24+ weeks

The beginning of pregnancy seems like it passes so incredibly slow. You're excited to start getting a bump, for your baby to start looking like a baby on the ultrasound, and to start feeling those little thumps and kicks. Now, however, it seems like everything is happening at warp speed. I know some of it has to do with planning around the holidays, but still. 

We need to get the nursery mostly done before Christmas. My "nesting" need to organize everything in our house has begun...unfortunately I just don't have the energy to do it most days. I need to get us signed up for all of the classes so we know what in the world we're doing. (Okay, we still won't know what we're doing, but at least we'll know what's expected of us.) I would like to get Christmas cards mailed out, but I just don't know if that's going to happen. Speaking of Christmas, I suppose it would be a great idea to buy people their presents. 

Anyone want to hire a personal assistant for me for Christmas?!

How Far Along: 24+ Weeks

Size of baby: It's funny how different resources tell you different things...I believe he's around 12 inches long still, but weighs about a pound and a half. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: If my scale at home is correct, Thanksgiving really didn't do as much damage as I was anticipating. I'll find out tomorrow at my appointment.

Maternity Clothes: Ick. I had to find a cocktail dress to wear for a few Christmas parties. I just thought I hated trying on clothes before...

Movement: It comes in waves. I'll feel little movements here and there, but two or three times a day he'll really get going and put on a show. I'm also beginning to be able to somewhat tell what position he's in. Like yesterday, I'm nearly certain that he was sitting horizontally across my abdomen...and it was not comfortable! 

Sleep: Sleep is becoming more difficult. Oddly enough, I'd prefer to lay on my back...but that's not really recommended. So, I switch from side to side, waking up when my back or a joint begins to hurt. The extra firm bed we have upstairs is actually starting to sound nice. I'm sure this is only the beginning. 

What I miss: This week, I'm really missing my normal clothes, and the ability to anticipate what I'm going to look like in an outfit. I also miss my really long hair. I went to get my hair colored and trimmed about a month ago, and she convinced me that the ends would lay better if she took about three inches off...well, as some of you I'm sure have experienced, her three inches was really like five inches. In the grand scheme of things, it's not that big of a deal, but when I don't feel attractive in my clothes, I at least had my hair and make-up. Now I just have my make-up, which with my sleep issues, is iffy at best some days. I suppose it's just frustrating because the last thing I wanted to be was a "frumpy pregnant lady". 

Cravings: Nothing in particular. I just really enjoy "meat & potatoes" type meals.

Symptoms: Like I said in the "sleep" section, my back and joints are starting to ache a little. I know part of this is because I need to be exercising and doing yoga more...so I blame myself for some of it.  

Best Moment this week: I/We had a few great moments this past week or so. 

First, we found out that Kyle's brother and his wife are having a boy as well (she's due about a month after me), so I'm thrilled that our little guy will have a boy cousin so close in age!

Second, we started on the nursery this past weekend. I finally have a clear vision for how I want it to look, so we started painting and have some of the big pieces of furniture ordered. Our hope is to get it mostly completed before Christmas, that way it's just one less thing that we have to worry about....and I'm not so huge that I can't help.

Lastly, we found out that a couple that we're friends with is also pregnant. Yes, I know a gaggle of women that are pregnant right now, but this one was different just because they've had some struggles conceiving and they're just the kind of people that you know will make amazing parents and need to have, like, eight kids. I'm almost as excited for them as I am for us! 

The 1:00 p.m. Jump Around

Have you ever been to a football game when this song comes on...




And what does everyone do? They jump around, of course.

Almost every day, about an hour after I eat lunch, Baby Blair has (what I've dubbed as) his own little Jump Around session. I sit here and watch my belly jerk left and right, up and down, and every which way in between. And I waste about 15 minutes of my work day staring at my stomach. Oh well!

Christmas Spirit??

I'm a big fan of Christmas, and I usually get my decorations out just before or during Thanksgiving. Most of my decorations are more "winter" than traditional Christmas, which allows me to leave them out a bit longer. This year, we had Thanksgiving at our house...so Christmas decor had to wait until our guests left. 

I completely expected to be super happy about dragging out all of my decorations and setting up Christmas in our new house for the first time this past weekend. I wanted to turn to a Christmas music station on DirecTV and drink hot chocolate...and, you know, get all Christmas-y.

But I couldn't. I still can't. I couldn't figure out why until I went outside with Gus the other night...

It's still HOT outside!!!

Seriously. Today was the first day it's been even moderately cool in weeks, and it's only sticking around for the day. Back to 75 tomorrow. Oh, and I just looked...80 on Sunday.

Granted, I'm not asking for -20 degrees or anything, but the necessity of a coat might be nice for a change. 

I think I need to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

22+ Weeks

Yeah, so I've been a little delinquent in updating this portion of my blog. Sorry.

So, some randoms about the past month...

I have a feeling that our kiddo's personality might be a reflection of how he made is presence known to me. I never felt the soft butterfly wings or "tickle" that most everyone said that they felt. I had been feeling some pressures, but it wasn't until I saw where he was positioned during our anatomy scan that I realized that it was him that I was feeling; not indigestion. Since then, he's been rolling, kicking, and punching away. Kyle can feel him really well when he's active, which is neat. Other than our bellies getting big, pregnancy isn't really a tangible thing for men, so I love that Kyle can "communicate" with our baby prior to his arrival.

Something somewhat unnerving, but a reality, that my doctor and I discussed at my last appointment was the fact that a baby is technically "viable" after 24 weeks. She said that if we were considering saving our baby's cord blood, that we should go ahead and order the kit because in the event I delivered in the few weeks...we would need it. Holy crap, that's in two weeks!! Obviously, a baby being born at 24 weeks isn't ideal, but the fact that our health care systems have the ability to help a baby born that early to survive is absolutely incredible. Still, I'm not near ready for Baby Boy to show his face just yet. 

Even though it's expected that your body will change during pregnancy, it's still very hard for me to get used to. I suppose part of the reason is that when I gain weight in general, I know where it's going to go and how my body is going to respond. Pregnancy is a whole new ballgame! I realize that I have never been in triathlon competition shape, but I've always watched my weight/size. [Okay, well, there was that time my sophomore year in college when I was eating pancakes and biscuits & gravy everyday for breakfast that didn't go in my favor...but I think it was then that I realized that I could no longer eat whatever I wanted and stay the same size.] Other than tracking calories and staying active, there's not a whole lot of control you have over how your body morphs during pregnancy. It just does what it's going to do. And to be honest, I've made peace with that because, after all, my body is performing a miracle...and that's pretty awesome. I have, however, taken Jenny McCarthy's advice, and I won't be looking at my back side naked in the mirror until at least this time next year. I think it will save me some mental anguish.

It also seems that there is a (relevant) movement among healthcare professionals to really monitor the weight of their pregnant patients. I completely understand that gaining excessive weight can lead to problems...pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, risks for c-sections goes up, etc. There has long been the mantra of "you're eating for two" that gave women the permission to eat whatever they wanted. Well, we're not eating for two, we're eating 1.1-ish. We really only need about 300-500 extra calories a day for our babies to thrive and grow. However, I also think that some women are held to an unrealistic standard, and that some women just seem predisposed to gain a certain amount of weight during pregnancy. I was told that I didn't need to gain more than 25 lbs., which I'm not sure if that will happen or not. My goal from day one was to be around 30 lbs... especially with two holidays in between conception and delivery. What I find unrealistic is that we are all mostly held to the same standard, but I don't really see how my barely 5'0" tall and 100 lb. friend's pregnancy weight is in any way comparable to my 6'0" tall and not 100 lb. friend's pregnancy weight. I suppose I would feel a little better if there was more of a focus on what was being eaten and how much exercise was being  performed, rather than the variance between the weights on the scale. Of course, as I'm writing this, I'm polishing off a small bowl of a cream cheese laden dip that my sister-in-law made while she was here for Thanksgiving. Baby needs the calcium, right?!

How Far Along: 22 Weeks

Size of baby: Roughly 10 inches long, and weighs about 1 pound

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Let's just say, at my last doctor's visit, the scale revealed a number that I've never been associated with previously. 

Maternity Clothes: Finally ordered some maternity tops and dresses. It's not so much the circumference, but the length of tops and dresses that are becoming an issue. 

Movement: Oh yes! Little rolls and thuds. Hard enough now that Kyle can feel them. 

Sleep: Generally, I sleep really well. I've had a few night recently where I've had a difficult time getting comfortable, but not enough to deter sleep.

What I miss: I'm a pretty independent, resourceful, and self-sufficient girl...so it's somewhat difficult for me when I get comments about what will make me tired or what I should/shouldn't be doing because I'm pregnant. I know people mean well, but I'm not going to do anything to put my baby's or my health in jeopardy...so I will be the first to say if I need a break, can't go, or shouldn't do "that". 

Cravings: Nothing in particular. I just really enjoy "meat & potatoes" type meals.

Symptoms: Round Ligament Pain. Oh my. Apparently my belly doesn't grow gradually, it grows/changes over a few hour period while stretching my muscles and ligaments to the max. I'm not convinced that Baby Boy isn't stretched out like a starfish when this is happening either. 

Best Moment this week: It's not really baby related, but I really loved having my Mom's whole side of the family (minus one) down to our house for Thanksgiving. We had a good time hanging out and cooking. And, of course, it doesn't hurt this preggo's feelings that 70% of the leftovers are in my refrigerator ; )

Evening Shenanigans

A couple of nights ago, we decided some fresh air and a walk sounded nice, so that's what we did. We put Gus's collar and leash on and headed around the block. 

When we got back to our street, we started talking about this one house that we really hadn't seen much, if any, activity at. Most of the houses on the street were either built by a family, like us, or they were purchased as a spec home straight from the builder. Well, this one house in particular had a realtor's "for sale" sign in the yard for quite some time, and then a little later it had a "for lease" sign...which is pretty unusual for our area. So, our assumption was that someone had purchased it and was adding some things to lease it out to families that were only going to be here short-term. On top of that, we've never seen a moving van, a vehicle, or even so much as a light on around that house. 

When we got to the house we saw that the fence was down on the side where a pool was being put it in. Since the fence was down and the back yard lights were on, we thought we'd take a peek at the pool. (Side note: It's very common in a building communities like ours for people to roam even purchased homes as they're being built) So we stroll into the back yard and look at the pool and concrete work that whoever has purchased the house has done. About that time, something catches my eye. I turn and look in the back window of the house and see what looks like the glow from a fish tank.

I said, "uh, Kyle?!" and he responded "Go! Go! Go! Run!"

He scooped up Gus and we ran as quietly as possible across the three lawns that separate our houses, hoping not to be heard or followed. We bust into our house and fall down in the foyer laughing our rears off! I can't remember the last time that we've laughed that hard. 

And then we discovered the red dirt on our shoes and Gus's feet. I suppose that's what we get for trespassing ; )

Kitchen Wrecks

Well, I've had a few kitchen disasters recently. I suppose it's like anything else...you do it long enough, something bad will happen. You ride horses long enough, you will get thrown off. You play soccer for a long time, you're likely to have an ankle or knee injury. 

Stuff just happens sometimes.

So what did I do?

Well, Saturday, I was making a salad that I wanted to put thinly sliced apples in, so I pulled out my handy-dandy mandolin, that looks a lot like this...

[I'm sure you can already tell where this is going]

I'm always super careful when I use it, and I didn't use the safety guard this time because I knew that I wasn't taking the apple all the way down...just part of the way. 

Well, part of the way was just enough for me to catch my thumb on the blade. I quickly grabbed my thumb with a towel so that I wouldn't get blood on anything, and raced to the bathroom. I washed it off as best I could and then proceeded to put three band-aids on it. And then I bled through those, so I re-wrapped it with three more band-aids and finished it off with some vet-wrap. It's actually healing a lot better than I thought it would, but I have to keep a bandage on it because as it dries, the edges of the cut curl up and the dry skin catches on other things. Grossed out yet?!

........................

My most gut-wrenching offense occurred Thursday night.

I knew I'd be doing some cooking over the weekend for other things, so I wanted to make a big batch of something that we wouldn't mind eating for a few meals over a few days. I had made lasagna and chili the week before...so those were out. Finally I decided to make a pot of seafood gumbo! It's a lot of work, but it's really one of my favorite meals, and Kyle likes it a lot as well. Win, win!

Thursday after work, I went to the grocery store to get all of the items I would need for the gumbo and all of my weekend cooking. For the gumbo, I purchased some fresh Gulf shrimp, lump crab meat, and organic/natural andouille sausage (not supposed to have the preservatives and nitrates in regular sausage during pregnancy).

When I got home, I started to work on my gumbo. One smart thing that I had done previously, was make a big batch of roux from my last gumbo, and froze a portion of it. This saved me at least 45 minutes. Anyway, I sauteed my vegetables in the roux and slowly added all of my other ingredients, including a stock that I made using the shrimp shells and odd pieces of the onion and bell pepper I had diced earlier. 

The whole process took about two or so hours, but it was worth it. It was tasting awesome, and I knew that it would taste even better the next day...because that's just what gumbo does. 

I set the pot on the counter to cool while I did some other house work, but made sure to keep the kitchen lights on as a reminder to come back in there and put the pot in the refrigerator. My reminder worked because I did remember to go back and put the pot of gumbo in the refrigerator in our laundry room...except I needed to set it on a trivet in the refrigerator because the bottom of the pot was still a little warm.

And that's where it all went to hell in a hand basket. 

I went in the laundry room the next morning to feed Gus, and there on the dryer sat my pretty red dutch oven with all of that gumbo goodness. I had never gone back to get the trivet, and I, therefore, never went back to the laundry room to put the pot in the refrigerator. 

I thought I was going to cry, but I didn't. I just cussed a lot under my breath. 

I haven't felt that stupid in a very long time. Ugh, it still makes me mad!

.........................

On a good note, I did have one kitchen success (sort of) this last weekend. We had a Thanksgiving pot luck with our church group, and I attempted to make my Nana's cornbread dressing. I have to say that it wasn't perfect, but it was pretty darn close!!! I think if I had had the drippings from the turkey and added a little more celery, it would have been spot on! Of course, our family always has this huge debate about whether or not there's not enough/too much sage. I erred on the side of 'not enough', but I may be a little more daring next time and add another 1/8 of a teaspoon and see if I get a rise out of anyone ; )

Boy, Oh BOY!

We went for my anatomy scan today. It was really neat seeing all of the organs, bones, and features of our little one. It was kind of funny because the baby was moving so much, that the technician was having a difficult time getting some of the shots she needed for measurements. She reassured us that the activity level now as in no way any indication of their energy level outside of the womb. We shall see ; )

The fun part, was, however, seeing that we're having a BOY! Kyle had been saying that he  knew that it was a girl...but I knew better. As a matter of fact, as soon as I saw that the test was positive, I knew it was a boy. I have to say though, we really didn't have a preference either way. As long as the baby was healthy, we'll take whatever we get!

To be honest though, we've actually known for a few weeks. We kind of just wanted extra confirmation...not that we really needed any, as you can see from the pics below. 

16 Weeks...

20 Weeks...

When we were in Tulsa a few weeks back, I contacted a pledge sister of mine, Jamee, who, with her husband, owns and operates Stork Vision Tulsa. I told her that we were going to be in town and that I knew that I was the absolute earliest I could be for gender determination, but I would love for her to be the one to tell me. She was more than happy to set up the appointment for us. 

Hospitals, clinics, and anything medical related have a tendency to feel, well, clinical...but I knew my experience with Jamee would be far from that. And I wasn't mistaken. Jamee is one of the sweetest, kindest people I know, and she was genuinely happy to see us and show us our baby in a way that only she could. She would say things like, "Awe, look at that cute little nose!", and I was thinking...it still looks like a Luchador mask to me, but I love that you think my fetus is cute! When it came time for the gender determination, she scanned down to the bottom and paused and said, "Well, there are the little legs, and there's the little bottom...", and I said "...and there's the little penis!". I looked over at Kyle and we both teared up. Okay, we cried. Even though he thought it was a girl, I knew he really wanted a boy, so I was really just thrilled for him more than anything.

If you live in Tulsa, or the surrounding area, and are looking at your 3D/4D ultrasound options, I highly recommend Stork Vision Tulsa. Jamee will treat you like a friend, not a patient, and will do everything in her power to give you and your loved ones the best experience possible. If you "Like" them on Facebook, she often posts special pricing promotions they are offering and new items they have for sale. 

I can't tell you how thankful I am that someone so kind and welcoming was able to provide that special moment for us, rather than a technician in my OB's office. 

Before we even went to the appointment, we had discussed not saying anything to our families until after the anatomy scan...just in case. Well, immediately after our appointment with Jamee, we went to McAlister's Deli to get a to-go order, and we called both of our families while we waited to tell them the fun news. We have nieces on both sides of our families, so this will be the first grandson/nephew. I can't wait!

It Ain't Christmas Yet!!!

Let me start by saying this...I love Christmas and the time around Christmas just as much as anyone. I love listening to Christmas songs, decorating our house, baking treats, looking at lights, seeing family, and, of course, Christmas dinner. 

I've always noticed that the home stores always have their Christmas decorating paraphernalia out early (although July may be a bit early, Hobby Lobby)...which I get, people need to buy stuff with which to celebrate Christmas. Fine, no biggie.

I even understand my friends that start putting up their decorations in October. It's a fun time of the year and people want it to last as long as possible. I purposely use more "winter" themed decorations just so that I don't have to take them down immediately after Christmas. 

But this year, it seems like everyone is totally skipping Thanksgiving! And what I mean by everyone, are retailers. I noticed that Christmas lights and decorations have been put up in the shopping areas. The mall across the street from my office building is having their "lighting ceremony" November 17th...with carolers and everything. I went to the grocery store yesterday and the aisle with all of the seasonal stuff had already been switched from Halloween candy to Christmas candy. Hello! People are going to need chicken stock, canned pumpkin, and French's Fried Onions a lot sooner than they're going to need Christmas candy.

All of this doesn't irk me because I don't like Christmas, because I do love Christmas. It chaps my butt because retailers want the Christmas season to be longer simply so that we'll buy more. I mean, I'm all for pumping some money into the economy, but I don't need to spend my nursery budget on presents. Can't remember if you got Timmy a present because you did your shopping in September? Oh well, just buy him another gift...just in case. 

Also, I really love Thanksgiving. I suppose I just really like to eat, but I think getting together with family to remember what you're thankful for, eat some delicious, homemade food, and fall asleep watching football is something that shouldn't be seen as just another thing to do before Christmas time rolls around. 

And if I see a bell-ringer at the front of a store before November 22nd...well, I'm not sure that I would do anything...but I won't be happy about it!

Halloween Belly

I went to a Halloween Party on Saturday, and this was my costume. I was going to go as "pregnant Snooki"...but once I started thinking about what all that transformation entailed...I decided some black fleece and double-stick tape sounded much better. Plus, I was sporting my school colors at the same time. Winning all around! Speaking of winning, I won "Best Homemade" costume at our party. 

What's funny is that since I took these pictures on Saturday, I'm pretty sure I've grown. I looked down at my belly during church and realized that it was indeed bigger than the day before. Crazy how that happens!

Since becoming pregnant, I've had my share of people giving me little tips and advice based on their experiences. Eat almonds everyday, get some kind of exercise in, make sure you register for this, don't even bother with getting that, etc...  Even though there are times I wish I could change the subject, I know everyone who has offered any tidbit of information has done so because they want me to have the best experience possible, and I greatly appreciate that! That being said, I had my first bout of awkward baby/parenting advice last week. The woman is someone I know, but not that well. We say hello to one another, and that's usually about it. Well, she proceeded to tell me about what to expect if we were having a boy. Namely, how involved he would be with his penis. From peeing on you when changing their diaper, to having their first erection when their little, to how many times a day they shower as teenagers and what they're doing in while in the shower. I really wanted to interrupt her and tell her that I was almost 30 years old, and that I'm quite aware of the fascination boys have with their male parts. It's not really a secret. But I didn't. I just sat there thinking, I can't wait to tell Kyle all of this. 

The big topic of discussion lately has been what my "birth plan" is. Well, I plan on having a baby. That's what I plan on. 

The best advice I've received so far, in that regard, is just to be prepared for anything.

Honestly though, I'm not one that has a 5-page plan of what I want to have happen during my child's birth to make me feel like a complete mother. I know that I don't want to be induced unless absolutely necessary. I know that I want to at least attempt a natural birth if things are progressing quickly...but you better believe if I'm on hour 14 and I'm only at 6 cm, the anesthesiologist better be on his/her way. And if things get scary for me and/or the baby, bring on the c-section. 

I think a lot of my outlook has to do with being a veterinarian's kid, and seeing a lot of babies born many different ways. Sure, the ideal thing is for a mother just to labor and give birth like nature intended, but sometimes, that just doesn't work. Baby gets stuck in the birth canal, baby is turned the wrong way, mother's vitals drop etc... There are lots of examples like that, but I guess my point is, nature's way is great and perfect when it works, but sometimes it doesn't. I fully intend to just go with the flow and let my body do what it knows how to do, and if I need some help along the way, I'm not afraid to ask for it. And that's just me. You bring your kid into the world however you see fit...You'll get no dirty looks or judgement here. 

Anyway, I hope your week is off to a good start, and you have some fun Halloween plans. I'm going to be sitting on my front porch with a tub of candy to pass out to kiddos. I did buy a pack of Fun Dip to pass out. I can see a lot of parents having to vacuum out their mini-vans on Thursday because of that move ; )

17-18 weeks

Well, my original intention was to do an almost weekly update on my pregnancy...but I kind of failed at that.

So this is going to be random...

Other than my belly getting a little bigger, not much has changed. I get tired earlier in the evening, but I've been feeling great! And in all honesty, I've kind of quit obsessing about all of the little things, because I kind of feel like my body is in auto-pilot now. Unless I do something really stupid, my body is just going to keep growing this baby like it's supposed to!

I have noticed that I can't really sit up on my own very easily any more...I have to do the "roll on the side and push up" move. I'm not even that big yet, my muscles are just stretched so much that it doesn't feel right to use them that way.

Part of my lack of blog posts recently has in fact been a pregnancy induced issue...my fingers have dyslexia. Have you heard of women having "pregnancy brain"? Well, it exists. The baby literally sucks all of your brain power out of you. You forget things that you normally remember, or say things that you would normally filter...that kind of thing. Well, part of mine has manifested as my inability to type well. And I work at a computer all day...go figure. 

I ordered a pregnancy body pillow a couple of weeks ago, and last night I was looking at the tag and it had the inspection information regarding the manufacturer in Ada, OK (my hometown). I had completely forgotten that Leachco was in Ada. They manufacture all sorts of baby and maternity products. So if you're a MIO (Made In Oklahoma) fan and need baby/maternity stuff...check them out! 

The biggest thing on our minds and to-do list right now, is finding a great daycare. Having worked in a daycare in college, I thought I would be somewhat immune to sending my kid to a cared for my someone else...but I was wrong! The thought of older kids doesn't bother me so much, but handing my newborn over to someone that I don't know that well in a room of other infants is starting to weigh on me. We toured one that's right by our house, which would be super convenient, but I'm just not sure it's the right place for us. I just keep praying that God will show us the right place for our little one to be. He got us to where we are, so I don't lack the confidence that He'll provide the best place for our baby to be taken care of while we work. 

How Far Along: 17, almost 18 weeks

Size of baby: I've learned that it depends on which site/app you look at, but our kiddo is supposedly 5-5.5 inches in length...about the size of a small sweet potato

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I think I'm up about 6 lbs. Just an FYI, when I start getting up there in poundage...you'll probably see this section disappear. My OB told me that she didn't see a need for me to gain more than 25 lbs. That would be great, except I don't think she took into consideration that Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners would be partaken of between now and then. We'll see. 

Maternity Clothes: Kind of the same. Definitely not in my old pants anymore. 

Movement: Not yet, but I expect something soon!

Sleep: Other than having to get up one or two times...I've been sleeping great!

What I miss: Still sandwiches. Being able to wear some of the cute Fall clothes I see coming out. I didn't even bother flipping through the JCrew catalog that I got yesterday.

Cravings: Nothing much here. Still not a huge fan of sweets, but other than that, I'll eat just about anything.

Symptoms: Other than a bigger belly, I feel great!

Best Moment this week: Going on our maiden baby shopping adventure this past weekend. It definitely confirmed my need to get a spreadsheet going, and to get a membership to consumer reports, but it was a lot of fun!

Life-Altering Decisions

We had been talking about it for a while, but just really didn't know when the time would be right. There are pros and cons to everything, of course. Having something new around would be really exciting, but the familiarity of the old is comforting. I'm kind of a fan of predictability and security when it comes to a lot of things. 

Of course, expense was one of our main concerns. How much would this all cost? How much would it change our lifestyle? 

But alas, after doing our due diligence, we determined that it was indeed time...my Jeep Liberty needed to move on to greener pastures...or, more likely, a parts auction.

She had been a great car. In the seven years that I had her, I only had one problem, and it was covered by the warranty, so it really wasn't that big of a deal. But, she was approaching eight years of age, quite a lot of miles, and in need of new tires, a little body work, and some maintenance (read, a car not worth much needed quite a bit of money put into her). Also, after seeing my niece's car seat in the back seat and how little room there was to spare, I knew we would need a different car once we decided to start having children. 

Kyle works in an area with a few dealerships and got a recommendation from a friend of ours. So, in between a few stops last week, he dropped by just to see what they had. Well, it turned out that they had three of the main SUV's we were considering on their used car lot...so I met him there after work to do some test driving with absolutely not intention of purchasing anything that evening.

Long story short, we left the dealership (3 1/2 hours later) with our (new to us) 2011 Ford Explorer. I've had it for a week now, and I absolutely love it. I've always loved how Ford SUV's handled driving-wise, but what sold me on this particular vehicle were the safety features (blind-spot indicator, front crash sensor...hey, it's Houston and I need all of the help I can get) and the power folding seats (which I'm assuming will be invaluable with kids in-tow). Kyle, being the simple male that he is, is infatuated with the ventilated front seats. A.K.A., the crotch blowers. It's the little things, people. 

We took our first road trip in it last weekend to Fort Worth to see my brother, sister-in-law, and niece. [Upcoming post] Our drive there and back was just further confirmation that we made the right purchase for us. It drove and rode well, had plenty of room for all of our junk and then some, and was really comfortable. Being that we were the ones to move the furthest away from both of our families, we knew that we would be the ones doing most of the traveling...so having something that was relatively enjoyable to drive and ride in was really important to us. The only hiccup to our new little traveling scenario is that the car has a fancy little HD radio and Sirius...and Kyle does NOT share my taste in music. This is something we're going to have to work on ; )

Weekend Recap

This past weekend, we went up to Tulsa to visit some friends.

First off, it was cold. Like, really cold. Kyle was supposed to play golf on Saturday, but it was 35 degrees, 15 mph winds, and drizzling. Ridiculous. That's a part of Tulsa/Oklahoma that I do not miss. 

So, we watched football all day...which was fine with Kyle. The friends we were staying with had built a house with theater room built for football watching. The other wives and myself hung out downstairs and played with all of the babies. 

Driving around and seeing our former haunts was a little bittersweet. I really like Tulsa as a city, and miss it quite a bit. It has most everything a large city needs, but it still has a family/community feel to it. Even going to church on Sunday felt more intimate than any service I had been to in a long time...and when Kyle I joined, we were worried about how large it was. Everything is relative. 

I also really miss our old house. Don't get me wrong, the one we built is beautiful and I love everything about it, but our house in Tulsa was just quaint and lovely...and perfect for the two of us. As we were landing, I was secretly hoping that we were going "home" to our old house...starting a fire in the fireplace, playing with Gus in the floor, and just having a relaxing evening.

Food-wise, I made sure that I got to eat at Charleston's and Hideaway. I know, you're thinking, but those aren't even the best/nicest places. You would be correct, but you see, Houston has even better, nicer places...but they don't have a Charleston's or Hideaway Pizza, or anything that comes close to them. What can I say, old habits and taste-buds die hard. 

One thing we got a kick out of was the "traffic". We got in our rental car at the airport and drove to our friends' house in Broken Arrow in what used to seem to take an hour...this time felt like nano-seconds. As we passed the dreaded intersection of 71st & Memorial...we laughed at the fact that we used to think that it was the most horrid place on earth (traffic-wise) and that we avoided it like the plague. Now, it's merely child's play compared to what we see and contend with everyday.

All in all, I'm so glad we made the leap and moved to Houston. We love our new city, home and friends. But, Tulsa will always be a very special place to us, and we will always call ourselves Okies!

Anniversary and Birthday

Today is an anniversary, of sorts, for us. One year ago today, we were unloading our belongings off of a moving truck and into our rental house in Houston. It was a crazy, unintended whirlwind...but we're so glad we made the move. We miss our friends in Tulsa, and being so close to our families in Oklahoma...but we've had so many neat experiences here. 

Man, what a year it's been! Moved down here, decided to build a house, built the house and moved in, and now we're expecting a little one in March. CRAZY!


Today also marks our baby dog, Gus's birthday! He's officially a two-year old. I've always loved animals, but he's a special dog for sure. Our lives would be so different, and so much less fulfilled without him.

14+ Week Baby Update

Well, I haven't been avoiding taking bump pictures...I just flat haven't done it until last night. And to be honest, unless I took them naked prior to this, you probably wouldn't have been able to tell much. 

I have to say that I was absolutely dreading buying maternity clothes. I mean, I think it's one of those things that when you've never been pregnant, you see maternity clothes and think "oh, how cute!"...and then when you are pregnant you think "everything I see is going to make me look like a frumpy, dumpy blob." Well, as my pants have gotten tighter, I started using one of the belly band things and/or rubber bands. I'll go on record and say that the belly band thing is so darn annoying! I mean, it's a life-saver in the sense that I can still wear some of my regular pants, but they're just a pain. So, I finally broke down and ordered some jeans and black dress pants from Gap, seeing that Gap is one of the few retailers that carries maternity pants in "longs". Anyway, I get them in the mail last week, and I'll be danged if the jeans don't fit and look awesome! I showed them to Kyle not telling him they were maternity jeans (and obviously hiding the elastic band) and he thought I had on my really expensive jeans. And to top if off, I can wear my boots with them and they almost touch the floor!!! Hallelujah!

The black pants didn't fit quite as well, and I'm going to have to get the hem let out a little...but they'll definitely work!

So...here are some stats to keep you updated on us.

How Far Along: 14 weeks, 5 days

Size of baby: About 4.5 inches, head to bum (think the length of your iPhone)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I think I'm up about 3.5 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I'm still sticking with loose, non-maternity tops for now, but I totally gave in and bought the pants with the low band. I may never go back to buttons and zippers again!

Movement: Not yet, but I don't expect it for a few more weeks. It still amazes me to know that the baby is as big as it is and I can't feel it!

Sleep: Other than having to get up one or two times...I've been sleeping great!

What I miss: Sandwiches, without having to heat the meat up first. Not drinking [what seems like] 6 gallons of water a day. Running errands and not having to make a stop into the restroom at each store. 

Cravings: I haven't had "cravings" per se, but there have been things that sound especially good or bad. For instance I've always loved sweets, of any kind, but I really don't care for them much at all. We've had a package of Oreos in our house for two weeks, if that tells you anything. I have been eating an excessive amount of dill pickle spears, however. I just like anything salty and vinegar-y.

Symptoms: Other than headaches from time time, which isn't really new for me anyway, I've been feeling really great the past week or so! 

Best Moment this week: Having friends over and getting things done around the house...it's great to have some energy and spunk back! Okay, maybe not spunk...but definitely energy!!

Nothing special...

I don't really have anything funny or earth-shattering to share, but I felt like I needed to post something...so here I am. 

I went to the dentist this morning...it was interesting. I had a new hygienist  which I didn't like because I like to know what to expect, and all dental hygienists have their routine. Anyway, it went fairly well, but the older I get, the more I grow to hate the scaler...the little tool they use to scrape plaque off of your teeth. The sound is just atrocious. Then, she suggested I do a foam fluoride rinse...ok, fine. Well, after swishing it around, she held the little sucker thing up to my mouth to suck out the foam, and I somehow managed to spew foam all over the side of my shirt. She helped me clean it up, but I was rather irritated at myself. She finishes up and the dentist comes in to check everything. Just as he was finishing the phrase "Your teeth look great...", he found where one of my old fillings had popped out. So, while I was there I had him fix it. Luckily, I didn't need an anesthetic. 

So, to treat myself for my dental visit (I have no problem rewarding myself like a dog), I stopped at Starbucks for a (decaf) Pumpkin Spice Latte. It was good, but the lack of cool weather didn't really do it justice. Then, as I was driving into work, I took a drink and somehow spilled some of my coffee on my jeans. Most beverages just dry up and you can't tell anything ever happened...Pumpkin Spice Lattes are not most beverages, apparently. I totally have a few blobs on my jeans. Awesome.

Tonight and tomorrow morning we're going to a marriage/family conference that our church is hosting. I think that Kyle and I do pretty good, but I know that we can always learn how to do better. Especially now that we have a kiddo on the way, we think it's even more important to be in tune with one another, and learn how to keep our faith as the focus of our marriage and family as the chaos ensues. Wait, there is no chaos, right?!

Tomorrow night we're having our church group over to our house, which I'm really looking forward to! Since we built the house, we haven't really had any group stuff at our house...we had company in and out for quite a while right after we moved in, and then we found out I was pregnant, and cleaning the house for a group of people (or even just a couple) to come over just was not a priority. The only thing I screwed up about this party was that I scheduled it before I knew when the OSU game would be played. I think I'll still be able to catch the end of it though ; )

Last but not least, I got Gus a new "indestructible", knotted, rope toy...this is what it looked like after two days. I'd put him up against a badger any day of the week. Speaking of Gus, I'm really proud of him. Kyle was gone last weekend, and on Sunday night, Gus and I had already gone to bed when Kyle got home. I heard the garage door, but I just laid there to wait and see what Gus would do...sure enough, he hopped up when he thought he heard something and growled a little, and then as soon as he heard some footsteps he started barking like a mad man. I'm proud of my little pint-sized guard dog ; )

Well, that's kind of it for now. I'll do a baby update post soon. 

Happy Friday!

Tuesday Humor

Because I'm tired...because I have a headache...and because I needed a laugh.

I'm sure you needed one too.

Hello, Second Trimester!

I had been reading and hearing about how much better the second trimester is, but I think it's one of those things that you can't appreciate until you experience it.

I was lucky in that I never had severe morning sickness. But while I never felt horrible, I never really felt good either. It was such a weird feeling. Normally, if I feel bad, I can take a nap or just take it easy for a day, and feel better...but that's apparently not how pregnancy works. I guess I just felt kind of puny all of the time. And it didn't help that I was waking up for the fifth time (to pee) every night/morning around 3:30-4:00 a.m. and not being able to go back to sleep until my alarm went off at 5:00 a.m.

Although I don't feel 100% myself...I feel so much better!

The past few nights I've been sleeping like a rock (only getting up once or twice). I've been going to bed before Kyle, and I never even hear or feel him get into bed. I just wake up and he's there. That's how I know that I slept well ; ) Plus, most any nausea or lightheaded-ness has dissipated. 


This morning I had one of those great mornings that I haven't had in a while. 

- I love my outfit and I love even more that I am able to use the hair-tie around the button on my pants, instead of using the belly band. That thing is getting annoying.
- I slept on my hair wet, and I didn't wake up with any cow-licks...just a few turns of the curling iron and my hair looks good!
- Friday traffic is the best...because it's almost non-existent.
- I left early enough (shocker!) to stop by Jamba Juice. I've been hitting up Smoothie King once in a while (because breakfast still isn't my friend), but it just hasn't tasted good to me...so I thought I'd give J-J a whirl. So glad I did! I found a smoothie that I love...not too sweet, and it has fruit and veggies in it...all stuff I really need to be eating more of. It's called the Berry UpBeet, it has strawberries, blueberries, mango, and Red Juice (carrot, beet, broccoli, spinach, and kale). You should try it. 
- As I was driving in to work...I was just washed with this God-induced, blissful peace. I haven't felt that in a while. It's the feeling that makes me acutely aware that the world is so much bigger than me, and that my short time here is meant for a higher purpose...and that stressing about the little things is so minuscule in comparison to everything else. 
- Last but not least, it's finally starting to get (relatively) cool around here...so I'm getting out my Fall decorations this weekend! I love Fall! I love pumpkins, hay bales, cinnamon scented stuff, leggings and boots, scarves, fire pits and s'mores, and, of course, football. 


I hope everyone is having a great Friday, and has a wonderful weekend!