30 Days?!?!?!

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

Excerpt From: Zondervan. “NIV Women's Devotional Bible.” Zondervan, 2012-07-09. iBooks. 

This material may be protected by copyright.

Glory be to God! 30 days until my due date!!

BUMPDATE: 32 Weeks!!!!

General Stats

Tawny says I've popped. What do y'all think?

     Hmmm, where to start. First of all, my apologies for not posting a 31 week update. Last week was really rough on my emotions and I wasn't really in a good head space to post any updates. Luckily I'm doing light years better this week and perfect timing because my shower is this Saturday!! I'm definitely excited, but also a little stressed because there's a lot I still need to take care of (i.e. homemade prizes and favors) but thank God for my wonderful friends who took on the responsibility of hosting, cooking, baking, decorating and so much more. You guys are awesome!!! Plus, I'm kind of bummed that Jeremiah won't be able to make it -- ya know duty calls. He should be back a couple days later though, so the fun and memories will still be nice and fresh. And of course he can still help unpack and organize the gifts and what not.
     Outside of baby shower duties, I also had my 32 week appointment the other day and it went fabulously if I may say so myself. I weighed in at 134lbs which puts me at just a little bit over 20lbs gained and I really think I can make it through at or under 145lbs (the minimum amount I'm "supposed" to gain). I feel great through so I'm not super concerned about weight gain anymore because I know that overall I'm still very healthy (outside of being slightly anemic). Liam's heartbeat is still very strong and he's still super active -- especially at night! And apparently right now LOL. I can't wait to meet my little prince. To this day, and I'm sure this feeling will remain, I still can't believe that the Lord chose us for such an important duty. When I look back on the last 3 or so years of my life I'm just amazed  the innumerable amount of blessings I have been gifted and the opportunities I've been given. I may complain sometimes, and I can definitely be a bit of whiner but I love my life, I love my husband, I love our son, I love my family (dogs included), my friends,  and I wouldn't dare ask for anything better because the Lord has already given me the best.

Baby Buys
     I bought a diaper...that's it LOL.
Shameless registry plug:
Amazon
Target

Don't Forget About Mama
     Still drowning in lists but getting anxious because the goal is in sight! I changed the calendar this morning (nothing is really happening these last two days of July) and freaked out because mid August marks the start of my last month of pregnancy!! Crazy pants and a half!

Operation Nursery
     Not much to report, sorry guys!! However I do want to make a silhouette portrait but can't decide on which picture to use. Cast your vote in the comments! (It will be apart of the gallery wall/shelf).

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Extras

     Feeling a little nostalgic and mushy, so here's some pics from our wedding (6.20.12)

Til next time loves.

<3 Tiffe

Thoughts of the Bath

     Like most people I take great solace in and understand the work of a quality bubblebath. Because my little love is still cooking I can't sink into scorching hot water but I can and do still indulge in the occassional (more than occasional) date with Mr. Bubble, flickering candles, and Spotify. Aside from clearing my mind, I surround myself with water in the hopes that one day Liam will too understand its power and serenity. Sometimes we dance together, feeling the rhythm of the music as we weightlessly sway side-to-side, my hands on my belly as if I was holding his hands teaching him his first steps. Other times I just talk to him and watch as he nestles himself deep within my womb feeling a similar type of relaxation as I nestle myself deeper and deeper into the cloud of bubbles around me. 

     On today's edition of Thoughts of the Bath, I find myself trying to shake a number of fears, worries and anxieties. As many of you know I live on the tiny little island of Okinawa, Japan and while it's a wonderful experience, one that I don't take for granted, island fever and an overall sense of disconnectedness is an inevitable side effect with very little opportunity for cure or relief. Granted, my recent case of the fever can easily be attributed to third trimester hormones, but nonetheless it is real and kicking my little brown butt. Now, before I get into the details, please no one read any further into this than necessary. Likewise, please do not take any of it personally as I understand that despite our age of social networking and our vastly advanced personal communication devices we all have lives and limitations -- nothing I can rightfully fault any of us for. 

     Since finding out I was expecting I looked forward to (but slightly dreaded) all of the family excitement. The check-in calls and texts, the unneccessary amounts of advice and of course the gifts (I know, kinda shallow) for our newest addition. But after our grand announcement at I believe 10 weeks I quickly realized that none of what I was looking forward to was coming and as the weeks and months went on I let go of any hope that it would magically come. About a week ago I told my mom that I felt like the family had forgotten about us, and that I totally understood because we do live way the hell out here and its not like we can just hope in the car and visit for the weekend. After that admission I figured I'd just get over it but I didn't and coupled with the fact that my husband is away on yet another TDY, I can't get the notion out of my head. This morning I actually started to worry because Liam's going to be born out here and I fear that just like the announcement of his conception, the news of his birth will rise and then fall into obsecurity. I know in reality that he (and us) are very much loved by our families but in this, case absence does not make the heart grow fonder, rather it makes one wonder if their absence is even noticed. 

     And my poor husband, I think he's been here for so long that he's developed an acute immunity to the fever. Plus, I'll admit I'm a special case when my emotions and thoughts get the best of me, so I sympathize with the fact that he doesn't always know how to respond to or comfort me -- especially with so many other things on his mind. It's tough being the head of a household,but I'm sure its even harder when I'm in the Lieutenant seat. 

     I'm not quite sure what I'm expecting from this...I honestly don't think I'm expecting anything at all. I just really needed to get some things off of my chest and onto paper (well, you know what I mean). 

Til next time loves.

<3 Tiffe 

Oh Baby! It's Time to Party!

     Why hello there my darlings! I hope you are all enjoying your day, or night (depending on where you are in the world). If you haven't been watching the calendar and counting down the seconds like I have, I'm going to let you in a little secret -- MY BABY SHOWER IS NEXT WEEKEND!! Clearly, I'm super excited. I don't know, to me the baby shower signifies the last big hurrah before baby arrives, so the fact that my shower is in like 9 days really excites me about what comes next. (If you still want to take a peak at /order off of our registries click Here (Amazon) and Here (Target).)
   Now, I'm not going to get into too much prep talk -- that'll come next week but I do have one really, really, really important question to ask: WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?!?!?! I've narrowed down some choices but need YOUR help to decide. Cast a vote for your favorite down in the comments :D

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Bumpdate: 30 Weeks!!!

You saw the title...let's  get into it!

General Stats

Getting closer!!!!!!

     30 weeks -- can you believe it?!? I swear I say that every time but really, can you believe it? This past week has been pretty uneventful. We did make some major headway in the nursery but of course I'll talk more about that during Operation Nursery; and like the rest of my pregnancy I'm still relatively symptom free. I guess you could say I'm battling the typical third trimester discomfort but I take it with stride, drink lots of water and generally just listen to what my body, and obviously what my baby needs. I have given into my sweet tooth though...blame the typhoon lol.
     When should I start taking bets on Prince Liam's arrival? Any takers?




Baby Buys
   
      I totally cracked on my no buy, but I swear it was completely justified. And they were pretty small purchases so no biggie. I ordered a hanging wet bag for the changing station and finally found a map big enough for the main nursery wall. See, told you nothing major. Well, there were those 2 new outfits and the ridiculously adorable elephant bookends for his bookshelf but that's neither here nor there. I would show you a picture but we still need to find a bookshelf, which oddly enough has proven to be way more difficult than I assumed (mostly because of price...I'm not spending $20 on a USED bookshelf that costs $15 new in the regular world)...gotta love Oki. I'm not worried though, we'll find one sooner or later.
    (Shameless registry plug)
Amazon
Target

Don't Forget About Mama
     SO MANY LISTS!!!!! Nursery checklists. Packing lists. To-do lists. Lists, lists and more lists. It's a little overwhelming but I'd rather be overly organized than running around like a chicken without a head. When I'm not obsessing over lists, I've been dedicating some time to just relaxing and reading whatever catches my mind. Right now I'm really enjoying Half of Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It's kind of an oldie (written in 2006) but it is a wonderful story with great character development. In the world of non-fiction, I'm sampling a few different books about natural childbirth and so far they have all been really helpful and full of information. I just want to be prepared...or least informed. 

Operation Nursery

His diaper station wall! I just love the mirror.

     Lots going on in the nursery!! Well not a whole lot but it's coming together and I couldn't be happier. As you can see from the picture all of his diapers are prepped and ready to go! I just love the way they look displayed on the wall . On the left is his newborn stash which mainly consists of prefolds and covers, although we do have a couple newborn pockets and one all-in-one. On the right is his one-size stash and we still need about a dozen more before saying it is complete. We did register for one-size diapers but just incase none are gifted to us we're totally prepared to purchase whatever else we need. Isn't this wall just the best! I'm so glad I was able to find a circular mirror, I really don't think a rectangle or square would've had the same affect. 
     But on the same subject of walls, the map I ordered finally came in and although it was a bit of a challenge for me to hang it up, I absolutely love the color it brings into the room.

I kind of want to get an inspirational quote or scripture vinyled to go above it but I'm not entirely sure. I mean it looks great without it but I don't know, we still have some time so no rush. 

     I still plan on doing a full nursery tour (picture or video...I haven't decided yet) in August, but I want to wait until after the shower because I feel like then it'll be at its most complete. I'm really happy with how it has turned out so far and just can't wait to finish it. Moreover, I can't wait for Liam to see it. 









Extras

(Acquired from Tumblr)

     Isn't this picture simply amazing? I found it on mamaamoon's tumblr (check her out y'all. She's super chill) and just had to download it for myself. It just really speaks to me and I love it. It's amazing to think that in 9 weeks, give or take 2 weeks, I'll be holding one of God's most precious creations -- gosh, our lives are going to change so much. Jeremiah and I give all thanks and glory to God because we know none of this would be possible without him. Furthermore, we are very appreciative of the wonderful support system we have found in our Okinawa family, you guys are so amazing and loving. And of course we are beyond greatful for our stateside family as well. We love all of you so much and thank you from bottom of our hearts for already showering Liam with so much love. Uh, I'm going to start crying.

Bumpdate: 28 & 29 Weeks

(Sorry this is so late!! Blame Typhoon Neoguri)

Hey y'all! And a big HELLO to my 3rd trimester! It's time for another bumpdate, and I know you've all been waiting oh' so patiently, so let's not waste another minute.

Quick Stats (28 weeks)

Love this dress!

     We are on the 12-week countdown!!! Can you believe it?!?! At 28 weeks, I weigh 131.4lbs -- does it look like it? After my first few appointments where the doctor "expressed concern" about my lack of weight gain, I knew most of the weight was going to come during the later half of my pregnancy. I'm not trippin, but hopefully I can keep it under control because I have a ton of runs (5ks and 10ks) planned for after baby. This past week I had my first check-up at the Naval Hospital (so fancy) and I think it went pretty well. I really liked the doctor I saw but she's actually due to have her own baby on Monday so I decided to see LCDR Glanton (I've heard tons of great things about her) for my 32 week appt. 

     As customary for most 28 weekers, I had to take the dreaded glucose test for gestational diabetes. Thankfully I passed, (not surprised), but they did find that my blood count was a little low (anemic) so now I'm on iron pills...fun times! In Liam news, his heartbeat sounded great (at the appt) and of course, still living up to his nickname, he is so active! I'll literally sit and stare at my belly trying to figure out what he is doing. Jeremiah thinks he is doing my signature 'hands in the air' dance! Sometimes his squirms and jabs can get a little annoying (especially when I'm trying to sleep) but I love them regardless. I think I even felt a couple hiccups one time!

      I haven't had an ultrasound since 20 weeks and we don't really know if we want to get 3d/4ds done.

(29 weeks & 3 days)

     Not a whole lot has changed since last week, unfortunately I don't have a picture for you because Okinawa just got slammed by Typhoon Neoguri. Long story short, there was a ton of rain, lots of wind, thunder, lightening, flash floods, property damage (not our property) and we lost power for 16 hours -- yea it sucked. Being 7.5 months pregnant alone during a typhoon, with no electricity (no lights, n AC, no fridge and no stupid electric range stove) isn't the most ideal of situations but per my husband's duties it's something I just had to handle. Personally, I think I did pretty damn well but obviously I'm not signing up to be on permanent solo typhoon duty lol. However it's always a possibility and I know I'm strong enough to make it. If there are any other military spouses who are reading this I'm sure you can all relate on some degree, because whether or not you want to admit it - we did kind of sign up for this (or at least the possibility) when we said "I do". Anywho that's pretty much all of I got for 29 weeks :D

Baby Buys

    Still going strong on my no buy! Well, I did buy some Green Mountain newborn prefolds from a lady on base (she opted to use AIOs for the newborn stage) -- and I ordered some detergent off of Amazon (Nellie's NLS Natural Laundry Soda). I don't really count that as a buy though because I literally had no choice. Unfortunately, the BX and Commissary don't stock cloth diaper friendly detergents and of course, we want everything to be nice, prepped and ready before his arrival, so my hands were tied. I also bought some new decor for the nursery but we'll chat more about that in the Operation Nursery. 

   We have recently started receiving a few gifts from our registry (I haven't opened them) and I really just want to take this time to say Thank You to everyone who is helping us bless Liam. It really warms my heart to know that so many people - family and friends, are excited about and looking forward to his arrival. We tell him all the time that he has no idea how much love his coming into and it's just a really nice feeling; so again a huge Thank You to everyone. If you still need our registry information I'll post it below :D

Amazon Registry

Target Registry (if you want to shop on the ground, just search for our registry under our name: Tiffany  or Jeremiah Dobson and location: APO, AP)

Don't Forget About Mama

     Eh, I'm good lol. Just your average stress, anxiety and bouts of fear. Actually, the stress, anxiety and bouts of fear have been getting the best of me and I really wish I could get a grip. I guess being a FTM it's natural to have a lot of emotions about being pregnant, labor, childbirth and ultimately being a mother but for someone who is already pretty high strung...UGH!!!

Operation Nursery

    I'll just leave these here <3

Obvi there's more to come but you've got to stick around to see the rest. 

Extras

    Thank God we survived the typhoon!!!!!

It's a Lion on my Liam!!

(Courtesy of Swirls and Twirls Henna)

Bumpdate: 26 weeks

Good morning loves! I hope your mornings are starting off well. As you can see from the title -- it's time for a new bumpdate!!! And believe me, we have a lot to cover, so let's not waste anymore time and get this show on the road:

Quick stats
     

26 weeks 2 days! My hair looks amazing!!!

In my last Bumpdate I said I was going to try and crank these out weekly...well not a lot happened last week so I decided to skip it, but now in my 26th week of pregnancy I am over the moon excited! I mean think about it, I'm 5 days shy of my third trimester! That's 13 short weeks until Monk Monk is here!! (Honestly I think it'll be more like 10 or 11 weeks but we're trying to keep with the schedule here). We don't have a scale but I'm sure I've gained at least a pound since our last chit-chat, and although earlier in my pregnancy I expressed some apprehension about gaining the dreaded pregnancy weight I've more or less come to terms with it because I know it's what's best for my little Prince. I'll admit, it is still a little hard to look down and see a belly but aside from the occasional freak-outs, I'm finally starting to adjust.  


Baby Buys

     A little over a month ago I put myself on a strict no buy until after the baby shower and believe it or not I've been doing pretty darn well if I may say so myself. We did end up buying another crib but I'll talk more about that during "Operation Nursery". We also bought some art supplies, but I don't really count it even though they are for decor purposes. (Again, we'll talk more during ON).
     I am going to order the baby shower invitations this week, so I guess you can count that as a baby buy. They're beyond adorable...gotta love Etsy! Oh, and speaking of the baby shower, we have released our registries!!!!

• Amazon 
• Target 

Please feel free to take a look at them and if you do plan on ordering, especially from Target, do it ASAP. The baby shower is scheduled for August 2nd and Target is slightly notorious for putting even the smallest things (i.e. a really cute jacket) on a boat (6-8 ship time...minimum). It doesn't happen all the time but we don't want to take any chances.

Don't Forget About Mama
     
       I bought my first maternity shirt!!! I got it second hand so it was only $5 and while it is pretty cute, I probably won't be buying a whole new wardrobe. It is super hot in Okinawa and I plan on living in maxi skirts and dresses the entire time. I might get a pair of shorts or two but I don't want to get ahead of myself.
      Not really baby related but I took my Senegalese twists out last week and although it takes me longer to get dressed and ready now I am loving having my hair back! I love my curls!

Operation Nursery

      Now it's time for what you have all been waiting for!!!! Operation Nursery is definitely a go and although I won't show you everything (got to leave a bit for the imagination --- aka a big nursery reveal in August), I will give you little sneak peeks of our progress. Last week was all about the dresser and as you can see from the before and "kind of after" photos, it's undergone a major face lift.

                 

Before

Kind of after

      Eeek, I can't wait until you all get to see the finished product! It was definitely a labor of love but I think it looks great! As mentioned earlier, we bought another crib and while it was a hard pill to swallow, it's better this way. Originally I had purchased a used crib from Okinawa Yard Sales and with every intention of painting it I was super excited about finding such a quality piece of furniture for "cheap". As I researched different ways to paint and refurbish the crib, I met a lot of resistance, especially regarding the safety and toxicity of whatever paint I would ultimately choose. Nonetheless, I pressed on, fully determined to sand, prime and paint my dream crib. Well, insert rainy season, a broken sander and a husband who sleeps during the day because of mids, I quickly realized that this was project I was simply not ready nor equipped for. After licking my wounds and coming to grips with a failed project, I put on some pants and headed out to the BX. Luckily, I found the perfect crib for an even more perfect price and we're putting it together tomorrow morning so I'm a happy camper. 

***DISCLAIMER*** For anyone thinking about refurbishing a crib, please do not let my experience discourage you! It is definitely possible but please do your research, gather an abundance of materials and prepare for a lot of work.

      Is it just me, or does Pintrest bring out your inner arts and crafts guru? While licking my wounds about the crib, I decided to get a jump start on some of the decor I want in the nursery and since I had all the material for my canvas boards I figured why not knock these out of the way. I still have a few left to do but I'm loving the results so far. 

I love it! And it was super easy!!!

Extras

     I do have a few extras to report but I think I'm going to do a separate blog post on them because they're kind of a big deal and really cool! 

<3 ya!!

Operation Nursery is a go!

Hey y'all!!

This weekend is super exciting because we're finally starting to set up Liam's nursery!!!! We were going to finish sanding and painting the crib this weekend but Jeremiah jacked up his shoulder lifting weights, so we're painting the dresser instead. I am so excited! We're going to do a basic navy blue all over, and then once I buy the acrylic paint - in yellow of course, I'm going to add some pinstripes to give it a bit more life and detail. Hopefully we can also change out the knobs, it just depends on what we find out in town. (I'm telling you! Don't take Home Depot for granted people, because one day you will find yourself on a tiny ass island overseas and something as simple as finding knobs for a dresser will turn into the hunt for Atlantis lol.)  

Because the dresser is currently housing his OS diaper stash, extra inserts, liners (so excited about cloth diapering) and various gifts (mostly clothes) we have received along the way, I'm going to take this opportunity to start organizing his clothes and closet. I know it doesn't seem like much but I'm super excited to finally start setting up Monk Monk's space and with my third trimester coming up (although I feel great), I really want to get all the big things, i.e. furniture projects taken care of so I can really focus on adding all the finishing touches for the remainder of my pregnancy.  

The other day I was telling Jeremiah that I feel so incredibly blessed for experiencing such an easy pregnancy. In addition to the fact that we're married, stable, loving and absolutely over the moon about our son, I haven't really experienced any of the "ailments" of pregnancy. I've had very little to no morning sickness (there was that one time a few weeks ago with the mac n cheese though), debilitating fatigue, soreness, pain - nothing really and it has truly helped curb some of my anxieties about being a FTM. (My emotions can be all over the place sometimes though.) And as an added bonus, it has made it all the more easier to enjoy this wonderful phase of life. With that said, I understand that everyone is not keen to this type of experience. In fact, I understand that for some people, pregnancy is a very scary and difficult time in life. For anyone who may be reading this who has experienced or is experiencing a difficult, high-stress or high risk pregnancy, please know that my genuine prayers are with you. And regardless of what you are going through or dealing with, whether it be emotional, physical or environmental, always remember that no matter what you are an angel on earth who has been hand selected to watch over and guide one of the Lord's most precious creatures. You are the second coming of Superwoman and the original 3-D printer! 

GET SOME!!!!

<3 ya!!

P.S. I will try my best to capture our weekend project/adventure on camera...I just need to find my battery charger!!!! 

REGISTRY!!!!

A lot have been asking so here ya go!!

Amazon
Target

<3 yall!!

Bumpdate: 24 Weeks

Hi all!!

I can't believe my last bumpdate was 7 weeks ago! I am so sorry. From now on I promise to get these out weekly. With that said, let's get it started:

Quick Stats

Last week at 23 weeks 3 days <3

I am 24 weeks pregnant!! 6 freaking months. It's astonishing how quickly time is passing us by. My baby shower is in 8 weeks, my due date is in 16 weeks and we still haven't started setting up the nursery...YIKES!! So many projects, so little time!! Eh, we'll get it done and of course the camera will be there every step of the way. Let's see, at my 22 week appt I weighed 122lbs, and although I have put on weight since my last check-up, my doctor is still a little concerned. But like I said in my last bumpdate, I'm not really worried because at all of his ultrasounds Liam has measured at least one week ahead and I've always had trouble putting on weight...some call it a blessing, some call it a curse. Honestly, my biggest focus is that I remain healthy (pre-pregnancy, during and post). Besides, I' m definitely showing now and he is more than living up to his nickname (Monk Monk) with all the moving and kicking he does. (I LOVE IT!!)

I haven't measured my belly in a while but it's very much there now and unfortunately I'm having a little bit of trouble adjusting to it. I know I'm pregnant and with pregnancy, of course comes a belly but as someone who has always been very fit and in shape, it's kind of hard looking down every morning and seeing such a round tummy. However on that same token, I love being pregnant and I know I am extremely blessed to 1) be able to experience this wonderful stage in life and 2) have such an easy pregnancy, I really couldn't have wished for it be any better. And of course, I couldn't have wished for an any more wonderful husband to share this with. Yes, he works my everlasting nerves sometimes, but that never changes how much I love him and appreciate all he has done and all he is doing for our little family. (I am a little salty though because he let a stupid gecko into the house and then left me to deal with getting it out of the house)

Baby Buys

Believe it or not, nothing! I did participate in a clothing swap on base a few weeks ago and while I was a little apprehensive/skeptical, I was able to score some really great finds and I can't wait to see my little man all dressed up. But yea, other than that we probably won't be buying much for awhile because (and I mentioned this in my previous post --> Horrible Blogger) we have released the registries and I want to give everyone a chance to help us bless our baby boy. If you want to take a peak, we are registered at Target and on Amazon - just search by name (Tiffany or Jeremiah Dobson) and city (APO/AP).

Oh! How could I forge, we got a glider/rocking chair last week! Technically it isn't a "buy" because we actually got it for free. It needs a little cosmetic work - nothing a slipcover can't solve but structurally, and most importantly it is sound. If y'all haven't noticed, we purchased a lot of the furniture used and from the beginning this was kind of my plan because I really want to customize his nursery. Living on an island means we have limited resources and naturally everyone tends to have the same stuff because we all shop at the same places. This is my first baby...I just want to be different - and have a really cool nursery.

Don't Forget About Mama

As mentioned earlier, I have had a very easy going pregnancy. No morning sickness, very little fatigue and outside of some pains here and there I'm still feeling pretty good. At 24 weeks I'm still in my regular clothes (woot!) and crossing my fingers that I can avoid maternity clothes throughout the summer (i.e. maxi dresses/skirts, regular dresses/skirts, etc). However, I do have a small, but growing pile of "Yea...can't really fit this anymore".

Operation Nursery

Ooo wee!!! We are definitely slacking in this department! Because we purchased everything used we have quite a bit of refurbishing to do (mostly painting) but obviously those take time. And then outside of the furniture, we have so many projects to do! Thankfully, we're getting started on them this week, so this section will definitely be seeing a lot of action and updates.

Extras

Honestly, nothing much. I'm feeling a ton of movement and I absolutely love it. So far his favorite nursery rhyme is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and of course, he loves snuggling with Sneak and Spike. Don't ask how I know, I just do :D

<3 ya!

Horrible Blogger!!

Hi all! Remember me? I know it's been absolutely forever since my last blog post and normally I have some kind of excuse but not this time, I really just never got around to posting. My sincerest and deepest apologies, I didn't forget about you...I swear!! After finishing the semester, the days and weeks just rolled past me. I was so focused on catching up on sleep and being lazy...it's kinda sad now that I think about it. Regardless, I should've kept up with my blog so I promise this won't happen again.

In my defense, my absence wasn't just sleeping and eating cereal all day, aside from finishing up my first year at LUO (woot!!) I was able to finally tackle a big project that has been on my mind for quite some time. Living in Okinawa is great, but living on base kind of sucks because most of the housing layouts are so weird. Ex: our living room is a horribly shaped rectangle and without some serious imagination, and Pintrest we're really limited on what we can do. Luckily, I have some imagination and am hopelessly devoted to Pintrest, so I spent about a week moving things around, decorating, reorganizing and just making everything feel more home-y. I meant to take before and after photos but I totally forgot to do the befores, and I'm not all the way satisfied yet so the afters will have to wait but what at I have done definitely qualifies as a major improvement!! Ugh! I swear we have the worst designed housing ever...imagine a cement box with really big, ill placed windows and way too many random closets. Oh! and two really small bedrooms, a unnecessarily large kitchen, decent sized bathroom and a laundry closet (it doesn't qualify as a room).

But in other news, can you believe I am 24 weeks pregnant!! It's all going by so freaking fast! A couple weeks ago, my friend and I started planning my baby shower and obviously I'm super, freaking excited! It isn't until August 2nd, so I won't go too far into what we talked about but as we get closer to the date I'll definitely get y'all up to speed because you already know it is going to be AWESOME!! For now, I'll let y'all in on the theme because it's kind of my favorite part: CARNIVAL!!! Initially I was going to go with a circus theme, but clowns are at the circus and quite frankly clowns are really creepy. Since baby shower planning has officially started, Jeremiah and I figured it would be a good idea to get a registry (or two) in order and dun-da-dun-tah!! here they are: Amazon & Target.

Yes, for the purpose of addressing proper etiquette, we realize that we are releasing the registries earlier than "acceptable".  Well darling reader, some companies, particularly Target, can be very iffy with their shipping and if something can't be shipped via plane, they will more than likely place the item on a boat which means we won't see it for at least 6-8 weeks *hint, hint*. Of course this is not the norm but we don't want to take any chances. (When we first moved here, it took two and half months for our bathroom trashcan to get here because it was shipped via boat). Also, we want to give people a chance to shop around. Personally, whenever I'm presented with a registry, I take a look at it to get an idea of what the parents need and if I can find a similar or the same product somewhere cheaper it's a win-win in my book. And of course, a lot of family members have been asking about it so I am happy to finally deliver "the goods". HOWEVER PLEASE TAKE NOTE!! MY ONLY RULE!! Because it is so early, if you do not want a package opened before the baby shower please let us know!! Send a text, a Facebook message, call us on skype, e-mail us - do whatever you have to do to get us the message. I love getting packages and its really hard to resist the urge to tear the box open and reveal the hidden treasures. (Okay, maybe it's not that serious but still just give us a heads up.) And if for some reason the links above don't work, you can search for our registries by name and city: Tiffany or Jeremiah Dobson/APO, AP.

I have some pregnancy updates but I'll do a separate post for that (I'm going to post it right after this one...I SWEAR!!)

<3 ya!!

THE WAIT IS OVER!!!!!!

Ok y'all the time has finally come and the wait is OFFICIALLY OVER!!! Place your final bets...

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How about a countdown!!!!

10...

9...

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1...

J.R. <3

BUMPDATE: 17 weeks

I know, I know I promised y'all a bumpdate last week but I never really got a chance to get around to it until now so...here ya go!


Since this is my first official bumpdate, here's a quick run-down of how they are going to go:

• Quick Stats
• Weeks pregnant, belly measurement, pictures, ultrasounds, etc
• Baby Buys
• Any baby or nursery purchases from the week (pictures included)
• Don't Forget About Mama
• Quick recap of how I'm feeling.
• Operation Nursery
• Updates on all nursery projects...get excited!!!
• Extras
• Anything else I feel like telling y'all lol

Quick Stats

<3 <3 <3

Let's see, I'm 17 weeks+3 days and at my last appointment (16 weeks) I was 118lbs. The doctor expressed some concern considering I hadn't gained any weight since my 12 week appointment but I'm not really worried...it's not like I'm not eating. I've always had trouble gaining weight, even as kid, but I'm sure the weight will come eventually. (Truthfully...it can take as long as it wants lol). 

I'm measuring 30"!! I know that's not a lot but it sure sounds like a lot to me. A lot of people have actually been noticing my growing bump and although I do like the attention, it's a little embarrassing. And I am definitely NOT looking forward to the unsolicited belly rubs  

As you may remember, we had an ultrasound appointment last week but I'm not showing you the pictures. Stay tuned though, because we are doing a big gender reveal on Easter. Eeeek, I'm so excited!!!!!

Baby Buys

We finally found a dresser! I can't wait to start refurbishing it, it's going to look amazing!! We also bought a couple pacifiers, a yoga ball and pregnancy/body pillow to help alleviate my hip discomfort (see below).

Don't Forget About Mama

Holy hips stretching! My hips have been killing me the last few days. I think it has to do with my uterus moving closer towards my belly button but OMG it is a terrible pain. Thankfully the discomfort has been subsiding but ugh...definitely no bueno. Other than that I feel great. 

Operation Nursery

May 10th! May 10th! May 10th! Well actually maybe like the 11th, 12th or 13th, but regardless I can't wait until this semester is over so I can dive into all of the nursery projects I want to do. Here's a link to my Pinterest board if you're interested in my craft ideas: Baby & Nursery Projects.

Extras

I didn't want to include this in 'Baby Buys' because it seemed a little creepy but we hired our doula! It took some convincing but I'm super excited to have her apart of the team. It's only been about a week so I can't really comment on our official doula experience but she'll definitely be apart of my later blogs. Should I do a 'Why We Hired a Doula' blog? Sound off in the comments :D

That's it for now! Do you like the organization or should I try something else? As always thanks for reading! See ya soon!!

<3 Tiffe

P.S. 

I can't deny y'all...here's a pic from our appointment last week!!

So freaking adorable!!!!!!

Wait, You're Doing What? Why We Chose Cloth Diapers

Aren't these just the cutest!!!

Hello everyone!!

      If you can't tell by the title, or the super adorable picture at the top of the screen, today's post is going to be all about cloth diapers. Yes! We are going to be a cloth diapering family. I am super excited that after several side eyes from my darling husband, he finally came my way and agreed that a cloth diapering system would be the best for our budding baby butt. Before presenting it to Jeremiah, I came to the cloth diaper conclusion after researching the best disposable brands and being less than impressed with what I found...plus, since we live overseas we don't have a lot access (outside of Amazon.com) to the more popular/more expensive natural diaper brands. Here a few of the points that sold me on cloth diapering:

• Cost
• When compared to disposables, cloth diapering is SUPER cost efficient. Yes, there is a bigger upfront cost but think about this way, instead of buying a pack diapers every month or every week, all you need are the diapers you initially invested it. (But let me tell you, buying can get a tad addicting LOL!)
• Safety/Rash Reduction
• Disposable diapers have a ton of dyes and chemicals in them and although companies posit that they are completely and totally safe, I personally don't want to take any chances with my baby's bottom. Also cloth diapers are virtually diaper rash proof...WIN!! 
• Adorableness (is that even a word?)
• Need I say more? They're super cute!!!!!!!! Cloth diapers come in a variety of colors and prints that can, and will only enhance your baby's natural cuteness. 
• Earth Friendly
• Pretty obvious. 

Honestly, my reasons for cloth diapering are extremely common. But here are a few YouTube 'gurus' that helped me make my decision

NaturallyThriftyMom --> This link leads to part 1 of her awesome cloth diapering series. 

ObbsandLala - 10 Cloth Diapering Myths --> She has a really awesome channel full of cloth diaper know how.

ObbsandLala - Why Choose Cloth Diapers --> See above.

Missy Lanning - Why I Chose to Cloth Diaper --> I actually just started watching her channel but I'm definitely glad I found it! She is super knowledgeable and seems very down to earth.

The picture above is only the beginning of our stash (newborn and one size) and I am so excited to watch it grow. I've already order 3 new diapers and 2 covers - we're going to use a system of prefolds/covers and newborn pockets until the baby can fit into OS pocket diapers (one size).

That's it for now y'all! Once Peanut Butter Cup is born I'll be able to talk more about our cloth diapering experience.

See ya!!

P.S. I promise there will be a bumpdate tomorrow. We have an ultrasound in the morning. YAY!!!

First Baby Haul! and Possible Gender results?

Hey y'all!!

So as you can tell by the title, it's BABY HAUL TIME!!!!! But before we get to all of that here are some updates:

*  We have finally decided to cloth diaper! Yes, I am beyond excited and have already ordered some for the stash. I'll do a separate post about cloth diapering and why we decided against disposables later, so for now that's all I am going to talk about on the matter. 

* We are still keeping the names a secret but have decided to reveal them very soon, so stay tuned for that! 

* I have officially gained 3lbs (it's a good thing, it's a good thing)...and have a bit of a bump! I'm going to do weekly measurements and will definitely include them, along with photos in my weekly bumpdates. (See what I did there? Its like updates but because I'm pregnant...bumpdates! I know super clever lol)

* We bought the crib! We bought it used for $50 and although we are going to refurbish it, its in really good shape. The seller even threw in the mattress but I don't think we are going to keep it because...yea, that's gross. 

* We had an elective ultrasound today and had our first official guess on the gender! The doctor would only say he was 70% sure "the gender" but for Okinawa/off base that's not that bad this early. I'll put in a picture at the end and let y'all guess some more. (Don't you love this game?) 

I guess that's it for the updates...HAUL TIME!!!!

For the past week or so we've been researching different baby items, recommended gear, etc, etc, but last night we decided to head to the lovely Kadena BX and do some shopping. 

 See, nothing too major. 

We bought some wipes (Jeremiah isn't down for cloth wipes), bottles, spoons (idk), mattress pad, washable breast pads, SUPER CUTE blanket, plain ole onesies, some socks from Carters, hats and my personal favorite - the 4 piece tiger outfit!! I absolutely love tigers so I couldn't not buy this.

Here's a list of items broken down by brand:

Gerber

* 1 pack of newborn onesies ( they're so tiny!)

* 1 pack of 0-6 month hats 

* 1 pack of First Essentials bottles 

* 1 pack of play and sleep onesies (I swear everyone has these but they were cute and lil J is going to need some pjs)

* 1 pack of infant spoons (preparing early I guess)

Carters

* 1 pack of 0-3 months socks (3 pairs per pack) 

*  The most adorable 4-piece outfit set. It comes with a hat, a onesie that says "Daddy's Little Tiger" on the front, a pair of pants with tiger footies and a orange and white striped sleeper with footies.

* 1 fitted crib pad

Exchange Select (BX brand)

* 1 box of wipes. ( I forgot how many are in there but its a nice size box.) 

Medela

* Breast pads (We are planning on exclusively breastfeeding

Misc

* The adorable jungle themed baby blanket. I love it!!!!

Not pictured

* 1 Fisher Price backpack (My husband doesn't like the diaper bag I picked out so he bought his own...what a diva lol) - it'll primarily be used for long, all day trips out in town/when we fly back to CA to visit family. 

Although it wasn't a huge haul I still love that we have started buying for baby and I just have to mention how much I love my husband for being so engaged and hands on. He is going to be an amazing father and that alone makes me even more excited for September to get here. 

That's all for today but more posts are coming your way very soon

See ya!

<3 Tiffe

 Ultrasound from today 

 Gender guesses? Sound off in the comments!

This was the best pic we could get. Lil J is definitely a shy little bugger. 

It's About Time...For Some Updates

Hey y'all!

I know, I know, it's been over a week since my last post - my deepest apologies. Not a whole lot going on on this side of the world. If you follow me on Instagram [TinyTiffe] you saw that I posted my very first bump picture! It's exciting that I'm finally showing but I've still got a long way to go until it stops looking like I just gained some weight. Keeping with the baby talk, I am 13 weeks/4 days today and according to a few people I have officially hit the second trimester (13/3) but I'll just wait until Sunday to really get excited. Oh! We picked names last night! I can't tell you them though because we've decided to keep it a secret until he/she is born. (It's going to be freaking torture!) I absolutely love the names and am super excited about our 3d/elective gender ultrasound in April. I really hope PBC (peanut butter cup) cooperates so we can get a good picture and a good look of his/her junk. Eeeeeeeeek! I can't wait! Here, how about I give y'all the initials and let you play the guessing game. Boy: J.L.E.D. Girl: J.A.M.D. (Yes, they have 2 middle names.) Since, they both start with J's (totally a coincident), we've taken to calling the baby Lil' J or LJ...it's cute.

Yea, but like I said - not a whole lot happening on this side of the world. School is school and pregnancy is amazing. I love my husband and we have two awesome dogs.

See y'all later!!

<3 Tiffe

Missed Appointments

Hey!!

So I was super bummed today because it was our 12 week appointment and we missed it!!! I thought the appointment was at 1330 but it was at 1300 and got to love the military, if you are 1 minute late they will not see you!! (We got there at 1310.) Anywho our new 12 week appointment is Monday at 0800...we're leaving the house at 7:15 lol! 

We had to run a few errands so we went to the bx and while shopping for a friend's baby shower gift, we found it - the perfect stroller!! And it was 20% off! Of course, we bought it. I'll insert some pictures at the end but I am super excited! Yesterday I bought a few things from a friend who is PCSing soon and tomorrow I am buying our at home fetal Doppler, so needless to say this week has been a great baby week. I guess it's finally settling in that we're going to have a baby in 200 days!! 

That's it for now but I'll update very soon! 

<3 Tiffe 

Baby Trend Expedition LX Travel System

All information from Baby Trend website (http://www.babytrend.com/travel_systems_jogger/TJ99773.html)

Features

• Infant car seat accommodates 5 ~ 30 pounds (2.2 and 13.6kg.) and heights of 30 inches or less (76.2cm)
• Lockable front swivel wheel for ease of maneuverability
• Quick release all-terrain bicycle style tires
• Convenient parent tray includes two cup holders and covered compartment storage
• Extra wide, ergonomically shaped foam padded handle
• Adjustable canopy with covered sunroof ratchets to block sun and wind
• Effortless trigger fold easily reduces stroller to a compact unit
• Multi-position, reclining, padded seat
• Fully adjustable 5-point safety harness and tether strap
• Reflectors on footrest provide greater low-light visibility
• Extra large storage basket
• Lightweight steel frame construction
• JPMA Certified

Recommended Use
Stroller: Birth ~ 50 lbs or 42"
Car Seat: 5 ~ 30 lbs and up to 30"

Sour then Sweet

Kind of looks like a Sour Patch Kid lol. Any gender guesses? T-minus 40 days until D-day or should I say G-day. 

<3 Tiffe

Amen