35 Weeks!

How far along? 35 weeks!

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: -1 this week, oddly enough, so +22 total.

Maternity clothes? Oh yes. I even had to buy a few things

in larger sizes recently to get me through the next 5ish weeks.

Sleep: Some nights are great, others are terrible.. it just depends.

Best moment this week: Celebrating Christmas with my family!

This week has been just awesome, being off of work

and spending time with the people I love.

Movement: All the time! He does seem to be running out of room,

so the movements are usually smallish and sort of bumpy.

I do still feel the occasional big kick or stretch, though.

Food cravings: Pineapple.. yum!

Food aversions: Still not loving peppermint.

 
Gender: It's a boy!

Labor Signs: I am having contractions on a daily basis now,

but they're never consistent enough for me to time them.

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but it's shallow.

What I miss: Not feeling aches and pains all the time..

my hips feel so awful when I get out of bed each morning!

What I am looking forward to: My shower tomorrow, 

and the opportunity to ring in the new year with my family

before they head back to Michigan.

  

Milestones: Today is 35/35 - I am 35 weeks and have 35 days

left until my due date. Crazy!

 

34 Week Update

How far along? 34 weeks

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: +23 according to the doctor's scale.

Maternity clothes? All maternity, all the time.

Sleep: Not so great.. but when I do sleep, I sleep deeply.

Best moment this week: Getting to hear my little boy's heartbeat

at yesterday's appointment, and finding out that we'll see him
on ultrasound again in a couple weeks.

Movement: It's like a 24/7 party in there.

Food cravings: Anything sweet, pretty much. Salty is nice, too.

Food aversions: I'm not so much into peppermint these days.
Even at Christmas! I used to love the stuff, too.

 
Gender: It's a boy!

Labor Signs: Still having occasional BH contractions,
but they are few and far between.

Belly Button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: Quality sleep.

What I am looking forward to: Christmas!!!

  

Milestones: Starting with my next appointment on 1/6,

we'll be going in once a week to check up on baby and me.

I can't believe we're already to this point! We're almost there. :)

Stream of Consciousness

Can you believe there are only FIVE days until Christmas?

And that I'll finally get to see my family

(for the first time this entire pregnancy)

in just FOUR days? Ahh!

I always feel like a little kid this time of year,

but this Christmas is particularly special, for obvious reasons.

My only regret is that I can't see my big, huge, extended family

in Michigan and give each and every one of them a hug.

Don't you just get the warm fuzzies at Christmas?

I know I do.

Especially when I have such a sweet husband

and a little one on the way.

I love both my boys so much, even though

I haven't met one of them in person yet!

Yesterday morning, I woke up around 6 am

for my second bathroom trip since going to bed.

I guess my fidgeting woke Justin up too,

because when I came back to bed,

he snuggled sweetly with me, and with my belly.

I cherish these days so much!

We ended up talking about our baby,

about the dreams we'd had during the night,

and about who knows what else,

until forty-five minutes had passed, and we knew

that we might as well get out of bed.

We went to church and then ran a few errands,

and somehow ended up swinging by Baskin Robbins

for a little treat. :) My husband ordered some sort of

chocolate peanut butter ice cream conconction,

and I asked for two scoops of peppermint ice cream

in a waffle cone.

The lady running the drive-thru was apparently confused,

because she gave me TWO waffle cones, each with one scoop.

Instead of making a fuss about it, the two of us just laughed.

And laughed. And laughed some more.

As we drove toward home, ice cream cones in hand,

Justin looked over at me with my two pink ice cream-filled waffle cones,

laughed again, and said, "You're one happy pregnant lady, aren't you?"

Indeed, I was.

I may or may not have eaten one and a half of my two cones.

That was my limit, though. It upset my tummy a bit,

and all I was able to eat for dinner was some plain Chex cereal.

Is it bad that I think it was still worth it, though?

Well, anyway.

For now, I'm off to get some work done --

if I can find any work to do, that is. :)

 Just two more work days after today,

and I'll be on Christmas break.

Hurry up, Santa! I'm ready for you!

More to come...

33 Week Update

How far along? 33 weeks!

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: Still +22 lbs. No gain this week!

Maternity clothes? Yep! I actually have a couple tops coming

in larger sizes to last me through 'til the end.

Sleep: Still uncomfortable.. some nights are great,

others are miserable. I guess it depends on how tired I am,

how much my little boy is moving around, and how often I have to pee.

Best moment this week: Seeing Colin roll around in there...

I was even able to get a good video clip with my cell phone

one particular night, when he was being really active!

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Movement: All the time.

Food cravings: I could use a good latte.. it's been a while.

Food aversions: None really.

 
Gender: It's a boy!

Labor Signs: Just the occasional BH contraction.

Belly Button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: Pants that fit comfortably. :)

What I am looking forward to: Christmas break.

There are definitely some perks to working for a University.

Just 3 1/2 more work days left this year!

 
Milestones: My due date is 7 weeks from today. Wow!

Christmas fun!

If you're looking for a fun time waster,

look no further. Presenting: my latest mindless addiction:

CLICK ME! 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful December.

My holiday countdown has already begun...

7 work days 'til holiday break,

11 days 'til I see my family again,

and only 12 days 'til Christmas!! Woohoo!

32 Weeks!

How far along? 32 weeks!

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: +22 lbs according to the scale

at the OB's office. But, I did eat a huge Mexican dinner last night. :)

Maternity clothes? Oh my, yes.

Sleep: Still doing a lot of tossing and turning,

and little Colin likes to kick me at random times

in the middle of the night. Oddly enough, though,

I'm never too tired to get through the day.

Maybe I just need less sleep right now for some reason.

Best moment this week: Hearing my little one's heartbeat this morning,

and actually getting to HEAR him kick. He was not too thrilled
with the nurse who was pushing on my belly
quite a bit with the doppler wand. Ha!

Movement: Lately, he's been quiet some days, but this morning

he's a little wiggleworm.

Food cravings: I still love spicy foods, but now it gives me heartburn.

Thank goodness for Tums!

Food aversions: None at the moment.

 
Gender: It's a boy!

Labor Signs: I think I've had a couple more

Braxton Hicks contractions, but they're not too bad.

Belly Button in or out? It is definitely getting more shallow.

What I miss: Sleep.

What I am looking forward to: Getting our maternity photos back!

 
Milestones: I am officially in my 8th month now.

We're getting close! :)

World's Best Banana Bread Muffins

Have I ever mentioned that I have the best husband ever?

Well, in case I haven't, I do.

Yesterday, he went and did the grocery shopping

while he was off and I was at work,

and he picked up 3 almost-rotten bananas

(which, of course, were dirt cheap).

He had banana bread in mind,

but last week, I made some pretty delicious banana muffins.

Last night, he started to pull together the ingredients

for those muffins, but we realized at the last minute

that we didn't have quite enough oil.

So, we made a modification and used half oil,

and half melted butter, and let me tell you...

I am so glad we did!

I also need to brag on my hubby and say that

he whipped this batter up himself,

which was easy - even for a non-baker -

because this is a one-bowl recipe. How cool is that?

So, without further ado, our new favorite muffin recipe.

Banana Bread Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place muffin cups in muffin tin, or grease with a little butter.
2. Mix sugar, oil, butter and egg until creamy and light yellow. Add bananas and mix well. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until completely smooth. Spoon batter into muffin tin.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, (or, if you're using a dark & heavy muffin pan, like I did, only about 25-27 minutes) until toothpick poked in center muffin comes out clean.

For my fellow moms-to-be, and anyone else who is interested...

I just wanted to share this cool illustration of the changes we pregnant ladies go through. I have watched it sporadically throughout this pregnancy, and it is always so cool to see which "stage" my body is currently in. Isn't it amazing the way our bodies are made to do this? Try telling me there isn't a God - I won't believe you. :)

Click here to see something awesome!

31 Week Update

How far along? 31 weeks.

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: I was up 19 lbs at the last weigh-in.

Maternity clothes? Goodness yes.

Some of my maternity tops are even

starting to ride up now. Yikes!

Sleep: Some nights are better than others.

Two things are certain, though:

1. I will get up to pee at least once per night.

2. I will wake up feeling like I've been hit by a bus.

Best moment this week: This week has been

somewhat uneventful, but I do so love it

when my little boy starts to kick and roll,

and I take a moment every now and then

to put my hands on my belly and feel him.

Movement: 24/7!

Food cravings: Nothing in particular... but man,

my diet has definitely not been so healthy lately.

I blame it on the holiday season.

Food aversions: I hate to say it, but I think

my love for Eggo waffles is wearing thin.

I've been eating them for breakfast

at least twice a week for the past few months,

and now I think I'm ready to switch back to cereal.

 
Gender: It's a boy - Colin Justin Vaughan.

Labor Signs: Nope, nada!

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but slightly less deep.

What I miss: Sleeping comfortably,

and not having hip/nerve pain.

What I am looking forward to: The mini photo shoot

we have scheduled for Sunday afternoon,

and my next doctor's appointment,

which is a week from today.

We only have one more OB to meet before

we can decide who we're going to stick with.

Also, I always look forward

to hearing Colin's heartbeat. :)

 
Milestones: Exactly 9 weeks left

until my due date... that's just crazy!

30 Week Update

Today's update is brought to you by

Cap'n Crunch's Peanut Butter Crunch

and the number 4 (a.m., that is!).

I'm honestly surprised this hasn't happened

earlier on in the pregnancy.

Tonight (err... this morning),

I awoke in the middle of the night

to go to the bathroom.

The difference tonight, though,

is that when I went back to bed,

I absolutely could not fall back asleep.

I tried the old "close your eyes and breathe deeply" trick,

but no sleep came.

I tossed and turned and watched a little TV

(with no sound, so as not to wake my snoring husband).

I placed my hands on my belly and felt my little one

roll around and kick me.

The more I lay there, the less tired I got,

and the more I started to just feel uncomfortable.

Sore back, achy hips, hunger pains.. you know,

all the joys of being 30 weeks pregnant.

So I got up, let the dogs out to go to the bathroom,

turned on the lights of our Christmas tree

(which went up yesterday, and which I adore)

and made myself a bowl of cereal.

And now here I am.. blogging, wide awake, at 4 a.m.

This might just be the most pregnant moment I've ever had.

How far along? 30 weeks.

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: Not sure if weighing myself this week

would be a good idea, after indulging in so much

Thanksgiving goodness. :)

Maternity clothes? Oh yes. Non-maternity tops

ride up and show off half of my belly at this point,

so it's all maternity, all the time, except for a few

select items that were a bit too big before.

Sleep: Yeah... not so much.

Best moment this week: Celebrating Thanksgiving

with Justin's family, and decorating our house for Christmas.

We have a real Christmas tree for the first time in our marriage,

and I am loving it!

Movement: He is a little party animal. :)

Food cravings: I don't think I had any real cravings this week,

but I will say that everything at Thanksgiving tasted better than ever.

Fried turkey, homemade dressing, gravy, broccoli casserole,

crock pot macaroni and cheese, cranberries, etc etc.

MAN was it good!

Food aversions: I've been staying away from tomato based sauces

lately, because they tend to give me heartburn. Not necessarily

an aversion, though; just something I'm not as into right now.

 
Gender: It's a boy - Colin Justin Vaughan.

Labor Signs: I think I've had the occasional

Braxton Hicks contraction, but they are very

few and far between. Otherwise, the answer is still no.

Belly Button in or out? Still an innie.

What I miss: Sleep. And being able to walk/sleep/do anything

without feeling sore and achy.

What I am looking forward to: CHRISTMAS!

Milestones: The number of weeks left
is in the single digits now. It won't be long!

All ready to watch the Gamecocks beat Clemson. Go Cocks!

You know you're 29 weeks pregnant when...

• You wake up at least once a night to pee

• You have seen your belly move on its own

•  You catch yourself tearing up over the silliest things

• You think that ice cream is always a good idea -

even in November

• You constantly have at least one hand on your belly,

because even though you feel baby kicks every day,

you are still completely fascinated with them

• It doesn't faze you to see numbers on the scale

that you've never seen before

• You find yourself completely head-over-heels in love

with someone you've never met

***

 

I have to say... at this stage in the game,

I am really enjoying being pregnant!

Sure, I've had some unpleasant symptoms here and there -

mostly lower back pain (which is much better at the moment,

thanks to my chiropractor!), heartburn, occasional fatigue,

and the inevitable clumsiness that comes

with the third trimester of pregnancy.

But, those things are nothing compared

to the love I have for my unborn son.

I know I haven't done any actual parenting yet, but

I already consider myself a mother

and already I feel an intense love for -

and special bond with - my sweet little boy.

***

How far along? 29 weeks.

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: +17 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes, and I love them.

Sleep: I am getting plenty of sleep,

but still do a lot of tossing and turning

to try to get comfy throughout the night.

Best moment this week: Being able to get away

and see the Biltmore Estate last weekend.

Movement: He could have starred in Karate Kid!

Food cravings: No specific cravings this week,

although cranberries still sound really good.

Good thing Thanksgiving is next week!

Food aversions: Nothing at the moment.

 
Gender: It's a boy - Colin Justin Vaughan. :)

Labor Signs: None, although I'm starting to wonder

if some of the pressure I've been feeling off and on

could possibly be Braxton Hicks contractions.

Belly Button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: Being able to roll over in bed

without feeling like there's a 3 lb metal weight in my tummy.

What I am looking forward to: The holiday season.. all of it!

You have no idea how excited I am to decorate, eat all the good food,

see my family in just about 5 more weeks.. it's going to be awesome!

Milestones: Nothing specific, really - I'm just amazed

at how fast time seems to be going by these days.

'Tis the Season...

This weekend, we were able to escape

with Justin's family to Asheville, NC

to take in the beautiful scenery

and to visit the amazingly majestic Biltmore Estate.

The colors were so pretty, and the sky was a perfect blue.

That's just a side view of the house, from one of the gardens.

This is Justin's brother, Tim, his wife, Shannon,

and their beautiful daughter -- our niece -- Emily Grace.

My husband belongs on a dollar bill... don't you think?

It was unseasonably warm that afternoon,

so we took little breaks to rest and rehydrate.

Here are the original 4 - Justin, his parents, and his older brother.

And here are the Vaughan boys with their beautiful wives. ;)

Pictures don't even do justice to how pretty the Biltmore is...

See what I mean?

It's the biggest residential home in the United States.

Here's a cute one of Emily. I love that girl. :)

...and so do her "Mema" and "Papa"...

...and her mommy and daddy...

...and her Uncle Justin!

At night, the estate became something magical,

like a castle out of a fairy tale.

Emily actually did call it a castle,

and kept wondering where the princess was!

I wish I could show you the inside, but no cameras or phones were allowed.

I assure you, though, the inside is even better than the outside.

Especially all decorated for the holidays!

Now, who's in the mood for Christmas? (raises hand)

(Thanks to my lovely sister-in-law, Shannon, for these photos!)

28 Week Update

How far along? 28 weeks!

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: Somewhere in the +15 range.

Maternity clothes? Oh yes.

Sleep: Some nights are great,

others, not so much. It really depends.

Best moment this week: Hearing my son's heartbeat
at this morning's appointment - a strong 150.

Movement: My little boy likes to do karate in there.

Food cravings: Cranberries... mmm.

Food aversions: Nothing at the moment.

 
Gender: It's a boy - Colin Justin Vaughan. :)

Labor Signs: None, thank goodness.

Belly Button in or out? Still in. I have noticed, though,

that the scar from a former navel piercing has moved up

above my belly button, by at least an inch.

It sort of looks like an asterisk. Sexy!

What I miss: Sleeping in without having to pee.

What I am looking forward to: Thanksgiving,

and then my favorite holiday ever... Christmas!

The holiday season is upon us, my friends!

Milestones: I am officially into my seventh month. Wow!

At our doctor's appointment this morning,
little man measured two weeks ahead.. yikes!
It looks like we may end up having a January baby.
Only time will tell! He is certainly growing and thriving, though,
and that's all that matters. I love my little Colin!

 

No words on this one.. just a self-explanatory video. :)

A Birthday, and a Survey

Today was a good day.

It started with a relaxing morning

where hubby and I ate cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

We did have to take one of Justin's dad's company cars

to a local place for an oil change, but that didn't take long.

Then, we hung out at home, took care of a little light cleaning,

and went to Red Robin to redeem my free burger coupon.

My burger was delicious (I got the Whiskey River BBQ Burger)

and Justin's was disappointing (he ordered a bacon cheeseburger,

and it had way too much mayo, which ruined it for him).

After lunch, we headed to Books a Million

where we looked at cute baby books

and talked about the ones we'll want

to read to Colin once he's here.

The afternoon brought a fun phone call

from my little brother, that ended up lasting

over an hour. I really love that boy. :)

(I love my baby sister, too, by the way!

She's amazing too... just for the record.)

 At four, Justin's family started to show up at our house.

They came bearing cards, gifts, chicken wings

and cake and ice cream.

My little party was a lot of fun,

and I really enjoyed getting to hang out with everyone!

And now, here I am, vegging out in my PJs

while Justin watches the Gamecocks play.

The game isn't going so well... sorry, love.

Anyway.

I'll end my lovely 25th birthday blog entry

with a random survey I yanked from someone's Facebook.

Good night, world!

1. What time did you get up this morning?

About a quarter after 8.

2. How do you like your steak?

Medium to medium well 

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

Let Me In. We were the only ones in the theater!

4. What is your favorite TV show?

Dexter

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Somewhere with four distinct seasons, on the east coast

or in the midwest.

6. What did you have for breakfast?

Cinnamon rolls.. yummy!

7. What is your favorite cuisine?

Italian

8. What foods do you dislike?

Hot dogs, bologna, mushy green beans,

meaty sauces on pasta

9. Favorite Place to Eat?

Carrabba's. We went there last night.

As usual, it was amazing!

10. Favorite dressing?

Ranch or Caesar.

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive?

A red 2006 Mercury Mountaineer.

12. What are your favorite clothes?

Jeans and a cute & comfy top.

Although.. right now my most comfortable pants

are my stretchy maternity khakis.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?

France, definitely.

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?

Half full! I'm definitely an optimist.

15. Where would you want to retire?

Why stay in one place? I'd love to travel and see the world!

16. Favorite time of day?

Lazy weekend mornings are my favorite.

17. Where were you born?

Fort Worth, TX

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?

Meh.. football, I guess.

19. Bird watcher?

Sometimes, when birds nest in our yard.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?

More of a night person, but I have no problem

getting up in the mornings; I'm pretty alert right away.

24. Pets?

Daisy and Ellie, my puppers.

25. Any new and exciting news that you'd like to share?

Um.. I'm pregnant? ha.. oh, and the holidays are coming!!

26. What did you want to be when you were little?

A singer.. just like Amy Grant. :) Or an actress.

27. What is your best childhood memory?

Christmases with my parents and siblings.

28. Are you a cat or dog person?

Definitely a dog person.

29. Are you married?

Yes, very happily married!

30. Always wear your seat belt?

Yes sir.

31. Been in a car accident?

Yep.

32. Any pet peeves?

People who chew with their mouths open. YUCK.

33. Favorite pizza topping?

Hawaiian.

34. Favorite Flower?

Are roses too cliche? Oh well.. I do love them.

35. Favorite ice cream?

Cake Batter from Cold Stone, with cookie dough.

36. Favorite fast food restaurant?

Probably Chick Fil A.

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? 

Zero. I passed the first time!

38. From whom did you get your last email?

My daddy.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?

Probably Target.. they have everything.

40. Do anything spontaneous lately?

Last night we spontaneously went to Blockbuster

and rented "V for Vendetta." (Whoa, dream big!)

41. Like your job?

It's not bad.

42. Broccoli? Cauliflower?

Broccoli.

43. What was your favorite vacation?

My family's trip to Scotland. So incredible.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?

My hubby.

45. What are you listening to right now?

The Gamecocks game is on our TV,

but I'm not really paying attention.

46. What is your favorite color?

Pink & green

47. How many tattoos do you have?

None.

48. Coffee drinker?

Yep! Used to have a cup every morning,

now it's only when the mood strikes.

49. How many children do you have?

One.. but I can't hold him in my arms just yet. :)

27 Week Update

How far along? 27 weeks!

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: +13 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Most of the time.

Sleep: I'm still tossing and turning quite a bit,

but I have finally mastered sleeping with a pillow

between my knees for added comfort.

Best moment this week: There have been lots of great

pregnancy related moments this week.. I don't know that one

stands out more than the rest.

Movement: He is a mover and a shaker! I've been able

to see some movements from the outside, too, which is so cool.

Food cravings: Eggo waffles, pineapple.

Food aversions: Nothing at the moment.

 
Gender: It's a beautiful, wiggly boy!

Labor Signs: None.

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but slightly less deep.

What I miss: Restful sleep, and daily cups of coffee.

What I am looking forward to: Baby showers,

the opportunity to go out and celebrate my birthday

with my sweet hubby tonight, my b-day party tomorrow,

our trip to the Biltmore scheduled for next weekend,

Thanksgiving... there's a lot to look forward to!

Milestones: I can finally say I'm in the 3rd trimester!

This week's photo is a bare belly self portrait... in my PJs. :)

Come on, give the pregnant lady a break!

 

Thankful Thursday

Out of all the work days,

Thursday is one of the less awful ones,

in my humble opinion.

Why? Well.. obviously, because it precedes Friday!

Also, by Thursday, you're already in the swing of things

and not feeling quite so grumbly as you might have

on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

By Thursday, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel,

and you know the weekend is coming soon!

Oh... have I also mentioned that Thursday

here on my bliggity blog

is also known as Thankful Thursday?

On this Thankful Thursday,

I am thankful that Justin is coming home today

from Alabama, where he's been all week.

I'm thankful that he'll get to be here for my 25th birthday,

which is Saturday, to celebrate with me. :)

I'm thankful that the past year has been full of so much love,

and so many blessings, and that the next year promises

to bring even more amazing things.

I am thankful that my mom's health is improving

(she's had walking pneumonia.. yuck)

and that I'm just fine after a fall I had yesterday

on the sidewalk, smack dab in the middle of downtown Columbia.

I was super embarrassed, but little Colin and I are both great.

I am thankful that today, I'm 27 weeks along.

Hello, third trimester! It's nice to meet you. :)

There is just so much to be thankful for

on this Thankful Thursday.

What are you thankful for?

26 Week Update

How far along? 26 weeks!

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: +12 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Most of the time.

Sleep: I haven't slept very well the past few nights.

Lots of tossing and turning, getting up to pee,

and trying (and failing) to find a comfortable position.

Best moment this week: Getting to dress up for Halloween

and use my belly as an accessory. :)

Movement: He is actually being a little wiggleworm

as I type this. His feet (I believe they are his feet)

are way up near my ribs at the moment.

Food cravings: Eggo waffles with butter and syrup.

Food aversions: Still pretty turned off

by coconut right now.. strange.

 
Gender: It's a beautiful, wiggly boy!

Labor Signs: None.

Belly Button in or out? Still way in.

What I miss: Restful sleep.

What I am looking forward to: Baby showers!

My in-laws have tentatively chosen December 4th

as the date for my shower here in South Carolina.

I'm not sure yet what my Michigan family will be doing,

but there has been talk of some creative shower ideas,

since Justin and I won't be able to make it up there

until after Colin is born.

Milestones: In just a few more days,

I will officially be in the third trimester.

I can't believe it! I'm starting to get really excited. :)

[Please excuse the crappy early morning photo below.
I snapped it with my cell this morning before work!]

Halloween 2010

There are so few times in an adult's life

when one gets to dress up in a silly costume

and eat ridiculous amounts of candy.

Seeing as how I love both of those things,

it makes perfect sense that Halloween

never fails to bring out the little kid in me.

Can I also just say that everything tastes better

when you're pregnant (or at least in the second trimester)?!

So... yeah. Halloween + pregnancy = awesomeness.

On Friday, I dressed up for our annual Halloween party

at work, complete with a costume contest.

Can you guess what I was?

If you guessed Juno, then you're right!

I was a little bummed when I showed up at work in costume

only to realize that a huge majority of my coworkers

have never seen the movie Juno,

and had no idea who I was supposed to be.

The first person I came in contact with actually said,

"so you didn't dress up this year?"

Um, hello! It was a great movie, people.

Get thee to Netflix (or Blockbuster, whatever) and watch it! Now!

But, I digress.

I didn't win the costume contest, but I had fun participating.

When it was my turn to show off my costume,

someone shouted "are you Bristol Palin?" Ha... good one.

The people who did get my costume, thought it was pretty clever.

I mean, I didn't even need a fake belly. That's all me, baby!

This was, by far, the most comfortable costume I've ever worn. :)

Saturday, many of the kids in our county went trick-or-treating.

Even though Today (Sunday) is actually Halloween,

it's pretty common here in the South (and perhaps in some other places, too)

to trick-or-treat on Saturday when the 31st falls on a Sunday.

So, we armed ourselves with a huge bowl full of candy

and prepared for the onslaught of ghouls and goblins.

Well.. onslaught is a strong word.

 We did see a good number of kids,

but they came in waves. We wouldn't see anybody

for 20 minutes, and then suddenly 10 kids would show up.

Of course, I was especially partial to one little trick-or-treater.

Our two year old niece, Emily, stopped by for some candy,

and to show off her adorable Little Bo Peep costume.

Here she is, taking a break from all the action:

My sister-in-law's sister came by, too,

with her insanely adorable almost 6 month old son, Gage.

He was dressed as Little Bo Peep's sheep,

and he was by far the cutest sheep I've ever seen!

I wish I had taken more pictures,

but as soon as the kiddos came in,

costumes started coming off.

Everyone was pretty exhausted!

We had a great time hanging out with everyone;

they are a wonderful bunch of people!

So, here we are today -- Halloween, the 31st,

and I'm sitting here being a lazy bum.

Justin's getting checked in to a hotel in Alabama

right now for his job, so it's just me and the dogs.

Since we gave out all our candy last night,

our outside lights are off - sorry, trick-or-treaters

who may be out and about tonight!

I can't wait to dress up my little one next Halloween

and participate in all the fun as a parent.

He's pretty much all I think about these days.

It's hard not to think about him --

he's constantly kicking and punching me from the inside.

And I love it!

Speaking of which, stay tuned -- my 26 week update

is coming soon! More to come.

25 Weeks!

How far along? 25 weeks!

Due Date: February 3, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: +11 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Most of the time.

Sleep: I've been sleeping very well this week,

but my little man likes to start kicking me

pretty early in the morning. It's okay, though. I don't mind. :)

Best moment this week: Justin was finally able to

feel a kick from the outside. It was a great moment!

Movement: He seems most active early in the morning

and late at night. I definitely feel him every day now.

Food cravings: Pumpkin spice soy chai lattes. YUMMY!

Food aversions: I used to love coconut..

but lately, I've been pretty turned off

by the idea of it.

 
Gender: It's a beautiful, wiggly boy!

Labor Signs: None.

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I miss: Not having the occasional heartburn/indigestion.

Tomato products almost always set me off lately.

What I am looking forward to: Baby showers! And,

unrelated to baby, I'm excited for Halloween.. because I'm silly like that.

Milestones: I'd say Justin being able to feel him is a milestone :)