Bump Photo!

Did you miss seeing this week’s baby bump picture? Well… check it out over at our new site… MakingOurDream.com. Make sure to change your RSS feed… we’re breaking out the mothballs for this site.

Goodbye: Our Dream Foreclosure

It’s true.

This blog is going away.

Cue: tears…

… of joy! Because we’ve got a brand-spankin’ new blog for you!

More on that in a minute, first we want to explain some things.

Memories… that was our first post here on Our Dream Foreclosure, way back on August 30, 2009.

Since then, we’ve realized what a hot topic foreclosure can be. For us, it’s a great word… it meant we could afford a house we otherwise would not be able to pay for. For others, it’s a trigger word – and it triggers feelings of regret, depression, and sadness. We’ve had awkward conversations in the last three years – where we’ll happily spill our story of how we got our house, only to have the other person then spill their story – of losing a home to foreclosure or being under water and hoping for a short sale.

For the record, we hit a perfect storm that summer day in 2009. We qualified for the FHA loan incentive, which meant less money for our downpayment. We found our house at a steal because it was a foreclosure and had been sitting on the market for six months. (Read more about that in our “how we met” post.) We were able to lock down an interest rate on our mortgage that equaled an affordable payment. Now, homes in our neighborhood have appreciated so much, we probably couldn’t buy here. We know we’re blessed. We know we’re in the minority. We are so, so thankful for what we have and do not take it for granted for one second.

When Michelle lost her job a few months ago, we talked about downsizing or looking for a home that would equal a lower monthly mortgage payment. However, we quickly realized there was nothing on the market (even smaller or in a different zip code!) that we could afford. The best option, financially, was to stay put – which we are more than happy to do!

So, all that to say, for a long time now, we’ve really wanted to drop the “Foreclosure” from our blog title. We don’t want to turn people off because of what that word might trigger for them. We also don’t want to constantly remind people that the downturn in the economy, which was a downer for most people, was a serious bonus for us.

Also, since the addition of a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed child…

Yep, that one! (The one on the left, to clarify.)

…we’ve strayed a bit from being a strictly DIY/Home Improvement blog. That’s our fist love and passion and what we’ll always primarily blog about. However, we also like to talk about Kenton and presumably we’ll feel the same way about his soon-to-arrive little brother or sister. So, we wanted to move on to a new title, a new blog that better reflects what we’re really about.

So, we present to you….

Check out our new digs at makingourdream.com. We’re even on Facebook (finally!)… and you can “Like” us (really, really like us!).

We hope you pack a bag and follow us to our new Internet home. Starting immediately, we’ll be posting new content over there – and soon, we’ll have everything on this site redirected.

Please update your RSS feeds if you follow us on Google Reader, Feedburner or something similar.

Thank you SO MUCH for your support!

xoxo,

Jason & Michelle, aka: The Dreamers

Dreambaby #2 Pregnancy BUMP PHOTO! (week 37)

I think my OB reads this blog. Yikes! More on that in a second.

First, the BUMP! The full-term, 37 week BUMP…

37 weeks!

We did it! We made it to full term. Not that I’m shocked. My body seems to like having a baby in it and holds on to them for dear life as long as humanly possible. I know this is a blessing. Many mommas worry about making it to week 30 or 35 – so I won’t complain. I will, however, say that I am more anxious than last time that this babe not overstay his/her welcome (like Sir Kenton who cashed out EIGHT DAYS late). The longer we go, the less chance I have of a successful VBAC, which is my goal.

So… remember a couple of weeks ago, when I complained about having OB appointments EVERY GOSH DARN WEEK from here on out? Well, I think my OB must have read that. Because she told me to take this week off. FOR REALS. She’s livin’ it up in Cabo (hollah to our honeymoon spot!) and said I could see the Nurse Practitioner if I really wanted to, or I could skip. Um, that was an easy one… I chose “skip.” Which I never would have done last time around! This time, I’m hoping the two weeks off gives me a chance to actually progress a bit. (There was nada progress at my 36 week appointment.) And… I’m now taking any and all tips to get this baby to DROP. So, comment away on that topic, if you have something to share.

For this pregnancy, I’ve been trying to include Kenton in my bump shots, but that is getting harder and harder to accomplish. See…

He is a toddler on the move. Also, he’s feeling much better after his tummy bug and subsequent trip to the ER last week. MUCH better. He’s actually smiling now and his appetite is back with a vengeance. (We’re talking full, adult-size servings. Amazing.)

So, will this crazy kid have a little brother or sister? You can still vote in our poll!

PS – this is THE LAST BUMP PHOTO POST you will read at this url. New blog launches NEXT WEEK! YIPPEE!!!

Pregnancy Week: Baby Poll

Okay, it’s time. Let’s practice what we’ll all be doing in November and cast a vote. First, like a good voter, go to the poll informed.

If you’re one of those who makes a call based on how a momma is carrying, well… here’s the latest bump pic…

If you want to see how the bump compares to my last pregnancy, check out this post.

Here are some other common myths/old wives tales and how I stack up…

• Chinese Calendar – This thing is so confusing, I did it twice (there’s a couple different methods out there on the Interwebs) – once it said boy and once it said girl. HA!
• Fetal heartbeat – it was 122 at my last visit, but that’s the lowest it’s been. It’s also been 130, 140 and 150.
• Morning sickness – never had it, not once (in either pregnancy – don’t hate me)
• Heartburn – only occasionally, not a real issue.
• Cravings – my cravings are all over the map. But some cravings have included… lemonade, ice cream, chicken fingers, ice cream, ranch dressing, ice cream, Whoppers (recently, really strange), ice cream.

Okay, here are some differences between the two pregnancies:

• First time, my feet swelled really early – two sizes bigger than normal. This time, the swelling has been minimal.
• First time, baby was a mover and shaker – constantly, all the time. We have some funny videos of elbows and knees poking out of my belly. This time, the baby moves – but not nearly as much or as dramatic. (HOWEVER, I was told that my placenta is along the front wall – behind my belly button – and that could be muffling some of the movements.)
• First time, I got carpal tunnel – really bad! This time, no carpal tunnel (also, no desk job) – but I did get a pregnancy stuffy nose – not a cold, not allergies – just a general stuffiness that comes with EVERY.PART.OF.YOUR.BODY.SINUSES.INCLUDED getting a bit puffy while carrying a preshush behbeh.
• First time, I got some pretty intense headaches throughout the pregnancy. This time, I don’t think I’ve had one.

Okay, if you have any other questions – or tests you want me to try – comment below and I will respond.

If you’re ready… VOTE!

Pregnancy Week: Boy vs. Girl

You are in for a treat today! That is, if seeing my face and hearing my voice is a treat for you. Because… today, I present our first VLOG!

It’s a bit of a rant, but it was easier to say than type… so here it is – my thoughts on having a baby girl or another boy…

Please ignore the mic cord under my shirt that looks like some strange vein popping out. I haven’t mic’d myself while this pregnant before!

Thoughts? Please leave a comment!

Pregnancy Week: Dreambaby #2 BUMP PHOTO! (week 36)

Get ready… LOTS of bump shots for you today…

36 weeks!

36 weeks of growth in that bump!

Because it’s a week ending in “6” – that means it’s bump comparison time. Here’s how the bump has progressed from week 16, when I started sharing photos:

16 weeks vs. 26 weeks vs. 36 weeks in pregnancy #2

Let’s compare this progress to when Kenton was in that belleh…

16 weeks vs. 26 weeks vs. 36 weeks in pregnancy #1

Is it just me or is there less of a dramatic difference this time around between weeks 26 and 36? Last time, you can see a lot of growth… this time, I feel like it didn’t really change much. Hmm… could be the camera angle. I dunno. Here’s the 36 week to 36 week comparison… Am I carrying differently?

36 weeks: Pregnancy #1 vs. Pregnancy #2

Sorry about the quality of that image. I had to snag the photo on the left off the site because I couldn’t find the original anywhere. Oopsies!

Personally, I see only a slight difference. I think the bump slants down more on top and is overall slightly smaller. But… what do you think?

I did forget to have Kenton in my “official” 36 week shot – but he was hanging out with me and we did get one shot together…

He’s a bit out of sorts and clingy because he’s not feeling well. In fact, we spent half the day yesterday in the ER:

Poor guy! He’s had a stomach bug and was a bit dehydrated, so he needed an IV. It was incredibly traumatic experience for him, me and Jason. UGH! As any parent knows, it is absolutely heartbreaking to see your child hurting and upset. However, I think that intervention did the trick as he does seem a bit better today. Whew!

Pregnancy Week: Room Plan

It’s day two of Pregnancy Week here on Our Dream Foreclosure and today’s topic – the baby room plan! Yesterday, I discussed my birth plan and may have shared a bit too much… heehee.

The most popular post in our blog’s little history is on Kenton’s nursery…

The plan all along was to make that room gender neutral and use it for both of our babies. I can’t believe it’s actually time to move Kenton out and make way for his little brother or sister!

Kenton – about three months old

Kenton – 15 months old

He has very few days left in this room…

But he’s taking the crib along with him to… his “big boy” room!

Well, we’re calling it Kenton’s big boy room, but it’s really going to look like another nursery – a boy’s nursery – for a while.

More on that in a minute, back to where the new baby will sleep.

Note: we later swapped out the rocker/ottoman – pic at the top of this post is accurate.

Baby will go in the nursery and the only major change we’re making is a crib swap.  Since Kenton is taking his crib with him, baby needs a new crib – which we’ve already purchased.

We decided not to get the same crib we got for Kenton and go for a cheaper, Ikea crib for the baby. Why? Because we care less about our second child.

Ha! Obviously, that’s not true. Kenton is very active – jumping in his crib and basically beating the thing up. The baby will be a blob for about three months, then just roll around for another three. Finally, around six months he/she will be sitting up and a couple months after that will start to pull up to stand. Basically, we figure we have at least six months with the “cheap” crib before Kenton may be ready for a toddler bed and the baby gets the sturdier crib in time for shenanigans like standing and jumping. That’s the thought anyway, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, it was far less painful to spend $99 than $300 – plus we still had to buy a $169 mattress. Kids are expensive!

Other than the crib, we’ll only make minor changes – like swapping out the K’s and other items with Kenton’s name. And, of course, we’ll have my mom add a bird to the wire!

The closet will have to be cleared of 24mos clothing and newborn selections will be put back (I kept them all!).

We’ll also add a portrait of the new baby to this wall, once we have a chance to take one.

My initial thought is that I’ll move Kenton’s portrait up higher and put the new one below it – but we’ll see how it comes together.

But that’s it… otherwise this room is ready to go!

It’s the room next store we’re working hard on. That’s where Kenton is moving. Here’s a look at how the upstairs rooms are organized from my depressing Upstairs to do list post:

The most challenging part of this room shuffle was taking all of my sewing/craft crap that had been in Kenton’s new room and moving it into the study – into a merged space – Half office/half craft room. That part is coming together nicely, actually – but that’s for another post!

Kenton’s room is coming along… but is not ready to be revealed. It’s going to be a “Big Boy Bike Room” – with inspiration from Le Tour de France. This photo is my primary inspiration.

It was taken in Annecy, France while we were there following Le Tour. I love the different Tour jerseys criss-crossing the quintessential European street. I have those colors/patterns and I’ll be making some bunting to mimic this and using those colors as accents in the space.

We actually have a yellow jersey signed by the 2009 tour winner, Alberto Contador, that we will display in there.

There’s Jason with the jersey just after we scored the autograph. That was such a fun day!

The Olympic rings will finally move from their temporary spot in the playroom into Kenton’s room:

We’ll also be putting up bookshelves on one side and using a little Ikea tent as a reading cave.

Our goal is to make it look more like the flamme rouge you see with one KM left in a bike race than a circus tent (don’t know cycling lingo? Google it or come back later to see the Ikea hack!).

So, that’s the plan. We’re almost there! I’m excited to show you the new room. Kenton would like to show you his bellybutton, if he could figure out buttons…

Meanwhile, I’m soaking in every second with my firstborn as my “only”…

Self-portrait in our daily-used, slightly-messy nursery. Only my “baby” for four more weeks! 

Pregnancy Week: Birth Plan

Welcome to Pregnancy Week here at Our Dream Foreclosure! This week, I’ll mark my 36^th week of pregnancy #2. I.CANNOT.BELIEVE.IT. This pregnancy is flying by so fast compared to pregnancy #1 (which seemed to drag on and on).

Today’s topic: The Birth Plan

This is a funny topic to me because my goal last time – and this time – is to plan as little as possible so I don’t end up disappointed. Last time, that turned out to be a wise choice. As I wrote about in Kenton’s Birth Story – I wound up with an emergency c-section due to cord occult, a possibly serious situation where his life and mine would have been at risk if we proceeded with a vaginal birth.

So happy listening to angry/healthy baby screams after my c-section.

This time, I had a choice. I could schedule a repeat c-section or try again for vaginal birth in what’s called a Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC).

No one would question me if I did a repeat c-section. I don’t know the stats, but I guess that’s what most women do. At first, it’s what I thought I would do. I had a good c-section experience the first time. Recovery was painful, but you don’t bring a child into this world without some form of uncomfortable recovery time. My scar healed quickly and thanks to some assistance is already fading away. Last time, I politely turned down prescription pain meds only to greatly regret that a few days later and sent Jason running to the drug store to fill the prescription. For two weeks, I was in a constant state of zombiness. But, that was a c-section/first time momma combo, I believe. One of the greatest benefits to the c-section is that my OB cleaned me out really well – so I had basically no bleeding afterward. Awesome, right?! (Hey, I’ve only had one period in the last two years – true story! – I’m not exactly jumping at the chance to experience that again.)

So, if I did the c-section again, there are several pro’s in my book.

• As a planner, I liked the idea of knowing the baby’s birthdate ahead of time.
• I liked the idea I could get a good night’s rest the night before and go into this next chapter of two under two with at least one night’s sleep under my belt.
• I liked the bleeding thing – seriously.
• I would plan on happily filling my pain med prescription immediately.
• It’s something I have already experienced and therefore know what to expect.

But… there are some con’s too.

• The most important con, for me – was the recovery “rule” that you not lift anything heavier than the newborn for six weeks post-surgery. That would mean no lifting my 16-month old for almost two months. That is nearly an unbearable thought to me. Kenton’s world is about to get seriously rocked. If I can’t pick him up when he cries for me – it’s going to be really hard, on both of us.
• The other major con is breastfeeding. Last time, my milk took six days to come in and even after it did, I constantly struggled with having enough. The c-section may be partly to blame for that. This time, I am hell bent on having a better breastfeeding experience. In fact, I’ve already contact local lactation experts and warned them I’ll be calling. A lot.

So, after thinking over these things, talking to Jason and my OB, I’ve decided on a VBAC.

I’m a bit nervous. VBAC’s are best when there’s been at least 18 months between deliveries – not my case. However, I’m mentally prepared to do it. I want to do it. I’ve been trying to get my body into shape to do it. So, hopefully, I can do it!

My OB has warned me, however, that if I go to 41 weeks, we’re scheduling a c-section. She said that the success rate of VBAC drops dramatically after that point – and I cannot be induced – so we’ll have to go the surgical route again. Kenton was eight days late, so that is still a very real possibility. I cannot be induced because (watch out for amateur terms here)… if my body is not ready on its own for labor and we start that process artificially, baby’s head could start banging up against my previous c-section scar, putting me at risk of uterine rupture. We all know that’s a bad idea! Also, the hospital where I’ll be delivering does not permit inducing a VBAC patient. So, that’s that.

If you’re a praying person, I would sure appreciate you praying that this baby comes on its own, perhaps a few days early, and I am able to have a successful VBAC.

Either way, this is what’s most important…

A healthy baby in mommy’s arms!

So, the other aspects of my VBAC birth plan include:

• Epidural! I don’t need to be a hero, but I would like to get to 6cm on my own first.
• Delayed cord cutting. We are not collecting cord blood – so I want the good stuff pumped into the baby before it’s cut.
• Immediate breastfeeding – I’m serious about it!

Obviously, I’ll keep you posted!

Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market – Tomorrow!

If you live in the greater Phoenix-area, hopefully you’ve heard about the Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market. If not, well, now you know.

There is one tomorrow (Saturday, September 15th) at WestWorld in Scottsdale and I am SO EXCITED. I’ll be there with a group of girlfriends, Starbucks in hand, ready to find some great decor items for the Dream. Here’s what I’ve found in the past:

The iron wall hanging that is in our family room was the one and only item I purchased at my first Junk in the Trunk sale more than a year ago. It was about $40, which I thought was a great deal. Initially, I bought it to hang on our entry wall…

You can see the bottom of it in this shot of Kenton when he was four months old. MY BABY! Where has the time gone?! Seriously, they are only babies for approximately one nanosecond. WAH!!!!

Anyway, it’s now in the family room and I like it there for now.

Eventually, I’d like to get the four photos around it printed on 16×20 canvases. Currently, they are 8×10 photos in 16×20 frames. I think that size adjustment will look better on that wall.

Bowdoin the Bulldog, however, is not impressed. Shocker. Oh, and ignore the hot mess over there on the right – more on that in a minute.

So, at the last Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market a few months ago, I scored a few more sweet things for the Dream. I blogged about that here.

Fun. Fun.

Tomorrow, I’m on the hunt for at least three things. (The at least is a disclaimer for Mr. Dreamer – just so he knows if I find more than three things, I’m not breaking any promises. It’s only at least three… I’m actually hoping to find more.)

Back to the hot mess…

The wall where our TV is mounted is arguably the most boring wall in the entire house. Again, Bowdoin is not impressed – and no one can blame him. At the JITVM, I’ll be searching for some kind of shelf/mantle to mount over the TV – and possibly some fun things to display on it. Ideally, I want something nearly as long as that wall, kinda chunky, and the same stain as the TV stand – I know, it’s a very specific list.

I’m also looking for a table to go under my gallery wall. A few weeks ago, the gals behind JITVM posted THE PERFECT table on Instagram and I commented that I had to have it! Well, I was just a couple of hours too late. Someone beat me to it. Boo Hoo! So, I’m hoping there’s something at tomorrow’s sale that’s even better.

Finally (but not literally finally – see disclaimer above), I’d like to get a chalkboard to put on the bottom half of this wall – so Kenton can color on it. He’s a tad obsessed with his sidewalk chalk for the back patio, that he’s not allowed to bring inside. So, I thought that might be a practical and fun thing to add here. The chalkboard at the adult level we purchased in France right after we bought the Dream. Yes, that number is correct – 33 days to baby. I KNOW. Too fast, too fast.

See the Boy vs. Girl poll? Don’t worry, you’ll have a chance to cast your vote next week during PREGNANCY WEEK here on Our Dream Foreclosure.

So, anyone else heading to the Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market tomorrow? If so, comment and let me know! If you see me, say hi! I’ll be the one with the permagrin and beach ball tucked under my shirt. 🙂

Dreambaby #2 Pregnancy BUMP PHOTO! (week 35)

This is a week to celebrate. It’s my last week without an OB appointment!

35 weeks!

I had an appointment last week, the last of my every other week appointments. Starting next week, my OB will see me at least once a week until this bambino appears.

Last time around, this was a tortuous week.

“But… my behbeh! I want to hear the heartbeat and know everything is okay! I want to be measured and told if I’m dialated. I want attention! I want, no I NEED information. Lots of information! Information about information!”

This time, this week is bliss. But next week will be tortuous.

“UGH… Doctors appointments EVERY WEEK?! Are you sure? I’m a very busy person. I feel this baby kicking my ribcage on a daily basis. We’re good. How about we just check in if my water breaks or real contractions actually start. Then, I’m going to need you. But right now, I have no interest in knowing my weight, blood pressure, or how many centimeters huge my belly is – and Lord knows I’m done peeing in that cup.”

Ahh, the difference between pregnancy #1 and #2!

I seriously have no time to think about this baby actually coming, until he/she actually comes. Last time, it was all I thought about. EVERY.MOMENT.OF.MY.LIFE. Poor baby.

I do, however, have plenty of time to overanalyze our baby name choices. Last time around, by this point, we were completely settled on two names. A boy would be Kenton Albert and a girl would be Bianca Sue. (Just kidding about the girl name – I can’t share it because it’s still on the short list this time around. For the record, I LOVE the name Bianca – but Jason ix-nayed it.) This time, we’re pretty-much-sorda-probably-maybe settled on one boy’s name, with no real backups. We have three girl’s names we keep tossing around – with one strong frontrunner, NOT the girl name from last time around – interestingly enough. For a 72 hour period over the weekend, I hated ALL of the names. EVERY NAME EVER SPOKEN ON EARTH (save, Kenton – still love that name – but we can’t use it twice). I told Jason we had to go back to the drawing board because none of our choices were acceptable.

I also told him I HAD TO KNOW the gender and we needed to watch the DVD of the ultrasound to try and see what it was – because I could not go another minute not knowing. Thankfully, the DVD could not be located and that moment of temporary insanity passed. I mean, come on! I’ve waited this long… what’s another five weeks?!

And… After looking over our name short list again – and the meanings behind the names – I was once again comfortable with our choices. I did, however, make a middle name adjustment/suggestion – which made me feel better (in control?) but no birth certificate’s been signed yet… so we shall see what ends up happening.

All that to say, I’m still crazy. Still pregnant and crazy.

Because pregnancy is making me crazy… I need to let you know that all next week is PREGNANCY WEEK here on Our Dream Foreclosure! That’s right… Monday – Friday next week, we’ll have a new post every day about this pregnancy. It will be fun. I hope you come back and check it out.

PS – We’ll be launching an entirely new blog soon. EEEK!!! So excited! Stay tuned for more on that.