Escaping the Cold~~ A Weekend in Miami!

Last summer, when I found out I was pregnant, I was overjoyed. There was so much excitement ahead! But I quickly realized one downside to the news-- my best friend from college is getting married in early March, in Toronto, and I would have to skip the wedding. This news really bummed me out, but I knew there was no getting around it. In fact, I immediately researched how to get a baby a passport, so I could go about bringing the baby to visit Toronto as soon as is is old enough! The papers are already printed out and waiting, so we can do the application within the first couple weeks. 

When Danielle mentioned that she was interested in a destination bachelorette party, I knew I was all in. Miami in January? Sounds like just what this pregnant mama was looking for! And I was right. It was a fabulous trip. Great food, beautiful beaches, warm weather. Exactly what I was looking for. I was so happy to spend the weekend with Danielle, and to get to know some of her friends from New York. I was a little nervous about hanging out in Miami without being able to drink, but I am happy to say that it didn't affect my trip much at all. The ladies went dancing Saturday night while I went to bed, and otherwise I didn't miss out on anything. Though I wouldn't mind heading back to Miami some day, to taste some of the mojitos that everyone else got to enjoy!

I could get used to this!

My belly loved the vitamin D :)

The whole group before our fancy dinner on Saturday night.

Love ya girl!

Hard Times and Warm Moments

Well, crap! I haven't updated in about a month! This isn't much of a surprise, though, because life has been crazy busy around here for the last few weeks. The first part of the month was a challenge, dealing with my grandmother being quite sick. I was able to take a quick trip out to North Carolina to see her, though, which was a really special trip. The trip was incredibly last minute (like I booked the ticket the night before I left!), but I worried I wouldn't have a chance to see her if I waited.

An upside to this type of trip was that I got to catch up with some of my relatives that I don't get to see often enough. We had a nice family dinner one night, and spent the time in the hospital telling stories and keeping grandma company. There is so much love in my family, and having so many of us with Grandma during this time was really special. She's had visitors in and out for the last few weeks, and I know how much that means to her. This type of situation isn't easy on anyone, but coming together and supporting each other is a so important. At this point, I wish my grandma comfort and peace. It's hard to tell how much longer she'll be with us, but obviously her impact will last far beyond that.

A really special part of the weekend was when my aunts coordinated to throw me a surprise baby shower! They'd kept it a secret all day, and I didn't even suspect it when my aunt insisted I leave the room with her to walk my uncle out. I came back to the room totally oblivious, and took a minute to notice the pile of baby-themed presents wrapped up in the middle of the room. Ha! It was such a special evening, to share this celebration of my little baby with some of the woman I'm proud to call my family. It was especially nice to be able to include my grandma in the shower, since she's stuck in bed and not having the greatest time. They got us some lovely gifts for the baby, and really just filled my heart with so much love!

This is the first baby of my generation of the family. So exciting!
Grandma is in the middle, surrounded by three aunts and one of my cousins.
I miss you guys!

This little orange outfit was a great way to mix up the
gender neutral options. I love it!

A cozy swaddle blanket and a snuggly little elephant.

Lots of goodies from Aunt Cathy and Caroline!
(And those butter cookies in the corner were REALLY good!)

My grandmas card included the money to buy our carseat!
A really helpful gift and huge surprise!

This baby is so lucky already. The love that is being shown has blown me away... and the kid isn't even here yet! I can't wait to introduce the baby to the world come March, and can pretty much guarantee a trip to North Carolina on the horizon at some point... hopefully summer of 2015. The beach is calling!

Baby Bump Update- 28 weeks

Oh, hey there! It's been a while since I did one of these. I'm going to love looking back on this pictures and thoughts after baby Ziggy makes its appearance, so I'm going to try to keep up with posting at least a few more times :)

Current Progress: We made it to third trimester! As of this Sunday, I'm 28 weeks pregnant. It's so exciting to be at this point!  Sunday was also our 7th wedding anniversary, so it was a pretty great day overall :)

Weight Gain & Body Changes: My last appointment at 24 weeks had me at about 15 pounds of weight gain, which is right on track for a healthy pregnancy. I feel pretty huge, and it's crazy to think there are still three more months to go! But the weight is concentrated in my belly, so that's a good thing. My body is a bit more achy and less graceful, and things like bending down have become much more challenging. Overall, I can't complain at this point!

How I'm feeling: I think the "easy" second trimester has come to an end. I'm not always comfortable, but I'm dealing with it. More aches and pains at this point, and I'm starting to feel a lot more tired and worn out. It will be a glorious feeling to be easily active again at some point. I'm also feeling so much movement from Ziggy at this point. I love that part of being pregnant!

What I'm thinking: I'm thinking about the progress we're making. We've got a dresser, rug, and wardrobe from Ikea, plus we ordered the glider from Buy Buy Baby. The only thing that is missing at this point is a crib, which we'll be ordering sometime in January. The room is painted, too. The biggest issue with Ziggy's room at this point is that there is still a bed and a bunch of our junk in the room. After the baby shower, Joe and I will really push ourselves to get the room completed, so that's one less thing to worry about.  

There was a time in this pregnancy when I was feeling pretty nervous, and even downright scared about some things (um, hello, giving birth!!). At this point, though, I'm just thinking about how amazing it is going to be to have a baby. I am not scared about giving birth anymore, and I'm overall just so excited for the adventures to come our way. Yes, I'm so aware of the challenges that lie ahead, but I'm ready to tackle them head-on!

A little Christmas cheer!
This was about 26.5 weeks

Recent milestones:  Getting to third trimester is a great milestone… otherwise, the last few weeks have been pretty uneventful. Oh, one fun thing did happen. Joe has been able to feel Ziggy move! I loved sharing that moment with him. 

Upcoming appointments or events: I have a regular appointment on New Year's Eve, and then it's time to start having a doctor visit every two weeks. We have an ultrasound at the end of January. January is going to be busy, too, because my shower is that month, plus we start childbirth classes at the hospital. I'm eager for that! January is going to FLY BY, and then it's only two more months to wait!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our little family of (almost) three! 

Wishing everyone a happy holiday full of love and laughter!

We have had a lovely holiday so far-- a seafood feast on Christmas Eve, 

followed by a candlelight service at our church. 

Then after a little rest, we work up this morning to enjoy some gifts and a tasty breakfast. 

Soon we'll be heading out to see Joe's family. 

His mom is a bit under the weather, 

but we'll hopefully still get to enjoy some festive time together!

Not Quite the Thanksgiving I'd Expected...

I'd pictured Thanksgiving this year to be a busy, yet joyful and delicious type of day. I was scheduled to work in the morning, and then Joe and I were hosting his family for dinner. It was going to be a crazy day, but I was ready. It was going to be fun!  But my silly pregnant body had a different plan. I ended up waking up sick at 3 am (and again at 5 am) on Thursday morning, and spent the day alternating between the couch and my bed. No work, no socializing, and no delicious turkey dinner. It was a bummer, for sure.

But that's not the point of this post. The point is that I'm still so grateful for how many blessings I have in my life. I express my thanks year round, but it's nice to write it here every once in a while. And let me start with what has topped my list for the last seven years… this guy:

I hit the husband jackpot when this guy asked me to marry him. He proved this yet again this Thanksgiving, when he cleaned up after his sick wife in the middle of the night, whipped the house into immaculate shape, and cooked the entire beautiful Thanksgiving meal. Yup, he's amazing. I could go on and on, but I'll spare you. He already hears from me on a daily basis how grateful I am for his many wonderful characteristics and contributions to our family.

This year I feel like I have more to be thankful for than I can remember in recent years. It feels like things have finally come together for Joe and I in the last year… our jobs, our home, our friends, opportunities to travel and enjoy life, and more than anything, the baby on the way. We've had some real struggles in recent years, but have always pulled through by leaning on each other and our wonderful friends and family. I know there will be more challenges in our future. Life can't always be perfect, and I think we become the people we are based on the trials we face. But I sure am going to enjoy this part of the journey, when everything feels beyond great. This year has given me SO much to be thankful for, and I am excited to see what 2014 has in store for us as well!

Even feeling crummy, I had to pull the camera out for a couple pictures documenting the occasion. This was our first time hosting Thanksgiving, and Joe and I really enjoyed planning and executing this meal!  Joe really made this come together, didn't he? It was fantastic!

Joe roasted a turkey for the first time, and it was amazing!
Dry brine recipe from marthastewart.com

Pretty excited about that bird :)

I did help with the prep on Wednesday night,
and wasn't even feeling a hint of being sick. We made the corn pudding,
 mashed potatoes, and stuffing the night before, which made it so
easy to pull the meal together on Thursday. 

I was pretty pumped about stuffing from scratch!

I took a nap while they played dominoes.
Everyone was happy with this arrangement.

Ugh, I look like crap. But the table looks nice, right?

Let's eat!
The verdict from the healthy people at the table was that everything tasted great. 

I hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving, full of family, friends, and plenty of tasty food! I'm going to keep this thankful feeling going through the holiday season… and probably right on until March, when I experience more thankfulness (and exhaustion) than I can even imagine at this point. Happy Holidays!

Teaching Baby the Art of Rock & Roll

Anyone who knows Joe and me knows that we love seeing live music. This is something that we connected over when we first met-- he played in a band, and him and his friends introduced me to all kinds of great bands that I listened to throughout college. I'll have to dig up an old picture or two one of these days-- there are some great ones of the two of us at shows back then!

This love of music has continued through our relationship. Mostly indie rock, not too obscure, but not mainstream bands for the most part. I love a bit of good pop, too, and Joe's interests run from metal to jazz (seriously, he's kind of weird!). We haven't let this pregnancy stop us from seeing some great concerts recently, and we're excited to continue to share music with little Ziggy once this baby joins us. I'm about ready to temporarily retire from seeing shows, at least ones that don't have seating, so I thought this would be a good chance to look back on the music we've seen since finding out we're becoming a family of three! Here's a flashback on the last five months...

Pitchfork Music Festival-- This is one we have to do every summer, at least for one of the three days. I had found out I was pregnant just days earlier, so I was really wanting to keep it a secret. I was worried about hanging out with our friends all day and having to fake drink, but then we hardly saw anyone we knew, and it was a lot easier! I would have tried harder to find our friends if I'd been my non-pregnant self, but not drinking at a festival would have been pretty suspicious with this group!

Pre-morning sickness, I was feeling GREAT!

Belle and Sebastian was the headliner on this night, and they were fantastic!
I'd never seen them live, and their show was really upbeat and fun.

Lollapalloza- A few weeks later was Lollapalloza, a huge festival held in Grant Park every summer. We'd bought tickets months earlier, and were pumped to see some great bands. Local Natives, The National, and the Lumineers were all really fun to see live, and ending the night with Postal Service was a HUGE highlight. They were just as good as I had hoped, 10+ years after I started listening to them. I was still feeling good at this point, and made sure to sit in the shade throughout the day, and to drink plenty of water. Totally worth it!

Postal Service was EPIC. Jenny Lewis is a girl crush of mine, for sure. 

Band of Horses-- We were pretty ambitious the day we went to Lollapalloza, because we'd also bought tickets to this after show. I've loved this band for a few years, and Joe surprised me with tickets. Good husband, for sure! So when Postal Service ended, we jumped on the train and headed to the Metro, where these guys put on a great show. We ended up sitting up on the balcony, which was a little lame, but also really necessary. I was totally fried the next day, but staying up until 2am to see this show was totally worth it. They were great live!

Minus the Bear-- This is one of Joe's favorite bands, and we saw them at the Metro about a year ago, too. That show was a little disappointing, mostly thanks to the young kid in front of us who was super obnoxious the whole time. So we couldn't miss this show in October, and they totally made up for the last time. 

 

Frank Turner-- Then a few weeks ago, we got to see this singer and his band. My sister introduced us to Frank Turner a few years back, and when we heard he was going to be in Chicago and that tickets were only $20, it sounded like a good show to see! The show was at the Vic, which I hadn't been to in years, and I found out when we got there that the whole balcony was theatre seating. I usually HATE sitting down at a concert, but I decided to embrace my pregnant self and just enjoy the view. 

Old 97's-- This last picture is the worst, but it was a picture of one of my favorite bands, so I couldn't leave it out! Joe and I have seen the Old 97's at least 6 other times around Chicago, most recently when they played out in Aurora the night before my birthday in June. Always a good time, even when I'm about 5 months pregnant. I decided this was my last show for a while, though, unless something good comes up that involves reserved seating. Seems fitting I'd temporarily retire after seeing one of my all time favorite bands, right?

So in the end, that's two festivals, one show at the Vic, and three at the Metro. Not too shabby, little one! We're hoping to get some of those little baby noise reduction earmuffs this summer, so baby can potentially join us for a day at Pitchfork. Could be wishful thinking from some naive first time parents, but it doesn't hurt to dream, right? 

Baby Bump Update-- 21 Weeks

Current Progress: Don't let the sign fool you-- I'm actually 21 weeks in this picture! I was technically 20 according to my original due date, but a couple days later I had an ultrasound and it was confirmed that I was a week ahead of schedule. Exciting news!  Ziggy is about 12 ounces, and as big as a pomegranate. 

Weight Gain & Body Changes: I've gained about 10 pounds, which is right on target for halfway through the pregnancy. I'm trying to continue eating healthy and staying active, but my wicked sweet tooth is hard to resist! Besides the bump growing, my body hasn't changed too much. It really seems like my belly has grown significantly in the last couple weeks, though, and I think I'm getting the undeniably pregnant look. I'm still attempting to wear some non-maternity clothing, but my wardrobe options are shrinking quickly!

How I'm feeling: Pretty good these days! Most of the time I have decent energy and feel almost "normal", though there are still constant reminders that I'm pregnant. My hips have been hurting at night, so I've been sleeping on our much softer guest bed, and bough a pregnancy pillow to see if it helps. I'm trying to soak up this second trimester, because it's going to be weird and a lot less comfortable when my belly really gets bigger!

What I'm thinking: I'm starting to realize we should start to get the baby's room in order. Everything we've bought or received for the baby fits into one small box at this point! We need to get rid of the desk in the baby's room, and eventually the bed, too. We might keep that for a while still, for guests coming in January. We have pretty much picked out the furniture we want, too, and need to start to order it. Joe's painting as I type, which is a good first step! Also, I thought we'd be nice and minimalistic with our baby registry, but even with that mindset there is SO MUCH STUFF that you kind of need. Once we finish registering, we'll focus on buying furniture first, and then start to chip away at the registry a little bit, as we wait for the baby shower in January.

A peek into the current state of our guest bedroom.
Time to start cleaning out! 

Recent milestones:  We passed the halfway point, and just had our anatomy scan. At this detailed ultrasound, they measured and checked up on all aspects of the developing baby, and things looked great. The heart, brain, and major organs are all developing as they should. And now that I skipped a week, I'm only two and a half weeks from the 24 week mark, which is considered the "viability date" for premature babies. Obviously, we hope and expect baby will be in there for a lot longer than 24 weeks, but either way it will be nice to get past that point. 

Upcoming appointments or events: Nothing else for a while! I'll have regular appointments at 24 and 28 weeks, and then it goes to every 2 weeks. We get another ultrasound at 32 weeks, which will be an amazing sight! In the meantime, we'll just focus on starting to prepare the baby's room, and enjoying the holidays.