Week 29: Curly or Straight is the Debate

This week was another big ultrasound for Margo… what fun! I was shocked to find out that she already has hair and we have 11 weeks to go. That means she is probably going to have a full head of hair when she is born. Bring on the bows!! I am so anxious to see if it will be curly or straight. Cary has been worrying about Margo’s hair since he found out it was a girl, praying that it would not be like his… curly and very coarse. Cary was the cutest kid with classic Ronald McDonald style hair. Many people called him a girl for this reason and as he grew older his hair evolved into something more equivalent to an afro—poor thing had nicknames I cannot even repeat! My hair is slightly wavy when I let it air dry, so I am hoping we get a combination of both and Miss Margo has soft, flowing curls—she’ll probably wish for the opposite one way or another! What do you think?

The fuzzy area where the arrow is pointing is hair on top of her head!

Margo was also weighing in at just under 3 lbs., which is a little on the petite side, but completely normal. The doctor estimated that she will be an average size baby, somewhere around 7 lbs. My appetite this week has been ferocious! I really need to watch my sugar cravings or Margo is going to be 9 lbs—the mere thought terrifies me! The only other funny thing was that she had her foot way up by her head. Maybe she is going to be a little gymnast like her mama… I am not sure how I feel about that, but it would be fun!

I am off to Midland this weekend for my niece, Kayla’s, baby shower. She is due two weeks after me and it has been fun to share in the experience with her. Home sweet home… I can’t wait to hug all my loved ones and eat at my favorite restaurants!

Her BIG foot is up in the air. Look closely, her face is below-- you can see the two eye sockets.

Week 28-Busy as a Bee, This Week I have been Bree

For those of you who so lovingly call me Bree, I have definitely been in Bree mode (nesting) lately. First of all, last week I washed all of the walls, windows, base boards, doors, etc… in Margo’s room with a bleach solution. It doesn’t get more Bree than that! I have a feeling bleach will be my best friend as I prepare Margo’s room and things in the upcoming weeks.

Then… To say that the carpet in our house was horrible is an understatement! It was brand new when we bought the house three years ago, but was clearly the cheapest carpet you could ever use—worse than apartment grade according to the installers. So… I was so excited to get my new, clean carpet this week I could hardly stand it! When I picked the carpet I had some reservations about my choice, thinking it was a bit too dark and listening to the sales lady instead of my own instincts (Bree wouldn’t do that). As it turns out, my instincts were right. I am a creature of habit and do not always handle change well, so this carpet is going to take a bit of getting used to. It is so soft and cushy and is laid beautifully, but it is darker than I hoped and I am not crazy about how the undertones coordinate with my house.

I actually had a pregnancy meltdown over it the night we got it… I mean MELTDOWN! It is amazing what your hormones will do to you. This is only meltdown #2 of the whole pregnancy, so I think I am doing pretty darn good. Needless to say, I am grateful for the new carpet, but need some time to adjust and to accept what I think was a mistake on my part. I wish I had more confidence in myself and my own opinion to make stronger decisions, but lesson learned… hopefully next time I will follow my gut! On top of that, the installers tore a bed skirt in the guest room. In classic Bree-like fashion, I could not stand to look at it for more than a few days, so I bought, washed, starched and ironed two new bed skirts and it is actually an improvement over the old ones, so I am pleased!

Here is the carpet in Margo’s room with the bookcase we just put together last night. We got a beautiful antique embroidery of Madonna and Child framed that will go on the wall above the bookcase. I LOVE the chandelier too and think it adds such a special touch to the room. It is still pretty much a blank slate, but hopefully not for long if Bree mode continues.

Other things that were crossed off of my to-do list this week included choosing a pediatrician and starting the process of obtaining life insurance. I feel really confident about the pediatrician and we got a great referral on life insurance! Several things down… what feels like 10,000 more to go!

Week 27: 4th of July and Third Tri

The 4th of July weekend was a great one at the Weaver household because my best friend, Razil, and her beautiful little family came to visit! Razil and I are incredibly like minded when it comes to many things, like our home decorating style, cleanliness=Godliness, eating organically, etc… I deeply respect her parenting techniques (her beautiful girl, Olivia, is so well behaved it is amazing) and her wonderful and honest opinions on everything. I have been anxiously awaiting her visit for a while, so she could help me get prepared for Margo. To say that she was a help is an absolute understatement! Raz helped me finish my registry, helped with all the details of the room from wall art to the mobile to furniture placement and so much more. She had such awesome ideas and brought up things I would never think of! I feel a HUGE weight lifted after her visit and have accomplished so much since she was here.

Razil & I, my bump is looking big!

The actual 4th was a bit uneventful. We went to Rice Village to check out a sale at Doodles and it was closed, so we walked around to a few shops that were open and had a yummy lunch at Ruggles Bakery sans the dessert. We worked on the registry at babies R us and had a great dinner at Pico’s. Miss Livy is too young to stay up for fireworks, so we just hung out at home and visited. Bedtime was early because we were pretty exhausted from a late Saturday night, so we left the guys to drink beer and smoke cigars without us. All in all, it was a truly great weekend, just being in the presence of my dear dear friend whom I love so much and don’t get to see often enough. Livy was a hoot and could not get any cuter! Cary had a great time too, hanging with Luke!

Luke & Livy being silly!

So... here I am at the beginning of the third trimester—holy smokes! It is sneaking up on me fast, but I feel I have things more under control and am looking more and more forward to our future with Margo!

Pregnancy Week 26: Anniversary Trip Success & Progress

I cannot believe I am in the last week of my second trimester! I have been wishing for time to fly by, but now I am wishing for it to slow down. I had a doctor appointment this week and everything looks great. I am right on track and Margo looks fantastic! I am now going to be seeing the doctor every three weeks instead of every four which makes me realize I am in the home stretch—yikes! I have a big ultrasound at my next appointment and can’t wait to share the photos.

As mentioned in my last post, Cary and I went on a little trip to the hill country for our ninth anniversary. It was a wonderful time and we got some much needed R&R. Highlights of the trip included… a wonderful visit with my handicap uncle Wilson (picture below—the only one I took the whole trip), lunch with grandpa, breakfast with Adria, Eva and Gary—my beloved family, lots of walks in the park including a great free concert under the stars, food food and more food—I ate three steaks over four days, the best dessert I have ever had – a very special smores dish and a visit with my favorite college professor. My little college campus was barren, but I thought I’d try Dr. Olson’s office and low and behold… he was there! I have not seen him in 11 years and it took him a minute to recognize me, but it was a really neat visit. Funny… his office had not changed a bit and the entire experience brought back a flood of wonderful college memories.

Going into the third trimester, I am finally making some progress on Margo’s room! I am an extremely anal person and am quite the planner. For various reasons, we have not be able to start on the room as soon as I’d like. Keep in mind, I usually have my shopping done and Christmas presents wrapped by Thanksgiving. Anyway, the electrician is coming to hang the chandelier, we are getting new carpet on July 9th, our chair is supposed to be arriving soon and the bedding arrived today. I need to get the furniture from my sis and then we should have the basics done. The details will hopefully be the fun part!

Our 9th Wedding Anniversary!

Wow! Today marks Cary and I’s 9th anniversary! All these years later, I could not be happier and I believe we are even more in love than on the day we wed! Cary is an amazing husband. He is incredibly sweet, caring and generous, albeit, not romantic—ha ha. I know that I can always count on him. He takes amazing care of our little household and would truly do ANYTHING for me. He often tells me that his #1 goal in life it to make me happy. What he doesn’t get is that he doesn’t need to do anything else to make me happy. He has already far surpassed my expectations of what a wonderful husband should be and waking up next to him every morning is all I need to be happy! Nine wonderful years later, we are embarking on yet another amazing journey together. I cannot wait to be a parent with Cary and show Margo what love is all about. We are not perfect by any means, but I think these years together have helped us create a good foundation and an excellent example of a healthy marriage and family for our baby girl. So… off we go for a long weekend in the hill country to some of our favorite places where our best memories have been made. This will be our last little trip as a couple without a child… maybe a little bittersweet and a bit scary, but I could not be more excited about Margo and the wonderful things to come!

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Happy Father's Day

I know that every little girl thinks their dad is the best on earth, but really… my dad IS the best dad in the whole wide world! My daddy-o has been such an integral part of my life in so many positive ways and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have him. He writes to me beautiful letters and stories that are some my earth’s greatest treasures. He is so so funny and was a blast as a child! He is ALWAYS there for me and most importantly, has always loved me unconditionally. He has made so many sacrifices in life, so that my world could be a better place and has taught me amazing, wise lessons about the paradoxes of life. He has given me a greater understanding of the world through his infinite wisdom and truly beautiful outlook on life. I have never known a stronger person, who strives in even the most difficult circumstances, with a positive attitude and a smile on his face. My dad has taught me that life is too short to get wrapped up in all the negativity and stress of daily living. He has taught me to “let go and let God”, to make the best out of every circumstance, to never judge others and that integrity is the most important trait a person can own. I could never live up to the amazing man he is, but I am so grateful for the gifts he has instilled in me. It is clearly not the material things, but the spiritual things he has provided to me that help me to thrive in this world. I love you, daddy-o, more than you could ever know and I thank the good Lord for you each and every day.

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I think my Cary is going to be a pretty darn great dad too. My husband could not be a kinder, more giving man. He is a hard worker… determined, loyal, compassionate and fun loving. His life is rich with friends who love him dearly and he is greatly respected by others. I cannot wait for our Margo to meet him because I know she will love him equally as much as I love my daddy. I have no doubt, she is gonna be wrapped around his finger in no time flat! Just look at how much he loves the cats! My love, my sweet Cary, I cannot wait to share in this incredible journey with you and hold our baby girl in our arms. God has graced you with so many gifts and I know being a fantastic father will also be one of them. I love you dearly and thank you for taking such great care of me during this pregnancy. Click on Image to Enlarge

Last, but certainly not least, I want to pay tribute to another amazing father, my brother-in-law, Randy Bosworth. I know that today his kids wish he was here more than anything and my heart breaks for them. Randy set an amazing example to men everywhere of what a great father should be and I know his legacy will carry-on… especially in Trey, his son, who is expecting Baby Lucas in October. I wish so much that Randy was here, gracing us with his amazing zest for life. Margo will be at such a disadvantage for never having had known him and I know Cary would have treasured the opportunity to get some child rearing advice from one of the best! We love you and miss you like crazy, Randy. I know you are watching from afar and protecting us all.

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Happy Father’s Day to all of our loved ones and friends… Ron, Grandpa, Alan and so many more! Father’s deserve to be celebrated and should be appreciated every day!

Week 23 - Hyper Dog, Crazy Cat, Growing Belly... Oh' My!!

This week we have had a really sweet house guest, Lola! While her parents (my sister) are in Europe, she is staying with us for a few weeks before being kenneled. We just can't manage her for the whole 3+ weeks they are gone and we are also going out of town for a few days. Although Lola is pretty hyper because she is a young Australian Shepherd, she is one of the sweetest girls ever and we just love her! She has been going on long walks, playing ball and Cary likes to mess with her by blowing in her face, which gets her all riled up. It is pretty hilarious! This experience with her has definitely confirmed that I really want a dog when Margo gets a bit older and I can stay at home during the day.

On other animal fronts, those of you who have known me for a long time know that Tucker is my cat baby! I have had him since high school and he lived with me in college. He is 15 years old and I never imagined I could love an animal so so much. We are very closely bonded! You also know that Tucker is a bit on the crazy side, but could not be a sweeter more loving cat. We recently got him shaved, which he used to love because as a Mainecoon he has a TON of hair. However, he clearly was traumatized by the event this time and doesn't like the way it feels because he is licking himself raw. It breaks my heart... there are sores and scabs all over his body. We are giving him allergy pills, but I don't think it really helps and we will try a round of steroids next week. I think until his hair grows back a bit more, this is going to be a constant challange for us. Pray for my boy, as I hate to seem him in this state. I couldn't get him to look at the camera, but isn't he a pretty boy? In the background are the boxes that will be going to storage this weekend as we continue to prepare for Margo's room--yaay!

Last, but not least... holy moly... my belly is already getting huge! Today marks the beginning of my 6th month, which means I have four months of pregnancy left! I cannot believe how much I am growing and my body is really starting to change. It is an adjustment, but also a neat experience. I am feeling really good and still have a lot of energy. I am trying to keep up with my walking and am eating pretty well. Can you imagine what I will look like in four months? I hope things slow down a bit or I will look like a whale! My belly is starting to get just a little itchy. I have been religious about putting on stretch mark cream, but I have heard it doesn't really matter. I really hope I don't get them. Time goes by slow, but I know I will be regretting saying that when I am eight months along and have nothing ready to go. One day at a time... feeling blessed and quite happy!