Backyard Paradise

What a productive weekend at our house.  After three days of hard labor the deck is complete.  I must say that building a deck (correctly) takes more time and effort than I ever thought.  They had to level the deck, build a base, apply the deck, and apply the fencing around the deck for more appeal.

this is our plain backyard where grass does not grow



Dad teaching son how to saw wood

building a frame



digging holes to make sure the deck is level





lay down the deck

start cutting wood for the fence (look how plain garden is in background)

build the fence



Relaxing while the deck is being built :)







my view of the deck being built



Trouble watching Donnie work





finished deck

patio furniture on deck

Now the deck is built!  Next step- add some paver stones to the right of the deck around the grill and as a pathway from our screened-in patio.

Although I did not help build the deck I did get my hands dirty and did some gardening.

Before

After

All the plants that I planted are perennial so hopefully they will grow well there and come back next year!  This pop of color makes the backyard peaceful.  I don't know if you can tell but I kept the flowers to blue and red.

hmm... maybe we can get grass to grow this year

With patience and time and energy our backyard has now been transformed.  Although we still want to add paver stones and need to clean off the roof the backyard/indoor patio is pretty much finished. 

view when you look outside onto our screened in patio

What a difference!!  I knew that buying the patio furniture would be a train reaction to get the backyard completed.  Donnie is now looking into some sort of outdoor lighting as well and an Adirondack chair.

Happy Easter to Everyone!

Outside Projects

First off, I want to say Go CUSE!  I loved watching Syracuse beat Indiana... now off to the Elite Eight.

On other news- my in-laws came down early to beat the rain next week and house projects are being completed.  This is so exciting since I have wanted a patio/deck of some sort since I moved into our home in 2008.  Donnie and his dad have been hard at work.  It is not completed yet but here is a starting picture:  (more to come after the completion).  The men were hard at work yesterday from about 10 am until 6 pm. 

digging holes to build the foundation

My sweet mother-inlaw also decided that she wanted to stay busy while I was at work and the men were working in the backyard.  She had brought some plants from home to re-plant in my front gardens.  To my surprise, when I got home from work the front garden not only had new plants in them but the garden was mulched, and the weeds were gone.  I can't say how grateful I am to not have to mulch the front gardens.  (I wish I had a before picture to show how much work needed to be done.)



too much sun.. but you can see all the flowers starting to grow and bloom

I am so thankful that I have wonderful in-laws!

At our wedding during the ceremony we had our wedding officiant mention both our parents because they have been happily married for over 60 years combined.  It is rare now a days to find two unbroken families by divorce and Donnie and I are so fortuante to have both grown up in really good families. 

Happy Good Friday and have a Wonderful Easter Weekend!  This weekend will be filled with watching basketball, finishing projects, and spending time with our family and friends. 

25 Weeks

25 Weeks: Our Eggplant

What is going on with me?

• Constipation. Be sure to eat plenty of fiber-rich foods!
• Hemorrhoids -- baby is putting a ton of pressure on your digestive tract. And the constipation certainly isn't helping.
• Gas and bloating. Your hormones are slowing down digestion, creating excess gas.
• Heartburn. Since baby is pushing on your digestive system it can push stomach acid up your esophagus.
• All-over aches and pains, thanks to hormone fluctuations.
• Trouble sleeping. It's tough to get comfy with that big belly in the way!

Hmm-- not a lot of positive sysmptoms.  For the most part everything is still normal and regular for me so I am super happy I do not have to experience these unpleasant symptoms.

The one thing that I have noticed is that Baby Woos is HEAVY.  I am not used to carrying around such a big belly that I feel like I have to hold it up sometimes to feel comfortable.  Plus, he is moving around more and more every day.  Right now it feels that his feet are sitting very low (below my belly button) because he keeps kicking me there.


 
What is going on with Baby Woos?

after bootcamp this morning

Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds, reaching nine inches in length and passing the pound and a half mark. Under his skin, capillaries are forming and filling with blood and by week's end, air sacs (also lined with capillaries) will develop in his lungs, getting them ready for that first breath. Mind you, those lungs aren't ready for prime time just yet — but they are developing surfactant, a substance that will help them expand after birth. And speaking of breathing, your baby's tiny nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open, and his vocal chords are getting ready to roar.

Baby Woos still enjoys to exercise but he is getting in the way a little and limiting my movements.  It is getting harder and harder to do burpees, jumping jacks, and anything where I jump.  I also do push ups on my knees (and have for at least a month now) because my arms aren't strong enough o hold up the extra weight.  But we are hanging in there and love the feeling after we finish a great workout!!

look at that belly :)

www.thebump.com
www.whattoexpect.com

What's in a Name?

Choosing a name for a baby is much different then naming a pet!  When we named Calli (our dog) we named her after Coach Calipari of Kentucky.  I was not going to name our child after a Kentucky or Syracuse player so I bought a baby book and looked at several hundred different names.  After going through the entire book I only had a handful of names written down.

old picture of us before we got married in 2011

Different options for Baby Woos:

The first decision to make was should we make Baby Woos a third.  Donnie is a junior so we needed to make the decision if we wanted to continue the name Donald.  After much discussion (and me not liking the nickname Trip (for third) or DWIII) we decided not to name Baby Woos a third.

Next we had to figure out some "Manly" names.  Donnie wanted to name our son a manly name so he suggested Frank...but I quickly vetoed that name.  Nothing against any Franks in the world but I was not going to name our son Frank.

I suggested Grayson, Luke, and Dylan as first names.  Donnie quickly vetoed Grayson. But he really liked the name Dylan.  For a month now we have been calling Baby Woos Dylan and that is the name that is sticking.  (Now I could change my mind 100 times but when Donnie makes a decision he doesn't change his mind.)   The only way we will change Dylan's name is for some reason the doctor was wrong and a baby girl surprises us. 

Dylan: "son of the sea"

Now we had to figure out a middle name for Dylan.  My suggestions were Michael (after my father), Ray, Quinn, and Scott.  In the end we narrowed our middle name selection down to Ray and Scott.  We almost went with Scott but decided on the middle name of Ray.  Ray is Donnie's middle name and also my mom's middle name so Baby Woos will continue on a family name. 

Ray: "protecting hands"

So there you have it Baby Woos' name is going to be Dylan Ray Woosley.  I love the meanings of both Dylan and Ray and am very proud of our son's name.  Choosing a name was easier then I thought because we were both in love with the name Dylan so we didn't have to convince each other to choose that name and Ray is a family name.  Although our son will not have the same name as his father, they will have the same initials: D.R.W.


One strange thing that I realized when trying to pick a name is that I gravitate towards names that start with D or C.  Donnie and Cassie;  Dallas and Calli (our dogs); now Dylan and (potential girls name Caitlin if we have a baby girl in the future). 


Do you know what your name means?

Cassandra: she who entangles men
Donald: great chief 

Cloth Diapers???

Am I crazy but I am really thinking about using cloth diapers with Baby Woos.  (And to be clear I have only thought about the idea of cloth diapers for two days now so my opinions may change in a month or after Baby Woos is born.)

Why cloth diapers?

The main reason I started thinking about cloth diapers is because I found out that my mom had to use cloth diapers on both my sister in I because we were allergic to disposable diapers.  My skin is sensitive and my husband also has very sensitive skin. Disposable diapers contain chemicals that can easily irritate the skin and cause rashes.

Let's talk about the chemicals most disposable diapers contain:

• Dioxins:  Most disposable diapers are bleached white with chlorine, resulting in a byproduct called dioxins.  According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dioxins are among the most toxic chemicals known to science and are listed by the EPA as highly carcinogenic chemicals.
• Sodium polyacrylate: Sodium polycarbonate is a super absorbent chemical compound that is used in the fillers of many disposable diapers.  The chemical is often visible as small gel-like crystals on the skin of babies and is thought to be linked to skin irritations and respiratory problems. This chemical was removed from tampons due to toxic shock syndrome concerns.
• Tributyl-tin (TBT): According to the EPA, this toxic pollutant is extremely harmful to aquatic (water) life and causes endocrine (hormonal) disruptions in aquatic organisms.  Additionally, according to research published by the American Institute of Biological Sciences, tributyl-tin can trigger genes that promote the growth of fat cells, causing obesity in humans.
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC): According to the EPA, VOCs can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system as well as cancers.
• Other chemicals often used in disposable diapers include dyes, fragrances, plastics and petrolatums.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/111348-chemicals-disposable-diapers/#ixzz2OVhCs1Lq


I know that most parents use disposable diapers but I wonder how many have read about the amount of chemicals disposable diapers have in them.  I know I didn't know until I did some researching..and I know you can't believe everything you read on the Internet- but there is some truth to it.  I am also not saying that I won't ever use disposable diapers but I think for the most part I want to use cloth diapers.  Hopefully this will prevent unnecessary diaper rash, cut down on cost, and be as easy as I think it will be (at least for the first 6 months where Baby Woos will not have any solid food).

Cloth diapers have come a long way!  They are no longer big safety pins and cloth with a plastic wrap.

I really like the gDiapers that have an additional cloth liner to add to the diaper for easy removal.  This diaper is suppose to be a hybrid between a disposable and a cloth diaper since you throw out the cloth liner (or it says you can even flush it down the toilet) but wash the diaper and the inserts.  You can also buy disposable inserts for the diaper which turn the diaper more into a disposable diaper but with less trash, and less chemicals then disposables since the inserts are 100% biodegradable.

Another brand that I have found that looks super easy is bumGenius.  It looks and snaps like a disposable diaper.  They are a one size fits all so they grow with the baby.  Some styles have separate inserts and some are all-in-one with no inserts. 

And then there is always the possibility of using the foldover cloth diapers which are really inexpensive but require more work. 


I am going to talk to a few friends that have used cloth diapers and more friends who tell me not to use cloth diapers and try to make up my mind.  It may be that I do not have a choice and I will need to use cloth diapers.  Hopefully the sensitive diapers will also work on Baby Woos.  Because if I do decide to use cloth diapers I think during the night I will want to use a disposable but who knows.   I know this is a decision that does not have to be made until Baby Woos is born and we see what works with him.  I just wanted to do some research and look at my options.

I may change my mind but I really think I want to use the gdiapers and bumGenius diapers with possibly disposable diapers at night.  If we go on vacation, or have night away from the house I will bring disposables with us.  But who knows- this is the first I have even looked into the possibility of using cloth diapers.


Cloth or disposable diapers? 

www.gdiapers.com
www.bumgenius.com

Crab Salad on Ciabatta Bread

Where has Spring gone?  It was so warm last weekend and earlier this week but now it is cold and rainy.  My backyard looks like a mini-lake and the dogs do not want to go outside at all.  So much for doing some gardening and outside work on the house.  Instead I was able to do some much needed Spring Cleaning.  Although I dislike cleaning the fridge and scrubbing kitchen cabinets- I do love to admire a clean house.  I was also able to play in the kitchen a little. 


Crab Salad on Ciabatta Bread:

                                                         Ingredients:

                                                       -imitation crab meat  (I am in love with these 100 calorie packets)

-cucumber

-avocado

-red onion

-cilantro

-mayo

-sriracha sauce

-ciabatta bread

In bowl:

1. use one packet of crab meat (it is enough to make two sandwiches) & dice up crab

2. dice 1/3 avocado into small pieces  (best to use an avocado that is still a little hard)

3. add one slice of red onion diced up

4. add a handful of chopped cilantro

5. in a separate small bowl mix a spoonful on mayo with sriracha sauce to desired spiciness, add some garlic powder and pepper to your liking

6. once mayo is mixed up add to salad and leave some left over to put on your bread

7. toast the bread then add light layer of mayo mixture

8. assemble sandwich and add sliced cucumbers

I hope you enjoy! 

Lately I have been wanting more seafood and even tunafish lately.  I had my first tunafish sandwich in 6 months yesterday and it was so tasty!!  (Earlier in my pregnancy I could not stomach any fish.)  Seafood is a great source of protein and iron — which are crucial nutrients for Baby Woos' growth and development. In addition, the omega-3 fatty acids in many fish can promote baby's brain development.  The only tricky part is to stay away from fish that are high in mercury and to limit albacore tuna to no more than 6 ounces a week.  So needless to say I am going to try to incorporate fish back into my diet.

Week by Picture Update

I originally posted this a while back in March

 but I thought I'd add to the weeks...





9 weeks



 14 weeks

16 weeks:



17 weeks:

18 weeks:  *still wearing my normal jeans

19 Weeks:

20 Weeks:

21 Weeks:

22 weeks:

23 weeks:

24 Weeks:

These past 6 months have flown by and have been extremely nice to me- no morning sickness, no back cramps, etc.  I hope the next 3 months will treat me just as nice... although I have a funny feeling they aren't going to. 

Baby Woos is already running out of room in there.

25 Weeks:

26 Weeks:

Welcome to Third Tri-Mester:

27 Weeks:

28 Weeks:

29 Weeks:

30 Weeks:

31 Weeks:

32 Weeks:

33 Weeks:

34 Weeks:

35 Weeks:

36 Weeks:

37 Weeks:

Baby Woos has grown soooo much during the third trimester!!