Silhouette Art

So we've all seen the cute giraffe silhouette art on Pinterest, right?  I mean its only been pinned a million times...  no?  You can find it here.  I looked at it, pinned, and figured I can do that.  And you know what I did.  And it was ridiculously easy.  Want to make your own?

Step 1:  Pick your paper

I found all the cute paper was 12x12 size, so my next step was to cut the paper down to 8.5x11 so I could put it through my printer.  Why do I need to put it through my printer, you ask?  See step 2!

Step 2:  Print your critters

I don't know about you, but I can't draw an animal.  I promise.  So instead, I used good old clip art to find some critters.  Once I selected my critters, I sized them to where I wanted them and changed the color so that it was light and only just an outline (if possible).  And then I printed on the BACK of my paper.

Step 3:  Cut out your critters

See, easy?  My clip art critters looked wacko, but they look much better when just their silhouette is used.

Step 4:  Glue to backing paper and frame

DONE!

See, stupid easy.  And crazy cute.  I think in all this took less than an hour.  And there was some complicated cutting involved.

Anyone else have any simple, sweet projects to share?

27 Weeks

Please excuse my bra strap hanging out- I am nothing, if not classy...

SIZE:  Girl is hovering right around the 2 lb. mark and is measuring around 15 inches.  According to baby center, she is looking like a head of cauliflower (yuck, cauliflower that is, not the baby).

YAYS: Hello last week of the 2nd trimester!  While I understand that the 3rd trimester may bring a whole new set of pregnancies related yuckies, it also definitely represents the approaching finish line.

NAYS: To be it delicately, I miss pooing on a regular basis.

Happenings for the week:  So I came to a realization this week and it's one of those things that you just aren't supposed to say.   But I'm going to say it- I don't love being pregnant.  Let me be clear- I love my daughter, I am thrilled to become a parent.  I am grateful that I  have the ability to be pregnant when so many women struggle with infertility.  I am grateful that my pregnancy has been relatively normal and fairly easy.  But I just don't love it.

There are all the physical symptoms, which play a part.  I don't glow, I have acne, and I feel huge.  I am constipated and my belly itches.  I am exhausted (no 2nd trimester energy surge for me).  But really, all those things are minor.  They are just physical things that I can deal with. 

The real problem is the emotional toll.  I like to push myself, to push my body.  And that is just not a reality while pregnant.  I haven't been able to run since January and I miss it.  I've worked hard over the last year to loose the wedding related happy weight and it is hard to see the number on the scale go up (even though I know that my weight gain is still in the healthy, normal range).  I miss having a glass of wine when we are out with friends.  I miss having enough energy to want to go out with friends.  But mostly, I miss feeling strong and independent (wording by babycenter).  I can easily relate to all the things that women have posted in this section of the 12 things you miss while being pregnant.

I hate to sound like Debbie Downer because there are awesome things about being pregnant (I mean really, I am growing a PERSON and all).  But I have also noticed that since I have started to saying to other women that I don't love being pregnant, so many have said back to me "I didn't either, but I felt like I couldn't say that."  So here's to all the women who are excited for the things to come, who are trying desperately to stay positive and not fall apart every other second, and who just don't love being pregnant.

26 Weeks

Size:  Baby G is weighing in at roughly 2 pounds and is the length of an English hothouse cucumber.  Odd vegetable choice, right?

Yays:  As I have said over and over again, girl is an active little thing.  BUT, she is big enough and strong enough that I can feel her.  As in I can tell where her body is and actually push in on my belly and feel her body.  As in I can feel HER, not just her movements.

Nays:  Its been another week of triple digit heat, which means I am house bound for the most part.  Generally, I like to be outside as much as possible, but that is just not healthy right now.  So I an feeling a little house bound.  AND I think I am starting to get varicose veins in my feet.  No veins are popping out yet, but I am having some major soreness.  Between the heat and my feet, I've been spending a lot of time on the couch with my feet up.

Happenings for the week:  We hired a doula!  A doula is essentially a professional birth assistant.  Her job is to provide physical and emotional support during labor.  She will not take Seth's place during the birth.  Rather, she will act as an additional support system and be a part of our birth team.  We decided on a doula mostly because of the associated positive outcomes.  Dona International (the biggest training and certification body for Doulas) cites shorter labors, decreased complications, reduced pain, less use of medical intervention, greater parental satisfaction with the birth, and much more.

The woman that we have hired is fantastic and very experienced.  She has attended over 50 births, with roughly half of those being water births.  She owns her own birthing tubs and will supply the tub, as well as take care of set up and take down.  We will meet with her several times leading up to Ella's birth to talk about our birth wishes and she will teach us relaxation techniques.  We will call her once we go into labor and she will hang with us until after baby arrives and provide breastfeeding support right away.  Lastly, she will check in on us about a week after the birth.  During that time, she will deliver a letter about the birth that she has written to Ella and a disk with any pictures that she takes during the birth.  We are pretty excited to have this checked off our list and look forward to starting to prepare for the birth.