GOING BACK IN TIME {featuring the bump} *part two

The middle: My pregnancy as a whole went by so quickly. I felt pretty good throughout and my weight gain was on track. I didn't have any weird cravings besides milk (I'm lactose intolerant) and only one aversion that threw me for a loop (lemonade). Honestly, if all pregnancies would be as easy as this one, I'd be pregnant again right now! My husband jokes that I felt better and was healthier during my pregnancy than I am otherwise.

 I was pregnant at the same time as my sister-in-law. She was due with a girl just two days before me. Being pregnant with someone in the family definitely had its pros and cons but we both made it through with happy, healthy, and cute little ones at the end of it all.

 A family friend saw a picture like this and wanted us to do one. We used the timer on the camera and my cute husband put his computer skills to work and we ended up with this. Gosh, I'm glad I have him around, and even more glad that he lets me boss him around!

 My cute cousin Emily with Emily Bailey Photography took some maternity pictures for us when I was about 33 weeks. She also took the pictures in the beginning of part one. She does such a fabulous job. She made me feel cute with my belly and helped me to pose and look flattering for the pics. She's fun and professional, creative, and super quick! We turn to her for most, if not all, of our photography needs.

At 34 weeks I got a massive head cold. (Notice my red nose in the pic) Summer colds are the worst in my opinion; and being pregnant with a cold didn't improve anything. I drank what juice I could stomach and carried a box of tissues around with me for about a week. I would run me a super hot bath and sit in it while I ran the vaporizer pointed straight in my face.

GOING BACK IN TIME {featuring the bump} *part one

I have always with absolute certainty wanted to be a mom. For a long while I felt like it was the only thing I might actually be really good at. I don't know if I could say that now, but I do love being a mama to Hiccup and love having him in my life.

The beginning: We had tried to get pregnant for almost two years when it finally happened. It was such a blessing and a relief to finally see one special word on a pregnancy test. We experienced a lot of trying days, several different medical tests and lots of visits to the doctor. We had friends and family members who got pregnant before we did. We tried to be supportive and faithful and patient. We said lots of prayers and did way too much internet research. In the end, my dr recommended doing an HSG which worked for us. I was pregnant the next month. Although not being in complete control of the timing of the pregnancy was difficult, I now know with certainty that it was the right time for our family to expand.

We were so excited for our family to grow and to meet the little babe. The first several weeks were pretty rough. I was nauseous almost all the time and didn't feel like eating or drinking. I lost almost 10 pounds. I had a few scares and had to go in for blood tests to check my hcg levels. We had decided to wait until Christmas, when I was almost 12 weeks along, to share the news with our family. Keeping it a secret was difficult, but surprising everyone was priceless.

I wanted to be sure and document my pregnancy as much as possible. I enlisted my husband for his help taking weekly belly pics. I wrote in a journal every week about baby's progress and development, my symptoms and overall feelings about pregancy, and just the goings on of our every day life.

 At 16 weeks I felt the babe move for the first time. What a wonderful and exciting experience. It reminded me of little popcorn kernals popping in my belly. I loved feeling the little babe move and couldn't wait to feel it again.

At 20 weeks we told our family that baby was a boy, like we had thought all along, even though our dr at the time told us baby looked like a boy at 13 weeks. At 20 weeks, my husband felt the baby moving for the first time. What a funny night we had trying to pester baby boy into moving around for us to feel.

words of wisdom for a wednesday

I read this book a little over a year ago. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a story of a man and his life, told from his dog's perspective. I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read. Today I'd like to share a quote from this book, "To live everyday as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life; to separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter every day. To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. That is something to aspire to."

What a thought-provoking statement. I think I need to wake up each day and realize how truly blessed I am to be alive. Some days are rough. Some days are brutal. Most days nothing grand or spectacular happens. Some days are so wonderful you wish you could live in them forever. But each day is a gift. Each day presents us with opportunities and lessons and memories. I need to personally strive to find something good about each day-- something that made that day worth waking up. Some things that come to my mind lately: *a nice lady let me cut in front of her at the store since I had a tired baby with me and only a few items *no wait at the restaurant when we went out for dinner on date night *seeing people donate bags and bags of gifts to Christmas charities *sitting in the living room with my little fam with only the Christmas tree lights on *little puppies jumping and playing *waking up to a happy and content babe   ...  I think if a true effort is made each morning, you can lay down to bed at night with at least one thing to smile about; even if it's finally getting to fall asleep and start a new day tomorrow.

movie monday

UP is one of my very favorite movies. My husband and I went to see it in the theater while we were dating and a  few months later we used it as inspiration for some of the details in our wedding. The first twenty minutes or so of the movie that shows Carl and Ellie meeting and growing old together is absolutely fabulous. I love the music, their interactions and the sweet story that is displayed. It makes me cry almost every time. I love the house in the movie, I am in love with Dug, and I love the whole theme of the movie. I have a home made adventure book on a shelf in my house that we are filling with pictures from our vacations and traveling adventures, and a jar filled with change for the day we decide to go visit Paradise Falls. I want a mailbox with my hand print on it and I celebrate with balloons as much as possible. I am in love with this movie. I found a quote by the director, Peter Docter, that I think is perfect... "It's those small moments that really are what life is about. And that's what the film is about. The guy goes on a fantastic adventure only to realize it's the small things that bring meaning to our lives."

..cross your heart..

I'm not quite sure of my motives behind this new blog of mine. I've no idea of my audience and not quite sure of my voice yet. I do know that I enjoy writing even though I don't do it nearly enough. I really enjoy reading about others and their experiences in this crazy  thing we call life. I guess I'm hoping to have some affect on someone out there the way others have had on me. So here we go. Let me thank you for coming along on this new adventure with me. Hold on. Here we go...
My name is Nikkie. Nicole actually, but no one calls me that so I don't think it should count. I'm a red head. It took me a long time to be comfortable with my natural hair color, but now I love it and embrace it and I don't wanna hear about who doesn't like it. I'm a mama. My dreams came true when a little boy joined our family this year. I absolutely love him. He makes me laugh every single day and his smile melts my heart. He is a busy little thing so I have a feeling he will keep me on my toes as he grows. I'm a wifey. I met my love at an outdoor concert while I was dating at least three other boys. After a crazy and eventful courtship we were married exactly a year later from the day we met. He is my opposite and my complete. He balances our relationship and keeps me from going insane. He is silly and stable and is such a good love to have in my life. I'm a planner. Ask anyone who knows me even a little bit. I love to plan things as far in advance as possible. I have lists of all kinds- a certain madness to my organization. I'm a friend. I love my friends. I don't see them nearly as much as I'd like but I try hard to maintain a closeness to them as we are all in the midst of growing up and starting careers and raising families. I'm emotional. I'm sentimental. I'm a dreamer.