Robert and Melissa's Wedding

As I mentioned in my last post, Robbie and I took a trip to Washington last week for Robbie's friend Robert's wedding! We had so much fun! We spent several days before the wedding just hanging out with Robert and Melissa and relaxing in our hotel. The wedding was beautiful. Robert and Melissa are just too cute together. And Robbie was a groomsman and a witness for their marriage certificate, which was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures!









By the way, I'm not sure what all this talk about Washington's crappy summer weather this year is about. In the hour in took for them to take pictures, I got sunburned.












Robbie's contribution to decorating their car, lol


Not quite sure he's ready to let Robert go yet, I guess!





We were both pretty exhausted by the end of the day. But is he not just the cutest thing ever? Gosh I love him!

Countdown to Lauren: 9 weeks to go!

Honestly, I love being pregnant! But even more, I love knowing in 9 weeks my baby girl will be here and I can hold her and cuddle her all I want! 9 weeks... wow that's so crazy. Robbie and I took a road trip to Washington this week (many posts on that to come...) I was a little nervous about the ride... 31 weeks pregnant and 15 hours in the car... oh boy. But thank heaven for small miracles: I only had to pee 3 times the whole way there! Quite an accomplishment if I do say so myself! From what I can tell, Lauren feels like she's grown quite a bit lately. She discovered my ribs this week, and I spent what seemed like an entire day trying to push her out of them. But as unpleasant as being kicked in the ribs or kicked in the bladder can be, I still absolutely adore feeling her move.

(Side note: I hear other pregnant women talk about how uncomfortable they are and how being pregnant is "just the worst" and it makes me sad. Sure I get uncomfortable too, I can't sleep half the time because my hips hurt so bad. But Lauren can kick me in the ribs all she wants and I'm never going to complain about feeling her move around. I guess that's what fertility problems will do- make you cherish every little movement that much more. I can't imagine complaining about being pregnant).

Anyway! 9 more weeks. That's single digits now, my friends! School starts in less than a month, and I'm guessing the weeks after that will just fly by. At least I hope they do, I'm so excited to meet this little girl I've shared the last 7 months with.

Countdown to Lauren: 10 Weeks to Go

Oh my goodness, I'm 30 weeks pregnant.

30 WEEKS! I realize we've still got 2 1/2 months to go, but I also know those 2 1/2 months are going to go a lot faster than I think they will. Especially when the crazy in me starts thinking, "In 5 weeks I'm going to be 35 weeks... and 2 weeks after that Lauren will be full term. She could totally be here in 7 weeks." Um... deep breath.... wait for the sane side of my brain to take over... The side that says this is my first baby and it is so likely that we'll go past our due date. But 10 more weeks(ish), and we're going to have a BABY in our HOUSE. So excited, kinda scared. I look around our house and think, "Oh dear heaven... this house is no where NEAR baby ready." When it comes to big life changing events, I like to be totally and completely prepared. Obnoxiously prepared. Making list, after list, after list and checking things off kind of prepared. I want her room 100% done. I want all her clothes, and sheets, and whatevers to be washed and folded and in the perfect little spots I've chosen for them (just because it won't stay that way, doesn't mean I can't start off organized right?). I have my "baby needs" list, and I get this feeling of silly satisfaction everytime I cross something off it. It's wonderful :) As long as I don't think about how many things have yet to be crossed off... lol.

Anyway! That's the Crazy Ashlee update. Now for the Lauren update! We are so in love with this girl! I think she's hit a growth spurt lately as I've been both ravenously hungry the past two weeks, and as anyone who has seen me can tell you... the baby bump has definately grown. Her sweet little movements are starting to feel a lot stronger, and are a whole lot more consistant. Every little kick and movement makes me just melt. I love it! I passed my glucose tolerance test (yay!), but seriously failed when they looked at my hematocrit (not too surprising, I've always been a little anemic). So whether Lauren likes it or not, she's getting lots of dark leafy greens since I have to up the iron in my diet (woo hoo for constipation). At least I like spinach salads! :)

Anyway, 10 more weeks, people! 10 weeks and I finally get to meet my daughter. Could NOT be more excited about that!

"But Love... the baby wants ice cream!"

After some not so subtle hinting, Robbie took me out for Cold Stone today! Gosh I love him! :)

28 Week Appointment

I had another midwife appointment today! Everything is perfect! Lauren's heartbeat, which is one of the most beautiful sounds in my world, was 150 glorious bpm. She's big enough now that my midwife can feel her in my uterus, which is just awesome and crazy. She told me Lauren is the exact size she should be, and is even head down at the moment! Of course that head down part is subject to change, and change, and change again in the next couple months, but what mother doesn't love hearing it anyway? My uterus is 28 cm now, just where it should be- so all those people telling me how enormous I am for this stage in pregnancy can suck it!

My delicious glucose tolerance test was today as well. LOL. Okay obviously it was gross, but I really didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as everyone makes it sound. The most annoying part of it was simply that I was hungry, and hungry is highly uncomfortable these days, whether I'm drinking bright orange nastiness that belongs at McDonalds or not!

Second Trimester

I can't even believe another three months have gone by already. My second trimester has been fantastic, and it feels like it went so much faster than the first (might be because there was no bed rest or weekly blood draws involved, lol). All in all, I've mostly felt great! We had two ultrasounds this trimester, both saying our little one is a GIRL, and not a shy one at that! She moves around like crazy now, and I just absolutely adore it! I love laying on the couch and watching my stomach move completely independently of anything I'm doing. I love when we wake up in the morning and Robbie says, "Lauren kicked me last night," when I was all cuddled up and sleeping next to him. It's so amazing to think how I'm completely asleep, and she's awake as ever- her own independent little person just moving around on her own. I don't just feel kicks and punches anymore, but full on rolls and movements. And I don't know what it is, but I just adore it when Lauren kicks her Daddy. Love that! Feeling her move is by far my absolute favorite part of pregnancy. And we fall in love with this little girl more and more every day. I hope the third trimester goes as quickly and easily as this one did, because I am so excited to meet her.


HIGHLIGHTS!:
Foods I could (but don't necessarily...) eat every day: Pasta Roni Shells and White Cheddar (seriously), Tomato Basil Soup from Zupas, anything all fruit and veggie from Jamba Juice, Carnation Instant Breakfast (the chocolate ones, of course). I don't know that I'd call these cravings, but they just sound delicious ALL the time.
Food CRAVINGS: Kettle Cooked Salt and Vinegar Chips, green beans (french cut, canned green beans SPECIFICALLY), Tomato Basil Soup from Zupas (yes I'm including this twice, it's THAT good).
Food Aversions: Bananas (oh my gosh- one bite and I threw all the bananas in the house out), Root Beer Jelly Bellys (so, so disgusting), oatmeal (which makes me sad because I normally love oatmeal, but really... I've never tasted anything so horrible in my life)

Weight gained: Not sure exactly since my next appointment is this week, but last I checked, 17 lbs.

Pregnancy Symptoms: My hips... oh HELL my hips... there is no position in which they do not hurt; bloody noses; after 12 hours on my feet at work, some mild swelling in my ankles (I have sexy TED hose now, lol; I'm still peeing around the clock, it doesn't take very much to make me cry...

How I Feel Overall: Great! I don't want all those pregnancy symptoms to make it sound like I'm miserable because I'm not! I really do feel good!

Rudest Thing Someone Has Said To Me: Patient: "So when are you due?" Me: "The beginning of October" Patient (looks me up and down first): "Are you sure it's not twins?"

Embaressing Pregnancy Things: I sneezed and peeed myself, lol.

The Best Part of Pregnancy: I just love feeling her move

Lacie

Last night Lacie, one of my very best friends, passed away. She was 151/2 years old, and we'd been friends since my 10th birthday. She had been sick over the last few months, and honestly I am so glad she isn't suffering anymore... But that doesn't mean I'm not going to miss her so much. I remember the day I got her, but I can hardly remember what it was like not to have her here. I can't remember a single time growing up when I was sad and she didn't come find me- whether I was in my room, downstairs, or up the street at this big tree I use to go sit under. She had the spunkiest personality- whether that was hiding and jumping at your ankles as you walked by, bringing me home presents (translate: dead animals), pooping on my dad's pillow while he was sleeping on it because he had yelled at her that day, or cuddling up with me while I watched a movie. She was a better friend to me than I probably could have ever been to her, but I certainly tried. I love you, Lacie. And I am going to miss you so, so much.