Another Month Down!

August has come and gone.  I can’t believe how fast this pregnancy is going by!!  Sorry I have been MIA.  We were without cable/internet/phone for about three weeks after we moved.

Let me bring this blog up to speed…

My parents graciously came in town to help us move into our new apartment.  We had so much fun with them here in our midst.  We worked hard during the day, but rewarded ourselves at night with fun dinners out on the town.  We visited some of our favorite spots:  Dolce Vita, El Tiempo, and last but not least Eddie V’s.  While the boys loaded and unloaded all of our boxes and gear, Mom and I “nested” our little hearts out.  That’s one thing Houston definitely has to offer – shopping.  If there is a store that you’ve heard of, chances are we have one.  The boys went above and beyond their call of duty and spent a day about town with us.  We went and took care of all of the “majors” on our list, which required trips to Ikea, Babies R Us, and Pottery Barn (just to name a few).  They were such troupers and never once complained!

Mom and Dad, along with a huge group of my friends and family, were back in just two short weeks to join us for our baby shower.  It surpassed all of my expectations and was better than I could ever have imagined.  My friends went above and beyond, as usual, and gave Phillip and I a night we will always hold dear.  Here are a few pictures from the party!

We had a lot of fun!  Thanks again to all of my sweet friends and family for going out of your way to be here!  And thanks, Douglas, for being our photographer!!

All of the protein from the smoothies helped me put on the pounds I needed (and then some) :-).  A couple of weeks ago, Phillip and I went to the hospital for the last glimpse of our little boy before he makes his entrance into the world.  My doctor ordered an ultrasound to estimate his weight, because at one of my most recent visits, he “measured small” for his age.  They assured me that it was most likely due to the fact that he was curled up into a ball, but wanted me to get an ultrasound for safe measure. 

Usually ultrasounds go on without a glitch, but that wasn’t the case for us that morning (nothing life-threatening, but I’ll explain).  Once you get to a certain point in your pregnancy, you are supposed to avoid laying flat on your back.  The fear is that the weight of your baby will press on the vessel that provides his/her blood flow, causing your blood pressure to drop and you to get lightheaded, dizzy, and/or nauseous.  It’s called inferior vena cava syndrome (or IVCS).  It’s nothing too serious, and the only thing you need to do to reverse it is change your position. 

I think it was the combination of 1)me lying on my back, 2)the ultrasound tech pressing on me with that little wand of hers, and 3)little man being in just the right position…all that to say it happened to me – IVCS.  Before I knew it, I felt my blood pressure dropping, my face flushing, sweat forming on my forehead, and a not-so-enjoyable nausea rising up in my belly.  Being the nurse that I am, I immediately recognized what was happening and told the tech I needed to sit up and was going to be sick.  Sweet Phillip got me a cool washcloth and asked if he could take off my socks (the attractive blue ones they give you with the sticky stuff on both sides so that you don’t slip) because he saw how hot I was getting :-).  After a few minutes of fanning myself and cooling off, I was feeling much better.  But needless to say, for the duration of the ultrasound, I wasn’t 100%...and she kept pushing on my belly with that wand haha.  After she had what she needed, she stopped poking and prodding and left us so she could go do her evaluations.  She came back to inform us that his estimated weight was 5 lb 7 oz (which puts him in the 58% at 34 weeks).  She told us that he was going to be, “a super star,” according to her calculations.  We got a good report on all else:  his heart, spine, fingers, and toes are all formed correctly PTL!! 

I went to the doctor for my first “weekly” visit today.  She went over the ultrasound report with me in detail, and for that I was very thankful.  I had psyched myself out thinking he was going to end up being a big ole’ baby (like his daddy was), but she reassured me that, because he was in the 58%, he would most likely be average-sized (which she was very happy about).  According to her calculations, he is right on track!  He’ll be here (if he is on time) in three weeks or less!!

No longer is my insomnia due to the fact that we are ill prepared (now I think I can blame it on both pure excitement and frequent bathroom breaks haha).  When mom was in town for the baby shower she stayed in town a few extra days to help me get everything ready.  We went to all of the different baby shops around town and successfully fulfilled all of our “needs.”  I slept better than ever the night she left because I could honestly say for the first time, “We’re ready!”  We have clothes, blankets, diapers, wipes, and baby gadgets galore, so whenever he decides to make his entrance into the world, we’re all set!

Now all we have to do is wait.  I went to Target yesterday and loaded up on the things I needed for my hospital bag.  I’m starting to get packed.  I got things like inexpensive non-white towels and pillowcases, lounge pants (two sizes too big), and some comfy nightgowns.  I guess it’s about that time!  Here's my latest prego pic!

37 weeks and 3 days :-)

We are still experiencing record-breaking days of heat here in Houston.  I looked on my iPhone today and saw that it was going to be 70 degrees in Monroe.  My dad confirmed the prediction and said that it is going to be in the mid-60s later this week!  I’m so jealous, but I know our time will come.  I can’t wait to walk out onto our porch one morning and feel that first cool breeze!!  There’s nothing like a change of seasons…especially when summer turns into fall.

Well, I think that’s it for now.  Our LSU tigers kick off the season this weekend in Dallas!  Phillip and I had tickets, but have to stay home…doctor’s orders.  O well.  We’re inviting a few friends over and going to have front row tickets in the comfort of our own home.  I’m trying my best to make that sound as good as our 50 yard line company tickets in the midst of tiger fans cheering on our team :-)…maybe next year when Little One is old enough.  He’s worth it :-).

I go back next week for another check up.  Hopefully I’ll have some progress to report!

Please keep my sweet Bea Bea in your prayers.  She has her good days and bad, but as you can see...her age is not keeping her from learning new things!  Her latest wish (thanks to my mom and D'Daddy) is an iPad so she can listen to John Piper's sermons.  This photo makes me smile.  I love you Bea Bea and D'Daddy!!

Have a great weekend and GEAUX TIGERS!!!!

O and HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!

A Quick Protein Boost

Hey guys!

I went to the doctor last week for my 30-week check up.  I did what I always do when they say, “Step on the scale please,” I took off my shoes – who wouldn’t?!  Next, they checked for a heartbeat (his), and praise the Lord it was there…beating in the 140s (perfectly normal), checked my blood pressure, and told me the doctor would be in soon. 

She came in with a smile, asked me how I was doing, and then informed me that I hadn’t gained any weight since my last visit.  How on earth this is possible with what I’ve been eating, I have not a clue.  The good news is that he is still growing.  She measured my stomach and he measured 29 cm.  From what I understand, as long as he is +1 or -1 away from your “weeks” then he is right on track, and you have nothing to worry about. 

We spent a few minutes talking about my routine and eating habits.  I asked her if I need to back off of the working out, and she told me to keep doing as I’m doing, but I need to make up for the calories I burn.  (Seeing as how I’m a housewife with no kids for a short time, I have quite a bit of time on my hands, so that time allows me to go to a class a few times a week and walk almost daily).

Anyway, after talking about my diet, her only suggestion was that I increase my protein intake.  So…here is one way that I have been doing just that.  As I’ve mentioned before, Greek yogurt is a GREAT source of protein.  One cup of this stuff has 23 grams (45% of your daily need!).  It has been my go-to solution to the “get more protein” order from my OB.

I love starting my day off right with this smoothie.  It is chock full of vitamins and minerals from the fruit, full of protein, and very low on both sugar and fat.  Keep in mind this is more of a "method" than a "recipe."  You can change it/mix it up any way you want depending on what’s in your house and what you’re in the mood for.   

Here’s how I do it:

Start by throwing about a cup of rinsed strawberries (leaves* and all) into a blender.

*I know it seems weird, but the leaves pack a ton of nutritional and health benefits that people tend to miss out on.

 Add in 1/2 - 3/4 cup of rinsed blueberries, depending on your mood.

 Toss in 1/2 of a banana.

 Then go to the fridge and pull out that amazing Greek Yogurt.

 Take a look at the nutrition label, give yourself a pat on the back, and then add in 1/2 - 1 cup into the blender.

 Pour in about 1/4 cup of OJ.  

You can add more later if it needs a little loosening up.

 Then squeeze in about 1/2 teaspoon of honey for a little added sweetness.

This is totally optional, but it makes me feel special :-)

You could also go really crazy here and add in about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract...yum.

 Put the top on.

 And give it a whirl.

*Note:  I do not add ice.  Maybe I'm weird, but I like the consistency better without it.  I also feel like it's more flavorful without the ice.  By all means, go for it if you prefer a little bit of a different texture in your smoothies!

 Pour it into your favorite glass.

And enjoy!!

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The parentals are due in tomorrow night.  We're gonna start their trip off right with a visit to our favorite Mexican restaurant in town (El Tiempo), then we'll get busy Friday morning with the move.  I go back the the doctor Monday morning to see if I successfully packed on a few pounds.  I'll be back soon with an update.  

Hope y'all are having a great week!  

Thanks for checking in!

Summer 2011 and My Prego Brain

Hey guys!  I’m back!  It’s been a long time coming, but I think I’m ready to re-commit to this blog :-).  There’s so much that has been going on over the past few months, I don’t even know where to begin. 

I’ll start with the most exciting thing – our baby boy is due in less than 10 short weeks!  I don’t know where the time has gone or what I’ve been doing, but reality is quickly approaching! 

This is our first visit to the doctor's office to find out if we were "for sure" pregnant - happy memory :-)

Phillip and I have been doing a TON of traveling this summer.  We’ve pretty much been at it since the first week of May.  Don’t get me wrong, both of us L-O-V-E to travel, but being away from home makes you appreciate those quiet weekends with “nothing to do.”  I’m sure that once Baby Gayle gets here, those will be few and far between, so even more reason to soak in the last few weeks of summer. 

I’ll do my best (with the help of iCal) to list all the places we/he/I have marked on the map this summer as to not forget how fortunate we really are:

Home (Monroe, LA) on multiple occasions.  I said goodbye to the working world the first week of May.  Did I mention that?  I am so grateful and feel so blessed to be able to (at least for now) be home. It’s something Phillip and I have been praying about for a long time.  My mom was a stay-at-home-mom, and it has been something I’ve always wanted for myself.  I am so thankful that I have been given the opportunity and will be on my knees daily praying that I might use it to the best of my ability!

Since I haven’t had to work every other weekend I haven’t had to “miss out” (which is my least favorite thing :-).  We got to go to Monroe for friends’ weddings and engagement parties and “catch up” visits…all of which have been refreshing. 

Here are a few pictures from our weekends at home:

(Simultaneously/Separately)  Belize/Santa Rosa Beach, FL:  Phillip, along with my brothers, Barron and Ben, and my Dad, went on a weeklong, adventure-filled sailing trip down and around the coast of Belize.  I’d be lying if I told you I understood where exactly they were haha.  From what I gather, they had the most wonderful time and experienced a trip of a lifetime.  My sweet hubby spent his 26^th birthday out at sea and loved every minute of it.  He would do better at explaining, but I’ll do my best…they got to spend a couple of days salt water fly fishing at Turneffe Flats.  Phillip has a love for fishing (especially fly fishing), so this was the highlight of his trip.  Supposedly Turneffe Flats is world-renowned and was nothing short of amazing. 

I’m doing him a favor and stealing some of his pictures for the records :-):

Doesn't look like they had any fun, huh? haha

Santa Rosa Beach, FL:  While he and the rest of our men were sailing the great blue waters, Mom and I made our way south to one of our favorite places on earth – the beach.  We stayed at the lovely Water Color Inn and had nothing short of a marvelous time.  When the two of us are together, we could have fun shoveling dirt, but staying at a fabulous little inn on the beach in a fairytale town adds to the fun.  We shopped, we ate, we solved all of life’s problems over coffee-time, and we had the time of our lives.  It was a bit cold, so the conditions on the beach made laying out less-than ideal.  Nonetheless, we had a wonderful time.  

One of our favorite things that week was Pizitz Home Cottage.  No lie, we were there every day, and by the time we left, the store employees knew our names/ages/likes-dislikes and were sad to see us go (or so we like to think) :-).  Another one of our favorites was Alys Beach’s George’s.  Their website says, “It’s where the foodies go,” and they couldn’t be more right.  We went twice and would have gone back again had time allowed.  Their H20 Melon Salad rocked our worlds, their crab cakes melted in our mouths, and we could have drank their house vinaigrette out of a straw :-).  The food was so fresh and the atmosphere was, in our humble opinion, utter perfection.  Another spot we fell in love with was the Caliza Restaurant at Alys Beach.  Have you ever seen Alys Beach?  I really think we would have moved into someone’s screened-in porch with nothing but a toothbrush if they would have let us.  Those home are ridiculous and “such fun to look at” as Mom likes to say.  I almost forgot about the beignets at The Great Southern Café in Seaside!  They were out-of-this-world-good.  And we southerners are picky when it comes to our fried dough topped with powdered sugar.  We ordered one plateful, inhaled them, and then Mom proceeded to add to our booty cushion and order ANOTHER!  When in Rome, I guess :-).  They were totally worth it haha.  I’m beginning to realize that all we L-O-V-E-D had something to do with food…o well.  Life’s too short, right?

The only thing I regret is that we didn’t take many pictures at all!  I’ll post the ones I have from my iPhone.  But first I want to say thanks, Pops, for allowing us to enjoy such fabulous experiences!!  I’ll never forget that you’re always in the background, even if not present :-)  Love you!!!

Here is our sad excuse for pictures:

Dallas, TX:  Lauren’s Bachelorette Party!  One of my favorite people in the world got married this June, so we headed over to Dallas to celebrate.  Stephanie (college roommate) opened the doors to her home for all (12) of us with a great demonstration of southern hospitality.  We laughed our butts off and had a blast celebrating the conclusion of Lauren’s bachelorette days and beginning of a new phase of life.  I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say that we went TOTALLY out of our comfort zones and took a “class” that we will never forget.  I’ll post a picture and video that will do the talking.  Thanks, Steph, for having us!!!

Here you go:

Baton Rouge, LA/Shreveport, LA:  Weddings!!  Our friend’s Mary Michael and Bo tied the knot in BR, and then Lauren and Douglas did the same in Shreveport.  Both weddings were so wonderful and we were honored to be a part of them.  I am picture-less!

Lake Martin:  The 4^th of July with the Beattys!  Our long-lost family invited us to join them at their lake house for the 4^th.  It’s turning into a tradition (4 years running) that we’re quite fond of.  We had a great time catching up with everyone.  We did a lot of nothing (which was exactly what was on the agenda) and enjoyed every minute of it.  Once again, we were terrible with the camera.  We all went to eat at my favorite restaurant in Birmingham (that I’ve mentioned on here quite a few times – HERE), Bottega Café.  It was so much fun getting to see everyone!  After that, we made our way to the lake house and spent the rest of our trip soaking up the sun (and rain and lightning and thunder and power outages :-)) all the while picking the brains of parents we hold in high esteem and asking them things like, “How do we not screw up?” and, “If you could give us one piece of advice, what would it be?”  We’re lucky they like us SMILE.  Thanks, Beattys!!  As always, we are forever indebted to you guys for your kindness and generosity toward us!!

The (almost nonexistent) pictures:

Cabo, Mexico/Monroe, LA:  Phillip went to Cabo with his boss, Steve, and a few other men.  So glad to have him home safe!  While he was warding away the danger, drinking cold beer, and playing golf while overlooking the Pacific Ocean, I got to go spend a few days with my parents in Monroe.  We had a great time.  Mom and I made headway on the baby’s room and began solving the fabric crisis (more on that later).  Ben and Elaine came over from Shreveport for dinner.  We had a blast laughing and telling stories.  Dad was healing from his injury…let’s just say that he plays tennis like a 20 year old, but sometimes things like tight hamstrings get in the way.  So happy to report that he’s doing much better, and his leg no longer looks like this…

Lake Charles, LA:  Katherine and Jimmy’s shower/night at “The Camp” with the boys and girls.  So much fun!  The house (excuse me – camp) was B-E-A-utiful and had all of us oohing and aahing over every square inch.  So happy for both of them and so glad we got to be there!  Thanks for having us!!

Last but not least, back to Baton Rouge, LA:  Emily and Wesley’s shower.  So fun!  We got to “host” the party.  Let me just say, if hosting a party was always as easy as that, we’d host ‘em all!  We didn’t have to lift a finger other than writing a check.  Trey (Emily’s cousin) did it all.  It was a cochon du lait, and yes, the roasted pig was fabulous SMILE.  While in BR, Phillip, Ben, Elaine, Barron, Madison, Annie, Grayson, Lise, and I all shared a fabulous dinner around a table at Juban’s to celebrate Grayson’s, excuse me, Dr. Terral’s, birthday :-).  Somehow we got the “wine room” (which I’m sure they were thankful for after they heard how loud we were) and we won’t eat there again without requesting that particular room.  Thanks to Elaine, I have pictures from the weekend.

Here they are:

Whew!  Are you tired yet?!  I am!  Like I said earlier, we have had a blast traveling, but are super excited to be spending the next couple of weekends at home!  My friend Stephanie (the super hospitable one who lives in Dallas) is coming to visit this weekend and we are so looking forward to having her!

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Now I’ll spend a few minutes documenting what my 30+ weeks prego brain is thinking…

“Nesting” has kicked in full gear.  Only one problem – we still live in our one-bedroom apartment, so there’s no room to “nest.” :-)  Not to worry, though.  Mom and Dad are coming in town next week to “have a fun weekend in Houston with us” and (translation) help us move into our two-bedroom apartment two doors down in the same apartment complex haha.  We really love where we are.  You can’t beat the convenience of our complex or the apartment itself.  We love this place so much, and if you’re keeping track, you’ll realize this is not the second, but the THIRD apartment we are going to be residing in under the same roof.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Mom and Pops are bringing with them the baby bed and chair – both of which are the result of their very generous donations.  Mom and I found the crib at this place called Ladies in Waiting in Shreveport, LA.  We both fell in love with it immediately and loved it even more after we saw the price tag.  I stood with my arm over the rail while Mom went and flailed down a sales lady and got our name put on a bright pink HOLD tag haha.  The chair might be what I’m most excited about.  We used our “connections” (aka Dad’s business) to make the price tag go from unreachable to affordable in one phone call.  It’s going to be slip covered in something that looks just like my favorite oatmeal-linen, but is easy to clean like cotton…because it is cotton.  Supposedly they are shipping out and are due in this week!  I say they because Mom liked the chairs so much she ordered two for herself haha.  Great minds think alike.

Now all we need is:

A mattress for the crib.  It didn’t come with one – who knew? 

A changing table.  I’m thinking Ikea.

Bedding.  Don’t get me started.  I’ll save that for another post. 

Clothes.  Unless I want him in nothing but a diaper, we’ll need a few haha.

Everything else.

Not to worry, though!  My wonderful friends are throwing me a baby shower in just 4 short weeks!  I’m so lucky to have them and am so thankful they are all such “doers,” because without them I would be lost :-).

All that aside, I know that, in reality, none of the “stuff” really matters.  What matters most is that God is going to be blessing our lives with the most special gift of all – a son.  He has chosen us to be his worldly parents, and for that we are forever grateful.  He is counting on us to raise him to know God and teach him to better His Kingdom – no pressure!!  Phillip and I keep saying that we’re so glad he’s not coming out as a 15 year old :-).  God knew what He was doing when he gave us time to prepare haha.

It’s a BOY!  (Pretty undoubtedly so, don’t you think?!) :-)

If you’re still reading, I’m impressed :-).  It’s been a long time coming, but it feels good to catch up.  Don’t worry, they won’t all be like this from now on.  So far it’s been a summer full of great experiences.  Pregnancy has been more than I ever dreamed it could be (in a good way).  I have been blessed with good health, a strong support system during times of “prego moods” haha, and tons of much-needed energy for all of our journeys.  I hope they’re all like this!  I know 10 weeks sounds like a long time, but to me, it seems like it’s just around the corner.  Phillip and I are both getting so excited and it’s feeling more and more real as the days pass and my belly grows :-).  I can’t wait to meet the boy inside of me and allow God to reveal all of the unknowns. 

I’ll share with you a familiar verse that is on my mind today:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  

Jeremiah 29:11-13

And I’ll leave you with some prego pics:

25 weeks!

30 weeks and counting!!

Thanks for reading!  I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!!  I’ll be back sooner next time.  I promise!