Our Last Single Supper

This is probably the first time that D.L. and I have stayed here in Maryland and didn't go to either Louisiana or Cleveland to visit family for the holidays.  At first, we planned to just eat dinner out somewhere and not do anything special...just keep it low key.  Notice I said, at first!  Well, the day of Thanksgiving, D.L. woke up and said he's going to make some collard greens, so what am I going to make?  Okay, the no cooking plan is officially out of the window.  So, what did we end up doing?

1. Seafood and Sausage Gumbo -- I just had a taste for a down home dish
2. Roasted herb rubbed Cornish hens 
3. Cheesy Mac N Cheese
4. Fresh String Beans with sliced garlic cloves
5. Spring Mix salad with bell pepper, onions, cranberries, apples and feta
6. Homemade Cherry Cheesecake
7. Fresh Rolls

Yep, just for the two of us!  Notice that the greens were never made...all of the stores were out of greens here, imagine that!  So after it was all done, we looked at each other and said, so WHO is this for??  Oh, well.  Once I began cooking, I figured we'd may as well make a hardy meal of it!  I must say, that I was sitting while the pasta boiled, while the rolls rose and as the roux began to bubble.  I could feel the pregnancy all while I was cooking!

Sorry, no pics to prove it...I was caught up in the day, but trust me, it was a lovely, last, just the two of us kind of day!  I got all nostalgic and told D.L. that this is the last Thanksgiving that it will be just us...we can plan on having company for the rest of our lives!

Bring my Sexy Back!

Well, at 32 weeks, I can officially say, "I want my sexy back"!  Even though people are so kind and always compliment "how small I am", I feel like a walking, wobbling penguin.  Absoltuely NO swagger!  I told D.L. the other day that being pregnant gives you a glimpse of what to expect when you're old, achy and arthritic.  Fortunately, D.L. gives me an occasional back rub and I'm waiting to begin our daily leg stretches, because I definitely feel my bones are either shifting or tightening.  Whatever is happening, I feel every popping bone when I'm at rest longer than an hour.

For example...this pic is SOOO not sexy!  I actually can't even believe I'm posting it because I fussed at D.L after he took it because he should have told me to pose straight.  I didn't realize that I could really no longer do the sideways pose!  I was about 25 weeks in this pic...no belly, ALL boobs!

Mommy's Favorite Things

This post was of course inspired by last Friday's Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things, especially as I was off work, sitting in front of the TV, wishing I was in the studio audience!!  But oh well...I guess I won't ever get my chance to enjoy some of the FREE finer things in life since this is the end of her season/show!

Well through this experience, I sure know that there are a TON of all things baby out there.  The entire baby market reminds me of the bridal market also.  It's one of those industries that knows you want the best, the safest, the nicest, etc. and they put a price on it all...a pretty price that is!

Well here goes my list of faves that I'm looking forward to enjoying with L.L.

J.J. Cole Bundle Me

Britax Chaperone Infant Carrier

Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive Diapers

Baby Trend Snap N Go Single Stroller

Graco Pack 'n Play Portable PlayYard

The Original Baby Signs Program

Saftey 1st True View Video Monitor

Balboa Baby Nursing Pillow

Maclaren Techno XT Umbrella Stroller

Peg Perego Aria Lightweight Stroller

Carter's Comfort Classic Reclining Wood High Chair

Eddie Bauer Bouncenette

Bright Starts Start Your Sense Activity Mat

Showered with L-O-V-E

Yesterday was the day of our baby shower and it was all I could ask for and more!  I must first say kudos, thank you and a job well done to the two hostesses that offered to give us the shower.  Besides the fact that I appreciated them for offering to host it, I had ALL confidence that the planning was in good hands.  And it was~

The 2 hostess with the mostest!

I have to let the pictures speak for the event because it came together perfectly.  The food was perfectly prepared.

Daddy Lav and I wanted family and friends to celebrate with us in a casual venue.  So, what better place to host friends and family, but in our home.

Me and Daddy Lav

If you notice the lovely and great tasting cupcakes on the table,  you'll know that I can't forget my longtime bestie's contribution to our day as well.

Me and Kat - Friends since high school

And the DELICIOUS cupcakes she brought to the shower...

So many of our friends were there to join in the celebration...

Kimali flew in from H-town! 

3 Preggers!

More Ques!

And of course, they came to shower our little lady with love and gifts.

Lastly, to all my hostesses, my friends, my family and those who couldn't attend, but thought of us enough to still send a gift...

Thank you!

The Beginning of the End

29 Weeks

I have to say that I have been SO hormonal lately!  Really, I mean to the point of tears, anger, fear, joy, you name it!!   And I have a story to accompany every emotion to really give these words meaning, but I won't go into detail about my emotional roller coaster...it's a ride that would make any passenger's head spin.

I titled this post "the beginning of the end" because I feel like this is the main reason why my hormones scoop me up and take me on a different ride every day.  Yes, I understand the biological make-up as to why my hormones are at their peak during the last trimester of pregnancy, but it's still hard to wake up or go to sleep and wonder, what emotion is going to take over today.

Here's another belly pic that makes it look a little more like a bump, and though it may not be BIG, my hormones are the size of a full grown 40-week pregnant woman!

The mood I'm in right now is anticipation.  

1. As I wonder, what is labor like?  
2. What does a contraction feel like?  
3. Is my stomach going to get bigger, because everyone says I look like I just found out I'm pregnant.
4. Will she be healthy?  
5. Will she be small?  
6. Will labor really hurt as much as everyone says it will?  
7. Will I be a great, not good, but great mother??  
8. How will I balance work and home life?  
9. Will I be able to provide her with all things she deserves?  
10. Will my marriage be better or worse? 

Okay...I could ask a million questions and still not know the answers, but anticipation is the emotion that begins the cascade of all the other emotions to follow.

Last Trimester ~ 28 Weeks

Round Three!!  I've been not only amazed, but in awe of this entire pregnancy experience.  I had to adjust mentally as I immedicately changed my lifestyle which included amongst other things, giving up two of my favorite liquids...alcohol and coffee)!  :-)   But just these couple of little sacrifices showed me that that will be just the beginning of a LONG list of sacrifices I will soon make for the sake of my child.

I don't experience a lot, but I must say that I do get leg cramps at night which most articles don't have a clear explanation as to why they happen.  I find myself trying to work out my leg cramps at least two to three times a night.  I also noticed that I have a little change in my step when I walk.  I feel like a walk "like a pregnant woman"!  I always noticed how pregnant women walk, and now I'm one of "them"!

According to StorkNet:
Our little miracle is growing and developing at an astonishing rate! Eyebrows and eyelashes are now present and the hair on the head is growing. The eyelids open, and the eyes are completely formed. The body is getting plumper and rounder (weighs about 2 pounds) and is composed of around 2 to 3% body fat. Muscle tone is gradually improving. The lungs are capable of breathing air but if the baby is born now, it would struggle to properly breathe. Be sure to talk to your baby a lot because s/he can recognize your voice now!

Almost Shower Time!!!

A couple of things that are getting me excited is our baby shower next week and the fact that I'm still not wearing maternity clothes!  It's funny because one of my friends text me today and asked if I'm showing yet because if not, I need to put a pillow in my shirt for the shower!  Actually this gives me mixed emotions, because at 7 months this week, I was thinking that I'd be really showing by the shower, but nonetheless, there's a little girl in my belly that I feel ALL throughout the day.  I ordered two outfits from BCBG to wear to the shower and unfortunately, I wasn't pleased with either...they were two fitting extremes.

So here's the outfit I tried on first.

I ordered this shirt in a small from BCBG and when I tried it on, D.L. said, ummmm, that looks like an outfit my mom would wear!  For some reason it was big and definitely didn't show my belly!  So, this is a return!

Here's the second....

Actually, the dress I bought was a charcoal gray which I thought would be cute since the nursery is gray and purple.  I even had a purple flowered broach that I thought I'd wear.  For whatever reason, this outfit was too tight on my boobs!  D.L. said, "you look like you're trying to still be sexy, but you're pregnant"! So, I guess that wasn't a compliment!  LOL!  So, back to the drawing board!