Bad Day Remedy

Nothing cures a bad day like a swift kicks to the ribs.

Let me explain...

Yesterday was one of those days where you sit at your desk, stare out the window, and wonder what the purpose is. I felt like I was being walked-over, disrespected, and left out (I know, pity party!). With each hour, the day just got worse and worse. By the time my day was over, I was just thrilled to run to the crowded grocery store to pick up ingredients to make my annual fudge I give out to my house-cleaner, puppy-sitter, and coworkers. 'Tis NOT the season in my corner of the woods on this manic Monday!

And then..... I got 3 swift kicks to the ribs.

"Excuse me!" I politely yelled at the tiny person taking up residence in my belly, and then I couldn't stop laughing. It seemed like a very important person was trying to remind me of a very important rule. Don't sweat the small stuff! And even though it doesn't always necessarily feel like small stuff... when you have a 2 pound person kicking and elbowing you in the ribs, it kind of all really is?

PS - I want to say that no animals were hurt in the making of this video, but after watching it a few times, I realized it was getting branded. So then I started to cry. But... it was the best video I could find. So I left it up. I'm sorry PEETA!!! 

Don't Kiss Your Honey...

One of the best cards I ever saw, and still remember, said the following:

Don't Kiss Your Honey
When Your Nose is Runny
You May Think It's Funny
But It Snot

Gets me every time!!!

I bring up this lovely poem because it coincides with my weekend. On Sunday, I went to watch a hockey game Cole was coaching, followed by the hockey team holiday dinner. The second I walked into the ice rink, I remembered why I hadn't been to a single game yet this season. My fingers and toes went numb and I could see my breath.... and I wasn't even IN the ice rink yet! I was standing by the window panes looking in. And that was as close to the ice as I was going to get for the next 2 hours. I pulled out my phone and attempted to send a few text messages out.... and I let my friends know that I am not cut out to be the hockey mom Cole really wants me to be. I couldn't feel my nose and I was pretty sure it was running down my face. Frozen snot is not quite the look I am striving for, for the next 18+ years. The mom haircut and mom jeans are pushing it as it is.

Look 1: Frozen Face Hockey Mom "Would you kids like some fresh orange slices and Gatorade?"

Look 2: I'm known to some as a MILF. 

So Cole and I made a pact on the way to the holiday team dinner. Between hockey & choir, our children will have plenty of winning choices. And hopefully they follow in their mothers footsteps. Or at least pick a sport where I can cheer them on from a warm and cozy spot in the stands. But if Cole wins out, and we have a hockey son or hockey daughter, then even though I technically "lose" I will actually still "win"... I will just pour some Baileys in my coffee before every game and pee my pants to keep warm. Kind of like this yo-yo...

Go Team Go!

Short & Sweet!

This entry is going to be short & sweet, because no news is good news! We went in for our followup ultrasound to check out the kidneys - and so far, they have remained the same (fluid is still being retained). However, the baby is growing (at a rapid pace, in my opinion!) but the kidneys haven't... so to me, this means no news is good news. We go back in next month. If the baby keeps growing and the kidneys stay the same... as long as things don't progress or get worse.... I am a very happy mom!! And I'm pretty sure that is the direction we are headed. Everyone needs a little Christmas miracle right?

Please mom, no more pictures!

Just let me sleep please. 

Perfect To Us

11.11.11 had been circled on my calendar for a long time. Cole & I rushed off to our 830 am appointment, so excited to see our little munchkin. On the way, we got a phone call from the fetal center asking if we could bump our appointment back to 11am, since an ultrasound tech had called in with a family emergency. We were already pulling into the parking lot, and way too eager to see images of our baby... so we passed and kept our early morning appointment. We didn't have to wait too long until we were whisked away into our room.

The ultrasound tech was not a very happy camper... apparently our baby is a mover and a groover, and decided to put on a show instead of posing for pictures. The tech would jam me to the right, and jam me to the left, trying to get the baby to unwind out of a ball, and to stop swirling around.

Laying in a ball, legs up in the air, fists by the little face. 

After a good 40 minutes, the ultra sound tech abruptly got up and said she'd return with a doctor. Left on a table covered in warm goo and rolled down pants, Cole and I got a little confused. We shrugged it off since this was our "big ultrasound meeting" and figured the doctor routinely visits and talks to parents-to-be, and then helps us find a good picture of the wiggle worms precious little face.

The doctor walked in, introduced herself, and said she was going to walk us through the anatomy of our baby and discuss something that came up on the ultrasound. It was at this point during our appointment that I knew our tiny munchkin wasn't going to get the "perfect" ultrasound that I had planned on. She got the baby in a position to view his/her bladder & kidneys. We were explained that in normal ultrasounds - the kidneys should come up as almost tiny slits, nothing too large on the ultrasound screen. The bladder should be the most visible organ. Here is our baby's bladder & kidneys (I think!! They really should label these photos for you after you leave, because I can't really tell what anything is besides arms & feet, and of course the face!)

So, the bladder and the kidneys are basically the same size. The reason the kidneys are enlarged is because the baby isn't able to really urinate. The medical term is HYDRONEPHROSIS - and it can be caused by reflux or a blockage. The doctor mainly ruled out reflux, and explained that the majority of the urine is being trapped in due to a blockage of some sort. The best way she explained it was to imagine the baby trying to urinate, and having a thin layer of tissue that causes majority of the urine to bounce back, which in turn puts stress on a kidney(s) (in our case, both kidneys). That is honestly the most information I can really say at this point. We have a meeting with our regular ob-gyn this week, and a Urologist at Phoenix Children's Hospital next week. I think I'll be able to understand more at that point. All I know right now is that I meet with a specialist, and go in for routine ultrasounds every 3 weeks to determine the kidneys and bladders progression. We were also told that this is a marker for down syndrome. I spent all weekend tossing and turning, crying and worrying, wondering what I could do to make this all better for my baby. Ultimately, we were told best-case and worst-case scenarios on Friday: this ranges from a baby being surgically delivered early and being monitored in ICU with surgery; to going full term and being able to delivery naturally- meanwhile being monitored and possibly surgery post-delivery. We have always wanted to keep the sex a surprise until birth- but there is a good possibility this will no longer be the case, since the urologist will need to talk to us about the diagnosis/surgery options... pending the babies little parts. So until I know more information, I'm just going to keep rubbing my belly and telling this tiny nugget that he/she really needs to work around that blockage and go pee! And more importantly, no matter what we have to go through, no matter when and how I have to deliver this baby, if I get to take them home or have to hold their hand in the hospital, it doesn't matter. This baby is still perfect, and perfect to us.

A really good, basic overview of what this tiny baby has... http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/obgyn/services/prenatalpediatrics/learning_center/hydronephrosis.pdf

Life Choices

I realized I'm a few weeks late in posting some entries! Last week I just forgot to publish one, so thank you pregnancy brain for that oopsie poopsie. I'm remembering to do one right now, mainly because I just got back from a doctors appointment. The heart is beating away.... about 147 today. I've gained about 3 1/2 pounds. That blows my mind, because I'm literally walking around in jeans that are unbuttoned & unzipped... even when I had hungover "puffy" days, I could always zip up my pants. I would have assumed I was more along the lines of the freshmen 15 status. And if I had had any doubts, today my doctor so politely asked me if I'd ever seen numbers like this on the scale. He then told me, "We're going to blow these numbers out of the water soon enough." I then began to hear my jeans silently rip past the zipper line, and spread to the inner thigh.

You know those days when you wake up and just feel extremely fortunate? That's how I've felt the last week or so. My life seems to be so... on track, even though I don't necessarily agree with the term "on track" because life always throws you curve balls, and whose track are you really following anyway? My mind bounces from here-to-there so often, I barely even leave a trail of dust in my path. (These days, there is a chance its more of a trail of crop dust.... pardon this lovely pregnancy side affect, SO sorry to those of you that are reading this and judging me. Just be glad you don't share an office with me). I've got to Skype with my younger sister and spend time with my family that lives in AZ; I flew to Denver to visit my best friend who gave birth just 2 months ago to her first baby; the director and our video team at work got nominated and WON an Emmy, and I'm headed to New Orleans this weekend to celebrate my 1 year anniversary. It feels like a lot of my choices in life are just.... working out?

Speaking of choices (I bet you were afraid I was going to say "Speaking of working out" but don't you worry, I would never do that to you).... I logged into Facebook today (and by logging in, I mean I clicked on one of my windows that has Facebook already open, 24/7 on my computer) and the following poll was located on my right-hand side nav:
"Sara, Which Do You Like Better?"
-Peter Piper Pizza
-JPs Doghouse

Has Facebook been STALKING ME? I don't use the "check-in" feature... most likely because I have a lame blackberry and not a "cool" iphone. I don't have a little Siri to talk to me. So how in the world does Facebook know that my two favorite foods (besides spaghetti, and all baked goods) are PIZZA (specifically PPP) and HOTDOGS! And I love JP's. So much in fact, I have a separate hot dog blog, and 3 of the posts are about JP himself!! I honestly couldn't choose between the two, so I quickly logged out so Facebook could stop looking into my hungry soul. Tonight I'm going to have a nightmare, full of pizza and hot dogs taunting me, screaming "pick me pick me"... totally cruel.  I will never ask my child to make such a decision as hard as the one Facebook proposed to me today. Whatever choices they make in life, I will try to fully support. Unless, of course, they choose to dislike Peter Piper Pizza, JPs Doghouse, Spaghetti, and baked goods. Then we have a whole other problem on our hands.

Liking boys & other items you should/shouldn't do

I'd like to preface this entry by stating I've worked two 12 hour days back-to-back, along with attending an Incubus concert - to only come home at midnight and work some more. I'm stating this for two obvious reasons: one, so you're aware if this blog post sounds fuzzy or jumps around, you know why... and two, to once again prove my theory that pregnant women can definitely still rock. <3

While attending the Incubus concert, I was full of nostalgia. Dating back to high school and then moving through college, it was like a flash back & flash forward of my "previous life" merging with the current. And then I started wondering... oh dear god, if I have a daughter... will she be just like me? And if I have son, will he be the kind of gentleman I hope to raise? I think this chain reaction of thoughts began because I laid eyes on this...

Mmmhmm. Every girl loves a rocker. Or a bad boy. Or just a super sexy man without his shirt on. So then I mentally started to draft a "Things You Probably Should/Shouldn't Do" to my unborn child.

Dear Daughter...
1) Please be careful with boys. Talking to them, spending time with them, or even riding in the car with them.
Unless they have a Facebook page dedicated to their driving capabilities, and in that case, I really have nothing more to say on the matter.

And just like that, I stopped drafting this letter in my head. Because I realized everything I wanted to tell her she shouldn't do, I've probably done. So maybe I want to have a boy after all?

Letting my hair down....

If you know me at all or have read my "about me" section, you're most likely already aware that, even before pregnancy... I was a homebody (and that's putting it mildly). Rewind about 7 years and I was be-bopping around my college campus Sunday through Sunday, filling my afternoons with a little Lifetime Movie Special and naps - just enough downtime to enable me to get up and do it again the next night. Current time: I have kept the routine of Lifetime movies & naps, but pretty much have skipped over and forgotten about the gallivanting I used to be so good at. It seems like there is always something "I have to do" the next morning, or how "busy my day was at work and how all I want is to go home, eat dinner, and go to bed".... cue sad music here! But in all honesty, I like the way my week and weekends go. I love going to dinner, and I love being home before my bedtime. I love walking my dog in the morning, and running errands when the stores open at 9 or 10 in the morning. So I'm not really complaining... I suppose it's just preparing me for the future. In 6 months I will be staring down at a beautiful new human-being, that will consume every second of my life from here until eternity. I think about this... and then I start to shake. Oh my god... should I have gone out more? Should I have been one of those people that raged on weekdays, and went to work in the morning with a double espresso and worked through their day with one eye open? Should I have gone out more on the weekend, and stayed up to watch the sunset..... in my late 20's? Should I have lived more and slept less, isn't that what people say?

On Monday, I had to travel for work and stay overnight before a video shoot the following morning. My office roommate and I hopped in my car and hit the road after work. We spent the 2 1/2 hour drive talking about our plans to order room service, get in our jammies, watch TV... and fall asleep by 9pm (apparently I'm not the only one with this schedule). Well, there was a change of plans, and once we arrived, we met the video team out for dinner to celebrate a birthday. Two hours later, I looked down at my watch and realized it was past my bedtime. I started to sweat! I must get home I thought!... I reminded myself of a senior citizen that realized 4pm was upon him, and it was imperative he get to the closest restaurant before the early-bird special ends. Or maybe I was acting more like a modern day pre-teen Cinderella. I felt like my car was going to turn into a pumpkin, and my jeans and tshirt were going to disappear and turn into old tattered pajamas if I let another minute pass. Before I knew it, I was leaving the restaurant and driving... to... a karaoke bar? Wait... What? This isn't my hotel!? How did I drive myself to a karaoke bar at 9pm on a MONDAY? Am I going crazy? These pregnancy hormones are leaving me so confused. But guess what? I spent the next 3 hours having the time.of.my.life. 


Within ten minutes of entering the karaoke bar, I ordered an ice water and hopped up on stage. I grabbed a mic, told the DJ to "hit it" and SHOOP by salt n peppa came on. I have never once sang karaoke. I might have been an active little Gleek in high school with Varsity Choir, Honor Choir, Womens Choir, and Jazz Choir all on my resume... but this was so out of my element. And, I kind of looked like this....

Granted, Ellen is a beautiful blonde lesbian, and I am a 27 year old pregnant brunette, wearing jeans and a belly bandit to camouflage the fact that my pants were unbuttoned and most likely unzipped while I was rapping across the karaoke stage. So the resemble is a little off, but still. After my white girl rendition came to a close, I hopped off stage, took a shot of my ice water, and hit the dance floor (party of one.. literally.) I suppose my resemblance of the evening was a little less Ellen and a little more like.... this gem below?

The morale of the story is that you (or I) can still have fun. Single, married, pregnant, or I'm assuming, as a mother. I think Monday night was exactly what I needed... a little "pick-me-up, while my pants were falling off", so to speak. I caught a glimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror before I went to bed, and as I wiped the remnants of my Karaoke induced sweat from my forehead, I thought... "pregnancy glow, is that you?" And I went to bed happier than I have in a long time. 

Absolutely.... not.

So last week, I sent a few people the following text message...
"I just walked out of work, and a guy on a bike turned around to check me out. Even with a baby in my belly, and my pants unbuttoned, I still got it... ha".

About 10 minutes later, I sent a follow up text message...
"Do you think he'd still check me out if he knew I just bought this... for myself?" with the attached picture.

The best response I got was "Absolutely... not".

I've got a pocket full of sunshine, and a belly full of baby!

It's my favorite clip from any movie (well, except Anchorman... I have too many favorite moments in that movie to count), and I feel like it totally represents how I feel today. I've got a pocket full of sunshine & a baby in my belly - and I sing it in the shower, in the car, and behind my desk at work!

Today we went to the doctor and heard a heartbeat, it was amazing! Today is also the day we are announcing to everyone we are expecting.... so this blog entry is short & sweet! :)

Sister Visits and Maternity Coordinator Thoughts

I went to visit Amy, my youngest sister, in her new "home" city, Sacramento. Kate (middle sister) & I got to spend 4 days gallivanting around "Old Sac" "East Sac" "Mid Sac" and any other types of Sac's we could think of.

My beautiful sissys!

Ricks Hot Fudge Sundae

If you really want to know what we did - these words came out of Amy's good friends mouth on Sunday afternoon, as we were about to leave for the airport. "All you guys did was eat this weekend!" <-- Sad, but true. We spent the entire 4 days visiting all of Amy's favorite restaurants. In between those favorite restaurants, we stopped by places such as Candy Heaven & Ricks Desert Bar.

Who knew 3 girls could spend this much on a lunch?

And after lunch, at the airport... snacks.

One night we all went to dinner, went to a friends rooftop preparty, and then the girls went out for drinks. I departed the rooftop preparty around 10 and headed for home. I sat there from 10pm until 130am when they finally got home, tossing and turning. Being the oldest, I feel like you already have some sort of "motherly" craziness. Where are they? Are they safe? When are they coming home? I cant sleep with all those thoughts! This could also be due to the fact that I already was on the end of one not-so-fun phone call in the middle of the night regarding my baby sister!

Phone Call: After graduating college, I moved back home with my parents. A while after I had fallen asleep, my phone started ringing with "AMY" on display. I picked it up, figuring I was getting a fun-filled drunk dial. Instead, it was Amy's sorority sister who said "Hey Sara. Ummm Amys head was just cracked open, but the ambulance is on the way." Not exactly the phone call I had imagined. So then I had to get out of bed and wake up my roommate mom and fill her in on the news (my dad was out of town for business). So all of a sudden I became the bearer of bad news. Everything turned out fine, she got a few stitches and that was that, but still. "Cracked her head open" isn't exactly a phrase I'd like to hear again on the receiving end of a phone call.

All this tossing and turning got me thinking, and I thought of my dear friend (ok, facebook friend) Rosie Pope. I love her show "Pregnant in Heels"... and although some of it is completely offbase and unrealistic, I realized how much easier your pregnancy could be if you had a magic maternity coordinator. Kind of like a fairy godmother, someone to answer all your silly (or not so silly) questions on pregnancy, labor and bringing home your baby! When do you order nursery furniture? When do you tell everyone you are expecting? When am I going to get fat? Since I'm short on the fairy godmother deal, I did the next best thing. My girlfriend Natalie had sent me a surprise package with Jenny McCarthy s "Belly Laughs" book. I picked it up, and read it in one sitting. She pretty much nails everything dead on with the way you are feeling, why strange things are happening to you, and what to expect. So, thanks to Jenny, I'm feeling a little better.

Until next week, when I make the official announcement, and then weird people may start to think its OK to touch my belly.

Oh, and I thought I'd let you know that I listened to my mother (shouldn't you always?). From last weeks entry - I put a rubber band around my button and I'm feeling so much better about myself. It almost makes me forget I'm walking around with unbuttoned pants.

Almost.

My makeshift button-closer with a hairband... apparently I can't find any rubber bands.

It Officially Happened....

Let's be honest. I've been unbuttoning my pants for years, for comfort reasons only. Today was the first day I unbuttoned my pants out of necessity. It wasn't even an option. They... simply.... won't.... button.
My youngest sister said its time for maternity pants. Um... no: it's certainly not time for maternity pants. I am only 10 weeks!! My mom said I should just tie my button to the button hole with string. Again, I'm going to pass. I'm going to continue walking around at work with my pants unbuttoned, and my baggy shirt thrown over it. I've told a few girlfriends at my office, so for fun, I'll flash them my unbuttoned pants, laugh, and run away. But honestly, the jokes on me.

So, I'm sitting at my desk, eating a triple chocolate chip cookie my office roomie got me... all the while staring at my unbuttoned pants, and listening to amazing yet depressing music like the example below. Only 2 more weeks of hiding this, and then I can flash EVERYONE my unbuttoned pants!! And I'm not even ashamed. My husband on the other hand, might be.

It's a.... baby!!!

Today was our first prenatal visit. Our doctor is absolutely perfect for us: he's sarcastic, has a lot of dry humor, and asked Cole if people from North Dakota have any teeth. My kind of doctor. :) Definitely the type I feel most comfortable around - it's nice to know that we can crack jokes while he's all up in my girlie parts, although that might make his job a little more difficult considering I love to laugh. 

Seeing a baby on the ultrasound screen for the first time is... amazing, and still unreal. We could see the tiny heartbeat pitter-patter within the babies chest. The doctor said the baby looks perfect, and estimated her age is a little over 8 weeks. I think the ultrasound says 8 weeks & 2 days. "Crown to Rump" or the CRL is 17! 


Cole made sure to exclaim "It's a boy!" - which is what I'm going to be hearing until our due date. I asked him why he's so sure its a boy, to which he answered matter-of-factly "Look at those big forearms!" and shook his head at me like I should have been seeing this as well. "It's a girl!" I said back. "Look at that pink tutu & her tiny dancer body." Apparently, we aren't seeing eye to eye. :) But the important part is that we ARE seeing and DID see a beautiful baby on the ultrasound... living inside my belly, until about April 8th or so. :)


Life is good. <3 

Yup, there is a baby in there alright!

Large forearms?

Why does it look like I have to poop?

I have to give you a heads-up, I have a funny little feeling that majority of this blog is going to be completely inappropriate. But since most of my friends & family are equally as disturbing as I am, this shouldn't be a problem. 


The first few weeks went by dragging ass quickly. Honestly, it's like the second you have a secret to tell, everyone tries to have a conversation with you about it. I might be the worlds best bullshitter, but ironically enough, I'm not that great of a liar. Well, sometimes I am- and I'm so good, I actually believe my own lie... but I like to think that part of me is in the past. Nowadays, when I try to lie, I start to smile and giggle like a huge ass. "What?! Me? Lying (giggle giggle)... No Way! (giggle giggle)" <-- I look quite special when I act this way. And on top of trying to conceal my inner secret, I'm also trying to conceal this muffin top/bloated/looks-like-I-have-to-take-a-week-old-shadoobee of a belly bump. As I'm writing this, I'm about 7 weeks pregnant. In all the books I have read, it says "By now, you probably have lifted up your shirt, pushed your belly out, and pretended what you will soon look like with a belly bump." Um, excuse me, I don't have to push out anything- it is naturally doing this on it's own. Actually, I can't even suck this thing in. Who wrote these books?? And why are you doing this to me?? 


This leads me to the bout of emotions I've been dealing with lately. The books also stated "You may be feeling many emotions" and I believe this is an understatement. Just yesterday, I was driving home (side note: It was a sunny Arizona summer afternoon, and my car read 111 degrees). I saw a man standing on the side of a road with a sign for DR Horton homes. I whispered "I can't look at him anymore, I'm going to cry" to which my sweet understanding husband replied "Don't be ridiculous" and then right there, in a blink of an eye, tears came streaming down my face. "It's SO HOT out there Cole! Don't tell me I'm being ridiculous! What's RIDICULOUS is that this OLD MAN is outside in 111 degree weather SWEATING for DR HORTON!! I HATE DR HORTON! HOW could they DO THIS to an OLD MAN? HOW!? WHAT if THIS WAS OUR CHILD OUT THERE?!" and I quickly reached into my purse to hand this poor soul a $20. But then I reminded myself he wasn't a homeless man begging for change. So then I threw him my 1 liter bottle of ginger ale out the window and sped off down the street to MY STUPID DR HORTON home. 


By the time I got home, I was super nauseous. God damn these hormones!! And god damn DR HORTON for making me throw my only bottle of ginger ale out my window to that poor old man sweating on the streets of Scottsdale! I laid in bed and ate saltines and patted my belly until the feeling slowly disappeared. Whenever I'm feeling nauseous these days (which is every other minute of each passing hour) I have noticed it helps to eat saltines, pat my belly, and watch Jersey Shore or Teen Mom on my DVR. 


I was meeting my family out for dinner that night - I had been craving Chompie's matzah ball soup, along with an everything bagel toasted with melted cheddar cheese, and 2 rainbow cookies (now you may understand my undying need to constantly unbutton my pants). I went through 10 outfits and wound up crying on the floor of my master bedroom closet for the 2nd day in a row. Honestly, nothing looks right. I'm not supposed to be showing yet and I can't suck in and I don't like walking around thinking people are staring at me saying "Wow, when is the last time she went to the bathroom? She REALLY has to take a #2" - which, is definitely true, but besides the point. This bloated feeling is going to be the death of me. 


PS Chompies burned my bagel. The bagel I had been craving for over a week. They are SO lucky I didn't break down in tears, since that is now the current trend in my life. 

Starting at the beginning... plus a little TMI

To quote one of my favorite movies ever.... 


"Let's start at the very beginning
A very good place to start
When you read you begin with ABC
When you sing you begin with do re mi"


Well thank you Maria from Sound of Music, that definitely helps me if I want to start reading, or singing, but what about if I want to start my own blog??? Your songs definitely aren't helping me put "ink to the page"... and I've been sitting here starting at this blank screen for hours (good thing I work for a website as my 9-5). 


I guess the "beginning" would be for me to kind of back-date a few entries, and have some of this blog published before you even get the special link! So here it goes... as you've already learned, I've gone and drank the water - and now I have my own little bun in the oven. I honestly couldn't be more excited; as well as the 100 other emotions that come along with this new "mommy-to-be" title! 


For some necessary/unnecessary TMI background information: Cole & I fall under the category of "lucky ones" -  ok, I fall under the category of "lucky ones." Cole may view it as unlucky - because the day I told him we were expecting a little munchkin, his face jumped in excitement as he yelled "Are we really?" and then a few seconds later followed by "oh man, I would have enjoyed  practicing some more". We were I was that lucky. :) But - I didn't originally think this was the case. A few things happened between the "practicing" and the "reveal" where I pretty much thought we'd get at least another month of trying in. And this is why, when we found out we were expecting, it was one of the most magical moments of my life.... 


We were on a European adventure, traveling around England, Scotland & Ireland with my family. For some reason, Scotland has always had a special place in my heart: mostly because my mom's side of the family are Scottish, but also because, for my 6th grade "country report" I selected Scotland and my mom helped me make a batch of melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies and I haven't been able to get them out of my head since (unbutton pants here). I digress... We spent the first few days walking around the streets of London: beer was an integral part of breakfast, lunch & dinner (remember, at this point, I figured our original attempts hadn't exactly taken-to!). By the time we got to Scotland, I was feeling a little "off" - I was tired and my body was telling me something wasn't right, which I totally categorized under jet-lag and tucked it away under my glass of Guinness, shot of whiskey, and hotel pillow. After a few more days, I realized I was late. "Stupid jet-lag!" I thought to myself. However, I decided it would be best to take a pregnancy test, just to confirm my previous feeling on "first attempt" failure. So I crept out of bed at 430am, peed on a little stick, and two little lines appeared. "Excuse me!" I said to myself (either by looking in the mirror and talking to my reflection, or just talking down to my hands that were shaking and holding the pee-ridden pink stick). I went back to bed and tried to fall back asleep. Honestly, if anyone has taken a pregnancy test and gotten a positive result, and ever tried to go back to sleep, you know this is pointless. So at about 6am I bounced right back out of bed, grabbed a fresh stick, and got after it again. Double lines, again. I watched Cole for another hour as he slept because I didn't want to wake him up. But, as soon as he was awake - I spilled the beans. As I mentioned earlier, his hands were thrown into the air and his jaw dropped and he kept repeating "are we really?! are we really?!" and then the aforementioned "oh man! I would have enjoyed practicing some more!"


We got ready for the day, and met my family for breakfast at a local cafe that had a beautiful view of the Edinburgh castle. We were bursting at the seams and made it through the first 10 minutes of breakfast without a peep, and then we shared the news. It was kind of a whirlwind but there were hugs & tears, and I got a free shortbread cookie complete with chocolate chips out of the announcement - yay me! A baby AND a free cookie!!! This was my day!!! We spent the rest of the afternoon hiking up Arthur's Seat Volcano, where each member of my family including myself managed to trip and fall over the rainy/dew-ridden grass... followed by hot chocolate & more shortbread cookies at the castle. It honestly was a PICTURE perfect day.


We called Cole's mom from my cell phone at the hotel, where she let us know that "Twins would be just great - a boy for Cole & a girl for Sara!" and as we hung up and I stared at my belly and said "don't you even think about it..." while I nodded off to sleep, trying to ingrain every detail from the day into my memory. 

The night before I found out... oopsie poopsie baby! :) 

Double Confirmation... 

Leaving the cafe after they found out they were going to be Aunts!

Mommy & Daddy To-Be <3

Trip of a lifetime...