7.31.2013

Wednesday Walkabout #49!

Stay tuned for a fun announcement on next week's Walkabout!

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Welcome to the another week of Wednesday Walkabout! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, linking up, and reading new blogs. 






A little info about the Walkabout:

This is a weekly linky party with myself and 3 other co-hosts. The idea? Just put your URL in the linky (it can be a specific post or your "homepage"- whichever you prefer), visit a few other blogs, and possibly make some new friends. Easy peasy, right?!

Oh, and you only have to link up with ONE of the co-hosts. =) 

There are just a few quick rules we've set for the linky party...

1. Please follow at least ONE hostess, and let us know you're a new follower and how you follow!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife (That's me!)
Chantal - Scattered Seashells 
Jane - Poppiness 
2. Try to visit 3-4 blogs that interest you. Take some time and let them know where you came from.

3. Grab the button from my sidebar and spread the word! (Not required, but just cool if you do.) The more, the merrier.



Thanks for stopping by! Happy blog-hopping!






7.30.2013

I Feel Kinda Crazy

I swear, almost everything irritates me lately. Something someone said in passing. Something I saw on FB. Something Joe did, but isn't unusual for him to do. Jasper's mere presence can send me into a frenzy if I let it. (I'm still not sure why.) I've even gotten slightly irritated at my bestie....which is just.....weird, and really sucky. 

My conclusion?

Pregnancy hormones make me crazy.

Unless you either lived close to me - or happened to be my bestie - while I was pregnant with Charlotte, you probably wouldn't know that Joe and I fought like crazy for at least the first trimester. At least. It was bizarre, to say the least. We pretty much always get along, even if we happen to disagree. So the fact that there were times when we actually yelled at each other was kinda scary. And because I was pregnant, there were also many, many tears involved. 

Fast forward to this pregnancy, and it's basically the same thing all over again. Although I think we were somewhat prepared for the crazy this time. It hasn't been nearly as bad. We've definitely argued - a couple times about some really ridiculous things - but not like it was with Charlotte. Thank goodness for that.

I've also come to the conclusion that I don't tolerate my mother well when I'm pregnant. She's a fairly irritating person when I'm not pregnant, so the hormones are not helping me there. She calls? I ignore it half the time. I respond to her texts an hour or more later. I just. can't. handle. it. Of course, when my phone log looks like this, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would ignore calls or delay responding:


My parents are planning on coming to visit in October, {who wants to take bets on whether or not they'll actually come?} and I am slightly terrified worried about what might happen. My grandparents want to come, too, which just adds to the stress. I mean....yeah, everyone come visit the girl who's 7-8 months pregnant and forget that it might actually stress her out! Good idea. I just can't believe my grandparents would even think about coming. They can't fly, and it's at least a 12 hour drive. Papa is on all kinds of meds, and oxygen. Nana fell and broke her pelvis in June. Yep, a 12 hour ride sounds like a fantastic idea! Ya'll better be saying some prayers for me if everyone comes to visit me this fall. {With the exception of my brother, who has no vacay time.}

Thankfully, the only one who hasn't irritated me {outside of anything normal} so far this pregnancy is Charlotte. Focusing on her is usually how I handle the crazy, so that's nice. LOL! And since I have officially entered the nesting phase of pregnancy, {woohoo!!!!} maybe I can start channeling the crazy into cleaning, organizing, and decorating. Lord knows this house needs it after me being a bum for most of the last 2 months. {The 1st trimester really kicks my butt. We're all lucky we survived, and had clean clothes.}

Anyone else feel like a lunatic during pregnancy? Please tell me I'm not alone!

7.26.2013

Making the Switch

A while back I decided I'd write up a post about why I chose to go off-post for OB care this time around. Well, I never got around to it, and then all this stuff with the doctor/hospital I chose came up, and now I feel like I need to talk about it. :)

To start things off, the Army hospital here is more like a clinic than an actual hospital. What I've heard is that they only do procedures/surgeries if it's a life-or-death kind of thing. {The dental clinic won't even do wisdom teeth removals unless they have to.} They also don't have a L&D ward. So, um....okay. They do have an OB/GYN clinic, but they use a local hospital for deliveries. There are a couple reasons I didn't use their clinic, but I also figured that if I can't even deliver there (making the chances of knowing the doctor who will deliver the baby even more slim), what's the point?

I did a minute amount of research on a local spouses page, and found some recommendations for OBs. Slightly more research and decided on one. Her main office (and the hospital) are both downtown, which is a good 30 minute drive from our house. Not terrible - and definitely better than Hawaii - but if there were any amount of traffic, it wouldn't be a fun ride in labor. But, I liked the doctor. She's fairly young (probably mid-30s), kind, and attentive. Her nurse, and the rest of the staff are pretty nice as well. (Except for one idiot who had the audacity to ask me "where's the other kid?" when I told her this was my 3rd pregnancy, but I only have 1 baby. GRRRRRR.)

And then I started asking questions about hospital policy regarding birth/newborns.... 

I shared this in my bumpdate this week, but it turns out that the hospital has pretty rigid standards about babies going to the nursery. Not just for a bath, weight checks, etc., but every day for the pediatrician to do rounds. Depending on how many babies there are, this could take a few hours. And there's a minimum 2 hour requirement for the baby to be observed after birth. Um, what?! Maybe it's just because I had Charlotte in a "baby-friendly" hospital that didn't have a nursery, but this is just not okay with me! As I was talking with other people, apparently this is a common practice...especially in the South. I feel sort of silly about it because, hi, I grew up in the South. Shouldn't I be somewhat aware of this?

I did talk to my OB about these things, and she confirmed the nursery nightmare. {Well, it's a nightmare for me, anyway.} Even though she did say they are starting to make changes to become "baby-friendly," I just don't know that I can risk it and end up with a fight on my hands come baby day. There are some things I can compromise on, but I just can't on this. I really want a similar experience to what I had with Charlotte, and I think I should get that. And if I can't find it at one place, it's okay to go somewhere that I can. I should probably also say that Joe and I have discussed it quite a bit recently. From cord-clamping to rooming-in, he's heard it all. And when I told him about the nursery stuff, he was on the verge of tears. {Totally not even kidding, and I love this about him.} So even if I could have compromised on it, his reaction sealed the deal for me. 

I called a different OB - very highly recommended for a more natural approach - this afternoon and left a message to make an appointment. The girls who suggested her to me (one currently pregnant) said that she's 100% on-board with delaying cord clamping, and skin-to-skin right after birth to promote breastfeeding. The hospital she delivers at is totally baby friendly, and they do all exams in the room. *insert happy sigh of relief here* Also, this hospital is 15, 20 mins tops, from our house. SCORE!

As much as I hate to swap doctors "mid-stream," I feel like we need a doctor (and a hospital) that will allow us to have the kind of birth experience and postpartum/newborn care that we want. I know that not everyone thinks that having their baby sent off to the nursery for a while is a big deal, and that's okay for them. We're just not those people, and I don't feel like we're really asking for a whole lot. :)

7.24.2013

Wednesday Walkabout #48!

Getting this up a little late today... Sorry! I totally spaced on getting this post up earlier, because I was busy getting a new one of these:

Not too terrible....right?

✽✽✽

Welcome to the another week of Wednesday Walkabout! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, linking up, and reading new blogs. 






A little info about the Walkabout:

This is a weekly linky party with myself and 3 other co-hosts. The idea? Just put your URL in the linky (it can be a specific post or your "homepage"- whichever you prefer), visit a few other blogs, and possibly make some new friends. Easy peasy, right?!

Oh, and you only have to link up with ONE of the co-hosts. =) 

There are just a few quick rules we've set for the linky party...

1. Please follow at least ONE hostess, and let us know you're a new follower and how you follow!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife (That's me!)
Chantal - Scattered Seashells 
Jane - Poppiness 

Mystery Host: Ash from I'll Love You Forever!

2. Try to visit 3-4 blogs that interest you. Take some time and let them know where you came from.

3. Grab the button from my sidebar and spread the word! (Not required, but just cool if you do.) The more, the merrier.



Thanks for stopping by! Happy blog-hopping!








7.23.2013

17 - Almost Halfway!



How far along? 17 weeks, plus a few days.

Size of baby: Almost 8 inches...or an asparagus pear. {What is that, anyway? Too lazy to Google.}

Maternity clothes? You betcha! Pants for sure, but still fitting into some of my normal shirts. 

Best moment this week: Doing a little birthday celebrating/eating/shopping!

Miss anything? Not so much. =)

Movement: Yeah! It's still not super frequent, but I'm feeling a lot more. Rainbow Baby actually kept me up Saturday night... Hadn't felt much that day (busy day), but as soon as I laid down in bed I got kicked and punched like crazy! Silly baby.

Food cravings: Ummm, still mostly sweets. Nothing crazy....yet.

Food aversions: None currently. Yippee!

Gender: Don't know yet... Hopefully just a couple more weeks! I'm dying to find out! 

Labor signs: Nope! Although I think I've been having occasional Braxton Hicks... Anyone else have them this early?

Sleep: Still pretty good for the most part... Except that sleeping on my stomach isn't as comfy as it used to be. Part of it, though.

Symptoms: Heartburn, round ligament pain, possible BH, and some fatigue. 

Belly button in or out? In. For now.

Looking forward to: My appointment this week! And also figuring out if I want to stay with this OB and hospital. Apparently, the hospital isn't "baby friendly." What I've heard from other moms in the area (and one who used to work there) is that they require the baby to stay in the nursery for a mandatory 2 hr observation. :-/ I don't like that it's mandatory. I'm also not sure if they'll let me do delayed cord clamping (waiting until it stops pulsing ensures that baby gets ALL the blood from the placenta), and skin-to-skin right after birth (instead of whisking her away to the nursery to bathe, measure, observe). Both of these things are things that I really want. With Charlotte, I compromised on the cord clamping. I got to do everything else - skin-to-skin, delayed bath, and rooming-in - so I wasn't too upset. But the whole "you must give us your baby" thing doesn't sit well with me. Maybe it's because Tripler spoiled me (seems odd to say about a military hospital, LOL!), but I don't want to compromise on that. Especially since this is Rainbow Baby we're talking about here. It's extra sensitive for me this time around. Anyway, I'll be asking my {current} OB about this at my appointment. I'm hoping I won't have to swap doctors - just hospitals - but I have a feeling that's not going to happen. I hate to swap midstream, so to speak, but I figure if I'm the one giving birth {not the doctors} and it's my baby, I should get the things that I feel are right for us. So...prayers would be appreciated!

7.18.2013

The One Where I Whine a Little {Or a Lot}

So. We've been in Georgia for 4 months now. I know the same amount of people now as I did when we first moved here. A friend from Joe's unit in Hawaii, and lovely fellow blogger, Amanda. I am grateful that I know at least a couple people here, (and I always have Skype dates with my bestie!) but....

I'm starting to get lonely.

Both of the ladies I mentioned above work. It's great for them - especially if they want to - but kinda sucks for me since I'm home with the bean all day. I love the church we go to, but they forego small groups during the summer because everyone travels. And since we never found one prior to the summer.... No small groups {or friends} for us until they start up again. Boo. And apparently the FRG for this unit is severely slacking, so no luck meeting people there. Though, that hasn't really worked out well for me in the past. Not like finding church-related friends, anyway.

Did I mention I'm carless, too? I mean, I could get Joe to find a ride to work so that I could have the car. Even then, the only things I would do would be with/for Charlotte. It's not like I can go shopping all the time. Still, it would be nice to be able to go somewhere during the day. We live within driving distance of so many things! Oh, what I wouldn't give for a second car... Except money, of course, because we do not have enough for that. {Unless a miracle were to happen and we were either given money or a car. I don't really see that happening anytime soon. Or ever.}

Ugh. Really, I think I'm missing Mrs. C. We talked for the first time in a while this weekend, and I think it made me realize how much I miss her and the things we were able to do in Hawaii. Mainly, hang out at each other's houses and just chat. What can I say? I'm pretty easy to please. I especially miss having friends who just come over and make themselves at home, while ignoring the mess that my house usually is. 

Making new friends is definitely the hardest part of PCSing. *sigh*

7.17.2013

16 Weeks - A Bumpdate



How far along? 16 weeks, 4 days...once again almost in time for the 17 week update. Oh, well. =)

Size of baby: A carrot. {Really? I don't get these sometimes.} Or 7 inches.

Maternity clothes? Yep. If I wear something other than yoga pants, I need maternity pants. I can still fit in some of my shirts, but they're getting snug. Plus, the bump looks cuter in maternity shirts, like the one in the pic. =)

Best moment this week: Recovering from the stomach virus. {Sad, isn't it?}

Miss anything? Not so much. 

Movement: Little kicks and punches here and there, but not much. Either the placenta is in a different place this time, or Rainbow Baby is much more chill than his/her sister. Haha!

Food cravings: Donuts, and pretty much anything sweet. No surprises there!

Food aversions: Yogurt and some cheeses.... I think I'm getting past the aversions, though.

Gender: A few more weeks till we find out! Who wants to take a guess?

Labor signs: NONE.

Sleep: Still pretty good, though I can't sleep on my tummy as comfortably anymore. =( I'm gonna have to pull out the pregnancy pillow soon, I think.

Symptoms: Some round ligament pain and heartburn. Yippee!

Belly button in or out? Still in, but Joe told me the other day that it's "getting bigger." Thanks, dear.

Looking forward to: My regular appointment next week, and then the ultrasound soon after! 

Wednesday Walkabout #47!

Welcome to the another week of Wednesday Walkabout! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, linking up, and reading new blogs. 






A little info about the Walkabout:

This is a weekly linky party with myself and 3 other co-hosts. The idea? Just put your URL in the linky (it can be a specific post or your "homepage"- whichever you prefer), visit a few other blogs, and possibly make some new friends. Easy peasy, right?!

Oh, and you only have to link up with ONE of the co-hosts. =) 

There are just a few quick rules we've set for the linky party...

1. Please follow at least ONE hostess, and let us know you're a new follower and how you follow!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife (That's me!)
Chantal - Scattered Seashells 
Jane - Poppiness 

Mystery Host: Chelsea from Anchors Aweigh!

2. Try to visit 3-4 blogs that interest you. Take some time and let them know where you came from.

3. Grab the button from my sidebar and spread the word! (Not required, but just cool if you do.) The more, the merrier.



Thanks for stopping by! Happy blog-hopping!







7.16.2013

The Birthday That Wasn't

So, my birthday was last Tuesday. I was already kinda weirded out about turning 27 {the whole one year closer to 30 thing, I think}, and I really just wanted to have a good day. Some phone calls from family, some texts, maybe a card or two... You know. Instead, I got the worst birthday ever

I never thought I'd find something that beat the year I had my tonsils out the week before my birthday, the year one girl showed up to my party, my 16th birthday where I failed my driver's test, and my 20th which was in the midst of a rough breakup. Alas, it had to happen at some point. 

That morning, I woke up to a crying baby girl - not totally unusual, though it is rare for her to actually cry upon waking. As I took my sweet time peeling myself off my comfy bed, I couldn't imagine what was waiting for me.... The beginnings of a stomach virus. On the morning of my 27th birthday, I cleaned up vomit and a really gross diaper. As I was in the middle of cleaning up, I gave silent thanks that I was no longer in the I-feel-like-vomiting-all-the-time portion of pregnancy. 

Fortunately, she wasn't really sick the rest of the day - just very clingy and not wanting to eat. And really, who could blame her? We cuddled and watched cartoons all day. While not productive, it was definitely tiring for me. {I also changed far too many diapers that day... I'll spare you the details.} 


I had asked Joe a few times what he'd gotten me for my birthday and he swore that he got me nothing. I really thought he was kidding until after Charlotte was in bed that night. By this point, I'm tired and slightly hormonal. So obviously I cried. I mean... Birthdays aren't really the biggest deal. But life isn't all about me anymore. It's all about the baby (and soon to be, babies). So the fact that I got nothing more than a "happy birthday" from him was really upsetting. Especially factoring in all the grossness I had cleaned up on my birthday (because kids are nothing if not respectful of time... ;)), the fact that we hadn't done anything the weekend before, and it was my birthday and the middle of the week when nothing can ever get done because of the Army. So, cue all the tears. And of course the tears made him feel bad, so he promised we'd do something the following weekend. And the next day he brought me an I'm-sorry-I-was-dumb brownie and card. LOL

I washed bedding, clothes, and bunnies (thank God - and my mother - we have 2) throughout the rest of the week. The best part of this birthday week was that my sweet baby girl shared her virus with me! By Thursday, baby girl and I were taking naps together (at the same time, definitely not in the same bed since she has a tendency to be sick upon waking) and sharing popsicles. I'll spare you the grossness, but we spent the better part of the day in the bathroom. The worst part about me being sick was that Joe couldn't get off work (thanks, Army!) and I still had Charlotte to take care of. I don't think it gets much worse than that hearing your baby cry while you're busy....being sick...and unable to move even though you want to. *sigh*

The "just in case" bucket.
That's how you know it's bad.

My appetite didn't return until Sunday, and Charlotte was still sick. Needless to say my "weekend makeup birthday celebration" didn't happen. *sigh* I know she can't help it, though. Considering I've had the virus, I know she'd much rather go out with us than be sick. Anything is better than a stomach virus. Thankfully, I have recovered and Charlotte is feeling much better. She's not fully recovered yet, but I figure she'll be back to normal in another day or two. Hallelujah!

The extent of our weekend activities.

So far, 27 isn't looking all that hot. Maybe 28 will be better. Here's hoping...

7.11.2013

Late with the Bumpdate


How far along? 15 weeks, 4 days {Posting so late, it's almost time for a 16 week update! Oh well...}

Size of baby: About the size of a large russet potato....or 6.25 in. Potato baby! ;-)

Maternity clothes? Definitely in maternity pants. I had to buy a few tops last weekend because mine are starting to get shorter...by the day, it seems.

Best moment this week: Pretty sure I felt some flutters!!! Haven't felt much since then, but that's ok. It's early for lots of movement.

Miss anything? Nah. 

Movement: See above. :) :)

Food cravings: Yes. LOL! I've demolished an entire seedless watermelon by myself in just a few days. I've been dying for one and it was fantastic! I also crave various forms of chocolate and sweets, but that's no surprise to me.

Food aversions: Some cheeses and yogurt... Can't decide about spaghetti still. And I have officially overcome my PB aversion! WOOHOO!

Gender: Your guess is as good as mine! About 5 weeks till we find out. :) Anyone want to take a guess?

Labor signs: NONE, thank you, Jesus.

Sleep: Pretty good. Waking for potty breaks, but I'm sleeping well.

Symptoms: Occasional nausea, heartburn (sigh), some exhaustion, and definitely round ligament pain. Hooray, pregnancy! ;-)

Belly button in or out? Definitely still in. 

Looking forward to: Next doctor's appointment for Rainbow Baby... Definitely looking forward to Charlotte recovering from the stomach bug. :-/ And looking forward to actually doing a little birthday celebrating this weekend since Charlotte has been sick all week. {Although, the celebrating depends on how she's feeling... I can't very well take her out or leave her with someone if she's feeling crummy.}

P.S. Anyone else notice how Charlotte has creeped her way into these bumpdates?! Ah, poor Rainbow Baby...never in the spotlight alone. ;-)

7.09.2013

4th of July = Fireworks for my Birthday?

So it feels like this 4 day weekend was really long... Anyone else feel that way? Maybe it's because it's the first 4 day we've had since we've been here that we haven't been traveling or booked solid with things. It was kinda nice! We did do a few things on the 4th, which was pretty nice. :)

First, we headed out to Chick-fil-a for lunch. I took a picture of the cutest person there! 


Some things about my kid? 1) Holy cow, I have the cutest kid ever. 2) She totally left those sunglasses on her head (which I put there ;)) until after she was finished eating. 3) She eats more than a 2 year old and is STILL smaller than an "average" 9 month old. *sigh* Anyways.....

After our much-needed CFA date, the three of us went to Target for diapers and proceeded to spend way more money than we needed to. It's funny how Target can not only suck me in, but also my husband. Especially that little "dollar" section at the very front of the store. Oh, this is only $1? Hey, this is only $3! Sign me up! After we spent all the moneys at Target, Joe decided he needed ammo from Academy during a rainstorm. We gladly let him do that while we stayed in the car, keeping our hair and clothes dry. ;-)

Basically, we had a really, really rainy 4th. The post had their fireworks show on the 3rd, and they all but got rained out. I think they shot off the fireworks despite the weather because there wasn't another event planned for a few months. Kudos to all the nuts who stayed out in the rain to see some fireworks. Anyway, for the 4th I decided I'd make dinner and cupcakes and have Amanda and her hubby over. We also bought a few small-scale fireworks to do at our house. You know, because they're actually legal in Georgia! {I couldn't tell you the last time I bought fireworks...even small ones like fountains! They're banned in Hawaii. Sads.

Unfortunately, I got exactly zero pictures of the food. Everyone said it was tasty, though. {Pregnancy is to blame for my weird tastebuds.} We enjoyed our crock-pot sloppy joes, oven baked fries, potato salad, and cupcakes. And because I wanted Charlotte to get in on the celebration, we took to the patio after dinner (and while it wasn't raining) for a few fireworks.

DSCN0354
Joe setting things up, Jasper supervising.

I tried to get in some good shots while we were waiting. Key word: tried.

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"Ooooooh, aaaaaah."

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Smiles for Daddy. :)

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Apparently Daddy is way more funny than Mama.

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Charlotte hanging out with Amanda. :)

DSCN0371
We got a picture together this year! Score!

After we put Charlotte to bed {and waited for it to get dark}, we went back outside for more fireworks! We took our chairs to the driveway and got ready to set them all off.

DSCN0375

We did about 3, maybe 4, when it started pouring down rain. *sigh* We tried to stick it out on the porch, hoping that we'd be able to see local fireworks, but not even the porch was keeping us dry. So much rain! So, after a very rainy 4th, we called it a night. We still have a bunch of fireworks left - including sparklers, which are pretty much my favorite thing ever. I'm kind of hoping we'll set them off for my birthday tomorrow. Or actually, today since I'll probably post this tomorrow instead of tonight. So, happy birthday to me! 

{Is it just me, or does 27 sound kind of old-ish? I mean I know I'm not old, but it sure feels a lot older than 26.... Maybe it's that whole one-year-closer-to-30 thing? Maybe.}

How was your 4th?

7.03.2013

Wednesday Walkabout #45!

Welcome to the another week of Wednesday Walkabout! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, linking up, and reading new blogs. 






A little info about the Walkabout:

This is a weekly linky party with myself and 3 other co-hosts. The idea? Just put your URL in the linky (it can be a specific post or your "homepage"- whichever you prefer), visit a few other blogs, and possibly make some new friends. Easy peasy, right?!

Oh, and you only have to link up with ONE of the co-hosts. =) 

There are just a few quick rules we've set for the linky party...

1. Please follow at least ONE hostess, and let us know you're a new follower and how you follow!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife (That's me!)
Chantal - Scattered Seashells 
Jane - Poppiness 

Mystery Host: Jenn from Life with the Lieutenant!

2. Try to visit 3-4 blogs that interest you. Take some time and let them know where you came from.

3. Grab the button from my sidebar and spread the word! (Not required, but just cool if you do.) The more, the merrier.



Thanks for stopping by! Happy blog-hopping!







7.02.2013

Dare I Bumpdate?

I figured I should probably do one of these bumpdate things like I did with Charlotte. I'd be lying if it didn't feel scary, or as if I were tempting fate. But I also can't live in fear, so without further ado, here it is. Enjoy!



How far along? As I'm writing this? 14 weeks, 1 day. {You'll probably read this later in the week, and that's ok.}

Size of baby: According to my app, a bell pepper. OR 3.5 inches. Whichever you can picture. ;-)

Maternity clothes? Hahahaha! I just have to laugh at this one because, yes. Definitely in maternity pants. My regular pants fit...sort of. But let's be honest, I pretty much live in yoga pants unless I'm going somewhere. Side note: my OB totally laughed when she saw I was already in maternity pants. Not in a mean way... In a yeah-this-isn't-your-first kind of way. I really, kind of love her. But that's a post for another day.

Best moment this week: Hearing little Rainbow Baby's heartbeat at my OB appointment! I was seriously impressed with how easy it was to find. Charlotte wasn't that cooperative until the end, when she had very little space. Rotten girl.

Miss anything? Not really... Even if I do, it's worth it. 

Movement: I feel a little here and there, and have for about a week. It's hard to explain how it feels when they're this small. I only really feel anything when I'm still and lying on my back...or my stomach. {Charlotte didn't like it when I slept on my stomach, either. These kids. Don't they know I'm a tummy sleeper?!}

Food cravings: Dear Lord. I feel like I have 10 cravings a day. I pretty much just want to eat Mexican food and chocolate all the time. And donuts. Krispy Kreme donuts, to be exact. God help me if I get gestational diabetes again....

Food aversions: Yet again, I can't stand the sight, smell, or taste of peanut butter. It's really unfortunate because I love having apples and PB as a snack. Some cheeses, yogurt, and sadly, I think I have a slight aversion to spaghetti because it made me sick a few times during the first trimester. Everything but spaghetti was the same when I was pregnant with Charlotte, though.

Gender: Your guess is as good as mine! About 6 weeks till we find out. :) Anyone want to take a guess?

Labor signs: NONE, thank you, Jesus.

Sleep: Pretty good, actually. Definitely getting up at night for potty breaks, but it's nothing like a 2am feeding. 

Symptoms: Still a little nausea here and there, some exhaustion (though I can't tell if it's because I'm pregnant or because I have a toddler and I'm pregnant), heartburn (already!?), and round ligament pain. 

Belly button in or out? Definitely still in. I don't even remember when mine popped out with Charlotte.

Looking forward to: Spending the 4th with some friends here and hopefully enjoying some fireworks! And then a few days later, my birthday! Although I have no idea what we'll be doing - if anything. Such is the life of a mama with bills to pay. Oh, well. =) 

{Let's just say some prayers that Joe won't end up working all day/night on my birthday. Because Lord knows only the Army could pull something like that off.}


7.01.2013

Sunset Beach

Warning: This post will be picture-heavy. But I promise you there will be cute beach baby pictures!

Every year, Joe's side of the family takes a trip Sunset Beach, NC for a week. I think we made it to one 'beach week' while we were living in Hawaii. Obviously we had plenty of beach in Hawaii, so that wasn't the draw for us. One year he was deployed, the next we went during post-deployment block leave, and then we had Charlotte (and also no money =P). It felt like we hadn't been in forever and the fact that we were able to drive this time was even better! {After 3 years of needing to fly everywhere, I am 100% in favor of road trips.}

After being stuck in traffic part of the way, we finally made it to the beach just before dinner time. Plenty of time to chat, stretch the legs, and chat a bit before eating.

IMG_9608
Hanging out in beach chairs with Eden.

The next morning, we set off to the beach! I mean, it wouldn't be 'beach week' without the beach! 

Playing with cousins in the sand!
Playing with Harry in the sand.

This was the first time my little Hawaiian baby has shown any interest in playing in the sand. Ever. To be fair the sand in Hawaii is very gritty, while the sand in NC (and most East Coast beaches, I'd assume) is very, very fine. Anyway, the girl was covered in sand in a very short amount of time. Silly. :) After a while, we decided to walk out to the water.

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I still can't believe she sat down in the water! Didn't last long, though.
Much to my surprise, she sat down in the water!
But as soon as a small wave came, she freaked. 
Not much of a Hawaiian baby, huh?

We did many things at the beach like hanging out with Pop, snacking, getting sand out of our toes, throwing sand, dancing, playing with cousins, and just generally had fun.

Hanging out with Pop at the beach.

Trying to get the sand out of her toes. LOL

Throwing sand! YAY!

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Dance moves. ;-)

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Charlotte basically followed Eden and Harry around all week. LOL

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The kiddos weren't the only ones to have fun, either. :)

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The girls and Kellan managed to get out to dinner one night.

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I so love Eden's face in this!!

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Then, one day some of us had lunch at Joe's Crab Shack, where I ate zero seafood.

After lunch at Joe's Crab Shack.

{We also shopped some after lunch, but no photos were taken. For shame.}

We had lots and lots of family time, which was nice and only slightly overwhelming at times. :)

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Some Father's Day pics... 

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"Aw, man! I have to take a picture with this guy?!" LOL

Auntie Anna playing with Charlotte. :)
Playing with Auntie Anna. :) Love.

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Ice cream with Pop.

We usually do a family beach picture whenever we go, but we opted for a picture of the kids in sunglasses from Pop and Bossi this year. It definitely worked out well for the adults. ;-) Kids are always cute no matter what they wear!

Cousins wearing sunglasses at the beach house. :) 

Pop, Bossi, and the grandkids!

And, of course, my little miss thought all the fuss was about her. ;-)

What a ham. :)

Such a ham. :)

For the most part, we had a pretty laid-back week. The kids were a crazy mess, and it's always interesting trying to wrangle kids while hanging out with everyone, but it was really fun. I'm so glad we live close enough now to be able to do this sort of thing! 

Also, I've decided that I miss living at the beach. The weather is so much nicer! 

Do you hear me, Georgia?