All the things.

After going a month without writing, at a time when there's lots to say, how does one begin?  It's been such a whirlwind since returning from our two-weeks on the road at Christmas/New Years.  For remembering sake, I am going to write what we've been up to, and hope not to bore you along the way.

Enjoying a delicious dinner at Prejean's exactly 3 years after hosting our rehearsal dinner there. 

In the notable department, we briefly celebrated our 3-anniversary with a trip to the restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner, had maternity pictures taken, and was treated to a shower by family and friends.  Alex came with me for an overnight work trip to Camp the second weekend in January, and each weekend since has been spent kicking ass (aka working like crazy) as we great ready for the little one to arrive.  We've accomplished so much, I want to include a list for memory's sake:

• cleaned out and organized all our closets and storage areas
• donated items to Goodwill, dropped several boxes worth of paper stuff in the recycling bins
• bought 20 baby items (0-12 months) for $25 at Goodwill
• sold items to Amazon, Declutter, and SellBackYourBook
• had furniture moved in all rooms of our house
• sorted shower gifts and set up basics for baby room/our room
• ordered bedding (via Etsy) for the crib we have on loan
• brewed a fresh batch of homemade laundry detergent
• prepared 12 gallons of freezer meals (pretty sure this one almost sent me into labor at 36 weeks)
• ordered/installed two car seat bases and (assembled) the coordinating stroller, had installation checked by a local Trooper
• had carpets/wood floors professionally cleaned
• vacuumed/dusted/cleaned the house...more than once
• renewed Sam's Club membership
• made an errand trip or two (Walmart, Dollar General, Babies r Us, Ulta, Lowe's, etc)
• attended breastfeeding (2 hours on a Tuesday night) and childbirth class (2.5 hours on a Thursday night), and the first ever local Theology on Tap (!)
• toured the hospital where we will deliver
• researched and selected a pediatrician

...that's all in the last three weeks and in addition to keeping up with the weekly grocery shopping and dishes/laundry piles, while trying to get out and walk around the neighborhood at least a few times a week (weather, depending, of course).  And as home ownership goes, we also had to replace our toilet seat, as well as the fill pump on our toilet, and discovered we need a new roof ASAP thanks to an obvious leak stain on the ceiling in our living room.  I'm just exhausted thinking about this list!

Anybody wanna buy some Jodi Picoult books?  Facebook is apparently uninterested, lol.  

At least we shouldn't go hungry.

It's a start. 

At work, I've been preparing what feels like three months worth of lesson plans (if I were a school teacher, that is).  A college student will be filling in for me part time while I'm out, so I have assembled a month by month list of everything that needs to be done, including deadlines and checklists, with as much details as I can possibly anticipate with memory on overload at this point.  There are reports to be submitted and just some things that she cannot do, so I am ferociously working to have those ready before I'm out, while training her on where things are located and how things work in the 10-15ish hours a week she is working now.  Not to mention, this girl works two other jobs (one of which is actually with Alex as her boss on campus, lol), so coordinating with a full time class schedule and three jobs can be just a wee big complicated!

So if you've been wondering why I'm absent, maybe now you understand... :)

I guess now that the big things are checked off, my mind is still working in overdrive but my body can't keep up (and thankfully there isn't much essential left to handle).  We do still need to pack our hospital bags (MUST happen this weekend!), attend a newborn basics class this week, and I never have gotten around to researching day care options in the area...oops.  (Consciously/subconsciously I'm hoping I won't need to make that decision and thus it keeps getting put off.)

In any case, I really miss this here blog and I hope I can get back to posting more regularly.  At some point, I want to share our maternity photos and talk a little about the shower too.  Stephanie encouraged me to prepare a lineup of guest posts for when baby comes, but it has yet to be seen whether I'll manage to be that put-together before the little one arrives. I mean, technically, he or she could arrive any day now... AH!

If we make it to Mardi Gras without a baby...I will need more of this...and Blue Bell ice cream.

This is really happening, isn't it?
-Lauren

P.S.  I know for some this type of post can be uncomfortable, difficult, or just plain painful.  Please know that we recognize this and pray for those of you who may struggle with infertility (any variation thereof) and/or infant loss.  Our hearts go out to families affected by these struggles each and every day. 

Thumbs Up for Divine Intervention

I'm a week late to share this one, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity altogether, so here it is... The lovely Stephanie is on maternity leave, but still churning out good stuff, so head over to visit her at Captive the Heart.  This round, Stephanie asked some of her married friends to share about prayer with their spouse.  ...Because when you're silly, there can be fun rewards involved (in addition to the spiritual ones, haha).

Photo credit:  Katie Hoffpauir Photography

Check back regularly to visit with Stephanie, as she will be sharing more from "Brides Who've Been There" during this Wedding Q & A series!

Is it Time Yet? (Bumpdate, 36+ Weeks)

Bump Update - 1/27/16 

1/21/16 - 35w6d
Blurry...it was too cold for a retake!

How far along? 36 weeks. (Technically 36w5d now, but who's counting?!)

Total weight gain:  I think I'm right around 15 pounds now.  It just depends on if you look at my highest point, or lowest point or whatever.  Last appointment, I got in trouble for gaining something like 7 pounds in two weeks, but I'm totally blaming the boots I had on because this week I didn't gain at all.  Stupid weight fluctuations.  

Maternity clothes? Same as last time...Other than elastic-waisted bottoms (think sweatpants/shorts/capris), it's all maternity.  I can still wearing some regular shirts.  

Stretch marks? Maybe around my hips, but I really don't care so I never pay attention to this.

Sleep: Still, some days are better than others.  I get up 4-5 times a night, and have to turn often due to aches and pains.  However, I'm thankful my brain isn't battling insomnia like so many others do.

Best moment this week:  Being productive!!  The last few weekends have been insanely productive and that makes me sooooo happy.  I'm hoping this will be the last weekend with major tasks and then I can start relaxing...maybe?

Miss anything?  Still looking forward to not sharing the bod.  I read a quote a few weeks ago that went something like, "Pregnancy is like a 9 month hostage situation where you're both the hostage and the building." SO ACCURATE.  Also, drinking is such a social thing here that I do feel like I'm missing out there. 

Food cravings: A few weeks ago, an incling for all things sweet came over me and it hasn't really gone away.  That's also related to the 5 pounds I gained in 2 weeks.  I'm trying (!) not to go too crazy with it. ...However, If we get to Mardi Gras and no baby, you can BET this girl will be indulging then!

Anything making you queasy or sick?  Not too much these days.   

Gender: With every passing day we become more confident that this little one is all boy!  We'll see soon, won't we?!  Side note:  If you want in on our baby pool, comment below and I'll send you the link to add your "hunches."  Winner will receive a $25 gift card!! 

Labor signs:  Definitely feeling the aches and tightness that comes along with this stage of pregnancy.  On Monday I started my weekly appointments and doc says there is NO progress, so it doesn't look like the little one is coming in any hurry.  Given its projected size, I am not giving up on the possibility of a slightly early arrival, though. 

Symptoms: Still no need for kick counts - this kid doesn't stop!  It's really annoying and sometimes painful or nauseating.  I'm large...measuring two weeks ahead and hoping we don't end up with a 9 pounder!

Belly button in or out? Ya know, it's kind of an outie these days.  I totally didn't expect that to happen!

Wedding rings on or off:  On...and please let it stay that way. 

Happy or moody most of the time:  Productivity makes me happy!  And for that reason, this blog has been neglected.  There is SO much to do at work and at home that we literally haven't stopped since we got back from our 2 week trip.  Maybe I'll get around to writing a real blog about that sometime. 

Looking forward to:  (Short term) Weekly appointments to see how/if we are progressing.  Next week, we're doing another (!!) ultrasound, which ought to be fun.  (Long term) Not working for a while!!!  

Hows Dad doing? "Dad is ready to see his offspring. With he/she being just two days away from 37 weeks, I know everything is good so far, so whenever he/she comes I am ready to join #TeamNoSleep."  

12/25/15 - 32 weeks
Christmas!

There you have it...there may or may not be additional posts in this series, depending on what the little one does over these next few weeks.  Eeek!! Thanks for sticking around and hopefully it won't be too long before I share something a little more substantial.  :)
-Lauren

You might also enjoy:
A First (Bumpdate, 16 Weeks)
Halfway, Baby (Bumpdate, 20 Weeks)
It's Getting Real (Bumpdate, 24+ Weeks)
Hello, 3rd Trimester!  (Bumpdate, 28+ Weeks)
Ready to Open Our Gift! (Bumpdate, 32 Weeks)
Is it Time Yet?  (Bumpdate, 36+ Weeks)

P.S.  I know for some this type of post can be uncomfortable, difficult, or just plain painful.  Please know that we recognize this and pray for those of you who may struggle with infertility (any variation thereof) and/or infant loss.  Our hearts go out to families affected by these struggles each and every day. 

A Winter "Beach" Wedding

It's been a while since we've done anything mildly interesting, so I figure attending a winter "beach" wedding is worth mentioning.

Originally, Alex was going to be a groomsman in this wedding, but a potential conflict came up a few months ago, and he decided to respectfully bow out rather than leave someone hanging at the last minute.  Instead, we thought we'd make it into a bit of a "babymoon," but then after our exhaustingly long drive the day before, we didn't have much energy to put into dragging this trip out.  It was, however, nice to do something different, and having an excuse to get dolled up didn't hurt either.  ;)

The wedding party was pretty average sized (7 attendants total), but the chapel they chose was WAY too small for the 325 guests that attended.  (We barely managed to grab the very last two seats in the room!)  Additionally, the reception was held in the bride's backyard, so an announcement was made after the ceremony that people needed to leave their cars there and take trolley shuttles to the reception due to lack of parking (way to prepare people...).  Let's just say fearing porta potty lines, lack of seating, and the possibility of running out of food made this 31 week pregnant lady pretty nervous to say the least!

However, I was pleasantly surprised to find huge enclosed tents with adequate seating, a hot chocolate bar (yay, something for me while Alex enjoyed the beer), no lack of food, and "high end" porta potties (with lines to wait in the 40 degree cold, which I still think is pretty tacky, but whatever). We enjoyed the opportunity to have a night out, just the two of us.  And, you can't really argue with a nice dinner and decent entertainment, can you?  It's too bad we didn't know anyone to hang out with and make a party out of it, though.

Purple Sweet Potato Butter?
That will be interesting!

We peeled out pretty early (around 8:30 p.m.) and returned to the motel to enjoy television in bed, which is always a real treat for us.  Alex watched football, I perused the internet on my phone, letting ourselves start to catch up on some much-needed rest. The next morning, we took a minute to visit the beach, since we were on an island after all.  Of course, 35 degrees is way too cold to spend any real enjoyable time out there, so we snapped a few pictures and then went on our way!

Baby's first trip to the beach! 

On our way to Mass, we killed time by stopping at a few grocery stores in hopes of finding some jar roux to use in making gumbo for his parents, but no luck.  People had no idea what roux was, so despite the stores selling plenty of Zatarain's and Tony Chachere's brand products, roux was not one of those.  The gumbo will have to wait!

And finally, we enjoyed Mass before heading out of town, and then stopped to have Bojangles (!!!) for lunch on our way back to Alex's dad's house.  I have to say, one of my favorite parts of traveling is attending Mass at churches across the country.  We always keep a copy of the bulletin and add it to our collection to a scrapbook of sorts.  It's cool to look back on all the places we visit over the years.

What about you - do you have any interesting travel traditions as it relates to visiting churches on your trip?

-Lauren

Ready to Open Our Gift! (Bumpdate, 32 Weeks)

Bump Update - 12/28/15 

12/19/15 - 31w1d
All dolled up for a winter beach wedding! 

How far along? 32 weeks.

Total weight gain:  Not sure, to be honest.  We were out of town last week, so I didn't get to check a scale as I normally would.  I have an appointment today (12/28), which means we'll see if any holiday laziness/overeating plays into it this time around.  As of two weeks ago, I was up about 6 pounds from my first appointment (highest weight) or 12 from where I dropped (lowest weight).  

Maternity clothes? Other than elastic-waisted bottoms (think sweatpants/shorts/capris), it's all maternity.  I'm still wearing some regular shirts.  But shout to the heavens - I scored two pair of maternity jeans from Motherhood for $30 total!!  I also got some comfy 3/4 length shirts on buy-one-get-one-free.  Yay!

Stretch marks? Who knows, who cares.

Sleep: Some days are better than others.  Sleeping in hotels and guest rooms doesn't make for much pleasantry.  I'm certainly ready to be done with the 2 week trip and back in the safety/comfort of our home.  

Best moment this week:  Again, being off of work for the holiday - yeah!!!  We're in NC for 10 days, then almost a week visiting my parents in south Louisiana before heading back to Funroe and back to work on the 4th of January.  So far, I've read almost two novels, watched two movies, done some work "homework," and walked for an hour on two separate occasions.  

(Update from last post.)  All clear on the gestational diabetes front!  Alex had just returned from Hawaii and really couldn't get away from work, so my mom came with me.  I didn't chug the beverage this time, and thank goodness, I didn't get sick either.  When the nurse called with results, she said, "You're not diabetic so eat whatever you want!"  Sa-weet!

(Bonus question.)  Worst moment last week:  Our 13-14 hour drive to NC turned into a 16 hour trip whenever Atlanta traffic slowed us down for what felt like foreverrrr.  Thankfully, we had a friend of Alex's with us to help drive, but those last 7 hours almost ruined all of us.  The car was silent (save 13 hours of Y2K Country and 3 hours of FoxNews Radio) and everyone was kind of on edge by the end of it.  Plus, I started having lots of discomfort and BHicks, which made me kind of nervous.  I'm hoping it's a little less stressful on the return trip.  

Miss anything?  I'm ready to have my body back!  I don't mean my body shape...I mean I am ready to not share the space anymore, haha.  Baby is super active and it's only getting more uncomfortable, of course.  

Food cravings: Nope.  I've given up on this.

Anything making you queasy or sick?  Here and there, some third trimester nausea has surfaced.  Like the first trimester, it seems to occur mainly in the morning and tends to subside with food.  

Gender: In private, Alex and I have pretty much given up on referring to it as a girl.  "He, him," and our boy name has stuck pretty well.  If this baby turns out to be a girl, we're going to be pretty dang surprised!  Side note:  If you want in on our baby pool, comment below and I'll send you the link to add your "hunches."  Winner will receive a $25 gift card!! 

Labor signs:  That car ride at Week 31 seems to have sent us into a tailspin of becoming more obviously pregnant than ever before.  If I was unsure of Braxton Hicks before, that's not the case these days.  Being so far away makes me more anxious about them, and I think I'll feel a lot better once we get back from the trip.    

Symptoms: Still no need for kick counts - this kid doesn't stop!  But really though, I feel like my belly became huge overnight.  It will be interesting to see what my family thinks since I just saw them three weeks ago.  

Belly button in or out? Flat with a tiny raised portion that can be seen if you look closely.  

Wedding rings on or off:  On.  I hope it stays that way.

Happy or moody most of the time:  My patience for people is null and I'm okay with that.  :)

Looking forward to:  As if I haven't said it enough already...getting back to our house after 2 weeks on the road!! 

Hows Dad doing? "Dad is good.  Traveling for the holidays helps, but it will be slightly nerve racking knowing we won't be in Monroe for a while until after the 33 week mark."   

12/23/15 - 31w5d

I hope you are all enjoying the Christmas holiday! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

-Lauren

You might also enjoy:
A First (Bumpdate, 16 Weeks)
Halfway, Baby (Bumpdate, 20 Weeks)
It's Getting Real (Bumpdate, 24+ Weeks)
Hello, 3rd Trimester!  (Bumpdate, 28+ Weeks)
Ready to Open Our Gift! (Bumpdate, 32 Weeks)
Is it Time Yet?  (Bumpdate, 36+ Weeks)

P.S.  I know for some this type of post can be uncomfortable, difficult, or just plain painful.  Please know that we recognize this and pray for those of you who may struggle with infertility (any variation thereof) and/or infant loss.  Our hearts go out to families affected by these struggles each and every day. 

It's Never Too Late for Gifting Your Love

If it weren't for Stephanie, it seems this blog would be dead these days...and she's the one on maternity leave!  I'm a few days late sharing this here, but it is Christmas Eve and if you're still looking to score a last minute gift for your significant other, she's your girl.  Head over to visit her at Captive the Heart.  This week, Stephanie asked some of her married friends to share gift ideas for your love.  ...And why stop with one gift when you could share 26?  (That's my mantra anyway!)

Check back regularly to visit with Stephanie, as she will be sharing more from "Brides Who've Been There" during this Wedding Q & A series!

Tradition, Shmadition

I know, the content around here has been rather lackluster lately.  So go ahead and ditch me for greener pastures today... head over to visit Stephanie at Captive the Heart.  She's on maternity leave following the birth of her beautiful daughter Lily Grace, and asked some of her married friends to share ways they stretched the wedding budget.  ...While there, you might just learn a little about designing a wedding without flowers (what? no way?! yes, way.).

Photo credit:  Katie Hoffpauir Photography

Check back regularly to visit with Stephanie, as she will be sharing more from "Brides Who've Been There" during this Wedding Q & A series!