Bump Watch - 19 Weeks

Jennifer requested a bump picture, and I am nothing if not happy to oblige!!
19 weeks, 15 pounds gained... Heading to the Hula Hut to gain some more!!

Random Picture Wednesday

So my BFF from kindergarten, Jennifer, does 'Random Picture Wednesday', and I think it is so fun. I know today is Friday, but I liked the title and decided to stick with it - since I am copying her... She uses dice to give her folder and picture, but I used my co-workers. So thanks to Leigh, Cristee, Kathleen and Jennifer for your selections, you can blame any lame pictures on them, not me!!

Leigh's selection: I have to confess that we had to go through 3 tries before Leigh picked a picture I hadn't JUST posted. I know Jennifer's 'rules' including posting the picture, no matter what, but I thought it wouldn't be as fun to post pictures I had already put up (since my blog is still very new). This picture is also from Patty's shower, and I think it looks like she's imagining waving her Aggie towel at a football game...Gig 'em!

Cristee's selection: This is from Brent's Sloshball Birthday Party - Walt got way too drunk, passed out on baby Macey's blanket, and got drawn on in Sharpie marker by his own brother. It was too hilarious!

Kathleen's selection: The Aggie vs. t.u. basketball game last year. We took a charter bus to College Station (full of ridiculous amounts of alcohol), watched the game (Aggies won - Whoop!), and then drove home. Don't worry, I was the DD. Here are most of the boys (Brent not included) shot-gunning a beer before tip-off.

Jennifer's selection: I did a lot of decorating around the house this summer and took pictures to send to Kristen, who was living in Louisville at the time. Lauren and I made these curtains (Lauren did most of the work) that now hang proudly in our master bedroom.

Update on Baby C

I talked to Hagan today and got some more information on the birth of her little guy! Hagan originally had a c-section scheduled for Tuesday, January 27, but her water broke on Friday, January 23. When they got to the hospital, she was already dilated 5 cm but still had her c-section (as it was medically necessary). Turns out our new little guy was 21 inches long and 9 lbs, 4 ozs!! I want to give kudos to Hagan for carrying that big baby - I hope I never have to do it. Considering my husband weighed 9 lbs, 14 ozs, I have my doubts. :( Be small, baby, be small!!

Patty's Shower 2.0

Patty's 2nd baby shower was this weekend (again at my house) - this was for her girlfriends (LOTS of teachers).

Dena helped make the cupcakes (okay, she did most of the work - I ran out of vegetable oil and made a batch without eggs) - which are pretty darn cute, if you ask me. And since this is my blog, you don't have to ask!

Since my baby won't be getting any Aggie stuff, I have to live through Patty's cute Aggie presents. Whoop!

Our mom got Patty this onesie - I think it is so precious and just like our mom (she was a teenager in the 60s afterall)!!

Patty with her hostesses (Christy, me and Dana)

All we need now is the BABY!!! Just about a month to go...

Koozie Crawl

The perfect way to carry your koozie - when you aren't walking yet! ;)

1 Down, 2 To Go

My cousin, Hagan, and her hubby, Clay, had their son this morning!! I don't know all the details yet, but Connor arrived around 10:00 AM weighing OVER 9 pounds. Congrats to Hagan and Clay!! 1 Swope baby here, 2 to go...

The 6 of us at Hagan and Clay's wedding (9.9.06)

Patty's Shower

As I mentioned a few days ago, my family had a shower for Patty this past Saturday at my house. We had a great time, and she got lots of great stuff for the baby!

The joy of having a big family - 13 hostesses!

Patty with the new stroller

First cousins and cousin-in-laws

Most delicious cake ever!!

A Big Oops!

Yesterday was not my best day... Leaving work downtown, I hit a car pulling out of the parking lot... It was totally an accident but my fault. Thankfully I wasn't on the phone, fiddling with the radio or anything like that, I just didn't see this other car and hit her. We get out and start exchanging information, and of course, she decides to call the police. Well, I start getting all the information out of my car and start thinking about 'what if' and the baby and just lose it. I start crying...and crying...and crying. I felt so silly because I caused the accident, if anyone should be crying, it should be the other girl! Anyway, the police come, we get everything taken care of, and I get to drive away (I felt bad because she had to wait for a tow truck) with a lovely APD citation.

As I'm leaving, I call Brent to give him an update and just go hysterical. Hyperventilating and sobbing uncontrollably hysterical. He couldn't understand anything I was saying, and I wasn't making ANY sense. (Poor guy - they should offer a class to expecting fathers on how to deal with the extra hormones of a pregnant woman!) He gets me calmed down and somewhat rational...but I continued to cry pretty much the whole way home. I just couldn't shake the 'what ifs'!

So today, I call my doctor to get reassurance that everything is fine. The nurse is great but wants me to come in to just make sure everything is okay. For whatever reason, that sets me off again (my poor co-worker, Jennifer, had to calm me down this time). I asked Brent to drive me because I wasn't sure I could make it on my own. Thankfully everything is okay with the baby, as expected (heart rate holding steady at 150), and now I feel so much better!!

Moral of the story - pregnant women are crazy and hormonal!! While it's no fun dealing with insurance agents, auto body shops, police departments, and doctors, I'm so thankful that our baby is okay. It is amazing how quickly you stop caring about yourself. My child is the size of my hand and already one of the most important people in my life.

The Ranger Captain

I found out on Sunday that Kristen's hubby, Schuyler, passed his Army Ranger school!! After 3 grueling months fighting pneumonia, broken bones, no sleep and no food, he has passed!! CONGRATULATIONS!!

17 Weeks

So I maybe should have pulled my dress in a bit, but this is all I've got.

Patty - 34 weeks, Allena - 17 weeks

Babies EVERYWHERE!

I think this has been the weekend of babies (and I know it's only the beginning). Saturday was my sister's first baby shower - it turned out great! I will post pictures soon, I need to get 1 my mom took of Patty and me belly-to-belly first. Then today I met Laura (and baby Ryan) for lunch and had a blast with him (and her too of course). I also talked to my cousin, Hagan (she's our only cousin on our dad's side), who is due ANY day with her first son - CAN'T WAIT!! And THEN another girlfriend revealed her pregnancy! I forgot to ask if it was public knowledge, so I won't be posting her name just yet... No wonder I can't get babies off the brain!

Shower pictures to come tomorrow...

Honest Scrap

I have been waiting to be tagged since beginning a blog and got my first AND second taggings today (for the same game) - I am SO excited!!!

Rules: list 10 random things about you that are true and then tag seven other people to do the same. Fun times.

1. I am not an organized person, but I organize my closet by type of clothes (work or fun) and then by style (sleeveless, short-sleeved, etc).
2. I found my first gray hair at 25 and immediately yanked it. Now I am constantly monitoring my hair in all mirrors.
3. I LOVE Fickle Pickles.
4. I wear Certain Dri deodorant because I used to have a 'sweating' problem.
5. I only kissed 5 boys before Brent.
6. I love to decorate our house in icy blues, it's sort of becoming a problem as that color is in almost every room of our house.
7. I read 'Shanna' by Kathleen Woodiwiss every year in November.
8. I HATE tomatoes.
9. I am a really light sleeper and get irrationally annoyed at any noise that keeps me awake in the night.
10. I love '60s music and listen to it online all the time.

I don't think I have 7 people to tag, but I'll tag Dez, Kerri, Heather, CT, and that's pretty much it!! Happy Friday!!

Date is SET!!

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday, and I scheduled our appointment to find out exactly what this baby is - mark your calendars for February 6!! I can't wait!! Yesterday our baby's heartbeat was in the 150s and I found the below online:

There is an old wives tale that supposedly predicts the baby's gender based on how fast or slow the heart is beating. Supposedly, if the fetal heart rate is above 140 you are expecting a girl. However, if the heart rate is below 140, it is supposed to be a boy. There is no evidence or statistical proof to support this theory.

IF this were to be true, we'd be having a girl. However, back in 1980, my parents were told I'd be a boy based on my heart rate...and that obviously wasn't true! I am curious if that has actually proven true for anyone - please comment and let me know!

I LOVE Texas

As I read MckMama's blog this week, especially THIS post, and after hearing that Maine is expecting a high later this week of -40, it makes me appreciate my lovely state of Texas even more. I hate to be cold, and even though I think it's cold today, I know it's really not, and that's awesome!! Hope everyone is staying warm.

The Irony of The Biggest Loser

'The Biggest Loser' is my favorite show on TV - anyone who talks to me knows that because I love to share every detail of the most recent episode - analyzing who is a good competitor, who had good weight loss, what parts made me cry... I think this show is so motivating - even for people not trying to lose weight. In the past, I would love to watch the show and run on the treadmill; who doesn't want to work out when you see morbidly obese people fighting for their lives?? Well, this season is a bit different for me, duh, since I'm pregnant. Now I eat (and eat and eat) while watching. Our treadmill is possessed and after 3 calls to customer service is STILL not working (Brent wants to throw it away, and I'm close to agreeing), so there's no running while watching. After a day at work where I wore my pants not only unbuttoned but unzipped (you gotta love the Bella Band), it's so weird to be watching my favorite show and enjoying weight GAIN!!! Here's to pregnancy!

Busy Season Blues

Today marks the first day of 'Busy Season' for a public accountant. It seems that every year this day comes sooner and sooner. We just experienced the joys of the holiday season and then BAM we're working 'round the clock! I'm trying to think positively because the only thing that makes busy season worse is busy season with a bad attitude. So here's a list of some fun things I have on my calendar for this week (I will review this list every time I want to be grumpy).

1. Baby doctor appointment this week

2. Patty's first shower this weekend (meaning lots of girl cousins will be in town)

3. Seeing my girlfriend, Laura (she lives in Houston, and we don't see each other nearly enough)

4. I have next Monday off for MLK Day

Hopefully this list will make me feel better as the week progresses. Here's a cute picture of Laura's new son, Ryan, who was born in August. Hope everyone's Monday is starting off great and no one else has the 'blues'!!

Some Things Never Change

Pregnant or not, these girls will always love to get a pedicure! Patty and I enjoyed some pampering at Embellish last night and now have beautiful feet to show for it. (Doesn't my J.Lo-esque sister look adorable?!)

Seefood

Seriously - can you get cuter than this? If only you could have heard her little laugh to go along with this face!!! Priceless.

Bigger

Today I had an epiphany. I realized that (as this is my first pregnancy) every day I will be the biggest I have ever been in my life. Every day my baby (and therefore my belly) will grow. Maybe sometimes by an immeasurable amount and maybe sometimes by a lot. But isn't that a crazy thought??

The last few days I feel like my stomach has doubled in size, and it's such an awe-inspriring process. I find myself obsessing and comparing my belly to other people's when they were as far along as me (especially my sister as I have tons of belly pictures of her). I wonder if I am bigger or smaller, if my baby is 'sitting' higher or lower. It really consumes my thoughts 75% of the time (realistically probably more). I'm reading 'The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy', which is so hilarious, and the author says the same thing - pregnancy consumes you. I always figured it would be something amazing and wonderful but never THIS amazing or THIS wonderful. I probably sound really sappy, but I think if you've been there, you'd agree, and if you haven't, you will agree one day.

Hopefully I'm not boring anyone with my pregnancy ramblings, because I imagine there will be lots more rambling and epiphanies to come over the remaining 6+ months of this pregnancy!

P.S. - In case anyone was curious, still no Baby Tallent!! And congrats to Christina and Todd on your pregnancy! Is it just me or is everyone I know pregnant??

No Baby Tallent...yet

Last night was a totally crazy night, and I'm not talking about football! My girlfriend, Anna, is due with her 2nd baby on January 29, and I am the official baby watcher for their daughter, Olivia. At 2:45 am, I got a call from Anna that she was in labor! So I rushed over to hang out with Olivia (meaning sleep in the guest room), but unfortunately at 6:30, Anna was sent home. :( Here's hoping we have a new baby soon!!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Since 2008 has ended, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite memories from 2008! It doesn't quite work out to 1 event per month, but here's my top 12 memories. I apoglize in advance for the spacing, I couldn't get it to be any different.

1. Schuyler coming home from Iraq (January)

2. The birth of Elizabeth Jansen (February)

3. Philip and Kristi Susen's wedding (March)

4. Brent's Sloshball birthday (May)

5. Day at the Lake Austin Spa with Mom and Patty...no pictures, just wonderful memories (June)

6. Patty getting pregnant (June) :)

7. July weddings

8. My birthday at Hula Hut (August)

9. Macey's 1st birthday (October)

10. Getting pregnant!!! (October)

11. Celebrating 4 years married to my sweetie (October)

12. The Levine wedding (October)

13. My month of trips (December) - Raleigh, Orlando, and Puerto Vallarta...Okay, so I know I'm an accountant, but let's say this is the baker's dozen!!

Here's to all the adventures 2009 will bring!

Bump Watch 2009

Here are my stats...

15 weeks pregnant, weight gain = 10 pounds (I might not put that up ever again)

New Year 2009

We celebrated this New Year's Eve with some of our favorite couples, the Stovers and the Thomisons at the Stover's house. We spent the evening enjoying delicious food (steaks and baked potatoes, yum!) and playing games. We played Left-Right-Center and Things, which are both so much fun! We finished up just in time to ring in the New Year!!! My pictures from midnight are all pretty lame, but here's a few cute ones from the evening. Lauren got some great ones from later on in the night, so hopefully she'll share (hint, hint).

What a nice glass of champagne...sigh...I did take a little sip at midnight (shhh...don't tell).

Me, Staci T, and Lauren S

Getting ready to play Left-Right-Center!!

Me and my sweetheart - our last New Year's celebration as a 2-person family!!!

Happy New Year 2009!!!!

I hope everyone had a great night, too!