I found out I was pregnant in early December but, sadly, we lost the baby on Christmas Eve at 7 weeks. I wasn't too surprised because I hadn't been experiencing any symptoms and even expressed this concern to JP. So when it was confirmed, we were definitely disappointed but I felt like my lack of symptoms had prepared us for the possible loss. We decided to wait the recommended 3 months before trying again but God had other plans because, lo and behold, I was pregnant again less than 2 weeks later. Since I hadn't had any symptoms the first time, I really didn't know what to expect. I think I had mostly logged horror stories so I've been pleasantly surprised at the course my pregnancy has taken so far! As I read through each week in my pregnancy apps, I find myself noting that most of the ugly symptoms don't apply to me...yet. ::knock on wood:: So, what did the first trimester look like for me?
Ta Tas
BOOBIES! It was the first thing I noticed. They immediately got bigger and heavier. Like an achy heavy, especially on the sides. I dreaded taking my bra off, it hurt so bad...so I just didn't. And while the pain is less now, they're still growing. I'm in awe each time I look in the mirror. And I never take my bra off now, unless it's to put a sports bra or maternity bra on when I'm ready for bed. They are something to behold at a whopping 32DDD and I honestly hope they go back to their regular size post baby girl.
Fatigue, Nausea, General Blah
I lump these together because they all occurred around the same time. I started feeling pretty tired around 5 weeks. But it wasn't a fatigue like women usually describe, where they can't keep their eyes open to save their life. I remember a solid 2 weeks where I was good for nothin'. I'd get home from work and climb in bed and just lay there or watch TV. I never actually slept. I just had absolutely no energy. I felt so bad because JP was making dinner every night and doing laundry. And I felt like I wasn't really present for the girls when we had them. That lack of energy was coupled with a general feeling of just blah, almost like a hangover or like I was recovering from being sick. That was followed by a handful of random days where I was a little nauseous. Those were the darkest days for me. So, about 3 weeks total of that and my energy was back in full force before I was even out of the first trimester.
Appetite - Or lack thereof
I'm a foodie. I literally get so excited about eating. JP and I have a similar palette and our cravings always seem to be in sync. So, he was visibly bummed when he started suggesting things that I normally love and they sounded unappetizing. My beloved chicken milanese was one of the first to go. No chicken was safe really, except Chick-fil-A. It was really frustrating to be hungry and nothing sound good. The thought of most foods made me feel like they possibly could make me sick so I just didn't go there at all. I ate a lot of sandwiches and had my fair share of smoothies. Most cooked meats and veggies sounded gross. My appetite is slowly starting to come back but I don't have any crazy pregnancy cravings. I've noticed I've been eating a little more sweets than I used to but that's about it. Before I was pregnant, I would choose chips and dip over ice cream any day. And now chips don't excite me like they used to.
Hair, Nails...and Gums
My hair's always been on the thinner side but I've noticed it's been getting thicker. Not a huge amount but I can definitely tell a difference when I grab it all in one hand. It's certainly shinier. And my nails are growing at an annoying rate. What I didn't know is that your gums can bleed easier when you're pregnant due to inflammation. Mine act up when I floss.
Emotions
JP might disagree but I feel like I've been pretty even keel emotionally. I've had a handful of days where I was extra sensitive but it helped that I knew exactly why I was feeling the way I was. I had a day-long meltdown one Sunday because I wanted to snuggle and JP was busy. I immediately burst into tears that didn't stop until that evening. And it was so frustrating because I knew I was being irrational and that the tears weren't justified, but I just couldn't help it. A few other silly things have set me off, but not to that extent. I still get a little weepy sometimes but I can tell it's when I'm overwhelmed. I can usually snap myself out of it and it passes quickly.
As far as symptoms go, that's about it. I feel really lucky so far. I somehow seem to have skipped out on the full-blown morning sickness, constipation, acne, gas and heartburn that I've heard plagues the first trimester. I understand these can rear their ugly head later on, so I'll enjoy this while it lasts. I also thought I'd start showing much sooner. I remember thinking at 5 weeks that it was just a matter of weeks before the cat was out of the bag. But I didn't gain any weight during the first trimester. I'm not excited about getting bigger, as I've always been pretty body conscious, but I know it's what's best for the baby and I'm just trying to keep my weight gain in check by not going crazy with the food and staying active. I find that power walking is an easy way to get my heart rate up and get some endorphins pumping. I'm just trying to listen to my body and enjoy the ride. She'll be here in no time!
Friday, May 25, 2018
Friday, April 13, 2018
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Christmas DIY
Pinterest has a way of making everything look so easy, like someone accidentally whipped the project up in 2 hours tops. So, naturally I thought this project would be simple. Props to the original creator! Our take on this Pinterest find was a year in the making. We started before last Christmas with every hope of finishing it in time for Christmas. Sadly, it didn't get finished until after the holidays. But, then it fell face-first onto the garage floor and a handful of the bulbs broke. Last week, JP wanted this thing done already...lol...so we bought a new staple gun and I yanked the stand-in painter's tape off the back and went on a stapling frenzy, re-routing extra bulbs to the holes of the broken ones. Finally, voila!
How did we make it? Well, we had a board that just happened to be the right size lying around the garage and we used flat white wall paint that we already had as well. The hubs painted the board and drilled all the holes through the board and the letters for me. Good man, I say! I then used gold craft paint for the ampersand and Mod Podge to put the gold craft glitter on the remaining letters. The lights are basic white string lights that you can find anywhere this time of year. The craft paint, glitter and cardboard chip letters can all be found at Michaels. I'd say it was more time consuming than difficult. But I'm thrilled that it's finally propped up on the piano and it really brings our living room to life!
How did we make it? Well, we had a board that just happened to be the right size lying around the garage and we used flat white wall paint that we already had as well. The hubs painted the board and drilled all the holes through the board and the letters for me. Good man, I say! I then used gold craft paint for the ampersand and Mod Podge to put the gold craft glitter on the remaining letters. The lights are basic white string lights that you can find anywhere this time of year. The craft paint, glitter and cardboard chip letters can all be found at Michaels. I'd say it was more time consuming than difficult. But I'm thrilled that it's finally propped up on the piano and it really brings our living room to life!
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Honeymooners
We spent our honeymoon in gorgeous British Columbia and were absolutely blown away by the beauty we experienced there!
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Our Kauai Elopement
I'm coming in a little late on our wedding post, well any post lately. But I'm excited to share our Kauai destination wedding with y'all. Before JP and I even got engaged last November, we had planned a trip with my parents to Kauai in February. We agreed that there couldn't be a more perfect place for us to get married. And an intimate, no fuss ceremony really resonated with us. Of course, we'd celebrate with friends and family when we returned but we were going to get married in paradise!
Planning even a small ceremony from half-way across the globe presented its own challenges. I spent a lot of time on Pinterest looking at locations and vendors. There were lots of emails fired back and forth between our photographer, officiant, florist, makeup artist and myself. And with most weddings being planned a year out, we were definitely in a time crunch. But everyone I reached out to was so kind and eager to answer my questions and put my mind at ease.
So, on 2-16-17, in the presence of my mother and father, JP and I got married on the small beach at Moloa'a Bay. The morning rain let up and our incredible officiant, Kelvin Ho, led us through the most beautiful, spiritual Hawaiian ceremony of Aloha!
Officiant: Kelvin Ho
Photographer: Rachel Thurston
Makeup: Lulu Lush
Flowers: Flowers by Emma
Haku: Elvrine Chow
Planning even a small ceremony from half-way across the globe presented its own challenges. I spent a lot of time on Pinterest looking at locations and vendors. There were lots of emails fired back and forth between our photographer, officiant, florist, makeup artist and myself. And with most weddings being planned a year out, we were definitely in a time crunch. But everyone I reached out to was so kind and eager to answer my questions and put my mind at ease.
So, on 2-16-17, in the presence of my mother and father, JP and I got married on the small beach at Moloa'a Bay. The morning rain let up and our incredible officiant, Kelvin Ho, led us through the most beautiful, spiritual Hawaiian ceremony of Aloha!
Officiant: Kelvin Ho
Photographer: Rachel Thurston
Makeup: Lulu Lush
Flowers: Flowers by Emma
Haku: Elvrine Chow
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
NOLA
New Orleans is just a hop, skip and a jump from home for us so JP and I try to make it over their as often as our time and money will allow. Well, this past weekend we used my birthday as an excuse to "laissez bon temps rouler". And "rouler" the "bon temps" they did! I always feel like I'm in another country in NOLA since the city is so rich with culture and tradition.
Our adventure always starts at Pat O'Brien's for hurricanes. That's the best bar to chat people up and get their story. This time we met a man who lived next door to my family in FWB. What a small world! After that, we meander (stumble) all through the quarter popping into whichever store, eatery or bar that piques our interest. The first time we went together, we were in search of a unique place to eat for dinner and happened upon this little alley with a restaurant called The Pelican Club. After taking a look at the menu, we made a reservation for later that evening and no regrets. It was so good, JP treated me to a fabulous birthday dinner there again this trip. We had scallop-stuffed artichokes (or maybe it was the other way around) and the perfect steak and wine pairing. We then made a donation to Harrah's...haha...and called it a night. We would have loved to hit up The Dungeon or Frenchman Street for dancing but the hurricanes did us in earlier and we were spent.
Our hotel had a Bloody Mary bar Sunday morning. I tried bacon-infused vodka with mine but I honestly couldn't taste it. That might have been due to too much A1 because I have a slight affinity for it. JP tried his with pepper-infused vodka and we both agreed they were some of the best Bloody Marys we've had. We got a little New Orleans history from our bartender, Rex, and walked to Central Grocery for a muffuletta breakfast. Did you know that the owner of Central Grocery started making the sandwiches to feed the men who worked nearby at the wharves? And obviously they were just so freakin' good and took off like nobody's business. Now for the coolest part of the trip. On the walk back to our hotel, we took some random streets to try and avoid the hustle and bustle. We passed a decrepit old building that had abandoned slot mailboxes. JP flips each one of them up and comes to one with a folded piece of paper in it. We unfold it and it was a kind note from a stranger for whoever found it. So we paid it forward and replaced the found note with one of our own. I think next time we should see if it's still there or if there's a new one. It's fun to find and spread good vibes!
Our adventure always starts at Pat O'Brien's for hurricanes. That's the best bar to chat people up and get their story. This time we met a man who lived next door to my family in FWB. What a small world! After that, we meander (stumble) all through the quarter popping into whichever store, eatery or bar that piques our interest. The first time we went together, we were in search of a unique place to eat for dinner and happened upon this little alley with a restaurant called The Pelican Club. After taking a look at the menu, we made a reservation for later that evening and no regrets. It was so good, JP treated me to a fabulous birthday dinner there again this trip. We had scallop-stuffed artichokes (or maybe it was the other way around) and the perfect steak and wine pairing. We then made a donation to Harrah's...haha...and called it a night. We would have loved to hit up The Dungeon or Frenchman Street for dancing but the hurricanes did us in earlier and we were spent.
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Our hotel had a Bloody Mary bar Sunday morning. I tried bacon-infused vodka with mine but I honestly couldn't taste it. That might have been due to too much A1 because I have a slight affinity for it. JP tried his with pepper-infused vodka and we both agreed they were some of the best Bloody Marys we've had. We got a little New Orleans history from our bartender, Rex, and walked to Central Grocery for a muffuletta breakfast. Did you know that the owner of Central Grocery started making the sandwiches to feed the men who worked nearby at the wharves? And obviously they were just so freakin' good and took off like nobody's business. Now for the coolest part of the trip. On the walk back to our hotel, we took some random streets to try and avoid the hustle and bustle. We passed a decrepit old building that had abandoned slot mailboxes. JP flips each one of them up and comes to one with a folded piece of paper in it. We unfold it and it was a kind note from a stranger for whoever found it. So we paid it forward and replaced the found note with one of our own. I think next time we should see if it's still there or if there's a new one. It's fun to find and spread good vibes!
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