Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Dear Baby: Week 21


























Dear Baby,
It seems like you had a major growth spurt practically overnight sometime this week! I'm really starting to get that noticable bump, so much so that strangers are asking me tons of questions and congratulating me. I've been selling lots of clothes to make room (and money) for you in the closet, mostly just old stuff I don't wear anymore or can't fit in. I'm having to get creative with my outfits now because nothing fits the same, but that just means you're healthy and growing on track and besides, you're worth it. We made an official baby shower list of things for you and your nursery, and we're so so excited about our picks. I've been meaning to thank you for this lucious hair you've been giving me lately! I don't think it's ever been so thick and shiny and healthy looking and I've worked in a hair salon before! Proof that little babies are simply more magical than even the most expensive hair products. Keep growing and moving for me, sweet bear! We love you more than all the chocolate in the world! XOXO MAMABEAR 

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Our Wedding Video

The wait is over, our wedding video is here! We had such an amazing day and watching this just brings it all back! A big thanks to Junior Hernandez for putting this together.



Venue: The Wherehouse/Photographer: Roni Rucker/ Videographer: Junior Hernandez/ Bride's Dress: handmade by wonderxue on etsy/ Brides Reception Dress: Vintage/  Brides shoes: Vintage/ MOA Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell/ Bridesmaid Dresses: Vintage/ Brides hairpiece: Pomp and Plumage etsy shop/ Brides necklace: Nikki Lorraine/ Grooms full outfit: Vintage/ Catering: Mercado Juarez/ Decor: Personal collection & handmades/ Victorian chairs for photos: Rent my Dust/ Hair & Makeup: Done ourselves

Drey $ Nicole

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Baby Shower Wishlist





























Because our family and friends are spread out in about four different states and we won't be able to travel until after baby's here, we decided to take advantage of the modern technology we've got and have an online baby shower. Maybe we'll have a real one once we can fly again, but baby will already be here and that's just backwards! So here is a list of some things we've been eyeing and have fallen in love with for our little boy. You can click on the links below to go directly to the products webpage. These are all also posted on our universal registry, along with a few more little things. You can go there to see what's already been bought and what we still need.
What we Want/Need:
1. Geometric Baby Mobile - All Modern
2. Reusable Cloth Diapers - Bum Genius
3. Nursery Night Light - Common Rebels
4. Bumbo Floor Seat/Tray - Target Online
5. Quinny Zapp Stroller - Albee Baby
6. White Gulliver Crib/Matress - Ikea
7. Cloth Diaper Sprayer - Bum Genius
8. White Antilop Highchair - Ikea
9. Legare Wooden Toybox - Overstock
10. Baby Food Processor - Piyo Piyo
11. Crane Drop Humidifier - Target Online
12. Crochet Donut Rattles - Huckleberry Faye
13. Stuffed Balthazar Doll - Lucky Boy Sunday
14. Baby Wrap Carrier - Solly Baby
15. Calming Shampoo/Body - Amazon
16. Manual Breast Pump - Amazon
17. Lightweight Swaddler - Dapperdills Baby
18. Glass Bottle/Silicone Sleeve - Amazon
19. Whale Bath Spout Cover - Skip Hop
20. Puj 'Flyte' Infant Tub - Nordstrom
What we Already Have:
1. Car Seat
2. Changing Table
3. Baby Swing
4. Play Table
5. Baby Afghan Blanket
We're most likely forgeting some obvious newborn necessities, but these are just some of the big things that we can think of for putting his nursery together and getting him around. Lots of disposable diapers and clothes in different sizes are alway welcome too, of course! We really like plain, bold stripes, earth tones, black and white, neutrals, neon colors and plaid. Please no screen printed cartoon characters or cheesy saying, as cute and funny as they can sometimes be! You can never go wrong with Target. We will put up a blog post just before baby's here showing photos of the goodies we've recieved. A real virtual baby shower!
If anyone would like to send baby boy gifts, you can email us for the address at: highdollarhippie@gmail.com

Drey $ Nicole

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Dear Baby: Week 20

























DEAR BABYBEAR,
GUESS WHAT?! WE'RE HALFWAY DONE! YOU WILL BE IN MY ARMS IN JUST 4 AND A HALF SHORT MONTHS AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO FLY BY. I'VE BEEN DOING A WHOLE LOT OF SEARCHING AND SHOPPING FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR NURSERY AND LET ME TELL YOU BABY, IT'S SO MUCH FUN! I SHOULD REALLY MAKE A JOB OUT OF IT. I HAVE AN IDEA IN MY HEAD OF WHAT YOUR SWEET LITTLE ROOM WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER AND I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU GET HERE TO COMPLETE THE PICTURE. IT'S BEEN A WEEK SINCE I SAW YOUR FACE LAST, BUT IT'S GETTING EASIER TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT TIME BECAUSE NOW I CAN FEEL YOU EVERYDAY. ALL. DAY. YOUR MOVEMENTS ARE CONSTANT REMINDERS THAT YOU'RE IN THERE AND EVERY TIME I FEEL THEM I GET SO EXCITED AND FEEL SO CLOSE TO YOU. YOUR PAPA CAN'T WAIT UNTIL HE'S LUCKY ENOUGH TO FEEL THEM FROM THE OUTSIDE. MY RIBS HOWEVER, CAN. THE OTHER NIGHT I WAS BEING TOTALLY STILL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THIS REALLY TIGHT PRESSURE ON ONE SIDE OF MY BELLY. MY EYES GOT REAL BIG BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON, SO I SLID MY HAND ACROSS AND I THINK IT WAS YOU! EVERYTHING WAS SQUISHY EXEPT FOR THIS ONE HARD, TIGHT BULGE ON THE SIDE. EVEN YOUR PAPA FELT IT! CAN YOU HEAR THE MUSIC I'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR YOU EVERYDAY? YOU'RE ALWAYS STILL WHEN IT COMES ON AND THEN START MOVING LIKE CRAZY WHEN IT'S ALL DONE. I WONDER IF THAT MEANS YOU WANT MORE, OR IF YOU'RE TELLING ME THANK YOU MAMA FOR TURNING THAT OFF. I HOPE I'M NOT TORTURING YOU IN THERE! IT'S BEEN A LITTLE COLD OUTSIDE FOR OUR WALKS THIS WEEK BUT I PROMISE WE'LL GET BACK TO THEM SO SOON. YOU'RE A SUMMER BABY LIKE ME, SO YOU WILL PROBABLY PREFER THE WARM SUNSHINEY DAYS OVER THE CHILLY ONES, TOO. I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BUNDLE YOU UP IN MY ARMS SWEET BABY! WE LOVE YOU TONS! XOXO MAMABEAR

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Repeat Button: Baby Bump Playlist

Here's our sweet baby boy at 19 weeks + 5 days. I can't stop looking at his little face! I put together a group of songs that make me think of him when they come on, and I've been playing them over and over on my belly for him to listen to. Instead of turning on the telly, I pop on this little playlist while I eat my breakfast or while I'm working on things throughout the day, and it's like my happy time. The lyrics are all something I felt relatable to our bond already and it just puts me in a good, calm mood every time I listen. The books say that he can hear now and any songs we play for him in the womb will trigger something for him once he's out. Studies have shown that babies can remember certain songs and melodies that were played for them before birth and it can be super soothing when they hear them again. I can already imagine making a little cd of this playlist and playing it in baby boy's nursery for him to fall asleep to!

Baby Bump Playlist by dreynicole on Grooveshark
Drey $ Nicole

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Long Beach Livin'

My life this week via iphone photos:


1. My Valentines Day outfit + the 20 week bump
2. A chocolate covered strawberry treat by the hubs
3. I made some scones for our grammy watch and they were delish
4. My gramma's birthday was on vday and I just knew she was having a huge tea party in the clouds with her favorite lady, Princess Di
5. The cutest + yappiest pup that I pass on my walks everyday
6. Don't accidentally leave a giftcard in your car's cupholder or you'll come out to your window looking like this the next day
7. You have to just smile when you see the front of this old vw van
8. A typical lunch for me: grilled salmon, whole wheat pasta with pepper + olive oil and mixed nuts. My favorite kind of meal

Follow along on instagram for instant daily updates!
Username: dreynicole

Drey $ Nicole

Friday, February 15, 2013

The day of Love 2013

When I walked out of my bedroom on Valentines morning, I immediately did a quick eye scan of the entire house. Knowing my husband, I just knew he'd have something up his sleeve. Nothing was different or out of place, so I assumed the surprises would begin when he got off work and went about making my daily breakfast burrito. Just as a sat down with my plate and my mug, I opened up my laptop to catch up on all of my favorite blogs- it's like reading the morning paper for me. He knows me well too, apparently, because there it was.
"Good morning baby, Happy Valentines Day." I know I've done this hunt for you before, but why not again since you had so much fun? Well, eat some breakfast and if you are, enjoy!"
Sure he had done this before with my birthday gifts, (see part one, and part two) but I was already smiling so hard knowing the search I had coming. I scarfed down my burrito, chugged my juice and let the hunt begin. 





























"Ok, that was easy. Now on this hunt I'm just giving you clues and you have to figure it out. You're smart, you will! Ok, are you ready... for your first gift, your clue is X marks the spot arrrrrrr."
Aren't his quick little sketches so funny and accurate, by the way? I had to laugh every time. Anyway, I was stumped for awhile on just the first one and I thought, really? Am I that smart? Will I get this? Maybe he overestimated me. The clue obviously made me think of pirates so the first place I went was to our bar cart. I picked up every single bottle of rum and whiskey and vodka and found nothing. Next I went to our globe and lifted it up. Nothing. After standing in the middle of our living room and slowly spinning around to see all my options, I was officially defeated. I even called my mom to see if she knew of something I had that was at all piratey. Right when we got off the phone I walked into the bathroom and it jumped out at me like a snake. My jewelry box looks a lot like a treasure chest! He even set a pack of matches with a skull and cross bones against it so I'd really know.

























"Great you got it. Congrats on finding your first gift and figuring out the first clue, yay!!!!!"


























"I love you soooo much more than all the clothes and dirty clothes in the world. Ok- Next clue mama bear! Goo into the dining room and look under the first puzzle we finished. Well, the only one we've finished."





























Back to the hard part! I couldn't exactly remember what fish our friend Tim brought us for Gian's birthday, but I had a feeling it was some kind of tuna. We sometimes get that canned tuna, so I looked in our pantry and there was none. Next I went to the freezer and then the fridge and all we had was salmon and no notes. After standing in one place for five minutes and letting my brain wheels turn, it clicked that in my stash of boxes used for shipping out our etsy goods, was a box with a tuna label on it! I ran and opened it up and wah-la!























"Hooray! You found it! I hope you like it! Couldn't get the flag- well not yet. I hope you'll like it since summer's around the corner and we are going to Florida and you'll be hot."
I had mentioned that I wanted to get a California flag to put up in our baby boy's nursery, so I knew it was somthing Californian. How cute is that giftbag/tissue paper combo, too?!


























When he got home from work, I gave him this vintage Italian cookbook he'd been eyeing and then we got cleaned up for a night out. We went to our favorite mediterranean place called Gypsy's and got our usual. We like to get a couple of entrees and two small plates and share everything family style. This way we can try a little bit of everything and we don't get bored of one taste. It was all so delicious!
























We tried something new to start and we both loved it. Domes- Grapevine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs. Then we got our favorites- Slow cooked lamb shank braised in tomato-basil sauce with persian style basmati safron rice and tabouleh salad. Along with falafel patties, roasted hummus and pita bread.






















































Another perfect Valentines under our belt. I can't wait for next year!
Drey $ Nicole

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Our Love Story

Before I get started here, let me just say that I'm going to be totally honest in this post- even if that means sharing some personal drama that I wouldn't normally share on this space- but that drama, after all, is what brought us together, and this story just wouldn't be complete without it.
G and me first met when we were babies really. I was 16 and he was 19, and no, it was nothing near love at first sight. I honestly never saw this coming. Maybe it's because we were always with other people, but I always saw him as a close, brotherly teddy bear type of friendship, but there was definitely a deeper mutual caring for each other than most. We got closer than ever when I started dating his roomate when I was 19. I spent everyday at their apartment because that's where all of our friends always were, just playing video games, drinking half priced sonic slushes and laughing. I only left when I had to go to work, or needed to shower and change clothes, but I hated leaving. Up until G and me officially got together, it was the single most fond time of my life. Moving on.
The whole time at the apartment, G was attending culinary school and had decided to move to California to be a chef once he graduated. I continued dating his former roomate for 3 years, and we mostly kept in touch through him. In that last year of my relationship, a girl G had dated before I ever knew him (which was 7 years ago at this point) came into our group of friends, and she and I, along with my roomate at the time Ally, became bffs. We had girl's nights at our apartment, got ready together before parties, everything. Eventually, her and Ally got a place together, and my boyfriend (still G's old roomate here) moved in with me in her place. Shortly before our lease was up, we started looking at houses. I also started to get awfully paranoid about him and one of my "best friends," but was contantly reassured by him, her and the rest of our friends. Just before moving into my cute little house, I found out he wasn't coming with me. I moved in anyway with the help of my parents and a couple of good friends, and left for England with my family two days later. I didn't talk to him that whole time, or for about a week after I got back and continued to unpack and get settled in. Because he was staying with his aunt after we moved, I "temporarily" had his spazy dog and pet rat, along with my own dog, Bentley. I thought having his pets meant he'd drop by now and then, and we'd eventually get back together. It wasn't until I heard rumors that my suspicions had come true that I freaked out and demanded he come get his animals. He reassured me for probably two weeks, stopping by the house even, until one day he called and said he really needed to talk to me about something and was coming over. When he got there, he made it seem like a hypothetical situation, and asked if it'd help me get over him if he'd started hanging out with someone else? When I asked if it was her, he said no, I'm just asking if it'd help, like should I go do that with someone? We went back and forth like this for awhile and he finally confessed that it was indeed, one of my best friends. In my furious rage I let his dog right out the front door, and told him I didn't want to take care of his pets or talk to him ever again. He chased her and brought her back in about five times and tried to tell me that he was just saying all of that to help me move on because our relationship was toxic,  that he couldn't get over me until I got over him, and that none of that stuff was really true. I finally started to believe him, calmed down, and we hung out for awhile before he left again, dog safely in the house. (Which I think now was really all he cared about.) Turns out, I was right all along. A couple of days later I talked to her and it all spilled out. I felt completely betrayed by not only him, but her as my friend who I had talked to about him, who had come to our apartment many times and seen us together, and who had always told me in my suspicion that she would never do that to me. She even had the audacity to say it wasn't even a thought in their minds until I was so worried about it and made it a big deal. That it became such "a thing" that it came true, and it was basically my fault. HA HA HA HA. 
The only person I thought to call was G. Being her ex and his friend, I felt like he was the only one who could truly relate. I told him the news and he was shocked, but had more of a "we don't need them anyway" attitude that sort of helped me get over it. He checked up on me over the next couple of days, and we caught up with one another. Almost two months later at the end of December, my oldest best friend Siera, who was going to school out in California, invited me to her graduation and after party. I was there without a doubt and it wasn't until hours before the party I thought, hey! G lives out here, I'd love to see him! She knew him too from when she still lived in Texas so she was cool with me inviting him. It was up in the air about whether or not he was going to make it due to ride issues, but when I saw him walk through the door I immediatley ran across the room and jumped on him in full body hug. It may be timing and that we hadn't seen each other in 3 years, or the fact that we were both completely single for the first time, but their were instant sparks at that moment and I saw him in a completely different way than ever before. I found out later that he payed someone 40 dollars that night because he wanted to see me that bad, and before they left we shared our first kiss. No lie, it was magic. I wouldn't stop telling Siera before bed that night about how I'd had the best first kiss of my life.
I went back home to Texas a couple of days later and went on with my life. G and me would call or text every few days, but it wasn't until a couple of weeks after New Years that we were virtually inseperable. As soon as I walked out of work we were on the phone until I got home and we could have a skype date, sometimes for up to 8 hours at a time! He'd even take his laptop to work and skype from the kitchen on my days off! As soon as I had to leave my house to go back to work or grocery shop, back on the phone. Before I knew it, we were making plans for me to go back out to California! He made all the arrangements and I was off to see him in  the middle of February for Valentines day. I had never been more excited and anxious to see someone face to face, to actually be able to look them in the eye and touch them in real life with my own hands. We had practically become best friends over the last month or so, but we did however have that worry of, is this gonna be as strong when we see each other again in person, or is it gonna be awkward? Sure enough, that magic was there instantly again for both of us and it went so smoothly. After having the most perfectly planned out Valentines day ever, we were engaged! 
Our friends thought we were trying to get back at our ex's/ex best friends, and my parents just didn't get any of it. They hadn't really heard much of the situation and thought it was all a rush. When it came time for me to go back to Texas, I just couldn't. I delayed my flight for a day. And then another, and another. I finally just had to get it over with because I had a good job with the city and a house and my pup Bentley back home. As soon as I got to work though I put in my two weeks notice, and the plans to move to California began. More than ever now my parents thought I'd gone crazy. G and I just kept telling everyone, "when you know, you know." Plus, it's not like we hadn't known each other for almost 8 years at this point. Little things kept coming up that would make us laugh or give us chills, little signs from the universe if you believe in that kind of thing, that we were meant to be. Like the couches for instance that G had at his apartment in Texas that I'd spent so much time at- He stored them in the garage of one of our mutual friends when he moved away. They stayed their for quite awhile until Ally and I moved in together and he said she could have them, and those were the couches we used. Then when she moved, her new roomate already had furniture so she gave them to my boyfriend at the time. When we broke up and I moved into the house myself, the couches came with me and it wasn't until G came to Texas to help me load up all my stuff for the move that realized we were sitting on his old couches, that they'd come full circle and were now back with him through all of these people and ending with me. Not to mention we have the exact same laptop down to the details, which is not a macbook so no, it's not as common as you'd think, and our dogs have the exact same name. I'd had mine for five years at that point and named him Bentley, and he got his as a rescue with the name Bentley and kept it. Now we call them Tx Bentley and Long Beach Bentley when we're talking about a particular one. For the most part we just yell Bentley and they both come running because they're inseperable anyway. It's like they were always meant to be together too! (Dawwwwww!)
Anyway, we got married on November 24, 2012 (see the photos herehere and here) and to this day it's just perfect. We're best friends, we still give each other butterflies and laugh until we cry and everyday is a fun new adventure. Now we have a little baby coming soon and our lives will be filled with even more love! Our friends and family are obviously now all on board, and we couldn't be happier with our lives if we dreamed it.
Drey $ Nicole

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Dear Baby: Week 19 "It's a...!"

Dear Baby,
You're a BOY! I was so excited to see you yesterday that I couldn't sleep! We had a little scare when the nurse took your picture and typed "three arms," but then she went back and erased it and decided one of those was indeed a wee. Your papa is pretty proud of that. We weren't too surprised when she told us because that was her 90% guess last month, but it was exciting to know for sure! Now I can really picture you in your teeny boy outfits we got you! The appointments where we get to see you are our absolute favorites, and we think they should happen more than once a month. Your little face is precious baby. The size of your head matches your body now, your nose is small and round, and your lips are plump and puckered. I added your new pictures to our fridge right away and I can't stop looking at them all. Now I know for sure that I've been feeling you, too! When you made any big movements while we were watching you on the screen, I could feel the same little flutter I've been feeling for the last couple of weeks! It was so magical and reasuring. The Dr. says your growing perfectly and everything is normal. She said our walks are paying off too because I only gained one pound this month and that means we're right on track. Keep working and growing baby, you're do so good! Mama and Papa love you so so much! XOXO Mamabear

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Dear Baby: Week 17 & 18

























Dear sweet little baby,
You really have been growing a lot lately! People are starting to look at my belly now instead of my face and I think their trying to figure out if I have you in there, or if I ate a very big lunch. This week has been so warm and we took a walk down to the pier. There were so many seals out and I wished so bad that you could come out and see them too. I imagined your face lighting up and your eyes getting big while pointing at them and looking up at your papa and me. I miss seeing you so much but in just five days we will get to see you on that teeny black & white screen again! This time we will find out for sure whether you're a little boy or girl and we can hardly wait! The books say that you can hear us now, so we've been talking and singing and playing some music for you to enjoy in there. I hope the Bentleys aren't scaring you when they bark. Tx Bentley has been very clingy and loves to snuggle up against my belly every second of the day. I wonder if he can sense that you're in there and I bet he's going to be so protective of you. I know you'll love him too because he looks like a little stuffed animal and he's just the sweetest. I've been having the most crazy vivid dream lately, like riding on whale's backs in the ocean, sliding down a water park slide on my big belly, and saving a bunch of children from a school bus that got into an accident. I remember about four dreams almost every night and it's been fun. It makes me anxious to hear all the stories and fantasies your little imagination will come up with someday. You might have noticed all the hammering and movements I've been making. I think I have what they call nesting. I have this constant urge to put on happy dancing music and clean and organize everything, and I keep zoning out imagining your crib here or your changing table there. Oh, and guess what baby? I think I might have felt you kick! It's happened a few times and it feels like the lightest little thump, but I can't yet figure out if it's you or bubbles or food moving around. I keep trying to be totally still and just focus on my belly so I can know for sure. You will get so much bigger soon and I'll be able to see and feel you move! We love you so much little bear. XOXO Mama