Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Baby Stiller - Week 20

We are halfway to meeting our baby! Danny had a dream last night that it was a little boy, but we'll find out for sure next Monday, March 1.

Either way he/she is about the size of a small cantelope and weights about 10 oz. It certainly feels more like a bowling ball than 10 oz - especially when I run (which I'm doing less and less frequently).

I felt Baby move for the first time on Valentine's Day (we're blaming all the holiday chocolate I ate) and I feel him/her at least once a day now - just a litte tickle/vibration around my belly button.

Pants are now tight and I'm at the wonderful stage of being in between normal clothes and maternity clothes. Hair bands and Bella bands to the rescue!


Week 20 FINAL

Much thanks to Vanessa for the baby belly photo idea and the photoshop tips!

Baby Stiller - Week 17

Week 17 FINAL

Baby Stiller - Week 15

I finally caught up on some photography projects - one of which being the "belly" photos.

We actually started taking pictures weeks ago, but when your baby is the size of a lime there's nothing to see no matter how hard you look for it.

So, we're going to run you back starting five weeks ago and you can see Baby Stiller grow.

Week 15 FINAL

Photog Friends - please ignore the shabby photoshop work - it was getting late, I was getting tired, and let's just say there's lots of room for my photo editing to improve! :-)

Friday, February 05, 2010

Baby Names

I never knew what a chore it was naming a child until about six weeks ago.

Everyone has an opinion, and my opinion - well, it had better be worthy of the next 80 years because there's a chance that's how long my child will need their little name. The weight of this responsibility is thrilling and terrifying all at the same time.

So, in an attempt to know all of our "options" before we make a final decision, Danny and I have spent several evenings poring over baby name books at Barnes and Noble or checking out 20,000 baby names from the local library.

However, options are not are problem. There are more than enough options.

We both decided that we could name 50 kids if it weren't for each other.

We've also decided that we need to have about 15 kids in order to use all of our favorite names before we die.

See - this is HARD!

Just to give you an idea of what we're dealing with, let me give you a sampling of our baby name lists.

**VERY IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: We have not decided on a name yet and just because we share it below doesn't mean that we won't both change our minds 10 more times between now and July. So, if you feel strongly against one of our names, well, just make a mental note not to use that on your own child. It's amazing the things people will tell you when you share a baby name that you like!**

According to the Baby Name Wizard (which I have found is one of my favorite baby name resources), Danny likes names from the "Ladies & Gentlemen" or "Welcome Back 1900s" catagorie. His list of baby names includes the likes of Amelia, Cora, Matilda, Vera. His self-proclaimed "name style" are "vintage names that make him think of pink polka dots."

Okay, on the other hand, for boys he goes even more vintage; he prefers Biblical names like Beniah, Jeremiah, Amos and Titus. Don't worry, I've already nixed Beniah. I refuse to give birth to Ben Stiller.

Go head, think about that. I'll give you a minute to let Zoolander pop into your head. Got it, okay. Moving on.

I, on the other hand, apparently like names that fall in the "Little Darling" catagory. Names like Zoey, Everly, Shiloh, Kiva, Jada and Eden make reoccuring appearances on my lists.

For boys I prefer English or Irish surnames that tend to fall in the "-en" ending group. Samples of these include: Cullen, Kieran, Camden, Ashton, and Mason.

Do you see our problem? No two names fall on both of our lists . . . yet.

So, if you have a way to cleverly combine Jeremiah and Cullen and keep us both happy (and no, Jeremiah Cullen Stiller is NOT an option) - I'd be forever indebted. Until then I have more baby name books to check out from the library.

Thursday, February 04, 2010

GTD Goals 2010

Remember how I said that I save blogs in my Google Reader either just for future reference or because I want to take action on them - my GTD list? Well, for my own accountability and remembering here it is. You may find this totally boring - or maybe you'll find something you want to try out too!

GTD: Blogging
  1. Integrate Amazon Associates & Blogger
  2. Maximize AdSense w/ channels
  3. Blog about freezer cooking
  4. Blog about two-week menu plans
  5. Improve Alexa rank
  6. Improve blogging time management
  7. Install popular posts gadget
  8. Install recent posts thumbnails
  9. Add "tweet this" to blogger template
  10. Add rotating banners
  11. Add Card.ly widget. Add SocialFeed widget
  12. Add GoogleTalk to blog
GTD: Budgeting
  1. Try out BudgetSketch
  2. Analyze monthly food budget
  3. Optimize cell phone bill
  4. Try out Rudder
GTD: Computer
  1. Turn Gmail into the Ultimate GTD Inbox
  2. Back up online accounts (including Gmail to hard drive)
  3. Start online back up  for extern hard drive (Mozy/Carbonite/Crash Plan)
  4. Make sure iTunes is set up to store to external hard drive
  5. Speed up Mac
GTD: Couponing
  1. Update 2010 Savings Tracker spreadsheat & blog about it
GTD: Life
  1. Set a date w/ Danny to set up a will
  2. Compare insurance companies
  3. Negotiate car insurance
  4. Read about insurance premiums
GTD: Music
  1. Organize mp3 tags w/ MediaMonkey
  2. Organized iTunes w/ Pollux
  3. Stream iTunes using PulpTunes
GTD: Organization
  1. Going Paperless
  2. Create a Big Book of Everything to organize personal information
  3. Organize all manuals online
  4. Create a DIY phone charging station
  5. Try out Tarpipe (to update social media)
  6. Try out Springpad (to organize personal information)
GTD: Photography
  1. Learn Back-button Focusing
  2. Practice Metering
  3. Adjust RAW -> JPEG conversion in my camera
  4. Study aperture
  5. Understand camera lenses and here
  6. Try adding in the sun
  7. Practice changing to B&W w/o an action
  8. Focusing
GTD: Photoshop
  1. Learn Photoshop shortcuts
  2. Learn to create blog layouts
  3. Try using textures
That should be 46 GTD done items. And, considering we're five weeks into the year I'm right on track to do one item per week. Here we go getting things done!

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Reading Goals 2010

I've always enjoyed reading, and I've always enjoyed making lists. So, naturally, a few years ago I started tracking what books I was reading using Shelfari

It wasn't until I stumbled upon the book list at Passionate Homemaking that I thought about setting goals for my reading each year. I liked the idea of trying to be more balanced and well-rounded in my reading, so here is what I'll be reading in 2010 (this list in not all inclusive, I may decide to add a few books here and there as I go along).

Reading Goals:

To see what I'm currently reading check out My Shelfari.

Marriage/Wife/Home:

Parenting:
Fiction:
Non-Fiction/Memiors:
Ministry:
Finances/Frugality:
I'm always on the look out for books to add to the "I Plan To Read" list - so feel free to share your reading goals or any other suggestions you might have!

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Goals for 2010

Every year I say that my New Years Resolution is to not make any New Years Resolutions, and yet something in my Type-A personality just cannot RESIST the perfect opportunity to make a list!

So, other than survive childbirth (which is probably the most thought about and anticipated goal I've ever had), here are my Goals for 2010: 

Home/Family:

  • Plan the entire month's worth of meals by the 20th of the previous month in hopes that it reduces the weekly stress and time I spend pouring over recipes.
  • Buy more of our fruit and vegetables from the local farmer's market and research purchasing produce through a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
  • Stock pile diapers before baby comes in July.
  • Kick up the couponing after the baby comes (start shopping at more stores, expecially Walgreens).
  • Put dishes straight into the dishwasher instead of letting them pile up in the sink.
  • Every week I save numerous blogs - some just for future reference, but some I save because I want to take action on them. I call the latter group my GTD (Getting Things Done) links - what did I tell you? TYPE A! I want to work through my GTD saved blog posts and do at least one per week.
Reading:
  • Read MORE before going to bed instead of watching TV (read at least 3 days a week)
  • Read 35 books this year (beat last years 29 - see Shelfari - a follow up post will be coming on my 2010 reading list).
Photography
  • Attend a photography workshop.
  • Purchase an external flash and a 50mm 1.4 lens for my camera.
Financial
  • Finish saving for a car (for when our trusty Jeep eventually dies or we realize we need a second one)
  • Track grocery savings and spending
  • Lower grocery bill gradually, a little each month
See, nothing outrageous. In fact, some of these things I'm aleady doing - like reading before bed, planning a month of meals at a time (it is saving me a headache!), and putting my dishes straight into the dishwasher (my parents would be so proud).

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