Lilypie Maternity tickers
Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers

Friday, November 26, 2010

Beauty

I now sell Avon!!!!  After nearly three very fun, successful years in selling Mark. (a division of Avon) I have decided to branch out and sell the whole line ~ everything from beauty to men to home to children to skincare to perfume!  I am so happy to be a part of the Avon Family!!!

Shop my online store today, don't forget to use promo code Free2010 at check out to get free shipping on ANY purchase!!!  Be sure to bookmark my link...


www.youravon.com/sramage

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Lost

Hmm, this is odd.  I actually lost weight between yesterday and today.  I know I felt skinnier so I just thought I'd weigh myself... I lost about 2 pounds making me only 5 pounds higher than I was at week 4 (on 9/24!) Weird.  I'll take it though!  I'm thinking it could have to do with my fruit cravings back in full force like they were in the early part of the 1st TM.  I bought my love, frozen cherries... they're filling for me.  I also have been eating cereal in the AM and salads for lunch... so that's probably why I lost.  I'm sure I'll make it back on Thanksgiving!  Ha Ha.

Well I got some more bargains yesterday!  I saw that Amazon has black friday deals already... and they had DVD's for $3.99+!  I got The Blind Side, The Hangover and Slumdog Millionaire for $12.97 with 2day free shipping & no taxes!! We can finally start our dvd collection without going broke!!! I hope they have more selection today... I also got the new Jim Carey Christmas Carol dvd on Borders.com and saved about $10 off the $22 list price... which made me pretty happy!  I also got free shipping on that!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Just a little bragging rights...

So don't have much to comment on about the pregnancy, it's going well... my nausea has been subsiding but I've noticed more frequent headaches and cravings towards fruits & cereal rather than my previous craving of salts.  I'm eager for Thanksgiving -- we ordered a small turkey on the Honey Baked Ham Co website and picked up at Publix the rest... going to make orange zest cranberry sauce, mandarin green beans, biscuits, strawberry apple balsamic green salad, and for dessert we got a pumpkin pecan streusel pie!  Yum.

This past week I've been cashing in reward points from various websites I use.  It'll go towards buying ourselves some Christmas gifts since we don't usually buy anything. 

From InboxDollars, which sends me daily emails that I earn cash on & I get money for shopping on their websites, I earned a check for $55.87!

From MyPoints, which is basically the same as Inbox Dollars, I cashed in and got us a $10.00 Red Robin gift card

From my Mark points I earned through selling I cashed in and got us a PS3 NCAA 11 Football video game ($50-$60 value!)

And just now I ordered on Borders.com with my borders bucks [i had $5 and then they gave me another $10 free!] I ordered Toy Story 3 and it only cost me $8.56 with tax and shipping!  That was a $15.00 [+/- tax] savings!

So in just the past 2 weeks I've earned about $140 in freebies!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

28 to go!

Baby is now the size of a lime as I'm 12 weeks today!  Only 28 more to go and 8 more til we find out the sex!!! I can't hold my tummy in for the life of me, so I give up even trying.  My pants (the low rise ones) still fit perfectly fine and in the past 8 weeks I've only gained 7lbs... I can really feel baby/pressure in my pubic bone -- it feels like pushing on a tight muscle, so cool!  I haven't had any pains except at night I get a back ache (especially around my neck) and hips start to tingle and ache a little... other than that I'm just peachy!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

we've agreed!

on a boy's name!!!

If this is a boy (and I can't help it, I've had this motherly intuition that it is... watch me be wrong, lol!) we're going to name him Keaton Alexander Ramage. 

I am still really pushing on Layla Cassidy for a girl, but so many people are telling us that using Ryan's name as a girl's middle name would be really pretty.  I kinda like Cassidy Ryan for a girl, but I am really firm on Layla I just think it's unique and fun and I can picture her as "Grandma Layla" (please tell me I'm not alone on envisioning my babies as grandparents, I want a name that fits well through the ages).

Monday, November 15, 2010

I would really love... to sleep!

Oh man I'd love to just lay on the couch & sleep all day!  Last night we let Cooper sleep in bed with us... what was I thinking?  I got hardly any sleep!!! He jumped off the bed and was crying to get back up so I (stupidly) picked him up and put him back in bed... I gotta stop doing this, he's well over 20lbs and the doctor doesn't want me lifting him to begin with!  I think I may have caused a light owie in my pelvic area... it almost feels like a pulled muscle but at the same time I know baby is the size of a plum working up to a lime this week!!! That could cause pulling & straining sensations too... they almost remind me of period cramps, but nowhere near as bad!

I've been contemplating the past few weeks whether or not to remove my belly button ring for good.  The pro's are no more needing to buy new belly rings every so often (anyone else find them overpriced??) and the con is it was my first proclamation of freedom!  My roomie in college and I had them done our freshman year (7yrs ago) ...she removed hers after having 2 kids and now I'm torn.  I know I could always get it done again, but do I want piercings while having kiddos?  Oh the choices in life we make...

So I really hate the fading on my highlights but am too paranoid to get them done -- I had my hair done before I miscarried, part of me just "wonders" if that played a role.  We'll never know of course.  I found out that Manic Panic is a veggie dye so it's totally safe to use... debating on making my mom do it when I come up before Mexico or having Ryan turn on his female switch and doing it for me!  LoL... they have a pretty bright red color that I love, love, LOVE.  And it's only like $10 -- much cheaper than the salon!  As far as my length, I think I'm just going to let it grow until baby is here... or maybe pamper myself just before baby arrives.  I can tell you I'm looking forward to a massage!!!!

My symptoms have been pretty good so far... no big cravings but I have been avoiding meats like sausage *puke*, steaks and burgers *double puke* or plain old salads!  I don't know why, but salads just sound disgusting lately.  I have been into fruit though -- found a good orange/mango fruit salad recipe in my cookbook and put some pomegranate vinegar on it... O-M-G I found my new favorite food!!! I've always really been into soups, my theory is just that they go down easily but I wonder if it's still from my salt craving??  I'm not sure.  I have been noticing my belly bumping out... nothing drastic, but I can't hold it in and it's not bloating at this late in the game!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

11/11 = 11!

Holy cow I'm already at 11 weeks here on November 11th!  Happy Veterans Day to my wonderful husband [he served 6 years in the Army] and to our close friend Kevin who is currently serving in Afghanistan! 

I weighed myself today and gasped, I definitely need to do my pilates & a nice long walk today... I've felt really congested in my belly of unhealthy foods.  Ryan ordered pizza last night (man I forget how expensive it gets!) and so I had some Hawaiian pizza... okay more like one slice before feeling ultra sick.  I started having bad gassy pains and indigestion and that lasted all night long!  Cooper took up the whole bed, I think I'd have had more room if I slept in a casket!!  He needs to start sleeping in his crate, I can't handle it anymore.  I woke up to go pee at 5am... ahhh such a relief, lol!  Woke up at 7am and still just felt crappy.  Took a Zofran because my nausea was horrendous today.  I couldn't even look in the fridge without gagging.  Ended up making scrambled eggs w/cheese, orange juice, hot tea & an english muffin w/jam... i ate 1 slice of the muffin, about half the eggs and most the OJ.  My wonderful "stomach" is back.

We submitted our loan paperwork to the underwriter last night... fingers crossed that they accept it and process it so we can get our construction started!!! We had to do a letter of explanation on a few derogatory accounts but our loan officer said it was very good and submitted it without needing editing... we should know as early as Friday but as late as Monday if it went through.  If it did construction would begin around Dec 1 and finish roughly February 10th... could be move-in ready as early as March 1 with all the paperwork, us packing/moving, etc.  Our lease here is up April 30 so that would be great to move in the house in March too, then we have time to pay off this place (less due the closer to our lease ending) and slowly move since I won't be able to lift much... the only bummer about moving in March is that I probably wouldn't be able to fly home for a baby shower... I've been looking at the prices and found a friend willing to fly with me, since Ryan will be consumed with work stuff.  Who knows I guess a baby shower by mail is better than nothing. 

Here is my updated picture... I feel like I'm huge... my jeans still fit, but after I eat my tummy gets real hard and stretched out like I'm 7mo pregnant.  I wish I could explain it better!! It is what it is... oh and the only thing I can think of with my weight gain is that I haven't had morning sickness... a lot of the girls I've talked to that did have morning sickness lost a ton then gained like 10 pounds back... so because I'm not losing any, is that why I'm gaining anyways???

Monday, November 8, 2010

Time Savings, grr!

This whole fall back daylight savings has me so thrown off.  Cooper wakes up early thinking it's potty time and lately I haven't been sleeping in general!  Woke up to pee twice last night and woke up probably 8 times after that... ugh. 

Over the weekend Ryan took me to Books A Million and we got about $60 in pregnancy items -again.  I got this real cute pregnancy journal that I put babies first pics in so that they don't get lost or damaged.  I started filling it out month by month too, I feel weird knowing I'm almost 11 weeks - so almost out of the 3 month zone!  I don't feel like it yet... but I'm sure once 8 months comes I'll be like "okay im tired of this crap now!".

I also got that What To Expect/Eating Well book... I wanted something with healthy recipes after talking to a friend of my brother who had her baby in July.  She stayed amazing while pregnant, literally ALL belly.  I envy her, so I got tips from her on what to do -- she kept healthy snacks (dried fruits, cut veggies, string cheese, organic crackers) on hand so when she had a craving, she reached for those instead.  Too bad Halloween came first!  I'm up almost 7 pounds now, miserable!  My doctor wants me to gain 30-35 max.  My mom would like me to peak at 30 lol... I guess I'll be doing a 2-3 mile walk today with leslie sansone (of course toned down so I don't hurt myself).  I wish I had a treadmill it would make it a lot easier, it's just too cold right now (30 when I woke up at 7am!) and I'm a crybaby.  Maybe some store will feature one real cheap on Cyber Monday :)

Anyways in the book the recipes looked incredible.  Last night I made the Mexican Tortilla Soup, it was delicious!  It had the right amount of spice (instead of the plain diced tomatoes I used spicy chile tomatoes) and Ryan had two bowls of it!  It made 4 servings and I had about 1 bowl left that I saved for lunch today.  Then today for breakfast I made a Citrus Berry Blast smoothie from the book, it has calcium fortified OJ, white grape juice, perrrier sparkling water and I used mixed frozen berries instead of just blueberries.  I also added in a heaping teaspoon of flax seed for that extra OOMPH.  It's so refreshing, a great way to start my morning.

Only 25 more days until I go back to the OB... but you know what that means?  I have to get FIVE vials of blood drawn before then!  Ughhhh.... they always have a heck of a time with just ONE and last time they took two and I felt so woozy after that.  This time I'm making Ryan go in with me so he can see the crap I go through, I think we'll go to the lab near us instead though, hopefully they are better.  I think I'll go on a liquid fast or something to make it go faster, any tips?  LoL no one can ever find my veins, no matter how hydrated I am... last time I peed twice while there I was so full of water.
 

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Brrr!

Well it's official, I'm experiencing freezing temp's for the first time in 'Bama!  Today's low was 27, woke up to our place being 68 and cranked that heat on to 71!  Yesterday I had to go out to Kohl's (which FYI was a zoo!) and get some long sleeve crew neck top's to keep warm... I guess I got rid of all my other ones when we moved cus I can't find them anywhere! 

Yesterday I addressed all the pregnancy announcements and now just need to get stamps, I think I'll order some festive ones online since the bank only has the Forever stamps.  I also ordered some announcements for friends that I didn't want to spend a fortune on (these cards were $2/each!) and I had a code for a discount so I got 20 for friends for only $7 lol... oh and I ordered wallet size pics of the ultrasound for family who may not be able to get online to see the pics, like grandparents.

We bought a baby name book yesterday and have been toying with it... I really liked Tayten/Tayte but Ryan likes Liam, which I do too but I'm wondering if it's still really popular like Hayden was a few years ago?  Liam is Gaelic/Scottish for "Determined Guardian" and I want the middle name to be Alexander after my great-grandfather who passed away at an early age.  Alexander's family was from Scotland and a big chunk of my heritage is, so I think it's a good name to keep in the family.  Ryan's name is also Gaelic/Scottish for Little King and our last name is Ramage which is Scottish as well!  It means "A Savage or Unpredictable Individual" so I think going with a scottish name for our boy is a great starting point. 

As for our girl, Layla Cassidy... Layla is Arabic for "Dark Beauty" (as in dark features... since we both have dark hair, and our girl will be OF course beautiful, I think it's fitting).  Cassidy is Gaelic/American for "Clever" or "Curly Head".  Well, neither of us will have curly hair but I just love the name! 

I know it seems weird to want to think of a name 100% so early on, but when you've been trying for a baby I think it makes you want to pick a name sooner than later. 

I'm also starting to work on our baby registry, slowly of course!! After hearing how awful Babies R Us is with return policy and receipts I'm going to stick to diapers.com ~ plus they offer 1 yr return on any items, which will be good if we have left over diapers in the wrong sizes or get a bunch of boy stuff and have a girl instead.  Plus, our baby shower will likely be "by mail" since I can't afford to go home before 3rd Trimester and so regardless everyone will be shopping online.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Names!!!

I put a names poll up for each sex ---->

Go Vote, Please!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Baby!!!

 Backside of baby, you can see the vertebrates in its back, tiny ear, the arms & umbilical cord!
 here's the 2nd shot of the baby, back to us
 3rd 4D shot is a little more zoomed out, but its so cute!
 Baby kept his back to us but he sure was a kickin' when the video was going!
Baby!!!

Heartbeat: 174BPM :)

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Bedding

I decided I'm going to make my own crib bedding -- gives me something to do during the day, I'll feel accomplished (plus it'll be unique) and it's about 75% cheaper!

I know what pattern I like, but I am so torn on which color... any suggestions? 

Brown, Purple/Blue, or Aqua.

Baby Names!

Well, I'm only going to be 10 weeks tomorrow but everyone suggests I start looking into names now, keeping a list and updating it every so often... here's the baby names I like so far:

Girls: Lilah Cassidy, Sawyer Alexis, Camryn Alexis, Camryn Faith, Lilah Faith, Sienna Lillie...

Boys: Noah Alexander, Cameron Jack, Cameron James, Taylor Jack, Micah Alexander, Jackson Rylan...

I like unique, newer names mixed with some older names (ie: lilah, micah & noah being older ~ camryn, cassidy, jackson being newer).

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

been awhile...

First off, here is our pregnancy announcement website for The Bump:  ramage.ourbabychannel.com  for anyone wanting to check it out.  We'll be using that to keep in touch with family & friends that we don't link to this blog.

I had a very eventful past week, so I haven't been online very much - or for very long.  My parents came into town and we were very active... we went to the space museum, caverns and even the Talladega Nascar race!  Which, to my surprise, was fun... but it really wore me out, we went to bed at about 8pm last night I was so tired!!! Unfortunately I did end up waking up pretty much every 3hrs to go pee, which is tiring! 

Some family friends came down from Cincinnati to visit my parents and to say hi... they gave us tons of chocolate candy for Halloween AND surprised us with baby's first toy... a bambi beanie baby/stuffed animal!  Cooper, our dog, kept trying to grab it so I had to put it on our dresser.  It was so thoughtful and random, it's great to have good people in your life!  

Two days until the BIG ultrasound!!!!