14 weeks belly bump

I sometimes can't believe I'm pregnant again.  It seems surreal.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.  This pregnancy has been different in SO many ways.  Morning sickness, headaches, less acne, no food cravings (yet), insomnia, and bigger belly.  Of course, the bigger size thing is expected on #2.  My doctor told me that with your 2nd child, you usually show about 1 month larger than you did with your first.  Great.  Let's just hope the weight gain isn't larger, too!

Here's the belly, at around 14 weeks:

(last pregnancy, 1 week earlier)

I really don't think there's too much of a HUGE difference.  I do feel a bit bigger.  Good news is I already have gained less weight than I had with Bianca.  Of course, now that I've stopped vomiting, it will probably start sticking a bit more.  Although this time I've got a little one at home to chase after!  Last time, I think I just was able to lay around more and relax when I felt fatigued or sick.  This is a whole new ballgame.  Bianca just looks at me like, "Um... get up Momma!"  There's no laying around.  It's exhausting to say the least.  

Many of my friends who are mommas to >1 say that having the 2nd baby is more adjustment than having the first.  They say with the first it's 100% dedication to figuring out what to do and how to do it.  With the second, it's different because you must split your time and figure out how to please/do schedules for two kiddos.  But then again.... my dear friend, Kinze, says, "After you have 2 kids, you might as well have 4 or 5.  You have figured out how to deal with multiple children and they have each other to entertain."  Well, I don't think 4 or 5 is in my picture.  Right now, 2 sounds like enough!  

Little Sizzlet Squared

Well, everyone.... we wanted to wait a while longer to post this, but there's no hiding it anymore.


 







Honestly, I told Derek I wanted to wait until about 16 weeks or so to tell anyone.  We made it to 14.  Neighbors, coworkers, and people I don't even know keep asking me when I'm due.  I can no longer return their question with a stupid look on my face and tell them I don't know what they are talking about.  I told a coworker I had just been "gaining some weight."  She looked at me and said, "Yeah, in your uterus."


We couldn't be more excited.  Today marks the beginning of a new trimester.  The first was disastrous, I must say - in more ways than one.  But we can't wait until November.  It's a new life, a new beginning.  We couldn't be happier or more blessed.  


Thank you, God.

A bike ride

Here's my favorite part of Hilton Head: the bike ride.

When we cruised into the area where our hotel was, we saw a large bike rental store.

"We should rent bikes you guys!" Nana said.

"Oh yeah!" I laughed.

I laughed because I couldn't imagine my behind on a bike, let alone keeping up with my in-shape husband and father-in-law. But then the idea was planted and the scary "you-can't-keep-up-and-you'll-probably-fall-down attitude" dwindled. There were miles of smooth, paved paths all over the island. Another important fact: this island was completely flat. Good observation.

We rented bikes. Here's the story, in pictures and words:

The bike shop guy had to put a seat on for B and had to adjust our seats. Nana needed hers lowest.

Nana had to explain to Bianca what it is were were going to do. She told her to be a good girl and she'd get a purse or shoes or something....... whatever it was, it worked. She was great.

And we're off. It was decided Daddy Derek could haul B's little butt on back. You can't see her, but she's there.

Here's how it started. Grampy was the leader (and probably the best in shape).

Uh-oh! Slight problem: Grampy's chain fell off while he was riding. Minor issue. Not to worry... that Grampy fixed it lickety-split! (and we got this bike rental for free)

Bianca enjoyed feeling her hair blow in the wind. She really, really, got comfortable.

So comfortable, as a matter of fact, that she slept. Yes, she slept for about 30-45 minutes of the ride. Here's us at a "water break" (aka... shopping break for Nana and Mommy). There were the most adorable boutiques on the bay......

We ended the ride on the beach. The sand was packed so hard, it was like riding on asphalt. Except on the way back - when we were very tired and the wind was against us. Then it felt like we were riding on quicksand!

Ta-da! Our Hilton Head Biking Story.

MIchelle & Sam's Wedding

They looked beautiful. Michelle's dress was absolutely stunning. So gorgeous with lace and silk - it was perfect for the island. The bridesmaids wore a bright blue. Everyone looked awesome.

This was Derek and I's first southern wedding. They do things a bit different than we do up north. We were standing outside of the church after it was over, waiting for the bride and groom to make their appearance so we could cheer and clap. No bubbles, bells, or rice or anything... I didn't really think anything of it. Then my neighbor, Lo, (who is DEFINITELY a sweet Southern Belle) said, "Ya'll can leave. They won't be coming out for you to cheer. That's a Northern thing ya'll do. They actually won't come out until we're all gone."

Oh. Derek and I got into our car. First wedding we'd ever been to like that. Usually, up north, wishing them off after the wedding is a big deal. I actually like it the way they do it down here - just going and seeing everyone at the reception. So, we headed off to the reception.

It was so beautiful - outside in a pavilion that overlooked the ocean. Just breath taking. The food was just as much to rave about. Everything from prime rib to pasta, Italian wild mushroom risotto to organic tomatoes and mozzarella, shrimp.... and more! The cakes (yes, that is plural) were outstanding. Michelle did a great job all with the details, of course:

And our friends were there, too! It was nice to share an evening with everyone. Here's just a couple of them....

And us, of course.

(this is me, "pasty white" as Derek calls it. Luckily, a tan was achieved later.

Again, Michelle and Sam Wade... thank you so much for including us on your special day. We loved being there!

Hilton Head, SC

I'm going to break up our vacation into a few posts. Cause after all, it was an amazing vacation... it deserves a few days to talk about!

We went to Hilton Head Island for our neighbors' wedding, Michelle & Sam. They are the ones we had a honeymoon party for. Beings I only get a couple of weekends off a year and it was on a island we had not vacationed to.... we decided to go! And what's even better, Derek's parents also decided they would come with us and spend some quality time together. Long overdue - we hadn't seen them in 3 months!

So, we packed up the car and drove to South Carolina. Bianca did pretty good in the car. Well... she actually did really good! And Grampy Cisel did really well, too, in the 3rd row with the luggage. Poor guy - what a trooper!

We had a great time. Bianca's definitely a water baby. She LOVES the beach. She loves the waves, the sand, the water... everything. You couldn't keep her out of the water! The waves would come in and she'd race with them, then when they went back out to sea, she'd say, "Whoa! Where ya go'n?"

Not so much a pool fan....

Definitely more an ocean fan...

The best part for Bianca was being with her grampy and nana. She sure misses them. It didn't take but a few minutes and she was warmed up to them. I think she thinks they are more fun than her mom and dad.

She definitely got her Nana and Grampy love'n! She's still saying their names and looking around for them when she wakes up from sleeping. So hurry back, Nana and Grampy! WE LOVE YOU!!!

A little Bee-hind

So sorry I've been be behind on my blogg'n. We've been in Hilton Head on a little family vacation and friendly wedding.

I'm sorting through pictures, videos, laundry...... life! In the meantime... here's a LIL BEE-HIND to keep you check'n for more updates.....

First Easter Egg Hunt

I have plenty to blog about: Easter and Eggs, a visit from Crystal, etc.....

But first, I want to take a minute to recognize the individuals in the South here who have been affected by the tornadoes and storms from last night. So far, almost 300 perished lives have been accounted for. It was a storm to remember, unfortunately.

But most fortunately, we are safe. While Atlanta did not suffer too bad of the storm, Alabama did. And for those of you who know about my husband and his job..... a HUGE portion of it is in Alabama - Birmingham and Tuscalossa. As a matter of fact, the hotel that Derek normally stays in has terrible damage all around it. THANK YOU to all of you who called to check in on him. My phone "blew up" starting early this morning - my brother Matt called to make sure Derek was ok by 8am. It continued ringing all day - friends in Wisconsin, Chicago, family in Illinois..... thank you. You are all too thoughtful. It feels so good to know we are so close in your thoughts. When Derek got home tonight (he was in Arkansas this week) I rambled off all the names of people who called to check on him - he said, "Really?, That's so nice." And it was. Now we must pray for the healing and cleaning of this tragedy.

Moving to a more happy note, this was the first year Bianca could participate in an "Easter Egg Hunt." So, as soon as I got home from work and church Sunday morning (I went to sunrise mass at 6am... and it was really a sunrise mass held outside the church), we had an Easter egg hunt. It was soooo cute! Bianca could say "egg" really well. We hid 6 eggs and would say, "Where's the egg? I think it's somewhere over here...." and she'd see it and squeal with delight! Such a joy. We had to do a few rounds of hiding the eggs - she couldn't get enough.

Easter morning I left work at 5:45am and went to 6am Sunrise Mass. I had never been to anything like it. People were sitting in lawn chairs and standing outside in the parking lot. The church I attend, St. Brigid, sits up VERY high and almost seems to stretch it's tops into the clouds. Honestly, it's like something you'd see in Rome. When I first got there, it was dark and you could hear the birds starting to chirp their morning songs. By the time church was over (and it only lasted a little over 30 minutes), the sun was peaking over the other side of the church and the birds were singing their Easter songs. It was the most beautiful site.

More to come soon..... Aunt Buggie visited this week!