From Our Baby Shower

My boss asked during one of our meetings if I had planned on having a baby shower. I told her no, in Sweden it is not customary, and I’d never even attended one before. So Megan took it upon herself to encourage me to start my baby registry and host a shower for us! I’m so thankful she was willing to plan and host our baby shower with the help of some of my radest colleagues.

Not only were the cookies the CUTEST things ever, I loved the color and Tove’s name on them, but they were also delicious. I got to take home 4 of them and I ate them within 2 days… oops, I would do it again. Megan had 3 different games prepared for us as well, the first was a plastic baby you had to hold in your hand, not pocket, and whoever had the most at the end of the shower won.

The second game was to guess what baby item was in the paper bag. Not to brag but I won cause I got all the items correct- MOM TO BE POINTS! The third was different kinds of chocolate bars melted in diapers and we had to guess what type it was. I did poorly with guessing, needed my chocoholic dad to be there I guess.

After the games the ‘shower’ began and Ben and I got to open presents from all our friends who came. You can see Ben proudly looking and counting his babies at the start of opening presents.

So appreciative of all the useful gifts we received, we felt so loved during opening them. I will say Brit had the Spice Girls onesie custom made for me and Ben already knew about it but actually managed to keep it a secret for MONTHS.

My sweet colleagues had also helped blow up balloons at work and then set up the backdrop for photos! I handed the camera to Sabah and got photos with all our attendees 💕 sweet sweet memories.

Megan, the hostess with the mostest! Not only is she a mom of four kids, but she also runs two businesses. #GirlPower

Me and Michael! He was actually one of the interviewers when I applied for my current position. Now 1.5 years later, I’m his boss 😛 but only technically because I don’t believe he would let anyone be boss over him truly.

Sabah and I, another beloved colleague. Not only is she an immigrant like meeeee but she’s just a badass in the cannabis community as well. Love having her in my corner for support. Plus she’s pretty damn good at buying presents that fit me to a T!

Dream team from work… or as our group text says, Hoe$

Sierra, my assistant manager at work, and I. She’s been a favorite of mine for a while now. Not only is she such a pleasure to work with but I just adore the crap out of her as well. Like I would love to just go on a hike with our pups and drink margs after one of these days! I’m excited for her to get to run the show while I’m away on maternity leave.

Ben, Sierra, I, and Quez

Hannah and her son Avery.

Mady and I

Sweet Kyla. Another mom to help field my millions of questions!

Ben, me, Brit & Tobin. Our first OKC friend couple!

Forever my best friend! Was happy Ito was willing to drive up from Dallas to spend the night before with me and also attend the shower. Plus now my colleagues know I didn’t just make up having a best friend from Canada 😅

The only blood relative we had at the shower was my brother, Rob. Him and his girlfriend, Helena, drove up from Dallas; I felt so bad that they got caught in traffic coming up, making it a 4 hour drive for ~1 hr of the baby shower only to then drive back down. I really wanted Rob to come in person though because Ben and I met through him. My brother invited Ben to celebrate July 4th with Ito and I and here we are 5 years later about to have a baby!! We also asked my brother after the baby shower to be the god father, and he happily said yes 🥰

Happy parents to be.. the second one is when Ben realized our daughter’s due date was a month away.. lol jk JOKESSSSssss

So happy and grateful for those who decided to come celebrate with us! Had a great time and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Pregnancy Photo Dump

I wanted to blog/journal throughout this pregnancy but honestly haven’t had the extra energy to put into it. So many unwritten blog posts and topics to cover, I wish I was just pregnant full-time and didn’t have to work so I would’ve been able to do more. Here’s a photo journal instead from the second and beginning of the third trimester. A lot of these are just mirror pictures but I still love seeing the progress and changes over time ☺️

I guess I finally felt like I was ‘showing’ at this point. Comical looking back on it now, she was still tiny in there.

I got approved to wear a different uniform at work. Tights being the main perk! Also had to pick up some larger t-shirts and sweaters from work.. living leaf and loving life in this picture.

At this point I was transitioning into wearing maternity clothes exclusively. Note the same outfits in rotation in the following pictures 😅. Since I spend the majority of my time at work in uniform, or at home in some state of undress I didn’t feel like it was necessary to purchase a bunch of maternity clothes/outfits.

Dad (Ben) and I took Tex to a park in Norman and got some exercise on a day off. First time I started feeling a bit short of breath and a bit ‘weaker’ during our walks.

Found an old skirt from Monki that worked with my growing belly as well. Finally felt a bit cute!

Felt like I was properly starting to show at this point!

Ben and I goofing around and getting excited to meet Tove.

Still been able to rock the heels throughout this pregnancy! Ask me again in a few weeks, answer might change.

At work selfie, just cause I felt like the pregnancy glow people always talk about finally caught up to me! My skin cleared up and I think my hormones started to balance out after a full year of ups and downs. I do feel like I look older in this photo though.. already aged and she hasn’t even been born yet 😅

Out on the golf course with Ben on a lovely spring day. Had to document that I was carrying precious life!

At the beginning of April you couldn’t quite tell I was pregnant straight from the front or the back, but once I turned from the side it was starting to be like SURPRISE.

Tex has been a momma’s boy throughout this pregnancy, very needy of attention.

Beginning of May we got a visit from Ben’s parents. Decided to dress up for Mother’s Day even though it felt a bit like cheating celebrating it before we even had a child born into the world. I will say I have a new found appreciation for my own mother this year.

All back ensemble before meeting with our midwife and doula.

Ben outside the Birth Center where we have our clinic meetings with our midwife and her assistant.

Some presents from our registry started to arrive and I was WAY TO EXCITED to not get everything out of the box and set up immediately. Really in love with how functional the travel set we got from Maxi-Cosi is.

Since we haven’t moved into a house yet and will (hopefully) only be at the townhouse with our newborn for a few months into the fall/winter we decided to wait on buying a crib and decorating a nursery. Bassinet for the bedside seems like it’s going to work great for us.

Ben and I joke about our daughter getting his ASSets instead of the ‘plat arsle’ that runs on my side of the family.

Wanted to set up the baby monitor the second it arrived I was so excited. I always am with new technology but the Nanit comes with some awesome features so Ben told me to wait until she was born, that way we didn’t miss out on a few months of free perks. Damn my impatience.. but I got it back in the box without much fuss.

My Pappa was generous enough to order us a second Maxi-Cosi car base, that way we can drive both cars without the hassle of having to reinstall the car seat every time. We still haven’t gone to the fire station to get them installed properly, but it’s on the June to-do list.

This is one of my favorite photos from the pregnancy so far. Not sure why but it reminds me of photos from when I was a child at our summer house in Sweden. Maybe it’s the half nakedness outside or the warm colors. Either way this is very typical of me.. plus Tex is always nearby.

Another selfie because damnit I want to remember life before sleep deprivation and no time for make-up!

At the end of May, I felt like I really started picking up speed in terms of belly growth!

A less than flattering photo of me outside the birth center. Not sure if it was the weather that day or the shadows, but them under eye bags would not quit!

Learning to adapt to pregnancy life includes always having to lay on my side to be comfortable. Preferably with a pillow in between my legs as well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve woken up on my back in bed and forced myself to fall back asleep on my side. CANNOT WAIT to be able to lay down on my stomach again either.

Tex has been the biggest cuddle/snuggle bug throughout the last couple of months. I feel like the bigger my belly has gotten the more gentle he is around me and with me. He also has to have his face touching my belly if we are laying down together on the couch. He’s going to be very protective of baby girl when she arrives, I can already feel it.

My motto for this unmedicated birth and pregnancy has been “She believed she could, so she did.” I often wear the bracelet Ben’s mom got me a few years ago as a reminder on the daily.

More Tex + Tove bonding on the couch

Ben and I got back from Costco after buying some diapers and baby wipes and looked at each other, “It’s getting so real!”

I had my prenatal visit with a lactation consultant at Thrive Mama Collective. Was a very informative initial meeting and I am very happy with the level of care I’ve received since finding a network of midwives who have recommendations for nearly every aspect of my pregnancy. Shout out to Jessica Cheatwood for the time, knowledge, tips/tricks, and for guiding me through how to work my breast pump!

Hopefully there will be another photo dump from the last part of the third trimester as well.

Exploring Downtown OKC

When my parents came to visit we took advantage of the good weather and explored some of what Oklahoma City has to offer downtown.

Are you even in OKC if you don’t get at least a few shots with Devon Tower?!

We got some Lime scooters and decided to scoot our way around a bit. I was a little apprehensive at first, being pregnant and all, but honestly felt very safe and the new parameters they’ve set up around different areas meant we couldn’t go above 5mph in some areas. We also took advantage of the bike lanes in OKC to stay out of traffics way.

We scooted by Scissortail Park and then saw Scissortail bridge as well from one of the overpasses! Before making our way through Midtown and ending up in Bricktown.

Ben snagged this shot of me outside the Exhibit C Gallery in Bricktown. Oklahoma City was recently voted best in the country for their public art and I for one can’t wait to explore and see more.

At one point we decided to pause riding and walk the Bricktown canal. It’s reminiscent of the riverwalk in San Antonio and I love walking along the water every time we go downtown here in Oklahoma City.

My parents were staying at a hotel just on the other side of the railroad from Bricktown. I love that the underpasses to get to/from Bricktown are even artsy.

Next up is a visit to the Plaza walls