Christmas

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We had a very nice time on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I am 30 weeks pregnant now, wow! Our little boy will be here before we know it.

Lights

 About a week and a half ago we went to Noccalula Falls for their annual Christmas lights display. It's fun to ride the train through the park, all lit up.

 Kavi decorated a big cookie, in the box

25-ish weeks

I have an official due date of March 9th, but an ultrasound due date of March 5th. They are staying with March 9th because it wasn't a full week's difference. But I will have my csection at around 39 weeks! I am not sure when that will get scheduled.

So I am either 25 weeks today or 24 1/2!

This picture was from my sister's cell phone on our Gatlinburg trip, I was about 20/21 weeks.

 This one below was from yesterday!

Oh Boy!

Well...after 3 ultrasounds, I can say it's definitely a boy!! We were told two weeks ago it was probably a boy, but today definitely!!

Gatlinburg

We went on a 3 night trip to Gatlinburg last weekend! We again went with some family and friends. It was fun despite weather changes, thanks to Sandy! We got to see snow again there! This time, harder falling snow! Still a very rare thing for my eyes to see. Here are pictures from the trip.

Mystery

So the baby mystery continues...

Yesterday I had my big ultrasound. Organs/bones were measured and we tried to find out the gender. Well, the baby wouldn't show! I was so excited all day. But really, I reminded myself to be thankful and happy about the baby being healthy. We got to see their spine, head, even face!

My next ultrasound will be on November 2nd. This time the appointment is early so no waiting all day! Besides trying to find out the gender again, they need to look at more organs.
We love you baby, whether you are a girl or boy!

Random fashions

I used to post some fashion inspiration here in the past, so I thought I'd post some things I like looking at lately and talk about what I don't like!

How about some pretty maternity style?

Source: keribrantley.polyvore.com via Christina on Pinterest

Source: catsresume.blogspot.com via Loretta on Pinterest

Need colder weather for these:

Source: aquieterstorm.tumblr.com via Leslie on Pinterest

Source: kayleenie.tumblr.com via Samantha on Pinterest

And two things I just can't seem to like are:
1. Animal print things like shoes or anything really. I just always think of rich old ladies from a different decade.
2. I also don't like plain "chambray" shirts. I think they are really boring. These are two things that seem to be "in" that I just don't get.
And if I tucked the front of my shirt into my pants and left the rest hanging down, I'd look very blobby!

17 weeks

The first 12 weeks went by slow, and now weeks are going by faster. My next appointment, when we'll have the big ultrasound, is in three weeks! I can't wait!

15 weeks

Well, tomorrow I will be 15 weeks pregnant! Sometimes I still find it surprising! Though I wanted this and we planned, I still think actually having a baby is a miracle. And the second pregnancy seems different so far compared to the first. This time, I have a child already to take care of so my thoughts are not as much all about my pregnancy. I'll think about getting Kavi ready for school(he started preschool!! Just 3 days a week part time), packing his lunch, and then think wow I'm pregnant!! My main issue has been fatigue. Supposedly I am going to feel less fatigued soon since I am in the 2nd trimester. We'll see about that.

So at 15 weeks, the baby is about the size of an orange!

Source: dreamstime.com via Mary on Pinterest

The journey home

I don't really blog a lot these days eh? I thought I would update even if for my own memories one day.

I am excited because tomorrow I will pick up my son and husband from the airport! Their journey is starting now as they leave for the airport in Mumbai, India. So it's another long travel back home. I pick them up tomorrow afternoon! They connect through Amsterdam and Atlanta before getting home to Birmingham.

I am doing well. I am 10 weeks pregnant now. I have had only the slightest nausea. I feel tired often and never feel very well rested in the mornings. But I am happy!!

Distance and Good News

Right now I am being a brave wife and mom as my son and husband arrived in India today!! They are there to visit my husband's family.

Source: leloveimage.blogspot.com via Sandra on Pinterest

I did not go, obviously. I have gone the last 3 years. This year, the plan was to go at a different time of year which meant the air ticket prices were higher than we usually have to pay. I also was hoping to not go for another reason! I wasn't sure if that reason would exist when they went! But the reason does exist! Confused? Well...

I'm pregnant!! We've wanted this since February but we had to put it on hold for a couple months in between then and now. So when it happened, we knew it was God's timing!!

We bought the tickets for India the day before I found out I was pregnant, in the end of June. I wasn't going to go either way, but I was happy when I found out the next day!! I am just 8 1/2 weeks and praying for a smooth pregnancy. Things are good so far. I am extra tired and get heartburn already, but no major nausea yet. Just a little bit here and there. But it could get worse! We'll see! :)

Green Smoothies

I really love having spinach smoothies lately! At first I wondered if it'd taste like spinach. But with the ingredients I put in, I don't taste it. And now I like having a green colored smoothie! It just feels right.

My smoothie this morning:

The first Green Monster smoothie Kavi had, a couple months ago:

And Kavi likes them! A good way for him to get some spinach and other nutritional things. I saw similar smoothies called a Green Monster smoothie, so that's what we call it!

What I normally throw into the blender for the two of us:
1 banana
A tablespoon of peanut butter
1/4-1/2 cup uncooked plain oatmeal
Two (or more) cups of almond milk. I prefer vanilla flavored. If we don't have that, plain milk would work, or a mix of milk and vanilla yogurt
A few ice cubes
A cup or so of spinach leaves

I blend it until it's nice and green. It's tasty and refreshing. You'd have to like banana and peanut butter to like it.

My recipe inspirations:

Source: joythebaker.com via Christina on Pinterest

Source: skinnytaste.com via Christina on Pinterest

Basement Before & After

Finally sharing some "After" pictures of the basement! It's been done for a few weeks already, and I had only taken pictures with my cell phone. I wanted digital camera pictures to share, but our camera is acting up! So I am just going to use the cell phone pictures after all.


A little reminder of the "Before", this picture is actually before we owned the house! It's from when we got to look at it one of the times before closing. So all the things in there are the seller's items, not ours. We replaced the items he moved out with our own junk. :) Mostly unpacked boxes. But then when it was time for the basement work to start(late April, we bought the house in January), we cleared out the space.

BEFORE WE MOVED IN

AFTER THE BASEMENT PROJECT

We are still setting things up down there,. so I will have more pictures soon!

Firey

I got a Kindle Fire last week! My dad bought it for me because he just wanted to do it. He had bought my sister a new phone(which is awesome) and asked if I'd want a new phone or a Kindle Fire. I picked the Kindle for various reasons! I do have a smartphone already and it works fine. It sometimes freezes though. But I just knew I wanted the Kindle! I thought about getting one for Christmas but that's still so far away. My dad (and mom) are the bestest! It's a treat for us and for them, because they didn't always have a lot of extra money in life. I guess that's one reason he wanted to do it.

So far I have only downloaded FREE things! I might make my first purchase soon, but I am being frugal about it. I  also plan to use the local library for some e-book check outs.

Oh-our basement is done and we are working on filling the space! It's be exciting. I will have to take nicer pictures...I rarely get out the real camera anymore!

Greens

 1. green, 2. Green door, 3. my new green shoes, 4. Green Mountains, 5. Industrial Green StackBin Metal Storage Container Set, 6. blue mist

I bought a shirt just like this one, but doesn't have a tie around the waist, on clearance at Target for $5.98! Hence the green post.

The purse

The mustardy purse that prompted my mustard post yesterday!

 I still have to transfer my stuff into it. I was using a tiny purse that I could wear easily across my body for convenience, but I was ready to have a funky purse on my shoulder again! And I like big purses. Not that I have so much to carry anymore compared to when Kavi was a baby, but still, I like them. It was $8 at Goodwill. If it was used, I'd be like HUH no way. But since it was in the new section with lots of Target leftovers, I was good with the price! (This purse was from Target too) I have gotten brand new curtains at the same place months ago. It's nice to stop there every so often to see what I can find!

Mustard love

I was inspired by a purse I bought yesterday for $8 (didn't take a picture yet) which is a dark mustard color.

1. Purple mustard with a touch of pepper, 2. mustard flowers #3, 3. calivintage: primary, 4. Mustard Classic, 5. vintage velvet mustard dress, 6. Cathedral Rock with Mustard Flowers

To feel like myself again

This is long!

So I've been having a bit of a hard time the past few weeks. I didn't feel like blogging about it until now. The food/drink area of my life has changed. That might sound confusing! Well, in mid April, I thought I was getting another infection(in the bladder, again TMI), but it turned out not to be one. But the irritation feeling I had didn't go away. I went to a urologist a couple of weeks later and I again tested negative for an infection and got checked out. I have not been officially diagnosed(because I'd need a special test for that which includes anesthesia so I'd rather not right now!), but I most likely have a form of a bladder disorder (interstitial cystitis) where I can get irritation and inflammation from acidic foods, drinks, and stress. When I read a lot about it online, I really freaked out. All I felt was stress! A lot of what I read sounded horrible. The pain people had, the way it affected their lives, the way that there is no cure only different treatments, medications, etc. But I realized my pain is not as bad as what I had read. So I'd only have it mildly. It's still uncomfortable at times, but nothing I would call "pain". More like a nagging annoyance. I dislike the fact that since this issue relates to a sensitive area, it's like I can't really talk so openly about it.

There is a diet you are supposed to do to try to prevent irritation. It cuts out certain items. I haven't had a cup of coffee in one month and two days now. Wow. I love my morning cup of coffee. It's not like I drank it all day, but that morning coffee was like comfort food. But it's very acidic, whether it's regular or decaf. Why did I put "coffee" in so many of my online user IDs?? Now it makes me sad! (hehe)

I haven't had regular chocolate in weeks now because it's also acidic. No citrus fruits, no tomato(and related tomato products). No delicious spicy Indian food that I love. Having to give up things you love because they can hurt your insides has been an emotional thing for me! And the fact that giving them up has not returned me to feeling normal has also been stressful for me. It doesn't really sound so bad, I know--to avoid certain things to prevent further damage, but it's not as easy as I thought it'd be! I now feel like I have to read ingredients on everything for hidden things like "citric acid" and other stuff I wouldn't normally care about. Soy is supposed to be acidic too, which totally stinks because with a mostly vegetarian husband, tofu and fake meats are a part of our lives!

 I think there is hope for a little coffee again one day. Low acid coffee. I did take one tiny sip from my husband's cup of coffee on Sunday while out to eat, my first taste in weeks. Yum. But I also had taken a special supplement beforehand that is supposed to remove acids from foods by neutralizing them. I have a follow up Dr appt in a little less than two weeks. I mostly want to ask all the questions I have been wondering about since the last visit.

 I have only sometimes felt like myself since May 2nd, the day I made the urologist appointment for May 7th, and realized this feeling inside would not be going away very soon. That terrified me. I had a couple of good days and nights one weekend, but by Monday(over a week ago) I started having anxiety again on and off. This continued the rest of the week. I kept saying to myself "what is wrong with you?! it's not so bad!", but I couldn't stop my heartbeat from getting faster from anxiety randomly during the day. By last Saturday, the anxiety was fading away. We had a very nice Memorial Day weekend and that helped me relax and realize more things. I can do this. I am still mobile. I can ignore my feeling when I am having fun. I feel more peaceful again. I can possibly eat a little more of the items I thought I couldn't. I pray for remission, which is what they call it when someone's symptoms go away for awhile or forever! I will try to do my part, and I pray pray and pray that God can help me with the rest and help my body heal and behave properly.

I know bad things can be used for good, and I have been praying a lot. I have also lost weight due to stress at first, then uncertainty of foods to eat so I didn't eat a lot, and now just eating less of random snacks. Me losing weight is definitely a good thing! It doesn't mean I have only been eating healthy. Vanilla milkshakes are on the safe list, and I definitely have had one or two! Like on a day where I hardly knew what to eat and just wanted to not feel hungry, it helped a lot. Also just a crappy fast food burger, feeling like I needed the protein and iron. And I felt better after eating it. I won't be eating them all the time.

I feel like I am getting better emotionally now, so I finally decided to type it out. I want to really feel like myself again. I hope the next time I type I am even farther along to being me!

Certain things going through my head lately:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God....restore unto me the joy of my salvation, and renew a right spirit within me" (part of scripture verse/song)
"You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of the dust.....You make me new, You are making me new" (Beautiful Things, song by Gungor)

Basement renovation

A project that started soon after we got back from Gatlinburg is that the basement section of our downstairs is being turned into a finished space! We have had this in mind since buying the house. We have a good contractor and it's been going well!

before, actually from before the house was ours!

after sealing the cinder block with waterproof stuff, framing went in!

insulation!

insulation, the lit up room is the laundry room

sheetrock/drywall up!

It's been a little nosy around here! Today I think some priming was started, maybe painting will happen in some areas, I am not sure. I picked a light grey called "passive" for the whole room. The support poles have to stay, but they are getting painted the same color as the walls. There will be some carpet and a drop ceiling in place before it's done too. I drew a sloppy but informational plan for how we will probably set up this space! The laundry room already existed, but the bathroom didn't!

Since there will be no windows in the finished part, I was looking up fun ways to add more light. I like this, lights in a big jar:

Source: houseofbliss.blogspot.com via Christina on Pinterest

Catching up

I sort of disappeared after my last post! I didn't intend to. A bunch of things have been going on lately that I'd like to share about but just haven't yet. I still wanted to share some pictures from our visit last month to the Gatlinburg area. We got to see Narnia style icy snow covered trees on Clingmans Dome mountain in the Smoky Mts, in April! It was unreal and an unexpected treat! We went from green trees and green grass to icicles and frost in a 40 minute drive.