all the books I need to finish

It happens every night.  Just like clock work.  I decide I'm going to read, so I look over to my night stand and what stares back at me are all the books that I've started but can't seem to finish.  And I think that I officially have a problem.  

I love books.  When I was younger I was always reading, and I had a deep love for not just any books...new books.  Whenever I would get a new book I would flip through the pages quickly as I breathed in deeply.  My mom always tried to take me to the used book store.  They were used.  And they smelled terrible (in my opinion).  And I was young and wanting new things.  Now as an adult, I can't wait to get my hands on new books.  Let's add that to the list of things I wish I knew when I was a kid.  And so now I buy new books, used books, and borrow books.  But I can't seem to finish them without starting a new one.  

My list of current books: 

Skinny B Bun in the Oven- 

this book was so informational and scary at the same time.  It is filled with nutritional information that is key to know during pregnancy, and I have found myself gasping several times out of shock from what I have read.  

Love Does- 

oh Bob Goff, you sure know how to really pull at my hearts strings and convict this soul.  If you have not read this book yet, you must get your hands on it.  Each chapter stands alone and there is always something that I come away with.  

The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy-

I must say that I have read almost all of this and it kept me company during those first few weeks I learned I was pregnant.  I love the honestly and real moments, but am not a fan on their chapter for exercising.  

What to Expect When You're Expecting-

I'm not sure this counts as this is something that will be by my bed for a while...

Bloom-

this is one of those life changing books that you can't seem to put down in the beginning.  And I'm so close to finishing it I can taste it.  Kelley writes in a powerful, real, authentic way that just gets to your heart each time you open it.  Her experiences with her daughter's birth are raw but also something that each and every woman can relate to at some point.  We expect one thing and get the other.  Seeing how she has dealt with her daughter's Downs Syndrome is unbelievable touching and powerful.  

The Honest Life-

I am in love with this book!  I had reservations about getting it.  The thought that it would be all about babies and mommyhood quickly vanished when I read the introduction.  The first chapter is all about the food you eat, where it comes from, and how to eat real, whole foods.  Each chapter is amazing and informational.  I've learned so much about what it really means when something is dubbed "natural" and the harsh chemicals that are still allowed in those products.  I am itching to finish this and to continue using this as a reference.  

Through this long list of books I do have one success, I just finished Girls in White Dresses and read it in just a couple of days! 

we're handy and other weekend updates

Well, we did it folks!  We finally installed a light fixture!  Right now we are in a 2 bedroom condo and I'm always trying to spruce it up a bit.  The latest was to install a light fixture in the dining room to replace the can light that was there in hopes of making the room feel more complete! Well, we finally went to Lowes and find a light that wouldn't break the bank that we liked.  Obstacles immediately came in when the light was more narrow than the actual hole it was going into.  Luckily we found a conversion kit, and this week at 8pm we decided to just get it over with.  One and a half hours later (and some precious learning moments in marriage) we had a light that worked!  I love that it gives the room a ton more space and makes it feel more complete.  

I have been lucky that my pregnancy has been so smooth, and that I've also been able to keep up with running.  Right now I'm running 3 times a week, 3-4 miles each time.  So if my calculations are correct, my little peanut and I have covered around 140 miles!   The heat has definitely increased and I learned my lesson the other morning when I decided to sleep in and then go running.  Wrong!  Let's just say there was a lot more walking and I chugged as much water as I could the rest of the day. 

I've definitely kept a secret from you on the blog and I'm finally okay with opening up about it.  My head is much too big for hats!  And that is the truth!  I like to think that my brain just takes up too much space...but finding a hat that fits and doesn't give me a headache is next to impossible.  Every time I walk into Target or World Market I try them on, quietly by myself in a corner so no one can see, and always walk out empty handed.  Enter the Clothe Hat from Target (similar one here).  It fits!!!  And it protects my freckled face from the sun! 

We had a very splendid weekend over in the LaFuze household.  On Saturday, the Mr. was off for the day so we embarked on our first Baby's R Us trip.  Two words: OH DEAR!  We wanted to just walk around and get a feel for what we should probably register for, and what walked out were two very overwhelmed soon-to-be parents.  I'm so thankful we still have a while to go before hitting that next step. 

After our blurry-eyed trip, we headed to our favorite spot in San Diego: Encinitas and Solana Beach where we indulged in Pizza Port and found the perfect beach spot!  Right behind Pizza Port was the entrance, and we still don't know how we haven't seen it before.  The crowd is minimal, the kids were adorable, and the husband swam like crazy.  Afterwards we came home to freshen up and pick up the house a bit before some friends came over for dinner. 

My weekend came to a perfect end when I accompanied Conni to the Long Beach Flea Market.  It was my first flea market experience and I had been wanting to go to get some plates to decorate with.  There were so many vendors that I was slightly overwhelmed, but I was able to find seven different plates perfect for decorating our dining room with.  Along the way I found the prettiest dresser that I just drooled all over.  It would look perfect in a nursery!  

I hope you all had the best weekend ever, and if you haven't already I would love to have you follow me on Bloglovin'!  

the first trimester

I think it's safe to say that keeping up with pictures during my pregnancy is not my strong point.  In the beginning we were doing pretty well, but then week 9 hit and life got crazy busy.  I won't be sharing weekly updates during the pregnancy but will check in and share my experiences so far.

I'm officially 14 weeks (pictures coming soon, I promise) and am SO happy to be in my second trimester!  Everything about this pregnancy has been a huge blessing, and me and baby peanut have been healthy and safe the entire time.  Miscarriage is something I never thought about until the minute I knew I was pregnant.  It became this huge fear in the shape of a looming cloud over me.  Each day I'd wake up and just praise God for this pregnancy.  Friends told me not to live in this fear, and enjoy each moment, and I'm so thankful for this advice.

One word to describe me during my first trimester would be: zombie.  Oh boy, was I tired.  And then the nausea hit right at week 6.  All of a sudden it seemed like nothing sounded good, nothing tasted good, but I had to have food in my mouth 24-7 in order to keep away the awful feeling of nausea.  There were days I would wake up nauseous and go to bed nauseous.  Saltines became my best friend along with sparkling juice from Trader Joe's.  I was exhausted all of the time, sometimes in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon.  Daniel was such a great support for me, and loved that I now took naps.

Something that I had always feared about being pregnant is going through body issues.  It is something that I have always struggled with...not liking my body for what it is, how it looks, the number on the scale.  So, we decided it be best that I didn't know my weight during this pregnancy.  I just make sure to tell the nurse when I check in and look away from the scale.  This has helped me to not worry about if I'm gaining too much weight, and we don't want there to be a set number in my head that I have to lose as this could potentially take away from the joy of being a mommy.  I did ask my mom yesterday, "When will I finally look pregnant and not just chunky?"  I think I will be in the this stage for a couple more weeks.  I'm dying for the day when I wake up and it just pops!  In the meantime I'm enjoying the beautiful gift my body has given me.  It brings me to tears each time I think about it.

The most amazing part of this pregnancy has been how connected Daniel and I have been.  Each night we pray over our little peanut and Daniel kisses my stomach.  He talks to our baby in crazy voices, and asks each night that it will be a boy (but he just wants a happy, healthy baby).  It cracks me up and makes me cry all at one time.  I'm definitely loving this new stage of life we are in!