currently.

I love Danielle's "currently" posts, so I figured I'd join in today. 

Loving: that I have a month (hopefully) to prepare myself, and my house, for Ronin's arrival. on Thursday, due to my slightly elevated (and creeping) blood pressure, my doctor officially placed me on modified bed rest. I can still do things around the house, and I do still plan on getting out a few times a week for little things. basically, my doctor just doesn't want me sitting in one place or standing for too long. 

Ronin's safety is my number one priority, so if I'm feeling "off" or especially tired one day, I plan to listen to her orders and stay in bed. however, I am relieved that I can still do house work, since that means I can start to really prepare for him - washing baby clothes, putting together some small furniture, nesting, etc.

Reading: baby stuff. I'm finally opening up all the books and pamphlets I received during our hospital classes. I have one from the birth class, the newborn care class, and the breastfeeding class. I'm also getting ready to re-read Odd Thomas, which is my favorite book of all time. Koontz released TWO new Odd books, so I need a refresher.

Watching: Big Brother!!! so excited that it's BB season already. I'm loving the coach twist this season, and am already finding myself rooting for the underdogs (Brittany & Dan) and their players. I won't say too much, since I know a lot of people DVR it. ;)

Thinking about: our last few weeks as a family of two. it's so surreal to me that we will be parents in a matter of WEEKS. we only have this last month to really soak up our alone time together and do things that will be more difficult with a newborn, and it kind of blows my mind. oh, and our 3 year anniversary is NEXT week! so crazy.

Anticipating: meeting this precious being that I've been growing for 9 months. I have no idea what he'll look like, but I can already picture him being so familiar to me. I don't know him yet, but I love him so much already that I can't picture how big my heart will swell when I finally get to see his sweet face. I cannot wait to see Sean take on his role as a Daddy - I know he will be great at it.

Listening to: a reggae mix that our friends made for Ronin. they are the ones who got married in Florida in the beginning of June - they had a beach wedding with a reggae musician, and Ronin danced in utero the whole time, so they made me a mix CD (yes, I still use CDs) to play for him. :)

Working on: getting things done around the house before baby comes. we finally have our first piece of baby equipment put together (the Pack N Play), thanks to Sean. I have a hefty to-do list to work on, so I will be taking advantage of the "modified" portion of this bed rest order. this week's chores will consist of packing a hospital bag, installing the car seat, washing baby clothes, completing our Amazon registry, and sterilizing breast pump parts.

Wishing: that I could just blink and have all this stuff done! HA! the list seems to be never ending, but I know it'll all come together. also? I wish I had a freaking pool. 

Happy Monday!

Friday loves

this video. 

a man took video of his daughter every single week from birth until she turned 12 years old. 

how inspiring! that's what I call dedication. 

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these free downloadable state/country prints. 

betta believe I've got Maryland saved to my computer. 

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ridiculously cute crib sheets at PB Kids. 

and they're $19 compared to the $40 I was going to pay for the ones on Etsy. 

guess my bedding design is going to change a little bit.
PS - it's changed... I'll post next week about the new shit.

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Bohemian Rhapsody on the way to school. 

Sean WILL be this dad, I can promise you.

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MODG is pregnant! again!

you have to watch the video. 

I got chills, you guys. 

like, all the hair on my arms (and it's a LOT... thank you Ronin) stood straight up. 

if you have no idea who I'm talking about, you can just go back to living under your rock. 

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use old candles as storage jars. 
love this idea - since I'm a devoted Scentsy user, I have tons of candles laying around that don't get used.

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Erinn's precious baby girl arrived 5 weeks early. 

she is absolutely gorgeous, and despite her preemie status, she is quite the healthy babe! 

congrats again, E!

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Insurgent has been released (finally). 

I read Divergent last fall, so I'm re-reading it now before diving into the second installment. 

I've already read some reviews, and it looks as though it'll turn out to be just as great as the first!

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Happy Friday, y'all! :)

10 things that make me happy lately

1. the weather in Maryland has been fantastic. 

it's 75 degrees outside, but you can still feel that crisp chill of fall on the horizon. 

2. Dexter. 

this season is going to be amazing. I think Colin Hanks is a great addition to the cast, and I can't wait to see how he stirs things up. 

3. my hair is growing SO fast. 

I've been growing it out for a long time, and it's finally starting to get some length and I'm absolutely LOVING it. it's to the point now where I can pull it back without strays everywhere and it doesn't take TOO long to style. 

4. My Dear Watson Scentsy. 

mmmmm. smells like a well dressed man... I ended up buying TWO bars of it at the last party I attended because I knew I'd be burning it all the time. 

5. friends. 

we have a lot going on in the next few weekends and thankfully, they are all friend-related events. I've been feeling sooooo burned out with school and work, and spending time with good friends is such an outstanding break from the hustle and bustle. 

6. HOCKEY SEASON IS HERE. 

and yes, the caps are totally necessary.

[taken at the Caps home opener against the Hurricanes this past weekend]

7. these jeans from Old Navy that I talked about buying a few weeks ago. 

I have seriously been wearing them out! they are so comfortable and look great with everything - tee shirt & flip flops, sweater & boots, or a dressy blouse and heels. 

8. the countdown to Christmas. 

I know the holidays often stress people out but I love it. I'm the type of person who strives to give the perfect gifts, and this year will be no exception... only I'm taking the homemade gift route this season. I already have some ideas and supplies together, so I'll be sure to share that journey once I get started. 

9. listening to old CDs. 

and yes, I still listen to CDs. 

Kaley made me a bunch of mixed CDs to listen to on our way to Baltimore in the limo for my bachelorette party, and I've been reminiscing by giving them some time in the CD player in my car. let me just say... there have been entirely way too many solo dance parties in my car lately. 

10. Bvlgari Man. 

I got this in a sample size with my last Sephora order. I decided to choose it because Sean never really wears cologne, but I want him to, haha. it smells SO FUCKING AMAZING that I want him to bathe in it. and then I want to rape him. mmmmm yum, husband rape. 

Happy Monday! 

Day 16/30

Day 16/30 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)

piece of cake, seriously. there are a number of songs that makes me cry, but this one takes the win, because it never fails - every single time I hear the song, I break down in tears.

Holes in the Floor of Heaven - Steve Wariner

now, if you've been around here for a while, you know that I am an atheist, and therefore do not believe there are places called heaven and hell. but for this song, it doesn't matter what I believe in, because the lyrics just have a sense of power over me and I find myself relating to every aspect of the music. 

the song is the story of a man who remembers losing his grandmother, and then his loving wife. he believes that when it rains, it means that those people are looking over him and watching him live his life.

the song has even more emotional value to me now that I'm married. the third verse goes "my little girl is 23, I walk her down the aisle. it's a shame her mom can't be here now, to see her lovely smile." and low and behold, I was 23 years old when I got married, and my mom WASN'T there to see me smile. it's one of those soulful songs that just makes you think of those who have passed on and wonder what really happens when you die... at least that's what it does for me. 

anyway, if you'd like to listen to it (I wouldn't recommend doing so at work), here's a YouTube video of the song, and you can find the lyrics right here. 

30 Day Challenge

Day 01/30

Day 01/30 - your favorite song

I'm going to have to pick my most recent favorite song, because I honestly don't have a favorite song EVER. I enjoy so many different types of music and have loved so many songs that I can't possibly pick one all time favorite. but I'm absolutely thrilled to share my most recent favorite... I've been wanting to blog about it anyway, so now's the perfect time!

If I Die Young- The Band Perry
[read the lyrics here]

this song is so, so, so beautiful. it's a morbid concept to sing about, I suppose, but the lyrics are beautiful and the harmony and tone of Kimberly Perry's voice is just perfect. the band actually consists of three Perry siblings (Kimberly, Reid, and Neil), and together, they each bring something different to the band that just WORKS.

 [image courtesy of The Band Perry website]

I can't explain how this song makes me feel. it just makes me feel... content. like it's perfectly okay to speak about death and how you'd want to go out when it's your time to go. now, I don't believe in higher spirits or religion or God... given that fact, you'd think it would be difficult for me to relate to some of the lyrics, but it's not. I can understand the want and need to become something wonderful when you die, and the longing to make an impression on the world to ensure that you're remembered.

 [image courtesy of The Band Perry website]

anyway, so that's my favorite song as of late, and I watch the video on YouTube at least three times a day, and I even walk around the house singing it. if you'd like to see the video, play the video below! enjoy!




if you'd like to see the rest of the 30 Day Challenge, click here!