Thoughts about the Second Trimester

I. ACHE. 

That's how I feel about the second trimester. I supposed I should slow my life down a little. Okay I know I need to. But that's way easier said than done. I will say that never again will I take pictures for a sports game after the first trimester. I was at the Botetourt Sports Complex Saturday and Sunday to take pictures of 7 college softball teams. It was fun but oh the aches and pains I've experienced since.

Snapping pictures = not that exhausting. Bending down a lot and sitting on concrete = long term effects.

I know I know, it's only going to get worse. I don't want to think about that. All I know is between all the stretching my stomach is doing  and all the throbbing my back is doing I'm pretty out of it. 

I've had heartburn pretty consistently for a couple months now. I'm beginning to see patterns of it being worse when I eat/drink certain things so hopefully I can control that to an extent. 

Sleepiness is definitely a norm now. I figured that part. I'm also fully aware I may never sleep enough again. I sure am trying to these next couple months though! 

Peyton is definitely moving around for me, although no one else can feel him yet. Drew gets pretty frustrating which I think is adorable. ;) Let's just say Drew is already an amazing dad and cares about Peyton and me so much! 

Suggestions on exercise/stretches I can do would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure that would help my back, and I'm definitely getting antsy without my class! Unfortunately, twisting and arching my back really hurts my stomach. And that whole walking thing? Well it makes my stomach so tight I can barely breathe... does that mean I'm out of shape and need to be doing more? 

I'm starting to feel the what I'm assuming is totally normal feeling of chubby. I know it's normal and I know it will go away, slowly, but it's an emotion that is beginning to be apart of my life. Again my husband is great in that regard. When people call me big or other not-so-nice-things he says "you look great, but either way, that's your job right now! Too gain weight and take care of our baby." So that's what I'm doing.

we. are. family.

Last weekend I drove down to Winston-Salem to spend the weekend with my sis. We don't do a whole lot just us and I'm actually quite fond of her. Anywho, she has the shopping cheap for little kiddos down to a science, has way better stores than Roanoke, and has my niece and nephew - all great reasons for a road trip!

I took the 2 hour drive to jam to my favorite road trip jams. 'Wicked', and country music (this trip it was Sugarland and Lady A (because Lady A is coming to Roanoke in December... time to start memorizing every word so I can thoroughly enjoy the concert!)

Friday night Audrey, Katie, and I headed to the mall. We ate in the food court where I almost had a serious confrontation with the Sbarro guy. I'm sorry, but you can't stand in the food court with a bunch of balloons and refused to give them to the cute little girl who happens to think balloons are God's best creation. Who cares if we buy food from you or not, you should either give everyone one, or stay behind the counter. Audrey was relatively patient considering, and we ended up buying something for Jeremy just so the guy would give us a stinkin' balloon. I was this close to pulling a chair in the middle of the Sbarro line and grabbing one off the ceiling. MY NIECE would not let a balloon go unlike those children who chose to eat Pizza that night. I'm just saying.

After many snuggles with both Audrey and my sweet Owen, I chatted with my sister for a while and then hit the bed couch.

Saturday after a lazy morning of playing, we got serious. We had our Krispy Kreme donuts (VERY SERIOUS) and hit Once Upon A Child where we stocked up on adorable baby boy attire. Our bellies were then worn out and hungry from all the decision making so we went to  Mayberry's where we did actually eat cheeseburgers and hot dogs, despite the lack of pictures. Then we indulged in pure deliciousness. Katie and I split an Oreo sundae (oh man, I need another one just thinking about it!) and Audrey got her blue ice cream. ( Monster crunch maybe? I'm not quite sure, she just had to have blue.)

Oh my goodness I just love bonding with that sweet little girl. She's hilarious. and snuggly. and sweet. and persistent. and outgoing. and shy. and I could just eat her up.

We ended the trip by going to Carter's and then headed home. Oh. My. Word. I love family time so much!

Even though Owo and Jeremy avoiding all things shopping, I just loved kissing those cheeks and chasing him up the slide. Just in case you guys didn't know, I'm going to have one of those cuties in a few short months. YAY. :)

Overheard at Work

Kylee and Mason have been sick for over a week now. Kylee starting running a fever on Monday, and by Thursday she was diagnosed with Croup. The Dr. said that I didn't need to worry (since I'm pregnant, Teal asked if it was harmful to me in any way) that the worst I would get is laryngitis. Apparently it usually only happens in infants, but because Kylee's so petite her airways still aren't fully developed. The Dr. said that even Mason would be fine, just getting a cold/laryngitis. Well on Friday his symptoms began. While beginning to feel mopey/lazy he was sitting on the table started talking to himself. This is how the conversation went...

"Where did my voice go??"

looked around the room

"I can't find it"

as he talked his voice became less hoarse

"Oh, there it is!" - pointing to his neck

So. Stinkin'. Cute.

Ahh... perfect weather is comin'!

It's true. We had a blast on Friday. Cool breeze, picnic lunch, walnuts, new friends, slides, giggles, and hugs. Yeah, it was a good day! Looking forward to many more this fall!

FINALLY done... I pinky promise.

 So I think I mentioned that we redid the bathroom about a year ago. I love yellow, but had the hardest time finding the right shade. Even when we were done, I hated it. So last Monday and Tuesday I tried once more, to make my bathroom the cute, warm bathroom I wanted. I am thrilled to report I succeeded. Drew and I LOVE the new color, that goes with all the accessories we already had, except the rug. Yay for being officially finished with this room of the house. It sure took us long enough!

p.s. - no I did not take before pictures. I don't really care to remember it's former look. It's gone.

Blues, Greens, Cars, and Dirt

Yep, that's what my life will now consist of, because God designed my baby to be a boy! :) Our appointment went well this morning. Peyton is breached right now and showed us very clearly that he was a boy. Friends told me to ask the tech how sure she was of the sex. Well, we didn't even need her in order to see what he was, and when we left she went ahead and told us she was 150% sure he is a boy. It sure is nice knowing for sure!

Peyton Andrew Hunsley is right on schedule at 20 weeks. He's 12 oz and his heart rate is 150. The word normal kept popping up over and over as all of Peyton's body parts were checked. We are in love with that word 'normal'! I was told to drink some caffeine or eat chocolate before the appointment so the baby would move around. Well, my chocolate chip muffin and sips of Pepsi did not motivate him to move. After MUCH prodding we were able to measure everything (although looking at his spine took FOREVER), except the blood flow to his heart, so we get to see our little one again in 4 weeks to check that. I hear rechecks are free, and seeing our little man again does not hurt my feelings, so, YAY!

Everything else looks wonderfully normal. The 2+ hour appointment/rumbling stomachs of hunger were well worth the ease our hearts felt hearing this good news. :)

Afterwards we had breakfast at Ihopand shopped a little at OUAC. Then we headed to Toys R Us to register... we lasted a good while before we decided we would have to finish another time. Drew and I sure are excited to start planning for Peyton's arrival!

Does it HAVE to be one or the other??

them, "Do you want a girl or a boy?"

me, "I'm okay with either"

them, "But if you HAD to pick...?"

That's just it. I don't have to pick whether I want a boy or a girl to be living inside of me. The decision has already been made. Way back in May our God decided that the best possible thing for Drew and I would be to put us on this journey called pregnancy. This baby is His and I am just the vessel He is blessing with by allowing me to be mom, no matter how long or short that may be.

As you can probably tell, God and I had a chat this morning. I've been asked too many times to count, what I would prefer my baby to be. I kept my answers vague because I don't want to be the least bit disappointed if my expectations are different than reality. I'm having a baby. I get to be a mom, which is all I really want to be in life anyway. I know that is a huge calling, and I know that I will only receive what God thinks is best for my life!

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

"My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven... Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."

Psalm 139:13-16

Therefore, what I want doesn't really matter. My baby has either been a he, or a she, since May. God knows exactly what Drew and I need in order to make our family after His will. I'm just grateful I'm apart of it! I almost feel like I am doing my baby a disservice by choosing a preference, after all, while I'm deciding on whether I want a girl or a boy, I already have one or the other in my belly.

When asked the beginning question, I have been saying, "Girl, because they are more fun to dress up." That's my reasoning, but in reality, whether I put pigtails in my baby girl's hair or allow my baby boy to run around barefoot with overalls and no shirt, I will be thanking God that I have the privilege to be a mommy. Drew and I have been praying since we got married that we would one day have kids and that they would grow up to love the Lord. That's all the preference I have!

"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord."

1Samuel 1:27,28

Baby Hunsley is God's. He or she is made so that God's glory can be revealed. So whether I have this baby for a day or 100 years, I thank Him for this journey.

That being said, tomorrow is the BIG REVEAL and Drew and I are ecstatic to be able to 1] see our baby again since we haven't since week 8 and 2] be able to know our baby better by having a name and start planning for his or her arrival! 

Laboring on Labor Day Weekend...

 Oh my what a weekend it has been! I have actually been looking forward to this weekend for a while now, because a lot of good things came with it. :) Here's my weekend at-a-glance:

- My sister and I decided that my mom's room needed a makeover. BAD. She has most of the house looking like she wants it, but all the odds and ends get shoved into what should be here haven... I believe bedrooms should be relaxing, inviting and cozy... does this look anything like that??

 - Not so much. So Katie and I chose to combine her birthday and Christmas gifts this year to make her a spectacular bedroom! Thanks to lots of planning, Pinterest (if you don't know what that is, you should. So ask me!), many trips to different stores, my wonderful husband, a certain adorable little girl barging in numerous times, and many breaks to snuggle with a certain adorable little boy and eat lots of birthday cake we managed to turn her room into what she hopefully refers to as a place of peace. phew that was a long sentence... moving on.

-Katie and I were pretty proud of how it turned out, and based on her speechless reaction, I believe my mom was as well. If not, well the theme of this project was what mom wants on her tombstone one day... "We tried hard."

- So all of those things took place all day Friday and Saturday, with a break in between to celebrate my wonderful Samshe's baby shower. Which by the way was a lot of fun. I sure am anxious to meet sweet little Kaehlen... She is going to be my baby's BFF by the way. 

- Speaking of which I am SUPER ecstatic for my Thursday appointment to see what my little baby is... Drew and I are both sick of calling it, well an it! It is a baby and deserves a gender specific pronoun and a name to go along with it!!

- Saturday night, after the unveiling of mom's gift, we went to my grandma's where we had an indoor cookout with family.... including Tennessee family that I never feel like I get to see enough! Mainly because I don't! That was fabulous.

- Sundays are always crazy for us in one way or another. Drew and I being in school prohibit us from relaxing much. We went to church, celebrated Dreama's 50th birthday, came home and worked on school for a couple hours, went back to church for youth group, and then had dinner with many dear friends. Sunday = long, but success.

- Today Drew cleaned pools and then went off to play disc golf... yes, in the rain. I had breakfast, took my time being lazy/getting ready for the day, did 5 loads of laundry, and headed to Lowes to pick out paint. This time for our bathroom. You see, we painted it last year, but it was a bright yellow that we were far less than thrilled with. So I told Drew I wanted it changed, along with many other to-dos before baby came. So I purchased paint, returned some things from Marshall's and headed home to attack the hideous yellow. Drew came home and helped me shortly after. :) *
      *Side Note- both times I've painted this weekend I have been in well ventilated areas. I do not believe that any baby was harmed in the projects of Labor Day weekend.

- We went to dinner with his parents and brother, and are now home to hit the books. Well, Drew is, while I blog... which is way more important. :)

- The best part is that I'm off tomorrow as well. Bring on more laziness, schoolwork, painting, and being productive.

I'm a fan of labor day weekend. A BIG fan.