Favorites- Anniversary Edition

Happy Friday and Happy Anniversary to this couple! Today is our 4th wedding anniversary. What better way to start out our day than sharing my most favorite moments with my guy.

Buying our home- 

We may have been only dating for 9 months when we bought our home. I guess you could say we just knew. 

Celebrating the day we met at the same apple orchard every year since we met. 

Disney World- 

We were dating about 6 months so going away with one another was pretty interesting. As I have an awful fear of flying it was on this trip when Brian really got to see my fear and anxiety. He handled it like a champ and I was finally able to let my walls down. Plus, its the happiest place on earth. Why wouldn't it be perfect. 

Our multiple trips to North Carolina- On our first trip I swore he would propose, he didn't but I certainly made sure I looked perfect for pictures just in case.

Engagement Day- 

Brian proposed to me where we first met under the tree where he said was the first moment he just knew a few years earlier. 

Our Second Date- 

We stayed up all night. We went to a haunted house, had dinner, sat in a park for hours just taking and  when the sun rose we went to a cafe for coffee. 

When I become his wife. 

Honeymooning in Bermuda- 

Getting to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine to swim with the dolphins. 

When the 2 of us became the 3 of us. 

When we found out the 3 us us would become the 4 of us! 

Happy Anniversary Brian! 

A Little Bit of Positive

About a year ago I was going through a tough time with stress and I created a post filled with positive quotes. I got a lot of great responses. Although I don't have the same stress as last year I had a terrible sonogram appointment yesterday. Thankfully the baby is absolutely fine but the tech who did the sonogram was rude and the doctor was pushy and tried to change my opinion on testing and doing an amnio. I also found out I was sent to this doctor to find downs and CF when I was told it was due to me turning 36 last month. On a day I should have been happy I was really upset and cried most of the day. I guess I could really use some positivity today.

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So have a little positivity to start the day...

17 Weeks!

On the cusp of 18 weeks. 

So much worse with taking pictures this time around. 

How far along: 17 Weeks

Total weight gain: Nothing yet. 

Baby Size: She is about 11 inches long, which is just about one inch shorter than your average 12-inch ruler and most likely crossed the one-pound mark in weight.

Movement: I feel very faint butterflies. Can't wait to feel lots of movement. 

Sleep: Through out my back which makes sleeping impossible. It actually makes most of everything difficult. 

Cravings/Aversions: It's weird. I have no appetite at all! Nothing seems tasty to me. I really am only eating to sustain. I seem to crave things but I usually have a few bites and thats about all I'm interested in. I have been craving juices, iced teas and anything iced cold. Passion fruit shaken tea from Starbucks has been a new favorite. 

Symptoms: Pelvis pain- I initially thought it was round ligament pain but the pain in my pelvis stops me in my tracks! I have to get up really slowly in order to feel less pain. Dry eyes- My eyes are so itchy. I need to get myself some eye drops. Heartburn- I'be already got my large Tums bottle ready for myself. 

Exercise: I've been walking as much as I can. I have also become obsessed with prenatal yoga. I feel like it's really helping. 

Mood: My mood is up and down a lot. My husband and I got in a fight and I didn't speak to him for 4 days. Thankfully everything is ok with us now. On Saturday I had a little meltdown at the meltdown at the mall with my mom because Jack was basically just being a toddler. My back pain has also made it hard for me to be positive. Lots of tears have been shed. 

Miss Anything: Beer. I've really been craving beer lately. I think because it's warm, we have been out on our deck and cooking on our grill. It all goes hand and hand with a nice cold beer. 

Confessions

I CONFESS: 

- I've become obsessed with shaken tea from Starbucks. I should be embarrassed because whenever I pull into the Starbucks drive thru Jack yells "Coffee with Milk!!!" He gets so disappointed when I don't say it. I think we visit way to often!

- My hormones are OUT.OF.CONTROL lately! Holy cow! I'm all over the place! If I hear "Piece By Piece" on the radio I'm sure to be ballin my eyes out! I had a pretty epic fight with my husband last week. I was being such a jerk I didn't talk to him for 4 days!!! I am trying to be more mindful of it but I'm a work in progress!!!

- I'm obsessed with this article! I read it this week and I swear this writer could have been me. I read it several times in shock that some one feels the same way I do. Anxiety is no joke. Anxiety as a parent is just plain old scary.

- Shopping for bathing suits when pregnant and knowing you're only going to get larger kinda sucks! After several trips to the store i have just decided on one.  I don't even care if it makes me look like a whale. So many are cut so low and my up top twins are in no place to be hanging out all over the place.

- I confess I couldn't put my shoes on this morning but refused to wear anything else. Thanks to throwing out my back it took me 10 minutes to put on my shoes. From now on I'm settling for flip flops! I don't care what the people at work think either!

Linking up with Confessions of a Northern Belle. 

2nd Trimester- Thank Goodness You are Finally Here

Technically I'm already at 18 weeks but I'm way behind this pregnancy and this is the only pregnant picture I've taken of myself. 

Weight: Since I am feeling so miserable most of January and all of February I have lost 11 pounds. I was never this sick with Jack. Food just seems gross to me. It's been a tough 1st trimester.

Sleep: I am out cold by 10 every night! I just wish I could stay asleep. I'm usually up to pee and can't fall asleep. Netflix at 3am is my mid morning appointment most days.

Cravings/Aversions:  Coffee, I suddenly can’t drink it. The thought of it, or any hot beverage makes me heave. Anything hot, meat, dairy or soft makes me gag. The only thing that seems ok are cold things, crunchy things, bagels and water with lemon. I have craved things, cooked them and ended up eating 2 bites. I can't wait for this time period to end.

Symptoms: I had missed my period and pushed it off for a few days. After my miscarriage in November I was kind of afraid of a positive. I was so nervous it would happen all over again. EXHAUSTION- was my first symptom. It feels like I'm ready to pass out every night by 8pm and waking up for work has been a total chore. BOOB PROBLEMS- OUCH! First off they get so big so fast then immediately start to hurt. At 8 weeks, just like with Jack, I started to bleed. After a check up and a second ultra sound it was confirmed that Baby G was doing just fine. No real reason for it. It just happened, both times. QUEASY- I am always queasy!!!!

Exercise: I've been sooooo tired the thought of exercising has been the furthest from my head. I have taken as many walks as I can with Jack. I got a fit bit for my birthday last week and it has been an awesome addition. I love it. I think it is going to help me a lot through this pregnancy. 

Mood: Since I'm feeling so sick most the time and tired all the time it has made me a little bit of a whiny brat. I'm feeling really stressed since this will be my 5th pregnancy :/ I look at the toilet paper every time I pee thinking that something has gone wrong. I'm a mess.

Random: Being a Mom to a toddler is exhausting but being a pregnant with a toddler is all out insanity! I feel guilty that I haven't had much energy to much with Jack. We have skipped a few story time days and laid around in our pajamas. I'm trying to sock away the cash. This time around I won't have enough benefit time to cover 3 full months of FMLA cause our country sucks! I'll have to collect disability for a few weeks which only equals $170 a week. We will be so poor by the time next Christmas comes.

Jack- Is doing really well. Its so interesting how easy how he picks up on things. When I ask what is in mommy's belly he points and says baby or "brodda"! We bought him a bunch of big boy stuff to create his big boy room (He will have to share with new sister or brother for now) We also bought him a baby doll and he is doing so great with her. He puts her hat on and makes sure her pacifier is in her mouth. 

Wardrobe Cleanse

There is no denying I have a shopping addiction which leads to very crowded quarters in our walk in closet and limited space in my dresser drawers. Last week I just felt the urge to purge! I felt like I was drowning in stuff; unwanted and unneeded stuff! One afternoon after work I felt compelled to get into my closet and get rid of things! A few hours later and 6 huge garbage bags later I felt so relieved! It wasn't as fun as the notorious Sex and City wardrobe cleanse but still it felt amazing!

Photo- HBO

Here are my rules for a solid closet clean up!

- Do I love this?

- Does it fit?

- Do I feel confident in it? 

- Will I wear it again? 

- Have I worn this in the last year? 

Once I got down to it it was pretty easy! I notice the faster I move the less time I have for regret. Any item I doubt I pull off the hanger and its moved to the SELL or DONATE piles. The item doesn't get put back. I tend to by a lot of similar clothes so it was easy to get rid of those.  I also have a ton of pre pregnancy clothes that no longer fit. I've held onto them for too long. My body has changed so much since pregnancy. They do not fit so I let those go too. If I get back to my pre pregnancy wait I think I deserve some new jeans! 

I didn't just toss clothes I tossed old fashion jewelry and shoes too. The jewelry was a little harder to donate because a lot of it was given as gifts. I have a harder time getting rid of gifts than items I purchased myself.  I never realized how many pairs of shoes I have as opposed to how many I actually wear. I have a rotation of 2 boots, 1 black, 1 brown but I had 5 pairs of brown booths and 3 black. I tossed all but 2 pairs of boots. I did the same with sandals too.

I can't believe how refreshing it is to clear things out! It got me on a roll and inspired. I went to the baby's room and did a better job of organizing his items better. M'y husband was inspire too. We had a leak in our closet last year and it is in need of repairs. Since the closet looks so clear he already started patching.

How do you decide what to keep and what to purge?
Do you have a set schedule or do you just get the feeling to do it? 

Babymoon is Booked

After lots of back and forth we have decided to treat ourselves to a babymoon before we become a family of 4. We couldn't decide if we wanted to because I felt so guilty that we should be spending time with Jack instead. Honestly, Brian and I have only had 3 dates since Jack was born. That is 3 in almost 3 years. We promised each other it would be worth it and we deserved it. We also promised each other we would be sure to spend extra loving and fun times with Jack before baby #2 arrives in September. We are planning season passes to the local waterpark as well as trips the the railway museum, local lakes and letting him tell us what he would like to do before baby comes! Before Jack was born we spent a week at the beach in North Carolina. This time around it is very different but its a time for us to reconnect. We spend all of our time focussing on Jack and often ignore one another. 

So we have decided on a 2 night, 3 day stay at Crystal Spring Resorts. The resort is right in our backyard. There is golf for Brian, a spa for me and indoor/outdoor pools for the both of us.   We booked during a special so we were able to reserve a room with full size balcony with a beautiful view of the mountains. In addition to all these great things I can't wait to eat there. 

Biosphere indoor pool 

I can not wait to visit The Chef's Garden where they serve all local grown foods and local meats. 

Dinner at The Cellar sounds amazing but sitting in a wine cellar 6 months pregnant is like a tease! 

All photos courtesy of Crystal Springs Resorts

Have you been on a babymoon? 

If so where have you gone? 

Did you find you were able to reconnect with your spouse? 

You can check out our 1st baby moon posts below:
Road Trip Must Haves
Vacation Recap

We are EGG-specting!

Our little family was so happy to announce that we are so EGG-Specting baby #2.

Here are the details on Baby G2 and how we found out. Baby Gargano due to hatch September 23! We are rather surprised but grateful non the less. Back in January I wasn't feeling so hot but I usually feel crappy before my monthly visitor.  While shopping at Target I realized I was late. I'm never, ever late. I ran across the store to get myself a test. When we got home later on I took the test and and behold I saw a big old "pregnant" on the digital test. My husband and I both laughed.  I think we were both in shock. I think we still are. I waited several weeks to call our doctor as I was worried I might loss this pregnancy like I did back in November.  Miscarriages really have a way of stealing your joy. Jack has been awesome. We bought him a baby doll and we have been telling him there is a baby in mommy's belly. Jack now thinks there is a "brudda" in everyone's belly. I sure hope he doesn't offend the wrong women. He is also asking for a "brudda" who is a girl. We are working on that.

We are going strong at 15+ weeks. Im feeling OK. I'm happy to be out of the 1st trimester. It was rough. I even took a couple of days off work because I just couldn't keep anything down. I lost a lot of weight but baby is doing really good. I have an issue doctors call it a subchorionic hematoma where I have a small blood "pocket" near the baby so I often bleed. It's frightening when you start to bleed. It has happened 3 times and each time I had to go in for a sonogram to ensure baby was fine. Baby is doing well and my doctors told us to not worry as these often clear up on their own. So we will wait patiently for a few more weeks. Cross your fingers for us and think happy thoughts.