fill in the blank friday

The little things we do has started posting blanks again!  I didn't realize until I saw them on my sister's blog, but I am so excited!  For a while it was writing prompts and that was a little too reminiscent of high school english for my taste.

1.  Over this labor day weekend I will be     working and relaxing.  Daniel and I have both been sick so I am still trying to recuperate.  I also have a rocking chair for the baby that needs to be sanded and painted.  Oh and I will of course be cheering for the Texas Tech Red Raiders tomorrow night!   .

2.  With the political debates going on right now, my thoughts are   it is impossible to satisfy everyone and it would be nice if candidates spent less money campaigning and focused on debates   .


3.  Today    I am feeling much better than I was yesterday  .

4. The best thing I've cooked recently was    I have been slacking on my cooking duties.  I did make a strawberry shortcake cake that was pretty delicious .

5. The last thing I bought was  a glider for the baby.  Holy cow, those things are expensive .

6. The best movie I saw this summer was  I cannot tell you the last movie we say in the theater.  We did watch 30 Minutes or Less and I thought Aziz was pretty amazing  .

7.  The best book I read this summer was   Sarah's Key.  I cried and cried.  It is hard to read a book about how poorly we can treat/have treated our fellow human beings.

27 weeks

We are officially entering the third trimester.  My husband thinks I am crazy because I keep saying how everything is moving so quickly and slowly at the same time but that is how it feels.  We officially have movement on the nursery in the form of demo.  I am beyond ready to be done with that mess.  We have received lots of clothes from my sister-in-law and it is driving me crazy that they have no home.  My hope is to be done and organized before my shower here in town.  I'm sure my parents would enjoy having a bed that isn't surrounded by boxes and baby toys.

How far along: 27 weeks, 6 days

Total weight gain/loss:  Somewhere between 15 and 20 pounds.  
Maternity clothes:  Mostly maternity with a dash of pre-pregnancy clothes.
Stretch marks: None.

Sleep: I've started waking up a lot during the night but never because of the baby.

Best moment this week: Nursery progress!  The fabric for the crib bedding is being cut and made.  We picked out a bookshelf, glider, and closet organizer.  Demo has started.  
Movement: Lots especially at night.
Food cravings: I like sweets a lot.
Gender: BOY!
Labor signs: None.

Belly in or out: Getting closer and closer to out.  It's pretty much flat.

Symptom of the week: Backaches.  I cannot sit or stand for extended periods of time due to these backaches.  They are mainly in my lower back and are not fun.  
What I am looking forward to: Daniel's birthday and Houston (not the driving part, though).
Weekly wisdom: I'm beginning to realize that it is absolutely normal to be petrified about taking care of a baby and that you will never have all the answers.  
Milestones: Adios second trimester, hello home stretch.

26 weeks

I question pretty much everything the Kardashians do or say and that rang true with Kourtney's hair choices while pregnant.  It seemed like as she got bigger, so did her hair.  Towards the end she started doing this thing where she would comb it straight up and then back, almost like a mane.  I could not figure out what she was smoking, but now I think I do.  I have started to feel like as I get bigger, my head looks smaller.  I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like my body is really out of proportion.  The bigger I get, the bigger my hair needs to be to offset the craziness so do not be surprised if all of a sudden I begin rocking a bouffant.  I do live in Texas and I need balance when it comes to my proportion issues.    

How far along: 26 weeks, 6 days

Total weight gain/loss:   I have gained around 15 pounds.  I am measuring a week small per my doctor although the above picture makes me question how much weight I have gained in my face.
Maternity clothes:  I am really enjoying maternity pants with the stretchy panel that goes over your stomach.
Stretch marks: None.

Sleep: I am sleeping but I usually wake up with either my neck or back hurting.  I cannot figure out how to sleep comfortably.

Best moment this week: Going to doctor and finding out that we are on track and starting to go more often.
Movement: All the time.
Food cravings: Back to soft pretzels.
Gender: BOY!
Labor signs: None.

Belly in or out: In but we are getting real close to having an outie on our hands.  Side note, that would be the button tab of my jeans in the above picture, not a belly button.

Symptom of the week: I have experienced this for a while, but I will go ahead and put it out there.  Lactation.  That is all I have to say about it.

What I miss: It has become a challenge to maneuver with this sweet little gut.  Hospital rooms are small and it is hard to get in and out without knocking things over.  

What I am looking forward to: Going to Houston in a couple weeks.  It's the last time we will be able to go there for a while so I plan on enjoying my time there.  

Weekly wisdom: Save all of your oversized t-shirts, ladies.  I had lots of t-shirts from college that I got rid of because they were too big and I am now regretting that decision.
Milestones: We are now going to the doctor every 3 weeks and I passed my glucose test.

Costa Brava and Girona

While we were in Barcelona, I thought it would be nice to get out of the city and explore the area.  We decided to go on a day trip to Costa Brava and Girona.  My parents had been to Costa Brava before and really liked it.

Our tour guide was a little nuts.  Supposedly Gisele Bundchen had hit on him in front of her husband, who he insisted was not Tom Brady.  Uh, I knows my celebrity gossip and I know for a fact that the only husband she has ever had is Tom Brady.  He also met Shakira and had lots of other interesting stories.  Oh and he smoked pot.  In front of us.  I don't have a problem with people smoking pot but I do have a little issue when they are driving the car I am riding in.

Thankfully there was an older couple on the tour with us and they were super nice.  They had been everywhere.  They had been on safari.  Last year they went to Thailand.  They had been to a place in Morocco where the goats climb trees (which was promptly added to my trip list because that I have to see).  I hope one day Daniel and I are as well traveled as they were.

Our first stop was a beach in Costa Brava.  It was beautiful but so cold.  I was thanking my lucky stars that I had purchased a winter coat at Zara earlier in the week.  There is no way I would have survived that trip without it.

After getting some food at a cafe, we went to Pals.  Pals is a very well preserved medieval town and is definitely full of tourists.  There were amazing views of the countryside from the church, so it was worth the stop. 

The beach

The hill we hiked.  Tory Burch flats are not meant for hiking.

The view from the top of the hill

Looking back at the town

A cute little beach town

It was as cold as it looks

Sailboat races

All the sails

A courtyard in Pals

Another courtyard

I love how well the town was preserved

Cobblestone streets

The view from Pals

The countryside and the beach

Our last stop was Girona.  We ate lunch at a traditional restaurant.  I'm not going to lie, I have not loved meat this pregnancy and I most certainly wasn't loving it at 10 weeks.  The restaurant served a lot of meat.  The one highlight was a salad with warm goat cheese which was from heaven.  Daniel totally wasted his, which was devastating.

After lunch, we explored the city.  Girona has a Jewish ghetto which has been preserved.  We got to experience a leery, drunk homeless man, which was super exciting.  He was just a little creepy.  We walked around for a while, but to be honest by this point I was cold and tired and wanted to go back to Barcelona.  Traveling while pregnant is kind of like being on a roller coaster.  

Bridge in Girona

In the Jewish ghetto

Where there are lots of stairs

The cathedral in Girona

A mix of architecture

The view from the church

The old city walls

I will say that even though I froze, I was glad we got out of Barcelona and explored a little more of Spain.  I can see why so many people love that area so much and why it is so popular for holidays. 

30 before 30 update (#3)

I thought it was time for a 30 before 30 update since I only have two more years to take care of business.  

As of today, I was officially able to cross one more thing off my list.  I completed my bachelor's degree program and now have my BSRT.  When I started my BSRT, I had no idea how much my life would change.  I mean, I'm not even working full-time at this point.  However, I am glad I stuck with it and completed the degree program. Now we'll see if I can muster the strength to pursue becoming a Physician Assistant.

In November I will be able to cross list item #1 off the list.  I have been documenting my progress weekly and we are so excited for our family to grow.  That excitement may come from ignorance, but it will be interesting to say the least.

Before my 29th birthday I plan on crossing some more items off the list.  They include: making tortillas, finishing up my goal to read 30 books (I am so close), making a gourmet meal (I have all the tools, I just need to do it), finishing up all our remodeling projects (the back porch and an exterior rejuvenation are all that stand in my way), and learning how to make some cocktails (to celebrate the end of my baby-enforced sobriety).  

So that is where I stand with the list.  I better get on it because 30 is knocking at my door.

30 Things I Want To Do Before I Turn 30

1. Expand our family
2. Go to Greece
3. Get my bachelor's degree in Resipratory Therapy
4. Take golf lessons
5. Learn how to make homemade tortillas
6. Read 30 books
7. Go to New York at Christmas
8. Learn how to knit
9. Drive Highway 1 along California's coast
10. Brush up on my spanish
11. Make a gourmet meal
12. Run a half marathon
13. Take things a little less seriously
14. Learn how to sew well enough to fix loose buttons and broken seams
15. Find a recipe for the perfect pizza crust
16. Go on a picnic
17. Finish remodeling the house
18. Ride in a hot air balloon
19. Go antiquing
20. Learn how to use a DSLR camera
21. Volunteer
22. Go to ACL or some other music festival
23. Go camping for reals, like in a tent
24. Plant a vegetable garden and grow things
25. Take surfing lessons
26. Learn Photoshop/Lightroom
27. Make something that I pinned on Pinterest
28. Learn how to make a couple different cocktails
29. Trace my family's roots
30. Get scuba certified

25 weeks

I have to applaud women who work full-time while pregnant, especially those who are on their feet all day.  I worked two shifts this week and we were super busy.  My legs got swollen and all I wanted to do was sleep.  It's hard work.  I also felt like I was unable to get anything done and trust me when I say, I have lots to get done.  I am so thankful that I am able to work PRN and even more thankful now that I am pregnant.

How far along: 25 weeks, 6 days

Total weight gain/loss:  I try to wait until doctor's appointments to get weighed.  
Maternity clothes:  I have fewer and fewer pre-pregnacy clothes that fit, but I am trying not to buy any more maternity clothes.
Stretch marks: None.

Sleep: I am starting to get very sleepy again and have started taking naps.

Best moment this week: We got to see the fabrics for the nursery and what the design of the bedding will look like.  I also started shopping for accessories.
Movement: All the time.
Food cravings: Chicken Express.
Gender: BOY!
Labor signs: None.

Belly in or out: In.

Symptom of the week: Nasal congestion.  I usually feel like I have a cold in the morning but it goes away gradually.  I constantly have to blow my nose which means bloody noses are back.
What I miss: Soft cheeses.  The Pioneer Woman made a delicious looking salad using blue cheese that I have bookmarked for November and I would give anything for a piece of bread with warm goat cheese.  I really love cheese, if you couldn't tell.
What I am looking forward to: We have a doctor's appointment this week and I think I am about to start going more frequently.  I have to do the glucose test, which I am not looking forward to but at least I will be getting it over with.
Weekly wisdom: Try to talk time to slow down every once in a while.  I try to have at least one day a week where I don't obsess over my to-do lists because they can be never-ending.
Milestones: You can now see my stomach move when the baby kicks, which is super creepy.

100 days

As of today, we are 100 days away from my due date. Three months and some change. Talk about a reality check especially when my fingers are crossed that he comes a week or so early.

We met with our contractor and the demo for the nursery should start in a week. We gave him a deadline of September 5th but sometimes those things change. We are going to Houston that week and it would be nice to come home to a finished room. Plus, we are already accumulating stuff and it needs a home.

I think I started nesting the day I found out I was pregnant. If it doesn't move, it will be cleaned and organized. I am currently focused on the office and the back porch is on deck. I probably have ten pounds of shredding to do but it feels so good. I hate crap and we have a lot of crap that needs to given notice.

I feel like we are making our way towards being ready but I am just starting to wrap my head around childbirth and then having to keep a small person alive. It's a lot of responsibility. I think we're up for the job but sometimes I wonder what we were thinking. All I know is that our birth plan reads as follows, "Drugs. Lots of drugs."

24 weeks

So according to one of the pregnancy apps that I look at from time to time, Baby Brown is now legally viable.  That is pretty exciting.  I mean being pregnant is hard work and I like to know it's not for nothing.  Time is definitely starting to go by faster which makes me a little panicked when I think about how much we need to get done.  I am currently juggling about ten different to-do lists.  We are making some progress, which is reassuring, but I would love to be done.  Hopefully I will be able to blog some pictures of a demo'd room this week.

How far along: 24 weeks, 6 days

Total weight gain/loss:  I have no idea where I am at.  
Maternity clothes:  I can still fit in clothes from before I was pregnant but I do love a pair of maternity jeans.
Stretch marks: None but I recently learned that sometimes they can evade your detection until after the baby comes.

Sleep: I'm definitely not getting the best sleep of my life.

Best moment this week: The crib came and we picked out fabric for bedding and pillows.  I am a big fan of progress.
Movement: All the time.
Food cravings: This week it was prosciutto, parmesan, on crusty bread.  And Entenmman's coffee cake.
Gender: BOY!
Labor signs: None.

Belly in or out: In.

Symptom of the week: Clumsiness.  I have never been the most graceful person but I am now tripping over nothing.  I feel like it is just a matter of time before I eat it.  My mom had big falls with both me and my sister, so I feel like I am fighting a losing battle.
What I miss: Nothing really.
What I am looking forward to: Getting the nursery remodel started, which will hopefully be this week.
Weekly wisdom:  Take advantage of being pregnant.  People tell you how great you look and let you eat first.  It's nice.
Milestones: I had a sonogram that verified that we are having a boy, which is good since we have already purchased fabric and the baby book has a name on it.  I also survived XIT sober and pregnant.

barcelona: day 2 (part 2)

One day I will finish blogging about our trip to Spain.  I promise.

I think we would both agree that the best thing we did in Barcelona was the motorcycle tour.  I found out about BrightSide side car tours on TripAdvisor.  If you travel and don't use TripAdvisor, you are nuts.  This website has changed the way I plan trips and we have stumbled upon tons of tours thanks to it.

The whole premise is you spend half a day to a whole day driving around Barcelona with a driver but you are on a motorcycle, or in my case, in the side car.  Daniel thought I should be on the back of the motorcycle but seeing as I was ten weeks pregnant and the roads in Barcelona are super steep, I thought this probably wouldn't be signed off on by any doctor.

Our ride.  You get a lot of attention in one of these bad boys.

We scheduled our tour for the beginning of our trip because we thought it would be a good way to see the city and decide if there was anywhere we wanted to go back to.

Let me tell you, we saw the whole city of Barcelona.  It was such a different way to see the city and our driver was amazing.  He answered all our questions and had lots of suggestions.  He suggested we both bring jackets which was the best decision ever.  I've said it before but Spain is cold in April.

Here are some of the pictures I took on the tour.  Be prepared because there are lots.

An interesting sculpture by the beach

And another

The beach

Santa Maria del Mar

El Born district

La Sagrada Familia from El Born

A cafe in El Born

Can you spot Barcelona Jack?

Crazy architecture

Waiting on an ambulance on a teeny tiny street

Riding dirty

Arc de Triomf

One of the only parks in the whole city

Casa Battlo, one of the most famous buildings in Barcelona

Not by Gaudi but more unique architecture

Casa Mila, also by Gaudi

Casa Vicens by guess who?  Gaudi.

Park Guell, which features lots of Gaudi's architecture

Houses at the entrance of the park

It was a hot spot

The city from the park

Lots of mosaics

Gaudi House Museum

Montjuic

The city from Montjuic

Olympic Park

The port of Barcelona