17 Week Picture!

I am really not good at this whole "creative blog title" thing.  Oh well!  Well I am now 17 weeks plus a few days.  I got Daniel to take some pictures on Sunday to keep up with our documentation.  Daniel and I had both agreed that my belly had kind of just "popped" last week and was looking much bigger.  I felt confident of this until I put on a button-up maternity shirt from my last pregnancy and was told by a few separate people that I didn't look pregnant.  I'm not complaining, I just find it interesting how I can feel so big but it can still be hidden from others.  I took pictures in different shirts for comparison's sake.

The button-up shirt

I originally started facing one direction in an effort to hide the most broken out side of my face (sorry TMI but acne-prone skin + pregnancy hormones = yikes!), but apparently I just abandoned that method and started switching directions!

Hey little baby!

Here's what I looked like at 17 weeks when LG was growing in my belly:

I had to work hard to get it to poke out like that!

That's all I've got for now!  Hope everyone's having a great Wednesday!

It's Picture Time!

During my first pregnancy, I started taking pictures of my (then non-existent) belly the day I found out I was pregnant.  I took a picture every other week throughout the whole pregnancy with few exceptions.  This time around, I kept saying that I would do just that but I'd always think to get a picture when I was walking around in sweatpants and no makeup, or when Daniel wasn't home, or when I was out, etc. etc.  So it took me until I was 15 weeks to actually get a snapshot of my belly.  And, just because I know I'll forget down the road, I need to make a note that this time around my belly totally started looking bigger 2 days after I found out I was pregnant.  Seriously!  It wasn't huge, and nobody but Daniel and I could tell, but it definitely started growing early on.  They aren't lying when they say that happens the second time around!

Hey little baby!

Posting this is probably a little redundant, but I think it looks much bigger close-up and with the flash on!

Me and baby!

As of my last weight check, I had only lost weight (1 lb.), but that is just what happened when little Felicity was in my belly.  I have found it interesting though how last time I felt so uncomfortable with my changing body.  It's like I looked forward to looking pregnant, but I felt early on like the rest of my body was getting chubby and bloated and I was quite self-conscious about it.  I don't know if it's that I'm smaller going into this pregnancy or that I've already experienced pregnancy before, but I feel SO comfortable with knowing that I'm growing and will soon be putting on weight.  I am embracing it and I love it!  And, just to clear up any confusion- you can indeed have a growing belly without putting on weight!  I need to and do wear maternity pants all the time now, and they fit well, but I still haven't gained weight.  Don't ask me how that happens, it just does.  I've had friends ask about that before, so I just say that to let you know that somehow it can happen.

Oh and as far as gaining weight goes, I got my weekly babycenter.com e-mail yesterday.  The e-mail contained a suggestion for 16-weekers to eat a milkshake every day if they are having trouble putting on weight!  I read it 3 times just to be sure I read it right, and then immediately e-mailed Daniel to tell him the good news!  We both found this so funny because every other reliable source we've read says that if you haven't gained weight, make sure to do it with lean protein, low-fat milk, etc.  Basically, they always say to keep eating healthy foods but just eat more of them!  I was pretty excited about the milkshake idea though I really probably won't give it a try simply because ice cream and milkshakes aren't on my list of cravings right now.  Either way, I thought that quite funny and consider it music to a pregnant woman's ears!

I'll throw in another picture just for fun.  Felicity and I made chocolate chip cookies for friends the other day!    This girl is such a sweet little helper and I love that she is at a good age to start helping me to cook and bake.

Stirring in some chocolate chips!

Oh and I can't resist- one more!  Felicity began going to Mother's Morning Out once a week last Tuesday.  She loved it!  I seriously enjoyed being able to clean the floors (while blasting music on Pandora!) and do a few other things without keeping her entertained or worrying about waking her up.  I missed her SO much though and could hardly wait to pick her up after lunch.  Daniel was off for lunch when it came time to get her, so we both went to get her.  I forgot to get a picture that morning, so she and Daddy posed once we all got home.

Sorry for the blur!

The sweet girl is now awake from her nap!  Time to give her a big hug and get busy playing!

Time for Part II!  Here are my other high points in 2011 (and they are really good!):

                               

5)  I got to take some trips alone!

When I put it that way, it sounds kind of lonesome, but I was with good people once I arrived (:  So, I did something that was a big deal for this new mama- I went to Denver!!!  Many many months before weaning Felicity, I booked plane tickets to visit one of my very best friends, Nicole, in Denver.  I knew that if I waited, I would keep putting it off (leaving your baby for the first time is hard to do!) so I just went ahead and did it!  This was also good motivation for me to wean Felicity.  I wanted to wean Felicity sometime around the time she turned 1, so I allowed myself 4 months after her birthday to give plenty of time for everyone to transition.  It worked out perfectly!  Plus, I planned the trip over Daniel's 4-day weekend, so they got some good bonding time in.

Visiting Nicole was the perfect first trip away from Felicity.  From the beginning, Nicole was so supportive.  She knew that being away from Felicity for the first time EVER might be difficult for me, so she made sure I was doing okay and made sure I got plenty of time for Skyping and talking with my family!  She especially went above and beyond in just putting up with me....and the big pink cast I had on my ankle.  I had to get the cast the day before leaving for Denver!  Ugh!  It wasn't because of a broken bone but instead another non-surgical attempt to heal me of plantar fasciitis.  This, of course, cut down considerably on our outdoor adventures but Nicole rolled with it and found other fun things for us to do.  We did lots of good eating, exploring the city, seeing (and attempting to hike up!) the mountains, going to Whole Foods, antiquing, and what we do best- talking!  Here are some pics of our adventures:

Nicole looking posh in her scarf from the antique store.  I got one too but don't have a picture of myself wearing it!

Too bad we didn't actually hike...it was fun anyways though!

Vail!

We worked really hard to find good ice cream, so once we found it we had to get a lot!

Words can't express how thankful I am to Nicole and Marc for welcoming me into their home for a few days.  They were so kind and thoughtful and just so...them!  And I love that!  I can't wait till I can go back again!

The other trip I took by myself was to the Christ Church Women's Retreat at Cohutta Springs.  I decided at the last minute to go and Daniel's parents were kind enough to come down for the weekend to watch Felicity while Daniel worked.  It was really good for me to get some down time to myself and to get to know several women in the church much better than I did before.  Thanks to everyone who made it possible!  Sadly, I didn't take any pictures so I've got nothin!

I'm also glad that Felicity and I got to go with G-Paw and Aunt Kristin to the Rover Rally!  This is something I always look forward to and I loved being able to bring Felicity for the first time since she came in my belly 2 years ago.  Being in a cabin in the mountains is one of the things I love most and I'm so thankful I got to experience that again this year.  You can read Kristin's blog about the post here.

And finally, last but definitely not least in 2011.....

6)  We found out that I'm pregnant!!!!!!!!! 

This calls for lots and lots of exclamation points!  In early October we found that we're expecting our second little one!  We are SO stoked!  This situation has been nothing short of amazing, though I'm not sure if I feel like sharing details for the whole world to see (sorry to leave you wondering, but I'll be sure to post if I change my mind).  Just know that this experience has been probably one of the sweetest, most precious experiences of my life and I am so thankful to be blessed with another baby in my belly.  

I am currently 15 weeks and my due date is July 2.  Compared to many women I know, this pregnancy so far has been a breeze, though it has been more difficult than my first.  I've experienced some discomfort in my gallbladder that I've had to regulate with some diet and lifestyle changes, but again, it could be much worse!  The nausea has been worse than the first pregnancy but considering I've only thrown up once, I'd say I have it pretty good!  Just like I'd been told many times before, being pregnant with the second is very different in that it seems you have less time to think about what's going on- it just happens!  These 3+ months have flown by and it's hard for me to accept the fact that in less than 6 months I'll have 2 children to love on and care for!  If you think of it, please pray for this little one and for me and my family throughout the pregnancy and as we adjust to life as a family of 4.  We'd very much appreciate it! 

So far we only have one picture of this precious baby.  This was taken almost 9 weeks ago so I know that much has changed since then!

Well those are some of my greatest adventures and moments of 2011.  The year did not disappoint!  I am thankful for being so blessed for such great experiences and for wonderful family and friends.  Here's to another great year!

2011 High Points (Part I)

Well hello friends!  It's been what?  A year?  Obviously I am not very committed to blogging, but I do occasionally get the itch.  This most recent itch seems to be brought on by saying goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012.  I absolutely love New Years.  I love reflecting on the good and bad of the previous year and looking forward expectantly to a new one.  I love that it falls just after Christmas- just after we've been reminded that we are made new and it is never too late for renewing, no matter how much we've messed up in the past.  Oh that is such good news to me.

Well, I'll get onto my post.  I'm going to fill you all in (or just remind myself, seeing as I don't think many people read this!) of the highs from this past year.  In all honesty, it was a tough year, but reflecting on all the wonderful high points we had reminds me of just how many sweet, sweet moments we experienced.  We are indeed a very blessed family.  Here goes!

1)  Our "Little Girl" turned 1!


This is obviously an exciting, proud moment for any parent, but this celebration meant a lot to me for more than just the usual reasons.  The first year was hard for me.  Like really hard.  Many people told me before having Felicity that the first few months are difficult.  Yes, the first few months were really difficult, but so were the 9 others that followed.  I struggled with blues and some serious physical pain (thus creating a lot of grumpiness and anxiety!) for quite some time.  Her birthday seemed to be a turning point for me.  She started walking around the time she turned 1 and that meant she didn't need to be carried anymore.  I love (almost more than anything) to hold and squeeze and carry that girl, but my back needed a break and finally got one when she started walking.  Walking for her also meant that she was discharged from Physical Therapy!  After about 10 months of hard work from her and us on her neck (she had torticollis!), she was finally discharged and has done great ever since!  Thank you, Lord!  I am seriously grateful for every second (even the most difficult ones) I have with this little gift.  Words just can't describe my love for her!

                              Best family shot we got from the big day!

Practicing walking in the back yard! I just can't get enough of that face!

2)  We Bought a House!


After many months of searching, we were so blessed to find that a house I'd been admiring for almost a year had brought down its price multiple times!  It thus became a great deal for us, and it was in the same neighborhood that we'd been living in and had come to love so much.  Daniel works about 1 mile from home and gets to come home to eat, play, and rest with us during most of his lunch breaks!  We love getting to see him in the middle of the day and I especially love when our schedules allow us to all share lunch together.

We love our little home and feel it is perfect for us.  Little and quaint, just like we've always wanted!  I love the big windows, hardwood floors, high ceilings, big back yard, and the little towns and BIG city that are so close.  I love that our house is newer, yet looks like an older home.  We're surrounded by a mix of newer houses and houses that were built almost 100 years ago, and I love being by all those older homes!  Daniel never wanted an old house due to the upkeep, but I always wanted one because they are just so cute and charming!  This house is a perfect compromise!

Kind of a weird picture, but it was hard to find one where our address wasn't shown!

Front porch picture on closing day

3) We celebrated 5 years of marriage!


July 7 of 2011 marked 5 years of marriage for us!  Words can't express just how special this day was to me.  I loved reflecting on what the Lord has gotten us through and the fun times we've had.  Daniel is SO FUN and I am so glad that he is my best friend who's stuck with me through these last several years.  Thank you, Lord, for such a wonderful husband!

On our actual anniversary, we were preparing to leave for a trip to Chattanooga and then the beach, so we didn't really get to celebrate, so we made sure to celebrate at a later date....we had our first trip away from Felicity in October!  This will totally sound like we copped out, but we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast in Atlanta, while she stayed with my parents in Marietta.  It's not how it seems though!  We did want to be somewhat close to her (no more than 2-3 hours away), but we had long talked about having a weekend for further enjoying and exploring our city.  Daniel surprised me with a stay in a B&B in Midtown and it was just perfect.  Such a good time together.

Taking a break from packing to enjoy Centennial Park as a family on our anniversary!  

Walking back to our cute room at the B&B in October.  We didn't stay in the cottage but in the room off the back of the house.  Daniel picked a perfect place for us to stay!

Painting pottery together in the Highlands!

Antico pizza and cannolis in Piedmont Park?  Yes, please!

Bike riding in Piedmont Park!  Loving Atlanta!

4) We got to travel as a family!   I love that Daniel's job allows him a 4-day weekend every month because that allows us to take trips together (and rest occasionally)!  We took several trips this year starting in January- actually the day I came down with a double ear infection on top of a sinus infection and strep yikes!- when we went on a little family retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  We stayed at a cabin for 3 nights and enjoyed a little bit of snow, the hot tub, lots of sleep, exploring and eating in Ellijay, journaling and prayer time, and good conversation. We really did do all of those wonderful things, but most of the time I was just sitting around resting and trying to recover while Daniel cooked some great comfort food and took care of the Little One.  We didn't get many good pictures, but here are a couple:

Daddy and Baby cooking breakfast

Family photo as LG tried to get away!

Hammock time!  Felicity hated the cold... we didn't stay out there for long!

Next up, we got to take 2 beach trips over the summer, and hardly had to pay a thing!  We had a family reunion with my Dad's family in May or June (don't remember!) in Destin, FL. and then in July we went with Daniel's family (plus Millicent!) to um...another beach.  Clearly I did not drive or I'd probably have a better idea of where we were (:  I think it was a little bit outside of Destin???  It was fun to see how Felicity's development over the months in between changed how she enjoyed the beach.  She was still learning to walk alone on the first trip and was much more independent on the second trip.


Family Reunion in Destin:

Checking out the ocean (I love the bright colors- we didn't plan that!)

Kiddos

Napping on G-Paw on the beach (:

And now some pictures from our trip with Daniel's family:

Behind a gas station on the way down there!  We really enjoyed looking at the alligators during snack time!

Being independent after leaving the pool!

This cutie loved digging in the sand!

I just put this up because I totally feel like it looks I am acting like a celebrity trying to hide my face from the paparazzi.  It cracks me up!

As usual, we also enjoyed a few trips to Chattanooga so that we could visit with family and friends.  We didn't take any pictures except when we drove up for the day for Nic and Christine's wedding.  Their wedding was AWESOME and I so wish that we could have stayed at the reception many hours longer that we did.  Since we were all dressed up and we are hardly ever dress up anymore these days, we snapped a few pictures before and after the wedding.

Outside of the reception

Giggles (:

Mommy and Daddy all dressed up and the little one in her jammies (Thanks Aunt Kristin for babysitting!)

And of course we can't forget our annual trip to Mountain Day at Berry!  We have really come to cherish this trip at the beginning of each October.  We love visiting and staying with old friends, exploring the campus, enjoying the outdoors, and of course the Brunswick stew (I so look forward to that every year!).  Here are some pictures from our weekend with Martha:

Taking it all in

At the Old Mill

Well I'm going to have to leave it at that for now, because this post is getting out of control!  I still have a couple more REALLY high points for 2011, so I'll have to find time to get to them soon!