{36 weeks & baby update}

{36 weeks}

3d ultrasounds are so neat! Isn't she just darling? Such a chunky little monkey! Dr says she weighs 5.2 pounds right now.
Cannot wait to meet her!
 The majority of my pregnancy little Giuliana has been Breech, meaning she is head up rather then head down. My 36 week ultrasound on monday confirmed that she is indeed still breech! Not a good thing as we are quickly approaching our due date. We talked about different options with my Doctor & decided we will give her another week to try to turn on her own & then attempt to manually rotate her through a procedure called External Cephalic version  if she hasn't moved by next tuesday. I am very nervous about this procedure.. I keep praying that Giuliana will just move on her own before tuesday. Dr says that there is a chance that during the procedure i could go into labor & we may  need to do an emergency c-section, or if we cant get her to move, we will still have to do a c-section. I am just so anxious and nervous about the whole thing..
 With all of the crazy abnormal things we have had go on through out our pregnancy, this is the one thing that has really made me the most nervous & scared.. I think it is because of the chance that we could have our baby next tuesday, that just seems so soon! & i hadnt really thought about having a c-section. I had just always thought about natural birth! So.. lots to think about. With all the risks, there is also the high chance that everythign will go successfully & giuliana will be moved into the right position, & the pregnancy will proceed with no more complications! This is what i am hoping for. We are ready to meet our little girl, but only if she is truly ready to meet us.

please keep our little family in your thoughts this week as we prepare for the procedure next week. Hate to admit it but i have been losing lots of sleep over this. I know it is all in God's hands & whatever is meant to happen will happen! 

{Putting up the Christmas tree}

Every year, for as long as i can remember, my family has always put up the christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. When i got married, William & I kept that tradition! 

This year was really exciting for us, because we got to use our Ruffle christmas tree skirt that i made a while back :) & our little Giuliana could be here any day! So this holiday season is very exciting for us :) 

Almost all the ornaments & decorations on our tree have a special meaning to us. Every year, as we pull out the ornaments, we reminisce about where we got the ornament and where we were in life at the time. It is always a blast remembering :)! 

{Even Irwin is exited about Christmas this year!}

{Every year, i  make something for our tree. This year, i made the tree skirt. Last year i made the pom pom garland. The year before that i made the fabric garland.}

Do you have any special Christmas/Holiday Traditions?? 

{Upcycled baby bumper}

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know we did! We ate thanksgiving dinner TWICE {One with my family, one with William's family}... ugh... i feel sick just typing it. But it was a wonderful day! I love our family & it is always so nice to get everyone all together.
Now, onto crafting :)
So i have said it before & I will say it again, I love thrift stores & second hand stores!

 Why? I'M CHEAP! & i admit it. 

After a post i did a couple of days ago about the Ruffle crib skirt i made, a couple of people emailed my personal email asking where i got my crib bumper that they saw in the picture. This picture to be exact>>

I got the crib bumper at a thrift store for $3.

Other thrift store finds we have upcycled for Giulianas room:

*Old Crib skirt- $1 at thrift store vs. $30 or higher retail- What i did with it

*Blank canvas- $2 at thrift store vs $20 at craft store- What i did with it

Any ways, the $3 Crib bumper was in perfect condition, & a much better option than paying $30 or more for a new crib bumper at a regular store. 

It makes sense in my mind at least.

I don't know what store it originally came from, all i know is that it had no stains & it was pink! 

I took it home, washed it MULTIPLE times, {just for good measure}, & went to work on it, making it my own. Here is what we did to add a little flare & upcycle this old & used baby bumper.  

{Upcycled baby bumper}

I never took a before picture... but i think you will get the general idea :) 

Cut ribbon of your choice to the length of your choice, making sure that the pieces are long enough to tie around the slats of your crib. 

Right below the original ties on the bumper, pin the ribbon in place..

Do this on the top & bottom of the bumper.

After you pin your ribbons in place, Go ahead & Snip off the old ties. 

Using your sewing machine, anchor your new ties very well.

It should look like this :) Very easy! once you have anchored all of your new ties, pull out all of the pins, & you're done!

Tie your new, unique bumper onto your crib. 

It is a good way to subtly bring another color into the room, & have a little fun or to just replace the yucky old ties! 

Simple & easy project. 

Enjoy!

 Happy Saturday! 

{give thanks}

" Now, our God, we give you thanks, & praise your glorious name"

~ 1 Chronicles 29:13

 Happy thanksgiving!

Love, The Johnstons

{35 1/2 weeks}

{35 1/2 weeks}

Only 5 more weeks to go! Good thing too, im starting to get tired... well actually EXHAUSTED would be a better word... & its starting to show.

Our Dr. jut told us that after this week, baby G could realistically come whenever she decides to! This makes me nervous, yet excited at the same time :) 

At 35 weeks, im definitely starting to look & feel very pregnant. 

You know how you feel when you ride a horse for a long time & you get off & try to walk? {maybe not..} well that's how i feel haha & look apparently! I have started to do the Pregnant lady walk, not intentionally though! Thats just how it happens i guess. its impossible NOT to do it. I like to call it the "Lean back, dip & limp"  I told my husband i think i look like a gangster when i walk :) he told me he thinks i'm silly. & on top of the silly walk, i just look exhausted all the time. So i'm an exhausted gangster.. great. 

But really, this is all becoming very very real now. We are trying so hard to be as prepared as possible. I know that we will never REALLY be completely prepared, but we 're gonna try! 

I have already hooked the baby carrier into our car & loaded up the stroller too! I also packed my hospital bag last night & i have it waiting in the car. We just typed up our birth plan & have that ready too!! 

Anything else you can think of that would help us be as prepared as possible for the big day???

any advice is much appreciated :) leave a comment with your best hospital prep advice!
Happy Wednesday :) 

{DIY Ruffle Crib Skirt}

Here come more baby DIY projects! 

I stayed up late the other night trying to finish my last couple of projects for Giulianas room. Reason being, i am in panic mode! I want to make sure everything is done before she arrives! I am due in 5 weeks, but our Dr is saying that she could realistically come at any point after this week. So.. I think i have good reason to be a little panicked :) 

This project, specifically, is one that i have been talking about doing for a very long time. Of course, it includes ruffles :) Those of you that have been following for a while, know that i cant resist!! {Tree skirt, onesies..}  Enjoy!

{DIY Ruffle Crib skirt} 

You will need:

Fabric of your choice 

{I used the $2 a yard natural linen from Joannes fabrics}

An old Crib skirt 

{Got mine for $1 at Good will, WASH BEFORE USING!}

Other things you will need:

A sewing machine

Thread

rotary board & cutter

Lots of pins 

Begin by cutting your fabric into strips. I cut mine 5" wide.

Lay your old crib skirt out & choose a side to start on. Have that side facing you. 

Using your pins, starting at the TOP portiong of the crib skirt edge, begin making your ruffles & pin them in place as you go along. 

Do this until you have a full row of ruffles. 

Next, lift up the ruffles you just made & begin pinning another row of ruffles just below your first row of ruffles. I had about 1 1/2" of space in between the rows.

Keep pinning rows until you have covered the entire section. I made 3 rows of ruffles. 

Begin sewing your ruffles on using your sewing machine. 

I used a very tight stitch.

Repeat the ruffle row making on all 4 sides of the old crib skirt. 

When you're done, it should look something like this! 

Put it on your crib under the mattress. It adds such a sweet & Girly flair! 

Giuliana's room is sure starting to look like a place i would want to spend a lot of time. I love that everything we have done in her room is like nothing else you can find anywhere! {Wall art, Mobile, Doily Lamp, Burlap letter, crib bumper..}  It makes it so special & Unique. 

A unique room for one unique little munchkin :)

Happy Monday! 

{Cloth diapering, it is almost time!}

If you have been following my blog long, you already know that my husband & I have chosen to cloth diaper our baby {& all babies that follow :)}. It is something that i have always wanted to do! & since i am staying home with our little one, i have the time to invest into cleaning & taking care of them. & not to mention it will save us lots of money in the long run, {which will also be helpful since i am staying home.}

A lot of people give us grief about cloth diapering, telling us we are just crazy! But we truly believe in them & the benefits that they offer, not only financially, but the benefits it offers the baby, & the environment.

The brand of cloth diapers we are using is called "Fuzzibunz".  They look like this>>

{Image source}

Fuzzibunz come in Many different colors. You can choose to do perfect fit, or one size. We are doing the one size option. This just means our diapers will last us from newborn until potty training! 

How is this possible?

{Image source}

On the front of each diaper are multiple "snaps" that you can adjust to the perfect size, along with adjustable elastics in the legs so you can make the leg holes fit perfectly around their little legs, also an adjustable elastic waste band. 

Ok i will quit advertising for fuzzibunz now :) haha i am just so excited to use them! I only have a couple of dear friends who cloth diaper, where i can see the benefits and challenges first hand. 

{Our fuzzibunz, waiting patiently in the drawer to cover Giulianas little bum!}

A few of our readers that also cloth diaper have begun to email me cloth diapering tips & i am SO thankful! 

KEEP THE TIPS COMING LADIES!!! serisously! :) I am all ears! 

Only a few weeks until this cloth diapering dream is my reality, so any pointers or comments will be greatly appreciated :) 

Happy Saturday! 

{DIY Burlap Letter}

I'm gonna warn you guys, the next few days there are going to be LOTS of DIY posts. I have been going a little crazy lately, trying to finish up all of the little projects i have planned for Giulianas sweet little room! As you know, a lot of the things in her room are handmade, & i am trying to keep it that way! {Wall art, mobile, Doily lamp.. & more to come} 

Every Time i go to Anthropologie, i see those adorable fabric letters that they sell, & i want them! but they are so expensive! & they never have a "g". So i decided i would just make my own version :)

{DIY Burlap Letter}

You will need:

A cardboard letter

Burlap 

A marker

Twine

Hot glue gun

Glue sticks

Trace your cardboard letter onto the burlap twice.

Cut out your letters.

Using your glue gun, glue one of the letters to the front.

Do the same on the back.

Your burlap should cover the entire surface of the letter once glued on. 

Using your twine, begin to wrap your letter, gluing it down as you go. 

Keep going!! wrap it nice & tight so that your twine lines up nicely.

Fill the entire width of the letter, covering every inch of the Cardboard letter. 

& you're done!! 

Put it on display :) 

We put it on the shelf we made over Giuliana's changing table, Along with the chalk board we made {tutorial soon!} & some little special trinkets :) 

This project took me about 20 minutes. It was super easy!

Happy Friday :)