Belly Bump

OK so I didn't want to do this on facebook and I'm not sure there is a huge difference between doing it on my blog but I wanted to do a little time line of the baby growing! I am so lucky that I have had a wonderful experience so far. And I can only hope that going forward continues to be as "enjoyable" and amazing through the rest of my pregnancy, labor, and the baby's life! All we can wish for is a healthy, safe baby!!!

Here are a few pictures along the way! 

4 weeks...

 5 weeks...

10 weeks...

  

12 weeks... 

 13 weeks...

 

16 weeks...

18 weeks...

 20 weeks...

 

Morning Fav

Being Pregnant

I know are you so annoyed with me yet? Pregnancy DEFINITELY has its UPS and DOWNS trust me. I may not have experienced everything first hand but a lot of my closest friends have and I can tell you there are joys and triumphs and scares and horrors! The most that we can wish for is that "God" or whomever/whatever you believe in can help keep you and your baby healthy and safe!

Yesterday we had our big "halfway" ultrasound and it was so amazing! Now my sonograms didn't come out that great but the whole experience watching the screen as they try and get the measurements and little Babe to move around. He/She was sucking it's thumb with legs crossed. Watching the heart beat flutter rapidly, throwing a punch or a kick here and there. They now give you a 4D view of the baby where you can see features and that is FREAKY but neat at the same time. When you look at the positive and beautiful side, you just feel so blessed to be giving life! I keep looking at my pictures and realizing there is a HUMAN (hopefully haha) growing inside of me... literally! It is the craziest concept! I keep falling in love each time I look at the picture... getting more attached. Which makes me happier and more excited, but then freaks me out because I want more than anything for it to be healthy and safe!

With 5 more months to go (yes you are preggo for 10 months... not 9) so much can happen and you just hope and pray that everything goes as though "God" plans and everyone stays happy and healthy and safe!

Girl Effect

My friend shared this link with me and I cannot stop thinking about it! Everyone has their "cause" and mine used to be (and still is) spreading the word and knowledge on preventing Eating Disorders, BUT as I get older and get more involved in other things I learn how many "causes" there are out there.

My family is a huge supporter of KIPP (knowledge is Power Program/Charter School (college-preparatory public schools with a track record of preparing students in under served communities for success in college and in life.) That is a whole other  blog within itself, but the more I educated myself, attend events, and get involved, the more I want apart of making a difference.

I am really interested in learning more about this Girl Effect that my friend sent me. Here is the website: http://www.girleffect.org/ and here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e8xgF0JtVg, watch if you can! I used to do a lot of traveling with work and even though the countries I go to in Central America aren't as impoverished as a lot of other countries (and continents for that matter) you still see SO many people living in poverty and what is the worst is seeing the children.... their little bodies, faces, and spirits all drawn in.... gone.... forced to live like an adult much earlier than necessary and than any of us can imagine! This is one of the reasons this video touched me! The other is as a woman I can't even imagine if I was forced to experience 1/2 of what these little girls go through. When we watch "crime dramas" on t.v. yes it's upsetting but it's TV, but if you really stop and thinking about it, the stories of sex trafficking, rape, HIV, drug addiction, etc. COME from somewhere!

Long story short this is my way of spreading the news!

Morning Fav

I have so many morning favs this week it was a hard choice, BUT.... my winner is my new "Mom Agenda". I was in a paper store yesterday and was drawn to these planners. YES I do have the iphone and a MAC and mobile me so I could be all in sync, but I swear my mobile me goes haywire every 4 months and sometimes it is just a pain. I bought the cutest Kate Spade planner a year or so ago, but it was too small and I didn't like it so I gave it to my momma. Well this time I  brought in the big guns and went for the notebook size planner and am loving it! OK yes I have had it less than 24 hours, but you know that feeling when you love jotting stuff down. I was filling it up last night while watching "House" and was having a ball.. yeah I'm so weird! But I love how it gives me a weekly view and then my appointments are at the top and below is a totally separate section divided into 4 for all my "kids"... well obviously I don't have any yet, but I can put my "lax" schedule, Kyle's events, animals, and then when Baby George does arrive in February I can add his/her numerous check ups and lunch dates with Gigi in there! I hope this actually lasts!!!

And apparently it was on the Today Show... which I ALSO love! Check out the link by clicking the title!

Morning Fav

Inspirational Quote:

Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not. -Samuel Johnson

I stole this from one of my facebook friends morning status'. It is such an empowering quote, I love it! It reminds me of a casual conversation I was having with a friend the other day. Long story short I was explaining how I see the same people on my morning dog walk which is sometimes nice and sometimes a PITA. And one morning I didn't go all the way around the block  because I just couldn't "deal" with having this encounter (a five minute conversation with another dog walker). And me being me felt so awful after doing that. It was like, "what has this person ever done to me except be nice?". Which is true. It was just at that moment in time I didn't feel I had the energy to spark up a nonsense conversation when I was already running late.... which I am entitled to but still feel bad about. 

My friend made a good point- that she feels that way sometimes  but afterward you feel bad because "it's not very Christian of you" and it was like "BING" went off in my head! That's it.. that is where I get stuck. I feel like I try and try and try to do "good" in God's, my family and other people's eyes but you have to remember that you are human! Sometimes I get upset and when I do it doesn't mean I am a bad person or you are a disappointment. You don't have to love or like everybody and they don't have to love or like you... and you can not like or like someone for a period of time and that can change... nothing is permanent in life (except we are born, we live, we die), but we do have "control" of our actions. I'm not saying be fake, but you kindness and understanding goes a long way and I bet an even longer way than you or I would think.

It's like when people say "you never know what is going on in that person's life" is so true! When you want to reach across and punch the bank teller, cashier, receptionist, etc. because they are rude. You can get upset and freak out (and sometimes I do) or you can do what you can up until a certain point and give that person a break because you have no idea what is going on in their life.  Now if that person is rude over and over again then it's fair game :) hehe. 

It makes me think of the girls I coach when I watch how they interact with each other. Girls can be so mean and as a soon to-be-parent it makes me sad and scared if I have a little girl. So many things out of your control. You just hope that she is nice to others and they are nice to her. You hear all these awful stories about bullying in schools and the tragic ends that some kids find. 

I'm rambling, which is OK, but I just really liked the message of the quote and wanted to share it!

Small Things

Sometimes I think "we" tend to overlook the small things in life. I know in our house we get so busy with our daily routines and lives sometimes it's easy to forget the "little" things that can truly make us happy. What brought this thought.... giving Kyle a big hug and kiss before he walked out the door for work. Do you "kiss" your significant other good-bye every morning? Or what about every night? I have a pillow that says "Always remember to kiss each other good night" and it is one of my favorite sayings! I think it is SO true! Or just a compliment telling the other person how nice they look or great you think they are. Receiving little compliments whether you are male or female always makes someone feel good!

Have you told or showed someone how special they are to you today??