Five on Friday

Cheers to the weekend shall we?

one

My mom kept this dress from when I was a little girl. I am SO excited to have mini wear this!!

two

I am heading out to the Restoration Hardware Baby store this weekend to take a peak around. There are some items I have my eye on! I am hoping to get to the Restoration Hardware Outlet store in Vacaville as well to see if I can score some deals.

three

Now that Breaking Bad is over and Orange is the New Black is not returning until June 6th I need a new show to watch. David is out of town for work next week so I think I will begin binge watching this show. I haven't heard one bad thing about it.

four

I may have gone shopping two days in a row since we found out it's a girl. #sorryimnotsorry
But seriously I am done...for now.

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It's Friday and I am oh so happy!! Hope you all have a great one! xoxo

Linking up with Liz and the gang!

19

Loving & Loathing

Loving

...wearing my rain boots and not avoiding one single puddle. In fact I go out of my way to step in them!
...not having to worry about looking fat, I am growing a baby in here!
...finally being able to look at the girl stuff and purchase it.
...that I finally watched the ending of Breaking Bad - SO GOOD!
....it's raining here and it won't stop (can't stop) until Sunday!
...that I got to catch up with all the original Teen Mom's (this I should be embarrassed about but the specials were interesting!)
...that David and I agree on a name for mini and I am so excited!

Loathing

....someone asked me if I was pregnant (which is great) then they told me they could tell because my face was fuller #facepalm
...That I have no more episodes of Breaking Bad to watch.
...that Hunter rain boots have buckles on the side making it super uncomfortable to cross my legs.
...realizing that once the baby arrives Finn's bed needs to move to David's side of the bed so I can have the bassinet - this makes me SUPER sad.

and since no one likes a post without photos

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15 Weeks : It's a...

How Far Along: 15 weeks, 3 days

Mini is the size of : an avocado

Gender: GIRL!!!

Symptoms: Pretty good, I got a terrible headache on Sunday that lasted into Monday. But I was able to kick it with the help of of pain reliever. I was trying so hard not to take one but had to give in!

Loving: that mini has an identity!! Referring to the baby as a her makes everything seem so much more real!

Loathing: house hunting...read this article and you will understand why buying a home in the San Francisco Bay area is so damn depressing.

Wedding Rings: On

Belly Button: In

Maternity Clothes: Pants yes, shirts yes and no.

Sleep: good

Movement: not yet, but should be happening in the next 3-4 weeks!

Currently Craving: I am sort of ashamed to admit that I thought about Crazy Bread from Little Ceasar's this weekend and had.to.have.it. I have not eaten that since high school and damn, it was just as delicious as I remembered! Gross thing is I paired it with a Jamba Juice!

Best Part of the Week: Finding out we are having a little miss!

Worst Part of the Week: Realizing this chair I thought I liked for the nursery is incredibly uncomfortable. So glad I saw it in person! It's narrow, you can't lean your head back in it and the arms are not padded enough. Pottery Barn FAIL.

Mood: Excited

Missing Most: do I even have to say it? RUNNY EGG YOKE!!

Can't Wait: to shop!!!

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Gender Predictions - Old Wives Tales

I've seen this on a couple of blogs and thought it would be fun since we find out mini's gender tomorrow!! So let's play along one way or the other it's correct!

Chinese Birth Calendar
This apparently predicts your babies sex based on the Chinese lunar age at the time you got pregnant and the Chinese lunar month which you conceived.

Now this gave me two answers if I entered the date of conception + my age it is says GIRL
If I enter mini's estimated due date + my age it says BOY

Ring/String Test

Tie a string or piece of your hair to your wedding band and hold over your stomach. If the ring swings in circles it's a girl. If it swings back and forth it's a boy.
Results = GIRL

Morning Sickness

Rumor has it that if you suffer from morning sickness you are having a girl. Apparently women who have higher levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG (which is what triggers morning sickness) is higher in woman carrying females.

Result = BOY

Heartbeat Rate

If the heartbeat is over 140 bpm you are having a girl, under 140 it's a boy.

Result = GIRL (155 bpm)

Cravings

If your craving are mostly for sweets you're having a little girl. Salty and Sour it's all boy.

Result = BOY/GIRL I want all the things!

Adult Acne

If you break out that little girl is stealing your beauty. No breakouts and you have a Mr.

Result = GIRL I generally have skin that is pretty good to me. I have noticed a lot more blemishes since this all started.

Guess we shall find out tomorrow!!

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Five on Friday

Alright it's time for a baby break and onto birthday talk...because as of yesterday the big 3-1 is a mere 30 days away. Which also coincides with the first day of Spring! So in case David wants to stumble upon my blog here are five things I wouldn't mind opening on March 20th

one

Annabel Ingall large tote in Storm

I really don't want a traditional baby bag and I think a tote will be more my style. Plus it looks like a can cram a lot of crap into this bag. For organizational purposes I would get one of these.

two

A day on the Skunk Train

It rides through 40 miles in Mendocino and we always talk about it but have never done it. I also just discovered that Finn can go with us as dog's are permitted with a small fee!

three

Kendra Scott Abalone Tassel Pendant Necklace

Love this necklace and the colors! David goes abalone diving (abalone is so delicious!) so I think he would really appreciate this piece of jewelry. Hmm I may need to gift it to myself!

four

A day at Safari West

I have tried to go here again and again for my birthday but it's usually raining. Since an African Safari is #1 on my bucket list this is the closest I can get for now! It's only two hours away from my house so much more plausible!

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I am just dying to know if mini is a he or she? What's your guess?!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking up with Liz and all the other lovelies!

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Nursery Inspiration

dresser // lamp // dog print // chair // lion // rug // crib // love print

So without adding fun little boy or little girl accents (although that lamp is girly!) this is what I am sort of envisioning for the nursery. I am a girl who likes the color white - which I know is probably ridiculous since children are anything but clean.

I definitely want to  purchase a dresser as opposed to changing table. I would like something that will grow with mini. I am LOVING this Room & Board dresser but we will most likely be purchasing something and painting it ourselves. I swear the items that David has redone and painted for me look straight out of a Pottery Barn catalog so I have no qualms about this.

I would also love a really large piece of art and I have always adored Iris Scott's work. See that dog above? She painted that with her FINGERS! Incredible talent, you can watch a video of her work below:

                     

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Those First (OMG) Moments

You guys I am going to apologize in advance that this week is going to be all about baby. So feel free to wander elsewhere in the blogosphere if baby just is not your thing right now.

This is the story of how we found out..

After a brunch out with my friends from book club (where I consumed three mimosas and had sunny side up eggs) I decided to come home and pee on a pregnancy test. I don't know if it was the news my other friend, Amy, was expecting or if it was the fact that my boobs were straight up hurting. Whatever the case I took the test while David was at the grocery store.

Honestly I think I took it out of boredom.

And then this happened.

I blankly stared down at that perpendicular line that was the difference between pregnant and not pregnant. Anxiously awaiting the sound of the garage door opening so I could tell David.

There was no time or thought for a cute announcement. This info had to leave my mouth right away.

As he walked into the kitchen I followed him in with my test and hand in my pocket.

"Babe, so, umm, it's crazy but, um"

I was stammering, tripping over my tongue, heart racing.

"What Laura? Spit it out" David already getting flustered. 

"We're going to have a baby!"

I thrust the stick into his face as proof.

We both started laughing and smiling. Such a surreal moment. Weird memory is that I was wearing a puffer vest and I can distinctly remember the noise it made as David rubbed his hand up and down my back.

I had to take Finn on a walk by myself - to pace, to get out of the house. Honestly - to freak out a little bit. And that whole entire walk I kept smiling and laughing to myself. 

"We're having a baby"

When I was about one minute away from home David called me to ask where his pregnant wife was. I think he could hear my smile through the phone.

Funny thing with our pregnancy is that we actually had no idea we were pregnant until the day before New Years Eve and even at that time I thought I was only four weeks. Turns out that very same week I had some bleeding and the doctor told me to come in the following Monday.

Imagine my shock when here I was thinking I was 6 weeks and she announces that I am actually 9 weeks (meaning we had been pregnant prior to Thanksgiving!). And sure enough there was a big white blob on the screen that represented the life I was growing.

Life has not been quite the same since.

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14 Weeks

How Far Along: 14 weeks, 2 days (I was too lazy to put on makeup!)

Mini is the size of : an orange

Gender: No idea but we find out a week from today!

Symptoms: I have been experiencing some occasional faintness & dizziness. It comes on all of a sudden and actually is pretty scary when it happens. It usually goes away pretty quickly.

Loving: My Mustela Stretch Mark Cream - who knows if it's working but it makes me feel better using it nightly!

Loathing: that Vanderpump Rules ended.

Wedding Rings: On

Belly Button: In

Maternity Clothes: Yes and no. Yes to pants simply because it is more comfortable. A lot of my tops still work with the expanding tummy.

Sleep: good

Movement: not yet!

Currently Craving: raspberries and blueberries

Best Part of the Week: Well it was really last week but David gave me a gorgeous David Yurman mother of pearl necklace for Valentines. Since I am going to be a mama. Seriously...so sweet.

Worst Part of the Week: Total TMI but gas!

Mood: happy

Missing Most: sunny side up eggs..still.

Can't Wait: to go get pre-approved for housing sometime this weekend...time to get the ball rolling. Mama wants to nest!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day.

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Lavender & Light

It's time to get mushy, sappy and gross...all in favor of Valentine's of course!

Head on over to Lavender & Light to see what I am getting all sentimental about!

iLove you

Let's take a moment to veer off the pregnancy course and talk Valentine's Day. There is a lot of mixed reaction around bloggers of loving it or hating it. As a girl who loves anything to do with love I am a pretty big fan of it.

I think more so because (warning:humble brag ahead) I have a husband who doesn't treat me special only on 2/14. When it comes to planning, purchasing, surprising David blows me out of the water. While Valentine's Day is usually just reserved for homemade lasagna (by him, not me) and a movie at home this year I wanted to treat him.

So I decided to buy him something he wasn't expecting, an iPad mini. Some could say it was because I wanted possession of my iPad back - and this is also 100% totally true.

In typical Parker fashion I could not wait until Friday to gift him his present. Afterall we don't need a holiday for out of the blue gifts do we? So on Monday he got his very own iPad mini from mini! And I haven't seen him since.

So the moral of this story is, buy your man something nice if he always does nice things for you. A little goes a long way. Hey look, I got my iPad back!

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13 Weeks

How Far Along: 13 weeks - hello 2nd trimester!

Mini is the size of : a lemon

Gender: No clue but I am thinking blue (I have 5 nephews and 0 nieces!)

Symptoms:Up to this point my pregnancy has felt fake. No morning sickness (thank goodness) and no food aversions. Can't complain one bit!

Loving: my Cal King - growing belly demanded more room!

Loathing: the constant mess my house is in.

Wedding Rings: On

Belly Button: In

Maternity Clothes: Started rocking a belly band last week and don't think I am looking back. Also purchased the Liz Lang Maternity tanks to wear under cardigans. I don't think I will ever go back to wearing another tank from Target. I love the length!

Sleep: Can't complain (see Loving)

Movement: not yet

Currently Craving: Frozen Yogurt with rainbow sprinkles

Best Part of the Week: Finally getting to announce this secret!

Worst Part of the Week: So far so good!

Mood: happy

Missing Most: sunny side up eggs (I have a feeling this answer won't change for quite some time!)

Can't Wait: for our ultrasound this afternoon! This is my first topical one and also the first time we will get to hear Mini's heartbeat!

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Shhh... We haven't told him yet

If you follow me on Instagram (laurapark3r) you saw the big news we were finally able to share on Saturday! We are so excited for this next stage in our lives and I'm looking forward to documenting each week!

Finn has no idea what's coming his way!

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Five on Friday

ONE

A lot of sweet ladies have nominated me for a Liebster Award and I so bad I am horrible at responding! I have already done two so I probably won't do any more but I wanted to say thank you to: Krista, Kayla, Robin, Michelle ,Bri & Regina! Thank you all for nominating me!! Since Michelle was the most recent person to nominate me I thought I would go ahead and answer her questions!

1. Red wine or white? Red - but I am not a huge drinker. Only socially :) My drink of choice is a diet coke!
2. Favorite winter activity? Since our winter's here are pretty mild I don't really have a favorite activity. I do love to get up to Lake Tahoe when I can and enjoy the snow and scenery.
3. Which Olympic sport are you most excited to watch? I like Summer Olympics much better but I do look forward to figure skating. Honestly I will watch it all when it's on!
4. What do you want for Valentine's Day? Hmm not much pretty happy with what I have right now + my birthday is coming up in March.
5. If you could eat one thing from one restaurant's menu for the rest of your life, which would it be? That's tough - I think it would have to be Mexican food cause I love it. Please don't make me pick just one thing!
6. When it comes to men, what's your "type"? My husband - I mean have you seen him? YUM.
7. What's one beauty ritual you cannot skip? Brushing my teeth (haha!)
8. Who was your favorite teacher in school and why? My favorite teacher was Patricia Geist-Martin at San Diego State. She taught an ethnography class and I just adored her. I wrote a 30 page paper on "Emotional Labor and Long Distant Relationships" . David and I survived an LDR for two years!
9. Dream car? I wouldn't mind an Audi R7
10. Favorite song at this very moment? John Legend "All of Me"
11. You can only eat one part of the Oreo.  Cookie or cream? Cream!

TWO

This weekend it is supposed to pour here! I am SO excited. I plan on staying in my Hunters and my new lulu jacket all weekend! Sleep Train (where we bought our mattress) is next door to Lululemon, while David went to get coffee I told him to meet me in there. I walked in and saw this jacket on sale, one left and my size. I tried to explain fate to him but he just shook his head.

Nice Asana Jacket *herringbone

THREE

Coconut Water - some are so disgusting. Others are so good it's all I want to drink! If you're not sold on it try this brand before you give up on it completely.

FOUR

I just want to throw it out there that I am still so bitter I didn't buy these when I first saw them back in November! I sure hope they bring them back this year!

FIVE

I've got something exciting rolling out next week on the blog! Looking forward to starting a new series! Hope you will join me!


Linking up with April and the other lovely ladies of five on Friday!

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Bedtime

You know something that sucks? When your husband is in Hawaii for work and you are just at work. Yup, that's currently happening to me. It's okay I have a date with my DVR, I am seriously behind on Nashville and I decided to record #Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. I am pretty sure if David saw that I was watching that for even a second he would throw the TV out the window.

(His view is so much better!)

I can't complain too much however, I have a Cal King all to myself (well and Finn) and I find it quite easy to fall asleep with all that room! Now if only the DVR was in that room...

And with any new bed purchase comes  a new linens purchase - which kinda sucks and kinda rocks at the same time. Here are some things I am loving.

First I have to give David credit for deciding having drawers in our box spring was a necessity. Because I have to admit it's pretty freaking awesome. Linen storage can be a pain so I am excited that I can store it right beneath the bed and not take up valuable closet space. I think most mattress locations have them they are called Sto-A-Way box springs.

Pure Beech Sheets

These sheets are made out of Modal which is a fiber that comes from Beechwood trees in Europe. David and I have been a big fan of these sheets for a long time. They feel so soft against your skin. Negatives are you must wash according to directions (the washer can rip them) and they get super wrinkled. Worth the investment (always with a 20% coupon)!

Sienna Paisley Duvet Cover

I bought this duvet over two years ago and still adore it. Which is rare because I like to change up my duvets often! I usually switch it out in the winter for this one but I am ready for something new. Where is your go to for duvets? I usually don't stray from Pottery Barn but lately they are all looking the same.

Also where have King sized pillows been my whole life? Seriously I have been missing out for a long time!

This post officially makes me feel like an old woman!

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you may be too in love with your dog if...

You wear a necklace with his or her initial.

You form your social schedule around his or her going out schedule. 6pm-7pm is his time. 

You're well aware if you're with another dog he or she is going to get jealous

He or she gets home baked goods for their birthday (and any other occasion you see necessary)

He or she is your screen saver on your cell and your work computer

You realize it's embarrassing that the majority of selfies included him or her. 

Instead of finding him or her a kennel you pay extra to have them in your room 

(Umm why wouldn't you take me?)

He or she becomes a baby pacifier (So what if you swaddle him?)

You realize that blog posts about your dog make you look a little crazy (and you're okay with that)

I could go on...He's on your checks and your visa card, his hair is truly an accessory on your clothing, he knows that you are "mama" and gets excited when he hears that word. But then again if I continue anymore I think I might convince myself that I am crazy!

19

Weekend + Miami Recap

Oh man...

You guys I was so excited to go to Miami and discover where the heat is on (party on down to the break of dawn). However all I got out of the trip was a long flight, rain and no personal time! Boo! I was happy that we were able to make it to the beach on our final day. However being at the beach in jeans and flats just...wrong. So I wish I had more fun to report but I don't!!

The water was so warm!

After I returned home on Friday I was exhausted! Such long flights for a short trip! On Saturday I headed up to Healdsburg to celebrate my friend Nicci's daughter's first birthday. Seriously where does time go?

On Superbowl Sunday I woke up with an aching back and told David I was officially over our bed! Our good friends just bought a new Cal King and I think I finally got the encouragement to put my foot down. Surprisingly he agreed. Even more shocking...we actually purchased something.

And I can testify to the fact that Finn (who is a 70 pounder!), David and I all slept soundly!! Hope you guys had a lovely week and weekend! I am looking forward to getting all caught up on your blogs!

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