tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42630530448177828072024-03-13T03:17:11.329-07:00Love JDjamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.comBlogger262125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-38713591263738506572018-09-20T11:21:00.002-07:002018-09-28T19:33:47.672-07:00Posey & Gibson's first month at home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-71311715546060466102018-09-06T18:35:00.001-07:002018-09-06T18:35:13.302-07:00happy one month Posey & Gibson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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we made it<span style="font-family: inherit;">! one month! the babies are home and growing everyday. i stressed and agonized about these first few days for months while pregnant. how would i do this on my own when Andrew was at work? how would i keep two babies alive? how do you split your time between two little humans staring up at you? </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I would get actual sweaty palms and a pit in my stomach every time I talked about it. Since having them home, my anxiety has been minor. Just your average worries, concerns, and multiple checks for breathing throughout the day. The babies had their first pediatrician appointment last week and everything looked great so far for both of our babies. There was minor concern about Gibson's crooked little feet (his doctors think they will straighten up on their own and are just a result of being smushed up in the womb) and Posey's head is a little bit long so we need to try our best to keep her laying on the back of her head and not the sides. Two minor issues to work through so I am thrilled. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">i'm sure as time goes on, things will change. the babies will be more active and require more attention from me throughout the days and nights. but right now, in this moment, i am in full control of this. motherhood suits me and i bounce up to tend to their needs immediately. i talk to them and kiss on them both all day long and staring at them melts my heart. That first night that Gibson came home, I was terrified. I stared down at him and didn't feel a connection. I watched Andrew change his diaper and feed him and felt so out of my element. Maybe all moms feel like this with their first born and maybe we just don't talk about it enough. But it only took a few days (and the addition of one more baby) to get me feeling comfortable in this new lifetime role. Our house has never been cleaner. The laundry is done daily. I vacuum around their bassinets while they nap. Everyone is happy and content and I feel personally responsible for creating that feeling. Welcome home, baby Posey and Gibson. I love you both so much, it brings me to tears. </span></div>
jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-12060610603419189982018-08-24T10:54:00.001-07:002018-08-24T10:54:49.228-07:00our life in the NICU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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we are just over two weeks into our NICU journey and it's been a mixed back for sure. Don't get me wrong, I want my babies home. Of course. But this down time between pregnancy and taking them home has been a gift i'm not taking for granted. i have had a few weeks to let my body heel while nurses cared for our twins. I have been able to stretch and move and sit on the floor and i have cleaned every square inch of this house. Cabinets that were organized have been reorganized now that i have had a few weeks to see what we will be needing soonest. (Those 6 months bottles that were taking up space in the cabinet? down to the basement they go) And most importantly, it's given us a sweet little gift of just being the two of us for a little bit. We weren't married long before getting pregnant. And pregnancy did not bring out the best in me. We missed out on that honeymoon stage (and the honeymoon!) and it's been a blessing to get this little bit of time to enjoy each other again before the real adventure begins. </div>
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Our babies are doing great, everyday making progress. We are just waiting on my lazy little suckers to get their bottles down consistently for 2 days before we are free to go home. It will be surreal when that day comes. What I'm looking forward to most? reintroducing them to one another! They have been "apart" (about 5 feet apart. but still. they gotta miss each other!) for far too long now and this mama is ready for stroller walks, couch snuggles, and all of the chaos. Bring it on! </div>
<br />jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-2670275207171947052018-08-14T09:07:00.000-07:002018-08-15T08:41:56.614-07:00our twin babies' birth story<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/285034321" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I assume it’s hard to keep from choking back tears while any parent sits down to write about their babies’ birth story no matter what, but our case (as always) had a few extra turns and stops. It only makes sense that Andrew and I wouldn’t get a “normal” and uncomplicated experience with our twins’ birth, but trying to stay positive is all I can do right now. We’re home. Our apartment is exactly how we left it. Nothing has changed almost in creepy way. The only difference is my stomach is deflated, our dining room table is covered in paperwork, and we don’t have two babies here. Yesterday when we got home, we put away all of our bags, toothbrushes, and sat down to watch T.V. together like it was just another night. But if you’re interested in the days leading up to it, here’s our twins’ story (from what I remember) of how they got here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I woke up last Sunday morning feeling as miserable and normal as I had for weeks previous. I needed help sitting up, I probably cried twice, and Andrew told me it would all be OK and would be over soon. We were in the middle of a very easy conversation about what we wanted to do with our Sunday. Sleep longer? Go get brunch? Go baby shopping for the millionth time? And just as we were chatting back and forth, I felt a warm sensation between my legs that I hadn’t experienced in months. It felt exactly like starting my period and I instantly got scared. I reached down and pulled my fingers up to see blood and Andrew, the most calm and level headed human, said we might as well call our doctor just to be safe. This was one of the first times he had ever suggested getting a doctor’s opinion and 5 minutes later, the on call doctor told us to come into the hospital just to be on the safe side. It’s almost comical now looking back at the weeks leading up to here. I had worked myself up to not knowing exactly how all of this going into labor stuff would work with twins and it turns out, i would never experience any of it. My water didn’t break, I’ve never felt a contraction, and it was a pretty calm 6 minute drive to the hospital. We parked in the emergency room parking lot, walked in with one little bag I had thrown together, and grabbed a wheelchair. I remember not really “needing” a wheelchair but I just wanted to be pushed. We walked onto the hospital floor and all of the lights were low. We joked that Sunday was definitely the day to come into the hospital and it felt empty and peaceful. The first thing I remember was peeing in a cup and my pee didn’t look good. You could tell it was mixed slightly with blood and the nurses and staff already seemed concerned. I didn’t.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keeping in mind my anxiety and needing to know less than more, there were plenty of pregnancy side effects that I probably could have looked into more, including preeclampsia. I’m still not quite sure what it is except that it has to do with having high blood pressure; something that hadn't been even the slightest issue at every doctor's appointment up until this point. I remember several nurses telling me that the experience of getting a magnesium drip was not going to be fun. It was at first described as making you feel loopy, groggy and sleepy and we joked that that sounded awesome. But by the time the drip was in me, I was in hell. My face was on fire, my legs felt like they needed to keep shifting, I was bawling, I couldn’t breathe, and I couldn’t stop apologizing to Andrew. This was Sunday night and continued pretty much all day Monday and into the evening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">All day on Monday, several staff members came in, poked me with needles, gave me steroid shots, checked my blood pressure, and after several hours, we were told we would be staying over night again. Even writing this out, Andrew had to fill in the blanks for me, as I couldn't remember what was going on but that man never left my side and paid such close attention to what was happening, I'm forever grateful for having the best partner. My mind was a little blown away that we would be staying again but I just looked at Andrew who said it was all just to make sure everything was OK and to not worry. By Tuesday morning, my magnesium drip had been taken out, the babies heartbeats had been checked a million times, and someone came in to give me breakfast. I'll never forget that tray of French toast and bacon and I scarfed it down finally feeling a little better after the drip had finally been removed. I assumed we would be going home soon and back to our normal week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Several minutes later, another knock on the door and I thought it was someone coming to get my breakfast tray. Nope. It was yet another staff member in scrubs saying they were going to induce that day. I almost needed to hear it twice. We were going to induce that day. Tuesday. Tuesday, August 7th, with both of our babies being just below 34 weeks, we were going to induce and have them in just a few hours. Andrew jumped up from his chair bed he had been sleeping on and said he was nothing but excited and nervous. My doctor and midwife assured me that this was because of my health, not the babies, and that they were going to be great, just small of course. We spent the rest of our early Tuesday afternoon phoning family and honestly just trying to mentally prepare ourselves as I watched the clock hands. Andrew helped me tweeze my nose ring out and I took a hospital shower. I called my parents and could hear the hesitation in their voices from not really understanding what was going on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">After a while my doctor and midwife came into my room and I instantly felt better. My midwife has been my saint throughout this pregnancy and just seeing her face there made me feel more calm and that I was in familiar hands. They told me that due to the preeclampsia, I wasn’t able to have the anesthesia for a c section and that they would be putting me to sleep. Now, I understand how devastating that could be for some moms. They want to see the babies and hear crying and “experience” it. I on the other hand, was terrified, so the idea of going to sleep and waking up to them just being here sounded amazing to me. I was thrilled. They wheeled me back to a small room filled with moms and babies and my mom ran down the hall to catch up to us. I had told her that morning that she probably wouldn’t make it in time to see me go, but she did and I’m thankful for it. And once we got settled in to our little nook, the anesthesiologist came out to talk to us and said that my numbers had gone back to a better position and I could have a c section. It worked out for the best and Andrew was now allowed to come back and be with me. I know he would never say anything, but I could tell he was disappointed at the idea of not being back while I delivered so everything worked out beautifully. I was rolled into the OR, which was kept at a whopping 80 degrees and filled with the brightest lights I had ever seen. I was quickly made numb, flipped onto the table, and then I heard Andrew walk in and sit by my head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The entire c section process felt like it took 10 minutes. Almost too easy. I have actual guilt on how easy their birth was. Each baby was held up to my face so I could see them and it was the most surreal feeling. They were tiny. Our first baby that came out was our son, Gibson, and then his little sister. And I made them. We made them. All of their fingers and toes and eyeballs and the most precious little noses I have ever seen in my life. Andrew said they were perfect and he was right and we even got lots of OR footage from our midwife that I am forever grateful for. It’s a little graphic but I don’t care. The babies were quickly taken away and the next several hours were a blur. Each of our parent sets came back to give us hugs and that was that. We were parents. To two beautiful babies that have a fight in front of them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tuesday night, we walked up to the NICU to see our babies and I still can’t put into words what it’s like staring at babies you made. But I do have to note that I was 100% sure Posey had 6 fingers on one hand and was actually a boy. I stood there and cried feeling guilty until the next day when I told Andrew who just laughed. Our babies are growing bigger and stronger everyday and I have high hopes of when they’ll be home to us. Crying hurts my c section spot, so I’m trying to keep it together, but I just can’t believe my pregnancy is over and our babies are finally here. I’m so relieved that they are in the best hands when we aren’t there and for the next several weeks, I can focus on taking care of myself, making sure everything is ready for their arrival, and pumping as much as possible. We have a long journey in front of us but we got so lucky and will never forget that. We love you Gibson Lawrence and Posey James, our perfect little miracles! </span><br />
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jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-86022966933899674402018-08-13T06:25:00.002-07:002018-08-14T08:39:53.540-07:00my placenta encapsulation <div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There were a few things we knew we wanted and could have at least a little bit of control over when we found out we were pregnant with twins:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. We wanted to keep their genders and names a secret until they were born</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. I would try my best to find a way to keep my anxiety low</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. I would also do my best to breastfeed two kids at one time without driving myself crazy or feeling obligated about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Most people that have read along here know I had severe anxiety from the very beginning of this pregnancy. I wouldn’t wish those feelings onto anyone and they stayed pretty strong throughout the first trimester. I would go from feeling completely fine to instantly not being able to breath, crying, throwing up, and it was terrifying. I was lucky Andrew was able to rush home almost always just to check on me but I wanted to have more control by the time the babies were here. And I knew that if you suffered from anxiety and depression while pregnant, there was a much higher chance for depression afterward which I reeeally am trying to avoid as best I can (one week out, so far so good!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />So after looking into healthy, safe, and natural ways to help my body get through this next chapter, I found that I really loved the idea of having my placenta encapsulated. Have you heard of this before? Do you know someone that has had it done? Does it freak you out a little bit? I totally get it. It is wild to say the least but here is a little run down of my experience so far!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It’s been in our plan for months and even though the end of our pregnancy didn’t go as expected or hoped (more on that crazy story later) my placenta was able to be taken home with us and didn’t need any further testing once the twins were born. Basically, when we were discharged a few days ago, my placenta went from sitting in a freezer at the hospital to sitting on my lap while I was in my wheelchair... in one of those giant plastic buckets like you buy cheap ice cream in. It was heavy, kind of hilarious, and made me proud just holding it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />After looking into several recommendations from people and of course being mindful of prices, we went with Lauren Wales from Luminous Bodywork and I can't say enough good things about her. She showed up at our house and let me sleep, took the time to answer my questions, and even took a few photos of my heart-shaped placenta that made me cry. I’m hesitant on sharing photos of the process since they’re a little graphic but when I walked into our kitchen and saw her working away, I couldn't help but stare in amazement! There it was in all of its glory! I asked Andrew to come in and watch a few minutes of the process. Bless his heart he’s the best sport ever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It was simple enough to watch; our doula boiled down water, lemon, and ginger and after my placenta resembled what i can best describe as a pot roast, she left it overnight in a dehydrator on our kitchen counter. She returned the next day, ground up my placenta, and encapsulated the powder. It was one of the neatest processes to watch and knowing it came straight from my body and was going to help my babies and myself made it even better. She even had some salve and lotion made from it too for skin and scar issues later. She left me with well over 200 pills, a salve, and tincture at a price of $250. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It’s common around the world for different people to eat and ingest their placentas and it’s supposed to be very helpful with milk supply (since my twins were born early, I need all of the help i can get) and even help with energy and depression. I’ll be taking 2 pills 3 times a day for the first two weeks and then tapering down to 1 pill 3 times a day after that. Lauren even said if you find yourself making an abundance of milk, you can take less pills. An abundance would be the best thing ever considering our twins are in NICU currently and I’m so hopeful that my placenta will help me to give our babies the best mama I can be. Thank you again to Lauren from Luminous Bodywork for doing this for us. I’ll report back in a few weeks to share my experience!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*ok, I know I said I would report back in a few weeks, but I have to shout from the rooftops really quickly how happy I already am for doing this. I was getting 1-3mL each pump and was feeling very discouraged already. I was dragging my feet at this process because I have zero patience and it wasn't going how I thought it would. But yesterday was the first day I took an entire day's worth of pills (6 pills) and last night I pumped 50mL in 15 minutes. I cried. I ran around the house with an extra pep in my step. I can't stop staring at it in the fridge and I can't wait to take it up to the NICU later toady for the babies!! I don't expect to make that kind of milky magic every time, but just seeing it finally happen and knowing my body is working was worth every single penny for my pills. </span><br />
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click here to get in touch with <a href="http://www.luminousbodywork.massagetherapy.com/">Lauren</a> and to start your own encapsulating process!</div>
jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-57184513265952112042018-07-12T11:26:00.001-07:002018-07-12T11:45:09.996-07:00just a quick little nursery tour<div style="text-align: center;">
We just returned home from our 30-week appointment and it's feeling more and more real every day that soon, I'm gonna be a mom of two little humans. I still don't believe it some times that 1. I'll be responsible for two little lives and 2. that there are even TWO babies to begin with! But then I hear those heartbeats and I get more and more excited. (Baby B's face looked just like Andrew's today. Even the ultrasound tech pointed it out. This stuff is wild!) The doctor said both babies look great, have strong heartbeats, and my blood pressure is <i>excellent. </i>Basically, with the help of nightly cinnamon sugar pop tarts, I have given these kicking monsters a pretty decent home for the last 2 million months, so I tried to make them an equally decent room for when they're earthside. </div>
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We still have kept our babies' gender a surprise and I wanted to keep their nursery as neutral as I could without it being too bare. Neutral, calming, and pretty simple was the plan and I think we made it happen. I am not a fan of baby animal motifs or even themes that I would be sick of in a few months so we kept the room looking like just another room as far as paint and hardware, but with baby pieces throughout. No, we did not buy a changing table. No, I didn't cover the walls in baby-themed art and pastels. And no, there are not cloud and unicorn shaped mobiles hanging over each crib. I just couldn't do it. I'm a minimalist to an extent when it comes to filling our apartment with "stuff" so I had hoped I could keep the babies' room matching that idea. success! </div>
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I think every parent has their #1 concern when it comes time to start investing in baby pieces; travel items, feeding items, cloth or disposable diapers, etc. Our biggest concern? S L E E P. We knew pretty early on we wanted to invest in <a href="https://www.happiestbaby.com/products/57fc1c5bca82b6110015f275">Snoo Smart Sleepers</a> from the time the babies were born, but they are only recommended up until the babies are 6 months old. Those bassinets are in our bedroom and will stay there until it's time to transition them into their cribs. So where do you go when you want a super simple, clean-lined, modern crib that won't break the bank? Ikea of course! My grandma bought us our cribs and they are exactly what I wanted; no frills. At first, we had them aligned under the light fixture facing out but it seemed like a huge waste of space. This positioning makes way more sense for us. </div>
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we used our old tv stand/dresser as a changing table/dresser and so far, I think it's going to work out perfectly for us (after being sanded, stained, and a quick brass spray paint job on the pull knobs). We still have several empty drawers which makes me very very happy! I bought this dresser for a few dollars at the thrift store years ago and it was missing that bottom left drawer, so I filled that space with some old copper bins for swaddles and immediate diaper changing supplies. The drawers are filled to the brim with newborn and preemie pieces, socks, shoes, accessories, and swaddles that smell so good, I can't even describe it. Clothes that we've purchased or been gifted that are 0-3, 3-6, 6-9 and so on are hanging in their closet, in order of size, surrounded by boxes of diapers (again, in size order), wipes, and small storage baskets of pacifiers, thermometers, and plenty of other goodies. </div>
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one of my best friends gifted us these precious onesies for our shower and they're just too cute to not display until the babies are big enough to strut around in them. </div>
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every good nursery seems to have a little nook for reading/breastfeeding/crying into your glass of wine so this corner felt perfect to make one, too. Don't ask me how we accumulated so many books without trying. We got several from our baby shower, a few I had from my childhood, and they just started adding up! We read to my belly and it melts me into a pile of goo listening to Andrew. </div>
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and there she is! Nothing too over the top, nothing fancy, but just perfect for our little city apartment that they'll be growing up in for a little while. Sometimes I'll just open the door, pop my head in, and smile. We hope you babies like this space as much as we do!<br />
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Sources:</div>
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<a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50248541/">Sniglar Cribs</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40291766/#/90292103">book shelves</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.target.com/p/dockatot-deluxe-plus-dock-pristine-white/-/A-51818615?sid=1447S&ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby+Shopping_Local&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9015713&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-JvaBRDGARIsAFjqkkqJFdIjscfdJlxqJRmnAd3nXB9GCsQmv1rRuxaAHUyewD_qeQ9bbkoaAsFpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds">DockATot loungers</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Nordic-round-glass-ball-ceiling-hanging-chandelier-light-lamp-gold-modern-adjustable-droplight-simple-hanging-chandelier/32819058748.html">Light Fixture (similar)</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.rugsusa.com/rugsusa/rugs/rugs-usa-shaggy/Silver/200SHG1-P.html">Shag rug</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.target.com/p/round-decorative-wall-mirror-brass-project-62-153/-/A-50301089?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Home+Decor+Shopping_Brand&adgroup=SC_Home+Decor&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9015713&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-JvaBRDGARIsAFjqkkrNqi0ZXbndB16YdEQSKXtfm3Jecq1EVMHJuFNgzZ8jYthspxLB6h8aAvN5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds">Round brass mirror</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/babyblueprint/">Ultrasound Wall Art</a></div>
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<a href="https://fawndesign.com/products/fawn-design-original">Fawn diaper bag</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.carters.com/carters-baby-boy-accessories/V_GB16419.html">Baby Sunnies</a></div>
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dresser: thrifted</div>
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blankets & pillows: Home Goods, Ikea, Homemade from grandmas</div>
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jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-19666708409869740952018-07-02T12:07:00.000-07:002018-07-05T09:11:27.766-07:00my #1 pregnancy pain remedy <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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if you follow along with me on Instagram, you know that this third trimester is starting up and it's already rough. I'm scared for what the next 2 months have in store for this giant body of mine. We're talking bloody noses, creaky knees, and let's just say that my wedding ring now sits in a box because my fingers are huge! I've never felt sexier to say the least *eye roll* But all jokes aside, it's getting more and more uncomfortable every day and while I know it's normal, especially with twins (you guys, I gain roughly 5 pounds A WEEK) it doesn't make it any less difficult. So I asked my fellow mamas over on the gram what their favorite pain remedies were. Warm baths, body pillows, and essential oils were mentioned several times, but the number one suggestion- a maternity massage. I had never even heard of this before! It wasn't long before I discovered <a href="http://www.becomingmomspa.com/">Becoming Mom Spa</a> and I was instantly intrigued. I joke with older women all of the time about how thirty years ago when they were pregnant, women didn't have all of these resources at their fingertips, the good and the bad. But a spa dedicated to expectant mothers? Now that is an idea I can stand behind.<br />
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I went there yesterday and had the slightest bit of anxiety on the drive up. It was new and unfamiliar which always gets me a little restless. But I was greeted immediately with calming music, relaxing smells, and smiling faces behind the desk and that anxiety disappeared instantly. They offered me treats and water and let me waddle back and forth to the bathroom as many times as I needed to without feeling rushed. I first met Renee who handed me a giant fluffy robe that felt like a cat giving me a hug and I climbed up on the table for my facial. The longest, most thorough facial of my life. She was the sweetest most friendly thing and I yacked her ear off from beginning to end, but I could have slept through the whole process if I hadn't kept asking her questions about her life (I'm a blogger, what do ya expect?). She also gave me advice on what my skin will do once these babies are out and made me feel so much relief because I don't even recognize my face anymore. After the best, drool-worthy facial, I moved to the next room for my body massage where I was met with another smiling face. I laid on my left side first and wiggled under the blankets and before she even came in the room to start, I was already feelin' goooooood. She focused on my lower back, knees, and ankles (someone remind me to send her a Christmas card. I love her) and I could just feel all of my tight knots and joints loosening up. Between the dark room, her soothing voice, and her magical fingers that had the ability to knead my body like dough, I could have slept in that room forever. No seriously, I nearly got an Uber home because of just how relaxed I was.<br />
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It was a perfect afternoon that I am still feeling the relief from and it is now my #1 suggestion for any women out there expecting a baby or postpartum. As a total newbie to Becoming Mom Spas and being a mom in general, I think I can safely say that this company has a number one goal in mind- to let us women with 2000 questions and concerns about our bodies and babies relax for a few hours knowing that they have done the hard part for us and we are in the best hands, literally. Everything they are using to make us feel good is safe and natural; from the body oils all the way down to the nail polish they use (Natural Nail Polish!!) So the time that you spend there is dedicated to strictly relaxing your head and body while not worrying for a few hours of your day ...until you leave and go back to the real world to google "How much Dr. Pepper is safe during pregnancy"? and "Can I take my husband's multivitamin if I run out of prenatal pills?"<br />
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If you are expecting or want to make an expectant mama's day, check out <a href="http://www.becomingmomspa.com/">Becoming Mom Spa</a> for specialty maternity massages, nail & skin services, and even ultrasounds! Thank you so much to the ladies that gave me the best afternoon (and nights sleep) I've had in weeks!!<br />
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*this post is sponsored and all opinions are my own.jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-26274817565267127042018-05-22T12:30:00.001-07:002018-05-23T07:21:09.519-07:00baby blueprints & a baby update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">It's been a wild couple of weeks lately and this blog kinda took a backseat to just about everything. have you missed me!? Don't answer that. But I needed to take some time to handle some heavy stuff that was going on in our home with our babies. If you follow along at all through other social media sites, you have a good idea of what I'm referring to. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">As of last Thursday, we were told by our doctor that it looked like our baby A had clubbed feet and that our baby B had a cleft lip. She told us that she wanted us to go see a specialist who would be able to tell us for sure and I instantly lost it. I laid back on the table while she and Andrew both tried to calm me down and relieve me from my panic. And while telling us this and trying to keep me calm, my doctor must have repeated five times “We just can’t get a good angle of them, we can’t tell, this is not definite, don’t start panicking". It didn't help. I still panicked. While I know these are both minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of life and pregnancy, it was still scary and totally intimidating and caught me completely off guard. It made me feel more guilt and disappointment in myself than I ever knew possible. I thought I screwed them up and I thought I caused these issues. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first day was definitely the hardest and it was a long six days of trying to be optimistic and wait for our doctor's appointment. The night before going, I absolutely broke down and was basically dragged to the specialist the next morning where we would find out what exactly was going on in there. We arrived 15 minutes early as instructed and after an hour of taking nearly 200 ultrasound photos, trying to focus on breathing and squeezing all of the life out of Andrew’s hand, our doctor told us the best news possible. Not only did baby B’s mouth look totally fine and cleft lip free, but baby A’s little feet weren’t of much concern either. At this point they’re so small and wiggly that they can’t tell much on the foot and the baby could be born perfectly “normal” or need a brace of some kind. Pfff that's nothing. I can take that no problem! I sat on the table and cried the most relieved tears of my life. We were able to see our babies sucking on their hands, they had each grown 3 ounces in just six days, and they even went from being head down in the lower right section of my belly to facing each other completely flipped around with their heads kinda under my belly button. Their hearts, brains, and spines looked good and we couldn’t be more thankful that the last few days are over. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I never knew I could love and worry about someone (or two someones) so much without knowing them. I've never cared about anything so much in my life and now, I worry about them all day every day. I wish they could just shoot me a text from in there and tell me "hey! we're fine You don't need to feel so guilty if you want to eat Taco Bell!". We're at nearly 23 weeks and while I'm feeling good most of the time, I'm ready for them to be earth side. I'm ready to see them and hold them and smell them (Oh my goddddd I can not wait to smell them) and look back on this pregnancy as a challenge that I'll never have to face again. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Especially with twins, they tend to come earlier than expected. So even at 23 weeks, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be waiting 17 more weeks to meet us. It could be sooner and we're trying our bet to get as prepared as possible and that project started with the nursery. I wanted that room done as soon as possible so I could just kind of check it off of my mental list of things to do (that list also includes clean behind refrigerator, vacuum all air vents, and figure out how to give a cat a bath) But first up, the nursery! Every few days, it comes together just a little bit more. It is now filled with cribs and baby books, and more Goodwill onesies than I knew existed. I wanted to keep it pretty simple, soothing, and calm in there with not a long going on (before our kids take it over and make a mess of it) </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So a few months back, a friend of mine tagged me to show me an Etsy shop called <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/babyblueprint">Baby Blueprint</a>. I'm so glad she did because it introduced me to what would soon be my favorite piece in our twin's room. A print from one of their ultrasounds (Specifically, my favorite print of them. They're still tiny but they're just starting to look like babies and they still fit in one frame. We called them our water babies. Do you remember those dolls?!? They're too big now to fit in one photo and it's totally bittersweet. Isn't that crazy!?) The prints come in a variety of sizes and colors, but a simple black one was right up my alley and it turned out so very perfect, I cried when Andrew brought it home. No seriously. I had been in a bad mood from bleeding gums and a sore lower back and he walked in with a big smirk on his face and said "I got something that will cheer you right up" I said "I doubt it. I'm not comfy today." and then he pulled out our twin's first framed photo together and I smiled ear to ear. I'm so excited to keep it in our nursery and then move it to our photo gallery wall once they're older. Thank you so much <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/babyblueprint">Baby Blueprint</a> for making this mama's day, week, and month. We love it so much! </span></span><br />
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this post is sponsored by <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/babyblueprint">Baby Blueprint</a></div>
jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-62763576641575475452018-05-03T15:19:00.002-07:002018-05-03T15:24:07.372-07:00mocktails for mamas: grapefruit & pink orange spritzer <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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this past Sunday, I went and got Mexican food with a few girlfriends. We sat on the patio and ate 30 baskets of chips and it was so so good to see them and have them rub on the bump a little bit. But I gotta say, it was the first time I have realized ever in my life, even after a hundred years of working behind a bar, just how few drink options there are besides water and soda for a pregnant woman surrounded by her margarita lovin' besties. Even a few weeks back, Andrew and I tried out a new taco place and I got a virgin margarita just for fun. Nope. Tasted just like lemon lime Gatorade. I've never been so jealous watching someone slurp down a salt rimmed beverage and I'll be perfectly honest I can't wait to go back into my little routine of having an adult drink at night with my friends or husband once this pregnancy is over. The moment I peed on that stick at roughly 5 weeks along, we both quit all of our bad habits and haven't looked back and I'm so damn proud of us but in the meantime, I gotta shake it up! Now that it's finally warming up outside, I'm ready to fire up the grill and sit on patios pronto so it felt like the perfect time to try out some new mama mocktails and this was first up. A grapefruit and pink orange spritzer (by "spritzer" I just mean soda water, but I miss you white wine) with rosemary and honey. Super easy and delish and you'll feel just as fun and free spirited as you watch your friends get a buzz. Speaking of buzzes, I think this drink would be perfect with tequila so if you're having friends over, make a huge batch and just add liquor per request. Just be mindful to not do a switcharoo! No one needs to see a pregnant woman dancing on tables!<br />
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for 4 servings, you'll need:<br />
3-4 grapefruit<br />
2 pink oranges<br />
2 tablespoons honey<br />
8-10 sprigs of rosemary (extra for garnish if that's your thing)<br />
crushed ice<br />
club soda<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">O</span>ver medium heat, combine your honey and rosemary for about 5 minutes. While that's working, <span style="font-size: large;">S</span>tart squeezing your fruit (doing this procedure always reminds me of when I met Andrew. he was my boss at a tequila bar and I would come in early and squeeze limes for him just to hang out with him. now I just squeeze his limes for fun ;) <span style="font-size: large;">R</span>emove your honey & rosemary from heat. <span style="font-size: large;">A</span>dd crushed ice to glasses. <span style="font-size: large;">P</span>our your honey & rosemary mixture into your citrus juice mixture and stir vigorously (if you can, shake it until frothy. but stirring works fine, too!) <span style="font-size: large;">P</span>our over ice and garnish with fruit chunks or rosemary or both if it's the weekend.<br />
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like I said before, a shot of tequila in this would probably be delicious and I'll report back on that theory in about 6 months :) enjoy mamas and happy weekend!jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-29883993681876185332018-04-19T15:35:00.000-07:002018-05-23T07:21:20.021-07:00if all of pregnancy felt like the second trimester, the population would triplein my best Janice from Friends impersonation, Oh. My. God. You guys, there are definitely still hard days here and there and some weeeeird pregnancy side effects (blood blisters on my fingers? hearing my hear beat in my ear all throughout the day? STILL hating the smells of spices/meat?) but so far this second trimester has been a dreamy wonderland compared to that haunted house of a first trimester that I will never experience again. At this point, it seems like a distant nightmare. The feelings of crippling anxiety and not wanting to leave the house just don't make sense now. I say to myself over and over <i>what was I so afraid of? </i> but in the moment, it doesn't matter. It's paralyzing and no one can talk you through it. It was all on me to breathe, cry, take a bath, or just close my eyes and get through each time that my anxiety was overwhelming me. But once we hit the 12 week mark, my doctor prescribed me to an anti anxiety medication and between that and my hormones finally calming down a little bit, life is finally starting to come back into focus. Feelings of fear are being replaced with excitement and feelings of dreading to leave my bed are replaced with <i>"hey you wanna run to Target?!" </i><br />
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Today marked 18 weeks of being pregnant. We stay up Wednesday nights until midnight when our pregnancy app switches us over to the next week's size/baby update and it's lame but we love it. They are now the size of sweet potatoes with eyelashes and are learning to smell and swallow. It's 51% beautiful and amazing and 49% creepy to me still. I mean... there are people inside me. That's just weird! Our next appointment will be an intimidating one filled with checking on hearts and brains and we hope for the best results possible. So far our doctors have told us we're in great shape and everyone in there is right on track so we're just going to keep being positive and giving these babies whatever they want (last night, it was a bag of carrots and a bag of gummy worms. I'd like to think each baby has a very unique sense of appetite!) </div>
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To celebrate the day, I figured it was time to let my maternity leggings get a break from their daily job of holding me all together and go out to find some maternity clothes. Anyone that knows me well, or not even well, knows I don't spend a bunch of money on clothes and usually I could care less what I'm wearing. I'm frugal to a point so buying clothes that will only be useful to me for a year or so was hard. But several people suggested an outlet shop nearby and I walked out with several pairs of jeans, dresses, shorts, and more.... all for $31!! I nearly hugged the cashier. I got home and showed them all to Andrew and had myself a nice little fashion show and for the first time in months, not only did I feel proud of myself, I felt good about myself. I was able to get into my car and sing along to the radio and talk to my babies and go through a drive thru for food and shop at a store all by myself without even once having to talk myself through it. A pastime I used to thoroughly enjoy of being on my own and doing my own thing has seemed daunting for so many weeks that I've lost count. and today I did it. and the reward was stuffing my sweet potatoes into new pairs of jeans and looking forward to this belly getting bigger and bigger, now that we've got the waist band ready for it! </div>
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This pregnancy stuff isn't for everyone. and it's harder than hell to watch your body change right before your eyes. But we are so lucky to be experiencing this and I'm so proud of how far I've come on my own and how great we are doing as a team. We are almost HALF WAY DONE and I'm so excited to meet them!! and since no blog post out there is worth a damn without some photos, here's a few of my bump in our new clothes!! aren't they cute?!</div>
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jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-2357716949000414452018-03-22T17:02:00.001-07:002018-03-22T17:03:36.138-07:00a gender neutral nursery inspo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-78072281947869423962018-03-10T17:22:00.004-08:002018-03-22T17:03:46.699-07:00how to keep your pregnant wife happy: advise from my husband. <div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*this cute little video seemed kind of relatable, although Andrew didn't need to take a breather on a doctor's table once we found out about our twin surprise. That guy has been a champ from the get go and I couldn't ask for a better partner. And now that he's a bloggin' husband, it only seemed appropriate for him to write up his own post on a subject he has become quite familiar with the past several weeks- how to keep me from bursting into flames or tears.*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My First Blog!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of you may know me from previous posts on <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://lovejamiedawn.com&source=gmail&ust=1520815540201000&usg=AFQjCNEySpcMunlpPsRxXVj-bo5weaaQyQ" href="http://lovejamiedawn.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">lovejamiedawn.com</a>, others may just now be getting your first introduction to me. So, hello! I’m Andrew, I’m a Virgo and I enjoy half a pack of sweet and low in my Iced tea. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It has been an exciting 7 and half(ish) weeks since learning that we were expecting a baby! Even more exciting in the past 4 and a half(ish) weeks since we learned that we were expecting two babies! (2 babies) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I’m sure there is with every pregnancy, there has been some highs and some lows. As a man, I can’t even begin to imagine everything that is happening within the body and mind as two humans grow inside of you, so I have been doing my best to be there for Jamie and help with everything I can. So for any expected moms out there that have a boyfriend/husband/baby daddy that may need some insight, I thought I’d list out some of the things I’ve been doing. Some of these tips & hints may sound medically related, please don’t consider any of this actual medical advice, I didn’t attend any form of Med School (Although I have watched the first few seasons of House, many times)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Be there for all the appointments</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Going to the doctor’s office can be stressful, emotionally draining, and scary. There isn’t really anything that the doctors need you for, but your presence there can help your SO more than you probably think</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Think about what’s for dinner/lunch/breakfast</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Not only is your SO not going to want to cook, they are going to hate things they used to love and love things they had never thought about eating before. Pay attention to the things that seems to go along with their appetite and plan the meals you cook around that (also, take it easy on seasonings and extremely aromatic foods)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep her drinking water</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>If she is growing a baby, then that is pushing on her bladder, she is peeing (a lot – don’t tell her that though) Water is a key component in the body, she needs it, the baby needs it. Make sure you are staying on them about always having water with them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Do what she asks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Don’t be a dickhead. The roller coaster of emotion going on in her life is possibly going to make things seem strange to you. Just go with it. If she wants to put her cold feet on you, just let her. If she wants to eat Dorito and pickle sandwiches for dinner, you make a plate of pickle and Dorito sandwiches for dinner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Be there to listen and have patience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>There are going to be a lot of thoughts, fears, emotions and they are going to come and go as quick as they can. Be the reassuring voice for her. Let her vent her thoughts, and then help her think them through. Be patient, especially if this is a first pregnancy, no one knows what they are doing. No question is stupid, do your best to give the best answer you can to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Take over the cleaning duties</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>If your house is like ours, it stays pretty squeaky clean 99.7% of the time. All of that credit is to my wife. She does a great job of sweeping/mopping/dusting/etc…<wbr></wbr>Guess what is more important now, growing babies. A clean house is a calm house. Don’t be a slob and expect your wife to continue to keep up with house cleaning as she did prior to the pregnancy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Love her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Duh. Tell her she’s beautiful. Give her a good hug for no reason. Just let her know that you are there for her, without having to say it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay – Whew. First Blog complete. I’d like to thank everyone that made this possible. My agent, my baby mama, and most notably Baby A and Baby B. If everyone has enjoyed this piece, let me/her/someone know – and maybe I’ll pop up for a guest appearance again. </span></div>
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jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-66314364999584041902018-03-08T18:47:00.001-08:002018-03-22T17:04:01.965-07:00my first trimester essentials <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wish I could start this post with a <i>hip hip hooray! I'm feeling all better! </i>But that would be the biggest lie ever. I threw up this morning out of nowhere and I've had Ritz crackers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So we aren't quite out of the woods yet, but I'm definitely feeling much better than I did a few weeks ago. It was probably the hardest and worst 1.5 months of my life and it felt like it would never end. I get antsy just thinking back on it. Moving on! </div>
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We had our 11 week ultrasound this past Monday and it was the neatest thing I have ever experienced. I didn't realize that this early on, the babies would start to look like... well...humans. But they did! We saw arms and legs and a whole dance party going on in my uterus. I'm glad they're having a good time in there while I've lived on the bathroom floor :) their heartbeats were strong and they wiggled around at us. I cried a lot as always. It's scary when you hear "high risk pregnancy" with twins, of course, but I'm trying to look at our glass half full and focus on the good. Like how we get to go to the doctor's often, see our babies, and ask a million questions. (they love me there.) I can't say enough how much a compassionate team of women on our side is putting me at ease. Myself included! I apologize to Andrew about a hundred times a day for being a burden, being weak, for being constantly upset, for being so needy, for not cleaning the house. And god, that man just smiles, rubs my head, kisses my forehead and tells me I'm perfect. I made this quick little post of my top 5 first trimester staples, but if I'm being honest, his face should be #1 on that list! He's mine only though, so here's the other essentials that you can buy for yourself :)<br />
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actually, this is more of a nightly routine kinda list, but that's ok. My days are pretty much filled with one thing on my to do list: stay alive.<br />
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1. Start your evening with a nice warm bath featuring <b>Epsom salt</b>. I found waaay too much research good and bad online about baths while pregnant. So much information that it ruined a relaxing bath by worrying. So I talked to my doctor who said baths are great! just keep the water not super hot, make sure your skin doesn't turn red, and watch your heart rate. (sometimes I'll take an ice water in there with me to balance it out) but a hot bath with Epsom salt helps with achy bodies and anxiety (epsom salt has magnesium in it so it soaks into your skin)<br />
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2. after your bath, rub down with <b>Cocoa Butter stretch mark lotion</b>. This is my first pregnancy so I have no idea what's "normal" and what's more of a twin pregnancy trait. But ... At 12 weeks, my belly is already creepin' out. After every bath and shower, I slather globs and globs of this stuff on my stomach, boobs, and thighs. It smells pretty good (although if I'm being honest, smelling <i>anything </i>that often gets old. but if it helps keep my belly from looking like a road map, I'll deal with it)<br />
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3. Once you're settled into your pajamas or your husbands oversize t shirt, sip on some<b> Natural Calm</b>. THIS is a big one. Most people that read along on here know that this pregnancy has brought on super high anxiety for me. (I even thought I was having a panic attack and that's why we went to Urgent Care, where we found out we were pregnant to begin with! What a lovely story haha!) anyway I don't try and understand the science behind it, but I know I'm not alone. A girlfriend of mine absolutely saved my life when she recommended taking this from her own experience of anxiety during pregnancies. Most people don't realize they have a magnesium deficiency and it can easily trigger anxiety. A scoop of this magical powder in a glass of water every night helps me to calm the fuck down. you can feel it taking action and it's my number one recommendation to anyone, pregnant or not.<br />
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4. While you sip your drink and slip into a relaxing coma, scrub down your legs with a <b>body brush</b>. I bought this months and months back to help with circulation and cellulite. It was great. But one of my top pregnancy symptoms was restless legs while I try to fall asleep. Truly one of the most aggravating feelings out there. Andrew scratches my legs with the brush before I go to sleep and I swear it does something to help keeping the blood moving and keeps my legs from freaking out all night.<br />
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5. By now, you should feel like a bowl of jello. So sink into bed and turn on an <b>oil diffuser.</b> We put one on our wedding registry and it has become a nightly necessity. A few drops of lavender oil help me to fall asleep and avoid a night of tossing and turning. </div>
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who knows if I'll add anything to my essentials as we creep our way into the second trimester, but these are the key ingredients that are helping me to keep my head up, stay strong, and know that there is an end in site. and most importantly, I will get through this! Thanks you guys for reading along with the craziest journey ever! Twin pregnancy! jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-41396611814007755052018-02-15T10:32:00.001-08:002018-03-22T17:04:44.378-07:00a Valentine's day baby update <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hAfaTM1fF_GHIzeRu5Hihg6JJqEH9iH3Tzkhlp0Z74rKmwfU2VBKRiJNepCJ27jl3FhLH_jGKzMtJ1QVmEe9cwHzFu3lg_lMbQo9BEcEMz3NnTXTWPeGOXv-rNHxotArKUODFrUyY1I/s1600/IMG_3621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hAfaTM1fF_GHIzeRu5Hihg6JJqEH9iH3Tzkhlp0Z74rKmwfU2VBKRiJNepCJ27jl3FhLH_jGKzMtJ1QVmEe9cwHzFu3lg_lMbQo9BEcEMz3NnTXTWPeGOXv-rNHxotArKUODFrUyY1I/s1600/IMG_3621.jpg" /></a></div>
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^ two half dozen roses, one from each baby, as my Valentine's day gift. Oh, and my husband got me a bag of Doritos too. Three perfect gifts that I won't put in order of importance </div>
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happy day after Valentine's! I'm writing this from my bed where I'm grabbing mystery chocolates from a heart shaped box and just hoping for the best (the ones with the cherry in the middle? gross. So so gross) it's been a long couple of weeks of growing humans and so far all I can say is- I'm not sure how the population is so high. I don't think I could do this a second time. Granted, I've been reassured by several moms that have had single pregnancies and have also carried twins and pretty much all of them agree that twins are just ... harder. I hate to sound like an even whiner victim, but I'm trying to tell myself that every time I feel myself starting to lose it or think there's something wrong with me. I posted a photo on my Instagram account recently acknowledging how hard this has been so far and the out pour of love from so many mamas from all over was overwhelmingly beautiful. It makes me feel less alone (and crazy) when other women are telling me that this is all normal. And yes, we are lucky. yes, this is a blessing. yes, this is beautiful. But fuck, I am allowed to tell the world how uncomfortable I am and let everyone out there know that pregnancy is not just sunshine, rainbows, and cute monthly bump photos. It's hard. And I love all of you for letting me scream that from the rooftops freely. </div>
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Our babies are growing like crazy and it's soooo cool to read my pregnancy app every morning and see what's going on in there and what's on their agenda. I call my midwives way more often than I care to admit and ask the most lame questions that I need answered immediately: can I eat blue cheese crumbles? Can I sit in a hot bathtub? Can I take a men's multivitamin if I run out of my prenatals? Can my kids sense when I'm masturbating? (the answers in order: yes, yes, yes, LOL no) and luckily, they are all angels with senses of humor and seem to deal with crazy people like me on the regular. But god aren't women just such bad asses?! I can't believe our bodies can do this! and t's no wonder I'm exhausted all the time. "<i>Sorry I didn't get around to doing the laundry today, I'm growing eyeballs and toes for two people growing inside of me." h</i>as become my new go to joke and luckily, I live with a saint. Andrew has kept the house clean, fridge full, laundry done, rubs my legs, let's me cry all the time, sleeps on the couch, and runs every errand under the sun so that I can focus only on relaxing and staying alive over here. We're almost out of the "hard part" and I'm already seeing a bump growing, my skin looking better, and my mood is slowly improving. </div>
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We went to dinner last night to celebrate our last Valentine's day where we can avoid a wait and sit at a bar. We held hands and kissed and enjoyed the date that has been our first in a while. But about forty minutes later, I was ready for the check and to get my ass back home. just writing this out has exhasusted me so it's time for my 3rd bowl of cinnamon toast crunch for the day and yet another nap. </div>
jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-88233999545786070092018-02-06T16:20:00.000-08:002018-03-22T17:04:30.944-07:00we're pregnant times two and holy crap what!?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLcnGbEA60bwsCONC9xMdP2kcfcnQR620MbsYsELXxg1e04twFngjPrNg3VqvfVYO6yX3S8D426gW4O1_dB-R8oHmh8hJ9cfFnTPxBm5J6fKNRveM8nf-WMV-TPQgQlMUsIiUdVc-yLE/s1600/IMG_3427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLcnGbEA60bwsCONC9xMdP2kcfcnQR620MbsYsELXxg1e04twFngjPrNg3VqvfVYO6yX3S8D426gW4O1_dB-R8oHmh8hJ9cfFnTPxBm5J6fKNRveM8nf-WMV-TPQgQlMUsIiUdVc-yLE/s1600/IMG_3427.jpg" /></a></div>
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ok, so I know in my last post I may have briefly at length written about my uncontrollable anxiety. I may have touched a little bit on how my emotions have been insane lately. I guess I left out a pretty big piece of the puzzle. We're pregnant! The story is kinda funny and kinda awful but it's ours to share and share we shall! </div>
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a few weeks back Friday the 19th of January, we were on our way to a ski trip with family. I had been looking forward to it since even before our wedding and couldn't wait to hit the slopes with my brand new husband and the fam. So we woke up that morning and started our drive up north when I just started feeling.... off. I feel nauseous and uncomfortable in the car and totally had an out of body experience of feeling weird. It scared the shit out of me. We stopped multiple times for me to get out of the car and just breath a little bit. I called my mom at one stop and her first question, as always, was "could you be pregnant?" i can't explain how much that woman has wanted a grand kid and so it's always her first solution to any problem. So at this point, my answer was "no, I think I'm just having some sort of anxiety attack? kinda? I don't know." so a few more Wendy's bathrooms later, we were finally at our hotel. I was dehydrated so after chugging several plastic cups of water and gumming down a banana, I felt just the slightest bit better. slightly. We're talkin' don't look at me, don't breathe toward me, don't ask how I'm feeling because it could shift at any second. We shared a room that night with my mom and step dad where I sucked on peppermints and cried myself to sleep. In the morning, I felt awful again. Tingly handles, hotter than hell, and nauseous again. I had looked forward to this trip for weeks and I wanted to experience skiing with Andrew who had never been so I gave it my best effort to suck it up, get my ski clothes on, and get in the car. Five minutes later, upon arrival at the ski lodge, I knew that skiing wasn't in my future that day. I walked out of the lodge by myself and threw up in some bushes while snowboarders walked by. It was a lovely site to see I'm sure! I finally made it to my car where I knew something was wrong. I told Andrew I cannot do this and I gotta get out of here. </div>
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It made sense to us, being from out of town and having no clue what was wrong with me, to hit up the Wal Mart pharmacy down the street. But it took about 2 minutes of the pharmacist watching me sob for her to suggest we go to the urgent care down the road. SO! We get there and I poured my heart out to a doctor. I felt like I was losing my mind, couldn't breathe, I didn't want anyone to try and console me, and nothing made me feel better. The doctor was sweet enough and pretty much just summed up this was an anxiety attack of some kind and without much more discussion, she sent us across the street to Walgreens with a prescription in my hands for Prozac and Xanax. At this point, I guess I felt a little bit of relief knowing that magical pills would soon be in my hand, but even sitting in the Walgreens waiting area, I couldn't shake the feeling that something else was going on. So, while Andrew munched on a small box of cheerios and some Starbucks drink in the lobby chairs, I bought the cheapest pregnancy test Walgreens had to offer. And about 30 seconds later, our world was flipped on its ass because holy fuck babe we are pregnant! My first reaction was crying and laughing and crying because holy crap is this real!? And my soon after second reaction was yelling to the pharmacist "don't hand me a Xanax! Don't give me Prozac! We're pregnant!" we caused quite a scene. Well, I did. So big that the pharmacist came out from her little cubicle to give me a hug and say "congrats! You might wanna head back over to the urgent care" so we did. The doctor apologized for not immediately asking if there was any chance we were pregnant and we all three had a good, nervous, terrified laugh. I must have asked Andrew "what are you thinking right now?" 10 times in the 5 minute drive back to the ski lodge, where I couldn't find my mom soon enough. She was sitting at a table in the lodge when we pulled out our pregnancy test and changed her world forever. She screamed, she cried, she hugged us, and then she got back on the ski lift haha. I called my dad and a few others because I can't keep a secret to save my life (obviously) and that was that. We were pregnant. Married for a few months with a baby on the way, no clue how far along, and with a million questions that would remain unanswered until we got home. I owe the world to my baby cousin for paving the pregnancy path for me. She suggested I try out her OBGYN and saved me god only knows how much time and stress of finding someone I liked. So we made our first appointment for Tuesday the 23rd, where we learned 1. Yep, you guys are pregnant and 2. You're not very far along at all. So it didn't leave much room for excitement, more so just anxiety of hoping everything would be fine for the next few weeks. </div>
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*this appointment was on Tuesday. It was that Friday night that we decided to not go on our trip. I know, I'm a big fat liar. While everything in my post was true, my anxiety was through the roof and it was an honest nightmare, it's safe to assume that my pregnancy hormones had a huge part in all of it*</div>
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So a few weeks went by of no more smoking, no more drinking, plenty of puking, lots of crying, and about 100 questions asked and answered in various mommy Facebook pages. Which leads us to today!!! The day started like I knew it would, me crying because i was terrified. Terrified to not hear a heartbeat, scared that the baby was a dream we made up, worried that somehow I wasn't doing enough to keep it alive for those two long weeks. Andrew assured me that no matter what, we were fine. We weren't trying, we're young, we will be OK no matter what. So we got to our appointment, laid down on the table, and stared up at the screen hoping to see anything resembling what I've googled as a healthy fetus floating around in there. And then we heard it- a heart beat! A tiny little heartbeat of a hummingbird that instantly made me cry in relief. We did it! So far, so good, and it's alive and my body did what it was supposed to do!</div>
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Everything looked good and we all three started giggling about the good news. And then the technician moved around her vagina probe and told us she had some kind of sad news. There was a second sac but it looked as though it didn't grow the way it was supposed to. The thoughts of two babies was way too much for my head to wrap around but it was a wild thought for a second. <i>whoa. two. could you imagine? </i>And then, with a little more navigating with that wand of hers, 5 seconds later, she says "oh wait. Hang on. yep! there it is, two! Two heartbeats. Do you see them?" </div>
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and I did. I saw two little firecrackers up on the screen blinking like crazy and I couldn't stop laughing and haven't stop laughing since 11 am this morning when our lives changed x2. </div>
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we are having twins. Twin babies. Two babies will be relying on us to keep them alive and love them forever and while it still doesn't feel real, it feels right. It feels like whoever is controlling this universe knew that Andrew and I would have enough love and life to give to not one baby, but two. We are so blessed and even now, several hours later it's hard to see my computer screen through the tears. We're scared, we're nervous, and we're gonna be broke forever haha. But holy shit- here we go!! babies!!! </div>
jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-25259367835992312532018-01-31T08:19:00.001-08:002018-01-31T08:19:58.946-08:00today, I'm 30!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPDCyRyLQ671AEOxmiYRn0Ov_iOg9lBRynARW6k6-aFokRa4dDzLnZtEND0cWyDs_An6r6d-erVtnRPiG72-nRHqgfRDIEokr3ablXL6ehBsuJvY2aXLAVfY3yNpDDHVvP9-B29gzLbc/s1600/IMG_3221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPDCyRyLQ671AEOxmiYRn0Ov_iOg9lBRynARW6k6-aFokRa4dDzLnZtEND0cWyDs_An6r6d-erVtnRPiG72-nRHqgfRDIEokr3ablXL6ehBsuJvY2aXLAVfY3yNpDDHVvP9-B29gzLbc/s1600/IMG_3221.jpg" /></a></div>
I haven't posted in a while because while this blog is my baby and has been for many years, we've had a lot going on. But I owe it to myself to keep all of my thoughts straight so here I am writing now after a long hot shower with my hair twisted up in a white fluffy towel and my robe on with my fingers going a mile a minute and making countless errors because I feel like I have so much to get out and we'll see if it all makes sense in the end.<br />
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I wasn't supposed to be writing from my bed on my thirtieth birthday. We weren't supposed to be in Ohio at all. And this past Friday night, maybe 10 hours before we were supposed to be getting on a plane for Jamaica, I had the worst panic attack I've had since I can remember and through the tears I begged my husband to let us stay home. Anyone that knows Andrew knows that all he wants to do is make everyone around him happy and comfortable. I honestly get sick to my stomach thinking about how some men would have reacted in the same situation and how they would have dragged me onto the plane, kicking and screaming. I'm so lucky that I wasn't forced to feel guilty or stupid and while I watched him slowly unpack his suitcase back into his closet, I let out a sigh of relief that I knew I had made the right choice. I listened to my head, heart, and gut and I would like to think that my twenties helped teach me to do that. Listening to yourself is fucking scary because you can talk yourself in and out of just about any situation, but once I was able to take control of what was going to happen to me, I could exhale. I could start to feel my hands again, my heart rate was calming down, and I was absolutely over the moon knowing we would be staying home for my birthday. "Jamaica isn't going anywhere, babe" is about all Andrew said and I'm grateful. I don't think any amount of coaxing or breathing exercises would have got me on that plane, but it's just nice to know that my partner was in my corner. My corner in Ohio.<br />
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I bought that terribly delightful and tacky as hell treasure of a romper up there for my birthday night dinner in Jamaica. I thought a photo of us on my birthday with me wearing that would be the icing on the cake of a perfect birthday trip to send my twenties off in style. But that didn't happen. what did happen was Sunday night, while I was slowly putting away my clothes from my suitcase that I had forgotten about for two days, I saw my romper. Crunched up in a little ball next to my hair dryer and several bathing suits. I was so excited to buy this thing and now what? nothing? It will just never get to see its glory as being the perfect Jamaican thirtieth birthday outfit? It just didn't seem fair... to the romper. So while watching the Grammy's, I sat and did my makeup and hair and put on my birthday outfit and took this photo. Afterward, I changed right back out of it into my sweatpants and t shirt and washed my face. I kept that curly hair until about an hour ago. The romper went right to the back of my closet and who knows if it will ever see the light of day again but I'm glad I kept it and I'm even more glad that I trusted myself to have this photo in my bathroom, at home, where I wanted to be.<br />
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It's my birthday today. I'm thirty. Thirty freaking years old and I can't figure out yet if I totally feel it or if it will take a few, probably 12, months to set in. But I think I did my twenties proud and I'm happy to be here in the "Thirty Club" that I didn't know existed but now that I know about it, I'll be running for secretary. My twenties seemed to last forever and not long at all but I'm happy to report that most of the memories look like they were well written by someone with an excellent sense of humor. I learned that a vodka & tonic is my drink of choice, having more friends does not equal having more love in your life, and sometimes the best gifts that life can hand you are right in front of you. I look back on most of my twenties and I just gotta laugh- especially when I think back on my dating history. Oy. It leaves me with a pit in my stomach and being nearly embarrassed by most of it. So much drama and being jealous and making other's jealous and feeling bad and making other's feel bad. I'm glad it's all over. I look back on struggling to get through obstacles that other people thought were right for me and wishing I had stood up for myself more. I guess the point is I feel like I could fill a library with my wealth of life knowledge that my twenties gave me, and save the next girl some time, but I'm assuming most thirty year old women agree and let's face it- typing is exhausting. So one simple post here is enough to say <i>hey twenties! You were harder than hell and so fucking amazing but it's time I moved on and left you with new girls ready to learn all of your lessons</i>. If there's one thing I took away from this past decade, It's that I never once have spoken my mind or stood up for myself or for how I felt and regretted it. I should have done it even more. My mouth has gotten me in plenty of trouble, and I assume it's more annoying than inspiring for most people, but I tried to never be the one to sit back and not speak up and I'm proud to walk into my thirties standing tall with an even bigger mouth and opinion. Get ready!<br />
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My emotions are on high today and every few minutes, my phone is lighting up with another person telling me to have a happy birthday and that they love me. I'm bawling. I'm completely overwhelmed by it. I can't believe how lucky I am to have so many people choose to be in my life and stick around for the good and the bad. I love you all right back and thank you for being a part of my 20's.jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-22267828915512982892018-01-09T17:54:00.001-08:002018-01-09T18:05:47.529-08:00my favorite skin and hair products<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTmihCMSSeGyBAtK_UAJ5mHOR9KBsbuAKrdFlKpsMu-thJatouZBUOCGi-GY0y_if9kQe74tYcVGZioOElV18pIiP0B5Sl1RVi06SRiNSp9RAEKdyvwlTBk91eH3Z3VUDOb7rbujC-Wk/s1600/skin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTmihCMSSeGyBAtK_UAJ5mHOR9KBsbuAKrdFlKpsMu-thJatouZBUOCGi-GY0y_if9kQe74tYcVGZioOElV18pIiP0B5Sl1RVi06SRiNSp9RAEKdyvwlTBk91eH3Z3VUDOb7rbujC-Wk/s1600/skin.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.lushusa.com/body/body-lotions/sleepy/06823.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7dHSBRDEARIsAJhAHwiCwBeIqmmZZ3ZU68BNJYpf6IOng9s1M1Erck2RT-kmInUc-XxPhksaAt-JEALw_wcB">1</a> // <a href="https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-us/collection/oils-of-life/oils-of-life-intensely-revitalizing-facial-oil/p/p000513">2</a> // <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Davines-OI-Oil-4-56-fl-oz/dp/B006TH5DUK/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1515548794&sr=8-1&keywords=davines%2Boi%2Boil&th=1">3</a> // <a href="https://biossance.com/collections/all">4</a> // <a href="http://theordinary.com/">5</a></div>
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While I have been purging the shit out of this house, the hair and skin products section of my bathroom vanity seems to be the least affected. I try it all and I keep it all when it comes to my skin, and my hair too. (I guess it was ever since that magical <a href="http://lovejamiedawn.blogspot.com/2017/11/when-someone-you-love-cuts-off-your-hair.html">haircut</a>) anyway, I pray that our children inherit Andrew's nearly perfect and excessively forgiving skin and not mine. It's only been about ten years since I realized that my skin is and as always been the most sensitive and hard to make happy. Hell, even when I was at the beginning of the wedding dress picking process, I said to myself "<i>cover it all. Ya never know what part of this body might be breaking out in four months." </i>it would be my luck that my skin was actually pretty delightful that day, but whatever. </div>
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so here's a few of my favorite skin and hair products from this past month or so. I am the worst worst worst when it comes to making beauty habits and trying to have strict routines, but when you start seeing improvements, it's a lot easier to remember!</div>
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OK <b>number one </b>isn't so much a skin care product but good grief we purchased the Lush Sleepy lotion. Infused with lavender goodness, it will knock you out in about five minutes. Which has to be good for your skin right??? </div>
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<b>Number two</b> is something I'm trying to get better at incorporating in my weekly routine: putting good stuff on my skin before smothering it in makeup garbage. This face oil is super light weight and a little goes a long way. I put it on and let it dry before I start putting on my concealer and makeup and it glides on like butter.</div>
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<b>Number three </b>is... Oh man... a very fortunate discovery that I did not anticipate. We were out of town in Columbus after our bridal shower and walked into a funky little shop that was way too cool for us and I refused to leave without buying something. This hair oil wasn't the cheapest purchases I've ever made, but it's worth it. And for me to say that is a big damn deal. The smell is amazing, it's extra light and I swear it's helping repair my ends. And as you can see from two months of use, a little goes a looong way!</div>
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<b>Number four</b> I can't say enough good things about these oils. The company even gives out free trial samples, They're animal friendly plant based photos, and my skin is getting firmer every. single. day.</div>
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<b>Number five </b>remember that terrible skin I told you about? Oh man. I saved the best for last. The Ordinary skincare line is making the best products I've ever tried in my adult life without a prescription, for a fraction of other's prices, for acne prone skin. Nothing has ever worked so well for my skin for under $10. For $10, I'll try most anything so it was right up my alley. I also tend to trust a brand based on the branding and fonts on the stickers. Luckily, what's in the bottles is just as delightful as what's on the outside!</div>
jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-29131300913448628372018-01-07T15:02:00.001-08:002018-01-09T17:21:26.916-08:00a new year and an old friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZ7vaX-VUmZu17cs3vOKA55xhNfNj_OUUsm2I8qQxNxFWqMXezOVYAsqgMvUIACgu4D35A0YUx95m1GL8Ev3tRyz8ezNElNMqa4m4NfTItAFIQD60lJwzhEHAHFmo9ASBpHOo2wJU88E/s1600/IMG_1779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZ7vaX-VUmZu17cs3vOKA55xhNfNj_OUUsm2I8qQxNxFWqMXezOVYAsqgMvUIACgu4D35A0YUx95m1GL8Ev3tRyz8ezNElNMqa4m4NfTItAFIQD60lJwzhEHAHFmo9ASBpHOo2wJU88E/s1600/IMG_1779.jpg" /></a></div>
Gah, we are just one week into 2018 and I'm already feeling more at ease and less anxious than I did last year. Blame it on a nightmare election, planning a wedding, or several other large life experiences but 2017 kicked my ass. After the confetti settled on the New Years Eve celebration, I sat down with my brand new husband and told him I want this next year to count. I want us to not only make goals, but knock them outta the park. (one of my personal NY resolutions is to try and understand sports more. Hence the "knock them outta the park" slang.) We landed on five that were important for us as a newly married couple including taking more advantage of our city and going out in it more, cooking together 4 nights a week, and being more honest with each other. That last one is probably the one I want to focus on the most. I jokingly say that lying is OK if it doesn't hurt anyone's feelings but lately I've realized that that might not be the best road to lead one's life down so nothing but the truth in this house, no matter how brutal! ... oh, and no more shoes in the house. Oh my god, you guys. I've had some extra days off of work lately during our slow season and have been taking full advantage while I can. I've cleaned and purged this house from top to bottom. We're talking vacuumed out the heating ducts, organized the toolboxes, and cleaned the glass window on the oven. But the most disgusting of all the cleaning projects was our floors. Wood floors + a cat + salt & snow + sidewalk germs = me crying. I must have dumped the mop water 5 times from the bathtub and when I was done, the sun was actually gleaming off of the floor. One of my best friends has a no shoe rule in her house and while I love to make fun of her for it, I now get it 100%.<br />
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and! speaking of friends how cool is this. I woke up this morning to a message on good old Facebook. It was from my best friend back in high school and she wrote to tell me that she was in town with her husband and wanted to get together for a drink. Fast forward a few hours later, and I was downtown sitting bar stool to bar stool with the girl that ate lunch with me and knew the finer details of when I lost my virginity. My best friend from middle school and high school that I hadn't seen in nearly 10 years! Like any introverted extrovert, I entered the bar feeling like I was going to throw up and wanting to run away but from the second we started talking, I was glad she reached out. It's wild to see your friends from your childhood as adults and hear them talk about their lives and what they've gone on to do. It's also funny to hear them refer to a person that you don't know as their "best friend" <i>because uhhh last time I checked, back in 2006, we were besties... </i></div>
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2018, is this the kind of awesomeness I should expect for this year? Or are you just showing off? </div>
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jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-60137113636290802142017-12-23T12:21:00.002-08:002017-12-23T12:21:32.343-08:00Christmas 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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raise of hands for anyone out there that makes a nice long list of every city wide holiday activity you plan on participating in. All of the light displays, and Christmas plays, etc. And then ... well... yeah, they just don't happen. whoops! We did manage to enjoy a Christmas play, I baked plenty of goodies for neighbors, we sent out our first Christmas card, and I decorated the house so I guess we weren't a total lost cause. But we totally dropped the ball on getting a tree (those damn things are so expensive! I am fully prepared to buy a fake one on December 26th off of amazon and have no regrets) but it's been a good season regardless. My first Christmas season after getting married and it was most perfect than I had hoped. I hope everyone has had a great season and will have a beautiful Christmas eve weekend!</div>
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jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-54149319110088315142017-12-06T10:06:00.001-08:002017-12-06T10:08:09.186-08:00a winter meal staple: chicken and dumplins'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I posted recently about our <a href="https://lovejamiedawn.blogspot.com/2017/11/our-favorite-wedding-gifts-from-amazon.html">wedding registry favorites</a> and this dutch oven is slowly, OK quickly, inching its way up the list. Andrew has successfully created fried chicken, pork ribs, and now <a href="https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/classic-chicken-dumplings">chicken and dumplins</a>. I can't even remember the last time I had chicken and dumplins prior to last night but they were everything I remembered. Creamy and filling and I had three servings. In fact, I'm writing this the next day and they're even better now. Don't you love foods that do this? Is there a name for that? Meals that get better every day that they're reheated? Let me know. </div>
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So if you're searching for an easy recipe for supper (Chicken and dumplings are for when you want <i>supper</i>, not dinner) here is the recipe we used <a href="https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/classic-chicken-dumplings">here</a>. I was in charge of the dumplins and they were stupid easy to make (i know my kitchen limits. Give me the simple work) and it's kind of a fun meal to make together as a team. Just don't expect too much PDA after that second bowl. Because chicken and dumplins should always be followed by naps. On that note, goodnight. </div>
jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-32766418753162830012017-12-04T13:55:00.004-08:002017-12-04T13:55:57.375-08:00just some good stuff around the internet go <a href="https://domino.com/chris-loves-julia-marcum-design-inspiration-interview">Julia!</a> Oh I love her so much.<br />
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do you remember how to make a <a href="http://www.diynetwork.com/made-and-remade/learn-it/5-basic-paper-airplanes">paper airplane</a>?<br />
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honest and adorable <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/realistic-birth-announcements">birth announcements </a><br />
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oh shit. <a href="https://www.siperfumes.com/perfumes-of-the-zodiac/aquarius">perfume for an Aquarius? </a><br />
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an interesting read on white men and <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/11/study-white-men-facing-money-trouble-tend-to-cling-to-guns-for-power-identity/">gun control</a><br />
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two of my favorites combined to give us a few <a href="http://www.refinery29.com/fast-food-wine-pairings#slide-1">fast food and wine pairings</a><br />
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I prefer our kitchen but here are the most <a href="http://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/valentines-day/g426/most-romantic-restaurants/">romantic</a> restaurants in each city.<br />
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a <a href="https://tattly.com/collections/scented">rosemary scented tattoo?</a> I'll take 3.<br />
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Barbie came out of the <a href="http://www.dailythoughts.life/2017/12/03/barbie-finally-has-a-girlfriend-and-heres-what-she-looks-like/">closet</a> and I don't know why I love that so much.<br />
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<br />jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-76117049324528056302017-12-04T09:31:00.002-08:002017-12-04T09:34:48.449-08:006:50 am<span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">My alarm goes off at 6:50 every morning and it's becoming one of my favorite points in my day. 3 years ago, that statement would have never been uttered by me. To be fair, 3 years ago I probably wouldn't even be climbing into bed until about 5 am, but still. It’s completely pitch black in our bedroom and almost completely silent. Even if it wasn’t near winter, we keep the blinds and doors closed up pretty tight because we take our darkness seriously in this house. I wake up to the faint sound of our diffuser pumping out whiffs of lavender into the air and our “rain” app quietly playing the sounds of raindrops hitting the ocean/pavement/metal rooftop or whatever we picked the night before. (Does anyone else listen to rain sounds on their phones when it’s not actually raining? Isn’t it the dreamiest and best thing ever? Or is this creepy? We love it!) So my alarm goes off and I gently roll out of my nice warm nest of sheets and pillows as to try and not disturb the sleeping bear next to me and I enjoy the next ten minutes in the dark.
My hair is barely hanging on to the pony tail holder that’s slowly sliding off, I desperately have to pee, and the cat is already running around chasing yet another lost hair tie along the wood floor. I put on my slippers because our floors are freezing always and head straight to the kitchen.
I pull down my coffee cup, fill it with water, start up the coffee maker, and have a few minutes to start my day however I want. Which is pretty simply, I guess. I </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">take a lap around the living room, fluffing up couch pillows, I straighten the remotes on the coffee table, I plug in our endless strands of holiday lights, maybe light a candle, and head back to the kitchen to see what kind of progress that coffee cup has made.This morning, I just kind of stood in awe of it all. I stared up at all of my drinking glasses arranged neatly in a row by size and style, and then I stared down at my wedding ring that is starting to feel normal on my finger.
This simple but dreamy life that we have barely even started is the most cherished thing I’ve ever had. It was something I wanted and didn’t even realize it. It wasn't on my radar at all. And at just a few weeks into this new territory, I can’t imagine even the smallest part of it being any different. I said it for months to people, and I hoped it would end up being true, but I had a feeling life would be better when the wedding was over. I had no idea just how great it would be, though. How normal it would all become. And how safe and content it would feel.
This menial morning is what gets me out of bed, literally. From the first alarm going off, to coming back into the bedroom with my hot cup of coffee, to crawling back under the covers and kissing that scruffy face curled up next to me. The face that wakes up every single morning and mumbles “good morning my love”. As I stand in my dark little nook of a kitchen, a man that loves me so much is sleeping soundly just ten feet away (snoring like a crazy person, but still) Aside from the snoring, the house is pretty silent. Except for my coffee maker and the fake rain. But these sounds, these 6:50 in the morning sounds, I wish I could play them on repeat in my head. </span>
jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-23432275030311728272017-12-02T11:48:00.000-08:002017-12-02T11:48:31.560-08:00just a few pieces of wedding advice <div style="text-align: center;">
I'm sorry. this all HAD to be written.</div>
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- figure out a budget and stick with it. This will be a great day but it's just that. A day. Keep paying your bills, keep enjoying your date night, and keep living your life. You'll make a beautiful day no matter what.<br />
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- once you pick your budget, pick three things you're willing to spend the most on/make priority. and budget from there. Mine was my photographer. I loved her work and had to have her. I signed a contract with her the day after we were engaged. And the budgeting went from there.<br />
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- pick vendors that have worked together. My photographer has the most deep, romantic, and moody artistic style. My florist did, too. And lucky me- they have worked together. My photographer had also already shot at our venue so she had an idea of it already. It was super nice.<br />
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- choose a venue close to home/where you're getting ready/where you'll be taking photos. our little triangle of locations (home, venue, photo area) was about 5 minutes apart, each. It was amazing. I was able to veg out on my couch before the wedding and when we picked up all of our decor in the morning, we were able to make several trips really fast.<br />
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- get a scotch fabric guard on your dress. I was talked into it because who cares? but before we even got to the ceremony, I had the back of my dress wrecked from walking through mud in spike heels. Oh also, if it can apply to your dress- tell the dry cleaners it was from a photo shoot, not wedding. save $$<br />
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- if you choose to not have a bridal party, at least have one person around you all day even if it's just to have someone to chat with. At about 2:55 pm, my hair and makeup were finishing and my photographer was showing up and it was a very overwhelming feeling to look around at ...well...strangers. I should have had my mom or a friend there. My poor makeup artist had to zip me into my dress and even put my pasties on! I dunno, it was just a little lonely.<br />
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- plastic dinnerware and flatware. I wanted brass/gold tone flatware. So I started looking into prices and good lord, it was gonna cost about $1 per piece, so $3 a person, times about 140. Nooooo way in hell. Then I went to target and was walking through the party section. So I found boxes of gold flatware for $5 a box. Each box had 20 people's worth of flatware. So we got all of our flatware for about $35.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">- recruit your friends. I didn't have actual bridesmaids but I'm lucky enough that my friends were ready to help me. When people offer help, take it. If people don't offer, don't ask. </span></span><br />
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- thrift and use your own stuff. I know my taste isn't for everyone, especially probably for a wedding. but most of our decor came straight from our apartment and I love that. We got married and danced on the rug that now lives in our living room. All of the centerpieces and serving plates are mine from years of thrifting. You're gonna have a house full of shit for a while, but buy little pieces over time. then resell.<br />
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- we made all of our own desserts besides the cake (a friend of the family did that) and it saved a lot. Rice Krispy treats, chocolate and sea salt bark, and cinnamon rolls. We had just the right amount of left overs for me to know that 1. They were good and 2. We made enough.<br />
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- I thought it would be fun and kinda pretty if we made cheeseboards for every table. But with 16 tables worth of boards, I knew that would be costing us a <span style="font-family: inherit;">big chunk. So we got creative. We went to the tile and flooring store and bought 12x12 slate boards for 99<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">¢ each and bought some sticky bottomed felt pieces to put on the bottoms of each board. So that put us at a little under $20. We bought all of our cheeseboard food from Sam's Club for about $170. It was kinda fun!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">- go over your vows with your officiant. My pseudo aunt married us and it was the best idea. Looking up at two faces I love and recognize was way easier than what I picture looking at Andrew and a stranger would have been like. but go over your vows beforehand. I was dreading the ceremony and talking in front of a bunch of people and wanted it as short as possible. I wish I could have read it all together like a script. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">- fade out your "traditional" songs. Dancing with my dad for 5 minutes did not appeal to me... Or him! We gave it about a verse and a half then wrapped it up! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">- we had a lot of good feedback for our food. Andrew was in charge of the food and he did great. Lots of appetizer and finger type foods. It was nice to take a bite, get up, come back, take a bite, etc. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">- trim your guest list. Do not invite one damn person that you couldn't live without them being there. We had several friends that RSVPed that they were coming and just never showed. Didn't apologize. Nothing. And it has seriously hurt my feelings. Weddings are expensive and this fucking sucks. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">- delete your Pinterest bit by bit. At the beginning of your wedding planning, you'll probably make a Pinterest board. You'll also probably fill it with 10 different cake looks, dress ideas, and lipstick shades. As you nail down each idea, delete the rest. Keep the winners. It will keep you looking forward and it's kinda cool to see your wedding take shape on the board. </span></span><br />
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- keep your phone sooooo far away. Because people will text you asking questions, telling you they can't come, and to tell you what problem almost happened and was avoided. just put the phone somewhere and ignore it.<br />
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- eat. eat. eat. plenty of people will remind you of this, and people reminded me, too. And you might not listen to me, but I gotta say it anyway. We had a Friday night wedding at 7pm. So by 3pm, I was so miserable. I put half a carrot stick in my mouth and felt like I was going to throw up. I choked down a little water. I was zero fun. Have breakfast and save your self!<br />
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that's all I can think of right now. But I hope it helps someone!jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-76396209440386234462017-11-30T15:07:00.002-08:002017-11-30T15:07:42.691-08:00our favorite wedding gifts from amazon!I swear, a wedding advice post is coming, but this seemed more fun for a rainy Thursday! Our wedding gift favorites so far! Well, I guess this is a little wedding advice- you should register. And when you, you should register through Amazon. Their registry was super easy to navigate for us and for guests, you can link the registry right to your phone and see when gifts are purchased, it will show you when the same item becomes cheaper, AND no one has to leave their house to give or receive! Introverts rejoice! So here's our top ten, so far, that I highly recommend you get for yourself or someone you love!<br />
<br />
1.<b> Oil diffuser. </b>This thing has been a dream to have in the bedroom and I'm buying another one for the living room. Pop open the top, add water and a few drops of essential oil (lavender in the bathroom. zzzz) and hit the power button. It makes the dreamiest little bubble sounds, too!<br />
2. <b>Waffle maker. </b>So far, I've only used some waffle mix but holy shit. Plug it in, turn it on and wait for the heat, put in your batter, rotate it, and 90 seconds later you have the most beautiful waffle. Yum.<br />
3. <b>Bamboo cutting board.</b> I've always wanted a beautiful cutting board and I'm so glad we got one. It's smooth as glass and sturdy. I'm thinking with cutting boards, you get what you pay for.<br />
4. <b>White cotton bath towels.</b> We were long over due for towels anyway. These are flufftastic and super absorbent. Somehow, we registered for 2 sets and wound up with 3 so I'm saving the last pack. <br />
5. <b>Instant pot.</b> I didn't know what it was initially but apparently it's "like having 7 cooking devices in 1" according to the meal cooker of our house.<br />
6. <b>KitchenAid attachments.</b> Yes we pimped out our stand mixer and I'm stoked to play with them more in the near future. Gimme all the real pasta and a bigger jean size, please and thanks.<br />
7. <b>Turkish tea towels. </b>I've got a soft spot in my heart for dish, hand, and tea towels. I registered for three sets. seriously. I love them.<br />
8. <b>Cuisinart pots and pans set.</b> We added this to our registry after our wedding, just kinda on a whim. Like a <i>hey! Maybe we have a great uncle out there somewhere that wants to get us a nice gift! </i>turned out that my pseudo aunt got it for us and it was the best surprise ever! They are gorgeous.<br />
<i>9. W</i><b>ok.</b> again, according to this house's chef, this is a good one.<br />
<i>10. </i><b>Dutch oven. </b>I have wanted one of these bad boys forever but you know damn<i> </i>well I won't spend hundreds on something that I can find for $40. Save your money and go with this one. I got the white one :)<br />
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I've linked all of my favorites below! I wasn't on board with doing a registry from the beginning. I'm nearly 30 and have everything that I could ever need. But we had some friends and family insist and now I'm glad we listened to them. It was so fun the morning after our wedding to eat junk food in our pajamas and opening all of our new home goods that we get to start a life with together. These are <i>our</i> things. I love that. We donated all of our old linens and towels to the SPCA, all of our dishware went to family, and I have put boxes of random stuff on our stoop a few times a week (it's like a magic show watching shit disappear!) So I feel like I'm at least not being wasteful. Hope this was a little helpful to anyone looking for where to register or just anyone wanting to treat themselves this holiday! <i> </i><br />
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</iframe>jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263053044817782807.post-45895685994092554572017-11-28T07:31:00.000-08:002017-11-28T07:31:20.619-08:00an all natural, two ingredient, bad ass brass cleaner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlFSql1Gu1QepyD_PoIe2RfsuYA_GSbBM4URJNdQOy5nYIys8DMZSIJ-7U9p94WMR4Rhgu7s2pzss-TrHNLirDLsd0pBR8fvLyB3OCl4_D2kqgovAfgTPTYRDb-kT7dvhXrC6C580VoY/s1600/IMG_3144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlFSql1Gu1QepyD_PoIe2RfsuYA_GSbBM4URJNdQOy5nYIys8DMZSIJ-7U9p94WMR4Rhgu7s2pzss-TrHNLirDLsd0pBR8fvLyB3OCl4_D2kqgovAfgTPTYRDb-kT7dvhXrC6C580VoY/s1600/IMG_3144.jpg" /></a></div>
Before Andrew and I were even engaged, I already had a pretty clear idea of what style I wanted for <strike> my </strike> our dream wedding. Something dark, sexy, and dramatic. My mom and I have lovingly been calling it "gothic chic" for the better part of the year. Lots of black, animal skulls and bones, dead and live florals. You get the idea. Most of our decor came from inside our apartment (thanks, assholes, that helped themselves to some of my candlestick centerpieces hahaha!) But I knew I would be stocking up on brass candlesticks from the day we got engaged to, what turned out to be, about 4 days before we got married. I bought, found, and was gifted lots and lots of brass candlesticks in every shape and size you could imagine thanks to a few several thrift shops and the best little antique enthusiast, my stepmother. They're all beautiful. And nearly all of them were used for our wedding decor. There is just something so romantic and sexy about a brass candelabra, topped with dim candlelight... and there are currently 15 in my house. I have some super neat ones I might post about later, but right now I just gotta throw a quick post up on a magical potion for cleaning your brass. It seemed in theme, right? Because majority of our candlesticks with vintage and older and in pretty rough shape with dents and patina marks all over. So why wouldn't I find this magical until <i>after </i>the damn wedding is over? Oh well! My loss, your gain!<br />
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what you'll need:</div>
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- small bowl of baking soda</div>
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- small bowl of lemon juice</div>
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- soft/old/ready to throw it away dishtowel </div>
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- spoon<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMz2f4Qchv96VhoyaOQbmmyyFLVE4qaj2qz_-Llgse8lXQqqU5uwe2TAHut1jxVkyLJvO1hMQ0vYpTjYJ24hGdmcEsxCFo7_JTSZnWAQheXH76fGrxwXAryzY5YTseO9Ws9ulo0M3tWag/s1600/IMG_3126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMz2f4Qchv96VhoyaOQbmmyyFLVE4qaj2qz_-Llgse8lXQqqU5uwe2TAHut1jxVkyLJvO1hMQ0vYpTjYJ24hGdmcEsxCFo7_JTSZnWAQheXH76fGrxwXAryzY5YTseO9Ws9ulo0M3tWag/s1600/IMG_3126.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div>
Pour baking soda into lemon juice to make a paste (It will thicken up as you stir it) </div>
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Scoop a little and spread it all over your piece. </div>
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Wait 5 minutes. </div>
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Scrub with towel. (my towel was the ugliest green and brown afterward and was thrown away after) </div>
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Rinse and dry. </div>
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not cleaned and cleaned. left and right. Isn't that crazy!? Lemons could change the world! </div>
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jamiedawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16774185976876842717noreply@blogger.com0