Well then, where to begin...

Well, since the last time I wrote so many wonderful things and events have taken course.
We left with hubby's family for a week long vacation on an island about 30 minutes away from Charleston, South Carolina called Kaiwah. Even through the 15 hour drive and the intense heat and humidity it was a lovely spent week relaxing and for my mama self to reflect on my life and our little girl and how our lives will never be the same after December was much needed and appreciated. It was a great trip to spend with family and realizing how grateful and blessed I am to have such wonderful in-laws.

Hubby and I in Charleston, outside the Inn where we stayed on our honeymoon :)!

Hubby with his lovely younger sisters

Hubby's wonderful and loving parents

On our return from our trip, it was a tizzy whirlwind of a week!
We started out with a wonderful short trip at my parents for the evening and overnight. Sigh, so nice to be home and in the loving care of your parents that love you dearly and cherish your mate almost as much as you do.
We had a great time, and a most cherished time with my mama thinking about being a mama now in training...
I was extra sleepy and hungry on our vacation. Hmmm... growing little girl maybe? :)
Well, on the evening we returned she must have been happy to be home.
Our little sweetie started groovin and a kickin like she never had before! Goodness. I had to yell Landon into the room after I laid down to have him see this punch boxing scene between our lady bear and my tummy. Wow! Landon couldn't believe it! There she was for both of us to see! Kicking so hard we could see her popping out of my belly all over!
So remarkable. It has been a week and as of now I am still so excited to feel every big presence of her. Day and Night. Maybe in the future it will be annoying like everyone says it will be, but for now I am grateful for the evidence of knowing she is in there and having a good time, and the reassurance that I am taking care of her. :)



I am so grateful to our giving Father that has blessed us with this active little girl who has already captured Landon and I's waking and sleeping thoughts and prayers.
She has all our love and we can't wait to get to know her more...

more thoughts and ramblings about the joyful, blissful, and busyful weekend of Baby Shower and trip to Moline with the silly parentals soon to be posted...

I am loved...yesterday pt.2

Hubby arrived home shortly. I had planned on making dinner, but due to the heat I didn't see it happening. But thankfully, saved by this mornings chaos, had plenty of chicken left and one piece of bruschetta left for hubby and some chicken left for me to make a quick chicken parm sandwich. YES! Perfect!!!
But as the night drew on, with all its horrible heat misery. I could not get comfortable doing anything or the thought of doing anything. I finally just gave into it. Poor hubby. I had a much over due melt down about my not fitting clothing situation. You can plan so ahead of time with buying big dresses and flowy shirts that allow belly room. But their is no way to estimate your bust line tripling in cup size. So I found myself lately extremely frusterated with not being able to modestly wear much of my clothes. I couldn't just "throw" something on like I could before. I took so much planning, and usually more layers than this overheated mama could handle.
Among this melt down, it started to storm and pour.
Thank you thank you thank God!!!!!
I immediately started to feel a bit more relaxed being able to actually breathe outdoor air without feeling like I was going to suffocate!
Also, good hubby saw where I was coming from and sat down with me and asked me what I needed to feel comfortable. We talked about it for awhile, and concluded after prices and what not to be expected that it was a necessity to go on a maternity shopping trip. And not be second hand.
I then exclaimed to hubby my overworrying fretting about the budget self, "But where in the budget is it going to come out of?!" Hubby replied, "If you need it, you need it. We will make it work." Sigh, good hubby, Gooooood hubby. Just what I needed to hear.
After awhile, I realized that the only time we had free to shop was right then. So, we quickly got ourselves together and headed to the mall. A place we never really go.
We only had a hour before they closed, but we thought we would try.
We got almost all green lights on the way! A trip that would normally take about 25 min because of traffic, took 10!!! A total God thing.
So we went in, and walked directly to Motherhood Maternity.
Wow, talk about a world that I want to live in. I didn't even feel like I was in the mall anymore!!! (which is a good thing, I honestly loath the mall)
The worker there gave me all her attention and helped so much for me understand what sizes I needed. And wonderful wonderful hubby looked around and told me what would be cute on me, and what things he thought I would want. He even carried around my purse so I could shop to my fullest. He let me grab whatever I wanted, I was only trying on. :)
We had previously decided that I needed to buy t-shirts that were comfortable for summer but also fall friendly in color to minimize more trips later. As well as a pair of light pants and of course BRAS!!!!
We grabbed tons of options from all the different sales racks, and were put into the VIP dressing room because of how much we grabbed. Landon loved the special room, has a bench with a cushion and everything. He was set!
So on and off I went! Quickly too! Ten minutes left! Even though the saleswoman had made it clear not to rush, and that she was still going to be there for awhile. But I know it is rude to stay late. Plus, I don't really like dilly dallying in dressing rooms. You know you like or not. Period. Not a big fan of seeing myself if those oh so flattering mirrors for too long. haha.
But hubby, sweet sweet hubby. Not matter how big and huge I feel he relentlessly tells me I am beautiful and absolutely adorable. He looooovvvvves me being pregnant!
So we decided on our purchases, three lovely belly and bust frienly shirts, one pair of linen pants, and FOUR bras! All for a super great price!
I was beaming, and I think Landon was beaming even more. He knows when he has done something good for me that I need, and my happiness magnifies his happiness. On the way home, we marveled at the post storm sky and enjoyed the actual cool breeze coming in the car.
We had decided we both were a bit hungry, but didn't know what we wanted.
We got close to home, and I looked at him and said, "House Special Lomein." He then slowly turned to me and said, "oooh yeah." We had it left in the budget for the week. We share it usually because they stuff so much even in a small one, that it feels like such a treat but is so incredibly cheap.
So we got our Lomein, hurried home, took a quick shower, got ourselves cozy in our oasis room, and put in of course Ice World from the Planet Earth series (our favorite series ever). It had such a great way of cooling us down!

It was an absolutely great ending to an emotionally and mentally exhausting day....

Thank you God for husbands, and their compassion to make their wives comfortable and content when they really need it.

Dear Friend...yesterday pt 1

Well, as you all know this summer has been record breaking high in heat and humidity. So you can imagine for a first time pregnancy how hot it is for myself. I keep thinking that there is no way that being pregnant can be THIS much hotter. But by many peoples opinion, they have said it has been miserable for them as well. SHEW! I was beginning to worry that my poor baby girl might be cooking a little too high in there with hot I feel lately.
So I have been doing my best at staying cool, collected, and hydrated this summer.
Sadly that has meant not too much time outside. During the day too hot, during the night I get eaten alive by mosquitoes. Every time I tell myself its worth a nice walk at night, I wake up itching and scratching uncontrollably not being able to fall back asleep. So I have told myself sadly, not worth it. So much of this summer has been indoors sadly. But that gives time for much nesting and time with dear friends!
Yesterday, my day started off a bit rocky. I currently have been sleeping on a twin mattress on the floor by our bed. Let's Landon and I both sleep better. I wake up too often in our bed sleeping on my back, and that is a no no for baby. So when I am on the floor I am not as accustom to sprawling out and more likely to be snuggled onto one side like a good mama should be. But yesterday night I still did not sleep well. I miss my hubby. :( AND I am having to adjust to more potty breaks during the night as well.
So after a rough night sleep I just couldn't get my day going quite right. Got up two different times and ended up going back to bed. Second time due to a horrible headaches, that I get everyday but this one felt extra overwhelming due to the sleepy hot self. So I stayed in my one air conditioned room as long as I could....
But I had my dear friend Laura coming over for lunch for our weekly catch up and spoof off day. She wasn't coming till twelve, so I didn't even bother to set an alarm. Surely I would get up before eleven...WRONG! Laura texted me asking if I would want her to bring some bruschetta for lunch along with whatever I was making. In the middle of my waking up fuzziness I said of course! When can you ever turn down bruschetta! But then realizing how late it was, I jumped up in a panic and immediate stress level! I ran around half getting ready, half cleaning, and half preparing lunch. I felt like a mad woman! haha! Also, hubby had a friend over the previous night and they made a big feast. But their dishes was not on their after dinner agenda. Which I thought he would do before left on this morning. Wrongo. Also, they used some of the ingredients that I was planning for the lunch I was going to prepare.
So I was scrubbing big pans, looking up a good Italian recipe for chicken because I had some thawed, made homemade lemonade (dear friend's favorite), and getting dressed/slash putting on make-up with knowing my dear friend would be here in a half hour....yes, madness I tell you.
I conjured up a recipe for a great looking all homemade chicken parmigiana, I didn't have quite everything but it would work. When I cook when I am frazzled I am known for making much bigger messes that I normally would make, so that wasn't helping the current stress tension arising.
But onward I went...
By the time she got here, I somehow had picked up the apt, I was dressed(semi, haha) with minimal make-up and hair primping, and was almost finished with the chicken.
So all of this to say, my friend Laura is the most refreshing friend to have around. I feel as if other pregnant mama's that don't have their family close should hire her. A woman of two other sisters in her family, she understands what woman need. She is just wonderful.
As soon as she walks in and see's my distress she starts cleaning up the dishes that I had previously dirtied up while making the chicken. Cleaning the lettuce, that I had to ask her to bring because the last of mine got used the night before unknown to me. And pre-heating the oven for the bruschetta that she brought. As a woman who has been married for a bit now, for someone to come in and just know what to do without being asked is a treasure beyond all measure. To just do it.
So it all finished up, and I do have to say it all was incredibly delicious!!! I would have taken a picture, but i was too dang hot and hungry to mess with it!
Lunch was followed by me asking if it was ok if I actually took some time to finish getting ready. She being the lovely friend she is, did of course not mind. Not only that, but sat by and talked with me and allowed me to feel as if there was no hurry at all and just chatted with me. Sigh, so wonderful. So after I was ready, with full primp in gear with the appropriate time given for it. We headed out on the town for our usual day of spoofing.
It is always asked right away from Miss Laura, "So, where do you want to go today?!" Another refreshing boost. No matter where in mind she has, she always asks me first to get an idea of where we both want to go. So nice. :) AND she always drives. Her car has wonderful AC, and she knows of my fear of driving our manual under pressure. So she doesn't even ask which one will drive, she just shows up. :)
We went to the post office, Berry's Camera Shop (she is looking for a camera, and I am trying to help her find the best one for her needs), and then off to 1st Class Clutter. Which is my absolute favorite antique store downtown. The woman that owns the shop I call my Lafayette mom. I go in there and we just chat and chat. She is in fact friends with my real mama now, ever since they met it was an immediate kindred spirits. And now she currently sells my mama's bag's in her shop (to check out mama's collection of bags see, http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamascollection/sets/72157622277251906/). So going in there is always a treat. I found exactly what I was looking for exactly how much I wanted to spend (which was not the marked prices, but what can I say. She is my Lafayette mom. She makes sure I am happy when I walk out of there). I got several cute little hankies and doilies that I am going to sew onto a gingham curtain that my mom is giving me to put against one of the walls in baby girl's nursery. It is going to be our sensory wall. All different types of colors, textures, and shapes to intrigue all her curious senses. I also FINALLY found a lamp! I have been digging digging digging for a simple little lamp to put by my nursing chair in the nursery. I even already had a cute shade! But I and the hubby are stubborn, and did not want to spend much on it considering God has provided everything else we wanted for the nursery for barely anything. So there it was, simple little lamp base. She gave it to me for a $1. Hallelujah!
Another great thing about dear friend is that she also comes from a marriage where budget is important. Not only for the sake of being smart with your money, but respecting your hubby's wishes and to make him happy. So going shopping is a complete understanding of logic, need, and want. And finding the balance of all three, and of course...following the budget.
So our next stop at Joannes was an obstacle. I WANTED to walk away with material to make my moby wrap, but after much thinking and dilliberation with dear friend. She convinced to wait, wait for a better coupon, wait closer till the baby is here, and wait to find someone that could use the remaining unneeded material for another wrap to save money. This whole experience I think would have been very stressful and disappointing, but with dear friend their, it somehow turned out to be a fun and lovely experience.
I did in fact get some beautiful blank cards for thank you cards for the Lafayette Baby Shower coming up because a lady heard me say I forgot my coupons and gave me one of hers! Oh, the kindness of strangers. Especially to an overwhelmed expecting mama.
So we headed back to my apt, feeling good about what he had found out and purchased and looked forward to going home and researching the wisest way to go about purchasing our big desired purchases.
As she left, I had a heat melt down and slunk away to our oasis bedroom to try to cool off and read my Pregnancy Book by William and Martha Sears. I just sat back and relaxed at my day well spent with my dear friend awaiting the next time and what we possibly might do.
I know I will be asked :)....