These are the days

(Still don't know why it's not posting in paragraph form) While this has been a fairly easy pregnancy so far and a smooth first trimester, that doesn't mean that it is all sunshine and rainbows. When I say it's been smooth, that means that I haven't had crazy mood swings just yet, and the morning sickness has held off thus far. I still get a little nauseous if I haven't eaten every 2 to 3 hours and included protein in my meal. The bottle of Zantac is a good friend of mine. This morning I woke up with a killer headache. I wish I had an all inclusive mute button. Taylor has been super clingy the last few days. We believe she is in the process of getting her two year molars. I can't even go to the bathroom without her wanting to sit on my lap. She is a bit dramatic and tears are a common occurance this week. Mason just wants to play with his trains. The constant noise of a train engine going on the tracks rings throughout the house. Every night at bed time, we must read atleast three books before he will attempt to fall asleep. Adam returns from a business trip tomorrow. He will be greeted with huge hugs from everyone. While being a parent is hard work, it comes with the best rewards. I can't wait to get past the first trimester, but I take joy in knowing that these growing pains will bless our family with another beautiful baby in the fall. The noise and the chaos in our house will one day be missed. I'm going treasure these moments because it all goes by too quickly.

Taylor's 1st Haircut

Last weekend we headed to Katy for the weekend to celebrate my Granny's 90th birthday. Since we would be in Katy, I thought I would fit in a time to get Taylor's hair trimmed. As I have mentioned before, my sister is a hair stylist. Christina cut Mason's hair for the first time at 6 months. He had so much hair. Taylor is a different story. She was born with a lot of hair, but lost it all and it barely started to grow again around her one year birthday. It has taken an entire year for her hair to grow to the length it was. However, she was starting to have a little mullet. The hair in the back grows much faster than in the back. I didn't want to take much off of the back, just enough to make it even. I didn't want anything cut in the front. I'm not a fan of bangs so, we are trying to get hair to all one length eventually.

Before

Before

After

When Christina put her hair in the envelope for me to keep, there was barely any in there, not to mention it's practically white. Mason & Taylor have very different types of hair. Mason's is thick and grows super fast. Taylor's will grow eventually. Her hair is a lot like mine as a child, thin and took forever to grow.

This past weekend, we drove down to Houston to celebrate my Granny's 90th Birthday! She is my Great Grandmother, which means that she is also a Great Great Grandmother to Mason & Taylor. Family from all over Texas drove in to celebrate her special day. I love that we live in Texas now and were able to be a part of her day. Had we been in California, I'm not sure we would have made it. Granny is an amazingly talented lady. God gave her the gift of art. She can paint gorgeous paintings with oils and acrylics. From a very young age, I remember seeing her paintings and wishing I could paint like that. I'm pretty sure she is the reason I started painting at a very young age. I wish I would have continued, but I still have some of my very first paintings. When I was younger, Granny taught my sister and I how to make homemade Chicken & Dumplings. I'm not a fan of the meal, but I could eat hers any time. It meant a lot to me that she took the time to show my sister and I how to make it. She also loves to play games, her favorite being Marbles. Granddaddy Covey, her husband made several Marble boards during his day and my Dad has made a couple as well. It's a family favorite to play Marbles. If you play with Granny, you will instantly know she is very competitive and can take you down. We are blessed to have her in our lives and treasure the moments we have with her. Love you Granny!

Ten on Tuesday

This weeks questions make me hungry and want to cook or bake. Instead I will just answer them and daydream of all the foods I love. Thanks Chelsea. (Disclaimer - Not sure why my posts are all jumbled together today) 1. What is a food that you never thought you would try, but then tried and liked? Artichokes. I would never eat them as a child and now I love them. 2. Do you subscribe to any foodie publications? If so, which ones? Food & Wine magazine, Wine Spectator, and Martha Stewart (PS. If you don't want to spend the money on these subscriptions, use frequent flyer points) 3. What ingredients do you find yourself reaching for the most when you cook? Olive Oil, Cayenne, Butter 4. Are there any foods that you hated as a child, but then learned to like as an adult? Chinese food and almost any vegetables. Now I love both. 5. What do you like to eat that others may consider weird? I don't like PB&J's, so as a child my mom used to make me peanut butter, marshmallow fluff, and banana sandwiches. 6. What is your weirdest ingredient that you've ever cooked with? I don't experiment with anything I haven't tried before. I'm not very adventurous. 7. Do you have any major food allergies? No 8. Is there any ingredient that you would like to cook with, but are intimidated to try? I agree with Chelsea, cooking a whole chicken. Last time I tried I was 16 and my mom was out of town. I think we ended up ordering pizza that night. 9. Do you bake? Not as I would like to, but yes. I love baked goods in the house. 10. If you could go on any "foodie" show to compete, which one would it be, and why? Man vs. Food. Not only do you get to travel and try all these yummy foods, but I think I could win some of those challenges.

11 Weeks

I'm starting to get a little bump and maybe someday soon I will take a picture.

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 11 Weeks

Size of baby: About 1.5 inches (about the size of a fig)

Total Weight Loss/Gain: Gained 2lbs.

Maternity Clothes: I officially can't fit into any pants or shorts anymore. I have a pair of maternity jean shorts that work well or I can wear running shorts since they have a stretchy band. Prefer to wear sun dresses or skirts now that the weather is warming up. Still no need for maternity tops or dresses yet. I'm not a fan of cold weather maternity clothes, so I'm glad that I'll spend most of my pregnancy in summer clothes.

Gender: Won't know until end of May.

Movement: Still too soon to feel anything.

Sleep: Outside of the crazy pregnancy dreams, I'm sleeping extremely well.

What I miss: Days when I didn't have heartburn.

Cravings: I don't really consider this cravings but I really wanted green sauce at one of my favorite Houston Mexican food restaurants this weekend. I think it's due to the fact that we haven't been anywhere here in the DFW area that serves green sauce with their chips. Also on the way to Houston, we had to stop for a bathroom break and I was starving (since we were going to have a late dinner) and I smelled hush puppies and had to have some. It tied me over until dinner.

Symptoms: Heartburn - More of an annoyance but still not that bad. Lack of energy, frequent potty breaks.

Best Moment of the Week: I'm starting to get a little baby bump. We celebrated my Great Grandmother's 90th birthday this past weekend and she was so thrilled to know she would have a 5th Great Great Grandchild in October.

Baylor Baseball

We are a sports loving family. Baseball games are one of our favorite sporting events to attend. When Adam & I dated, several of our dates were to Astros games. That was back in the day when the Astros were really good and had the best group of guys ever (in my opinion). We were at the infamous 18 inning game where Chris Burke got the run to win the game. The last Astros game we attended was Craig Biggio's last game. It was also Mason's first baseball game at 2 months of age.

When we moved out to California, our sporting events were limited. Adam occasionally went to a Dodger's game (when they played the Stros) and a couple of Anaheim Angel's games. It wasn't the same, we missed our Texas teams.

After learning about our move back to Texas, Adam immediately started planning all the games he wanted to attend at his Alma mater, Baylor. His brother David is the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, specifically for the Baseball team. Adam & I looked over Baylor's schedule and picked out the home games we wanted to attend.

This past weekend, we drove down to Waco Saturday to watch Baylor vs Texas Tech. The weather couldn't have been better. Aunt Emily joined us for the game and the kids loved spending time with her. We sat up high and basically had an entire row to ourselves. There isn't a bad seat in the ballpark. Both Taylor & Mason had a blast cheering for the Baylor Bears. We look forward to attending more games in the future.

Getting ready for the game to start

Uncle David brought the kids and Adam on the field for a few minutes. This was a big deal, because they don't usually allow anyone on the field. Mason even got a game ball.

Aunt Emily bought them hot dogs.

Mason & Bruiser

Mason & Aunt Emily

Uncle David with Taylor & Mason before the game. Typical Taylor took out her bow and smiles with eyes closed. One of these days she will get it.

Ten on Tuesday

Reading Chelsea's ToT questions this week, made me want to get outside and grill.

1. What condiments are always, always in your fridge?
Mayo, Mustard, Spicy Mustard, Ketchup, Pesto Spread, Ranch, Strawberry & Grape Jelly, Butter

2. How do you like your steak cooked? Your burgers?
Both cooked Medium. I like it to be pink in the middle, but not red. Also in my opinion, a good steak doesn't need any sauce. However, occasionally, we like Gorgonzola crumbled cheese melted on top. I like my burgers with lots of cheese and bacon.

3. What's your favorite use for fresh tomatoes?
In a salad with ranch dressing.

4. What's your go-to dinner when you haven't planned anything and you don't feel like going out?
Usually I prefer to cook breakfast, as long as I have eggs in the fridge. Usually eggs, bacon & toast.

5. What's your favorite snack food lately?
I wasn't much of a snacker until last fall. Now I have to my morning and afternoon snack, especially since I'm pregnant. In the afternoon, my favorite is roasted pepper hummus with pita chips.

6. What's your favorite weekend breakfast to make at home?
French Toast

7. What's your favorite thing to grill? How do you do it?
Steak or BBQ chicken. With it being spring, the weather is perfect for outdoor cooking. I also love grilling corn on the cob. I slather on some butter, salt, and lots of cayenne pepper and wrap each individually in foil.

8. What's your favorite wine for under $10? If you aren't a wine person, what brand of beer is your favorite?
If it's going to be under $10, I usually go for a Riesling like St Michelle Riesling.

9. Give us your most delicious cocktail recipe?
I don't make a lot of cocktails, but I like Orange Pineapple Juice mixed with Malibu.

10. How do you like your eggs?
Sunny Side Up or Scrambled.

10 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 10 Weeks

Size of baby: About the size of a kumquat. I had to google the picture to see for myself.
Total Weight Loss/Gain: Gained 1 lb.

Maternity Clothes: I wore a maternity tank this weekend, but it wasn't out of need, more because it was cute. No one would have known that it was a maternity tank. I also wore some maternity jean shorts because I wanted to be comfortable. My regular shorts still fit, but they are getting tighter in the waist. Other than that, I still can fit into and wear non-maternity.

Gender: Won't know until end of May.

Movement: None yet. Still too early.

Sleep: I've been sleeping well lately. I have even been able to fall asleep quickly, which never happens (even when I'm not pregnant).

What I miss: Days when I had energy.

Cravings: I wouldn't so much call it a craving, but I really miss the Garlic Herb & Shrimp Tacos at Rubio's in Bakersfield. They are so good, and I knew that would be the one place I missed eating at in Bakersfield.

Symptoms: Heartburn, usually right before bed time. My Zantac has been able to help and it's still not as bad as previous pregnancies. I have no energy and want to sleep all the time. Other than that, I feel great.

Best Moment of the week: We took the kids to Waco this weekend to visit Adam's brother David and his wife Emily. We also went to two of the Baylor vs. Tech Baseball games. The kids had a blast and it was crazy for me to think that this time next year, we will be bringing all three kids to the game.

St. Patty's Day Pic

Happy 2nd Birthday Taylor!

Taylor,

Two years ago, I held you in my arms for the very first time. You instantly made your presence known with a cry and then grabbed tight to my finger as I whispered softly into your ear "Mommy loves you!" From that moment on, we have had a very special bond. You are always at my side.

Lately, you are letting me rock you right before bed time. It only lasts a minute or so, but I'll take it. You are very independent and don't like to sit still for very long. I love that your favorite song is "You Are My Sunshine" and will sing it along with us each night.

Every evening when Daddy gets home, your face lights up when you hear the garage and you run to hug him as fast as you can. It warms my heart how much you adore your Daddy. You will always be a Daddy's girl.

Mason is the apple of your eye. He can do no wrong and you want to do everything he does. I know he will always protect you and how much he loves his little sister. You have never known a day without him and I can tell you will be the best of friends.

When I think back to your first birthday, so much has changed. You weren't even walking yet, had very little hair, and still only had a couple of teeth. Now your mouth is full of teeth and you love to run and seldom want to be held. Your hair is growing at a very slow pace, but when thinking about how little hair you had, it has grown so much. You are always talking, singing and dancing. You are definitely a great entertainer.

I love you and thank God daily for making me your Mommy!

9 Weeks

I meant to write this on Monday, but we have been rather busy at our house. My parents and brother arrived late Saturday night to spend a few days with us. We enjoyed their visit so much and were very sad to see them go. The kids really didn't understand and had a very hard time coping with it. It broke my heart.

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 9 Weeks

Size of Baby: About the size of grape

Total Weight Loss/Gain: Gained 1lb

Maternity Clothes: None yet, but I can see a little bump starting to emerge.

Gender: We won't know until the end of May.

Movement: It's still too early to feel anything.

Sleep: I'm finally starting to sleep a little better.

What I miss: Nothing yet, but I'm sure that will change soon.

Cravings: None. I really didn't have any cravings with Taylor until I was almost 30 weeks. With Mason I didn't really crave anything.

Symptoms: A little heartburn, but it really hasn't been bad. I definitely feel pregnant, but I am surprised with how different this pregnancy has been so far. The only noticeable symptom would be my lack of energy and that I'm tired all the time. If I have been on my feet all day and don't really sit with my legs up, then by the end of the day, my body aches.

Best moment of the week: Yesterday I was sitting on the couch and Mason walked over to me and asked me how the baby was feeling. He is so caring and sweet.

Ft Worth Zoo

This past Sunday, we decided to take the kids to the Ft Worth Zoo. I have heard so many wonderful things about it and couldn't wait to take the kids. Our last Zoo experience was almost 2 years ago at the LA Zoo.

The weather couldn't have been better. As we drove into the Zoo, we passed a beautiful park and were able to park and walk up with no problems. I was very impressed with no lines, even though the parking lot was crowded.

Mason & Taylor sat in the double stroller most of the time, and were still able to see all of the animals. Both liked the Lions and the Penguins the most. Taylor didn't want anything to do with the insect exhibit and I don't blame her, I feel the same way. Mason wasn't a fan of the bat cave, I think the dark scared him.

After we walked the entire Zoo, we took a train ride through the park. I was pleasantly surprised at the length of the train ride. We rode for about 30 minutes. The kids loved it, so much that Taylor fell asleep in my arms the last 5 minutes of the ride.

Remembering Layla Grace

This precious little girl went to be with our Heavenly Father a year ago today. If you live in the Houston area, then maybe you remember hearing her story last year. The awareness that has spread about childhood cancer has grown so much due to her legacy. She has touched our hearts. Remembering Layla Grace today and lifting the Marsh family in my prayers.

www.laylagrace.org

Ten on Tuesday

Seriously, I feel like it's been a long time since I posted a Ten on Tuesday. Thankfully, Chelsea who came up with the fabulous Ten on Tuesday always has new and fun questions each week. If you ever want to participate, feel free and if you want to give her a list of questions, just send them her way.

1. How did your parents decide on your name?

I'm not entirely sure. I know my mom liked the name and my great great grandmother liked it because it was biblical.

2. Do your initials (First, Middle, Last) spell out anything fun/funny?

No, TCK does spell anything.

3. Did you take your middle name from childhood or did you take your maiden name?

I dropped my middle name from childhood and took my maiden name. I was never a fan of my middle name and my maiden name is very special to me and I didn't want to let it go.

4. Are you or will you name your children thematically? (i.e. same first letter, all the same origin)

At one point Adam and I thought that all of our children's name should have the name end in an "n". We had a list of names we liked that fit this theme. It hasn't taken, since Taylor doesn't end with an "n".

5. Did you decide on baby names as a little girl? Did you stick to them or change your mind?

Yes, I had a whole list of names. I always wanted my first born son to have my dads name for a middle name and Mason actually has two middle names and one of them is my dads name. None of the girl names have really stuck around.

6. Does your family have any names that have been passed down through generations?

Adam's middle name is after his Uncle Mitchell. My childhood middle name is the same as my biological father's except spelled gender appropriate, Rae. My dad is named after his grandfather.

7. Do you look at the meaning of the name or just the name itself?

Not usually. I have looked up the meaning of my kids names before, but I don't make my decisions based on the meaning.

8. Do you name pets with human names (Sally, Henry) or with pet names (Fluffy)?

Adam always makes fun of my family because my parents have always named our pets with human names. Not really sure why or what the basis of their decisions have been. His family has gone half and half with human names and pet names. We don't have any pets and probably won't for a little while longer. It will be interesting to see when that day comes at our house to pick out a pet name.

9. Are there any names you have an affinity or dislike based on a childhood experience/someone you once knew?

Yes, but this is a question that can get you in trouble. I don't want to offend anyone and what if someone really likes that name. Without getting in trouble, I'm not a fan of old fashioned names.

10. What are some of your favorite names? Why?

I have never liked answering this question. I don't like sharing my favorite names for fear that someone will use it. Obviously there are a ton of people out there with the same name, but I've been that way since I was a little girl. Imagine my excitement when I could finally share it with Adam when we were engaged. Unfortunately, my bubble burst when he didn't like some of my favorites. Oh well, we get to have fun picking out names once more.

8 Weeks

Thought it might be fun to write about the pregnancy each week. I didn't start the blog until I was 37 weeks with Mason. I tried my best to keep up with posts when pregnant with Taylor. Maybe third time will be the charm. Kelly does a great job at this on her blog and I liked her outline and decided to borrow it. Each week she posts a picture. I can tell you now, that you won't get a weekly picture. However, I'll try to take them throughout the pregnancy and post when I do.

Pregnancy Highlights

How far along: 8 weeks today

Size of Baby: About the size of a kidney bean

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Lost 1lb

Maternity Clothes: None yet.

Gender: Won't know until my 19 week appointment

Movement: Still too early to feel anything

Sleep: I have a case of insomnia. I am so tired all the time, but can't seem to fall asleep at night.

What I miss: I really wanted to drink a glass of wine at our Anniversary dinner, so I guess I miss that.

Cravings: None yet.

Symptoms: I'm almost afraid to write this, but so far I feel pretty good. With my last two pregnancies, I had morning sickness. Mostly get heartburn at night and I'm tired.

Best Moment of this week: Had our first ultrasound last week and I was able to see the little one moving around on the screen.

Expecting Baby #3

When Adam & I started dating, one of the many topics we discussed were how many children each of us wanted. I have always wanted a big family and four children sounded perfect to me. When I shared my thoughts with Adam, he said he wanted the same thing. I was so happy.

Probably a few months after we were married the topic came up again and he changed his number to three. It caught me by surprise. He has every right to change his mind, but I asked if he remembered the conversation when we were dating. Of course he did, but he jokes he just told me that so I would marry him. Sneaky! Eventually we decided that we would have three. If I still really want another one after the third child is a year, we will make that decision.

We have been trying for Baby #3 for awhile now. Last summer, we started trying. Mason was a pleasant surprise and on the first try, we were able to get pregnant with Taylor. Surely I figured it would be that easy the third time around. Unfortunately, Adam was gone five days out of the week for work, I got pneumonia, Mason had his tonsils removed, and we were moving in the process. Very stressful!

A week and a half before I took a pregnancy test, I was pretty sure I was pregnant. The only time I get heartburn is when I'm pregnant and I was seeing early signs of heartburn. Not to mention that I was extremely tired and I started getting what I call "gag burps." I didn't want to get my hopes up again, in case it was just my mind convincing my body I was pregnant. Funny how the mind can work.

I woke up on Feb. 6th and took this test.

I was so glad Adam convinced me to buy a digital test this time around and even more happy to see the results. I ran downstairs and shared the results with Adam, as he was about to leave for work. We hugged and kissed. I was relieved to know that my instincts were correct.

Thankfully, I got a couple of recommendations for my doctor. When I called to set up an appointment, they explained that first I have meet with the PA to discuss my history, do blood work, and answer any of my questions. In my mind, this was a perfect way for me to decide how I like their office staff. Sometimes, it can make or break a doctor. Thankfully, I really like this doctor and the staff.

I had my first real appointment yesterday. There is nothing like hearing the heartbeat for the first time and seeing your baby on the ultrasound screen. Everything checked out well and my due date is Oct. 17th.

I'm feeling pretty good so far. I still get my "gag burps" if I let myself go too long without eating. The tiredness has set it in and the heartburn is there. Every pregnancy is different, but I'm not counting myself out of the morning sickness just yet.