Hannah Baby 1

Our Photoshoot :)

2012-03-03T18:53:00.002-08:00

Here they are... love them all SO MUCH!!! Thank you Cindy!!!

Oh happy day (I LOVE Sister Act Two and that's the song that's been in my mind today!!!)

2012-03-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

Baby hiccups in utero? I think YES! I had read about this phenom in some random place and didn't think twice about it. Then, to my surprise, the past few nights (2-3a.m.-ish), I woke up to some crazy baby hiccups :) I felt bad for the little guy 'cause those things were POWERFUL!! I wonder if I ate something weird to cause them... hmmm... will have to look this up!

Yesterday we had a WONDERFUL photoshoot with a dear friend, Cindy Taylor. She was quite the trooper as we traipsed about the countryside. A large snake sighting, pets wanting to be part of the action and beautiful lighting were all part of our escapades. Here is a sneak peak of what's to come. PURE BLISS!!

6 WEEKS!!!

2012-02-23T09:56:00.001-08:00

It is so surreal that Altom could be here in 6 weeks... even MORE surreal that it could be 5 :) At our last visit with the doctor signing off on the midwife's reports, she said I could be measuring closer to 35 weeks than 34. So in other words, I need to be ready just a little sooner!

Work has been incredibly booming lately, so I haven't had time to breathe, much less finish the nursery, practice my relaxation techniques and stretching :) NO BETTER TIME THAN THE PRESENT, RIGHT?

I did find some time to relax last night with my first preggo swim. It was LOVELY!!! We had the pool to ourselves, so no one to oggle the whale in a swimsuit. We cracked ourselves up when Mark asked if I could float better with a large pregnant belly. I actually tried it and sunk like a rock, then thought it through – extra weight is coming from dense things such as liquids and an extra human form, so nothing that would float.

Happy 33 weeks!

2012-02-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

So loving life right now! It is simply fantastic!! We are settled into our new little home, working together in our home office when Mark's not away, finishing up the nursery (sneak peek below) and enjoying our time together before Altom arrives.

I'm growing at a steady rate :) It's really so fun to feel Altom moving now... no longer little jabs and heels, but rolls full body movements. There really are no words to describe the sensation except AMAZING!

We also started our four weeks of birthing classes. Lots of interesting things have been learned, many more to go, I'm sure. The 1970's birth videos shook us a little bit... especially since several of the women highlighted have never used a razor on ANY part of their bodies. SERIOUSLY!!

I'm still wondering if my state of ignorance was better than being fully informed. Not sure, just taking it as it comes and still have COMPLETE PEACE. God is in control and will give me everything I need to do this! Pregnancy has been amazing for me. No complications, issues or major aches and pains. I really am blessed.

I saw the cat eating a mouse last night, so that is a MAJOR plus :) I thought she might only like birds, but no, has a taste for mice too! We watched her stalk and attempt to attack three deer in the front yard a few nights ago. It's apparent she has a LOT to learn about country life. This is not Africa and you are not a cheetah. Stick to the mice please so you don't get killed!

Here are a few snapshots highlighting our past week or two... ENJOY!

:: V-day treat from my sweet ::

:: THE sweetest letter I've ever gotten ::

:: LOVE encouraging notes from happy clients ::

:: Rocker re-do for baby Altom's diggs ::

:: Dresser re-do ::

:: Curtains ::

:: Precious owl hat that I've been drooling over - made just for us by a precious friend - Lisa Gray ::

Inquiring Minds...

2012-02-04T17:24:00.000-08:00

First, we hosted our in-laws (and VERY active 2 year-old niece) last night for dinner. I quickly noticed that our house is NOT baby/toddler proof. So now I'm wondering, is it possible to have a clean, stylish, well-designed home with kids??? Please weigh in with tips and tricks!!!

Next, I was lying in bed yesterday morning and decided to check in on our pregnancy counter... it had been a while since I looked the progress update and the "You're baby is the size of a ______ (fruit or vegetable) this week" memo. So I launched the app and almost choked on my tongue when I saw 62 DAYS TO GO. Are you kidding me!!?? Where has the time gone??!! Can't WAIT to meet him, but also enjoying the wonderful pregnant life God has blessed me with. I am loving EVERY MINUTE of this process :)

ADVANCED WARNING: The following content is graphic in nature to the male species. Don't read on if you don't want to know!!

After checking the countdown, I clicked on a "Learn More About Breast Feeding" link. As I started reading, I was pretty horrified at this statement, "It's normal for your breasts to leak while you're nursing (ok, I can handle this). Another baby's cry or the sight of another infant can bring on a gush of milk when you least expect it." DOES THIS REALLY HAPPEN??? I mean, a GUSH OF MILK? Really? Another baby crying suddenly makes my boobs want to squirt milk in their general direction as if that would somehow pacify their discomfort? Not so sure how I feel about this.

Birthing classes start on Monday night... it's apparent I have a lot to learn! We'll keep you posted, I'm sure the fun stories will be in abundant supply for the next few weeks!

Our new addition...

2012-01-30T12:43:00.000-08:00

With the onset of the mice-capades here in the country, we decided a cat was a necessary new addition to the family. Meet Shelia. Haha... love that name, it makes me giggle each time I hear it. It's just a fun cat name! I suggested Frosty but sounded gooberish yelling it off of the back porch, so Shelia it is. Thank you Rachel and her dad :)

Sheila is adjusting nicely. Only one minor altercation between her and I on her first night here – a scratch to the throat and side of the face during a thunder storm. I am just not a cat person, but am trying so hard to be. She really is sweet, just makes me nervous!!

Lola is traumatized and incredibly jealous. They pretty much hate each other. We're working on bonding exercises... needless to say, this is great timing to help Lola overcome her jealousy issues. Haha. Animals are NOT people as Mark constantly reminds me!

This morning a bird flew onto the porch and by the time I grabbed a paint can to prop open the door to shew him back out, he was a goner. Sheila is a hunter, no doubt about that! We're in good hands :)

Growing Belly!

2012-01-30T12:34:00.000-08:00

Just love the evening lighting at our villa in the wilderness... had to capture a few shots of the growing belly. Notice that shirt appearing in a variety of places throughout our baby timeline? :)

Our precious little home...

2012-01-17T20:09:00.000-08:00

I've been promising FOREVER, and I'm finally fulfilling :) This little house is a dream come true, we just love it! It's been quite a journey from start to finish, but our blood, sweat and tears have all paid off IN FULL. So many people have helped us breathe life into this place, I can't even begin to write a note of thanks that comes close. We are so grateful, so blessed and are ready to use this place and our lives to follow the plan God has in store for us! WHERE HE LEADS, WE WILL GO. ENJOY!!

>> This is where we started <<

>> This is where we are now – landscaping to come in the spring <<

<< Screened back porch, before & after >>


>> Our front yard <<

<< Front porch >>

<< Living room before >>

<< Living room after >>

<< The infamous rocking, reclining, console loveseat :) >>

<< Decor details... >>

<< Kitchen before >>

<< Kitchen after >>

<< My fantastico Ikea storage solution >>

<< Dining room before >>

<< Dining room after >>

<< Custom upholstered chairs, each one is a different shape and size >>

<< Our Pintrest wall of wisdom >>

<< A little spray paint, some fun bulbs and mason jars = fun, mod chandy >>

<< Bathroom before & after >>

<< Bathroom storage & tile work >>

<< Master bedroom before >>

<< Master bedroom after >>

<< Thank my precious mother for bringing my curtain vision to life – she sewed EACH ONE!! >>

<< Another chandelier project and bedside book trunk >>

<< Altom's room is ready for sprucing up >>

<< Our office... working side-by-side when Mark's in town. Absolutely LOVE IT!! >>

Yowza!!

2012-01-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

SO MANY amazing things happening in life right now... I feel so richly blessed. I just noticed the ticker on the bottom of my blog says 83 DAYS TO GO!!! Whaaaaa?? I cannot BELIEVE how soon we'll be holding Altom in our arms. Praying for strength, peace and a small head :)

The move went wonderfully, we are finally settled in our new home. Altom's room was temporary storage for all of the moving boxes, but I am pleased to say that they are all unpacked and the nursery is open for business!! I can't WAIT to put everything together :)

Our dining room is home to the "wall of wisdom" as Mark has named it... really it's a collage of funny sayings from Pintrest :) LOVE IT!! I'm finishing up a few final touches and then will get photos posted. PROMISE!

The country life is treating us well. We bought a gun today, pretty excited about that in a strange way. Makes me feel safe. There are a LOT of strange sounds and things, so I headed to town to buy a high-intensity spotlight. LOVE THAT THING!! I go out at dark and shine it all around, secretly hoping NOT to see anything that would freak me out.

Mark left for a business trip on our third night here, so I invited Mom to spend the night :) I won't go into all of the gory details, but we had a mouse invasion. It was pretty intense... thank the Lord Mom was there!! Due to her ingenuity, I didn't have to wack any of the mice, we just sucked them up in the shop vac. 5 to be exact. YEAH. We need a cat.

Many more adventures to come, I'm sure!! Thanks for tuning in :)

And The Third Trimester Begins...

2012-01-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

Our life of leisure in Neptune Beach is coming to a close, but SO MANY happy things are yet to come! Building a new life BACK HOME near the ones we love most... and entering the last few months of PREGGO LIFE, awaiting the arrival of our precious son. SO BLESSED!!!

Prepping for the holidaze...

2011-12-21T11:30:00.000-08:00

Our bags are packed, we're ready to go! Christmas is going to be a blur as we're set to move tomorrow, the 22nd :) Like to keep things interesting, don't we?!

Nashville Recap

2011-12-15T08:10:00.000-08:00

Had an AMAZING time with my hubby in Nashville. It's incredible the peace I can attain when I am removed from my everyday surroundings. We lounged, shopped, ate, sight-saw, bonded and fell in love even deeper (if that's possible). A reminder of what a lucky woman I am to have such an incredible husband. He is a dream come true and I just need to be reminded of that every now and then. On top of his wonderfulness, the weather was PERFECT! A little nip in the air to get us in the holiday spirit!!

Gifts

2011-12-05T19:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Altom,

I love you so much already, it's unbelievable. I've yet to hold you in my arms and look into your precious little eyes, but I'm already hooked! So let's talk about a little something... in the past two weeks you've grown QUITE a bit. With that has come mommy's need to pop TUMS before and after each meal, my favorite skirt no longer fitting around my bulging belly and a new shortness of breath that's a little freaky. If you'll promise not to get too big before it's time to bring you into this world, I promise to exercise more, give you more nutritious food to eat and love you more than anyone on this earth could begin to comprehend. DEAL?

<3 Mommy

Blessed.

2011-12-01T05:54:00.000-08:00

Thank you Jesus for this precious gift inside of me! Feeling Altom move throughout the day reminds me how incredibly blessed I am to have the honor and privilege of mothering one of God's precious children. No fear, no trepidation, only joy, excitement and bliss. I know He holds us in the palm of His everlasting hand. What a miracle it is, THANK YOU for allowing me to take part!

Off to Nashville this afternoon for a weekend of exploration and relaxation with my hubby. I cannot WAIT! I've been letting the stresses of work-related projects and packing/moving take over a bit and this is the perfect opportunity to refocus my priorities. The bump is in full swing as you can see from the new header :) I kept asking for more proof and it's definitely here! Especially when I pulled up the first photo I took for comparison. WOW!!! So precious.

Registry Idea

2011-11-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

Who agrees that Etsy needs a baby registry??? What do we need to do to make that official??? SO MANY CUTE THINGS!!!

:: Owl hat for tiny baby pictures ::

:: Amazingly adorable tiny shoes ::

:: Baby tie and underoos ::

:: Best bib EVER ::

Chugging Along...

2011-11-27T13:29:00.000-08:00

The days are passing so quickly!!! Cannot BELIEVE Altom will be here in about 4 months.

Thanksgiving was a blur as we spent the weekend shopping for appliances, caulking baseboards and tying up loose ends at our future home. We let out a huge sigh of relief as the fridge finally fit through the front door... only had to remove all of the weather-stripping and trim boards!

We're going furniture shopping tonight... looking forward to convincing Mark that style is as important as comfort when it comes to a sofa :)

Thursday we leave for our last major trip before I'm grounded. NASHVILLE!! VERY EXCITED about the time to relax and dote on my hubby. We've been a bit distracted with the move... ready to find a bit of peace in our lives again!!

The bump is steadily growing (I PROMISE I'll get more photos soon Colby :) and Mark was able to feel a little jab this morning. His response "That was weird!" You just wait, love. It only gets weirder from here :)

He's ALIVE!!!

2011-11-20T18:21:00.000-08:00

So we are finally feeling movement in there!!! SO EXCITING!!! Everyone kept telling me it feels like a flutter or little bubbles... well apparently I missed that phase because what I'm feeling is like nudges or pokes from inside out. SUCH an AMAZING feeling that I wouldn't trade for the world.

On that note, we're ALMOST done renovating the inside of the little house! A few more finishing touches next weekend and it's time for FURNITURE! I'm such an old married lady, as I'm looking forward to buying a new fridge almost as much as the couch :) Not only that, but Mark buying and installing a new toilet was the highlight of my weekend!

SO THANKFUL for my life, my hubby, my puppy and our baby :)

Crazy Preggo

2011-11-11T03:38:00.000-08:00

So I have a "list." Yep... things I want to do before Altom shows his face! At first I thought this was a good idea. Now, not so sure! It's making me CRAZY!!! One of the items on that list is to get up-to-date on all of my photos pre-baby. This includes organizing, photo-booking, backing-up, etc. So while Mark was out of town on his business trip this week, I stayed up till all hours of the night loading pics onto Shutterfly and making photobooks. I have a coupon that expires next week, so I HAVE to finish!! That's what I get for letting myself get 4 YEARS BEHIND on my photo organization. Whew!!

Other items on "the list" include finishing the look update to my personal site www.tarynhannah.com (currently underway), write and illustrate a few kids books that have been on my mind (one of which is "You look a lot like Clyde" – a song my dad wrote for us when we were kids) among other things. I'll let you know how it goes!!

And Hannah Baby #1 is a _______!!!

2011-11-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a long one because I know so many of you want the details :) For those of you who want to skip to the juicy stuff first, IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't want to go on and on before about how badly we both wanted a boy, but we did :) And now we've got him! We couldn't be more elated!!

Our sonogram was yesterday at 3:30 p.m. All morning long I wondered why the heck I scheduled an afternoon appointment. I was on pins and needles ALL DAY!! I even called the lady doing our ultrasound to ensure that she would be able to tell the sex with no problem at 19 weeks. LOL!! What a nag!! After getting all spruced up and picking out an outfit that worked with either blue or pink balloons (you'll see why in a moment), I swung by Mark's work to pick him up. On the drive to A Stork's View, we watched the Blue Angels fly over several times, practicing for their big show this coming weekend at NAS Jax. Mark said it was a sign, something we'll always remember and connect to our baby boy!! SO ADORABLE!!!

I laid down on the table, got jellied up and the fun began! She knew the instant she found the baby on the screen that it was a boy. She positioned the monitor and said, "LOOK - 3 LEGS!!!" Haha! No way we could miss it. She said he was out there for the world to see and proud of it!! We couldn't BELIEVE how much personality he has even at this early stage. He could feel her pressing in on him and get was getting MAD!!! He was kicking and pushing back at her with his hands, covering his face with his hands, elbowing, hiding, turning, squirming, you name it. She used the word "ferocious" if that's any indication. She also kept talking about his thick thighs and plump lower lip... thank you Mark :) So, needless to say, it is already obvious that we're going to have our hands full.

The sonogram was, by far, THE MOST AMAZING experience of my life!! The 3D view of the baby was so real and so much more personal than the flat, black and white view. It brought him to life like nothing else!!! I always thought ultrasound pictures were creepy, but now that it's mine, of course I don't :) OH NO, I'M GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE MOMS!!! LOL. Here are a few of the ones Mark took during the process...

Such a precious view of his face!!

Sorry buddy, it won't be the first time mom embarrasses you by showing off your goods!

And the leg kicking up over the head when she was poking him... Nice flexibility!

Hannah Baby 1 is no longer an "it" but a HE! And his name is Altom Clyde Hannah. We love unique family names, so there it is. I adore it, despite the weird looks and questioning looks I get from most people. We're moving to the country and this goes perfectly with our little country bumpkin baby :)

After our appointment, we had a big date planned :) We sat in the parking lot for a good while making phone calls and sending and receiving texts. Then we traipsed over to Publix and had balloons blown up for the big reveal photoshoot. Problem is, everyone already knows because we couldn't keep it in :) That's okay, the photos still turned out ADORABLY, check them out...

I understand these aren't the most manly photos, but Mark was such a sport! I'm giving him his boy, he gave me mushy balloon photos. We're even! And Tommy, if you guys want some photos, I'll be glad to take some, you don't have to photoshop your heads onto ours ;)

Once the balloons floated off into the sunset, we headed to Target to start our registry. FUN, RIGHT? WRONG!!! We had no research going into this, so when we started on the stroller aisle, we were totally overwhelmed. We rely pretty heavily on the reviews of other people, so having nothing to go on left us a little shell shocked! We went back and forth forever on car seats, strollers, swings, whether or not we want a pack and play, jogging or regular stroller, big toys (which we have no room for), why the heck there are so many different kinds of bottles, got freaked out on the breast pump aisle, scanned 5 different pairs of little boy shoes, ran out of time and NOW I'm going to go online, do some research and adjust many of the things we probably don't even need. LOL! I did get a free pair of shoes out of the deal however... Quick recap; I was wearing my cute zebra platforms and mis-stepped, BUSTING MY BUTT in the bottle aisle. Mark was freaked out and insisted no more heels for me and we had to find some replacements for me to wear to dinner :) So registering wasn't quite what we expected and sucked a bit of the joy out of our evening, left Mark needing a drink and a neck rub and me a bit stressed about all of the research I need to do to get our baby outfitted in the safest, cutest gear.

Post the Target catastrophe, we headed to Ruth's Chris for a celebratory meal we'd been saving up for :) I cannot even explain how delicious the food was. I planned to get this posting done last night but we literally walked in the door, dropped trou, and fell into bed. WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY!!

2011-11-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

Words cannot express the JOY this sound brings to my heart!! I told June (our midwife) that am itching to feel the baby move... she said to enjoy the peaceful time now because this baby is going to be bouncing off of the walls and when I feel it, it'll be a doosey!! I cannot BELIEVE we are halfway there and only TWO DAYS away from our ultrasound!!

Fall is in the air!!

2011-10-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

When the weather changes for the first time, I get a little giddy! I can't help it!! I LOVE stepping out in the morning and smelling the cool in the air, putting on my boots and practically living outside. It's SPLENDID. Mark, Lola and I took a little trip to the park to celebrate :) Gotta schmooze Lola for a few more months, she doesn't know her "only child" status is soon coming to an end!

Sew Time!!

2011-10-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

This week, my sewing machine and I had a lovely reunion. I wasn't sure how things were going to go at first, but I was PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. A girlfriend of mine has an adorable blog, and featured an "Outfit of the Week" while preggo (check it out HERE). I don't dress cute often enough for that, but thought I'd share my latest creation :)

In the past, I've attempted many apparel related sewing projects with little success. I rarely wear the things I make because they look homemade and gorky. I found this tutorial on Pintrest and HAD to try it out. I used a shirt I had in the closet and fabric from curtains that used to hang in our guest room. I made a sash to cover the seam between the shirt and skirt, but the brown belt made it look less homemade. After wearing it for the evening, I came home and made one minor adjustment – I added a little v-slit in the back to make walking a little easier, it was a little tight around the feet. It turned out great and I'm super excited. Already have plans for a few more :) Let me know what you think!!

So many good things happening!

2011-10-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've FINALLY got my appetite back and with that, the urge to cook. Needless to say, Mark couldn't be happier :) The menu this week and next consists of chicken enchiladas, baked potato soup, stromboli, stuffed shells, pot stickers (this is new for me, so I'll let you know how it goes), garlic knots and oreo cheesecakes. For those of you who are worried, we will be sure to pair veggies and salads to balance these main dishes!! SO MANY good recipes on this site. Check it out!

Still not showing much or feeling the baby move. I'm sure it will be any day now I'll feel the flutter and pop that baby bump other than after a meal :) And our first pregnant road trip went off without a hitch. The Lowe Family Reunion this past weekend in Key West was wonderful (despite the rain), and I didn't have to stop and pee nearly as much as we expected! A++

We also scheduled our sonogram for the first week in November at A Stork's View (thank you Eric and Jennifer for the recommendation)!!! I'll be 19 weeks at that point, so there should be no question as to whether or not hannah baby 1 is a boy or a girl. WE CANNOT WAIT!!! Be on the lookout for our fun photo reveal. We've got it all planned out!

The little house renovations are also coming along WONDERFULLY! We are putting the flooring down the last weekend in October, then I can DECORATE! What I've been waiting for. Here is a little sneak peak of the before/after stripes on the ceiling project. You can see photos of the rest of the house HERE. Enjoy!!

Shrinking...

2011-10-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

So when you compare my 13 week photo to the one I just posted (16 weeks), it appears that my precious bump is shrinking. Maybe in week 13 I wanted it to stick out further than it really was, so I ate a big meal and poked it out there for the photo (just saying... maybe this happened ;). We definitely haven't grown much in the last three weeks, at least on the outside. Hmm....

I'VE MADE A DECISION!!!

2011-10-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

So I've been waffling back and forth about the nursery decor for weeks now. I KNEW I wanted a theme that would work for a boy or girl. I was adamant about it being more modern, not pastelly, NO ANIMALS or cheesy themes. Well... a few of those preconceived notions went out the window when I found this fabric. I knew the instant I saw it, this was what I had to do. We can make it more girly or boyish with accent colors once we know what this little Hannah Baby will be :) Cannot WAIT! One thing is for sure, I am STILL painting stripes on the ceiling, I've already bought the paint to match the fabric. Mom, my sewing genius, will surely be able to help me make the curtains and crib bedding. I will document via photos!!!

A perfect 10

2011-10-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

I must say, I'm pretty proud of my untainted driving record (knock on wood). So this morning when I found a parking ticket on my car, needless to say, I was pretty peeved. I'd been parking in the SAME SPOT, the SAME WAY for 9 months without a warning. And all of the sudden a ticket? Hmmm... No. Not going to work for me. Is this pregnancy giving me a new since of boldness? Maybe so. I called the police department and asked that the officer who wrote my ticket call me back to explain the rules. He did, I was too close to the stop sign, my bad, I'll pay the ticket. THEN I called Mark who pretty much called me a weeny for not asking for a warning instead. So I called Officer Jones back and asked for a warning instead of a ticket. He said okay, drove to my house, printed a warning and took my ticket back. WOW. Is God good to me or what? Or do I just have a sexy phone voice that he couldn't resist???

On another note, I experienced the pregnancy nose this morning. They say your sense of smell gets extremely acute... I thought it was a bit hokey until this morning. I was walking on the beach down by the water (at LOW TIDE) and I smelled bacon. Yep. BACON. My father would have been proud. As I walked back up to our house, someone down the street was definitely cooking bacon, but to smell it down by the water. STRANGE!!!

Inspired

2011-10-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

15 weeks today!!! WOW. WOW. WOW!!! I'm feeling wonderful! Not showing much in regular clothes, waiting for that little bump to pop :) Only 3-4 weeks until we have an ultrasound to find out whether this little baby is a guy or gal. Cannot WAIT!

In the meantime, still chugging away on the little house renovations. I repainted the nursery... I KNOW - CRAZY, since I just painted it a couple of months ago. The first yellow was driving me crazy, so I mixed a little of this and that to get the new and improved color. I know, I'm nuts :)

I'm so inspired by other creative moms and precious baby photography. Check out these links. The first idea is totally going to be borrowed by yours truly!!!

http://blog.hannamac.com/2011/02/01/mama-mias-maternity-book-2/

These photos make me teary!!! Can't WAIT to see what our little cupcake looks like :)

http://pinkletoesblogstalker.com/newborn.html

http://littlemoonphotography.com/blog/category/newborns/

http://www.cupcakesphotography.net/?p=3644

Parking Situation...

2011-09-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

So I had a bit of a dilemma this weekend while shopping for boots. Exactly when is it okay to park in the expectant mothers parking spot??? There was one open in the FRONT ROW and I just couldn't do it. Until my belly is poking out I think people would judge. Why I care, I can't tell you, but I did find some REALLY CUTE BOOTS!!! And... much to my surprise, some cute, normal looking maternity jeans at Forever 21 for $14.80! So I got 3 pair – Bring on the cold. Me and the expanding mid-section are READY!

Expandi-Pants

2011-09-21T15:56:00.000-07:00

So I'm at the stage now where none of my pants will fasten without being uncomfortable. FUN! Just in time for winter where I'll need my precious jeans. Mark felt incredibly clever when he suggested the term "Expandi-Pants" when I was explaining to him that I think they have a little device that will attach to my button and give me more room. So... Googling expandi-pants gave me nothing. What is that thing called and where to I get one?!

Embellishments

2011-09-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

So if it's a girl, I have a head start on the uber-fabulous flower headbands to accompany every outfit :) If it's a boy, I promise I will find another use for these. Thanks to Uncle Earl for the tutorial on our visit to N.C. My newest craft addiction. If you want a lesson or want to buy a few, let me know... I CAN'T STOP!!

The most AMAZING SOUND...

2011-09-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Our baby's heartbeat. WOW. What a phenomenal sound - music to our ears!! Mark and I have been waiting for more proof that this is real, and we got it!! Hannah Baby 1 is about the size of a lime and has a STRONG, rapid heartbeat :)

The nausea has faded and naps are becoming an essential part of my daily routine. I tried to pop a bag of popcorn last night without removing the plastic wrapping and gave our midwife the wrong date for my LMC, thus getting the wrong due date. So I'd say the pregnancy brain is in full swing.

God's timing is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. I am so grateful that He asked me to chill so He could take the reigns on this one :) We'll be moved back to Gainesville right as my third trimester begins and visits to the birthing center become more frequent. Without the stress of a 9-5 job, I have the flexibility to work on projects at home AND fit in those essential afternoon naps... providing a calm, relaxed, stress-free environment for the growth and development of our little lime. Mark's amazing support and dedication to his job will enable me to stay home with our babies and continue to freelance on my own. The generosity of our families is allowing us to renovate a piece of family history and make it our home on a beautiful piece of land. I'm overwhelmed in an AMAZING WAY.

Nursery Help

2011-09-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

So I really want a nursery design that will work for a boy or girl. This room will be used for several years to come and will house another child or two as well :) I'm not big on animal themes personally... and am leaning towards more modern styles. The walls are vertical wood panels, so painting a scene would be tough due to the ridges in the walls. I need some inspiration!!! Please help!!!

Here are some fun ideas, but nothing feels right just yet...

Baby things

2011-09-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Grammy has begun :) When we first told my parents the news, we came back to their house the next day to find baby items hanging around the guest room. I absolutely love how excited they are about being grandparents. Mom's first instinct was that this baby is a boy, so everything she bought that first day was blue. We gave her a bit of a hard time, so upon our next visit, we found a variety of new items added to the selection. Flowery things have been added to the mix... "so the baby won't feel bad." What fun! I CANNOT WAIT!!!

Another fun pregnancy experience has been the wacked out CRAZY DREAMS. Last night, Colby and I went to England for a church camp with a large group of small children. We were staying in a castle and the room was so big that we had to turn the TV up really loud so we could hear it all the way across the room. The queen, all decked out in queen garb (kind of like Alice in Wonderland style), came to kick us out for our disruptions. WOW. Good 'ole Colby keeping me on my toes. Maybe this baby will have the imagination I lacked as a child and am making up for in dreams now!!

So Amazingly Blessed

2011-08-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

As the announcement "went live" in the world of FB, Mark and I were overwhelmed with the love and support pouring in from our friends and family. What a pick-me-up, I wish I had big announcements to make more often... hmmm... maybe not, then it wouldn't be as special. We are so blessed I can't stand it!! I know God has big things in store for this little family, we cannot WAIT!!

THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts for the words of encouragement, well-wishes, compliments and love. It's amazing what a little peanut-sized human growing in my belly brings out in people. Reuniting with friends of old, growing closer to other mommies and being showered with verbal affirmation... this is such an incredible experience. WE LOVE YOU!

Our Announcement

2011-08-30T03:14:00.000-07:00

We had to come up with a fun, creative way to tell the world our special news... Here are a few of the delicious shots - Thank you Lyndsay!!!

Front Yard Magic

2011-08-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

So Mark and I stumbled upon this tutorial last week and have decided that this is an essential part of our yardscaping. Anyone up for digging a HUGE HOLE? I can't even count the times I fell off of the trampoline as a kid. I still have vivid memories of landing on my back on a chain-link fence in Meemaw's back yard. With this project, PROBLEM SOLVED! And the adults will have as much fun as the kids!

YAY!!!

2011-08-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

What a weight off!!! It feels SO GOOD to have the family in on our amazing news. Mom squealed, Dad covered his ears, the in-laws were stoked, both brothers excited, all in all, a great day. Mom headed straight to the store and stocked up on a few baby goodies. We came home to a onesie, bib, baby blanket and toy hanging in the bedroom - ALL BLUE because Mom is sure it is a boy. Hmmm... maybe Grammy's intuition will prove to be true. I guess we'll soon find out.

The all-day sickness is fading but naps are becoming a more essential part of my day. Although I don't LOOK preggers yet, I do look like I've been eating a few too many Big Macs. Ewww... Not so much.

Had an amazing photoshoot with Lyndsay Hyatt-Almeida last Thursday - Can't wait to tell the world with one of her precious photographs!!! Life is amazingly SPLENDID!!!

It's almost time!!!

2011-08-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the big reveal. I CANNOT WAIT!! It's going to be exciting all over again when we can finally share the amazing news with our families. My sweet little daddy called last night just to tell me he was thinking about me and it was all I could do not to call him back and spill the beans :) But we made these cute little books to give them that is going to make it that much more special this weekend.

Last week I button-dazzled my motion sickness wristbands (see the photo above). I needed them to be disguised a bit because I cannot go without them. They are a crucial part of my wardrobe now. When I take them off for more than 30 minutes, I get REALLY nauseous. SO GLAD Mark found them for me!!

The latest symptom I've adopted is quite exciting (not really)... 3-4 times in the middle of the night I have to get up to pee. No joke. It's CRAZY!!! I don't even think I drink that much, so I'm not sure where it's coming from. AND my lower tummy is starting to poke out just a little. Not something anyone else would notice, but I do and it is SO STINKING EXCITING!!!

Midnight Craving

2011-08-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

I'd say my first craving hit home tonight! I've been feeling queasy this week, so food hasn't been sounding appealing. My diet has been consisting of string cheese, cereal, applesauce and smoothies. The blander, the better. I've been having a hard time sleeping as well. So I've was laying in bed for about an hour thinking about hotdogs. Yeah. So I got up at midnight and ate two with ketchup and mustard. They were delicious!!!

The First of the Firsts

2011-08-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hannah Baby's first gift (from Aunt Colby) and first outfit(s)!

Several months ago, after spending a weekend with Adele, helping to paint her soon-to-arrive baby's nursery, I saw these Gator onesies. Bought them and stashed them away for "one day." To break the news to Mark that I was pregnant, I gave him a box with these in it as well as the positive pregnancy tests (2). The look on his face was PRICELESS. At first he wasn't sure what was happening as these shirts were much too small for him... then realization kicked in. I will never forget the joy and elation on his face as he learned he was going to be a daddy. The prayer that followed was equally as precious as he asked God that our baby be a "game-changer" for His Kingdom. WOW. What an incredible husband he is and father he is going to be. Thus originated Hannah Baby's first outfit.

Next is Hannah Baby's first gift - from Aunt Colby! Before I knew I was expecting, I picked Colby up from the airport and we spent some time on the beach, catching up and planning our futures. One of our main topics of conversation was, yep, BABIES. We sat there for hours talking about timing, naps, things to avoid, etc., and little did I know, I was already several weeks into the journey. Knowing I couldn't make it through the next few weeks without a dose of medical advice and support, I called Colby. A few days later, a package arrived with a SWEET card and baby's first gift!!

My new best friends!

2011-08-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

Motion sickness wristbands and Lemonheads. Yep! I'm cookin' now!!

Ask and you shall receive

2011-08-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

I wanted more proof... and here it is! Yesterday morning I began experiencing the amazing thing that is morning (in my case, all day) sickness. My special case comes in the form of dizziness and nausea. I open my eyes in the morning and the room is spinning wildly in circles before my eyes. I close them, hoping to make it go away to no avail. Since I have to pee, I can't lay there and hope it'll pass. Instead, I stumble to the bathroom, holding onto whatever piece of furniture I can find along the way. Ha! It's a pretty funny scene to watch... could easily be mistaken for an extreme margarita hangover.

After a couple of hours, crackers, water and cheerios, the dizziness fades but the nausea won't. Mark and I tromp off to the mall in hopes of distraction - to find outfits for our upcoming photoshoot. Bad idea as it is back to school shopping, tax-free, nightmare day. 5 minutes after arriving, I have to find the bathroom, which, in this case, is located in the kids section. CRAZY!!! After three more trips to various bathrooms, chicken nuggets and soda to soothe my nausea, I ask to go home. Me, at the mall with a new outfit in sight, ask to go home. Yep. My all day sickness is definitely in full force.

As of right now, my wonderful hubby is at CVS looking for nausea bracelets (like you wear on a cruise), ginger candies and anything else that might help me function like a normal human being. We'll see... but the positive thing is, I no longer doubt my state of impregnation. It's REAL!!!

Symptoms Shmimptoms

2011-08-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

I'm grateful for the lack of symptoms... but wishing for more so I know this baby is real!!!

MAIN - Can't sleep past stinking 5 a.m. no matter how tired I am
Uber sore breastesses
Little bit of queasiness, no barfing or food aversions - YES
No cravings although this morning I ate spaghetti noodles with butter for breakfast... hmmm
Extreme need to eat as soon as I get up in the morning to keep stomach from attempting to eat itself
Tired, tired, tired
Thirsty all the time

... And so it began

2011-08-12T04:36:00.000-07:00

Can't wait to see those arms holding baby and this tummy expand!!

See this is how a baby is made... haha...just kidding. This coming weekend (August 13th to be exact), Mark and I will have been married for 6 YEARS! Wow. We've been praying about starting our family for quite some time now, and now is the time. We are absolutely THRILLED!! God has blessed our lives beyond what we could ever ask or imagine and the fact that He is now giving us the privilege of being a mommy & daddy, WOW. So awesome!!

I am about 7 weeks preggers now. We're waiting until the weekend of August 27th to tell our friends and family. I'll be close to 10 weeks at that point, so I feel a bit better about spilling the beans. Hopefully they don't find this blog in the meantime :)

Mom, I know you'll come back and read this, I'm sorry!!! I wanted to avoid any undue disappointment if that is something we have to face. Also, you won't have to keep a secret as we'll tell everyone at the same time. I LOVE YOU! I cannot WAIT to tell you. You and dad are going to be so excited... makes me so happy to think about!

Yesterday I had an orientation appointment at the Birthing Center of Gainesville. That place is AMAZING and definitely feels like home. We're praying for an easy, no-complications pregnancy and delivery so that we can bring our little munchkin into the world there.

Thus far, no awful morning sickness or wretching. I'm so grateful for this as I love food with quite a passion and can't imagine wanting to barf at the sight of it. Just not my style. I get a little queasy in the mornings and evenings, but that's about it thus far. I drink water like a camel and pee like a racehorse... can't WAIT for more signs and proof that this is really happening.

More to come, sorry for the rambles!!