*Slush Puppies - How I love thee*

10+ years ago, on a sad day in Georgia, we lost the only remaining gas station in our city that served Slush Puppies. Our last 7/11 was taken over by Circle K, and from that day on, we had to travel over an hour to treat ourselves to the sugary, frozen goodness of a Slush Puppie. Oh how I've missed my favorite slushy!! I've tried and tested every single slushy I could get my hands on since then, hoping to find a replacement, with no luck. Nothing even comes close.

Last Saturday after dinner I had the worst case of heartburn I've had in a while. We didn't have any Tums left, so I stopped by a gas station on the way home to pick up a few packs. I've been to this gas station plenty of times, but rarely ever went inside. In fact, if I said I'd been inside twice, that would probably be pushing it. So off I go, walking the aisles looking for Tums. I found my Tums, but something else caught my eye. I look up, and what do you know?!? My old friend, the Slush Puppie, is in front of my eyes!


Ahhh!!! How did I not know this placed served the best drink in the world!!! I seriously thought I would have a panic attack in the middle of the store from being overly excited. I grabbed the biggest cup I could find and overfilled it with my favorite flavor, cherry.

I am now in pregnancy heaven!! I really don't think any other food/drink could make me as happy as these silly little slush puppies! If you've never had one, please, for the sake of my sanity, GO FIND ONE IMMEDIATELY!! You will thank me for it I promise!!

29 Weeks... and the lull of "after Christmas"

So Christmas is officially over, and we're now in the sloooow week before New Years. Why does this week seem like the longest of the year? All the adrenaline and excitement of Christmas is over, and it's still too early to be excited for 2010. (At least for me it is)

Not much exciting news on the pregnancy front. She's still in there, doing her thing, kicking away and making my heart melt a little more each day. :) I love the way she plays little games with me. It's like she knows the difference in my voice when I'm talking to her compared to anyone else. She kicks on cue when I start talking to her!

**How far along? 29 Weeks... 11 to go!!

**Total weight gain/loss: Man this question stings... 25

**How big is baby?: She's around 2 1/2 lbs now. :)

*Maternity clothes? This question seems a bit ridiculous this late in the game.

**Stretch marks? Still just the lonesome dove.

**Sleep: Actually has continued to be God sent. I'm still loving life! (For now)

**Best moment this week: The loan documents are being set up for our mortgage! We'll be moved in soon!!

**Movement: The last few days she's become a wild child.

**Food cravings: I found a gas station that still serves Slush Puppies... you know, the BEST SLUSHY IN THE WORLD?!?! oh.my.gawd I'm going to gain another 25 lbs before this is over.

**Gender: Sweet baby girl!

**Labor Signs: Let's hope these stay away for a while!

**Belly Button in or out? Still hanging on for dear life.

**What I am looking forward to: Getting a slush puppie after work...hehe

**Weekly Wisdom: Cry all you want. Listen to mushy songs and cry your eyes out. I guess that's not really wisdom, since it doesn't come with a "great outcome" per se, but I've really been taking advantage of my (alone) crying time lately.

**Milestones: Next week we'll be 3/4 of the way to 40 weeks. Wow.

28 Weeks

Christmas is this week!! This time of the year always makes me emotional. It's a time to reflect on everything that has happened in the past year, both good and bad, and thank God for everything he has blessed us with. I know that's what Thanksgiving is for, but Christmas is my "thanksgiving". :) I love the emotions that you feel during this time of the year.

With that being said, the last thing I need right now is another reason to make me emotional. This week has been terrible in that I've cried more than I've smiled. I'm so truly happy right now, but I have seriously had emotional breakdowns over absolutely nothing. For example: We're ->this<- close to finishing our house. While Jack was tiling the master bathroom this past weekend, I went off to find two mirrors for above our vanity. I came home with two very plain, rectangular mirrors. (Don't get the wrong impression though, I really liked these mirrors!) Come to find out, our electrician just so happened to put a plug right were the mirror needed to be. Who puts a friggin outlet directly above the faucet?! I was so pissed that we couldn't use my mirrors! I started crying, and didn't stop until about 30 minutes later when Jack suggested we just go buy some oval mirrors. Problem solved. I'm still embarrassed to admit that my entire emotional breakdown was a result of that tiny little dilema, but it was. I've cried because our driveway is muddy, even though we had 2 inches of rain in one day. I cried on the way to pick up my dog from the groomer because I just knew she hated being there. I cried because I dropped my mixing spoon with spaghetti sauce on the floor, and had to get another spoon out of the drawer. I've literally cried over everything! I'm even going to admit that as I type this, I have tears in my eyes just thinking about all the crying I've done. Ugh...

Enough of that. Here's my weekly update:

**How far along? 28 Weeks! 12 to go!

**Total weight gain/loss: I'm skipping this question until next week. I'm praying the weight I've gained is due to some major water retention, so I'll update next time. :)

**How big is baby?: She should be just above the 2 lb. mark now!

*Maternity clothes? Oh yes...

**Stretch marks? Still just the lonesome dove.

**Sleep: Woohoo!! I feel like a new woman this week!

**Best moment this week: Feeling what I assume was her heel. :) I touched it, and she reared back and kicked the snot out of my hand. How cute?!

**Movement: She's been a little more laid back this week, although she's still very active in my opinion!

**Food cravings: Koolaid... cherry to be exact.

**Gender: Sweet baby girl!

**Labor Signs: Let's hope these stay away for a while!

**Belly Button in or out? You can see it through my shirt, although I wouldn't completely call it an "outie".

**What I am looking forward to: Christmas!

**Weekly Wisdom: Emotional breakdowns are yet another symptom of pregnancy... they have to be. (Don't tell me if they're not. K thanks.)

**Milestones: We have (hopefully) less than 3 months before Lily is here!

Welcome to 3rd tri!

We've made it! This is officially "the final stretch" of pregnancy! Compared to the first trimester, second tri flew by. I have an appointment this morning for my glucose test and check up, and I am dreading having to drink that stuff! Who knows, maybe I'll like it. (A girl can hope.)

Jack and I are doing something a little different during delivery. Some might find it a little "weird", considering you'll have someone you don't know watching you give birth, but I think it's beautiful. We've hired a wonderful photographer that will meet us at the hospital when I go into labor, stay during the entire labor and delivery, and capture those first moments of our baby's life. I think having those moments on film will be something so special to look back on later down the road. I would love for Lily to not only hear about her birth, but see the pictures of her first cry, the look on her daddy and my face when we first see her, etc. (Note: She doesn't photograph the actual "birth" part, so all of the pictures are very modest and PG rated.)

**How far along? 27 Weeks! 13 to go! (Literally 3 months)

**Total weight gain/loss: Another good week! Only 1 lb. :) Total = 21

**How big is baby?: Still huge. :) A little under 2 lbs.

*Maternity clothes? Oh yes...

**Stretch marks? Still just the lonesome dove.

**Sleep: Ehh - I guess I shouldn't complain since it's better than last week, but still not all that great.

**Best moment this week: Catching her rolling/flipping/kicking on my ipod. I've watched it about 3,123,596 times already. :)

**Movement: We have a very active little girl.

**Food cravings: I had the weirdest urge to eat a container of cream cheese, by itself. Don't worry - I didn't. ;)

**Gender: Sweet baby girl!

**Labor Signs: Let's hope these stay away for a while!

**Belly Button in or out? It's still holding on! I'm waiting on the perma-outie, it just hasn't quite fully happened yet.

**What I am looking forward to: Carpet and harwoods being installed in the house this week! Electricity will be turned on, closet systems installed, tile work finished. We're on a roll!

**Weekly Wisdom: Don't give in to everything you crave. Could you imagine what would have happened if I ate that entire container of cream cheese like I so desperately wanted?

**Milestones: Making it to 3rd tri!

26 Weeks

First off, I apologize for being extremely late this week. It's my final week in school (for this semester) and with exams and such, I've had a one track mind. This has really been a hard semester for me, but I'm determined to get the hell out of these classes and never look back, so I've been a study crazed pregnant lady lately. On with the pregnancy news: We hit our double digit countdown!! I am in total disbelief that our baby girl will be here in less than 100 days! It gets more real to me every day.

We went on our hospital tour last Satuday, which was interesting. We live in a decent cized city, with 5 or so hospitals, and we decided to go with the smallest of them all. What interested us in this particular hospital was the fact that because of it's size, the nurse to patient ratio was outstanding. (We confirmed this during our trip to L&D. They were so attentive, and checked in almost constantly) Only a few, and I mean maybe 1 or 2, babies are born there each day. Compared to 10+ at the other hospitals, I find it comforting to know that Lily's birthday will be even more of a special occasion to the staff. They are also very family oriented. It's a religious hospital, and their beliefs translate into their jobs. They truly try and take care of their patients like they were a member of their own family. Once you're in your post delivery room, you may have as many visitors as you'd like. That was important to me, especially since the other hospitals are only allowing two visitors during your stay. Jack and I have our entire immediate families within 20 minutes of the hospital, so of course we'd want more than 2 visitors.

**How far along? 26 Weeks! 14 to go!

**Total weight gain/loss: I'm excited to report- 0 this week!! Total is still 20.

**How big is baby?: Huge. Okay around 1 3/4 lb.

*Maternity clothes? Oh yes...

**Stretch marks? Still the same - just that one lonely mark on my boob.

**Sleep: Horrible. a disaster. pointless. I could go on, but I'm sure you get the point. I'm itchy, sore, can't breathe, and I have to pee constantly. Makes for a wonderful night of sleep. (Or should I say, lying in the bed wide awake all night?)

**Best moment this week: Everytime I hum, she starts kicking. I don't think she's too fond of my actual singing, but she likes the humming. It makes me melt every time. :)

**Movement: She still thinks she training for a heavyweight kickboxing match. I love it!

**Food cravings: blah - anything I see, I eat. So I guess my craving is food in general? Healthy, I know.

**Gender: Sweet baby girl!

**Labor Signs: Let's hope these stay away for a while!

**Belly Button in or out? Wow it is sooo close to being a permanent outie. I'd say about 3/4's of the day it's out.

**What I am looking forward to: Finishing the house! We only have 2 weeks or so!

**Weekly Wisdom: Take advantage of the time you're sharing with your baby right now. Talk to them, sing, even hum. It's amazing to see them react to your voice!

**Milestones: Less than 99 days left! Seriously?!

Not so "girly" bedding.

We've decided on Lily's nursery colors and bedding! We still don't have a house to decorate, but it all looks good on paper, right? This is the set we've chosen for her crib:



Notice: No pink. :) We've already gotten some mixed reviews as far as likes/dislikes, but all that matters is we absolutely love it, and that's what we're going with.

We decided to put chair rail in her room to spice it up a little, so above the rail is painted the same green that's in the bedding, while below the rail is a solid pure white. (Yes - I realize that it's going to get dirty... it's okay)

Her crib is just a bit darker than the one pictured, and not so "majestic" looking. We also ordered our glider, which came in last Saturday! Unfortunately, we have absolutely nowhere to store it, so it's still boxed up somewhere in a cold warehouse. Poor chair. :P

25 Weeks!

After a little scare in L&D, I'm glad to report Lily is staying put for the remainder of this journey. (At least that's what her and I have discussed);)

25 Weeks... I'm shocked at how fast everything is happening! This Saturday we will only have 99 days until our EDD. 99 days. As in, a little over 3 months. Really? Where did time go? I honestly don't remember anything other than pregnancy milestones since June. The rest of the months seem to have disappeared!

**How far along? 25 Weeks! 15 to go!

**Total weight gain/loss: Alright fine I'll tell you... 20.

**How big is baby?: As big as my stomach is getting, I'm pretty sure she's a giant.

*Maternity clothes? Oh yes...

**Stretch marks? Still none on my stomach, butt, thighs, or back. That's good news right?

**Sleep: Sucks. I've been dead tired this week, and I fall asleep fine. It's just around 2 when I get a random burst of energy that lasts until around 5. (I get up at 6)

**Best moment this week: Knowing my baby girl is okay.

**Movement: My goodness, my little kick boxer. She hates anything to touch to stomach (or loves, I can't figure out which one). If the dog, my phone, the remote, whatever is on my stomach, she tries to kick it off.

**Food cravings: Nothing really this week. Still loving the mexican though. ::gasps::

**Gender: Sweet baby girl!

**Labor Signs: Let's hope these stay away for a while!

**Belly Button in or out? Still half-way. It's playing peek-a-boo, but it only comes out in the afternoons.

**What I am looking forward to: This Saturday, when we'll have less than 100 days until Liliana is here! ::faints::

**Weekly Wisdom: If you are in the least bit worried about something you're feeling, don't hesitate to go to the hospital! You never know, and I promise you that just knowing everything is okay makes up for any stupidity you might feel for the unnecessary trip.

**Milestones: She's recognizing the slightest touch on my stomach now. It's so cute!

Excuse the hair - it was 10:00 at night.

A trip to L&D... already?!

Yesterday morning I awoke to the weirdest pressure in my lower stomach. I assumed baby girl was sitting low and went about my normal morning routine. I took a shower, got ready, went to work, all the while feeling this immense pressure. Then I started cramping. It wasn't "exactly" like a period cramp, but that's the best way I can describe it. I felt it in my back and stomach, and along with the pressure I started getting a little worried. So I called the doctor. All the while I'm thinking to myself, "It's probably just poop cramps, or maybe she's just sitting weird". As soon as I described to the nurse what I was feeling, she puts me on hold to talk to the doctor, then returns in a panic. She's telling me to go straight to Labor & Delivery, that this was NOT normal for 25 weeks, etc. So I freaked out. I called my mom & Jack hysterically crying, thinking I did something to cause this, or that baby girl was in some sort of danger. It's too early for contractions!

I get to the hospital (Jack met me there, thank God) and get checked in immediately. The nurse hooked me up to all sorts of monitors, took a urine sample, the whole 9 yards. I also got the wonderful experience of my first internal exam. Holy.sh*t.

Long story short, I wasn't dialated, my cervix was perfect, etc. She told me to get rid of some of my stress, and keep an eye on how I'm feeling. (Like I could not notice that feeling again?! )

Thank you God that it was all a scare. I'd rather be trucking it to L&D over nothing, than God forbid something happening and me not going.