Belly Update

I am now 16 weeks along. My belly "comes and goes" as I put it. Sometimes I can really tell it's getting bigger, but other times (especially first thing in the morning) I look down and think "Is there really a baby the size of an orange in there?" From what I've seen and have been told these next couple of weeks are when things really start kicking into gear. Belly really starting to show, feeling baby move, and finding out if baby is a boy or girl. We have our next Dr appointment on Monday-but I don't know if they will do an ultrasound. And if they do I think it's still too early to find out the gender. So most likely we will find out in mid February. What a lovely little Valentines gift :) I loved reading Stephanie's blog (How Sweet it is!) on her pregnancy because she would do a "Highlights" section on what was going on with her and baby at that time. So I decided to do the same because I loved it so much and I think it's a good way to remember all the little things once baby is here.

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 16 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Ummm...I have no idea! No scale in our house...I would probably cry anyway if I were to step on it everyday. So we decided the Dr's weigh ins will be fine :)

Maternity Clothes: None yet...although I did hit a good sale at Target the other day. So I have started stocking up. I think the Belly Band will make its appearance soon. Some of my jeans are a little too tight for comfort.

Sleep: I've been very "tossy and turny" since I became pregnant. I wake up frequently-but maybe that's due to the fact I have to pee about 3-4 times during the night.

Best Moment this week: Can eating be an option? :) Juuust kidding. I THINK I felt baby move...but I can't be sure. So if it was then that would be the best moment :)

Gender: We don't know yet! I can't wait until we find out!

Movement: I think I've felt a couple pokes...but I can't be sure. It may just be some "air" floating around and I'm confusing it with movement... ;) Hopefully soon I'll be able to distinguish that.

Food Cravings: Cereal, fresh fruit (especially grapefruit, kiwi's and green apples), whole milk

Food Aversions: Depends on the day...and the smell..

How's Mama? I'm doing good. I'm a little frustrated at this "in between" stage I'm in. I still look chubby-but those who know me know that I have a belly sticking out that usually isn't there. And I'm trying to stay "in the moment" instead of looking forward to everything to come! I want to enjoy every moment of this time, but I just can't stop thinking about holding this little one in my arms :)

What I am looking forward to: Ummmm EVERYTHING! :) I can't wait to really feel baby kick, to find out whether baby is a he or a she, getting a big belly (yes, I am really looking forward to that actually. I may be eating my words in a couple months though)

Our Baby in Veggie/Fruit Terms: Little one is the size of an avocado.

A little emotional?

Yep. Emotions up the wazoo. And I don't know how to control them, or if I even can!

Example #1: Yesterday I was driving to work and was at a four way stop. When it was my turn (or so I thought) I began to go. I was turning, and apparently the lady across from me did not agree that it was my turn so she put her peddle to the meddle and didn't even hint at stopping. I had to slam on my breaks and I threw my hands up in the air looking at her saying over and over "seriously? SERIOUSLY!?" (as if that would help somehow). And as she passed she had a little smirk on her face and was barely shaking her head from side to side. It felt like she was mocking me....oooooo and boy did that make me angry. I continued my turn after she had passed and began getting more and more worked up about how ridiculous she had been...even if I did go out of turn, was it really worth it to almost run into me!? And as quickly as my anger had arrived the tears began welling in my eyes. My thoughts turn to "why do people have to be so mean! I thought it was my turn...if I knew it was hers I would've waited...I don't want people to think I'm mean...She almost HIT me!" I was so sad and flustered at what had just happened, but I had to pull myself together because I was only about a block from work and was soon parking my car. And as I was getting out of the car I thought to myself...wow, that was a little over the top.

Example #2: I wanted to d0 something nice for my husband today. He is working all day and I decided I would bring him lunch-but because of me being already a "moody eater" (as he calls it) and now preggo on top of that AND not really knowing what I wanted I texted him to tell me what I could bring. He decided on Costco which sounded ok to me. But as I was driving there and thinking about the food my heart got set on one of their huge slices of chesse pizza. Yum. So I walked in, and of course it was packed. However, to my surprise, the food court line only had one person! SCORE! I was so excited! I was going to get my food quickly and be able to get to Jon's work faster. I walked up, ordered one polish dog (for Jonny) and a slice of cheese pizza for me! She came back and placed the pizza right under my nose...oh it looked so good! Finally, for the first time today, SOMETHING sounded good to eat! So I handed her my Costco card, and she said "sorry, we only take cash or check". Ummmmm....excuse me? But this is my card. That I had to get specifically for this place. And you're telling me I can't use it?. Seriously? Why do I even have this stupid thing! She pointed out that I could pay for it at the normal registers. So I looked behind me and saw about 20 people in each line with 2 shopping carts each (obviously a slight exaggeration, but I was cranky and didn't want to wait! The pizza was calling my name!) I also didn't want to look like a weirdo when I got up to the register after the wait and say "I would like a hotdog and pizza please....yes, that is all". So I decided just to leave. And on my way out I had a meltdown. I called my husband and felt like I had let him down (it had taken us a while to decide on Costco in the first place), and I also just wanted my cheese pizza! So I got in the car as Jon answered the phone. I told him what had happened and he said you can just get me whatever you want. That's when the flood of tears came...."but I just went inside...and they wouldn't take my card....and I don't want to go anywhere else....I just wanted cheese pizza....I wanna go home now...." (all of this barely audible to my husband who probably couldn't understand me between my sobs and tears). But he is the most wonderful husband who knows me all too well (but as well as he managed the situation I could still tell that he was thinking "all this over pizza?") He told me to just come to his work and we would figure something out. And he did, and I ate a wonderful lunch with him. When I walked in I wanted to just crack up laughing at how ridiculous I must have sounded on the phone....

So all that to say...I think I'm a little emotional lately. :)

Surprise!

Jon and I found out in October that we are going to have a baby!! :) :)

We are both VERY excited, and although it wasn't quite "planned", we can't wait to meet our little bundle of joy and feel so blessed already! We had our 12 wk check up today and baby was very active! Doing somersaults, kicking feet, waving, opening and closing mouth (I say Baby was trying to say hello to us) We are proud parents already...I can't even think of what it will be like when Baby Foley is actually in our arms.


I can't wait to kiss Baby's cute little cheeks, cuddle with him/her, and enjoy all the blessings this child will bring to our family! Come July 2011 Jon and I will have a new addition to our family! :)

Merry Christmas

(This picture is from last year around Christmas-time when we went to Mexico. I love it! Feliz Navidad!)

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas! Enjoy this time with your families! Jon and I will be spending Christmas Eve with my family (always a tradition, crazyness with Dad's side of the family). Then on Christmas day we will go to my parents early in the morning and watch Laney open her gifts-then go back home and get dressed (still being in our jammies that is), and head on over to Jon's parents for a Christmas feast. Yummy. Jonny and I are getting spoiled with food this year at both houses. Christmas Eve-Prime rib! Christmas Day-Brisket and a plethora of amazing side dishes prepared by Jon and his sis Amy. Bring on the food!!!

Merry Christmas!

p.s if you haven't seen DespicableMe you need to. My favorite part is when one of the little girls is at the amusement park and wins a big, fluffy unicorn-then runs off screaming in a deep voice "It's so fluffy!!". Jon and I laughed for days, and we scream that at each other at least three times a day. I can totally see that being our little girl. Haha ;)

p.p.s Remember that post about my home-made dress for my friends wedding? Well the photographer posted MANY more pictures of the wedding and there are a couple close ups of my dress that I wanted to share with you all. (You may have to scroll down quite a ways to get to them, but the wedding was beautiful so you may enjoy looking at them all!) :) Click HERE to go to the site.

Yoj to the world!

Yes, I said Yoj. The reasoning for this is because I drove up to my parents house the other day and my Dad had put up the Christmas flag....and being my Dad and just wanting to get it done he put it up facing the wrong direction. So when you drive up to my parents house instead of seeing "Joy" you will see "yoJ". The new Christmas carol in my parents home is "Yoj to the world!" :) I know, we are silly, but I love it. And a week later my parents still haven't changed the flag-it will probably stay like that until they take it down. I love it. I love them. I love my family! :)

Speaking of family....only 4 more days until I get to squeeze this bundle if joy!

Please excuse our hair....we had just woken up :)

AND sister time! Woo hoo! I've needed a good shopping partner. Garrett, Jill and Laney will be here for about 2 weeks-and we are very excited!

Enjoy your families during this wonderful time of the year! I know I will be doing just that! :D

Happy Birthday

"Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to my Jonny
Happy Birthday to you!"

Last week was my hubby's birthday....and here is what he requested for his birthday cake...

Kahlua Cheescake! I have to admit....it was a VERY tasty alternative to regular ol birthday cake. Good thinkin' Jonny ;)

And for all you who are drooling right now (and you should be) here is the simple recipe!

Heavenly Kahlua Cheesecake

1 1/4 cups crushed graham crackers

1 cup granulated sugar - divided use

3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa - divided use

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

2 large eggs

1/4 cup coffee, brewed

1/2 cup coffee liqueur

2 teaspoons vanilla extract - divided use

1 cup (8-ounces) sour cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 ounces milk chocolate candy bars, grated

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and melted butter in a small bowl; mix well. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until firm but not browned; cool
3. Raise oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, mixing well. Beat in remaining 1/2 cup cocoa. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in coffee liqueur, coffee and half the vanilla. Pour into the cooled crust. Bake for 30 minutes, or until almost set.
5. Raise temperature in oven to 425°F (220°C).
6. Combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a small bowl; mix well. Spread evenly over the hot cheesecake. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes.
7. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Refrigerate, covered, for 8 hours. Carefully remove from pan and garnish with grated chocolate. (and I added some whipped cream too)
   

Enjoy!

Sew Easy....

One of my best friends got married in October and I was blessed to be a part of the special day. Emily, the bride, decided that she would have all of us bridesmaids make our own dresses (gasp!)-yes, MAKE our own dresses! You have to know Emily for this idea to work in your head at all, or even a little. She is her own unique person, and that is exactly why we are such great friends til this day. She wouldn't care what I ended up making, just as long as I was comfortable and had fun:) Anyway, back to the dresses, I didn't want to look like the girl with obvious "home-made" dress. The bride sent us our fabric that we were to work with. Me, not wanting to show up in a toga, asked my mother-in-law for some much needed assistance..I mean, I'd only been "sewing" for about a month by then-and the last project I attempted with my mom I sewed the pockets of my skirt completely shut..oops!. (hence why I asked my mother-in-law for help...mom proved herself to not be the greatest of help in the "making of clothing" department. Sorry Mom! I loooove you :) :) ) So I ventured out and looked for a pattern. Ifound one, but once we opened up the package and carefully unfolded the masses of tissue paper, we found that I had bought a pattern that was for sizes 10-16....ya....that's not really gonna work. So we called around and found one (the last one at Beverly's in the sidewalk sale bin! woo hoo!).

The sewing began......and continued.......and continued....and who knew that you could actually put "boning" in a dress yourself!? Pretty spiffy! (yeah, I said "what the heck is boning?" too. But if you've worn a dress with those hard stick things that always poke you in the ribs then you know what boning is...-and it's not as hard as you would think to install!)-however I would not particularly like to venture into that experience again willingly. :) Anyways, the dress was completed-thanks to my WONDERFUL mother-in-law! I would've been lost without her, and more than likely wearing a "wrap" dress in the wedding.

The wedding day arrived....and I was pleasantly surprised by the dresses of all my fellow bridesmaids! (and no, I'm not just being polite or nice) :) They ALL turned out very cute and stylish. Here is a link to the photographers site with a picture of all us girls (it's the last one in the line-up of pictures-but you get to see how beautiful the bride looked) :). You can't tell very well, but you can get the gist of what all the dresses looked like. I have a closeup of my dress...but it is in another cyber-world at the moment and will have to wait.

The wedding was beautiful- and no one walked down the isle in a toga! However, knowing Emily, she probably wouldn't have cared even if one of us showed up naked, just as long as she knew we were having a good time ;)