Our rare non-baby-related projects

So, this is a bit delayed but I have been telling people about all of the yard work we did in our front yard and have had requests for pictures so here goes! A couple of weekends ago, Troy's Mom and stepdad were nice enough to come for the day on Saturday. They brought with them a truck bed full of compost, some tools and their green thumbs. I provided drinks.

Troy got up really early that morning and started ripping up our existing plants in the front so I wasn't able to get a good "before" picture. It wasn't much to see...we had a few half-dead boxwoods in a row in front of the front porch with some pinestraw.

Here is Troy breaking up the clay so we could till in some compost:



The truck was FULL of compost...



...and we used most of it tilling it in with the clay.



It took several hours to do the tilling so then it was off to McDonalds and Lowes for food & plants. When we got back, we lined the bed and around the tree with slate from his Mom's house. It looks awesome! Then it was just a matter of getting the plants in the ground.





By this time, it was starting to get dark (this was a 12-hour job!) but here is the finished product:






We are really pleased with the results and I'm so glad it's done! Hopefully we can keep it all alive...

Welcome to the End

This past Sunday, I hit 28 weeks and the third trimester. I can't believe it! It's gone by really quickly. Here is a lovely pic of my blossoming belly:



I had a doctor's appointment yesterday that included a follow-up ultrasound. Good news...I no longer have a previa! The doctor said my placenta has moved out of the way and everything looks totally normal. I was very relieved to hear that. Then the technician checked on how Baby Girl is doing. Troy & I were really excited to get to see her one last time before she arrives! :) She was squirming and kicking a good bit (maybe I should have skipped the juice that morning) so she didn't get a great picture of her face but here it is:



It's a little hard to see but her head is tilted (chin towards the bottom left). In the second one, her mouth looks like it's open. It was kinda weird looking because now you could see her eyeballs instead of what just looked like sockets previously. But we still think she's super cute!

In other pregnancy-related news, I had my first leg cramp early this morning. I shot out of bed at 6 a.m. and hopped around the bedroom until Troy got up and showed me how to stretch it. Unfortunately, that was not my first time being up last night. I also woke up about 2 a.m. because my back was absolutely killing me. I got up (and used the bathroom, of course) and then spent about an hour tossing and moving pillows around trying to find a reasonably comfortable position. So now I'm at work and totally dragging and my back still hurts. But I can't complain...it's been pretty smooth so far!

The Update

I have truly enjoyed my pregnancy thus far but...as my final trimester looms on the horizon, I can see why they say the second trimester is great and by the third you'll probably be uncomfortable. Oh yes, I can see it coming. It is already becoming increasingly difficult to bend over. I will soon be totally ignoring things like untied shoes or anything that falls off my desk. I also feel like I have to pee about 87% of the time. Then you go and it's just a few drops. It would almost be easier to start diapering myself (and hey, good practice, right?).

I still feel great though, considering, and am getting bigger and feeling her moving around. She has definitely given me a sweet tooth. I want dessert after every meal and I especially want ice cream. I was never a big ice cream person before but now I could eat it every day. And oh my gosh...I am totally addicted to the Chick-fil-a peach milkshake. I read online that they will only be offering these until sometime in June and I am just not sure how I will handle the last few weeks of my pregnancy without them. I am writing corporate and urge you to do the same if you have also sampled this summer-y deliciousness!

My main gripe still is people constantly telling me how huge I am. I do not understand why this is okay to do just because I am pregnant. The UPS guy yesterday incredulously asked me if I was having twins when he found out I'm just 27 weeks along and let me say that I could easily have asked him the same thing. People, please do not antagonize us pg ladies by telling us how enormous we are or pointing out things that have clearly occurred to us like the fact that yes, it will be very hot in July when I am at my most rotund! I get it... I will be one big, sweaty pig by the time this is all said and done.

And speaking of pigs...here is a pic of me with some bacon at the CRG roller derby this past Sunday:

Baby likes Bojangles

This has been a fun week because I've started really feeling her kicking (it's cool...I told her she could but only while she's in my belly). As I said earlier, I had my glucose test on Monday. Well, you have to drink this orange drink that is somewhere between Tang and Sunkist (no bubbles but not horrible). After I got to work, she was all amped up. I've been feeling her moving around the past couple of weeks but not really discernable jabs or kicks. These were definite kicks. Even my coworker could feel them. Then yesterday, not a whole lot of action. I guess baby is just picky about what I eat. I had a Bojangles chicken biscuit this morning and she is now apparently doing some Flashdance in my belly (I like to imagine the song "She's a maniac" playing and her pumping her little fists and feet). I also had some fruit so I guess it could have been that but I'm betting it was the Bojangles. You go, baby!

Preggo Update

Here I am at 25 weeks:


Growing by the day, it seems! All I know is that I am in desperate need of some warm-weather maternity clothes (for work & play). I was not expecting summer to arrive on April 1st so I haven't stocked up on any new clothing items but that will be happening soon. Because I have been SO HOT. Thank goodness for A/C.

I had my glucose test today. It really wasn't too bad except that you had to sit around for an hour after drinking the orange drink. The best part about today was how active the baby has been! I've definitely felt her kicking and you can feel it by putting your hand on my belly now. She kept kicking the same spot so I watched and I could even see it! Pretty wild. It's the little things, but that pretty much made my day. :) Hopefully the doctor's office won't ruin it by calling and telling me I have gestational diabetes or something. But I'm feeling good so I'm not going to worry about that!