Feeling It

today was supposed to be the day of the ML gala but EM isn't feeling very good so turns out that is no longer in the cards for us. poor thing. so this snow day (now week due to the amount) has turned into a mini vaca. granted not the good kind.

the only downside to all the snow is the city not knowing what to do with it. none of the roads were plowed except the interstate, which makes getting to work for a lot of people just not plausible. so EM was able to enjoy his own version of not having school.

so here we are today relaxing and hoping EM feels better.

now for a pregnancy update:

ill be 32 weeks this sunday and im finally starting to feel this pregnancy. the indigestion has become something i am not all too fond of, not to mention other side effects that are far from pleasant. and sleeping has clearly become an optional activity.

ive realized that your third trimester, at least for me, is by far the worst. i feel exactly the way i did during my first, super tired, except this time it's a lot harder to move. the most amazing silver lining is that S will be here soon! we cant wait to hold him and kiss those amazing cheeks.

we are slowly getting everything ready for his arrival. EM (with my sad excuse for help) put the crib and bassinet together. we were hoping our cat wouldn't find them to be the greatest toys ever, but we were wrong.


i tried to get a picture of him sleeping but he has a killer sense of hearing. not only did rugby have to use the bassinet as his new cat cave, but he had to use the blanket im crocheting for S as his new pillow. i don't believe any of the myths about cats harming babies, but unfortunately he will be booted from our room so he doesnt think he can cosleep with the baby. not too sure how he will take that. he is truly like our first child, snuggles up with us every night, so this may not be the easiest process.

i cant believe tomorrow is february already. not only is it the time frame we gave ourselves to train rugby to sleep without us but it means the beginning of what i call, baby shower month! next friday a dear friend of mine, due around the same time i am with her first little boy as well, is having her baby shower! i am so excited to shower this amazing mama with so much love for her and her baby!

then...

two weeks after her shower it's my shower! and then it's practically march! i can't believe the big day is almost here! im praying that S doesn't decide to arrive when EM is away for work. EM is supposed to be out of town the first week of march and if S is anything like his mother (also a first born) he could be 3 weeks early...which would be that week.

i don't know what i would do without EM by my side. all my family is out of town and he is the only person aside from my own mother that i would want there. i guess this is one of those moments where you simply need to put your faith in God and let Him take care of it. He hasn't let me down yet, so i have no need to fret.

although it doesn't hurt to pray a little more.

XOMB

Little Bit of Sweetness

so EM has been stressed at work and i havent known what to do to help him relax. it just seems like he is in a funk...but any high pressure job will do that to you. so in an attempt to put a smile on his face when he gets home i made some goodies for him to enjoy.

funfetti cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting

i love to cook but have never had the patience to bake, especially when it comes to the piping of the frosting. generally it turns into a gloopy mess that ends with my scrapping the whole project. a little dramatic now that i look back. so looking at these i am quite proud of myself. i want to start experimenting with more flavours...yes this was from a box (frosting excluded) but a non baker needs to start somewhere! these are my first non brick cupcakes, and thats an accomplishment!

i want to be the best mama possible for S and one thing i loved about my mother is that she could cook or bake anything! every birthday cake we ever had she made; once making a treasure chest shaped one (that opened!) that was filled with gold coins. i want S to be proud of his mama and have that memory when he grows up! 

since i am not the happy baker, as i have mentioned, i figured i should start now on the journey to cupcake mastery!

i will keep ya'll posted on my future baking endeavors.

XOMB

Fit Mama

so in this midst of folding laundry, something im sure all you moms enjoy, i cant help but get super excited/distracted thinking about the event that is happening friday.
wait for it....
we are FINALLY joining a gym! having been a gym addict for years, it is quite exciting! ive always said that when i became pregnant i would never give up working out or staying fit, but thats easier said than done!
of course i know the benefits of being active during pregnancy but as any of you moms already know...its not always possible. whatever your barrier may be, things happen in life but the benefits of staying fit during pregnancy are huge!
better now than never!
since i am dedicated to having a natural birth this is more of a necessity than simple want. birth is like a marathon, or so i have heard, and what better way to succeed and push through the pain of a marathon than to train. a good friend of mine is pregnant as well, due just a week before i am and she recommended looking into the bradley method of birth. i cannot wait to buy the book and get started!
this method has the highest success rate of natural births. from what i have researched so far, eating high levels of protein, doing an insane amount of kegels (yes ladies there are multiple benefits to this one!), as well as some other exercises are key components to finishing this marathon.
kegels, though every woman has heard about them for their other benefits, having a kick butt birth is one most people fail to mention.
doing kegels is a great workout! (though you dont break a sweat) but what do you use to push that baby out? MUSCLES! all muscles need to be strengthened, the stronger they are the easier the inevitable will be!

now for overall fitness the fitter you are while pregnant the easier it will be to bounce back, for lack of a better term, after you have that bundle of joy. everyone has heard the wonders of breast feeding in helping you shed that pregnancy weight but what so many women forget is that the more muscle you already have the easier it is to burn the fat.

so here is the plan, not only do i want to increase my cardio (which as of now has been lacking) and get back to lifting weights (always done in a safe method, you are pregnant dont forget) but i want to start yoga. natural birth is all about how you cope with pain and how you can train your body to relax and find your zen, what better to assist in that search than a yoga class?

i truly believe that staying healthy is not merely something you deserve but something your baby deserves as well! your baby deserves a healthy mom that can keep up with everything he or she throws your way.

i will definitely report any physical changes i can see along the way.

XOMB

Pregnancy Brain

i really have been horrible with updating new posts, and for that i am sorry!
the holidays add so much added stress that it is easy to get overwhelmed.

however it also brought a lot of blessings! EM and i were able to visit my family, something i was incredibly thankful for!

being Catholic, Christmas is such an important holiday and simply being surrounded by those you love makes it so special! we were blessed with so many great gifts for S! bassinet, stroller, car seat and crib all taken care of! we are so thankful! not to mention we were gifted an ergobaby carrier, something i cannot wait to use, as ive heard only amazing things about it!

on a non holiday related note....i am incredibly excited to announce that i have reached the third trimester! EM and i couldnt be more excited!

this week is going to be a big week, the final time we get to see S during his last echo-cardiogram. so far every appointment has shown a strong healthy heart which is such an incredible blessing! 

praise God!

i have been fortunate enough to have had (so far at least) a very easy pregnancy, no major morning sickness or the ever dreaded cankles...again now that i spoke of it, i am probably doomed. 

something i have started to notice, is that these past few days it has gotten substantially more difficult to sit up from a lying position. not so much because he weighs too much or anything but because it physically hurts to engage my "abs" or lack their of. 

so far it has been such a great adventure and cannot wait to see what these last few months have in store for us! 

XOMB

p.s check out my little ones page to see bump pics!

Busy

ive read other blogs and articles about how much there is to get done before baby arrives and how much you need to prepare, but did i believe it.

NO.

i grew up with four brothers, all younger, so i experienced my mom pregnant each time. i never noticed how much she did, but what kid notices those types of things. my mom was truly superwoman though! she never once looked weak in front of us kids. i hope to one day be as strong as her, be the true rock for our family. God has blessed me with so many blessings! this year has been the greatest of my life thus far! i married my best friend, went on the most amazing honeymoon and now am expecting the most amazing little boy!

being pregnant is the most amazing time ever! feeling him move is so wonderful! i love his little kicks, true love taps!

we just went for his third ultrasound on tuesday and he is getting so big!
u.s are so amazing now, we could even see his little face. he has the cutest lips and nose!
we cant wait to meet him!
luckily we get to see him one last time before he is born. december 13th, EM and i have to go for S's second echo-cardiogram. thankfully he is perfectly healthy, but for precautionary purposes we have to get him checked out; this allows us to spend a whole hour watching him while they make sure hes A O.K. a truly wonderful hour!

i think my next project is going to be to crochet him a baby blanket. have any of you done that before? any suggestions for patterns or good materials? id love to hear your feedback!

also, check out my little ones page and fun times for a new posts!

XOMB

Hear Hear...A Special Announcement!

we returned from our honeymoon to hit real life quite quickly! our first order of business was visiting ikea to buy some furniture, we were moving from charlottesville to virginia beach! it was a move that would take quite a while for me to get used to.
i grew up in a beach town and just wasn't ready to move from my central va home back to the coast.

there was however one special weekend that my parents came to visit for the first time in july and we were able to share the most wonderful and unexpected news with them.

we were having a BABY!

we couldn't be more excited! it was not planned nor expected to have happened this early on but this is such a blessing and we are enjoying every minute of it! and in honor of our little peanut, i am starting a new page. look out for "little ones" coming soon!

XOMB

I'm Back!

hello my loves! i can't believe it has been what seems like forever since my last post. life has been crazy! in the most amazing way possible. let's recap shall we...

i married my best friend! in what ended up being the most amazing wedding i could have ever have dreamed of! and what makes it even more special is that we were surrounded by the best friends and family.

for more pictures from our fabulous day, check out my wedding page! lot's more goodies over there!

we were truly blessed!

not long after, and before we were able to recoup, we jetted off to italy for the most wonderful honeymoon! EM got to meet my family and also see all my favorite places. he was such a trooper! i never imagined how much family time there in reality ended up being, but he was wonderful. he knew how much seeing them and his meeting them meant to me, so he just wore a big smile! 

we spent the first few days in florence! 

not long after landing! 

a nice surprise at the apartment my aunt and uncle prepared for us!

in centro!

then we left the busy city and went to the beach! forte dei marmi, is a place i will always hold so dear to my heart! it was surreal being able to share it with the love of my life. 

the vendors on the beach, they walk up and down the beach all day selling everything from purses to coconuts

our beach club!

it was such a perfect week! i can't wait until we are able to go back again and revisit all those special places! life has been full of wonderful moments and stay tuned for a very special announcement!

XOMB