Loving Lately

My Husband.

I never wondered if Blair would be an incredible Dad. I know he will be one of the best, just like my Dad & his Dad is. He's a teacher and a coach for young men. He spends everyday motivating, instructing, educating and Fathering young men and women already. He chose his career path specifically to help change others lives. He's stern but has a teddy bear heart to those who truly know him. I love that he's the oldest of 5 and already has a world of experience in "parenting" and caring for his younger siblings. As a baby of 2, I never had the same exposure. It makes me feel safe, and like I will really be able to lean on him when I'm overwhelmed. We yin and yang; where I lose my mind and have no patience, he does. And the areas that make him maddened, don't even phase me. I'm so anxious to see him care for our own child after seeing him care for others for so long. I know he will be amazing at being a Father. 

A few months back he left me a card before my flight to Ireland. He has always blown me away with his words (written), and it's one of the many reasons I fell in love with him, really. We always left/leave notes, cards, poetry for each other to read. Some are silly pick me ups ('Yubb You' in deodorant on the bathroom mirror), some are little "drive safe, i'll miss yous", some are lengthy handwritten letters that blow me away, and this specific card, among the many, struck a cord in me. I felt compelled to document it just in case this card ever grows legs and walks away. It means so much to me.

 Last night was the first time Blair felt our bambino at 17.5 weeks. So amazing. After a spicy pasta dinner this rugrat was doing full out gymnastics routines in my belly and I thought, I bet if I can feel it this strong he can. So we gave it a go and seconds later, fist bumps for Dad! Incredible. I feel so blessed. What an amazing experience that I pray every woman wanting to have children gets to experience. It was worth every stick, prick, probe, and frustration to get here. 

Andi,

I am SO PROUD of you. Actually though, that statement doesn't quite do justice to how I feel. A better way to state it would be to say that I am in AWE of you! I vow to make sure that this child knows what a strong, courageous, fierce mother he/she has. To say that this baby is lucky to have you as a Mom would be quite an understatement. It has been a difficult journey to get here but I know now I wouldn't change a thing. I used to say/think that I was looking for a woman to marry that would be a great Mother to my children. I didn't know that I would need a great woman to get through the adversity it would take to even have children. Now, as I eagerly await a lifting of new joys which I have never before, know that I will owe them all to you and your resilient spirit. My greatest joy personally is the fulfillment that I get to share through you. I love you the most.

Blair

{SWOON}

XOX,

Andi 

Holiday Photos

We haven't taken family pics since our engagement pics so it was about time we got some. Luckily my friend Lynn with LL Photography was able to squeak us in for a mini session when we were in Columbus Thanksgiving weekend; we love the pics!! They turned out great. Holiday cards are supposed to come in the mail today and once they are out I'll post the final holiday card. Holiday cards (receiving and sending) are my favorite part of the season. It's so fun to see everyone's pictures and updates and trips they've taken throughout the year. They are starting to roll in and I am like a 5th grader skipping to the mailbox daily to see which adorable family I get to post on the fridge next. Can't believe next year Baby A will be adorning the cover of ours.... I can hardly wait!

Enjoy some of the sweet pics Lynn took of our family <3 Thanks Lynn!

XOXO,

Andi

Thanksgiving Recap + Pregnancy Weeks 14-16

December 1st?!! Slowwww down time. Actually, don't! I'm ready for Spring already ;) 

Thanksgiving this year was really nice. We did B's side of the family this year on the actual holiday and my parents this past weekend. It's safe to say we are stuffed to the gills and don't care to see turkey for a longggg time. Luckily B was off school the entire week, so next to basketball in the mornings, we had time to knock out alot on our to do list. We broke down the crib that has been sitting in our eat in kitchen for a month, fixed our electric outlets that haven't worked for even longer (in the kitchen) and were able to get all of our Christmas decorations/live tree in place for this month. Amazing what can be accomplished when you actually have a husband, eh?! :) 

it was pretty cute to see him actually WANT to do this. Usually I'm the "handyman" around our house. This baby is going to have him wrapped around it's finger.

the dogs aren't impressed!

after catching it after a few falls due to a faulty base, THE TREE IS UP!

love Dec....evenings with the Christmas lights on and the fireplace ablaze.

We had our family pics taken for our holiday cards which I'm SO EXCITED to see & finally get ordered. I should have done this sooner so to not miss out on all of the holiday specials, but oh well... things are moving a bit slower around here these days.

Speaking of pics, here are some updated pics as I finally have a mini bump!! Week 15 things weren't looking very big and a few days ago, I popped. I've only gained 6 lbs in 16 weeks, eating basically whatever I feel like, so that's a plus. I hear that second trimester is when you pack the most on, and with Thanksgiving and Christmas on the calendar, I'm sure that's exactly what I'll do. I've been walking 4-5 miles a day and doing light lifting so that's helped. I figure as long as I am able to, I'll keep burning the cals and staying as healthy as I can for this babe. I'm finally back to eating normal and feeling pretty fantastic (next to peeing all the time and sciatica that's already in full force). But, no complaints here. Pregnancy overall has been pretty enjoyable!

post egg retrieval bloat vs. 15 weeks

16 week bump time baby!

is it odd to show more in the front than the side? ...either way, this nugget is finally making it's appearance!

Looking forward to wrapping this year up with a big ol' bow and moving forward to 2015!  I just know it will be our best year yet! We couldn't feel more thankful, grateful and blessed. Happy Holiday Season friends!

xoxo,
Andi

Cats outta the bag!

Expecting our new best friend!! 'Baby A' is coming in May! <3

so cute, right?! ..... ahh well, the fur babes will eventually come around!!! HA! :) 

XOX,

Andi

13 weeks!! We made it!!

Hellloooooo second trimester! I'm still pinching myself. This is so surreal. I'm rolling into the "safe zone"! Weeeeeee!! I'm sure you never really feel "safe" ever again once you're a parent, but I'll take where I'm at today with a big ol' Thank G we made it! {does happy dance}

 I wouldn't trade where I am today for a second and lord knows I went through hell to get here, but there is always a little bit of survivors guilt in where I stand too. I have friends who I've become so close with during the journey of infertility and I still try my best to support and encourage them as they continue to fight the good fight. I've been in their seat before though and although you're incredibly happy for the other person when they cross that finish line, there's always that voice inside you that pleads with God and asks, "when will it be my turn"?! My heart still goes out to them and they are in my daily prayers. But there comes a place and time where you have to make peace with your past, embrace what's ahead and move forward. After standing in those shoes for way too long, day in and day out, I've come to peace with it all and can truly finally put it all behind me. I refuse to be on edge and hyper sensitive to this entire pregnancy because I finally have the chance that I've been praying for for so long to carry a child. I'm embracing every second as much as I possibly can. 

I had my first trimester screen last week & this little nugget was rockin and a rollin! Seriously, so active. It was great to see it's legs moving, one foot crossed over the other, arms behind it's head, it even turned its head to the side to give the camera a big smile for Mom! It's so funny b/c prior to being pregnant I'd look at peoples U/S pic and think to myself "how does she think that's CUTE??! It looks like Bejamin Buttons, or an alien baby"!! Now, I see it and am smitten kitten. My husband can't even make a face out of the pic. Lol! I guess what they say is true, "it has a face only a Mother can love" :) 

.... That face <3

... Gymnast thunder thighs in the making! 

We are getting pretty close to make our big public reveal and I'm so excited to surprise everyone who doesn't know. I still can't believe some days that this is my life right now, I feel like I'm living a dream. I'm so thankful! There's no better time than November to reveal our {little} blessing from God. 

Xoxo,

 Andi 

Ireland Trip!

My gf Allie and I are both big Van Morrison fans. She overheard me saying awhile back that although hearing him in NYC was amazing, that hearing Van in his hometown would be an absolute dream of mine. When she saw a deal on Living Social for an intimate show in Belfast, she shot it over to me with the email header "Get your head out of the toilet, Lets book it"! At the time I was newly pregnant and not feeling anywhere close to having the ability to board a plane for a 7 hour flight overseas, let alone stay there for 7 days and enjoy myself. It was hard enough to load the dishwasher without gagging, and my trip to the Bahamas with the family was less than desirable due to how crappy I felt. To make a long story short, Allie was on the debate team in high school and is now in sales. Enough said. She was booking this trip for us come hell or high water, and I'm glad she did. Van is 70 after all and Lord knows how many more opportunities I'll even have to hear him. He never disappoints. The show was intimate, with only 200 of us total & his voice was smooth as butter. Belfast, Ireland, is where he's from and where many of his songs are written about. It was so cool to drive down Cypress Avenue and see the churches and pubs he sings about and to be immersed in the culture of his music. It was WELL WORTH IT!

Van day! Tea in Belfast in the city center

Mystic From the East Tour

My Man, Van Morrison! <3 

Ireland is absolutely beautiful. The Irish are some of the nicest people I've encountered in all of my travels. Everyone was so friendly, helpful and kind. Ireland is clean, and not congested, although Dublin (think NYC) is much larger than Belfast. The food was fantastic; seriously we didn't have a bad meal in 7 days and the scenery was so lush, green and peaceful. My ancestors are from Ireland, so our day trip to The Cliffs of Moher and surrounding small towns was so interesting. I discovered the McCarthys (pronounced McCarty in US, as Irish don't pronounce 'th' rather their 'th' sounds like 't') mainly came from Clare County where we started our journey that day. They began migrating (and dying off) during the famine period where there was obviously little food to survive off of in this part of the country. Currently, the winters in Clare Co are still very difficult to survive and many move into the mainland for the very same reasons it was hard to survive hundreds of years ago. It was incredible to imagine that someone way down my lineage viewed the same coastal sights as I was seeing many a decades ago. I would love to learn more about my Irish and American Indian heritage, but this was a good start. Also while in Belfast we toured the Titanic Museum, as Belfast is the location where it was built & set sail from. It was incredible to see what a beast that boat was, how dangerous it was to build back then (no harnesses) & of course read about those who survived and didn't survive. I always hated the movie though, as Leo is my LEAST favorite actor. I mean, come on, there was PLENTY of room for he and Rose on that raft. Ugh, annoying.

The Cliffs of Moher-Clare Co

In Dublin we toured the cathedral districts, The Guiness Factory & Jameson Distillery. Would have been nice to indulge a bit, but Baby A probably wouldn't have preferred that very much! :) Speaking of, my little buddy was good to me on the trip & I felt pretty good overall, surprisingly. I'm almost 13 weeks, so I think it's true what they say about rolling into the "honeymoon phase". The end of the first tri is near {insert heavenly angels singing}. Here are some pics of Dublin!

Next to a flight mishap in the beginning of the trip (It was cancelled due to weather and I had to leave a day later) it was a really enjoyable time. Everyone, GO TO IRELAND. You won't regret it!! I'm so glad that I did.



XOXO,
Andi

10.5 Weeks Pregnant!

As we inch closer to the end of first trimester (hurry up week 13!!) I am slowly beginning to feel less nauseous, thank you God. Just in time for my trip to Ireland the end of this week to hear Van Morrison live in Belfast and explore the country where my kin folk migrated from. I can't flippin wait! Work has been a total bear lately which has kept me busy but also stressed. I'm ready to turn on the Out of Office and peace out over the pond for 8 days with nothing but relaxation on the brain. 

Last weekend my Mom came to town to spend the night as both our men were out of town for work. We ventured upon a baby boutique that was going out of biz and everything was 40-50% off. I haven't purchased anything yet for Baby A as I wanted to get to the end of the first trimester before breathing a sigh of relief, but this furniture set that was half off was mine for the taking the second I laid eyes on it. I had a two hour window to decide, and I knew regardless of where I shopped from here that there wouldn't be a crib and dresser/changing table as pristine as this. So, Baby A has it's bedroom set. Woohoo! I'll store it in the basement until the nursery is completed next Spring  (who am I kidding) early next year. But I just adore it. It's a beautiful shimmery silver/gold depending on which way the light hits, and it opens into a great toddler bed and sleigh bed. It will go perfect with how I'm planning to do the nursery decor (stay tuned for that reveal in a few months). 

Le Sigh, isnt it dreamy? I die!

The perfect dresser/changing table-- the drawers close on their own! I figure when kids are older it's a great entry way table to boot. 

I've always enjoyed reading everyone else's pregnancy "progress reports" so at 10.5 weeks, I think I'm ready to share what my first trimester has been like. 

     ·       Size & Milestones: Baby A is the size of a prune (1.5 in long)! Tiny buds of teeth are forming under the gums and it's stomach and kidneys are kicking into gear producing digestive juices and urine (joy!). Thank you What to Expect App for the updates :)

·       Maternity Clothes: Believe it or not, I bought my first pair of leggings at Target last week as my pooch/ mini bump is finally starting to protrude. I can still wear my pre- preggo pants of course, but the comfort in these leggings? Wow. They will have to be ripped out of my cold, dead fingers someday....

·       Weight Gain:  2 lbs! I'm surprised I've only gained 2 with the amount of carbs and crap my body has absorbed thus far, but I know I have a long way to go and plenty of poundage to gain. I'm happy to be slowly easing into it. 

·       Stretch Marks: Of course not-- and I hope to get the lotion/potion ya'll use  here eventually. Speaking of, when does one starting slathering that on themselves I wonder? 

·       Movement: Technically now that Baby A has limbs and ligaments/muscles/bones forming he/she is moving, but of course I don't feel it yet. Dr. Y says that's just around the corner. I absolutely cannot wait to feel the flutters! 

·       Energy:  Ummm, what's that? I am a zombie. Most of this first tri I've been in bed by 7:30-8p and wake up at 8a. Insane. The last week has been a bit better on "morning/all day sickness" and energy so I'm hoping second trimester brings a bit more energy my way!

·       Things I miss:  Energy to work out regularly like the old days and my glass or two of red after a long stressful day. Oh, and sushi and tuna tartar.... ugh, heavenly. The things I'd do to a seared ahi tuna salad right now. 

·       Sleep: Enjoying sleeping like a brick as of late and know that won't last forever so I'm sleeping when I can, as much as I can, guilt free! I pee about 4x a night (hello mini bladder, this should be fun) so I don't sleep straight through, but that's ok. Per my other preggo buddies, sleeping becomes non existent eventually so I'll take it! 

·       Symptoms:  See above. Also the gas is just, brutal. It started during my IVF meds and I thought it was the PIO, but now that I've long been off all of them, it's definitely the pregnancy. Headaches here and there and eating like crap, but that too is starting to get better. I have committed some serious carbocide in the first tri, but hey, it's all worth it and it'll come off next summer right? 

·   Cravings:  Again, carbs. Cereal (Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, any and all cereal), ice cream, on two really rough days a few weeks back I had to buckle and eat Spaghetti O's (gasp). Just typing that now makes me want to gag, but then, I could have eaten three cans. The struggle is real. I'm just taking them as they come until I'm through the first tri, but luckily I've began to crave healthier things again. 

Everything is progressing nicely and I can't wait until the end of the first tri to check that off my list! We think we'll go viral with our announcement closer to Thanksgiving when I'm 4 months, b/c frankly, there's no better time than then to express our thankfulness for this wonderful, incredible blessing! :)

Xo,

Andi