Happy Memorial Day!

       Happy late Memorial Day to all the service men and women! After traveling the past couple of weeks, Matt and I decided to spend memorial weekend at home playing catch up. This picture is from the golf course at 16 weeks 2 days.

Total weight gain/loss: +8 pounds ugghh

Baby’s Size: Avocado

Maternity clothes? Stretchy dresses and work out clothes…will be going to get a bella band this week because the shorts I wore golfing were pretty tight…any more growing and they won’t button…here we go!
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: great

Best moment this week: Fishing, pool time, and golfing

Miss Anything?  Nothing really

Movement: I think so…every time I sit still for a while I feel little twitches (mainly on my left side and middle)

Food cravings: Chocolate and cake…I made pudding

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope

Have you started to show yet:  I am getting bigger, but not pregnant looking. I also have a small belly in the mornings and by the afternoon look 5 months (in pic)

Gender prediction: My upper belly sticks out more than my lower so girl

Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out?  In
Wedding rings on or off?  On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy

Looking forward to:  Getting a noticeable baby bump, my dr. appointment on Thursday, and finding out the gender

       We stayed home for Memorial weekend. We caught up on some house work, relaxed by the pool, and played some golf. This week makes twice in a row that I fell asleep within the first 10 minutes of a movie…not me at all. I now have all my energy in the a.m. and almost need a nap by about 3 pm. Hormones do crazy things… 

       I would also like to end this post asking for prayers for Erika's sisters family. Jenna and her two baby boys (one just born in April) will need all of the peace they can get as they grieve the loss of her husband, Arturo, whose helicopter (he was a pilot) went down in the Gulf yesterday. I was shocked to hear this news...life is so precious! R.I.P. Arturo.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

15 Weeks in Louisiana

       I spent my 15 weeks in Louisiana, celebrating David's graduation from LSU (congrats David!). This pic was taken while we were fishin' in the bayou (15 weeks 2 days).

Total weight gain/loss: +6-7 pounds I think

Baby’s Size: Naval Orange

Maternity clothes? Just my stretchy dresses, not really maternity clothes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: great

Best moment this week: David graduating and fishing

Miss Anything?  Drinking at celebrations and sushi

Movement: Not sure…

Food cravings: Just hungry

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope

Have you started to show yet:  My belly is definitely growing...hopefully from baby and not from food 

Gender prediction: My family did the needle/string over my wrist when I was young and it has always said boy first

Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out?  In
Wedding rings on or off?  On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy

Looking forward to:  Getting a noticeable baby bump that looks like baby and finding out the gender

       My symptoms are pretty manageable these days. I still get worn out quickly during boot camp work outs and my lower back, tail bone, sciatic nerve pain are definitely there...but I will take that over feeling sick or dizzy any day.

       It was so nice to be back in Baton Rouge on Friday. Before the graduation I had lunch with the Ritter Maher gang which validated why I loved working with those people. We walked a long distance to the graduation in heels (blisters) and the buildings air conditioning system obviously wasn’t able to work against the Louisiana heat…my feet got so swollen that it looked like two stuffed sausages...and I was so sweaty. BUT…we saw David graduate and that made it all worth it. Instead of going to a bar after dinner Matt and I rented a movie and went back to David’s…I feel asleep during the intro credits. How old are we!?

The only pic I have of the rest of us at Graduation...I swear we took some with David after, but I have no clue who has them. Serves me right for being lazy all weekend and not bringing my camera. That program was an amazing fan!

The LSU Mechanical Engineering Graduate brothers...again Congrats David and welcome to Houston!

       Saturday we headed to Ville Platte to attend the wedding of one of Matt’s college friends. It was your typical Southern Louisiana wedding which was nice considering it had been a while since we had been to one. The ceremony was in the town’s Catholic church, and it was a 1.5 hour long ceremony complete with a full mass (not my cup of tea). I had not realized they had changed all the “people’s answers” back to the priest…I kept asking Matt why this church says different things haha. 

       The reception was at the bride’s parents home near Mamou…the house was beautiful, like an old southern bed and breakfast. They had beer and wine flowing, and a delicious punch that I was able to enjoy. The wedding cake was a traditional one and the groom’s cake was a hunting themed duck cake with lsu cookies on the side. (Again wishing I hadn't been lazy with the camera) There was chicken, beef, watermelon, green beans, skewers of cherry tomoatoes, mint, and parmesean (my favorite). They had a fun jump next to the field of cows in the back for kids to play on, and of course there was some Cajun music thrown in…complete with beer head bands the wedding party threw on…not sure why but it was funny to watch. Cajuns just love life…and love to have a great time. That night we went to LaFonda’s…our favorite margarita destination…that was HARD!

Them LSU boys...always having a good time

       Sunday we went on a spur of the moment boat ride through Henderson swamp to go fishing. I only had one pair of shorts on the trip so I threw those on and we headed out. We had the bemini top to protect me and the baby from getting too over-heated in the sun and together, Matt and I caught a Brim…he hooked it and I reeled it in. :) Team Work!

Chicaaago...Now I'm Hungry

       When Matt was told he needed to go to Chicago for work training, we were excited, but we had no idea how cool (and clean) the city is. Their food was delicious which says a lot coming from Louisianians. If it wasn't for the cold winters and lack of oil businesses we would consider moving there for sure!
       After a LOOONGG delay on the plane (went from a 2.5 hour flight to a 7), we arrived late Sunday night and found dinner at Mother Hubbard's, on Hubbard street...which was a street with a lot of action. 
       Monday was rainy so after Matt got off we walked around to some stores...I pre-gamed at H&M to get ready for the next day...and we ate Chicago style pizza at Lou Malnati's...AMAZING! They have a gluten-free pizza and (in the words of Erika)...you'll never guess what the crust is made of!?...Italian Sausage...it's absurd! :)

       Tuesday, I hit the streets/stores while Matt was working. Two stores were enough for me to do all the damage I could do (Marshall's and H&M). I stocked up on dresses to wear when my belly gets nice and round. That evening we did an architectural boat tour through the Chicago River and walked around the Navy Pier. We capped off the night fulfilling another one of Matt's requests...steak...at Weber grill (they actually cook on the round Weber grills)...delish!

 The bartender on the boat found at we were from Louisiana and brought Matt a bloody mary on the house

The Sears Tower in the background 

 Navy Pier with The Chicago skyline behind us

The large Weber grills in the kitchen

       Wednesday, we saw the sun set at the Sears tower (now called the Willis). 103 stories up there are all-glass lookouts that jut out of the building. Matt cautiously walked out to get some pictures...I am TERRIFIED of heights, so the only way there was gonna be a picture of my feet on the glass was for Matt to walk me out backwards while I looked straight INTO the building. I accidentally looked down at the end and jumped off QUICKLY...makes me sweat just thinking about it.

       Thursday, we were so tired and cold (and I was having a preggo diva attitude :(  ) so we just walked around Chicago and went to Millenium Park to see the Bean, the festival area, and fountain...apparently we missed out on the good fountain. We capped off the night at Rockit which we were told has the best burger in the city...Matt agreed...I had a salad (stupid glutens).

       Friday, we headed over to Wrigley field on the subway. Neither of us our huge baseball fans, but we figured the history of that stadium made it worth seeing. We went on a tour through the field, locker rooms, press box, etc.

       Friday night we headed to the suburbs to stay with Erika and Wayne for the weekend. I must have been too busy talking to take any pics because I have zero with them and the kids. In summary; I got my virgin mojito, we watched horse races at the racetrack (our first time ever...it was cool), we shopped, and hung out with one of the coolest couples and couple of kids around. Sunday, right before we left left managed to meet my Aunt and Uncle for lunch (they had just flown into Chicago).

14 Weeks

       We spent most of the 13th week and hit 14 weeks in Chicago (post coming soon). Now that I am in my second trimester according to ALL sources (they vary), I celebrated with a virgin Mojito and one my best friends, Erika. This pic was taken at the airport before we headed home (14 weeks 2 days).

Total weight gain/loss: +4-5 pounds

Baby’s Size: Lemon

Maternity clothes? Not yet, but I may be getting close. I bought a plethora of dresses at H&M and Marshalls, in Chicago
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: great…traveling and sight seeing is tiring so I hit the pillow hard!

Best moment this week: Seeing Chicago with my honey and baby in tow...and going to Erika's!

Miss Anything?  I got a mixed drink (virgin Mojito) so not really

Movement: Not sure…at 13 weeks 4 days I sat to eat and felt a twitch/flutter in the baby region…haven’t really felt it since so I really do not know

Food cravings: Just food in general…sweet, salty, filling... it varies hourly

Anything making you queasy or sick:  I officially conquered all of my food aversions while in Chicago…maybe I could do it bc their food was delish

Have you started to show yet:  My belly started to stick out more this week. It is not where the baby is, but right above it…I am honestly not sure if it is bc of the good food I ate a lot of or the baby moving things around... which makes it hard for me to come to terms with the new physique

Gender prediction: I took a home urine gender test and the results appear to be a girl, but these are not as accurate as they would like to claim so we still like to use it as a fun way to guess

Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out?  In
Wedding rings on or off?  On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Mostly happy on vacation…one day of moodiness due to hunger, achy feet, and tailbone pain.

Looking forward to:  Getting a noticeable baby bump and finding out the gender...and Matt's brother, David, graduates college this week!

       We headed to Chicago the day we took our announcement pics...on what was supposed to be a 2.5 hour flight that turned into 7 (on the plane…sweaty and hot). That plus the fact that I needed my water and snacks…I was soo uncomfortable. We finally got to Chicago at 11 pm and found Mother Hubbard's, on Hubbard street, right next to our hotel to eat.

       We announced the pregnancy on fb the next day (while it was raining in Chicago)…and spent the rest of the week seeing the beautiful city of Chicago. I took a belly pic at the bean (at 13 weeks 6 days), but it was hard to see.

       I have felt pretty good this week. The only time I would get nauseous is when I wouldn't eat, so I carried snacks in my purse. Touring the city was exhausting, but I also started allowing myself some coffee and tea this week so that helped. Most of the issues I had were due to the cold weather (HATE), walking or sitting too much (tailbone pain), wearing the wrong shoes, or carrying a heavy purse filled with snacks and water. This trip felt babymoon-ish even though Matt had to work all week. I went shopping one day while Matt was working and found a lot of versatile dresses I can wear this summer...then I made myself stay in the hotel the rest of the week because of all the damage I did haha.

       We capped off the week and celebrated 14 weeks with Erika and her family. We stayed with them over the weekend and I got my much needed girl gossip/gripe time. We also got a little bit of training with their 2 kids...no changing of diapers or anything...just being around them which Matt and I aren't usually around kids. Having them (being experienced with both genders) to bounce things off of is a great asset to have. Happy (late) Mother's Day!

Facebook Official!

       Yesterday we went facebook official with our news, and as you may know...it's not official until it's facebook official! ;) It was a little sooner than I had planned, but the next few weeks are going to be busy and Chicago provided me with a rainy, cold day to edit my photos so there ya go. Oh by the way...greetings from Chicago and the second trimester! Both rock so far!

       I'm sure most of you have seen our facebook announcement photo...

We chose this one because you can read the sign I made clearly (with some photoshop help)

       We took these pics an hour before we left for the airport to Chicago...it was a nice day and we were both ready so we went out to our neighborhood golf course and snapped a few. All of these photos are our camera, tripod, a self timer, and Matt running to pose...I was hoping they wouldn't look too home-made. We originally wanted to take these pics with the photographer I worked for, Robyn Arouty. We wanted to do something similar to this, but with Bijou...and Robyn is an AMAZING photographer...check out her website here: http://www.robynarouty.com/. Anyways, I was trying to get a short session with her, but we are crazy busy for the month of May so we decided to save our $$ for this shoot and use it for an awesome family photo when the baby is here...with Bijou too of course! Those are the photos I want in my house! :)

       We had a little fun during the shoot, and our "surprise" photo came in second place for facebook.

There are a few of just me...

But I like the ones with both of us much better. The one that cracks us up the most...our "Oh Crap!" photo. I started to laugh at the end so I just look "special" in the pic, and Matt said he just looks pissed haha...but it makes us laugh every time we see it. 

"What are we getting ourselves into?..."

       Well my decaf, hazelnut coffee is done and so is this blog post...hope you liked our pics! Now I am off to explore beautiful Chicago (which is now rain free)...first stop, H&M!

13 Weeks!

       I realized that lugging that framed number around on all of our future weekend vacations would be too much, so I switched to photoshop weeks...and I like it! I wore this loose fitting dress for our facebook pics (coming soon)...so for the belly pic I tried to pull it as tight as possible...not much has changed since last week.

How far along?  13 Weeks 2 days (in pic)

Total weight gain/loss: +3 pounds

Baby’s Size: Peach

Maternity clothes? Not yet

Best moment this week: going to the beach and the 3rd ultrasound…it was a baby!

Miss Anything?  Mixed drinks still

Movement: No

Food cravings: Fruit, filling meats, salty snacks…and a mixed drink

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Eggs and fish…honestly I am still avoiding romaine too

Have you started to show yet:  Still just nice and thick!

Gender prediction: the heart rate was 152 bpm…so according to old wives tales it means girl

Belly Button in or out?  In
Wedding rings on or off?  On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy…just plain happy

Looking forward to:  Chicago, getting a baby bump, and finding out the gender

       Nausea only comes in waves now…mostly when I am hungry, so I keep eating. :) My appetite is getting better again too…which equals me getting pretty large. I get spells of dizziness in the mornings now…it got so bad that Matt and I got out his blood pressure kit and have been taking my blood pressure.  My lower back and tailbone have also started to ache a little every now and then...4th graders don't try to balance on a ball in your yard, you will fall and hurt your tailbone FOREVER!

       I got my beach trip…a spontaneous trip to Galveston! Not the white sandy beaches we are used to, but lying there soaking up the sun and listening to the waves (eating my Cheetos) was so relaxing and just what I needed. We ate dinner and tried to find virgin mixed drinks at a bar and grill on the beach later, but were unsuccessful so (with Matt’s urging that I needed a treat) I settled for coconut ice cream.

       In the name of pampering, I also decided to get my hair done this week…a fresh highlight and cut…I am starting to feel much better. Bootcamp was rough though after all the bad food I ate at the beach, but I’ll get back into it.

        My 12 week 6 day appointment went good...the doctor found the heartbeat on the Doppler within 3 seconds. Got all my questions answered…all i all it was a terrific week. Chicago next!!

Our Little Nuchal Head

       We had our nuchal scan ultrasound and blood work today (13 weeks). According to my "what to expect" iphone app I am now in my 2nd trimester, others say at 14 weeks, and my day calculations tell me I will be on Monday...confusing. I have a hard time looking decent in the mornings because my blood pressure stays somewhere around 90-something/ 50-something so I am pretty dizzy almost every morning...so my belly picture and update (not much has changed) will have to wait until tomorrow.

       After hearing the healthy heart beat at my doctor's appointment yesterday I was all excitement, no nerves. This ultrasound is actually to check for some serious stuff, but getting another chance to see the baby is definitely a plus.

       Our appointment was at 8:30, and when we started the ultrasound the baby was in a ball (it needs to be straight out to be measured)...and it needed to turn to give us a profile view, face up. That stubborn (totally my kid) little thing would NOT move. I was coughing, laughing, turning to my side...the ultrasound tech was pressing on my stomach over and over...it was just laying there with a healthy heart beat (152 bpm). Apparently, it was too early in the morning for our little one to wake up (again totally my kid)...finally after about twenty minutes it woke up and started moving. Baby, if you want to keep sleeping late...I am all for it :)...it seems as though architecture school didn't just affect my sleep schedule haha.

The best full body shot we got...you can see the legs, head, spine, etc.

       The baby is still measuring bigger than my actual due date. The doctor told me that if he didn't know my due date beforehand, he would say I was due on November 4th. He didn't change my due date, but said he would bet that I deliver before my due date on the 9th. I would love that (with Thanksgiving in mind). They would not talk gender AT ALL...

       The doctor wasn't concerned with the appearance of the baby's nuchal fold (it looked normal) and it looked to have a nasal bone, so he is positive about the outcome of the tests. I won't know the actual results for another week or two (please pray for good results)...and if it is good then I will not be doing anymore tests for down's syndrome or the trisomy's. I will have another blood test and scan for spinabifida (the one that worries me more) at a later time, but he said most of the time if it is bad spinabifida they could see it here.

The profile, arm, and hand...not as clear as when we saw it though. The two parallel white lines behind the neck are what gets measured in this screening. 

       I had a Mr. Bean moment after the ultrasound...I had to use the bathroom before I got my blood work done. When I sat down I thought something didn't feel right. Sure enough I looked down and the back of my skirt was in the toilet...soaked on the bottom. I panicked and started drying it with paper towels and fanning it in the air. Of course there was no hand dryer in there...I frantically twisted my skirt around so it wouldn't look obvious (maybe more like it got wet while I was washing my hands). When I sat to do my blood work I told/showed Matt...he laughed hysterically (Mr. Bean was his favorite as a kid)...he said that is why he married me haha. I don't think anyone else noticed...:)

"See ya later!"

Awkward Belly Photos

       I typed this post yesterday and saved it for today...then went to post it and it was gone! NOOO! So hopefully I won't skip over something grrr.

       I am trying my hardest to make this pregnancy special which in turn takes away my worries a little. One of the things I have read is to take belly photos every week to show the progression of growth. My first thought was, "Hell No!". I have always been VERY self conscious of my stomach (more than any other body part) and try to disguise it as best as I can...so why on earth would I subject myself weekly photos that highlight my least favorite part?!...that is only going to get bigger?! Well I am told that seeing how skinny you were before is always a good motivational tool later, and there is a baby in there and they might want to see the pics one day. So against my better judgement ;) I have decided to take them. Several weeks in the first trimester I have been too tired, sick, heavy feeling, and lazy to take them but I have now buckled down and told myself to do it no matter what. So you get to see my belly grow every week whether you like it or not yay...please be kind.

10-12 Weeks Stats:
Total weight gain/loss: +2 pounds still I think…
Baby’s Size: By 12 weeks the baby is the size of a plum....my favorite!
Best moment: Having dinner with our friends who have a 6 month old and being able to talk about everything with someone who just went through it
Miss Anything?  The beach with a cold drink in my hand…BAD!
Food cravings: Wasn't too hungry for awhile bc I couldn't taste anything (sinus virus)…loving water, apples, anything fresh …Matt picked up de-caffinated tea and coffee for me this week and I have enjoyed each of them a lot…the coffee tasted AMAZING. I also love salty snacks (potatoes) and started liking meat again at around 12 weeks.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  Romaine lettuce, eggs, fish, nuts
Have you started to show yet:  I am thicker, just looking fat not pregnant though. At 11 weeks my stomach got HUGE and hard…I have heard two causes: the shifting of organs up and being bloated…I am thinking bloated bc I couldn’t even suck in for my picture (so excuse the hugeness)...Matt asked me if I was pushing out.
Gender prediction: Did the wedding ring over the pregnant belly test and three times in a row it circled (didn’t go side to side), so apparently that means boy
Belly Button in or out?  In
Wedding rings on or off?  On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy to be doing stuff again
Looking forward to:  The ultrasound at 13 weeks…and a beach trip

       SACRIFICE! Just after coming home from Lafayette(9 weeks) my sinuses attacked and after I few days of it progressively getting worse and getting a 100 degree fever I went to the doctor. It was actually a virus for which I to ride out since antibiotics are not good for the baby…a weekend of 100 degree fever, congested head, clogged ears (hurt), stopped up nose, swollen glands, aches, chills, horrible cough that makes me sound like an 80 year old chain smoker…yes I sacrificed for the first time. Started feeling better by Monday...luckily. Strangely getting this sick made me more excited about it all. I think the fact that I couldn't take anything made it real to me.

       At 11 weeks I thought my morning sickness was almost gone and then it reared its ugly head a couple days later and stayed around…all day queasiness. I actually puked for the first time…the romaine lettuce I forced down bc I have not wanted ANY green veggies came back up just minutes after eating. Oh well I tried!

(Left):7 weeks 2 days (a blueberry) and just after a nap that made me feel like I got punched in the face...not quite a before pic but close enough.   (Middle):11 weeks 2 days (a lime)...all of a sudden I got this huge, hard stomach...I just think my body is adjusting (not showing).   (Right):12 weeks 2 days (a plum)...my stomach actually looked and felt smaller than the week before (thank goodness)...I want to look pregnant, but not like I have eaten too many Cheetos. 

Each week I read Matt the weekly updates on what is developing…last night I said our baby is getting nails this week…he replied, “hopefully mine”. Thanks babe! 

The Second Ultrasound

I couldn't think of a catchier title, so there ya go.

8-9 Weeks Stats:
Total weight gain/loss: +1 lb

Baby’s Size: By 9 weeks the baby is the size of a grape

Best moment: the second ultrasound and hearing the heartbeat again...so lucky!

Miss Anything? Feeling productive

Food cravings: I am LOVING plums still and any fruit or fruit juice is what I want now…sweets, and potatoes…it varies daily…this week chips were added to this

Anything making you queasy or sick: looking at raw meat, not eating consistently, lying down after eating, and if I thirsty I get really sick feeling, fish, and too much liquids at a time 
Have you started to show yet: Not yet although my eating has slowed down as my morning (all-day) sickness has increased

Gender prediction: The Chinese gender prediction chart says boy

Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Pretty happy, but still feel sick most of the day
Looking forward to: The second trimester and feeling good again

       Still no vomiting, just all day nausea. I am also way more tired now than I was before…just in time to go back to bootcamp. Another pesky symptom that arrived around 8.5 weeks is the occasional, but horrible headache. Mine seem to last for a couple days then fade away...and there is nothing I can take for them now so I just have to quit being such a baby...and grow one. :) Of course, when I am not nauseous I am dizzy now...lovely...this made bootcamp interesting. At one point I just had to stop and watch everyone else...doing squats and push ups just doesn't work when you are dizzy. I get a little worried because when my mom was pregnant with my brother she would pass out.

        I am officially starting to freak out again! The doctor said that every pregnancy starts at a 25% risk of miscarriage and that after you hear the heartbeat it goes down to 3% until the second trimester when it is less than 1%...but after reading some posts I feel like he told me that just to make me not worry…so many women have miscarriages between weeks 7 and 12…maybe I need to just stop reading the internet posts haha. Thank goodness my doctor's office does more first trimester ultrasounds than many others, so I get reassurance regularly.

       Matt didn't get to make the 8 week 6 day ultrasound, but I got pictures…what a difference two weeks makes! It was much bigger than before and then I saw the little heartbeat again yay! It was measuring 9 weeks and 2 days (3 days ahead) and had a heart rate of 179 bpm. Everything checked out great and I got a blood test done for the dizziness, etc. (They later came back normal, so the doctor said I was just dehydrated...I now drink 7 bottles of water a day...Nikki the camel)

        Easter weekend I was able to tell Leslie and Erika. I gave them fake easter eggs with a note inside that read “Cannot wait to meet you Aunt ___ love, Baby Tag” As soon as Erika opened it she saw the word baby and her mouth dropped wide open. They were shocked and excited! I also was officially a pregnant woman in a bar…drinking a Shirley temple. We sent an e-mail to all of our friends on Monday letting them in on our secret…what a great weekend!

Stole My Heart

       I am continuing to update my blog on this pregnancy, and while I actually hit 12 weeks today, I am holding off on that post and writing through 7 weeks and seeing our baby for the first time. 

6-7 Weeks Stats:
Total weight gain/loss: I didn't weigh myself until the 7 week doctor appointment...and that was only because they made me

Baby’s Size: By 7 weeks the baby is the size of a blueberry...delicious

Best moment: the first ultrasound and hearing the heartbeat

Miss Anything? Sushi and a tasty beverage…and BOOTCAMP! I want to exercise…(and the nurse told me not to until the first appointment...3 weeks off to be exact)

Food cravings: Filling, protein rich foods and I am LOVING plums…seriously have one a day

Anything making you queasy or sick: looking at raw meat and not eating consistently…and too much liquids at one time
Have you started to show yet: While I have been eating massive amounts, there is no sign of baby

Gender prediction: The acupuncturist did the heart rate test to me and said "girl", but it may be too early to tell

Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Not happy…just a bump on a log...I don't enjoy sitting around waiting, but I did enjoy the spring air on walks with Bijou
Looking forward to: Seeing my baby again and knowing everything looks good...and feeling human in general

       At 6 weeks morning sickness arrived. No vomiting, but just after my first meal I would get a little nauseous and again in the evening until bedtime.  I also had a headache and some dizziness a couple of times so I was feeling pretty crappy. I could not work out until my doctor's appointment so there was no happy endorphins to get me feeling better.

       To top it off I got my Victoria Secret swimsuit issue at the same time as getting a bellies pregnancy spa clinic advertisement…cruel joke! 

       I ended up telling my best friend Leigh Ann during this time too. I answered the phone with every intention of lying to her. Problem is she is pregnant and a few weeks ahead of me and kept going on and on about me getting pregnant soon. I finally told her that she was making it so hard to keep a secret, then I heard…”YOU’RE PREGNANT!” Our kids will be a little less than 1.5 months apart. I told her she couldn't tell the others because I really wanted to wait to tell them when I saw them in person for Easter…she had to avoid them for almost 3 weeks! Oops…

       6 weeks 6 days was our first ultrasound…I was so anxious to see the baby and hear a heartbeat (and so nervous) that I literally couldn’t sleep. I woke up dry heaving (oh joyous morning sickness…that was the first time and I think it was partly nerves). We got to see our baby, see and hear it’s heartbeat and it was perfect. I always thought I would cry, but I didn’t…just like for my wedding I was just too happy to cry...plus it was a little surreal. We got a few print outs and I got to talk to the doctor about all my fears (and there are lots). The baby’s heart rate was measuring at 139 bpm and it was measuring at 7 weeks 3 days, but we didn’t change my due date yet…still November 9th. 

       More great news was that I was able to go back to bootcamp! The doctor was actually mad that the nurse told me that...especially since I had been doing bootcamp for 6 months before I got pregnant. He did warn me that my beastly hunger could hurt me, and I could gain a ton considering most people don't want to eat in the first trimester...great.

        After such a wonderful first appointment we decided to tell my extended family with an e-mail that had a short poem and photos of the ultrasound. Everyone seemed surprised and excited…I now have a prayer team!...and my mom doesn’t have to hold it all in.

Future Granny's

       I came up with the idea to send our parents small yard flamingos (instead of storks) with a sign saying expected delivery and the estimated due date. My mom was just telling me how she got a flock to put in people’s yards for their birthdays so I figured she would get a kick out of this. My parents, however, are rarely in the same town these days…and of course none of our parents are in the same state as us…so this makes everything more difficult.

       We first decided to wait until after the first ultrasound to tell the parents (around 8 weeks), but I decided around 5-6 weeks would be fine. I needed someone to call and freak out to when Matt was gone and I HATED keeping secrets...especially when my dad was staying with us that month. So I had two days to get the flamingo to my parent’s house before my dad left town again. That would have cost $87 in shipping alone!  I called Kristen, told her the news, she screamed "I knew it" (what?), and I gave her the first aunt duty of buying the flamingo, printing the sign, and bringing it over. She could barely keep the secret for a day.

       My parents called and the first thing my dad said was, “You drank sprite at the rodeo”…I knew this whole not drinking thing would be a dead give-away. Apparently, my parents (and Kristen) had been comparing notes and just KNEW I was pregnant. 

       Kristen brought the sign I made with the flamingo on Sunday. Thanks Auntie K (Ida)! She stuck the flamingo (with the bib she added for kicks) in their flower bed and put the rolled-up sign on their door, then knocked and hid. My mom answered and read the paper...she was pissed that someone was starting a flamingo birthday business and was a bit confused. Then she noticed that it was rolled with a hair-tie (thought that was a little unprofessional) and saw the flamingo. After she said “hello” and Kristen popped out it all hit her. 

We sent Matt’s parent's package on Tuesday…hoping it would get there by Thursday or Friday (after Matt gets home from out of town, but before his mom leaves to come here...whew coordinating all these schedules was rough). They ended up getting it on Wednesday, but Matt’s dad thought it was his mom’s birthday gift so he hid it until he talked to Matt on Thursday. We told them not to open it around their guests, so they waited until late that night and were so tired. They pulled out the flamingo/sign and it took a minute for his mom to understand what the sign was saying, but then she got so excited and explained it better to his dad. They sent us a congratulatory text that night (when we were already asleep)…

Their names will be BeBe and BaBa, and my parents (mom) said DeDe and PaPa…oh boy this will get confusing. My dad said he does not want papa so I am thinking Gramps ;)…he wants Sir Kent or Lord Hubbard. Ha!

Finding Out We Were "3"

       I found out I was pregnant at 4 weeks (March 2nd)... I had a big plan for how I wanted this all to go (me finding out and then surprising Matt in a special way), and it went nothing like that.

       The day before I had given up coffee just because I do it periodically to try and moderate my intake, and since my coffee tastes more like a delicious dessert I figure it is not that good  for me anyways. I was sooo tired all day because of that so I didn't notice anything. The next morning I decided to take a test just in case (while Matt was in the shower). I was totally expecting to see just one line so when I thought I saw a second faint one appear I freaked and ran into the bathroom to ask Matt if he saw a second line. 

Matt: "no, just one"
Me: "ok...wait no, that is definitely two!"
Matt: "Actually, I think I see three now!"
Me: "There cannot be three, but there are two...we're pregnant we're pregnant" as I jumped around the bathroom

That day we were on cloud nine…my heart was racing with excitement. This later turned to nervousness...it is a bit freaky knowing you are about to become a parent.  Over the weekend we decided to relax and take our mind off of everything so we took Bijou to the dog park, went to a kite festival, went to church. At church I got crazy sick feeling…pretty sure it was because of the vitamins, so we had to sit in the lobby in the cry room area…reality check number one! 

I later apologized to Matt for not telling him in the special way I planned and he just said he felt bad he couldn't give me a hug because he was showering...oh well! Later that week, I got some blood work done to ease my mind and when I found out everything looked good I told him the way I originally planned.

      4-5 Weeks Stats:

• Taken 8-9 pregnancy tests…all positive…when will I believe it?
• Two words…raviness hunger! My stomach never stops growling…I am going to be a mammoth if I keep this up. I told Matt that I now realize why pregnant women eat so much…because they are FUCKING hungry! (sorry for the language)
• I hid it from my dad to his face…I was even talking about having kids…sneaky sneaky…Matt looked at me with a smile like I was so sly

Keeping it a secret is HARD!...especially when you hang around people who create occasions to celebrate with a nice drink. They are not alcoholics, but just like to have fun…they are from the South…and when I go to the rodeo and drink a sprite it is hard to disguise. I thought I was doing a good job, but apparently I was more obvious than I thought. All it took was a sprite and a bathroom break and Lindsey was questioning me. Me: “No, I just have a stomach ache” (The excuse Matt and I had thought of)…she just looked at me with a grin and after a quick assessment I decided it was best to pull her to the side and tell her that NO ONE but her and us knows instead of having her know I was lying! Oh ya I forgot…I SUCK at lying!  I told Matt later that if my mom was there she would have picked up on it within five minutes, and I later found out that my dad was on to me too. 

Put The Lime In The Coconut

      I have been craving the beach lately and this song would be a great one to have playing next to me while I sipped an ice cold beverage, stuck my toes in the sand, and tanned my pasty white legs.

      A lime would finish off that beverage perfectly, but coincidentally, it is that little lime inside of me that will keep me drinking virgins for another 6.5 months. Yup, I am pregnant; 11.5 weeks to be exact ...although this will not become facebook official for another few weeks. I was going to wait until I was ready for facebook to write about it on my blog, but then my mom called and told me to do it so like a good daughter I did what I was told haha. Actually, I also realized that my blog is read mostly by family and close friends and they all already know...and if you didn't now you can join me on my journey! I always wanted to use this blog to document my changing life, so instead of typing my weekly updates in word for myself they will be on my blog yay!

      I have been a nervous wreck during this pregnancy (I found out on March 2nd, at 4 weeks)...so scared that something bad would happen that it has kept me from enjoying everything and writing about it. That ends now. I have decided that if something bad happens at this stage (God forbid)...after two ultrasounds and healthy heartbeats heard, then I will just go through it with everyone because I'm not that private of a person anyway.

I know these types of pics are super cheesy, but I felt it had to be done for the sake of documentation. I bought these socks a LONG time ago to give to Matt to tell him we were pregnant when it happened...then I forgot. Luckily LSU socks are always exciting, no matter when you give them!

So I am officially saying that baby Tag is due to arrive November 9, 2012! I will try and catch my blog up on my previous weeks over the next week (so get ready for some updates). Feel free to not read them if you have no interest haha. Now I am off to drink some ginger ale!

The Windy City

In a couple of weeks Matt and I will be heading to Chicago for a work visit. To clarify, Matt will be going for work and I will try and be the ultimate tourist all by myself eekk. He has training for the week with a company paid flight, hotel stay, and meals so it was just too good to pass up. We are also going to be visiting some of our favorite people and staying with them an extra weekend.

Anyway, my point is not to only rub it in, but to ask for suggestions on what we should do while we are there. The weekdays will be just me, and then at night we will try and do some walking around/dining...and then we have the weekend to explore/do whatever. My plans for the weekdays so far:

• Bring my camera and find cool architecture to take pics of
• shopping...H&M anyone?
• Erika said it is a really active city, so I plan on bringing my running shoes and finding the hot spots to go run with the locals

Feel free to suggest good places to visit, buildings/art to see, places to eat, etc....I seriously wish the Color Run was there that weekend because I would totally do it!

Happy Easter!

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend. Hoping to get back into blogging soon, just been consumed with everyday life.

We went to Lafayette for Easter which just so happened to be Mrs. Debra's b-day too. Saturday we went crabbing which I haven't done since I started college...we were only out there for 3 hours, but that was plenty. Oh by the way, to the right of the first picture was about 3-4 gators hanging out with us and waiting to eat our left over chicken when we left. We got two shows in one here, Swamp People and Deadliest Catch haha. We caught 3 dozen crabs...Matt's family cooked them that night, but I went out to eat with my long lost friends, Erika and Leslie. Erika has been a Northerner (sorry mid-westerner), living it up in Chicago since September. Matt just so happens to have training there in May so we will be paying her a visit.

Sunday, I got to visit more with Erika at her son, Clark's first birthday party (where has the time gone). At Matt's house they fried up some chicken on the porch...and I seemed to get there just in time! Happy (late) Easter and happy birthday Mrs. Debra and Clark!

Lots of Celebrating

Late as always, but we have been doing a lot of celebrating lately.

First there was Mardi Gras...we couldn't go with my parent's to New Orleans that Tuesday because Matt had to work (stupid Texas not letting people off ;) ) so we hung out in Lafayette the weekend before.

The Mardi Gras wreaths I made for x-mas gifts...thanks for the help Deb!

We got there Friday night and drove straight to the fair which was where we were watching the parade with friends. We had just enough time to get a drink and get me a chicken on a stick...gotta love anything on a stick...before it started to rain. Being the parade novices that we are, with bags of beads at home, we watched the parade from under a tent and let the kids get wet for beads. We did, however challenge ourselves to get one bead each...mission accomplished! The run to the cars got us wet anyway.

Everyone had already started to run from the fair to the car, but we were taking a moment to pout

The next day it seemed like the rain would never end, but it did let up a little for us to enjoy some of the best crawfish we have ever had at Cajun Claws, in Abbeville, with some of our favorite people. They were all consistently large and cooked perfectly...5 pounds for me please.

One big happy family...

My sissy, Lauren and her man-toy, Lance ;)...love them!

We missed Kristen, but were still able to shake it a little

Before I left I was finally able to stop by Logan's and get my Gable painting...and a surprise Lucky painting. They are even better in person...thanks Logan! She recently decided to donate some paintings to auctions raising money for non-profit groups; I know she will do well. Check out all of her amazing cow, animal, and house paintings on her etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoganBerard...I'll let you figure out which one is which...

The best part about living in Houston is that it is close enough to Louisiana for their celebrations, but as soon as the Mardi Gras fun ends the Houston Rodeo begins. Last year, I didn't get to go to anything because of school. This year we were invited to the barbecue cook-off last weekend, the Alabama concert on Tuesday, and are going to Blake Shelton with my parents next week. I am so pumped...of course just seeing the rodeo action before the concert is fun...I love the wagon races and the muttin-bustin which consists of sheep with a padded-up kid stuck on it's back and we see how long they can stay on...they usually just roll off. Matt looked at me on Tuesday and said exactly what I was thinking, "Our kid WILL do this one day!" It is just too funny to pass up.

Alabama concert

The barbecue cook-off tent we were invited to was started by a group of high school friends who had the help of their dads in the beginning and have kept it going ever since. We so need to do something like that! They had three cooking set-ups with brisket, chicken, pickles, onions, etc....the reason I like Texas barbecue the most is because it comes with pickles and onions (my two favorites foods). They had a large tent with chandeliers, a band, and cow print covered tables.

The band...this man with his suspenders and small guitar (in comparison) in front of the buffalo head cracked me up!

I am hoping to have more exciting posts in the near future... definitely some d.i.y stuff soon!

Happy Valentines Day

I have never really been into Valentines Day...it puts too much expectation out there for one day. I do, however, believe in going on romantic dates throughout the year...so I told Matt to please not celebrate on the day of. He agreed because we would rather go eat out when the restaurant is not packed. I picked a sushi date because it's been way too long since I had sushi, and we planned our "Valentines" date for tonight...so Happy Tag Valentines Day! I am so excited!

I should have expected that Matt and I couldn't go without celebrating the holiday at least a little. I came home from boot camp to filet mignon and asparagus and I whipped out the chocolate wine I had secretly bought for him.

I did make a comment about how it was weird to not get flowers from him on the holiday, but I was fine with it...and I even told him to suggest to a friend going on a first date NOT to get red roses because they are too typical.

"Tulips are cool or at least yellow roses". 

After dinner he went upstairs to get the yellow tulips and gluten free crave cupcakes he had hidden from me. Geez he knows me well and geez am I lucky...I'm loving the unplanned Valentines Day dinner and the second date night I get for suggesting we shouldn't do the typical Valentines Day ha!

On another note, I have never owned a puppy in my adult life. There is a reason for it...they are HARD to care for, you don't know how big they will get, and you cannot train them.

I must have forgotten that when I volunteered to babysit these little piglets. I am not saying they are horrible and I am not promoting that they don't get adopted...they are puppies and no matter how much you tell some people to go the adult dog route, they will always love the puppies...so I am just being honest. It has been a while since I have had to clean up this much pee and poo (Lucky and Bijou were both pretty much house trained when I got them)...

They were in the exercise pen playing for an hour and this picture is after I cleaned the puddles and piles...don't they know they are supposed to potty on the puppy pad and not tear it to pieces!

Don't get me wrong they are SUPER cute.

...especially the way they are sleeping in the crate right now, but I am looking forward to having a house with just us and the Bij again.

Adult dog adopter for life!

Anyone Want a Puppy?

I am helping out a local rescue group until Friday...keeping two puppies that they are hoping to adopt out on Saturday. I'm not sure the breed but they look like some sort of Shepherd...the rescue calls them Addi and Andi. I am calling them the piglets because they have big bellies. I am hoping I can resist their sweet faces for two days!

I just gave them a bath to get the stink off (ignore the half-braided/half falling crazy hair and no makeup). Bijou is playing the jealous and excited big sister role...which I would expect since my drive to Oklahoma last week went something like this.

Right now it is raining while I work inside and the three of them sleep. Anyone want a puppy?

Can I be Business Savvy?

First of all, I just got done re-doing the look of my blog...you know new year, new blog so let me know what you think and if it looks good on your computer screen.

Onto the blog...I came to the realization yesterday that I am working so hard to find a job and just getting side jobs while waiting to try and become an architect...a profession where there are no jobs right now and the highest starting salary would be $40,000 (after 8 years of school and busting ass).

So, I have recently started to look in other areas of design to see if there is business potential. Problem is that architecture students learn NOTHING about owning a business in school (even though many do own their own firm). I would still like to pursue the architecture route since I have dedicated so much time to it and becoming an architect is what I always thought I wanted. BUT, I am trying to decide between a few of my own business options to feel like my life is going somewhere and I am not just waiting for something better. I am not sure what I want and what would succeed, but they are in the general area of:

Increasing my art/painting market/inventory/sales
Furniture Re-design/re-finishing/arting it up
Designing/decor of houses, shops, and restaurants
Creating my own decor to sale...inspired by my parent's classmate who was an Interior Designer.

You see, they are all related, but hmmmm which one should I choose. I am currently trying to do 3 of the 4 and it is a little bit confusing. Not sure how to start up some of these things or how to sell some. Advice/tips/suggestions?...Does anyone even read this blog? I once read that blogs are a great way to survey and see what people are wanting at the current time and to survey what could potentially be my "target market"...so come on and speak up!

For now I am being kept busy...my to-do list:

Finish a few paintings for people who bought them
Finish a couple paintings that were started a while ago, never finished, and never put for sale
Finish helping with the design of a Lafayette restaurant
Finish helping with the design of a Houston restaurant
Finish some home redo's and post the d.i.y tutorials on this blog
Re-finish some purchased and old furniture and post the d.i.y tutorials
AND fly to meet my mom to help her begin on a new big adventure (hopefully)...that is right, Norman is in for a REAL treat soon...she is looking to change the face of what you currently know as a stylish event!

Crappy phone photo sneak peak of a one tutorial:

Matt and I went to Barnes and Noble to get Dave Ramsey's Entreleadership book (we love him). Matt was so pumped up because I was ready to read about business..."You are hot and I gotta strike while the iron is hot!"...I am hot, why thank you! ;) As interested as I am in starting a business, these books were grabbing my attention...typical!

The Current Artist of my Eye

I love finding Etsy artists to become obsessed with. I always stalk take a look at their shops and blogs and ponder whether or not I should purchase ANOTHER piece of artwork for my home.

I have been trying to discover my own painting style, and when thinking about what I have always enjoyed painting, I recently realized that it is NOT what I am painting right now. I love painting loose and messy, so I am trying to finish my current commitments before I start my new paintings that will hopefully work out.

One inspiration could definitely be this girl...I am not a people painter, so I really admire those artists who can paint people so beautifully. I absolutely LOVE the colors, blending, and organic feel of Bella and Bunny's prints.

I also noticed that she is currently having a sale...hmmmm....mom after seeing all of my stuff this month what do you think? I am particularly in love with the dream catcher print...wouldn't it be cool over a little girl's bed (in reference to the old dream catchers from back in the day)...I know I have no kids yet, but I am a planner ;)!

Everyone feel free to leave me a comment or e-mail me giving me permission to buy this print! Oh, and to get the sale items, look for the thumbnails at the of her shop that say 20% off; you have to purchase that and tell her the print you want to get the sale.

Happy Etsying!
Nikki