Saturday, July 25, 2015

the one where I am 22 weeks along

How far along: 22 weeks!
Total weight gain: 15 lbs
Maternity clothes: I am wearing my regular clothes with my belly band and that is getting harder. Ill probably only get another week or two out of that.
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: Sleeping good other than weird dreams and nightmares.
Best moment of this week: A couple of the neighbor kids have gotten to feel the baby kick which is so fun.
Miss anything: Alcohol
Movement: YES!
Food cravings: Dessert... which is actually not any different than pre pregnancy.
Anything making you queasy or sick: It changes daily.
Have you started to show yet: Yep.. that big, pregnant belly is out for everyone to see.
Gender: GIRL!
Labor signs: Thankfully no!
Belly button in or out: In but on its way out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Painting the baby/Tori's bedroom and possibly doing a maternity photo shoot!


Monday, July 20, 2015

the one where we go boating

This past weekend gets to go in the record books as one of my most favorite weekends with my little family.
I am so glad we have been getting to do some fun things as a family of three before our newest little lady is born and shakes things up a bit.
We visited one of Dans best friends from college (he lives in New Jersey). Him and his wife have this beautiful, huge house.. and a boat. Enough said. Let the fun commence.
Friday we went out on the boat and it was a hang out on the boat but not swim sort of thing. Joe has so many cool things on his boat to float around with and such and he and his wife have a bunch of young nieces and nephews so he has little kid life jackets (thankfully, since I forgot Tori's) and plenty of experience boating with little kids.
We told Tori we were going to go on the boat and look for fishies and ducks and she was all about it. That girl and her animals. Seriously. She loves them. We cruised around the boat and anytime it got too fast, Mommy was more scared than Tori lol. She started out sitting on either Mommy or Daddys lap and then got brave and wanted to sit by herself. On her knees of course, looking over the edge to keep an eye out for the animals. We cruised around and attempted to have dinner at a cool place on the water but Tori threw a terrible fit about getting off the boat so we nixed the idea and headed to a place back near Joes house, nowhere near the water or boat. All in an attempt to distract her.
Saturday morning we got up and the weather people had been calling for rain on and off through the day. We were worried about wether or not we should stick around and try for the boat again or not. Around noon (right after lunch) the sun was shining and we decided whatever, we will take the risk and go out on the boat.
We were SO thankful that we did. The day ended up being beautiful and sunny and we got into the water and it was gorgeous! Tori was SO brave and loved the water. Dan and Joe would take turns throwing the ball to each other and jumping from the boat into the water to catch it.. as soon as Daddy did it, Tori looks at me and says "Mommy, I jump!!!" .. "Tori, you want to jump off the boat?!?!"..."YES!!!"... and just like that, she gets on the boat and jumps into Daddys arm while screaming with delight. I was surprised at how easy it actually was to have Tori in the water. Once she had her lifejacket on and Daddy and Mommy were in the water with our little noodles, it was super easy to swim around with her and splash around with her. We had so much fun. I cherish getting to do these fun things with Tori. I don't think I got to get on my first boat until I was 20. Little lady got to at TWO! She is so lucky!!! I am so blessed that we get to have these memories together as a family! Now for the pics:





Tuesday, July 14, 2015

the one with my top two beauty must-haves

I am a sucker for any beauty items that are these things:
1- not expensive. Seriously, $45 for black eyeliner? No thanks.
2- easy to use. I dont feel that I am particularly good at hair/makeup so I need simplicity.

First must have: Moroccan Sea Salt Spray (apx. $5 at WalMart)
I have used this two different ways. The first way I used it, I was fresh out of the shower. I sprayed all over my hair while it was super wet and scrunched my hair. After a couple of minutes (I had to get out of the house quickly) I used my diffuser to dry it halfway through. I really liked the look. That is.. until I tried it the second way. The second time I used the spray, I was fresh out of the shower and sprayed generously all over. I scrunched my hair and stopped at that. I did not blow dry/diffuse it at all, I just let it air dry. Once my hair was dry I used some of the spray again just to touch it up. I LOVED the look. I found it actually lasted longer too. It held the beach wave and didn't look greasy at all so I was able to not wash my hair for about two days (which happens to be my least favorite thing to do ever so I was very excited). The spray acts as a hairspray in a way too so I didn't need any other products at all when I did this. Overall: I think the spray works best with hair that already has a natural curl/wave and I think that using it where you can let it air dry is best.
Second must have: Hourglass eyebrow pencil ($32 at Sephora)
Like I have said many times, makeup is not easy for me. I do a pretty basic face. Powder, bronzer, highlighter, blush, eyeliner and mascara. That is if I am rocking a full face. If its a quick grab and go day.. then powder, blush and mascara. I have just added the eyebrow pencil and my well.. my life has been changed. I had seen eyebrows have been all the rage lately. Beautiful, dark, full eyebrows. Everyone I knew who did them, swore by them. I went to Sephora, there was a sweet lady there named Jenn.. I told her, "I want an eyebrow pencil that is quick and easy to use". Right away she directed me to the Hourglass where she showed me how easy it is to use. She did one eyebrow and I immediately did the other which took about a total of one minute for both eyebrows to be completely finished. $32 is something I wouldn't normally want to spend on an eyebrow pencil but I had a gift card so it only cost me $3 out of pocket. I am so happy I got it. The first day I wore it, Dan noticed right away and told me I "look really polished". The eyebrows are now an official addition to the face. I love it. Try it, I promise itll change your life.
 

Thursday, July 9, 2015

the one where I am 20 weeks along


HALFWAY THERE
 
I can hardly believe it!
Halfway to meeting my second girl.
I am so excited!
 
 
How far along: 20 weeks!
Total weight gain: 13 lbs
Maternity clothes: I am wearing my regular clothes with my belly band. I have found it much easier to dress for pregnancy in the summer than it was when I was pregnant with Tori and dressing pregnant in the winter.
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: I have seemingly found my energy again and for that, me and Tori are both so very thankful!
Best moment of this week: I picked up a new swing for the baby, put new curtains up in the bedroom the girls are going to share and started going through some of Toris clothes.. figuring out what I want to keep for baby girl #2 and what I wanted to throw away.
Miss anything: Alcohol
Movement: YES! And Dan got to feel baby girl move too! So fun! I missed that feeling.
Food cravings: Dessert... which is actually not any different than pre pregnancy.
Anything making you queasy or sick: It changes daily.
Have you started to show yet: Yep
Gender: GIRL!
Labor signs: Thankfully no!
Belly button in or out: In but on its way out
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Our anatomy ultrasound next week! Cant wait to see baby girl dancing around in Mommys belly :)

Monday, July 6, 2015

the one where Tori is 28 months old

It has been awhile since I have given an update on my big girl. My wild, stubborn, smart, beautiful girl.

Tori is 28 months old.. two years and four months.. "about two and a half" as I tell people.

-Tori is a tough cookie. She is very stubborn and knows exactly what she wants. Or doesn't want. This makes it impossible for a lot of really basic things right now... Like getting her dressed in the morning. She is literally rolling around on the floor while I am trying to stuff her like a sausage into whatever outfit it is. Usually I try to dress her in just a one piece dress that way its quick and easy. It really is not quick and easy. Ever.
-Tori's hair. It is curly and big. Much like Mommy's. It is so long too. In the bath tub when its wet, its halfway down her back and then when it dries it pops up to just past her shoulders. I will not cut it because Im terrified that it will make her curls go away. With that being said.. she hates getting her hair brushed. When I have her in the tub I spray it with detangler and try to run the brush through it and she screams and I force her to sit through it and then I don't touch it with a brush again until the next bath lol.
-Her appetite is hit or miss lately. She will eat a ton for breakfast, then nothing for lunch, then a ton for dinner.. nothing for breakfast, a huge lunch, no dinner.. you just don't know what her little belly is going to want or not want next.
-Baby girl LOVES to be outside (like she has her whole 2.5 years of life). Her slide, the park, the pool, her "waggie" (wagon), the "tramp" (neighbors trampoline).. those are all of her favorite things and where they are is where she wants to be. This is not fun when it is raining outside.. or when you have just gotten out of bed and are walking around like braless betty and don't want to scare away the neighbors.
-She still hasn't shown much interest in Mommys growing belly/her baby sister.
-She loves Daniel Tiger (especially baby Margaret) and Curious George. Shes really into reading his book lately. We go through it and point out all of the animals.
-Shes an animal lover. Especially doggies. Yes, I do in fact take my toddler to places like the dog park, pet smart and that fish place when we are looking for things to do. No, I don't have a pet.
-Her naps have been hit or miss. I wish they were always a hit lol. They are for Mommy.
-She LOVES building towers. It is always her go-to in her playroom.
-She has learned how to "do cartwheels". It is the cutest thing ever. She will be on the trampoline and look down and try to roll and it is sort of more of a side roll on her shoulder and when she gets up, she is soooo proud of herself. Its adorable.
-Tori has been loving having daddy home this summer. He is working part time but he doesn't have to be at work until 11am (and is there until anywhere from 2:230-4). As soon as I get Tori up she asks to "see daddy".. during the school year we never see Daddy in the morning, we don't see him until he gets home at 3:30 so shes loving it. I let her wake Daddy up and she loves getting to lay in Mommy and Daddys bed, she asks to be covered with the blankie and just lays beside Daddy for a few minutes before we make the trek downstairs to have breakfast together.

I have said it a couple times already but this is definitely the hardest age I have experienced so far with Tori. I also love it at the same time. She is learning so, so much. She is starting to have her own opinion on things she wants to do, things she wants to wear.. she is starting to really attach herself even more to different people. She is Mommys little shadow (as Daddy calls her) and I love that I get to have my bestie with me 24/7. She is the BEST!

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

the one where I relive our honeymoon

Our honeymoon is one of my most favorite trips I have ever taken. In honor of our four year anniversary tomorrow I thought I would do a little recap of our adventure.
When we went (just a couple of days after the wedding) Dan had never been to an all inclusive at that point so it was especially fun getting to experience that first together. I let Dan be totally in charge of the honeymoon because for me, I had alrdy done the all inclusive thing and I was really open to going anywhere and everywhere. He is a researcher (as opposed to me who would find the first place that said POOL BAR and chose that).
First let me start with I HATE flying. Not so much that I wont do it, but so much that I cry, shake, throw up.. you know, totally normal and fun stuff. Thankfully this trip would only be four hours long so I was open to it. Fast forward to getting on the airplane and getting ready for take off.. and this big guy who didn't seem like a typical flight attendant comes over to Dan and I and says "Im sorry but youre going to have to follow me off the plane right now"... WHAT THE HECK?! Dan and I both had a panic that totally came over us and the attendant tells us he was just kidding and Dan says "Dude, not funny! We are heading on our honeymoon right now and my wife HATES flying!" The attendant laughs and leaves, then comes back a minute later and tells us we are being upgraded to first class. WIN!!!! Youre telling me I hate flying, Im on a plane going to my honeymoon in Mexico and now I am getting to do it FIRST CLASS where I can drink all of the rum and cokes it will take to get my jitters to stop for FREE?! Awesome.
The Valentin Imperial Resort in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.
The resort was so, so beautiful. My only complaint would be that there were a lot of swamps around it which were cool to look at, but made for a TON of mosquito bites. We went through the bug spray we had taken with us and had to buy more at the souvenir shop because seriously, we were covered. Our room was so beautiful. A HUGE Jacuzzi tub, this super sexy shower stall, a beautiful king size bed that was always covered with flowers and cool towel animals, a little deck area.. We were in heaven. We got very comfortable very fast and our first order of business was food lol. Anyone that knows my husband knows that is ALWAYS his first order of business (hence me gaining 30 lbs within the first 2 months of dating haaha). We decide to have the tub run because it was filling super slow. Bad idea. By the time we got back from eating the tub had completely overflowed. I was DYING LAUGHING. There was something hilarious to me about the fact that it happened on our first night there and that we had to call the front desk to have a bunch of workers come help us clean it up and bring us like, 100 towels. None of the food there was particularly amazing except for the Mexican restaurant (imagine that). We tried a different restaurant each night and it was very fun getting all dressed up. There was this really cool little coffee shop we would go to in the afternoons for a reboot (included on the resort) and every night we would go to this one particular bar and have drinks, dance and play connect four (yes you read that right and side note: I ALWAYS beat Dan).
Meeting people.
Dan and I are people people. We love hanging out with others, drinking, socializing, getting to know people. Extroverted to the max. We loved being at an adult only resort, it seemed everyone there was there for the same reason. Grown up, alone, partying time. We met an awesome couple who were from New York. A young couple who were really similar to us. The boyfriend wanted to play in the ocean and go as far out as he could and crash into huge waves (just like my husband) and the girlfriend wanted to lay out and work on her tan, entertain her bf for a little in the water and then hang at the pool bar (my dream come true). I only got drunk one day out of our whole trip. Dan and Anthony went to the ocean for awhile.. Liz and I hit the pool bar. By the time the guys got back I was pretty gone. There was a pool event going on and Dan participated.. something about kicking a ball across the pool into the goal.. Dan missed, I chanted "A$$HOLE!" on the top of my lungs and the host of the pool party telling Dan "Good luck" for being married to me LOLOLOL. OH my. One of the best days.
Excursions.
We went swimming in this amazing cave. The water was freezing cold and crystal clear. We went ziplining and ate at this legit Spanish restaurant.. it was in the middle of the jungle(probably the only time the whole trip I was scared lol) and was ran by this adorable Spanish lady. We also checked out the Mayan Ruins which it was super hot and sticky out for but it was awesome. A really cool thing to experience and a nice reminder that the world is so so so much bigger than we realize. I didn't end up participating in the rope thing (which I cant remember what its called right now).. where you like, go down a rope from somewhere really high. It freaked me out. We also did some market shopping where we got a few souvenirs.
Thinking back to this was fun and definitely made me realize I cant wait for another trip like that with my husband. I am thinking a cruise next time. We had so much fun just getting to be us, enjoying each others conversation and just being together. I really recommend anyone getting married should budget for a honeymoon. Life changes so much and getting a honeymoon later down the road just doesn't happen. Houses do. Kids do. Jobs do. Life does. I am glad we got to take advantage of our early years together and as our kids get older, Im looking forward to having that all over again.

Now for a picture overload. (Man, to be tan and 110 lbs again LOL)













 
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