Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Heaven on bread...

It's trial prep time, y'all.  And when it's trial prep time, posting tends to get a little... patchy.  Mostly because I tend to do a lot of writing before trial, and it's hard to want to write all day and then come home and write some more.  Feel me, dog? (Oh wow, I so can't pull that off, can I?)

But I wanted to drop in and say a quick hello anyway because we all know that I can't stay away for too long. :)

We had a fabulous weekend, even if I did have to work some.  Dinner to celebrate my brother's birthday on Friday, hair cut/color and maternity pictures on Saturday (which went fabulously... Lauren sent me a couple of sneak peeks, and I love them - can't wait to show them to you guys!), lunch with my momma on Sunday, dinner with Micah's parents that evening, and then a little Oscar watching before I hit the hay.  At 8:30.  It was glorious.

And then this happened last night:

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Micah had his first softball game of the season, but I had to work, so I came home and made what I am convinced will go down in history as the best sandwich I've ever made.

Think of it as a cross between cinnamon toast and a peanut butter and banana sandwich.  Except with Nutella instead of peanut butter.

Yeah, I said it.

I just buttered the bread, sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on top of the butter, then flipped it over and slathered it with Nutella like my life depended on it.  After that, I laid sliced banana on top of the Nutella and then buttered/sugared/cinnamoned the other slice of bread and placed it on top of the bananas (with the cinnamon/sugar side up).  I slapped that baby on a hot griddle, cooked it like I'd cook a grilled cheese, and devoured it in about 50 seconds.

Heaven, y'all.

Looks like I've got another long night ahead of me tonight, and I think I know what I'll be having for dinner... :)

(And I know I owe you guys a 32 week bump date, but I'm thinking we'll probably roll weeks 32 and 33 together, if that's okay with you guys.)

Friday, February 22, 2013

High Five for Friday Five...

See what I did there?

It's Friday, y'all!  To celebrate, I'm linking up with Lauren and Joy for High Five for Friday and Friday Five, respectively. 

{one}  I'm getting my hair colored tomorrow. Finally. I'm just a little worried because my maternity pictures are also tomorrow, and the color might be a little too... vibrant since I won't be able to wash it afterward. But I guess that's what Photoshop is for.

{two}  This happened last night.

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It's S'mores Crack Dip.  And it's heavenly.  The recipe really couldn't be any easier, but there's something about dipping the graham crackers into the chocolatey, marshmallowy goodness that feels so gourmet.  And I used low-fat graham crackers, so it was totally healthy.  Ha.

{three}  I ended up paying for my just-before-bed indulgence because I woke up last night at midnight with crazy reflux.  Even Zantac couldn't save me.  So I headed to the couch, propped myself up on pillows, and finally fell asleep.  (I may or may not have slept in this morning to make up for the lost hours.  I guess I'd better do that while I can because I'm pretty sure Grace won't be as forgiving as work is. :))

{four}  I get to see my favorite niece tonight at my brother's "birthday" dinner, and I couldn't be more excited.  (Technically, my brother doesn't want to celebrate his 30th birthday, but there's really no getting around it.  I mean, today is his birthday, and there will be presents.) 

Little princess is just so freaking sweet and just a little bit obsessed with her Uncle Micah right now.  Every time I call my sister-in-law, I hear Stella in the background saying "Micah, Ry-Ry, Micah, Ry-Ry!"  Apparently we're a package deal to her. 

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(One guess as to which one of us was behind the camera and which was the recipient of that little grin...)

{five}  There's a chance I'm going to speak in court next week.  It'll be my first time (depositions don't count because they're not in court or before a judge/jury), and I'm terrified.  And thrilled. 

It probably sounds weird that I'm a third-year attorney and haven't yet spoken in court, but I work on big patent cases.  At most firms who do these kind of cases, I probably wouldn't have even been inside a courtroom yet, but my firm is really great about getting good experience to young attorneys, so I've been to trial (as part of the trial team) three times now, and this is the next step.  Fingers crossed I don't totally blow it... :)

So how has your week been?
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Go link up and tell us!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Thankful for...

Loved and Lovely

Hi, loves!  It's Thursday, and you know what that means...

{I'm thankful} that it's a rainy-ish, dreary Thursday in North Texas, and I'm loving it.  This is definitely my kind of weather.

{I'm thankful} for my big brother.  He turns 30 tomorrow, and I can't even express how crazy it feels to say that.  Wasn't this just yesterday?

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Holy cow.  I adore this guy a ridiculous amount and am so thankful for what he's been to me all these years.  Our relationship has definitely changed from the days of red, polka-dot dresses and awkward sweaters, but he will always possess an uncanny ability to make me cry (now in the good way)... or make me laugh until I cry. :)

{I'm thankful} that I was able to scrape together a few outfits for my maternity pictures this weekend.  It's a hard thing finding cute outfits when you're curvy and pregnant, but hopefully what I found will work.  And speaking of my maternity pictures...

{I'm thankful} for my bestie.  After hanging up from a forty-five minute chat session the other night, I was reminded of what a special thing it is to still be best friends with the same girl who loved me through braces, glitter eyeshadow, and the days of chunky highlights.  And it doesn't hurt that she takes gorgeous pictures...

{I'm thankful} for an incredibly smooth pregnancy.  I honestly can't tell you how lucky I feel for how breezy these last eight-ish months have been.  Sure, the non-stop nausea wasn't fun, and I'm not loving the fact that I'm waking up every two hours at night now to pee and switch sides (the darned numb arms and hands are so annoying!).  But I'd go through those things over and over again if I had to to bring our little angel into the world.  We are so ready to meet her!

Have you counted your blessings lately?  What are you thankful for?




Also linking up with black tag diaries, The Fontenot Four, First Day of my Life, kate says stuff, and  a punk a pumpkin and a peanut.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

What I'm Loving Wednesday... special edition

I can't thank you guys enough for all of your sweet words and encouraging comments in response to yesterday's post.  Really.  They made my day.

And because I think it's important to find joy in each day, I'm linking up with This Kind of Love for What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm doing things a little differently today.  I thought it'd be fun to tell you guys about all the things Micah and I love simply because the other made us try it.  Over the course of ten years, we've both ended up braving and loving so many things we wouldn't have ordinarily tried, and I think we're both so much better for it.

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Fall 2002  (he used to wear clothes that were way too big for him... I suppose I fixed that too. :))

So without further ado...

Things Micah loves because of me...

(In general, Micah had pretty vanilla taste in food before he met me.  Poor country boy just couldn't help it... his family is definitely a meat and potatoes kind of bunch.  So I made it my mission to introduce him to new things, and he's generally been pretty good about being cooperative.  Here's a list of food he now loves.  After reading it, I might almost mistake him for a city boy... almost.

Cheese enchiladas
Chimichangas
Sushi (although he still doesn't love the really raw stuff)
Greek food (the boy can put away some hummus)
Thai food
Blue/Feta cheese (again... maybe he doesn't really love it, but he eats it with a smile on his face)
Lettuce wraps

And here are some other things he loves because I love them, too (or because I made him try it against his will):

Pottery Barn
Dogs in the house
The beach/ocean (I wouldn't say he loves it, but he'll go.  And that's enough for me. :))
Aveda Hand Relief
Banana Republic
Converse
HGTV
Cuddly blankets
The Bachelor (ha... just kidding.  Although he did get into Grey's Anatomy for awhile.)

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Prom 2003

Things I love because of Micah...

Homemade biscuits
Pound cake
Cheesecake
Fishing (I still don't love it as much as he does, but I like it more than most girls probably do)
The Twister soundtrack (seriously... it's really good)
Football on Sundays
Extra vanilla in any and all baked goods
Ford pickup trucks (I've always been a Chevy girl, but the sight of him driving an F150 makes my heart go pitter patter)
Samoas Girl Scout Cookies
A vaccuumed closet
Duck Dynasty
No dogs in bed (I've got to hand it to him... I really do sleep better without Lilly up there with us)
Extra lime in my guacamole
Being productive on Saturday mornings
Chap Stick 

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2003

And all I can think is... how did I go seventeen years without Samoas?

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Things I don't like to have to tell you...

I love sharing things with you here, friends. You really can't know what it means to me to be able to unload our lives here with you and to have you all cheer us on, every step of the way. And usually when I have something to share, I can't help but rush to my laptop and get a post up for you. 

The past week has been different, because I've been dreading sharing this with you.  I had hoped that we'd get different news on Friday.  But we didn't.

My sweet Mimi, my mom's mom, has lung cancer. 

After an ER doctor indicated his belief a couple of weeks ago that she had a cancerous tumor on her lung, her pulmonologist confirmed.  They're doing a biopsy this week to see what they're dealing with, and they'll hopefully develop a game plan after that.

If I can, I would just ask for your prayers.  She's tough and handling the news incredibly well, but this road is difficult for even the strongest and most faithful people.  She reads my blog faithfully, so I know any kind words would be very much appreciated by her.

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Love you, Mimi!  We're all praying faithfully for a quick recovery.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Meal-Planning Monday (and our weekend)...

How is it already Monday?

We had a pretty low-key weekend around here.  So low-key that a recap is probably unnecessary, but heck... why not? 

Friday night, we met for dinner at our local Mexican restaurant (and were treated to a free "Valentine's Day" cheesecake for being regulars... gotta love that).  But at least, by some miraculous burst of self-control, I made myself order a salad instead of cheese enchiladas.  So I say it evens out.

I went to a baby shower on Saturday morning for one of my co-worker's wives.  True to form, I waited until the last minute to get a gift, so I found myself perusing Pottery Barn Kids at 10:00 am on Saturday morning.  And in case you didn't already know, there are entirely too many adorable things in that place. 

After the shower (which was fabulous and oh-so chic), I headed home.  Micah had made plans to go fishing with his dad, so I had the afternoon to myself.  One guess as to what I did...

Yep, I slept for about two-and-a-half hours.  It was glorious.  My mom and step-dad dropped by after I woke up to see how the nursery is looking (I swear, it won't be too much longer before I can show you guys... maybe two or three more weeks?).  We ordered a pizza and visited, and it was a wonderful way to spend our Saturday night.

On Sunday, we got up to go to church but realized that this might the last chance we'd have to get to Ikea to pick up some picture rails for the nursery (that I'll be using as bookshelves).  So we headed out and made plans to attend the new contemporary evening service our church started this week.  After picking up more than we needed at Ikea, we came home so that Micah could change and get to softball practice.  I was tempted to take another nap, but I made myself plan our meals for the week and then go back out and pick up some groceries. 

Just as I finished unloading the groceries, Micah made it back from practice, and my dad and step-mom dropped by to see the nursery.  (I love how much they're loving every step of this pregnancy.)  We had to keep the visit short so we could make it to church, but we really liked the service.  We'll probably try and make it every couple of weeks.  After grabbing a quick dinner at Panda Express (why is it so delicious?), we headed home and almost immediately got into bed. 

We're officially an old, married couple...

And here's what we're having for dinner this week.

Crockpot Italian Chicken, rice, and roasted potatoes

One-Pot Pasta and salad

Pesto, Mozzarella, Spinach, and Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with homemade sweet potato fries



And because I'm still craving sweets like a crazy woman, I'm planning on making these things sometime this week, as well.

S'more Crack Dip (I had some of this at a party once, and it was to. die. for.)

Caramel Pretzel Brownies

So what are you guys cooking this week?

Thirty-one weeks...

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And just for fun, let's see how far we've come from Week Thirteen.

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How far along?  Thirty-one weeks.


Baby is the size of... four navel oranges.  (Random, right?  But apparently she's about 16 inches long and weights approximately 3.3 pounds.)


Best moment this week?  Sitting in the bathtub (with water at a perfectly safe temperature, thankyouverymuch), watching my belly move like something out of a sci-fi movie.  It's the coolest (and weirdest) thing ever.  One of my friends at work actually saw my belly move when she kicked the crap out of me the other day.  I just love it.


Miss anything?  We're getting pretty uncomfortable around here, y'all.  The belly's really getting in the way of pretty much everything, and any and all movement takes a lot more effort than it used to.  Putting on shoes is a pain.  Shaving my legs is a pain.  I suppose I miss not feeling like a whale.  (But I'm definitely not complaining.  This gift is one I gladly accept, even with the discomfort.  I just want to keep an accurate record.  It's the litigator in me.)


Movement?  Like a wild child.


Sleep?  I can finally say that sleep is becoming difficult.  Between the reflux, heartburn, peeing, and the fact that all this extra weight means that my arms fall asleep wheen I sleep on my sides, I'm waking up at least five times a night.  I'm obviously sleeping on my side, but it's hard to find the right balance.  If I lean over too far, I feel like I might as well be on my stomach and freak out that I'm smashing Grace.  If I don't lean over far enough, I worry that I'm basically sleeping on my back and that she's not getting enough oxygen.  


Food cravings?  Still lots and lots of sugar, but I'm definitely not letting myself have too much at this point.  It makes me feel so yucky.  I've also been eating a lot of ice lately. 


What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing, really, but I've got heartburn pretty much 24/7.


Morning sickness?  Nope.


Other symptoms?  The numbness in my fingers actually happens anytime my hands are elevated for long periods of time (e.g, when I straighten my hair or put on makeup).  I think I've got a few spidery veins on my legs, too.  And stretch marks galore.  (Maybe it's terrible, but I couldn't care less about them.  Probably because I already had some... the joys of weight that fluctuates.)  I'm also just a whole lot more tired.  I could seriously take a nap every day of the week.  And my feet are still ridiculously swollen.  My poor shoes are all so tight.


Gender?  Still a little GIRL!


Looking forward to... taking maternity pictures this weekend.  I'm really not digging how I look right now, but I know I'll treasure these pictures in the future, so we're going for it. :)

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day (and a link-up!)...

Loved and Lovely


Maybe it's ridiculous, but I kind of love Valentine's Day.  And I think it's because...

... I love love.

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From the time I was a little girl, I've adored all things romantic.  I'm a sucker for a good love story, sappy commercial, or mushy letter.  As I've gotten older, though, I've realized that my perception of love as a young girl was incredibly skewed and that real love isn't always perfectly packaged in pink and red. 

So while I still adore The Notebook* and re-read Pride and Prejudice every few years, I'm learning to be thankful for the many forms love has taken in my life over the past 27-and-a-half years.

{I'm thankful} for parents who loved me enough to do anything and everything they could to ensure that I'd eventually be prepared to face the world on my own, even when that meant allowing me the freedom to make choices they knew would land me on my butt.

{I'm thankful} for a big brother who teased and tormented me enough as a young girl that working in an office (mostly) full of silly, crazy boys doesn't faze me one bit. 

{I'm thankful} for the two girls who have loved and stuck by me since elementary school and middle school.  One is now my sister-in-law, and the other has been a sister to me in more ways than she'll ever know. 

{I'm thankful} for grandparents and aunts and uncles who love the Lord and who have been a beautiful reflection of His love to me over the years.

{I'm thankful} for a man who, I am convinced, is the most wonderful man in existence.  He has never been one to sing me love songs or recite poetry, but I'll be darned if he hasn't loved me better than any person ever could.  He's my dream come true.

Above all, {I'm thankful} for His love.  Everything beautiful and lovely comes from Him, and there could never be a gift greater than the cross.  That's real love, y'all.

So happy Valentine's Day, you guys!  What are you thankful for today?  Link up and tell us!


Also linking up with black tag diaries, The Fontenot Four, First Day of my Life, kate says stuff, and  a punk a pumpkin and a peanut.

* I feel the need to clarify that I actually can't stand Nicholas Sparks books.  I'm definitely talking about the movie because Ryan Gosling + Rachel McAdams = PERFECTION.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

What's been up...

I love it when people who are smarter than me share their wonderful ideas so that I can shamelessly steal them.  I read Beth Moore's Living Proof Ministries blog, and one of the contributers recently posted that she saves whatever Bible verse she's trying to memorize as her lock screen on her iPhone. 

Guess who stole that idea in about 2.5 seconds...

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I haven't really written about Project Scripture in awhile, and it was technically supposed to be over at the end of 2012.  But our Sunday School class joined in about eight weeks into the year last year, and they really love participating, so I'm carrying it forward into this year.  Because they missed out on the first eight verses, we're going back and doing those first (which is a nice refresher for me), but I'll be compiling a new list and posting it in a few weeks or so so that any of you who want to join in can do so as well.  (Also, I decided to stick with each verse for two weeks instead of one.  I think it'll help with retention, and we'll really get to focus on the verse before we have to move on to the next one.)

Let's see... what else has been going on?

I've had TONS of baby practice this week!  I got to meet one of my oldest friends (we're talking Babysitters Club books and watching Full House when it was still on the air old...) for dinner last week, and she brought her precious little pumpkin along with her.

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(Can we just talk, for a minute, about how amazing she looks?  Brooklyn's just barely two months old, and Amber's already back to looking like a supermodel.  If I didn't adore her so darned much, I'd just have to kill her...)  This was her first time taking Brooklyn out by herself, and both momma and baby did fabulously.

And then on Sunday, we spent the afternoon with this little guy...


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(How adorable is our nephew in that little recliner?)

And this little girl...

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After we had lunch with Micah's parents, we headed over to babysit Stella while my brother and sister-in-law went to their small group.  We seriously had so much fun, running up to Sonic to get dinner, playing with her toys, and making many runs to the potty after she announced "Stella go poo poo potty."  (And, miraculously, she actually went potty a few times!  Uncle Micah conveniently left the potty duties to Aunt Ryan.) 

Watching Micah cuddle her up every time she lifted her arms up to him (Uncle "Mic-caaaaah" just might be one of her favorite people on the planet) melted my heart, and made me ache to meet Grace and see her wrap her daddy around her finger. :)

Also, my mom is getting better every day!  And my wonderful stepdad has been catering to her every need, so I'm so, so thankful for him.  I love knowing that even when I can't stop by and check on her, he's taking care of her.

So that's what has been up with us.  How has your week been going?

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Week Thirty...

Whoa, whoa, whoa.  We're three-quarters of the way there, y'all.

Insane.

(And I'm sorry for the lack of picture this week.  Again)
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How far along?  Thirty weeks

Baby is the size of... a head of cabbage.  (How'd you guess?)

Best moment this week?   A good report at our thirty week appointment.  She's measuring right on track (maybe just a half-week ahead), and her heartbeat sounded lovely, as always.  We also got a ton done in the nursery!  The bedding came in, and Micah's parents bought her mattress this weekend, so the crib (and the wall behind it) is officially DONE.  We also got curtains hung and tied back and the wall above the changing table done, as well.  And because I can't wait to show you...

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... her diaper bag came in, too!  I custom ordered it from here (in Amy Butler's Peach Feathers in Blush fabric) and couldn't be more pleased with it.  (It also happens to match a few things scattered throughout the room, which Micah swears is too "matchy matchy."  I disagree. :))

Miss anything?  Being able to bend over.  Eating without worrying about heartburn.  Drinking all the tea my heart desires.  Normal-sized feet and ankles. 

Movement?  All the time.  Love.

Sleep?  Still sleeping well, but I've been waking up occasionally with (I know this is TMI) the taste of stomach acid in my mouth.  It's totally reflux, and last night it made me cough so hard that I sort of threw up.  (Which, if you know me, you know that I haven't actually thrown up in literally twelve years.  Yuck.)  I've got to remember to take my Zantac before bed.

Food cravings?  All things sweet.  Still. 

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing.  Except the aforementioned reflux, apparently.

Morning sickness?  Looks like the nausea is gone for good.  (Fingers crossed!)

Other symptoms?  Same old, same old.  Swelling.  Heartburn.  Sore back.  Occasional ligament pain in my tummy.

Gender?  It's a GIRL!

Looking forward to... everything that's to come.  It's coming fast, and I just hope I'm ready when she's ready!

Some pictures of my dog and my handsome husband...

Never mind the fact that it's been over a week since last weekend and that I owe you a bump date and a weekend update for this weekend... let's talk about last weekend, shall we?

We were busy, y'all.  I volunteered to judge my sister-in-law's undergraduate mock trial competition (which made me feel stupidly old... until I saw the other judges, who were all at least 45.  Then I felt like an infant and kept getting looks like, "what's this pregnant teenager doing in the judge's room?"). 

We also watched the Superbowl with our Sunday School class.  I brought red velvet brownies and jalapeno popper dip, and they were delicious.  (And, speaking of feeling old, I felt ancient when Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams popped up next to Beyonce on stage, and the little girl sitting next to me had no clue who they were.)

I also got a fun email from one of my law school loan servicers telling me that one of my loans is now paid in full.  Whoop, whoop!  I had totally forgotten that this month's extra payment would pay the loan down to zero, so it was a nice surprise.  One down, three to go. :)

After I got home from the competition on Saturday, Micah wanted to take Lilly on a walk down to the pond to play with her favorite toy:  her frisbee.

So, off we went.

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When we got to the open field near the pond, Micah and Lilly had a little bonding time before they got down to business. 

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(This girl loves to give high fives.)

And then they played.

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And played.

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And played.

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And then we walked over to the pond so she could cool off and splash around.

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Miss Priss loves to play around in the water, but don't you dare expect her to actually swim in it.  Heaven forbid.

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Daddy was mean and tried to push her in.

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Yeah, good luck with getting that frisbee back, Dad.

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He may be mean, but he sure is handsome...

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Man, alive, God sure knew what he was doing with this one. :)

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Thankful Thursdays (Link Up!)...

Loved and Lovely


Crap, y'all!  I completely forgot to get today's Thankful post up!  I'm at the hospital with my mom, who just had neck surgery (to correct a whole lot of disc compression).  But at least this post will be a breeze.

{I'm thankful} that the surgery was a success, and Mom should be feeling much better once she heals up.  Praise Him!

They're bringing her in now, and she's awfully loopy, so I'm going to have to hop off and giggle at her while I can. :)

What are you guys thankful for this week?  Link up and tell us!



Also linking up with black tag diaries, The Fontenot Four, First Day of my Life, kate says stuff, and  a punk a pumpkin and a peanut.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Your questions... answered!

Last week, Micah and I gave you guys the chance to ask us questions, and boy did you deliver!  So, without further ado, here are your questions and our answers! 

From Laura to Ryan:  Maybe this is really superficial, but you have gorgeous hair... care to share your routine and favorite products?

Ryan:  You are seriously so sweet, Laura.  I don't always do the same things (when I grow up, I want to be more consistent), but there are a few recurring themes in my haircare routine.  (1)  I switch out shampoo/conditioner often.  My faves are Redkin's All Soft line, John Frieda Brilliant Brunette products, and Biolage's Hydrotherapie line.  (2)  I almost always wash my hair at night and style it in the morning once it's dry.  I switch out straightening and using and a curling iron to create loose curls.  (I'm still loyal to Chi straighteners, and I couldn't live without my Hot Tools 1 1/4-inch curling iron.)  (3)  I try and only wash my hair every three days to avoid over-styling it.  (4) And my favorite little secret?  Kerastase's Elixir Ultime.  It's pretty pricey, but it makes all the difference in the world for my hair -- smoothes, shines, and makes styling easier.

From Joy to Micah:  What are you most nervous about raising a little girl?

Micah:  The teenage years make me nervous - school drama, dating, etc. I’m not sure how I’ll handle everything. Good thing I have several years to prepare!

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From Joy to Ryan:  What is your favorite meal to cook?

Ryan:  This might be silly, but I really love making biscuits and gravy with Micah.  I always man the gravy, and Micah takes care of the homemade biscuits.  He makes a fabulous biscuit.

From Joy to Micah and Ryan:  What nicknames will each of you have for Grace?

Ryan:  My mom often called me Sweet Pea, so I feel sure I'll call Grace that, as well.  I also anticipate a lot of Princess, Pumpkin, Lovey Bug, and, of course, Gracie.

Micah:  I’m certain that other nicknames will develop over the years, but for now, she’s Gracy. I prefer Grac[y], but, her mom prefers Grac[ie] (which you probably noticed from her response). Either way, I can’t tell the difference when pronounced with a –y or –ie!

From Jessica to Micah and Ryan:  One habit that the other possesses that you are not fond of?

Ryan:  Ha, I love this one.  (And I can say that because I love almost everything about Micah.)  My sweet husband is just slightly OCD.  And while this is mostly a fabulous thing (because it means he is neat and tidy and doesn't mind helping around the house), sometimes it means that projects that I think should take 10 minutes end up taking an hour because he has to do it perfectly.  Hanging pictures together can be dangerous for us...

Micah:  Trick question, right? I’d have to say that it has to be all the shoes scattered around the house that can’t seem to find their way to the closet.

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From Kaitlyn to Micah:  What does Micah do for a living?

Micah:  I’m a Civil Engineer, and I work for a consulting engineering firm.

From Kaitlyn to Micah and Ryan:  What are you both looking forward to as parents?

Ryan:  Oh wow.  For me, the idea of simply knowing Grace is most intriguing.  While I certainly believe that the things Micah and I will do as parents will shape her in a significant way, I also believe that God has already given her an identity that is entirely her own.  I can't wait to see her personality develop and to watch her become the person He intends her to be.

Micah:  I’m very excited about the special father-daughter connection that fathers and daughters tend to have. I see this between Ryan and her dad, and I notice this developing between my niece and brother-in-law.

From Kaitlyn to Ryan: Did you have a different life plan when you majored in Biochem? Or did you plan on becoming a lawyer all along?

Ryan:  I actually planned on going to pharmacy school when I started college.  But after spending hours in the lab and breaking a ridiculous amount of round-bottomed flasks, I figured that mixing others' medications probably wasn't the best fit, even though I really loved learning the concepts of chemistry and biology.  Right around that time, I had accidentally ended up in a business law course that I really liked.  After talking to the pre-law advisor at my school, I started looking into law school and ended up doing moot court competitions in undergrad.  I fell in love, and it was all downhill from there.

From Kristen to Ryan:  Have you ever considered leaving the DFW area or is this the place for y'all?

Ryan:  Nope.  Dallas is home.  When we lived in Houston for the three years that I went to law school there, we were counting down the days until we could move back to Dallas.  We're both homebodies and love being close to our families, so it was incredibly hard.  I think Micah would divorce me if I ever asked him to move away again. ;)

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From Emily and Charlotte to Ryan:  Do you plan using a baby carrier (Moby or the like)? If so, what one? There are so many options!

Ryan:  You're so right - there are too many options!  I registered for a BabyBjorn, but after doing a little more research on the Moby, I think I might switch to that one.  I plan on having it available so that I can use it if needed, but I don't plan on "wearing" Grace all the time. 

From Emily to Ryan:  Do you plan on co-sleeping or using a cradle/bassinet when she is a newbie?

Ryan:  We're actually going to use the Fisher Price Rock 'N Play for the first several weeks.  (It's what my sister-in-law used, and she couldn't say enough great things about it.)  I'm really, really hoping to establish good sleep habits early on, and if she sleeps with us, I'm afraid it will be too hard (for both her AND me) to transition to a crib later.  I know it works for a lot of parents, but I just don't think it's the right fit for Micah and me.

From Emily to Ryan:  What made you decide to go to law school and what is your favorite area of law?

Ryan:  Hopefully my response to Kaitlyn's question above answers the first part of this one for you, Emily. :)  My favorite area of the law is the one in which I practice:  patent litigation.  Essentially, I represent parties who have invented something and whose patents have been infringed by others.  (Although occasionally we represent the defendant, rather than the inventor.)  We fight over whether the patent is valid and whether the defendant is actually using the invention in their products.  It's a fun area of the law, and I've been to trial three times now (with another one coming up in March!).  I also really loved criminal law in law school.  I interned with the Harris County District Attorney's Office and had an amazing experience but ultimately decided that it would take too much a toll on my emotions; I left every day feeling sad and drained, even though I knew I was doing a great thing for the community.

From Charlotte to Ryan:  Thoughts on your first vacation with Grace? Destinations?

Ryan:  I have a feeling our first vacation with Grace will be to South Padre Island here in Texas.  My dad's side of the family goes every year, and although I don't know if we'll make it this year (since Grace will still be so teeny at that point), I'm definitely hoping to be able to go next year.

From Charlotte to Ryan:  What shows are you into right now? Are you watching Bachelor? Thoughts?

Ryan:  It's funny that you ask that because I was just telling Micah that I don't feel like we're watching much good TV lately.  We usually end up watching re-runs of The Big Bang Theory on TBS (LOVE that show!).  I do still DVR new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and The Vampire Diaries and try and watch those when Micah's not around.  We also usually watch The Bachelor on Monday nights (poor Micah).  I'm actually enjoying this season way more than I thought I would.  Sean's a really, really nice guy, and I've enjoyed watching him get to know all the girls in the house (but he needs to kick Tierra to the curb).  We'll also definitely be tuning in when Duck Dynasty starts airing new shows again.

And, as a bonus, I'm throwing in this video.  It's black because Micah was secretly filming after we had gotten into bed and were about to go to sleep.  But what you hear is the second half of a contest between us.  We were both trying to do our best Christian Bale Batman impression.  Micah had already done his (and conveniently failed to film that part), and this was my... attempt at saying, "I'm Batman."  (And the subsequent whining after Micah asks me to do it again.)







  Thank you all again so much for joining in on the fun last week. We had a blast answering all of your questions and hope you had fun getting to know us both a little more. :)

Monday, February 4, 2013

Week Twenty-Nine


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How far along?  Twenty-nine weeks.

Baby is the size of... a butternut squash.

Best moment this week?  Passing my one-hour glucose test!  Thank the LORD!

We also loved getting these sweet little shoes from Joy and her hubby in the mail on Saturday. 
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(And apparently another package is on its way?  Girl, you seriously shouldn't have...) Can you believe I've never even actually met Joy in person?  But she's become such a dear blog friend and you can bet that if I'm ever in her neck of the woods, I will definitely be stopping to see her! :)

Grace's crib bedding also came in this weekend, and I'm in love.  Once we get the crib mattress from Micah's parents, the crib will be officially DONE!  And I'm just waiting for the rest of the letters from Pottery Barn to come in (they should be shipping any day now), and then we can get the wall above the crib done, as well.  That just leaves the bookshelf wall and the gallery wall (which is proving difficult), and then we're DONE with the big stuff (as soon as the glider comes in).
 
Miss anything?  Sleeping on my stomach.  Drinking as much tea as my heart desires (because I do let myself have some when I want it... I just have to be mindful of the overzealous waiters who like to keep refilling my glass.)  Bending over in the car.  Being able to get up from the couch without groaning like an eighty year-old man. 

But I'll still say that being pregnant has been the sweetest, most wonderful thing.  I'd do without these things forever if that's what it took for me to get to meet our little girl.

Movement?  All the time.  I still love feeling her move more than just about anything.

Sleep?  Ehh.... it's not as fabulous as it has been.  My arms are going numb, so I have to switch sides every couple of hours, and I'm getting up to pee at least twice a night. 

Food cravings?  I've had the most insane sweet tooth the past couple of weeks.  Nothing specific -- any and all things sweet and sugary.  I put away almost a whole package of cookies in about a day and a half.  It's bad, y'all... (but I also hear that it's fairly normal for the third trimester, which makes me feel a teensy bit better).

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing this week.

Morning sickness?  None this week.

Other symptoms?  I've got some serious clown feet.  My feet and ankles are so swollen it's not even funny.  Micah just laughs every time he looks down at them.  I've been forgoing heels as much as possible at work and church, so it's been a LOT of dresses/tights/flats for me lately.  (And even my flats are tight.)

I've also had heartburn like nobody's business.  Before this week, I could pop a Zantac, and I'd feel better immediately.  The Zantac doesn't seem to be working as well as it used to, but it still helps a lot.

My nails don't seem as hard as they had been, but they're still growing quickly, as is my hair.  (Don't mind those inch-and-a-half roots up there...)

I've got a spot on my back that's so, so out of whack.  I can't tell if it's muscular or if it's an alignment thing, but it kills me every time I sneeze (which was probably about thirty-five times yesterday, no joke.  There's something in the air right now...) or cough.  I may need to break down and visit a chiropractor since my massage therapist couldn't seem to get it worked out.

Gender?  Still definitely a GIRL!

Looking forward to... getting a one-day birthing class scheduled.  (I realize that it'd probably be a total waste of time for most people, and that's why we haven't done it sooner.  But I really think it'd be good for me to feel like I knew what to expect, and that goes double for Micah.)  Having my best friend to come snap some maternity pictures in the next couple of weeks (which also necessitates me finding an outfit... ick).
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