I'm still alive!! & Stylish Blogger Award! =)

For those of you who actually keep up with this, I wanted to let you guys know - I'm still alive and kicking! I've had a very busy and stressful week and honestly haven't given updating my blog much thought. Terrible, right? Anyhow, things are looking up as of today, since I got good news at the doctor's office. I had been put on medicine for high blood pressure Monday, but as of today (Thursday), my blood pressure is back to normal and I'm so happy about that! There were tiny traces of protein in my urine, but the nurses say that is probably caused from the high blood pressure I was experiencing, so nothing to worry over yet. I go back April 12th for a routine doctor's visit, unless I have any problems before then and have to go back in to the lab or something like that. Yay!

I have to share this picture with you guys - it's a onesie I ordered for Kinslee from Inktastic. It's personalized with her name, and there's a matching cap on the way (should be shipped to my house within the next week and a half). She will be wearing this home from the hospital! <3 Here it is:

Adorable, right?

In other news, I'm so excited to say that I received my first blog award from My Amazing Life as a Mommy and Wife! Here's the award, along with the instructions I received with it, and I'm passing it on to other blogs I follow and adore!

To completely accept this award you have to do these four things...

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 10-15 blogs you feel deserve the award.

4. Contact these bloggers and let them know about the award.

So I've done #1, now for #2; 7 things about myself:

1. My family and I own 3 horses: Red ('99 AQHA gelding, my personal horse and my baby boy), Rebel ('00 APHA gelding, my dad's horse), and Skylark ('08 AMHA filly, Kinslee's Miniature horse given to her by my mother)

2. My best friend, Ashley, has a son named Gavin. He is almost exactly 9 months older than Kinslee when she's born. We plan to dress them up in corresponding outfits and do photoshoots! <3

3. I swear I did not become pregnant (had been sortof 'trying' for a while) til I first held/touched Gavin. Apparently, he was a goodluck charm!

4. I've always been a country girl, even though I now live in the city. My first vehicle was a Dodge Ram pickup truck. I traded that in for a Firebird (went through a sports car phase), then traded the 'bird in for another Dodge Ram. This time, it has four wheel drive! ;)

5. I have two awesome dogs: Mercedes Moonbaby (aka Mercy, who is a white Pit/Boxer/Bulldog mix), and Ellie Mae (aka Ellie, who is a CKC registered black/tan dapple Miniature Dauschand). They are both big hams, who wouldn't bite a hot stick of butter, and I love them as if they were my children. They ARE my children! =)

6. I've never been a good cook. In fact, I learned most of what I know now from my fiance, who happens to be a very good cook. It wasn't until I started 'nesting' in my pregnancy that I began to start cooking every night, not even letting Mike help much because I wanted to prove that I *could* be a great cook! And what do you know, there's friends and family at our house nearly every night lined up ready to eat my cooking!

7. My biggest passion and hobby in life, besides horses, is photography! I absolutely love to take photos. One day, I will get the chance to go back to school and make a career of my passion.. but for now, it's simply a hobby and something to focus on to relieve stress. A great outlet for me, much as blogging is. You can see some of my photography at my Facebook portfolio: Memory Lane Photography Feedback is greatly appreciated!

Now, it's time to pass on the award! Here are the blogs I feel deserve the Stylish Blogger Award. Please don't feel left out if you don't make it on the list, because there are TONS of great blogs out there that I enjoy viewing, but I have to keep this to a 10-15 blog minimum, and my fingers are getting tired! ;)

1. A Bit of Me

2. Little Boys Are Made of Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

3. Love You Always and Forever

4. Bubbi and Boo

5. Chronicles of a Country Girl

6. Double Duty Mommy

7. Hip Chick's Guide to PMS, Pregnancy, and Babies

8. iNeed a Playdate

9. Ins and Outs

10. Little Miss Momma

11. Roller Coaster Ride

12. Toddler Awesome

13. Unstitched

14. One Little Mister

15. On The Old Path

Updates on Kinslee

Looks like I may just have to make the spare room into Kinslee's playroom, eventually. She already has so much stuff that's been given to us and/or bought for her. Of course it's hard to turn down free stuff, and it's hard to keep myself from buying cute stuff! Her "Aunt Teffy" just informed me that she will be custom painting a bobble-head horse/pony to match Kinslee's pony, Skylark. How awesome is that?!

I ended up making 2 CD's (wouldn't all fit on one) of 'Songs for Kinslee'. I made copies for her daddy, and for my parents. Will have to make copies for Mike's parents as well. I was laying on the futon earlier, listening to the CD's and trying to relax and bring my blood pressure down (by laying on my left side), and what do you know.. Kinslee must like the songs because she was seeming to have a ball in my belly! I could feel her 'bumping' around. Not necessarily kicks.. just bouncing around happily, as I would like to think. =)

So I missed the Tot Trade that happens every year at the Jamil Temple in Columbia, unfortunately. Disappointing in a way, yes, but at the same time.. we are running out of room for all the clothes she already has! I even bought her a new outfit yesterday.. Red and white polka dotted tank top and shorts and matching headband. The top says 'Love Bug' and has lady bugs on it. Her Gramma Halstead bought her matching maryjane booties to go with it. :) Sweet. We also picked up two 2 oz. bottles with cute sayings on them, a 3 pack of bibs with cute sayings, and I got a Winnie the Pooh bib for my parents' house (they are doing Pooh theme in their nursery). Speaking of the nurseries, here are the themes:

Our house - pink camoflauge & horses

Nanna & Poppa Worrock - Winnie the Pooh

Gramma and Grampa Halstead - Ducks (gotta keep it neutral since Mike's older sister, Becky, is expecting in October and we're not sure yet if it's a boy or a girl!)

Great-grandparents (Mamaw & Papa - my grandparents) - Unicorns (in my old room up there, there is still a unicorn wall border)

Wow, this little girl is so loved already! We cannot WAIT to meet her!

Songs for Kinslee

I'm working on a playlist for a CD I want to make, with songs that make me think of Kinslee, and that would be a "message" from her daddy and I to her. Something we can listen to, that will make us smile and think of our daughter. Here's what I have so far.. Any suggestions for more songs are very welcome! Thanks.

"In My Daughter's Eyes" - Martina McBride

"Sweet Child O' Mine" - Guns N' Roses

"My Little Girl" - Tim McGraw

"Love Without End, Amen" - George Strait

"Daughters" - John Mayer

"Butterfly Kisses" - Bob Carlisle

"I Loved Her First" - Heartland

"Mama's Song" - Carrie Underwood

"Stealing Cinderella" - Chuck Wicks

"Daddy's Little Girl" - Michael Buble

"And Then They Do" - Trace Adkins

"You're Gonna Miss This" - Trace Adkins

"My Wish" - Rascal Flatts

"I Hope You Dance" - Lee Ann Womack

"It Won't Be Like This For Long" - Darius Rucker

"Ready, Set, Don't Go" - Billy Ray & Miley Cyrus

"Gift of Love" - Randy Travis

"Daddy's Little Girl" - Blaine Roy

"There Goes My Life" - Kenny Chesney

"How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye?" - Patty Loveless

"Miracle" - Celine Dion

"All The Pretty Horses" - Calexico

"With Arms Wide Open" - Creed

"There You'll Be" - Faith Hill

"Cowgirls Don't Cry" - Brooks N Dunn

"Cleaning This Gun" - Rodney Atkins

Let me know what you think - any feedback is great appreciated, as well as recommendations. Also, if you would like to use this playlist to make a CD for your child and/or yourself, feel free!

Baby Shower & Gift Registry!

For those of who you who have not already seen on my Facebook note, or do not have a FB, and plan on attending my baby shower (or just sending a gift), here's the link to my registry @ Target. If you are pretty sure I don't have your address, and would like to attend the shower - please send me a text on my phone, shoot me an email, or leave a comment with your email here, and I'll be sure to get you on the list and an invitation out to you (sometime in May). Baby shower is tentatively scheduled for June 25th at 1pm. Location has not been finalized yet. Thanks guys!!!

https://www.target.com/registry/baby/2EJ5IUY5VQNLP

Please remember if you cannot afford to bring a gift, you are still MORE than welcome to come! Help us celebrate having baby Kinslee! =)

PS: Clothes are not on the registry, because we have quite a lot already that have been generously given to us and/or bought for us by friends and family (big thanks!), however, if you would like to buy Kinslee clothing, feel free to do so, as I believe you can never have too many clothes when it comes to a baby! Also, please make sure you deduct the gift you get off the registry if you do so, so that others will be able to see what has already been purchased. Thanks again!

Midnight..

Well folks, it's 12:05am where I'm at (South Carolina, US), and yes, I'm still wide awake. My fiance has to be in to work at 2am.. so instead of going to bed, I opted to stay up to make sure he was up and ready to go in time. He didn't make it home this evening til about 7pm. So needless to say, he's not getting much sleep tonight.

It had me thinking, that Kinslee and I are so lucky to have such a wonderful man in our lives. I couldn't ask for a better provider for myself and our child. He works his tail off to make sure we have everything we need, and most of what we want. For those of you who are wondering, Mike is self-employed as a sub-contractor. He installs kitchen and bathroom cabinets and laminate counter tops for SC's largest and most popular cabinet/counter top company.

His only co-worker is the contractor for which he works, who also happens to be one of his best friends. The two of them are like peas in a pod. They work so well together, and his partner's wife is a stay at home housewife/mommy, like myself. We are very lucky to have "found" them, as they are such good friends and Mike wouldn't want to work side by side day in and day out, doing this kind of manual labor, with anyone else. I also have to say, I am very fortunate for the two of them, besides job security, as they have passed on several things to Kinslee that their babies have outgrown, such as a boppy, travel swing, bouncy seat, and over 5 boxes of very cute and like-new baby girl clothes, socks, shoes, bibs, etc. What good friends we have! =)

Aside from these two, I have also been blessed with other wonderful friends that have been supporting Mike and myself in our journey to becoming parents. My best friend has given me several things, and still continues to give me things as her baby outgrows them, as well as buy things for Kinslee out of the kindness of her heart. Not to mention, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Three of my cousins on my mother's side are hosting my baby shower in late June. Speaking of which, I went today to Target and Wal-Mart to register for gifts for my shower for Kinslee. I don't expect to get everything on my list - there was a lot we still needed that I hadn't realized before! However, I am mostly just looking forward to celebrating and having 'girl time' with all my lady friends and family at the shower! Can't wait! Although, Mike will have to bring the truck and come pick up all the gifts, after words!

My stress level has been a little too high, and so has my blood pressure (as I mentioned in one of my recent posts). I won't go into the details of WHY I'm stressed out, but just know that I am doing everything in my power to make things better, and to stay healthy and sane for my daughter. I cannot wait to meet her, and give her my heart. Really, she already has it. It's like I said in my pregnancy journal/organizer about a month ago... "I haven't felt my baby kick yet, but she or he sure has pulled on my heartstrings". Now, we know that it's a GIRL, and yes, she has started to move more. I haven't felt a kick per say, but I have had the feeling of a fish swimming in my stomach, and little 'bumps' here and there (along with pain in my back, ribs, and bloating - but I hear that is all pretty normal!).

In closing, I'd like to thank those who are following this blog, and supporting me in my pregnancy!  Like I mentioned in my last post, I am hoping to hold a contest here soon to gain more followers, promote the blog, and promote some other businesses/crafters as well. I think I have decided that the prizes will be crafts and/or artwork from a few of my friends. My cousin's wife (one of my best friends) has agreed to donate a painting to the contest, valued at $80. Wow! She sure must love me :) Not to mention, she could use the promotion and advertisement herself. I plan to try and get some business cards made up for her here soon. If anyone is interested in seeing some of her work (her page is still under construction and only a small portion of her work is posted at the moment), check out her page HERE!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, guys, and good night to all. <3

Almost 100 hits, up to 7 followers, time for a contest?!

Hi everyone! I was thinking about holding a contest or two to promote my blog and gain 'followers'. If you would be interested in entering the contest, please respond to this post (even if it's just the word LIKE). I need to see if this is worth taking the time to do, so please let me know if you'd be interested, and any suggestions for contest ideas and/or prizes you may have. I was thinking once I get to a certain number of followers, I'd let those who would like to enter, comment on a post with a number, then I'd take those numbers and use random.org to pick a winning number. As for prizes, I'm still working up my 'crafty' side, so I don't know about actually making a prize, but I would probably purchase something for the winner or send them a gift certificate. Let me know what you guys think! =)

In other news, I am up to 7 followers - I started with 1 (myself) this morning. Not bad! Kinslee's daddy is very proud of me for finding an 'outlet' for myself through blogging. I've been rather stressed lately and a bit of a nutcase, so he's happy I have found something to peak my interest!

Speaking of stress, my blood pressure has been slightly elevated.. Anyone else have/had elevated blood pressure during their pregnancy? Any tips, tricks, advice? I was told by a friend to lay on my left side, to help lower my BP. Any suggestions are appreciated!

Signing off for now. Goodnight, followers!

Name Change, "Nesting", and Plans/Preparations for Kinslee

Hi guys! I have decided that my blog needed a "catchy" name, so I have changed it (better to do it now at the start then later on down the road, right?) to 'Mommy Memoirs'. Hope everyone likes it. =)

Now as for the second part of the title of this post - NESTING! I'd like to know your thoughts on what most pregnant women and people in general refer to as "nesting" (while pregnant). Did you nest when you were pregnant? Are you nesting now? Did you nest through your entire pregnancy, in the middle, towards the end?

As for myself, I was a bit on the lazy side for the first 3-4 months of my pregnancy. Now, at my 5 1/2 month mark, I am finding myself cleaning, organizing, crafting, creating, and blogging! more than ever. I am also very interested in and enjoy participating in photography. So of course, I have been taking new pictures, framing new and old ones, and displaying them in my home.

I have also been working on a scrapbook for Kinslee, called 'Letters to Kinslee'. It's a collection of letters that I have started writing to her since a couple days before I found out I was having a girl. I try to write to her every day, and will continue to do so, even after she is born. One day, when she is old enough to read and understand them, I will give her the book to keep and reflect back on. To be honest with you, I read the letters to her Daddy, and he tears up just about every time. Sometimes they are more humorous than others, but they are always filled with emotion and love. I tell her about our family, our pets, her Mommy and Daddy, and how much she has changed our lives for the better.

We have also been fortunate enough to have TONS of baby girl clothes, bibs, hats, receiving blankets, burp clothes, toys, stuffed animals, socks, and shoes given to us, as well as 2 bouncy seats, a travel swing, a boppy, a baby tub, and several other special things from our family, friends, and of course her grandparents. Some may think.. 'So what's the point of a baby shower now?' Well, here's my answer to that: I still need a lot of necessities, such as DIAPERS!, WIPES!, bottles, nipples, lotions, creams, and other bath accessories.. I also need a few big things, like 2 car seats (we have two vehicles and it would make it so much easier) and the bases for them, a stroller (or 2), baby clothes hangers, organization/storage bins, etc. Not that I mind receiving more clothes, but we do have a pretty decent amount already! And as for the crib, her Nanna and Poppa are buying her a convertible crib (from crib, to daybed/toddler bed, to full size frame). Also, her Aunt Vicky is buying her a beautiful matching changing table/dresser.

I'm passing down all my model horses, My Little Pony's, music boxes, snow globes, and stuffed animals to my daughter. We are going to run shelves all around the perimeter of her room to display these things. =) Her nursery (per Mommy and Daddy's choosing) will be decorated in pink camoflauge and horses. I hope that Kinslee takes after her Mommy (and Daddy) and loves horses too, though I would never force it on her. However, her Nanna has already given her an AMHA registered Miniature horse (mare) named Skylark. How cool is that?!

You might think, well, this little girl is going to be SPOILED. However, I choose to disagree. My daughter will have most of what she wants, and all of what she needs, BUT.. she will learn the value of a dollar and hard work. She will have to earn her rewards and her privileges, just as her parents were raised.

Ending this LONG post now, hope you all enjoyed. <3

Blog Hop!

... IT'S A GIRL!

So folks, we found out last Tuesday that we are having a baby GIRL! Her name will be Kinslee Michelle Grace. At 5 1/2 months, she's already weighing 15 oz. Seeing the ultrasound, and hearing her heartbeat (3rd time), was amazing. Of course I came home that night and framed the ultrasound pictures and within another day, had made a beautiful display of her pictures with her name (see pic). I cannot wait to meet my baby girl, and give her all my love. I will put every effort and blood, sweat, and tears into her well-being. She is the most important thing in my life now. Thankful for every day I have on this earth that I can be a mother to her. <3 More soon..

Kinslee waving at Mommy and Daddy =)

My precious angel. <3

Tot Trade 2011!

Check out the Tot Trade details @ Hop+Skip+Jump Kids' blog: http://hopskipjumpkids.com/archives/870 and check out the contest to win a gift certificate =)