Aloha August!

Double month recap time!  Oh yeah oh yeah!

In June...

We started off the month with birthday celebrations - dinner at Goofy's Kitchen for Sisters Singer and Swimmer, and a local Italian restaurant for Gardening Mom.

 

I had a long overdue meeting with an old friend, filled with catching up and apologies, forgiveness and moving forward.

 

We headed to the San Clemente pier to one of our favorite restaurants for a perfect Saturday lunch with Cute Apartment and her Boyfriend Number Cruncher.

 

Arizona was calling our names, and we finally got back out on the boat!  The whole family went out for Father's Day and it was so nice to spend some time in one of our favorite places (especially with the addition of brand new air conditioning!).

There was lots more family fun to be had when Uncle Firefighter, Nurse Auntie, and Cousin Snapshot and her darling kiddos came to visit!  We had two lovely dinners, and it was nice to see family that we don't get to see as often as we'd like.

We finally revealed to family that there was a little BABY in our future!  It was so fun to tell all of our family, and a relief to have the secret OUT!

I got to get some more practice in with my camera when I took some photos of Mother-in-Law Red, and Mr. Bear.

I graduated from 1st trimester to the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy - time is flying!

In July...

Handsome Husband spent some time at the International Negotiation Conference, negotiating with law students from all over the world!

We celebrated the 4th of July by hosting our friends for beers, bbq and a big surprise!

 

Best Cousin and I headed to the fair to see Colbie Callait, and I was inspired to write my first letter to our little baby on the way.

We got to see all of our favorite future lawyers at a Vegas-themed birthday bash!

HH and I spent the day with Cousin Study Buddy and company - breakfast followed by a fun-filled day at our neighborhood water park and pool!

Handsome Husband's family finally got together for another Poker Tournament!  It had been long overdue, and I was so happy (almost as happy as I would have been had I won again) that Tutor Girl took home the prize!

We got another little peak our our sweet New Years baby on the way, and a few days later held a Gender Reveal party to find out whether we are expecting a baby boy or a baby girl!  I can't wait to share with all of you in just a few days!

In August? The ladies in my family head to Seattle for a long weekend, there are lots of birthdays to celebrate, HH goes back to school, and we'll get to see our little Baby M again!



Quotable Tuesdays

On Babymaking: What a Mind Eff

This series of eight posts was written throughout our journey of trying to conceive our little New Years Baby. I am so glad I started writing from the very beginning, because I can look back and remember how I felt during this time. I remember feeling like every single person in the blogworld's story started out with something like "so we started trying, and much to my surprise, I got a positive test a few weeks later, and 9 months later we had a healthy baby!". While I by no means, suffered from infertility, our road to where we are now was not completely covered in rainbows and butterflies. There was anxiety, and sadness, and lots of worry. I know there are women out there who feel like less of a woman because they didn't get pregnant that very first month, and I know that because I am one of them. I hope that, in addition to great diary entries of what was going on in my mind at the time, maybe just one woman will relate to our story.

Post originally written November 9, 2012 - about three months into our Babymaking journey.  Read about the decision to start trying HERE and my first negative test HERE.

So our first really half-assed, middle of month decision, month of trying had come and gone.  I had my first negative test, but I stayed positive as I knew we hadn't really tried that first month.  It was more of a spur of the moment thing.

Month two, here we come!  And this time, I'm not joking around.  I started charting - a crazy person thing in and of itself, something I literally had no clue about until I had been married over a year and started doing some research on the whole babymaking thing.

I was armed and ready for this little battle, and had no intention of taking this war past two months.  I was going to win this damn thing and my prize would be a baby!  Without getting into too many details (because mostly, I don't want to explain all the insane abbreviations - BBT, TTC, OPK, BD, blah blah blah), I backed myself with an army of fertility aids.  I knew when I ovulated, and I knew when to expect my enemy (aka that bitch, Mother Nature).

So we did our thing (still can't get over how awkward this is to write about), and I waited.  I was determined to wait until I missed my period before taking a test, but then again my willpower blows, so I tested slightly early.  Another negative (can we just talk about how effing ridiculous it is that for your entire sexually active life until you're ready for kids, you are so relieved to see a negative pregnancy test and then all of the sudden it's the worst part of your day week month?).  Okay, no biggie, it was still early and it wasn't the end of the world - this was after all the first real month of trying.

But then I waited.  And waited.  And wouldn't you know it, my friend still hadn't arrived.  I shit you not, kids, this was the latest Mother Nature had arrived for the party in my entire life.  So I kept taking tests, and getting negatives, and getting sad, and then still waiting. 

{source}

And then, finally, five days later than I expected her, my nasty little friend arrived. 

I was sad not to be one of those lucky ones who gets pregnant right away, how easy that would have been.  But I'm not in any huge rush, and I have faith that when He is ready to tell Mother Nature to eff off - He will do so.

Letters to Baby M: Your First Concert

Letter written Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Dear Baby M,

I've been waiting to start writing you letters, because it felt funny writing not knowing whether I was writing to my future son or daughter.  But, I felt so excited and connected to you earlier this month, I had sit down and write to you.

First of all, hi!  I'm your mom!  That is so weird to say, you'll find out when you get here I'm super hip, young, and hot for a mom, so it makes sense that it feels funny right now.  I can't wait to meet you, and I'm especially interested in what color your hair will be!

You went to your first concert this month (July 12, 2013), I saw Colbie Caillat with my Best Cousin (Your first cousin once removed?  We'll need to think of something a little more affectionate for you to call her) and she asked if I could feel you moving.  She thought maybe you'd be dancing!  I haven't felt you just yet, I can't wait for the moment I can feel you moving in there, and all the books say it could be any week now!

At the end of the concert, Colbie (who sings the best love songs and does a great show, by the way) asked everyone to stand and sing and dance along with her.  I kept touching my growing belly, and thinking I wonder if you can tell when I'm dancing.  Will you come out loving to dance like your momma or will you have to be drug onto the dance floor like your dad?  It was the first time I felt so connected with you that I felt like I already knew you, even though I still don't yet know if you're a little girl or boy in there!

If you're a girl, I hope you're like the pre-teen girls sitting two rows ahead of us, carefree and swaying to the music, giggling with your girlfriends.  I hope you'd turn around and tell the lady who told you to sit down (at a concert, hello?) to shove it (on second thought, those might not be the best choice of words), and that your mom told you never to take crap from nasty bullies at concerts.  I hope you'd be like the girl sitting with her mom, seemingly not because she had to, but because she wanted to.  I hope you like me as much as I like my mom.

If you're a boy, I hope you're like the many men entertaining their wives by attending a Colbie Caillat concert (not their first choice, I imagine).  I hope you'd turn out like the good guys in her love songs - the ones that treat women well, and make them fall head over heels not just for their looks but for the wonderful way they make them feel.  I hope you'll always hold a woman that you love's hand, rub her back, and whisper in her ear, no matter who is around.

I can't wait to find out more about who is floating around in there.  I hope you liked the dancing, little New Years Baby.

Love,

Mom

Linking up with: The Sweet Season, Things I Can't Say

New Years Baby Bumpdate: Week 16

16w2d

What's up with Baby this week? Baby is about 5 inches long, and weighs more than 3 1/2 ounces already!  Now that baby can hear, loud nouises can startle the little one! 

Symptoms? Randomly woke up very early morning hours last Friday with insane hip pain - I think it's a little early for these hips to be expanding, so I have no explanation for this.  I have also been having what I'm fairly certain is round ligmaent pain, which is not fun.

Gender? We will know whether there are soccer balls or tutus (I'm in to gender sterotypes, sue me!) in our future in TWO DAYS!

Excited For? Gender Reveal Party, without a doubt!

Maternity Clothes? Grandma Beach Bum gifted me a gorgeous maternity top last week that I can't wait to wear!

Sleep? Other than the hip pain waking me up, still rocking at sleep.

Movement? Still nothing, I can't wait!

Belly Button Status? In, and weird and stretched out.

Missing Anything? Margaritas at Poker Night last weekend!

Milestones?
16w5d Seeing baby and having the ability to find out the gender!  We're waiting a few more days and finding out with our friends and families on Saturday!

Cravings? Baby carrots and ranch! And lots and lots of fruit!

Weight Gain? I guess my estimate from last week was a little high, as I went to the doctor this week, and I am only up 3 pounds.

Linking up with Busy Bee for Baby Talk.

Quotable Tuesdays

On Babymaking: My First Negative Test

This series of eight posts was written throughout our journey of trying to conceive our little New Years Baby.  I am so glad I started writing from the very beginning, because I can look back and remember how I felt during this time.  I remember feeling like every single person in the blogworld's story started out with something like "so we started trying, and much to my surprise, I got a positive test a few weeks later, and 9 months later we had a healthy baby!".  While I by no means, suffered from infertility, our road to where we are now was not completely covered in rainbows and butterflies.  There was anxiety, and sadness, and lots of worry.  I know there are women out there who feel like less of a woman because they didn't get pregnant that very first month, and I know that because I am one of them.  I hope that, in addition to great diary entries of what was going on in my mind at the time, maybe just one woman will relate to our story.

Originally written Saturday, September 29, read about our babymaking decision HERE.

After we made the decision to give babymaking a try, we, well...gave it a try.  

I have to be honest in that part of my reasoning for wanting to try to start a family sooner rather than later was due to my serious and paralyzing fear of infertility.  I've written about it here on the blog before, but it is seriously something that has haunted me for my entire life.  I have always had an (at the time) illegitimate fear of not being able to get pregnant.  I think a lot of this fear stems from the fact that there are only a very small handful of things I've always wanted to be: a wife, a mom, and a generally good person - all my other goals have come and gone or come to be over time.  Those three have been lifelong goals.  And while I know there are ways to be a mother without ever being pregnant, that is not how I've ever imagined my entrance into motherhood, so if I'm being honest?  Not being able to get pregnant would be a huge disappointment to me.

So, when we tried (still can't get over how awkward it is talking about your sex life on your blog, but for the sake of accurate history to look back on) for the first month, I had hopes that maybe just maybe I would be one of the lucky ones who gets pregnant on the first try: 1. because we wanted a baby, and 2. because it would ease my fears so quickly.

I didn't want to be one of those crazy people who takes a pregnancy test days and days before the crimson tide (Clueless reference, anyone?) came in, but when we had our friends over to help us paint our house and everyone was drinking, I couldn't help but want to throw back a few.  And theoretically I could test, so I went ahead a took one, knowing not to get my hopes up.  

Long story short, it was a sad little moment in the bathroom when my baby dreams didn't come true on the first try.  A small victory for the drinker in me, as I drowned my sorrows in a couple bottles of bud lights.

Back to the drawing board.

How to Survive the First Year of Law School: The Spouse's Edition

1. Be social. 

This is my number one tip to the significant other of someone starting law school.  1. It helps with any kind of jealousy you may have over your loved one getting close (which they will) will all sorts of new people.  I'm no psycho, but of course I feel a little left out when Handsome Husband starts talking about all these people I don't know.  Which is why it's perfect if you start being social - then you do know them.  And better yet?  They know you.  And 2. No one wants to be the clingy wife constantly following her husband around.  I don't have to hang all over my husband at social law school functions.  Why?  Because now I have my own damn friends there!  Just because I'm not getting a JD doesn't mean I don't have anything in common with the future lawyers of America!  I was happily surprised to meet some very down to earth and super fun people through this experience.  I hope these new friends of ours last a lifetime!

 

 

Being social at Law Prom aka Barrister's Ball in February

 

 

2. Get a hobby. 

Law school takes up a shocking amount of time.  On top of classes, reading, and studying; you've got social events, meetings with professors, and networking.  Your spouse will be busy.  Sure, you can attend lots of the social events, but you're always the +1.  If you don't have something that is yours, that you are truly invested in, now's the time to find it.  I am invested in my career, and also threw myself into decorating and getting our new home ready throughout this school year.  Now?  I read a lot about babies, too!

 

 

3. Be helpful. 

I am by no means a Stepford Wife, but there are times during law school where I need to step my game up to help out Handsome Hubs.  I try to do the majority of the cooking throughout the year, but come finals?  That increases to cooking, cleaning and laundry because finals studying is seriously no joke.  I've never seen anything quite like it, and if I hadn't been here to experience it myself, I'd never belive how much time really goes into studying for these exams.

 

 

4. Be interested.

This might be my downfall, because if I'm being honest?  Civil Procedures and Torts bore me to death.  It's hard for me to stay interested in these topics, but the fact is, when your law student gets home from school, all they want to do is talk about school.  There have certainly been times where I've had to sigh and tell HH enough about law school, but do your best to listen, to take it in, and to be interested in what is engrossing so much of your loved one's time and thoughts.

 

 

5. Stay confident in your relationship.

It may come as a shock to you, but there are lots of breakups, and even divorces, that happen throughout law school.  I have to attribute this to the great stress that the schooling puts on the student, combined with changes in social life that might be affecting these relationships.  The statistics are there, and stress doesn't do any relationship good.  If you go in expecting it, and knowing your marriage can come through the other side not only in tact, but stronger, it will only fuel you to make that happen.  I can say, without a doubt in my mind, there has not been one moment throughout the first year of law school where I thought my marriage was in jeapordy in the slightest.  But if there was?  I'd fight for it, because I made vows for better or for worse, and if some law school stress is the worst we get - then I'll consider us very lucky.

 

 

 
 

6. Encourage your partner.

I consider myself a master of the pep talk, and I think my HH would vouch for me.  Sometimes, your partner will just feel stressed and overwhelmed and like there is no way he or she will make it out of this with anything to show for themselves.  And that's where you need to come in, and remind them how wonderful they are, how much hard work they've put in, and how far they are going to go.  Law school can break you down a bit, and it's your job to build your husband back up.

 

 

7. Go on dates.

Law school is a total time suck, but don't let that take away all of the romance from your relationship.  Go on dates, and talk about anything, even if it's mostly about school.  Take your husband somewhere fun, and make him court you sometimes too.  Don't forget that before being a law student, he was just a man in love with a woman, and after law school he'll be that too.  Relationships (all relationships, not just romantic ones) require nurturing, don't forget to water your garden!

 

 

7. Remember, this is only a very very short period of your life.

In the grand scheme of things, law school accounts for hardly any of your life.  A whopping three (or four, for part-timers!) years is nothing compared to the 50+ years you'll be married!  Even when it's the worst, when your partner gets a worse grade than anticipated, or you feel like you haven't seen your husband in weeks because well, you sort of haven't, remind yourself - this is not forever.  Yes, the life of a lawyer's wife has got to be trying at times, but this knock-down drag-out world of grades, competitiveness, drama, law review, externships and craziness is only temporary.

New Years Baby Bumpdate: Week 15

15w2d

Contrary to what you may think, I don't look like this all the time.  We were at a birthday party for a good friend that was Vegas themed!

What's up with Baby this week? Tiny bones are forming in baby's ears, which means he or she can hear us!  Time to start talking to the belly!  Baby is getting cuter and cuter, it now has eyebrows and eyelashes!

Symptoms? Less heartburn than pervious weeks.  I've had a nasty cough that isn't pregnancy related I don't think, but it's a bummer to not be able to knock myself out with Nyquil at night!  Sacrifices, sacrifices.

Gender? 9 days until we find out!

Excited For? Our ultrasound next week, followed by our Gender Reveal party!

Maternity Clothes? Still just one pair of shorts so far, though I think I am getting close to rocking a few shirts my Gardening Mom got me a little while back!

Sleep? Getting a little tougher, and the coughing all night isn't helping!

Movement? Not yet!

Belly Button Status? In!

Missing Anything? Was really wishing I could get in the hot tub at a friend's birthday last weekend...surprised how much I miss them.

Milestones?
15w1d Baby's first (in utero) concert!  Best Cousin and I went to see Colbie Caillat at the OC Fair!

Cravings? Turkey sandwiches!  I am being pretty conservative about what not to eat, and lunch meat is one of the many "no no"s that not everyone follows, but I am.  But at the moment, I would give my left pinkie for a turkey sandwich on white with lots of mayo!

Weight Gain? I don't track my weight that closely, but I'm up 4-5 pounds.

 

Linking up with Busy Bee for Baby Talk.

On Babymaking: The Decision

This series of eight posts was written throughout our journey of trying to conceive our little New Years Baby.  I am so glad I started writing from the very beginning, because I can look back and remember how I felt during this time.  I remember feeling like every single person in the blogworld's story started out with something like "so we started trying, and much to my surprise, I got a positive test a few weeks later, and 9 months later we had a healthy baby!".  While I by no means, suffered from infertility, our road to where we are now was not completely covered in rainbows and butterflies.  There was anxiety, and sadness, and lots of worry.  I know there are women out there who feel like less of a woman because they didn't get pregnant that very first month, and I know that because I am one of them.  I hope that, in addition to great diary entries of what was going on in my mind at the time, maybe just one woman will relate to our story.

This post was originally written on Sunday, September 23 - a little over a week after we made "the decision".

The decision to start a family is not an easy one.  And by that I don't mean that myself and my Handsome Husband are not sure if we want a baby, or to have a family, but the decision as to when to start trying to start that family...not an easy one, in my opinion.

HH and I have always known we wanted to have kids (we say four now, but I think I need to have one before I know if I can handle four little ones running around).  It was something that didn't even really need a conversation because it was such an integral part of both of us, but of course there was a chat had at some point in our courtship - though it couldn't have been all that intense because I have no recollection of it.

We also always said we wanted to be "young parents".  We want to have the opportunity to know the generations that will follow us, and with our lofty conception goals, we'd have to get started young to pop em all out, right?

So about six months from our mid twenties (makes my stomach turn every single time) and a month or so after closing escrow on our very first home, we sat down and had a serious chat about babies.

I've always had a mental list of things I wanted to check off before a mini Stress Case came to be.  As we chatted, I realized I had crossed all of them off my list - married, financially independent, own a home, both have good jobs.  And at the top of the list of reasons why we should start a family?  We both really wanted to.

{via}

And while I'll keep some of the details of that little convo between HH and I, we clearly came to an agreement that night to give it a try.

(PS. Does anyone else think talking (to other people, not my HH) about the whole trying to get pregnant process is totally effing awkward?  Like yup, one night we decided to try to have a baby and then we had lots of ... fun trying, totes TMI.)

Quotable Tuesdays

Blogging With a Purpose: If I Were to Win the Lottery

Joining one of my all-time favorite bloggers, Becky, for 52 Weeks of Blogging With a Purpose.  I adore Becky, and she has some wonderful purposeful blog ideas for the next year or so.  I'll be joining in often!

 

If I Were to Win the Lottery...

 

...I'd go out and buy my husband a very fancy car, and surprise him with it.  That would be how I'd tell my better half that I'd hit the lotto!

 

...I'd put my little condo on the market, ASAP, and buy a bigger home in my town, something more like this:

Available for just under $4 million - I'm frugal!



 

...along with that home purchase, I'd be heading out to Needles, California and buying the biggest river house I could find.  The ones right on the water, with private beaches.  I'd stock it with some jet skis, a brand new boat, and everything else a river rat could need.  And that would be how we'd tell my parents' about our big win - by showing them their new upgraded river house.

 

...I'd do the right thing and put a lot of money away.  Whether it be investments or savings accounts, a big chunk of money would be set aside for my children's colleges, weddings, and anything else we might be able to help them with.

 

...there would be lots of generous gifts flowing for our friends and families.  Contributions to college funds would accompany any gift for all the kiddos, as I've seen first hand how hard it can be to struggle with student loans as a young adult (I have to take every opportunity I can to thank my parents for allowing me to one of the very few who don't have the problem!).

 

...Disney World would be seeing our faces again, this time, in luxury.

 

The big question: Would I quit my job?  If I'm being honest, I would.  But here's the thing, I would do it so I could go back to school.  I have had a goal of going back to school for years, and lottery or not?  I would be attaining that goal!  The lottery would just make it so.  much.  easier.



New Years Baby Bumpdate: Week 14

14 weeks, 1 day

What's up with Baby this week? Baby is as long as 4 1/2 inches this week, roughly the size of a navel orange.  Baby M is starting to look more and more like a baby - with ears on the side and eyes moving to the front of the head!

Symptoms? Lots of intermittent heartburn this week, but other than that, feeling wonderful!  Totally get why people say the 2nd trimester is the best.

Gender? We don't know, yet!  We have our ultrasound in less than two weeks ah!  We won't find out until a few days later though, at our Gender Reveal party!

Excited For? Can't be excited for anything but finding out whether our little baby is going to be rocking ties or bows at the moment!

Maternity Clothes? Just a pair of shorts for now, but I'll have to transition soon I'm sure.

Sleep? I have taken to sleeping with an extra pillow either in front or behind me, but so far sleeping okay.  A little hard to get comfortable, but once I drift off, I'm rock solid asleep until morning (but for bathroom breaks, that is!).

Movement? Nothing I can feel just yet.  We did see baby a few weeks ago during an ultrasound having a mean attack of the hiccups!  Can't wait until I can feel the little munchkin moving around in there!

Belly Button Status? It's in and it's deep in there.  I think I have an extra large belly button, also.

Missing Anything? Hot dogs and sushi.  And on 4th of July I would have loved a beer (okay, who are we kidding, 5 beers).

Milestones? 

14weeks Telling the rest of our friends our big news on the 4th!

14w4d "Coming out" with our news on the blog!

Cravings? Crab legs.

Weight Gain? I am not one to track my weight religiously, but I am only up about a pound and a half - two pounds.

Baby M: The Details

I promised you details, and details you are getting!  I will be doing weekly Bumpdates and I will do them Thursdays as that is when my weeks change over, each Bumpdate will be for the week prior to that (ex: I turn 15 Weeks tomorrow, tomorrow's Bumpdate will cover Week 14).  I am so excited to share the details of this sweet New Years Baby we're waiting on.  I've actually been blogging throughout the entire "Trying to Conceive" process, and I'm so glad that I decided to do that!  That will all be coming soon though, so for today?  The details and the answers to the questions I've been getting since "coming out" with the news!

Baby M

M is for our last name, I cannot seem to come up with any cute or clever nicknames for this little baby.  The only thing that ever comes to mind is Stress Baby, which seems highly inappropriate.  New Years Baby, maybe?

Due Date: January 2, 2014

Was it planned? It most certainly was!  This is a question we've received mostly from friends our age, and I'm pretty sure the curiosity stems mostly from the fact that they can't in their wildest dreams imagine that they would plan a pregnancy.  But for the record, we planned for this baby, wished for this baby, prayed for this baby, and love this baby already.

Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? Not yet!  We will be finding out, and we're hosting a Gender Reveal party to find out in a fun way with family and close friends.  That will be at the end of this month, and I can hardly contain myself!

How long have you known? I found out on April 24th, so I've known for about 2 1/2 months.  I never beleived I would be able to keep a secret like this, but it was much easier than anticipated.  Though we did tell some people earlier, only a few people knew before our 12 week scan.

Any names in mind? We do have a top boy and girl name, and though we are not worried about sharing them in real life (I tell anyone who asks), I will not be sharing on the blog.  I may or may not share after our little baby makes it's debut, but that's still up for debate.

How have you been feeling? I have to admit I had things very easy.  My morning sickness was limited to only nausea in waves, and there were only two times that I thought I might throw up, and it eventually passed without a trip to the bathroom.  There were about three weeks where I was so tired I thought I might drift off at work, but other than that, it wasn't too bad.  I know that I am lucky, and hope that this will be a trend for all the pregnancies to come in my life.  The one symptom I've been blessed with is heartburn like a mother, and if the myths are true?  This baby is coming out looking like Rapunzel.

Do you have a bump? I'm definitely showing, and though I am so excited to grow this baby, it's sort of embarassing.  Maybe it's because some biatch giving me a massage last weekend said "Wow, you look big for only 3 1/2 months!" or maybe it's because we just now told all our friends so I was constantly worried around town that we'd run in to someone who didn't know yet and give our secret away with my mini bump.  I'm not as nervous now that it's "out" and look forward to this mini bump turning into a bigger one.

13 weeks, 2 days

Any other questions?

Bumpdate with some specifics about this past week coming tomorrow!

Quotable Tuesdays

Firecracker

Along with some yummy hot dogs (and an adorable selection of toppings),

chicken sausage,

carne asada,

fruit and dip,

and lots of beer,

we treated our 4th of July guests to a little surprise...

 

 

That's right, there's a baby on the way!

Details to come!