15 Weeks!

How Far Along:  15 weeks!  Our little one is the size of a whole orange today.  Baby is growing like crazy!

Maternity Clothes:  Finally!  I got myself some jeans and a new shirt last weekend in Canada.  I'm so glad I did!  The jeans are a little big right now though...and have a tendency to fall down.  I guess that's one good thing about wearing a lab coat all day, huh?  :)

Sleep:  It's off and on.  I wake up quite a bit but I feel as if this week has been an improvement over the others.

Food:  I learned last night....not a fan of the pasta.  I cooked a meal (!) and then couldn't even eat it.  So I had three Pringles and called it a night.  At 8:00 p.m. 

Best Moment of the Week:  Baby's first trip out of the country!

What I'm Looking Forward to:   Getting this dreaded 3-day over with...and finally feeling our little baby move around in my tummy!

My Spontaneous Road Trip Out of the Country AKA The Best Weekend EVA!

Friday morning, I packed up the Taurus, made sure she was filled with enough food for a 4 hour adventure (which by now you know is a lot of food), and headed to work.  After 8 grueling hours I was off!  Where to you ask??

CANADA!

What?  I went out of the country and didn't even tell you?  Well, honestly it was very spontaneous.  In fact I was invited on Thursday and went on Friday.  But it was the most wonderful trip with two of my very best friends.  And not just like, oh yeah...they're pretty cool...kind of friends.  More like, I want to spend every waking moment with them kind of friends.  And where did I meet them? 

Online.

When I crossed the border into Canada, the border control found this rather odd.  I didn't expect to have to tell them I was going to stay with a girl I met on the Internet...but they asked.  And I, my friends, do not lie.  Well, don't ask my husband if I lie, okay?  Anyways...when asked how I knew this girl, I responded, "I read her blog!"  Trust me, the look was priceless :)  And maybe a couple of years ago I would've given someone the exact same look. 

But now, I get it.  I get that you can form friendships with people over e-mail and instant messaging.  I get that these people can become your go-to peeps for sharing any and every little thing throughout the day...as well as life's biggest milestones.  These girls knew I was pregnant before my parents did.  And I met them online.

You know them, right?  Shaina and Lucy?  (check out their weekend recaps here and here)  They're amazing. 

I arrived Friday evening and was promptly treated to ice cream!  I had maple walnut.  I mean, I was in Canada, maple was a must.  And I may have added in cheesecake. 

We went for a spin around the city and got to see all of the sites.  Isn't it neat to finally see where someone you talk to everyday lives?  I just find that so fascinating.  And what an amazing place!  Lucy's house is surrounded by orchards and it is some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.  Simply breathtaking.

And did you know they have weird chips in Canada?  Like ketchup.  And dill pickle.  I thought they both sounded disgusting...but the baby liked them.  And who am I to deny my child at this stage in life?

Saturday we got up early and took the pups for a long walk.  It was my first walk since I started experiencing morning sickness and it felt amazing.  So great to get back out there!  Then I enjoyed a butter tart for a post-breakfast snack.

Don't judge.  I was on vacation.

For lunch we got this crazy Canadian dish called poutine.  It's french fries topped with cheese curds and brown gravy.  It was actually quite tasty...but way too big for my little baby.  But someone's baby finished it just fine.  Not mentioning any names or anything.

We spent the rest of the afternoon perusing shops at Niagara on the Lake.  We had a little rain but enjoyed the shops nonetheless. 

Finally, we headed to a Brazilian steakhouse at the falls which served some of the most delicious meat I have ever tasted in my life!  We even had steak STUFFED WITH CHEESE.  What could be better than that?  Answer = nothing.

Sunday we enjoyed a late lunch followed by a stop at the maternity clothes store!  Finally!  I found some jeans!!  And perhaps a way bigger belly than what I went in with.

Whoa.

Shaina also had a little fun with the belly!  Won't she make the cutest little pregnant girl around??

I also had my first experience parking in the Expectant Mother Parking.  Good thing Lucy was there too so people knew we were legit.

It was seriously one of the best weekends I have had in such a long time.  I cannot wait until I get to meet Lucy's little one and see everyone's face again!!

14 weeks! With Belly Pics People!

How Far Along:  14 whole weeks!  I am officially into my 2nd trimester!  I cannot believe how quickly the weeks are flying by.  It is simply amazing to me to think of our little bean we saw at 8 weeks and how much he or she has grown.  Our baby is already able to suck it's thumb!  The thought just makes me smile.

Maternity Clothes:  Um, I tried on clothes for a weekend trip last night and it was NOT pretty.  I'm glad I'm just going to see friends who know I'm pregnant....because I'm completely engrossed in the stage where I just look fat.

Sleep:  I slept great last night...but that was the first time all week.  I am very uncomfortable when I sleep and I wake up quite often.  I usually don't have to get up and pee though...so I consider that a plus :)

Food:  Nothing's really changed for me in the food department.  I feel like I'm always hungry...but then I get full really quickly.  This leads to me eating approximately every 2 hours.  Honestly, it's on my nerves.

Best Moment of the Week:  Can't really think of anything super spectacular that happened this week.  I did have quite a good day on Saturday...like good enough that I thought, "Am I starting to feel better??"  But then I got sick on Sunday.  Mean trick baby.  Mean.

What I'm Looking Forward to:   A super spontaneous visit to see some of my besties today!!  I can't wait to tell you all about it!!

And I finally did it.  I now present to you what you've been asking for.  My first belly pics.  This is baby and me at 14 weeks.  I think I have hidden my bump so well from even myself by wearing t-shirts and sweats all the time that it actually surprised me how big it was!  Eek! Granted, some of that may have been there before the baby arrived...but let's just pretend it's all baby, k?

Oh, and I got my hairs cut yesterday! 

Defying Gravity

Alright peeps.  I need your help.

I've been approached about possibly doing a 'Glee' themed birthday cake.  Very cool, huh!?!  I've found a few examples online of some ideas....

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I know he's leaning more towards a sheet cake sort of thing so I'll probably use some of these ideas and design something myself.  So here's my question...

If you were making a Glee cake, what would you just have to include??

....you've been the man in mine

Today is a very, very important day.

July 21, 1953...a little baby boy was born.  This boy would grow up to be the man in my life for over 20 years.  Someone I've trusted and depended on for so many things.  Someone who has been supportive through difficult times and has always known how to make me smile.

My daddy.

Happy birthday Papa!  Love you to the moon and back!

Everyone has always said how much I look like my dad.  I never really noticed it until my wedding pictures came back.  This is one of my favorites.

Besides Being Pregnant....

What's up with me??

• We drove by our home site on Sunday with some friends and we officially have a hole people!!  We have been patiently waiting 3 weeks for them to start and it's finally here!!  Oh I simply cannot wait to live there!  It's the most beautiful hole I have ever seen.

• Our landlords put a for sale sign in front of our house on Friday.  So, does this mean I have to clean?  And once I clean, must I keep it clean?  I say unclear.

• My entire family is in Florida this week.  I am not ashamed to admit I am more than a little jealous.  This whole saving money thing is for the birds. 

• My Grandpa's birthday is today...and my Dad's birthday is tomorrow.  Want to know something cool?  We are all three 30 years apart.  87, 57, and 27.  Pretty neat, huh?  And a really good way to remember how old they are :)  I have NO idea how old my mom is.  53?  Seriously, no idea.

Hm.  Honestly, that's all I've got.  Pregnancy sure has taken over my life, huh?  :)

Hope everyone's having a fabulous week!!

13 Weeks!

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How Far Along:  13 weeks!  My first trimester is drawing to a close.  I am patiently looking forward to this infamous energy burst I have heard so much about and for my morning sickness to dissipate.  Patiently.  Patiently. 

Maternity Clothes:  Not yet.  I'm rocking the breakaway pants at work now.  I really need to go shopping.

Sleep:  I wake up quite a bit...but that was pretty much par for the course with me for years.  It's annoying, but tolerable.

Food:  Still loving fruit.  I also made some sugar free pudding the other day that was quite delightful.  I'm still not loving anything with chocolate or sweets though.  Also, I've made the switch from Doritos to fat free Pringles.  Conclusion:  I wish they made fat free Dorito flavored Pringles.

Best Moment of the Week:  Getting to hear our sweet baby's heart beat last Friday!  It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

What I'm Looking Forward to:   A relaxing weekend at home!

My Kitchen is Clean!

So I'm leaving work early on Friday, gearing up to hear my sweet little baby's heart beat when BAM!  I pop a tire. 
No.  I am not joking.

Matt came to the rescue because I couldn't even figure out how to get my tire out of my car, let alone change it.  Turns out I was missing a piece anyway.  Who knew?  So we took off to the appointment and left the Taurus to fend for herself.  (Yes, the Taurus is a girl.  My Shadow was a boy....the Taurus is a girl.  Duh.)

Although late, we had the most wonderful appointment!  We got to hear our little one at 156!!  What a sweet, sweet sound :)

And then we stopped at Outback for a carryout Bloomin' Onion and salad.  I literally could not stop talking about how cool I thought the online ordering and carryout for Outback was the entire way home.  It was to the point I was annoying myself.  But seriously, it's genius.

My in laws were coming for a visit and they arrived Friday evening.  I warned them ahead of time as to the state of our home and of course they didn't mention a thing.  In fact, I woke up Saturday morning to breakfast and my entire kitchen was cleaned.  You have no idea how long it has been since I have seen an empty kitchen counter.  It was glorious.  In fact, I promptly asked them to move in with us. 

The rest of the weekend, Matt and his parents spent some time roaming around the city whilst baby and I rested at home.  We may or may not have gotten Donatos because we know how much Daddy hates it.  And if anyone's keeping track, baby's with me on this one.  Donatos = yum.

So by Monday morning when my in laws left...my kitchen was still spotless, my tire had been fixed, we had food in our fridge, and I didn't have to do a thing.  I seriously could not have been more grateful.  They took one look at me and knew I needed help....and that's exactly what they gave.  And they were ridiculously happy to do it.  I truly do not think I could've married into a better family.  Not possible.

12 Weeks!

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How Far Along:  12 weeks!  I cannot believe how big our little baby is!  A whole plum! 

Maternity Clothes:  Still have not gotten to the store.  I want to go, but I just can't make it after work.  And the thought of leaving the house on the weekends to go shopping just does not appeal to me right now.  I need to get there eventually.  I currently have no jeans that fit....

Sleep:  Not too bad.  I have added a pillow to the bed which I have been sleeping with Between my knees and that has added some comfort.  And I don't get up to go to the bathroom at all...so far so good!

Food:  I am currently loving fruit:  grapes, watermelon, strawberries, blueberries.  I have all of them in my fridge.  I also munch on goldfish crackers, animal crackers, and fruit snacks throughout the day. 

Best Moment of the Week:  Today!  It's our second appointment and we get to hear the heartbeat!  Followed closely by seeing James Taylor of course.

What I'm Looking Forward to:   My in laws are coming this weekend and bringing actual, home cooked food.  I haven't had a really good meal in weeks.  Yesterday I ate mac and cheese.  It was delicious, don't get me wrong, but I cannot wait for normal food!

I've Seen Fire and I've Seen Rain

Last night Matt and I had tickets for JAMES TAYLOR!  I've been patiently waiting for James to tour again and I was stoked to find out he was coming to Cleveland.  I snatched up tickets when they went on sale and we had great seats.  Row 8 baby!

The first thing we noticed was that we were pretty much the youngest people there.  I think we counted 5 people who were noticeably younger the entire concert.  It was a different kind of audience than the concerts I am used to attending, but it was a welcomed change.  I only saw one drunk lady dancing in the aisle and we got to sit down almost the whole time which I enjoy.  What can I say?  We fit right in.

James was on tour with Carole King.  Before the concert I honestly knew nothing of Carole King.  She was more of a person to "deal with" until I got to hear my love perform.  But in reality, the woman rocked!  She is an amazing singer and songwriter and I ended up recognizing a ton of her music. 

One weird thing about the show was that they had an intermission.  Yeah.  I was like, um, this isn't a theater production people, this is a concert.  Matt and I thought of two reasons for this:  

1.  It's no secret these two performers are not as young as they used to be.  Perhaps they really did need a rest?

2.  They recognize their audience and know they will have to go to the bathroom at least once during the show.  (As a side note, when I suggested this, Matt promptly stated that he needed to go to the bathroom.  Yes.  I am married to an old, old man.  But I sent him out for curly fries so I figured I scored.)

At one point after intermission when it started to get a little late for these early birds I said, "Okay, I just want to hear Fire and Rain and then we can go."  Want to know what started literally two seconds later?  Yep.  Fire and Rain.  Then I promptly said, "Just kidding!"  

Overall, we had an amazing time.  They did an encore with their band and then even ended up staying on just the two of them for one final song.  I'm not sure if it was my crazy baby hormones running wild, but I actually got a little teary eyed.  I felt like I was watching something truly special.  Something so many people will never have the opportunity to see.  I mean who knows how long this guy will keep touring?

But me, my husband, and our little baby got to experience James in person.  And it was spectacular.

And now I am insistent on naming our baby boy James Taylor.  (Hello!  He would already have the perfect lullaby written for him...Sweet Baby James!)  I want to call him Jimbo.  Or JT.  Not to be confused with JTT of course.  For some reason Matt is opposed  Ah.  I have months to talk him into this. 

PS:  Sorry my pictures blow...

I'm Goin' to Carolina in my Mind

Tonight I'll be here:

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Seeing this guy:

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Except he'll probably look more like this:

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Carolina in my Mind, Fire and Rain, oh I just cannot wait!

A Very Happy Fourth!

Whoa!  Getting up today for work was H.A.R.D.  I'm seriously considering taking the rest of this pregnancy off.  And then going on an extended maternity leave...aka...never coming back.  Who's with me?

Anywho, our little family had such a lovely weekend!  I had the day off on Friday so I decided to hit up the theaters in the morning to see Eclipse.  Thought I'd save Matty from taking me to see that one :)  I spent the rest of the afternoon making cupcakes to take to a BBQ that evening hosted by some of my Junior League friends.  I heard they were delicious...but my sweet tooth is still hiding so I couldn't tell you.  I did have a small piece of cookie cake, because seriously, if there is ever a day I turn down cookie cake...just shoot me.  Life will no longer be worth living.

So the BBQ was delightful.  When I was there, I realized something fabulous.  We are now in the age group where our parties includes kids, bubbles, and catching up with friends all night long.  No longer do I have to endure keg stands or frat guys.  A girl could get used to this.

Saturday Matt and I made a yummy Strawberry Cheese Pie, which I find sounds disgusting....so just think of it as pretty much a cheesecake but not as firm, okay?  We took it to another party that evening and enjoyed some much needed time with our friends.  Bonus:  they had just set up the kiddie pool so we all gathered around and dipped out feet in the water.  Perhaps I should invest in one of these now?

Sunday we were supposed to go watch fireworks with friends, but oh did the baby have other plans.  He or she said very loudly, "SLOW DOWN MAMA!"  So I did.  And Monday was more of the same.  I did make an attempt to go to the grocery store, which resulted in an utter fail...but lesson learned.  I did get the Pop Tarts I have so been craving...so I guess it was worth it :)

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

Recap...continued!

We spent Monday wandering around the city of Austin.  It is such a neat place!  I wasn't feeling super great so we didn't get to do as much as I would've liked, but I think we'll definitely be back.  Lots to explore!

The baby LOVES pizza!  All I was eating was dry cereal before this.  Weird?  I think genius.

Before we left, we scooted over to the University of Texas to take a peak.  Amazing!

On our way out of town, we stopped at a Southern Living recommended BBQ joint called Saltlick.  It was a super cool ambiance, but honestly, we were less than impressed. 

After lunch, we headed south again in route of Houston! 

Tuesday we spent the morning lounging around the hotel.  The weather was a little icky so our plans changed a bit.  We decided to head down to the Space Center.  Although there was a lot of stuff designed just for the kid in mind, we thought it was totally worth the drive and the money for the tour. 

We even got to see Mission Control!  How cool is that??

Here I am with Neil, a fellow Purdue grad.  We're tight.

Before leaving town on Wednesday, we checked out the Water Wall.  What a neat sight!  I bet it would be a perfect place for a picnic on a nice day.

I wasn't scared...I was just getting soaked!

We drove back to Dallas and had a few hours to kill before our flight.  We drove downtown a little bit and we also headed out to Arlington to check out the new football stadium.

Overall, we had a fantastic trip.  Texas is truly a state all it's own and I can't wait to go back!