that held the wooden forks. 

loved this idea from pinterest of old photos of us as kids. it was a fun way to
welcome the guests!

we made our own penant banner! a simple touch that really dressed up the fence.

this was my favorite thing we did! i made this on cardstock and entitiled it "wishes for cruz." all of our guests filled it
out. it was so fun to read them that evening! i cant wait to put them in a book for cruz to read when he gets older.

our photo booth props made from felt and skewer sticks! again CHEAP and easy. :)

found these buckets at the $1 section of target and dressed them up a little! looking back i probably should have used something bigger so we didn't have to refill so many times but i still love how they turned out.

opening gifts

photo booth fun! we made this photo booth with red polka dot fabric from joanns and found a super cute
app called "wedding booth" to create these pics on an ipad and stand! i loved that the guests could leave
us a message!

thirty weeks

its hard to believe I am thirty weeks along now! it's been a while since I last posted anything. i'll blame that on the pregnancy and planning of our baby shower :) {post to follow soon from the baby q!} the last few months have been absolutely amazing though. cruz is moving around so much and its so fun to feel and watch his movements. i have been blown away with the love and support from our family and friends and by people's generosity. there is no doubt that our little man is loved and as his mommy that makes me so very happy! here's a little update on my pregnancy:

How far along? 30 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: i am at a total of 10 pounds gained so far and have 10 more to go before july to be where my doctor would like me to be. cruz is super healthy and everything seems to be right on track. trying to just enjoy, eat healthy (don't get me wrong i cheat ALOT. that's the best part of pregnancy right?!) and have fun during this process!

Maternity clothes? yes! not so much with shirts yet since flowy things are in style and easy to find but i definitely had to buy a few pairs of maternity jeans. the belly band just didn't cut it anymore, haha.

Stretch marks? not really. my cream has worked wonders!!!

Sleep: for a while i was doing great but this last week has been tough. i NEED a body pillow!!

Best moment this week: feeling the biggest kick yet from cruz! he has really been showing off the last few days and it is amazing to feel and watch. i tear up almost every time. what an incredible journey!

Movement: oh yes 

Food cravings: nope

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: no but in just a few short months i will say yes to that...how crazy is that?!

Belly Button in or out? out and its SO weird. i definitely have an "inny" so this is a new thing. im anxious to see what happens to it after he is born. tmi?

Wedding rings on or off? ok ok ill fully admit it...they are off. yes im in the third trimester which brings along joyous things like swelling in my hands, feet and ankles. 

What I miss: same answer as last time...sleep & caffeine

What I am looking forward to: finishing up his room. now that the baby shower is over we can start putting his room all together. so far we have bought his changing table, dresser and are buying the crib this week. i love to just go and sit in his room with his little toys and clothes and just dream about the days and moments i will spend with him and eddie here. oh boy here i go tearing up again...what can i say he melts my heart already. he is not even here yet and i am still so aware that the greatest thing i will ever do and the greatest privilege of my life is being his mommy.

Weekly Wisdom: faith not fear. we heard an amazing sermon by joel osteen and he talked about speaking faith instead of speaking fear and the power that comes when you speak something into existence. i tend to deal with fear in a lot of areas. fear for my families safety, fear over the future, fear over finances, etc. but God has not called us to live in fear. living in fear is not really living at all! naturally since i struggle with fear, the fear of childbirth and of being a good mom in general has been a daily battle for me. i probably say "faith not fear" out loud at least five times a day. anytime a thought or situation arises that causes me to fear i speak it! so much so that i was in line at a grocery store the other day and had an overwhelming sense of fear come over me and in that moment i felt the Lord say to me "speak it." i was like, really? no not in line with all of these people i'll just "think it." i mean you know my thoughts right? yes i knew he did but i also know the power in speaking it so right there in line i said "faith not fear." ill admit it wasn't super loud, i mean im not a crazy person haha, but it was enough for my spirit to settle and to know i was doing my part to live a free and fearless life. so, if you are like me and struggle with fear in any area i encourage you to speak faith NOT fear over your life! i promise your faith will begin to grow and your fear will start to decrease. 

Milestones: reaching 30 weeks!

Queasy: no

Hubby: is amazing! he cooked the BEST bbq pulled pork for our shower...i mean he's handsome, AND he can cook?! i'll keep him. :)

it's a boy!

this weekend we had a gender reveal party! it was such a special day and we were so happy we were able to share it with family and friends. my mom and i put the whole thing together with help from my husband, dad and my incredible friend becky. she is the only one who knew the gender besides our doctor. we handed the sealed envelope over to her and she ordered the balloons for the release. it was so much fun and we are so glad that we did it! here are some pictures from the party...

the dessert table.

loved this rose cake! we added this ribbon to it and this adorable cake topper
from grey skies blue shop on etsy. katie did an amazing job on all of our prints! thank you!

we had everyone pin on either a mustache or a bow!

my friend becky! the keeper of our secret :)

thank you to libby cox for the yummy rice krispie treats and cake pops!
they were adorable and delicious!

these light pink napkins were from our wedding. im so happy my mom kept them! i picked
up these super cute stamps from joanns and turned them into baby napkins.

favors.

its a....

BOY!

such a special moment. we love you cruz!

21 weeks...surprise!

I am now 21 weeks along! I can't believe how quickly time flies. We had the anatomy test last Friday and found out my due date is no longer August 2nd but its now July 17th which my OB confirmed at our appointment yesterday. I had my first appointment so early on that I guess the measurement of little peanut was a bit off but I don't mind it at all. It just means I'm one step closer to meeting our sweet pea! We also had our gender reveal party this weekend. Yes we now know what "it" is! {see below.} I will post all of the pictures from the party tomorrow. Things are moving along!


How far along? 21 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: i haven't gained much but im not focusing too much on it. trying to enjoy the pregnancy and make sure the baby is healthy!

Maternity clothes? i bought a few pairs of maternity jeans! definitely recommend these joes maternity jeans and these pea in the pod skinny jeans both from a pea in the pod.

Stretch marks? i am using the best cream to prevent them {thanks jacque for the recommendation} from mustela.

Sleep: great!

Best moment this week: finding out the gender!

Movement: yes! i have felt it once before but last night eddie was able to feel it for the first time. its such an amazing moment each time it happens. it feels like a little flick on my belly from the inside. so cute!

Food cravings: not anything strange yet!

Gender: ITS A BOY!!!!! Cruz Kenneth :) we are so in love with our little man.

Labor Signs: not yet! i cant imagine how it will feel to say yes to this!

Belly Button in or out? almost out! 

Wedding rings on or off? on but Im sensing they will be off closer to my due date. 

What I miss: now that I am fully into my second trimester I am feeling much better so Im not missing much at the moment!

What I am looking forward to: getting the nursery in order. we finished our registry this week which was so much fun! {registry info below} i was able to add the nursery items to it now that I finally know the gender. 

Weekly Wisdom: "live like no one else, so you can live like no one else." those closest to us know that this is a new season for us in many ways and its providing us with amazing opportunities for our future! sometimes you have to make temporary sacrifices to set you up for success in the future and that's what we are doing this year. its been a fun and scary journey so far but we are enjoying every minute of it!

Milestones: Its a boy! :)

Queasy: no

Hubby: is incredible. he is my best friend, my partner through everything and i know he is going to be the best dad! last night he was "rocking out" to a video game and i joined in for a while too. it gave me a glimpse into my future with a house of boys and i have a feeling it's going to be fun! i can't wait!

{baby cruz is registered at myregistry.com and target.}

sixteen weeks...happy valentine's day

another valentine's day is upon us and all i can think about today is how blessed i truly am. i have a wonderful husband and a baby on the way! speaking of the baby, my pregnancy is going great this week! i am 16 1/2 weeks along and i am feeling wonderful! we went to the doctor last friday and the baby is looking so good! our doctor...which let me pause for one moment and say how in love with her i am. oh my she is the best! we are so happy we found her...more on that later...anyway she knew at the appointment what the sex of the baby was but we chose not to find out there and wait for our reveal dinner in march...yes march. what was i thinking?! i am going crazy knowing that someone knows the sex of our little sweet pea but we don't! ahh but we are so excited to share that moment with my family so it will be well worth the wait! here's a few pics from today. excuse the quality. my sweet grandma took the pics...

blurry hands....

...back to valentine's day. as i sit here and write i am waiting to start my special valentine's dinner for my honey. {he is stuck in lovely los angeles valentine's day traffic, which if you are from here you know is the worst!} i am so excited though to see how this turns out! we went to a cooking class a while back and learned how to make a garlic brown butter sage sauce that was to die for so I thought I would finally try it out! im also pairing it with my favorite and super easy spinach & artichoke dip from trader joes with a loaf of their par-baked ciabatta bread...also to die for. for dessert i am cutting a little pre made angel food cake in the shape of hearts topped with fresh strawberries, strawberry glaze and cool whip. to say the least calories don't count tonight! here is the recipe for the tortellini from food & wine...enjoy & happy ♥ day!

© Melanie Acevedo

Tortellini with Garlic Sage Butter Sauce

Leaves of fresh sage sautéed in golden-brown butter form a classic Italian pasta sauce. Our version uses ground sage, and so you can make it any time of the year. We've added a generous amount of garlic, too. Slowly cooking it in the butter mellows its pungency, but you can also use fewer cloves if you prefer.

1. 6 tablespoons butter
2. 6 cloves garlic, smashed
3. 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
4. 1 teaspoon salt
5. 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
6. 1 pound fresh or frozen meat-filled tortellini
7. 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. In a medium frying pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally and mashing the garlic with the back of a wooden spoon, until it is soft and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the sage, salt, and pepper.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the tortellini until just done, about 4 minutes for fresh and 12 minutes for frozen. Drain the pasta and return to the pot.
3. Add the butter and parsley and toss over low heat until the pasta is thoroughly coated with the butter, about 1 minute.

14 weeks...sweet lemonade

baby s is the size of a lemon this week! i am starting to document my pregnancy as the weeks progress. it will be so much fun to look back at these pictures one day and tell our baby all about the journey to their arrival. this week i'm making sweet sweet lemonade. ♡


How far along? as of today im actually 15 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: i lost 6 pounds during my first trimester but I am starting to gain that back. Trying to just enjoy, eat healthy and not worry too much about weight!

Maternity clothes? not yet but i definitely have a baby bump now!

Stretch marks? a few small ones...no fun

Sleep: used to be my favorite thing. now I have to get up at least 2-3x during the night {most mommies will know why} and all in all I just dont sleep quite as well anymore. it's so funny though because during the day I am super tired and can only think about the next time I get to lay down. go figure!

Best moment this week: reaching my 2nd trimester!

Movement: not yet. i can't wait until i say yes to this question!

Food cravings: no cravings but definitely some aversions. i used to love garlic but not anymore. also im not craving sweet things as much like cookies or cake. im in love with fruit right now though!

Gender: we can't wait to find out! im already planning the reveal party!

Labor Signs: not yet!

Belly Button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? on!

What I miss: sleep & caffeine

What I am looking forward to: finding out the gender!

Weekly Wisdom: i am trying to savor every moment of this journey. i am a planner so it's so easy to start planning everything from the shower, to the nursery, to the pregnancy classes and more {and trust me i am haha} but i am learning to take it day by day and try my best to truly enjoy this season. 

Milestones: we heard the babies heartbeat at our last appointment a few weeks ago. that was such a beautiful moment! 

Queasy: its getting better as the days go on! 

Hubby: is so sweet and supportive! last night he took it to a whole other level too! haha. as romantic and sweet pregnancy is there are also just some moments that are unexpected, gross and surprising! he has been there for all of it so far and has such a peace that always calms my nerves. he talks to the baby everyday and it's really sweet to listen to. i can't wait to see him in action. he is going to be an amazing father!

baby s.

as many of you now know we are expecting our first baby...we have fondly named "it" baby s. i have wanted to write a blog post about this for a while but between the holidays and morning sickness i just haven't quite felt up to the task but today is the day! the news honestly came as a complete surprise to us! i woke up one morning in late october and just decided to take a pregnancy test...i keep them in stock! i really had no reason to take the test that morning as there were no immediate signs pointing to being pregnant but I still just felt like I should take one. i mean, why not? i had taken so many tests before and they always read NOT PREGNANT so I honestly expected the same response. to my complete shock it read PREGNANT this time! {wow} i still wasn't sure so I took two more tests and they read the same way. it was really true! our dream of being parents had finally come to pass! eddie came home later that evening and i told him to sit down on the couch in front of the christmas tree which at the time only had white lights on it and one present under it. yes my tree was up in late october...i know i know. i came out with the positive pregnancy test and a big bow on my belly and shouted "we're pregnant!" he was overwhelmed with joy and we both hugged each other and wiped away happy tears for what seemed like forever. i then ran over to the tree and gave him his first "daddy" gift. what a precious moment it was! next was how to tell the family? for those of you that know my mother, you KNOW how excited she was going to be so it had to be special! we ended up making a video that included our entire family. it showed pictures of both grandparents weddings, our parents weddings, our parents as kids and finally us as kids and our story until now. we showed my family the video a few nights later and it was such a special and fun moment! {a few images from the video are below but excuse the quality as they are snap shots from the video.} we then sent the video out to the rest of our immediate family and shared in the joy of baby s for the next few days with everyone! we were finally able to announce it to the world on christmas day. how exciting that was! i am now 14 weeks and have entered my second trimester. i am definitely starting to show and i love it. we have seen the baby four times now and this last time it finally looked like a baby as opposed to just a peanut and was moving it's little arms and legs all around! so far we have a very healthy and active little one! i am so excited to begin the journey of pregnancy and motherhood and am so happy to share it with all of you. i am excited, nervous, happy and scared all at the same time but I know my trust is in the Lord and we are so very thankful for this gift He has entrusted us with. what an honor it already is to be this little sweet pea's mommy.