Week 30/Christmas/Furniture!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

John, Dean, Gizmo and I had a great Christmas.  We spent Christmas Eve dinner with the Oaks family.  Christmas morning we had brunch with the Martin family.  Then, something John and I had never done before…we stayed home the rest of Christmas day.  I take that back, we stayed home last Christmas.  That was because I was sick, so it doesn't count.  It was nice being at home, putting gifts away and relaxing.  But, as John and I have a tendency of doing, we felt like we should take advantage of the time together, so we went and saw a movie.  As well as half of Johnson City, lol!  It’s an understatement to say how much I enjoyed the time with John, and I’m glad we were able to be together.

Something else I hadn't done in a while…go after-Christmas shopping with my mom!  We had a great time Wednesday running errands and catching post-Christmas deals.  Then Thursday I met my greatest accomplishment of the week: I cleaned out the extra room for Dean!  Well, I boxed things up.  Nick came over today and helped John take the boxes and the extra bed down to the garage.  Oh, and the most wonderful thing happened this afternoon- we got furniture for Dean!  Thanks again to Nick and his truck, we were able to go pick up Dean's furniture today.  It's still sitting in the box ready for assembly another day.  I'm just so excited and happy to have the furniture.  I'm feeling more and more accomplished.  And it's about time...only 10 weeks to go!

To the update!

Size: Cabbage!  Dean is about 15.7 (how precise) inches long and weights almost 3 pounds.

Physical Features:  Dean's eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen.  Even after he's born, Dean will keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day.

What I’m Thankful For:  Time off from work!  The nice perk about higher ed is that we have paid time off at Christmas and New Year's.  Without that time this year, I'm not sure when I would have gotten everything done.  So I'm very grateful to have had time (and to take my time) to get the room ready and the condo cleaned up this past week.

How I'm Feeling:  Great!  As I've said before, as long as I do my stretches my back pain is minimal.  

Appointments and Upcoming Events:  Next appointment is this Wednesday, since I'm now at every 2 weeks.  This weekend some friends of mine and I are traveling down to Georgia to visit a friend going to school there.  Road trip with the girls!  It'll probably be my last for a while, so we'll be making the most of it :)

Bump pic!

Look at Dean growing!  This was also after a tasty Mexican dinner with Nick, April, and Eli :)

I do want to acknowledge that today is my other son's (the furry, four-legged one) birthday!  Gizmo is 3 years old, and we've had him since he was around 8 weeks old.  Here's a picture from the day we picked him up:

Happy 3rd Birthday, Gizmo!

Have a wonderful week!

Week 29/ Birthday!/ Christmas weekend!

Hello all!

We survived the "Mayan apocalypse"!  Only 11 more weeks to go!  Officially on Christmas break from work!  Birthdays!  It's been a fantastic week, lol!

What a Birthmas weekend!  First, I was blessed throughout the week with little Birth-week surprises from John.  Flowers, cookie cake, cards...he knows how to make his wife feel special :D  I am that person who loves birthdays.  Just loves them!  Doesn't even have to be mine.  I love planning John's birthdays, and I'm sooooo excited to have Dean's birthdays to plan for as well!  So all day Friday at work I was so happy.  Happy because the next day was my birthday, and happy because our office knows how to celebrate Christmas.  We had a wonderful potluck lunch, followed by gift-exchange and trivia games!  Best way to spend the last day before Christmas break!

Anyway, back to my birthday :)  Because we planned to travel to South Carolina to see John's family for Christmas, John promised me I could do whatever I wanted for my birthday.  I opted for lunch at Gourmet and Co. in Johnson City.  Which was awesome.  And for everyone who wished me a happy birthday, a million times, thank you!!!  I hope I was able to respond to each message (it's difficult to tell with this facebook timeline stuff).  I am so blessed to have the most awesomest of friends, and I'm grateful for each and every one of you!

After lunch we headed to SC to spend time with John's family for Christmas.  I so enjoyed getting to go visit with John's family.  Many of them we only get to see this time of year (even though we say we're gonna meet up throughout the year ;)  ), so it was awesome seeing everyone and catching up on everything.  It was a quick-trip, since we had plans to spend time with my dad today for his birthday.  I'm very thankful we were able to go, and I'm glad that we did.

Today was Dad's birthday (yes, party for days people!).  We all met up for lunch then went to mom and dad's for dessert and birthday gifts.  I'm so blessed with all the family John and I have!

Dean has gotten so much stronger!  We've gone from poking each other to him just jumping about.  Every morning after I wake up we have ourselves a little "dance party," at least that's what it feels like, lol!  This morning in the middle of his party he got the hiccups (so cute!) and had to take a break.  But right after his hiccups were gone, he went right back to dancing!  So excited to meet him in just a few short weeks!

On to the updates!

Size: Butternut squash!  Dean weighs about 2.5 pounds and is just around 15 inches long from head to heel.

Physical Features: Dean's muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing to make room for his developing brain.  So, he may have a big head, like his daddy ;)

How I'm Feeling: Great!  I've been doing more stretches with the exercise ball John got for me, and it's really helped with my back pain!  Haven't gotten to use it the last couple of days, and I can tell a difference.  I think as long as I do my stretches my back pain will ease up.  Yay!  Other than that, and the occasional heartburn, feeling fantastic as usual!

What I'm Thankful For: Spending time with all our (mine and John's) families.  Just having the best time ever.  Keep thinking that next year, everyone will get to see Dean!

Appointments and Upcoming Events: Had my doctor's visit this past week.  Everything is still progressing wonderfully!  We talked about Dean's movements and if I need to be doing kick counts (as I've been reading about this week), and the doctor feels he and I are both healthy enough I don't need to worry about doing them.  Which is great, my memory and brain functions aren't exactly up to par right now :)  Always thankful to get a great report from the doctor.  Now that I'm in the 3rd trimester, I go every other week now (until about a month until the due date, then it's every week).  

Looking forward to Christmas this week!  John and I are staying home this year, which makes me happy.  With it being our last Christmas just the two of us, it'll be nice to spend it together.

The Bump Pic!

I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!  Enjoy and treasure the time you have with friends/family!

Nicole

Week 28/ Homestretch/ Birthmas week!

Greetings all!

Yes, we've made it to this point: We're "officially" in the third trimester!  I suppose this is what we call "The Homestretch," which is a little terrifying.  Just in the fact that very little has been done in preparation of Dean's arrival.  I should add, to my liking.  You all know I'm a planner (almost to a fault, right?), so to be this far in the game without a plan is a little, well, unsettling.  However, I do have time off coming up (the joys of working in higher ed around Christmas!) and will be completing a lot of tasks during that time.  This includes clearing out the extra room so make way for all of Dean's things, and looking for furniture.  Ok, now I'm all excited again :D

Dean has been so good :)  I know I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I love his little movements!  I look forward to them.  And I feel so blessed every morning because first thing I notice is him moving around.  Then we talk while I'm getting ready, and John kisses him goodbye before he leaves for work.  Gizmo will eventually warm up to the idea of having a sibling, lol!  I love my little family!

For those keeping score, we still do not have a middle name.  We've tossed some around, but have yet to settle on anything.  Stay tuned for the latest Baby Name Drama (lol!)

To the Update!

Size:  Chinese cabbage! Dean weighs right around 2.25 pounds and measures about 14.8 inches (from top of his head to his heels)

Physical Features:  Dean can now blink his eyes, which now have eyelashes!  Now that his eyesight is developing along, he may be able to see the light that filters in through the womb.  He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain, and adding more body fat.

How I'm Feeling:  Had my massage yesterday, so all that build-up stress is gone (thanks Ellen!).  I made Christmas cookies the other day and spent way too much time on my feet.  By the time I was done I was leaning over the sink washing the last of the dishes, because my back was hurting :( But I had fun, and I got to stretch afterward, so all was good :D

What I'm Thankful For: Surprises for Dean!  This week some of my Bunco girls got together and gave Dean diapers and wipes!  I was surprised, and am very grateful.  Thanks Stephanie, Jen, Lacee, Rebecca, and Camisha!

Appointments and Upcoming Events:  Tuesday is my next doctor's appointment.  And it's Birthmas week!  Perhaps some of you are not familiar with Birthmas.  Allow me to educate you: 

For us, Birthmas is encompassed by my birthday (and Nick's, because, you know, we're twins, and that's how it works), my dad's birthday, followed the next day by Christmas Eve and then Christmas day.  It's the time of year in which we have celebrations for 4 days in a row.  It's fantastic.  Some of you might be thinking, oh, that must have stunk for you as a kid, having your birthday so close to Christmas and all (and having to share it).  But it's always been great.  Don't get me wrong, I used to imagine having my birthday in summer, but my parents always (ALWAYS) made it a point to keep Birthday separate from Christmas.  Even if that meant Nick and I wanting different parties.  Then they gave us different parties.  As an adult, I have a deeper appreciation for what our parents did for us.  Thanks mom and dad!

The Bump Pic!

Good to see him growing!  Although some of that may be due to the wonderful See's Candies my grandma sent (which arrived yesterday).  I love that stuff!

Have a wonderful week!

Week 27/ Cabin Weekend!/ 3rd Trimester

Hello!

Well...here I go falling asleep on the couch again, lol!  Missed posting yesterday due to a massive cleaning I felt needed to happen (then was too tired).  Decided it could wait until today, since Mondays are the official "changing of the week" days anyway.  So I woke up just a few minutes ago, decided I'll go to bed early again tonight, and remembered I hadn't posted yet.  Oops :)

This past weekend was a fun and very much needed cabin weekend away to Gatlinburg!  I love cabin weekends away with friends; they're just awesome.  Especially in Gatlinburg, when you never know what you're going to see, lol!  And after the week of work I had (and everyone else had), it was a much welcomed break away from, well, everything.  Had a great time shopping and just hanging out with everyone.  Thank you guys for a great weekend!

After we got home yesterday (which included a trip to the grocery store), I felt we needed to not only get the laundry done, but also clean.  Not the best idea I've ever had.  Was already tired from the trip, but then spending the next 4 hours cleaning and doing laundry just drained me.  I'm noticing that my energy pretty much diminishes after dinnertime.  And that tasks are starting to get difficult :(  Oh, the next few weeks are going to be interesting, lol!

Next week is it...the start of the 3rd trimester!  Exciting and scary all wrapped into one.  I pray that my good feelings from my 2nd trimester overlap into the 3rd trimester.  Minus the back pain, this 2nd trimester has been wonderful.  

So, I've started playing a game with Dean :)  His movements/kicks/punches have gotten stronger.  So when I feel him, I gently poke where he just hit, and see how long it takes him to move/kick/punch.  It's so much fun.  I like to think he enjoys playing along.  That, or he already thinks mommy is ridiculous :D

On to the update!

Size: Cauliflower! Dean is almost 2 pounds and is about 14.5 inches long (legs extended).

Physical Features:  Dean's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes.  With more brain tissue developing, his brain is very active now.  Lungs are still immature, but are getting stronger.

What I'm Thankful For:  Extra help!  Today Joy Beeler came over and helped me with our Christmas cards. In return I fed her real food :)  Thank you again for your help Joy; it would have taken me forever!  

Overall Feeling:  Fantastic overall!  Still having the back pain.  One of our friends we spent the weekend with is a physical therapist, and she showed me a couple stretches I can do to alleviate the pain.  They sure help!  Usually the pain comes at the end of the day.  I'm taking that as a sign I need to take it a little easier throughout the day.  Work's gonna love that :P

Appointments and Coming Events:  Massage on Saturday!  Both Dean and I are very excited, lol!  I'm also having lunch later this week with a couple former professors of mine.  So glad we stay in touch!  Dean's next doctor appointment is a week from tomorrow.  Next week is a big deal... it's Birthweek! :D  Love birthdays!

The Pic!

My gracious, look how big he's gotten!  And he's only going to get bigger.  Must. Remain. Calm, lol!

Another early bedtime, yay!

Have a fantastic week!

Week 26/ Oh, the hormones!

Hi there!

So glad to know you all look forward to reading my blog!  I was so tired over the weekend, which is why I didn't post yesterday.  All started Friday night, when I didn't get to bed until late (late being 11pm).  I still haven't caught up from it, lol!  And now I'm past my regular bedtime, so this update will be a quick one. :)

So, one thing I've noticed with the tiredness is that my hormones are more active than usual.  Now, normally, I release my emotions by crying.  Doesn't have to be from anything sad.  Some people release by laughing, others by smiling or raging.  I release by crying.  So, with the tired paired with the increase in hormones, it hasn't take much for me to "release."  So if I cry around you, just get me through it and everything will be ok.   I promise :)

Update time!

Size:  English hothouse cucumber! (what?!? lol!) Baby Dean is measuring around 14 inches and about 1 2/3 pounds.

Physical Features:  Daddy will be happy to know this...Dean's "boy parts" are developing.  :)  He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid (these are essential for the development of the lungs).  Also, the network of nerves in Baby Dean's ears are better developed now and more sensitive than before.  This means, he's able to hear us!  Yay!

What I'm Thankful For:  Extra time with my momma. :)  We earned some Kohl's Cash from shopping Black Friday and had to spend it, so we got away for a couple hours this past weekend.  Always enjoy time with my mom, love her!

Overall Feeling:  Still feeling physically good.  Have had some heartburn last couple of days.  My wonderful husband made a run to get me some Tums to help.  He's so good :)  Besides that and the hormones, still feeling excellent!

Appointments and Coming Events:  Next appointment is Dec. 18.  Don't think anything exciting will be happening then.  I am looking forward to a cabin getaway this weekend with friends!  Been excited about this since the summer, lol!

The bump pic!

There's my growing boy!

We also had our family Christmas pictures taken last week (courtesy of Nick and April!). Here's a sample of what they took:

 Love this one!

 Baby Dean!

Gizmo's face in this cracks me up!

Thank you Nick and April for coming over to take our Christmas pictures!

Have a great week everyone!

Week 25/ Birthgiving/ Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

Greetings!

John, Gizmo, Dean and I had a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday, and I pray your family did as well!  We were blessed to be able to spend it with both of our families.  I love this time of year.  Not just the spending time with family and catching up with everyone.  I love to cook/bake, and during this time of year, the need for such is in abundance!  

I'm so grateful for my wonderful husband, who celebrated his 30th birthday this past week!  He had to work (boo!) but we were able to go out to dinner with some friends to celebrate his big day.  Since his birthday is so close to Thanksgiving, I like to call it Birthgiving :)  It's ok, since I celebrate Birthmas :) Every day I am thankful for this man God put in my life, and for everything John does for our family.  I love you, John! :*

I have the best time making food, especially for Thanksgiving.  This is largely in part to my huge collection of Pampered Chef gadgets.  As I stated in my very first post, I LOVE PC!!!  It's my SIL April's fault :)  The very first Pampered Chef party I went to she hosted, and my life was never the same.  If by chance you are not familiar with PC, Google it!  It's only the best in cookware, kitchen gadgets, entertaining, etc.  I started my collection out small, with just a coffee scoop and a can opener.  From there, my collection grew and grew!  If this has piqued your interest, and you're interested in starting your own collection of PC goodies, here is my list of top 5 items you should consider owning (let me first disclaim that I do not sell Pampered Chef; I'm just a huge fan):

1- Can opener.  I have the previous-model can opener, that has the two legs.  The new model only has one.  Mom has that one.  What's awesome about the can opener is that it cuts the lid along the side.  So no cuts, and no losing the top into the can!

2- Mix and Chop.  I use this to mash potatoes, ground meat, mix up a variety of items, etc.  And it's dishwasher-safe, as most PC products are. 

3- Food chopper.  This is not the crazy Slap Chop, ok people?  This is the real deal.  Chops up veggies, nuts, etc in seconds, and it comes apart for easy cleaning!

4- Pizza Cutter. You have not cut pizza until you have with the PC pizza cutter.  First time, every time! I use it to cut brownies too!  It even comes with a cover, so it makes a cool noise when you un-sheath it. :)

5- Micro-cooker. This is a device that will cook your food in the microwave.  I know!  I use it to brown meat (using the mix and chop to ground it), make sauce, pasta, steam veggies, reheat leftovers, and there are so many other things you can do!  This. Will. Change. Your. Life.

Should you be interested in starting your PC collection, right now my nephew's daycare is holding a fundraiser and PC is one of the vendors.  The website to visit is www.pamperedchef.biz/robinbellamy. Then go to Shop Online, and enter Kingsport Child Development Center in the first box.  Happy shopping!

Oh, Black Friday.  What a fun day :)  This year, retailers opened on Thanksgiving Day (Thanksgiving Day?!?!) with sales starting at 8pm and midnight.  Mom and I always go shopping on Black Friday, been doing so since I was a little girl, when grandma came with us.  Last year, mom and I did the midnight shopping, and we vowed never, ever were we going to do that again.  We're just too old for that I suppose, lol!  So this year, we went back to our normal heading out at 4am, since there wasn't anything we absolutely had to have.  And it was awesome!  Everyone was out the night before or at midnight, so everywhere we went (except for Kohl's), there were no lines!!!  And we got everything we wanted without having to fight anyone.  It was great!  Then I came home, as tired as I was, and put up all our Christmas decorations,  Even wrapped the presents I bought that day!  Needless to say, I could barely move by the time John got home from work, lol!  But I slept great that night!

Alright, time for Dean's update!

Size:  Rutabaga baby!  Dean measures around 13.5 inches long, and at my doctor's appointment last week, weighs an estimated 1 lb 11 oz.

Physical Features:  Dean's starting to get some baby fat :)  His wrinkled skin will be smoothing out and he'll soon be looking like a little newborn!  If we could see Dean's hair, we'd be able to tell it's color and texture!

What I'm Thankful For:  One of the awesome things about Thanksgiving is getting to spend time with family you haven't seen in a while.  John's brother and his family came up, and I got to spend some time hanging out with my SIL Krista.  We never get to hang out (they live in GA), just the two of us.  So we got lunch, and just sat around and talked.  It was great getting to talk with her just one-on-one, and she shared some very valuable advice on babies (as they have 2 adorable twin girls!).  I'm very thankful for that time we got to have this weekend; thanks Krista!

Overall Feeling:  Did I mention the pain in my back in my last post?  Well, it's still there :P  I'm going to see about getting an adjustment this week to relieve the pain.  I've tried stretches and "proper" sleeping positions, but they don't seem to be working.  Other than that nagging little pain, I'm feeling absolutely wonderful, and thankful for my health!

Appointments and Coming Events: Glucose appointment went well!  Mine and Dean's glucose test came back great, so no gestational diabetes for us!  We also got to have another ultrasound.  My doctor's office only does 2 ultrasounds: one to see the baby when you first find out you're pregnant, and the other to determine the sex of the baby.  At that appointment, the tech didn't get a clear enough picture of the umbilical insertion for Baby Dean, so the doctor wanted another ultrasound so she could see it better (I mean, as tired and hungry as I've been, I know he's getting what he needs, but they need the clear evidence. That's cool).  This time, while the tech was searching for the insertion, she got a really good look at Dean's profile, and printed off a pic for us.

There he is!  He's got that Streeman nose, if you ask me, lol!  I love this picture.  I love looking at it while feeling him move around.  I have such a strong urge to just hold him and snuggle him and tell him how much his dad and I love him.  I'm getting sappy just thinking about him, lol!

Anyway, the rest of the appointment went great!  The doctor went down the list of everything they did, check fluids, measurements, his weight, my weight, etc, and said everything was coming along perfectly.  So glad for a great doctor visit!  Next one is Dec. 18, during Birthmas week!

Let's see how big Dean's gotten:

Yeah, he's really showing now, lol!  Love him!

Have a great week!

Week 24/ TACRAO/ Name-changer!

Happy Sunday all!

Hard to believe another weekend has come to a close (I know it's not technically over yet, but I start getting my "case of the Mondays" around 4pm on Sunday).  I had a great week for work last week, because it was our annual TACRAO conference.  I love conferences :)  Lately they've been my sole source for professional development, so I was that person feverishly taking down notes at every session.  I shall type them up tomorrow for my notebook :)  While I enjoyed the conference (this year it was held in Kingsport, so just right up the road) it also made me a little sad that I won't be at SACRAO in February.  In Texas.  With Becky.  It'll just be too close to Baby Dean's arrival for comfort in traveling that far.  So I look forward to perhaps a SACRAO visit for 2014!

Another "exciting" event happened last week (not exactly the fun kind of exciting).  Friday morning, as we're waiting for the keynote speaker to begin her speech, I get a text from my lovely husband.  I figured it was one of his usual "have a great day, I love you!" text.  Not this time.  This time, he texts me that he's decided he does not want to use "Edward" for Baby Dean's middle name...

Exactly.  If he could have seen me, I was giving him the Cecily "you're ridiculous" look.  I even have confirmation that he agreed he liked it!  Oh, bless that man that I love so dearly.  We debated back and forth over text until I got tired of it, agreeing we'd talk about it when we got home.  So to make a long story short, we are in progress of coming up with another middle name for sweet Baby Dean.  One that we will both agree on (and to which I will get notarized).

Now for Baby Dean's update!

Size:  Ear of corn! (seriously? LOL!) Dean has gain about 4 ounces since last week, so he's just over a pound, and is right around a foot long.

Physical Features:  Dean's brain is growing quickly and taste buds are continuing to develop.  His lungs are also developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that will help air sacs in the lungs inflate.

What I'm Thankful For:  Specifically this week, it's who I'm thankful for.  That would be my great friend/massage therapist/doula Ellen.  She earned her doula certification this week, and I'm so very proud of her!  And I'm thankful that she's my doula, and will be taking such great care of Dean and me once the time comes.  Congratulations Ellen!

Overall Feeling:  Still feeling great!  Although I'm getting some back pain :-/  Apparently I am not sleeping in the correct position (Ellen pointed this out to me yesterday) so I've got my back out of whack.  I'm most comfortable contorted with laying on my hip as well as my stomach, and that's a no-no for my back (duh).  So last night I tried sleeping in the "correct" position, completely on my side.  I didn't sleep great :)  But it'll get easier.  Also my SIL Krista is going to let me borrow her pregnancy pillow, so I'm sure that'll help greatly!

Appointments and Coming Events:  This is it people; Tuesday is The Glucose Test.  Then afterward I'm meeting my friend Stephanie for doughnuts :)  I'm sure everything will go well with the test, but prayers are much appreciated.  It'll be the first appointment John won't be able to come to (because of work).  Also this week we have Thanksgiving and Black Friday!!! :D

Now for the pic!

Wow!  There he is, lol!  I felt him going through his little spurt this week.  I had an increase in hunger, and I've been sleepy-tired (as in falling asleep on the couch by 8:30 every night).  And his movements have not only increased, but have gotten stronger!  And I can see the movements!  It's just the coolest thing ever!  He's just the coolest baby ever!  I'm so excited!

I pray everyone has a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving this week!

Week 23/ Speedway 5K/ Magic Eraser!

Hello!

Thank you everyone for the support following last week's post.  I should say that there were more than just bottles and registering that factored in to my meltdown.  There were things in my life that needed changing, and I finally took control and changed them for the better.  It was a big week for us!  First thing I changed was that I resigned from the Junior League.  I hated having to resign.  I hadn't met many of the ladies of the League (as I just transferred this year) and the ones I had I enjoyed getting to know and work with.  Plus I love volunteering.  But I realized that I had to step back.  I am very appreciative of the support the ladies gave me, and they put on a great Follies this year!  So, I stepped back in order to change the second thing: we need to sell this condo.  This was the biggest reason for my meltdown.  I love this place, but it is time to move on into a house for our growing broad.  And the people we had our condo listed through were not doing their part in helping us fulfill this goal.  So we got out of our contact with them and hired a realtor we feel has our best interest in mind.  We are very pleased with how things are going now, and are reinvigorated with positive hope that we will sell this condo, and find our family home!

Today was also an eventful day, the Speedway In Lights 5K!  Had a great time walking the 5K with my friends Jen, Jenny, and little Azaleigh!

Next year, Dean will be walking with us too.  Can't wait!

On to the updates!

Size:  Mango Martin!  Weighs just over a pound and around 11 inches in length.

Physical Features:  Dean has a developed sense of movement, so he can feel me when I dance around the house :D  Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing, and his hearing is becoming more keen.  

What I'm Thankful For:  Today, I am thankful for Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.  Let me explain:
My fantastic husband is notorious for leaving items in his pants pockets.  About a year ago, that lovely man left a packet of chewing gum in his pants pocket, which got washed.  I thought it ruined the dryer, much less those clothes.  I got the dryer as clean as I could, but it seemed the gum was dried to the dryer.  Lesson learned: he is to always (always!) check his pockets before putting things in the dirty clothes.  Today starts as a normal laundry day: he brings me the clothes, I sort, we take them downstairs.  About the time my wonderful husband was to leave for lunch with his friends, he disappears downstairs.  He was gone so long I thought he left without saying goodbye :(  I yelled down to the garage to see if he was there.  He responded with a hesitant "yeah."  I asked him what he was going.  He responded with a resistant "nothing."  Now, I'm not a mamma just yet, but even I know such a response requires some investigating.  So I walk down to find the dryer open, and my darling husband holding one of his shirts.  It was just a few minutes before, he told me, he remembered he left a vitamin in the coin pocket of one of his pants.  And it had gotten on some of the clothes.  And inside the dryer.  He felt bad, and I could see it in his sad, puppy-dog eyes.  I felt bad for him. I remembered yesterday when I was cleaning out underneath the sink I had found a box of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser that we never used.  I thought, why not, it's worth a shot!  So after he left for lunch, I took the Magic Eraser in my attempt to conquer the vitamin in the dryer.  And it worked!  It worked so well, I thought hey, I'll see if this'll get that old gum off the inside as well.  AND IT WORKED!!!!  It took some time and some elbow grease, and it all came off.  I was so happy.  So in preparation for Dean being like his precious father, I am thankful to know that Mr. Clean Magic Eraser will get the gunk out of the dryer.

Overall Feelings:  Emotionally, much better than last week!  Physically I'm feeling great, especially after walking this 5K!

Appointments and Coming Events:  I'm very excited that this week is our TACRAO conference.  I like conferences.  I'm sad I won't be accompanying Becky to SACRAO this year, but it'll be too close to Dean's arrival for the comfort of my doctor.  So at least I have this to look forward to.  And my mentor will be there!  I can't wait to see her again!  Other than that, next week is my glucose test appointment (oh joy) as well as Thanksgiving (YAY!), and Dean's first experience Black Friday shopping (double YAY!).

Time for this week's Bump Pic!

Have a great week!

Week 22/ Travel is OVER

Hello all!

Yes, travel season is DONE!  What I like about admissions is that it's cyclical, so that different things are happening during different parts of the year.  After a busy Spring of folder reviews and campus visits, I look forward to how Summer seems to slow down (well, as slow as it can being a small, private school).  Then once I simply cannot stand being in the office one more second, I get out for travel season in the Fall.  Then I get tired of being on the road and missing out on what's going on at home.  That's when November and December are fabulous- we have our conference, Thanksgiving break, and 2 weeks off for Christmas before starting the year over again.  So bring on conference, which is in 2 weeks!

Updates on Baby Dean!

Size:  Spaghetti squash!  Dean is around 11 inches in length and weighs nearly a pound!

Physical Features:  His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and tiny tooth buds are developing beneath the gums.  Eyes have formed, but the irises still lack pigment.

What I'm Thankful For:  I am beyond thankful to be home.  So happy to be spending time with John and Gizmo, with family, and hanging out with friends.  Went out for a birthday party with people I hadn't seen since the summer, and it was so good to see them!

Overall Feeling:  I'm thinking it's from all the driving, but my legs and my back have been sore.  I started today driving with a small pillow behind me, and that seems to alleviate the back pain.  Other than that, still feeling great!

Appointments and Coming Events:  Next week I'll be walking in the Speedway in Lights 5k, which I am very excited about!  Still have that glucose appointment coming up on Nov. 20 :P

Bump Pic!

So, I had myself a mini-meltdown tonight :(  Just had that overwhelming feeling I'm sure every new mom experiences.  We went to register tonight, and you'd think with all the baby stuff I've bought for other moms I'd have an idea on what Dean would need. Wrong!  There are too many options out there!  It was much easier registering for our wedding, since I knew exactly what I wanted, lol!  I wish Dean would just tell me what type of bottle he'd prefer :)  It'll come together, I know it will.  John has been fantastic with these mini-meltdowns I've had.  So very grateful to have such a wonderful husband to take care of me!

Have a great week!

Week 21/Baby-moon/Sandy

Hello everyone!

Wow, what a week it's been.  We are just over the halfway mark of getting to meet our little Dean Edward, yay!  

John and I had our anniversary trip/baby-moon this past weekend!  We left Friday after work and headed to his aunt and uncle's house to stay the night (thank you again John and Glynnis for letting us stay with you!).  Then we got up Saturday morning and headed for Charleston.  We stopped for lunch at the mall in Columbia, where John started watching the UT/South Carolina game.  Oh boy.  This meant finding a UT radio app on the phone, and listening to the game the rest of the trip.  This also meant that once we got to Charleston, we found a restaurant to watch the end of the game (and for me to have my second lunch of the day).  Bless him, I just wish the Vols could have pulled out a win.

Sidebar: I rarely ever talk about sports, much less football, but this has been on my mind: People need to lay off Derek Dooley.  I feel (yes, I'm using the "I feel" statement, so you can't say I'm wrong) that UT fans have gotten rather cocky.  Toward the end of Fulmer's era, fans demanded he step down...and he did.  That was probably in the works for a while, just coincidence it happened after fans demanded his leaving.  Fan rejoiced.  UT hired Lane Kiffin.  Fans rejoiced.  Lane Kiffin put together a team that seemed to be doing decent.  Fans rejoiced.  Then, Kiffin up and left UT.  In the middle of the season.  Fans went insane (just YouTube it, in case you've forgotten).  So Kiffin left, taking staff, coaches, and "big recruits" with him.  Then Dooley was hired.  After all that mess.  Needing to clean up the mess.  And rebuilt to make his team.  People, it takes time to build a team.  These are not necessarily the players he recruited, but they're who he has to work with.  So because UT can't seem to win any conference games, fans are (as they do) demanding UT fire him.  Come on, give Dooley some time.  Let Bray graduate so we can get a good quarterback, not just a decent one (I mean come on Bray, take a sack rather than throw an interception.  But try not to fumble when you do, like you did Saturday).  One of our local sportscasters ran an editorial the other day that in summary, places all blame on Kiffin (rightfully so), and to ask fans to lighten up.  So, stop calling for Dooley's firing.  It'll cost UT more money to cut him out of his contract anyway, money I'm betting they don't have.  He's going to be there for a while, so sit back and enjoy the ride.  And support him.

ANYWAY, we had our anniversary dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Sullivan's (and it was YUMMY!).  Sunday was a gorgeous day!  We walked around downtown Charleston, went to the market, got tea and dessert, and went to the beach.  We didn't lay out or anything, water was way too cold and dirty from Sandy, but man, it felt GOOD to be warm outside.  This whole time, John and I are keeping our eye on the storm and how it was going to have effects back home.  We came up with contingency plans, even back ups to our contingency plans.  Eventually, yesterday morning we decided we would cut our trip short a day in order to make it home before the snow started.  Thankfully, we made it!  Although we did deal with plenty of wind, rain, and even snow as we came over Sam's Gap from Sandy.  And when I say "we," I mean John.  He did an excellent job driving and getting all three of us home safely.  Big thanks to Dave and Krista for being willing to keep us for the night in case we had to re-route our path!

Do continue to pray for all those who have been impacted by the Super Storm Sandy.  

While the trip was shorter than anticipated, I am so grateful for the time John and I got to spend together.  That was the one point anyway, to have time alone together.  Traveling for work is difficult, and was even more so this year.  So our time meant so much, and I'm glad we've had that.

I'm not even going to address my last week of travel in NoVa.  It came.  It went.  Praise Jesus!


On to the Baby update!

Size:  Carrot baby!  Little Dean is around 3/4 of a pound now and is approx 10.5 inches in length!

Physical Features:  His eyebrows and lids are now present.  Awe, cute little baby eyebrows :)

What I'm Thankful For:  The flutters!  I love feeling little Dean move around.  He seems to be most active right before I go to sleep and as I wake in the morning.  People say he's got his days and nights confused.  I think he's just happy for me to take time to relax, so I can pay him more attention :)

Cravings:  Soda.  Again. I had a Sprite this weekend, and it tasted like the best thing ever.

Overall Feelings:  Still great!  Getting excited to starting our baby registry.  I believe we've picked out a bedroom theme (and by "we," I mean "me" :)  So happy to have this little guy!!!

Appointments and Coming Events:  It's Fall, y'all!  Getting ready for all the end of the year events and holidays.  The glucose appointment is the week of Thanksgiving.  Looking forward to Thanksgiving, not so much that appointment.

The Week 21 Bump Pic:

Yes, from Charleston, at Waterfront Park.  Right behind where I'm standing is the location where John proposed to me 4 years ago.  Back then, I wouldn't have thought that 4 years later I would be standing in that same spot, expecting our first child.  So blessed!

Have a fantastic week!

Week 20!!!

Hello again!

Seems like it wasn't long ago it was only week 19...wait, we're still in week 19 :)  Another early post, as I'll be heading out tomorrow for NOVA (that'd be Northern Virginia).  

In case word hasn't reached yet, we have decided on a first name for Baby Martin...Dean!  Yes, that is on purpose.  Our little man is already so cool, lol!

This has been a great week!  John and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary this past Wednesday.  Since I was out of town, we didn't get to watch our wedding video on our anniversary like we usually do.  I also haven't written in the journal yet either, so it's all good!  I keep a journal for our anniversaries, and every year I jot down what's happened in the past year, how we spent our anniversary, etc. One day I'll enjoy going back and reading everything we've done :) 

This next week is my last big week of travel.  I'll get back sometime Thursday, spend some time in the office on Friday, then we're headed to Charleston for our anniversary/baby moon trip!  I'm so excited for this trip, you have no idea :)

Updates!!!

Size:  Small cantaloupe!  (Really? Haven't seen many "small" cantaloupes...) Baby Dean is around 10 oz in weights and 6.5 in head to rump.

Physical Features:  Dean is swallowing more.  He's also producing meconium, which is what will come out of him when he takes his first poopies :)

What I'm Thankful For:  I'm very grateful for my health.  My legs have been sore as of late, and I've been able to stretch them and get some small walking in to help.  Plus, I have the best husband ever, who always rubs my legs when they get to hurting :)  Overall, esp. since entering my second trimester, I have felt fantastic.  So very thankful for that!

Overall Feeling:  Just as awesome as ever :)

Appointments and Coming Events:  Next appointment will be Nov. 20...the "dreaded" glucose test.  Because it's the week of Thanksgiving, John won't be able to come with me.  All will be well.  It has to...it's Thanksgiving week!

I've cut out the Aversions and Cravings section, as they are becoming the same thing every week: no aversions, and always craving fruits and veggies.

Now for the Bump!

I'm sort of blending in to the wall there :)

Here's a picture I'd love to share.  This is what happens behind the scenes of the Bump Pic:

Gizmo loves to try and get in all the pictures :)

He loves his little brother...that's what we're telling him :)

Have a great week everyone!

19 weeks!

Hello again everyone!

This week was the BIG one: we found out if Baby Martin is a Boy or Girl!  Also, I gained 2 pounds from my last appointment, yay!  

This past week was yet another week of being out on the road.  This time I hit up Shelbyville, TN, then headed to Gaffney and then Rock Hill, SC.  I love being in SC.  Even if it wasn't Charleston :)  Had my massage on Saturday, and gracious, my body was beyond needing it.  BTW, if anyone out there needs a good massage therapist (and I mean will make you better), let me know and I'll be happy to give a recommendation :)  This week I have one overnight, in Columbia, TN, before heading out for Northern Virginia on Sunday.  So we'll get an early Week 20 post on Saturday.

This week is also when John and I celebrate our 3 year anniversary.  Three years have gone by so fast!  Since I'll be gone on our actual anniversary (sad face) we'll be celebrating a day early (happy face!)

On to the updates!

Size:  Mango baby!  Baby Martin is about 8.5 oz in weight and measures around 6 inches in length.

Physical Features:  Arms and legs are in their right proportions to its body.  The hair on its scale is sprouting, and a waxy protective coating (vernix caseosa) is forming on the skin to prevent Baby from pickling in the amniotic fluid.  Mmmm...

What I Miss:  Nothing really, I'm loving being pregnant!  (and yes, I'll go back in a few weeks to read this post to remind myself of this)

What I'm Thankful For:  Last week I mentioned friends and family in general.  This week I'd like to give a shout-out to my road friends.  When we're in alphabetical order, we get used to being around the same reps.  So all those around me know about my pregnancy, and went out of their way to make sure I did fine.  One rep always got me water, and another went and got me a chair when the fair didn't provide them!  Very blessed for God to have His angels around me!

Cravings:  Still mainly fruits and veggies.  Got some carrots at the store the other day, quickly putting those bad boys down, lol!

Overall Feeling:  Awesome.  Great.  Blessed.  Thankful, you name it.  Right now is a great time.

Appointments and Coming Events:  Next appointment will be in 5 weeks, which is the week of Thanksgiving.  It'll be my glucose test...oh joy.  Less than 2 weeks away from our anniversary trip to Charleston!

Now for the Bump Pic!

It's coming along quite nicely :)

Ok, that's it for this week.  Until next time!



Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you if Baby is a Boy or a Girl...my bad :)





Baby Martin is a...

BOY!!!

That's blue icing in the middle of the cupcake, in case you couldn't tell. :D

Have a GREAT week!

Nicole

18 Weeks!

Hi!!!

So excited, I get to post on the official start of Week 18!  Yay!  I'm still traveling this week, but don't head out until tomorrow.  Will be in Shelbyville for a fair tomorrow night, and crashing with the awesome Lowe's :)  Then will head out to Gaffney, SC to end the week in Rock Hill, SC.  Sad that it's the only SC week I get to do this year, but happy I'll at least get 2 days.  And I get to see my awesome SC peeps :)

An incredible thing started happening this week: flutters!  While I can't yet feel from the outside, earlier this past week I started feeling the little flutters that tell me Baby Martin is working to move around a bit!  Soon John will be able to feel it as well, and I can't wait for that day!

On to the updates!

Size:  Bell Pepper!  Baby Martin is about 5.5 inches long and weights almost 7 ounces.

Physical Features:  The ears are now in their final position.  A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around the nerves, which will continue even after Baby is born.

What I Miss:  Just being at home with John.  I grow every week, and I wish he could see it as each day goes by.  At least when we do see each other on weekends, he can see how much Baby has grown since he last saw it.

What I'm Thankful For:  I am so grateful for the support we have from our friends and family.  From listening to me freak out or just need to unload, to the great advice and listening ear, I'm thankful for each of you!

Cravings:  Hot Cocoa :)  It's been cold here, people!  And hot cocoa hits the spot!

Overall Feelings:  Awesome :)  Still tired, but I feel a lot of that has to do with all the travel.

Appointments and Upcoming Events:  Isn't there something going on next week?  On Oct. 15?  Can't think of it... :)  We find out the gender on Monday!!!!  :D  Then get ready to see me in planning mode, lol!  We also still have our anniversary/baby moon trip at the end of the month in Charleston, so excited for that!

And now for the Bump Pic!

Next week is a BIG week, so be sure to tune in!

Have a great rest of the week!
Nicole

Seventeen!

Oh gracious, I can't believe these last 3 weeks have gone by so fast!  Travel does that :)  Had a good week last week in the around-Knoxville area.  This week I'll be in Knoxville more (with a dip over to Pigeon Forge, hello outlets!), so it should be great as well!

Updates!

Week 17

Size: Baby Martin is roughly the size of a turnip!  Around 5 oz and 5 inches from head to bottom :)

Physical Features:  Baby Martin's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and it's umbilical cord is growing stronger and thicker.  It can also move it's joints, and the sweat glands are starting to develop.

What I Miss:  My regular clothes.  Last travel season I bought all these dresses (on clearance!) to wear for this year, since dresses are easy to pack.  So they're just sitting in the closet, awaiting the next time I'm able to wear them.  But that leads me into...

What I'm Thankful For:  ...Maternity clothes!  Oh gracious, how I love maternity pants, lol!  Very thankful that Amy, April, and Alex have helped me in this venture by letting me borrow some of their maternity clothes.  I appreciate it more than I can express in words.  Plus, I'm very happy to have stretchy pants for Thanksgiving :D

Cravings:  I had a soda yesterday.  I know, right?  It just sounded really good, so I had one.  And it was really good :)  In case you're not aware, I cut out soda about 10 years ago.  Every once in a while I have one, and, except for the ginger ale to ease some of my early nausea, I hadn't had any yet this pregnancy.  

Overall feelings:  Great!  Physically exhausted.  And my legs have been sore lately.  Think that's a combo of the pregnancy and travel.  Once I'm finished and am able to rest for a while, I'm hopeful to regain my energy.  Since I am feeling good, I'm going to start reincorporating exercise.  Taking it easy, I promise :)

I'm also feeling very overwhelmed at by how much we are not prepared yet, which I know every new parents feels at some point.  I haven't thought of anything for the nursery, because 1). still not sure what we're having, and 2). I'm still hopeful we'll sell the condo and buy a house.  So, if you're thinking about asking me if we have certain items, or if I've picked a theme yet...don't worry about asking just yet :)

Appointments and Upcoming Events:  Still waiting for Oct. 15 to come around, so we'll find out if Baby Martin is a boy or girl!  Also, my work event for this coming Saturday has been cancelled, so I'm looking forward to a day to relax (maybe start planning?  Yeah, we'll see).  And I have a massage the following Saturday.  Plus our anniversary trip at the end of the month.  I LOVE October!

I'm going to forgo the weekly bump picture, since I haven't worn make up today.





No, I'm serious...





I'm just kidding :) but don't say I didn't warn you.

Here it is!:

Shew, it's time to fall asleep on the couch.  April, my sis-in-law, and I resumed Zumba today.  Which is great, but it's tiring after a long absence, lol!

More updates next time!  Have an excellent week!