Celebrating Three Years!

I can't believe its been three years already! So much has happened in that time. We started our marriage in College Station. I taught in Mumford, Tom finished up his degree at A&M while doing research for the University.  Then we moved to San Antonio, where Tom worked as a structural engineer for BakerRisk and I taught geometry at Lee.  Then year #3, Tom resigned from his job and began working at Pape-Dawson as a land development engineer and I continued to teach at Lee.  To start off year #4, I will be staying at home and being a mom to our first baby, Cole Henry! Crazy how much has happened!

3 years: 3 homes, 4 jobs, 1 baby! 

To celebrate this year, we went on a beach trip with Matt and Rachel...whose anniversary was July 11.  We stayed in a classy condo in classy Port A and had a great time.

We came prepared for Cole to arrive early, but he continued to bake in his little oven.  We had such a great time at the beach with Matt and Rach, eating delicious processed and fried food, playing washers and scattergories on the beach and sleeping in late.

Our actual anniversary was on a Wednesday, so between Tom working and our youth group having a pool party, Tom had one more classy trick up his sleeve. We went to Jims.  haha!! So tasty.

I have loved our first 3 years of marriage and feel so blessed to be married to such a wonderful man! So thankful that God has protected and blessed our marriage and can't wait to see what year #4 looks like!

Third Trimester Update

I have made it to week 36! Definitely in the home stretch here... The first update can be found here. Not a whole lot has changed. Except my size and speed. Yesterday, I told Tom I was going to lay down for a second and arose from the dead 2 hours later.  Oops.  It is hard work to grow a human!

Here are the latest updates that come to mind...

Exercise:
I have got to stretch more!!! My joints and muscles are getting so stiff.  Prenatal yoga is great, but so boring compared to regular yoga, but I just need to suck it up and remind myself that it will help me stay comfortable and minimize all the hip/back pain.

I am still walking, just slower.  It is hot outside, so I have to go early.  Which usually means a nap after.  :)

Videos... Tis' the Olympic season...so Summer Sanders and I have been spending some quality time together.  This video is great.  It has a full length (45-60 min) and express (25-30 min) workout for each trimester.  I am all about the third trimester option right now.  Moves slower, prepares you for labor (supposedly) and I feel sore the next day.

Food/Cravings:
Ice Water.  Ice Water.  Ice Water.  I can't get enough.  Cereal...Sometimes two or three bowls in one day! Fruit smoothies. Frozen Yogurt. Basically, light meals that are cold.

Sleep:
I can still sleep like a rock about 5 times a week! It takes me a while to fall asleep, either because of comfort issues or my mind is spinning a billion miles a minute, but waking up a couple times to pee doesn't bother me.  Cole is hanging out up in my rib cage, and definitely has not "dropped" yet... so peeing often may soon replace my inability to breathe. 

Braxton Hicks Contractions:
Oh yeah.  My estimate is 40-50 a day at this point.  I am trying to count today to see how accurate that is, but we are up to 17 already, and most of them happen in the afternoon and evening... Unfortunately these don't give any indication of labor on the horizon.  Maybe my uterus will just have super strength and spit Cole out in record time.

None-So-Far:
No stretchmarks, vericose veins, cankles/swelling, hemorrhoids, waddling, blood pressure issues.


My first "down under" check with my doctor is Thursday... we will see what kind of progress has been made in meeting our little mister!

Pregnancy Must Haves

My pregnancy has been pretty smooth, compared to some stories I hear.  Not always a joy, and not always easy...but I can't complain! These are some of the things that have kept my complaining to a minimum...

The Snoogle. A dream come true.  I hated it at first.  It takes a while to get used to something that large in a bed that already has a rather large man in it.  But now, at 8 months pregnant, I am sleeping comfortable and without any complaints.

This Video.  It would be difficult not pregnant. Push-ups, crunches, lunges...all things challenging (includes Kegals...ha!).  I have used this video for almost my whole pregnancy once or twice a week and was thankful mostly to just see a 9 month pregnant super woman working out and showing me what I was actually still allowed and capable to do!

A Pool. For both lap swimming and leisurely floating. So great to cool off in the summer and to get in some exercise! I go to Gold's Gym for the exercise and several pools around San Antonio for some opportunity to work on my tan and float around.   

TUMS!!!!!!!!!! Ah! I have forever hated Tums.  Might as well eat sidewalk chalk. But heartburn/acid reflux/indigestion is far far far worse than eating Tums.  I feel fine after all meals.  It is as soon as I lay down at night to sleep that the burps of fire begin.  A-W-F-U-L.  Recently have been trying some new tricks...drinking a ton of water an hour after dinner (not great for the squished bladder, but worth it), staying vertical for at least 60 minutes after eating, and to read/attempt to fall asleep propped up.  Last night was a success.  We will see if my tricks continue to work... Oh yeah.  I had 4 Tums between dinner and bedtime.  hahaha!

 Nuts.  These specific nuts hit the spot.  They also come in little bags that are great for on the road and low blood sugar moments.  Tasty, packed with protein, and some dark chocolate.  Pricey, but worth it.

Blender.  Not everything sounds good when you are pregnant.  A smoothie ALWAYS sounds good.  I can get so much goodness in one drink! I usually throw in a Greek yogurt for some calcium and protein, a ton of random fruit, and sometimes I blend in dry oatmeal for the fiber.  I usually freeze our leftover fruit right before it goes bad, and also buy the bags of frozen mixed fruit at the grocery store.  I also love Jamba Juice, but that is a once-in-a-while treat.  :)

Fiber.  Prenatal vitamins + iron + weird bowel and intestine changes.....must have fiber.

While it looks like dog food, it tastes delicious.  Try some.

Friends.  Couldn't have made it this far without them!!! Love every minute of their stories of experience and advice, and I love having friends that will listen to my griping on feeling huge and yucky and always turn it back to the Lord.  So thankful for them.  Cole has some great aunts in his future. 

Superman. What a trooper this fellow of mine has been.  For the sake of not being mushy, I will just say that this experience has been one of the weirder ones in my life, but it has been hilarious with Tom and totally manageable.  Love that beast of a man.