2013 Reflections

Josh woke me up this morning with a kiss whispering, "Happy last day of 2013, baby."  As I wiped the sleep from my eyes I realized the depth of his statement.  This past year has been one of the biggest and best of my entire life. 

We started off the new year with my 27th birthday celebration.  It was just a small get together with close friends/family and we had an incredible time.  Shortly after I decided to take a break from Facebook social media.  That was probably one of the best decisions I made.  I realized that friends/family would keep up with us via social media instead of calling or stopping by and when I "disappeared" it was very evident who our true friends/family were.  We learned a lot through that process. 

In the Spring I enjoyed a much needed break from school and celebrated our little princess' very first birthday.  Yes, I went overboard, but I am SO happy that I did.  We have pictures that will last a lifetime, not to mention cherished notes from friends/family for Callie to open when she turns 18.  Our little girl really blossomed this year.  She went from a babbling baby to a full blown toddler speaking in 3-4 word sentences. 

Summer went by in a flash!  I started my Etsy business and closed the season with a trip to Destin with Josh.  It was our first time being away from Callie and though it was a struggle, we came back rejuvenated, refreshed and.... pregnant.   :)

The news of a new baby on the way was such a joy after suffering a miscarriage earlier in the Summer.  We came to find out that our second child is a little boy and will be naming him Kellan Joshua.  So far he is more of a mover than his sister, I am not sure if I should be thrilled or petrified for what this next year is going to hold for our family!

Josh celebrated the big 30 this year.  We celebrated with friends and family and he handled it like it was no big thing... I am so proud of the man he has become and so incredibly grateful for his faith and dedication to our family.  He has become the most incredible dad over the past several months and an even better husband.  We are TRULY blessed by him daily. 

Thanksgiving was spent with Josh's family in East Texas.  It didn't really feel like Thanksgiving to me this year, I am not sure if it was the lack of "tradition" but it was difficult to get into the spirit (not to mention Callie and I were both very ill). 
Christmas followed quickly after.  Callie was spoiled beyond belief with way too many toys/clothes and Josh and I were able to spend time with both sides of our family. 

Callie is now 19 months old, 20 lbs and so much fun.  Her favorite things are babies, balls, books and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  She just started using the potty daily, and after an attempt at full on potty training we realized that she and mommy just aren't quite ready to nip diapers in the bud completely.  One of her favorite gifts from Christmas was her play kitchen / food.  She loves to play pretend mommy and does such a great job pampering her little dolls.  Her giggle is out of this world, her smile even better and not only is she a smarty pants, but she is great at giving hugs and kisses, too.

2013 was incredible.  I grew in my faith, strengthened my relationship with my loving husband and accomplished more than I could've hoped with motherhood.  As the day grows closer to night I realize that we are saying goodbye to a chapter in our lives.  Our family of 3 will be growing to a family of 4 in just a few short months.  We will have new obstacles, battles, hardships and stresses, but along with those will come new memories, opportunities to grow and learn as a family and for that I am so thankful. 

I don't want to stress myself out by setting a bazillion goals for this new year.  Truly there are only 3.  Be the daughter of Christ I was made to be, cherish my family (and make them FEEL cherished), and be the most incredible, loving, selfless Mommy that I can be.  I am thankful for the blessing of another year lived, and will not take 2014 for granted.  Here's to making new memories with those who matter most in the coming year... Happy New Year to you and yours! 

19 Weeks with Kellan

 

How far along: 19 weeks, 7 days (in the photo)
 
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 8/9 pounds

Maternity clothes: None yet, just using a belly belt every now and then.  

Stretch marks: None

Sleep: Still wonderful

Best moment last week: We had some crazy Texas weather that allowed for a FOUR day weekend... That's right!  We were iced in for four days and it was LOVELY.  We had a fire going every moment, a camping bed on the floor and Christmas movies a plenty.  After such a stressful Thanksgiving break it was such a joy to get some serious resting time with my little family.  On top of it all, we got to see Kellan and Josh finally felt him kick!  

 

Movement: Daddy got to feel two kicks this week!

Food cravings: Banana bread and pineapple, banana, orange juice.

Gender: BOY!!!  

Labor signs: Just regular contractions from having IU (irritable uterus).  Unfortunately when they measured my cervix last week it was measuring between 2.8-3 cm.  They want you to be between 3-5 cm and anything below 2.5 can require a cervical cerclage.  We are desperately trying to avoid that option so I've been on pelvic rest and will be getting measured again this next week.

Belly button - in or out? In, but it is getting closer and closer to being flat

What I miss: It would have been super excellent to get to indulge in some adult beverages whilst being iced in this past weekend, but I'd much rather have our sweet boy kicking away inside of me than a glass of wine in my hands. :)

What I am looking forward to: Hitting the halfway point!

Milestones: Baby kicks

Thankfulness 2013 & 18 Weeks with Kellan

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone! This year has brought so many incredible things to be thankful for and one of my favorite traditions is taking a little time to sit and write about those things.  My dad always loved sitting around the table during our Thanksgiving meal and getting everyone to say something they were especially thankful for.  I used to hate it because it seemed like a chore to have to think of something, but now that he isn't here to keep that tradition alive I've really missed it. 

First and foremost I am insanely thankful for my Savior, my faith and my church family.  Without Christ I would be nowhere, I would be nobody and Josh and I would not be as close as we are.  Josh and I have made it a point to be more purposeful in our time with the Lord and it has paid off tenfold in not only our family life but in our love life! 

That leads me to my second one; family.  I always knew that being a mom was something I wanted desperately and this past year with Callie has only reassured me of that.  She is now 18 months old, 19 pounds, 32 inches and full of life, laughter and lots and lots of words.  She's an extreme busy body and is absolutely obsessed with babies and playing with balls.  We call her a little momma!  Josh is my everything, my love, my best friend, my cuddle buddy and my confidant.  He and I have grown closer than I ever could have imagined over the past year and now with Kellan on the way things have gotten even more exciting.  This time next year we will be a busy little family of FOUR!!!  Sometimes I have to pinch myself.  :)

Jobs are another thing that I find myself being thankful for every day.  Josh and I are both blessed with wonderful, reliable jobs that provide us with a means to live the life we are living and for that we are so grateful.

There are a million more things I could list, among them are a wonderful group of friends, extended family, our beautiful home and our health. 

This Thanksgiving break was quite busy as we spent two evenings with family and then traveled to East Texas for a long weekend.  Tuesday night was spent with my family, we had a nontraditional meal and spent time playing with all of the kiddos.  Wednesday was spent with Josh's family.  His mom made the most incredible meal which was consumed all too quickly and the next day we made our way to Josh's grandparent's house in East Texas.  Last week I came down with a terrible illness and finally, after battling a high fever we finally caved in and visited a CareNow where I was diagnosed with avian flu.  It's the most miserable I've felt in quite some time.  Despite our attempts to keep Callie away from me, she somehow ended up catching the flu anyway.  Traveling with a non-medicated, recovering momma and a very sick, cranky 18 month old was NOT the best idea.  Needless to say, our "vacation" ended up being more stressful and exhausting than we could have imagined and we were both relived to finally be back home to get back on our schedule. 

Sometimes it's difficult to find things to be thankful for, especially when you aren't feeling well or things aren't going the way you'd like for them to go.  But with all of these blessings, I'd be crazy not to take a moment and thank the Lord for all of them! 

Now onto a pregnancy update! 

How far along: 18 weeks, 4 days (in the photo)
 
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 8/9 pounds

Maternity clothes: None yet, just using a belly belt every now and then.  

Stretch marks: None

Sleep: Still wonderful

Best moment last week: Spending Thanksgiving with family, even though Callie and I were sick as can be, we really did enjoy the time with everyone.

Movement: While visiting with Josh's grandfather I actually felt him kick from the outside!  He is sitting VERY low so the movements have been mostly inside, but I was so excited to finally feel him on the outside.  Maybe his daddy will get a chance to feel him soon!

Food cravings: This week, nothing... I was lucky to drink enough water and eat what was available.  I did, however, chow down on a LOT of sweet potato casserole.

Gender: BOY!!!  

Labor signs: The contractions have officially started.  On a good day I have 2-4 an hour.  On a bad day I can have as many as 10-12 an hour.  It's incredibly frustrating and we will be discussing options during our high risk appointment this week. 

Belly button - in or out? In, but it is getting closer and closer to being flat

What I miss: Being able to stay active!  These days I am getting very tired, very easily.  Makes it hard when you're constantly chasing after an 18 month old.

What I am looking forward to: We get to see our little man on Wednesday for our anatomy scan.  We are just hoping that he is still a he when we go!  :)

Milestones: We hit 5 months!