An Exciting Week (& 17 week update) 7-31-12

Since this blag is supposed to be centered around my pregnancy, I'll give that update first.  Tom and I had our 4th appointment with Dr. Tydings this morning.  I was a little anxious because they were giving me the results of all my prenatal blood work, but I passed with flying colors!  Iron is great, no signs of Downs or Trisomy, hormone levels are great.  The nurse said I presented with one of the most perfect scores she had ever seen.  I told Tom later that this <motioning to my belly> was built for making babies (again apologies to my friends/family that experienced issues with infertility!)

As for symptoms, I've been feeling much peppier.  However, the cravings continue, I'm hungry most of the time, and my ankles have swollen a few times.  Also, I can actually feel my uterus now.  Like when I bend over or when I prop my leg up in the shower to shave.  It's a strange sensation.  And I think I've felt my little bean move, but I can't tell if that's gas or what... 

Now onto my rather busy week...I can't remember the last time I had such an activity filled week!  I left Louisiana Thursday morning and drove to my mom's in Birmingham.  She was keeping my 1 year old nephew, Andrew, and was tasked with picking up big brother Will from his school.  So I unloaded the car, loaded Andrew (who IS by far the NASTIEST child I have ever encountered - he loves to be dirty and sticky) into the mom's van, and we set off to get Will.  Necia (one of my 3 best friends) works at Will's school so I went to her classroom first so she could inspect my growing belly.  She had just seen me 3 weeks before so she wasn't that impressed.  We gathered Will and his stuff and loaded everyone back into the van with Will saying, "Granny, where's my snack?"  They apparently have a routine.  We deposited the children at my sister Meghan's house for the night, and then headed back to mom's.  Necia came by and had homemade soup and salad and we sat up until midnight just catching up on girl talk.  

The next day was "L-Day"!!  Laura (my best friend from IL) was arriving to spend the weekend.  She's a little nuts.   Drove 9 hours Friday morning to get there, and then turned around and drove 9 hours back on Sunday morning. At any rate, she arrived in time to eat lunch at the house with us and hang out and relax for a few hours.  Then, at 3 we left for Mom's wedding rehearsal.  She is a minister in the "Church of Life" and will marry anyone that's in love  :o)  So we tagged along with her and just made an adventure out of it.  The couple mom was marrying were students of hers several years ago and they decided to get married on Lake Logan Martin.  Laura and I just sat on the covered patio making conversation with some colorful characters and watching a massive rain storm roll in.  When mom was done rehearsing, we picked up Meghan and headed to the Olive Garden, our traditional eating spot.  I feel very sorry for the people sitting around us as the 4 of us can pick the most inappropriate dinner conversation topics (maggots, maxi pads, poop, etc).

Laura is a professional photographer (Books Photography) so she and I got moving early Saturday morning and headed to Meghan's to take pics of the boys.  Meghan has a really pretty entrance to her neighborhood with ponds and gazebos so we decided to do it there.  IT WAS HOT and Will the 4 year old thought it was funny to make Mimi (me) chase him around the pond.  But we got some good shots of them and it only took about 30 min.

Andrew 1 Year Old

Will 4 years old

From there we left Meghan as she had to study and take a test online, and we went to pick up mom for pedicures and some shopping. I'm not a huge fan of pedicures.  I like the massage part but that's about it.  So I meditated my way through it and ended up with some florescent pink toes.  I wanted to wait for Meghan to finish her test so she could come eat with us, so we killed time walking around Target.  When we got there, I needed a snack so I went to their little snack bar and ordered a pretzel.  The lady took my order and then came around to rub my belly and tell me I was having a boy.  Too funny.  And then she gave me this cake ball on a stick for free, which I was craving since one of the little shops at the Summit where I rubbed cake smelling lotion on my hands.  I bought my first 2 baby newborn outfits - one for a girl and one for a boy.  Mom also bought me a couple pairs of girl booties.  I just need to wait 1 day, 13 hours, 30 mins, 29 seconds to find out if it's a boy or girl!! 

We ended up killing enough time that we were able to meet Meghan for lunch at Jim N Nicks.  While eating, she tells us that she'd like to go with Laura and I to "Sips N Strokes", which is an art class offered in Birmingham where you take your own wine and try and imitate the instructor in painting a famous work of art.  Ours was "Sunflowers" and "The Scream".  None of us will be quitting our day jobs any time soon  :o)  This is the point in which I lost my ankles.  And I mean they were GONE. 

On Sunday morning, Laura got up early and headed for home.  It was a nice weekend with her!  I really wish we lived closer.  Mom and I went over to Meghan's to have birthday donuts for Meghan's 31st birthday.  We were planning to only be there for 30 min, but Meghan looks over at me and says, "I promise I'll take you anywhere for lunch if you'll help me reorganize my kitchen."  4 hours later I was enjoying some yummy Chipotle!  Then I went home and slept for a few hours and met back up with the family at the pool for a little late afternoon birthday swim. 

I drove home Monday after I went to the Apple store with Meghan and Dad to pick out an iPad for Meg.  She pooled together all of her birthday gift cards to get one, only to find out that next weekend is tax free. So she is painfully waiting the tax free weekend.  Girl's definitely got more patience than I!

So I'll update everyone on Thursday after my gender scan...wish me luck that the little booger cooperates!!