Halfway There!

I cannot believe I am halfway through my pregnancy! I was so scared for most of the first trimester that I would miscarry that it was hard to just relax and enjoy being pregnant. Once we cleared that first hurdle, my thyroid leveled out and I started to feel so much better. I wasn't so bone achingly tired all the time, the nausea faded, and I am actually in the stage where I really enjoy being pregnant. I can go without the waking up many times a night thing but beggars can't be choosers. Some photo updates...

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so not a fan of the 20 week picture. My husband refused to stand up to take it! Unflattering angle!

When I was about 17 weeks pregnant my friend had her baby shower so I got to pose alongside another pregnant lady! Kristin was about 25 weeks along at this time and she had her shower early so she could be in the state with her family and still travel! Her husband is stationed in Texas. I didn't know I was having a boy yet (as is Kristin) but a lot of people thought I was having a girl because of these pictures since I appear to be carrying higher than her. Just goes to show you every pregnancy is different!

During this time I was also acting in a local community theatre production of A Time to Kill playing Judge Olga Noose. Fortunately I got to wear a baggy judge's robe and sit behind at the bench most of the play, so most people had no idea I was even pregnant! The weekend the show went on I was maybe 19 weeks along.

Of course a major highlight was our anatomy scan right as I hit 19 weeks. We got to see how much our Bean has grown and our tech was wonderful. She gamely turned off the screens to inspect the gender area and wrote down the results in an envelope for us to do our gender reveal that weekend.

On to the survey!

What Fruit are you? According to the Ovia app I am a baby bok choy, the What to Expect app says banana, and my Baby Pics app says pomegranate. Geeze y'all, can't you compare notes?
Due date: August 5, 2016
How far along: 21 weeks 4 days
Next appointment: April 15th for scan at Maternal Fetal Medicine, April 21 for OBGYN
Gender: Baby Boy!
Total weight gain/loss: I have officially gained close to 15-20lbs. I know I am supposed to, but it still wigs me out a bit to see numbers that big on a scale!
Exercise: Lots of walking. Now that the weather has warmed up the Dup and I try and go for walks daily.
Stretch marks: No new noticeable ones yet.
Swelling: I officially cannot wear my rings anymore. It was actually traumatic getting my husband to get my wedding band off after a walk one night. My hands swelled so bad and I nearly threw up when he finally got the thing off my finger, man did it hurt! I also may have started to go into shock. Yea, I will be a peach in labor! It honestly took close to an hour with ice, string and other things and my husband finally just yanking the hell out of it. I now wear my wedding band on my necklace and a giant fake ring I got from a Diamond Candle a few years ago that now fits. 

This was my poor finger not too long after we got the ring off. At least it wasn't as red but it swelled like that for a few days.

Maternity clothes: Yes. I still fit in some old shirts and a stretchy pair of work pants or two but majority of my wardrobe is maternity.
Belly button: Normal but I think starting to get shallower.
Sleep: I wake up between 1 and 4 times a night, usually to pee. I am trying to sleep on my side since I am supposed to, but I keep waking up on my back!
Food cravings: Blood oranges, I have at least one a day! Also still loving sweets but trying to be smart.
Symptoms: Still a little tired sometimes, occasionally a leg cramp or two, hunger... the usual.
Movement: Yes! Bean started moving noticeably for me right before my show! When I was on stage a few times I had to fight to stay in character because that was when he decided it would be a good time to move around. Ryan finally felt him officially kick for sure during this past week. Last week he kind of thought he might have, but a good kick last Saturday night was definite.
Labor signs: None yet thankfully!
What I miss: I did kind of want a drink the other night, but that is so rare it even surprised me!
What I'm loving: Feeling official kicks and movements from Bean. It is wonderful!
What I'm looking forward to: Having the bump be a bit more pronounced and then of course eventually meeting the little stinker.
Best moment this week: Seeing Ryan's expression when he finally felt a good, hard kick from Bean.
News: It's a boy! Thyroid levels are normal, things look good.
Milestones: Anatomy scan, Halfway point, official kicks, Finding out the gender
Words of wisdom: I am ready for any that people may want to share.

Link Ups!

Due to pain medication and other surgical things I missed this fun link up by Goodnight Moon. Have to join in! I picked Alla Luce Del Sol by Josh Groban because I am needing this song today! It is my first day back at work post surgery and I am feeling the need for motiviation. Josh is one of my favorite singers and this is one of my favorite songs by him. I find it very soothing and it makes me happy! It is in Italian, so sorry if it isn't really your thing! Plus I got tickets yesterday to see him in July at the Verizon Center *if we are still here*!



I saw this one on a lot of other blogs today (hosted by Mrs. Yellow Ribbon) and it is too cute to pass up!



Did you look at rings together?

Wedding bands yes, engagement ring no. For my engagement ring he had asked me ages ago what I preferred and thought... to be honest I told him no yellow gold. That was my only big thing. I wear white gold or silver. I also didn't care for a princess cut, I am good with basic round or square! I know those aren't the technical names but you know what I mean.

Do you like your ring? Did you from the beginning?...and be honest!

Yes! I cannot believe how perfect my ring is. Ryan did obsessive amounts of research. He started doing research on diamonds in Iraq and then went from store to store to store once he got home. First he found a diamond (at Jareds) then went to look for a setting and ended up back at Jareds and got the ring there. So he picked out the two based on his qualifications and assembled it! He really wanted to do things right and he did. I never would have thought I'd want little diamonds on my band, but the one he picked out was so simple and perfect I just love everything about it.

How often do you wear your rings?

Every day. Diamond comes off in the shower and for bed... or if I am doing something super messy. My wedding band has only been off of my hand once since our wedding day... and that was for my surgery last week. Since the way they 'cut' apparently uses an electrical current I could have nothing on at all. It did take lubricant and some heavy pulling to get it off though! Ryan held it for me until I was in recovery and then slid it right back on my hand. I was pretty high on pain meds and anesthesia at that point but I remember him putting it back on for me.

Do you clean your rings?

When we go to Jareds I get my diamond cleaned as it is included in the purchase every six months to get a cleaning. I don't do it at home though. Speaking of which, I am long overdue for a cleaning...

What went through your mind the very first time you saw your ring?

"OhmygodOhmygodOhmygodOhmygodOhmygodOhmygodHe'sproposingOhmygodOhmygodOhmygodOhmygod....people are looking! What are they waiting for? Oh! I have to say yes!" *insert lots of nodding and crying*

Dead Serious, exact quote!

Have to share...

My husband now has a wedding ring again! He has duty today so after I cleaned the apartment I drove out to Jared's and picked it up. Now I dropped by the barracks and at the duty desk I put the ring on his finger and said, "Ryan, take this ring as a symbol of my love and fidelity in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

So we're both ringed again!

Have a good weekend!

Ramble

I have to stop being so cranky. I actually heard I was responding to some of the things Ryan was saying to me and it was no bueno. I know I am just restless since I don't really have an adult job yet and I am completely lacking female companionship around these parts. All my girl friends who did live in DC either moved or are away for the summer. I want to see Sex and the City 2 but even I know better than to subject my husband to that!

I am also worried about working at the summer camp. I have to be there at 8am and have basically an hour commute via the beltway. I do NOT do mornings well. So to be up that early then herding six year olds/first graders until 4pm is looking a bit intimidating. Plus the show I am stage managing for the Fringe Festival has some night rehearsals and shows that will take me from camp right to there and I will have a late night followed by a very early morning..... eek.

Ryan and I went to order his new wedding band today. It should be in by June 30th or sooner. Hoping sooner. And we went to Red Robin for the first time as we had seen the commercials for forever and never had actually eaten at one! It was pretty good! Kind of like a combination Fudrucker's/Fridays. But in the car we had a long talk. I told him as happy as I am here with him I do miss Disney. I miss the people, the friends I had that were so close by, the job, and of course the place itself. He totally got it. He knows I wouldn't trade what I have with him for anything but he also knows how much that job and place meant to me. Especially since I have friends who still work there adn friends who are going back for Professional Internships or even are still working there and I constantly see it on facebook I just really miss it. A lot.

I am very lucky. For many reasons. Also because twice in my life I have had a job I sincerely loved. I loved working in the scene shop in college. Building sets, painting, electric work... I think I learned more there in the four years I was there than I did in a classroom. Easily. And then there was Disney. Now I am scrambling to find a job for fall and worried about the summer camp and I cannot shake this feeling of dread for the career spectrum of my life. I am also even semi afraid to audition for a show again. I haven't ever really done a professional DC audition. What if I cannot act anymore? Or never could? What if I suck and never work in the industry I have pledged two decades of my life to?

UGH.

Sorry for the ranty/rambly post. I don't mean to be such a Debbie Downer, but if I can't do it here... then what is the point? Thanks for reading faithful followers. Just some awesome alliteration to alleviate Allie's angst.

VA Beach 2010, one of THOSE vacations

So I am currently Stage Managing an opera for the Fringe Festival (with some of the same wonderful people from last year) and it is AMAZING to be back in real theatre again. Even for opera. Even teching. (: But there is WiFi on campus and I will totally take advantage of that. When I am not writing blocking notes in my score.

For Memorial Day Ryan and I decided to take our first vacation as a married couple and drive down to Virginia Beach. Ryan had a rare 72 (rare during parade season at any rate) so we definitely wanted to go back to his old stomping ground. I had never been, but when Ryan was in BSG and SOI at Chesapeake he would go there ALL the time with the guys. Away we go!

Now I will warn you right now, this is going to turn into one of those vacations where we had some snafus that someday we will laugh about. Someday.

We left Saturday afternoon on the four hour drive and it wasn't too bad. Not really any traffic for the most part and we just chatted the whole way down. There was an amber alert on 95 which kind of jarred us a bit, it isn't easy seeing that sign every mile and having that heightened awareness hoping you DO see the car and can help. Oy.

We get to VA Beach and it took us three hotels to find one with vacancy! But we eventually found the Seahawk Motel and took the last room! YES! Ocean view, fifth floor, glorious. The first night we just walked around. We even got corny matching tshirts (I was so shocked he was on board for this!). Mine said I <3 MY CRAZY HUSBAND, VA BEACH and his said I <3 MY CRAZY WIFE, VA BEACH. Once I upload my pictures (yea yea I know) I will post one here. People loved them! Everyone kept asking us where we got them and even taking pictures of us. It was pretty funny. Ryan tried to drag me into the Haunted House (NO WAY) and we settled for some Pirate Mini Golf. He kicked my butt. Then we got good pizza at Doughboys and then went to a bar called LunaSea (get it?). We went back to the hotel and sat on our balcony watching the waves for awhile before crashing with some Dane Cook standup on tv.

Day 2 was beach day. We woke up and saw dolphins swimming from our balcony. We went to Honeybees for the delicious breakfast buffet and walked back to the beach. The air was hot. The sand was hot. The water was freezing. So we set up camp and I lie around for awhile, digesting. Ryan tried to swim but it was too cold! So I eventually went down with him and slowly in we went. Numb. I was numb. Oh so numb. It was so so so so cold! We're swimming around and all of a sudden I hear Ryan's panicked voice yell, "SWEETIE!!" And I had no idea what was wrong, I am thinking shark? Jellyfish? Rip current? He holds up his hand and...

His wedding ring was gone.

So we begin to dive frantically searching for it. All of a sudden Ryan yells really loud and I glance over to see a CRAB hanging off of his hand. Seriously?! Ok looking back (even later that night) it is kind of hysterical. He is flailing his hand around with the crab holding on for dear life as he sends it flinging into the air. We stopped diving after that. I optimistically watched the shore to see if it washed up. It didn't. I couldn't get upset, it was an accident and Ryan was already a wreck about it. We just spent the rest of the day on the beach hanging out. I got told I was looking good (ma'am) by an old beach bum. Joy. Why did my husband go swimming again and leave me there?! Haha not really. I just finally dried off and had no desire to turn blue again.

After a few hours on the beach we went up and showered and laid around for a bit. Eventually Ryan went out and got us Chinese food (as my cramps were so not cooperating) and watched a Star Wars marathon on Spike. We eventually emerged and got some Ben and Jerrys and came back to watch more Star Wars. We fell asleep early on in The Empire Strikes Back and woke up at 3am to see the end of Return of the Jedi. Then we passed out again. Ryan got a few 7:30am phone calls from work and then after awhile we gave up and got ready and checked out. In the rush I left my iTouch in the hotel room. When do I realize this? When we are driving home. Sweet.

But we decided to rent one of those bike/cart things where we have a roof and both pedal and we nearly died. That thing was a pain in the behind to drive. Literally. It took sooo much effort and it was hot as hell. We stopped before our hour was over and went for lunch at Little Feet's Cafe and then played frisbee on the beach before we just got too hot and had to leave. So on the drive I notice my iTouch was gone and call the hotel... luckily they found it. I gave them my information and credit card stuff and they're mailing it back to me. Second crisis semi averted. There was a TON of traffic and after a few hours we stop at a rest stop to use the bathroom and get a drink and a snack. We're in there all of ten minutes maybe.

Once we start driving I notice my side of the car is acting funny. I look in the side view mirror and the back of the car was vibrating. Then there is a loud sound, the car shakes, and Ryan gets us to the side of the road. Back passenger tire completely shredded. About four holes on the side wall of the tire. Ryn said it looked like someone stabbed it, but the tow truck driver said it could have been low pressure and just all popped out. Ryan had a doughnut, no spare, and no jack. Thank heavens I still have AAA! So we end up sitting on the side of 64 for over an hour waiting for the tow truck. How do we pass the time? We play I Spy. Oh yes. For over an hour. It was kind of funny. I guessed some doozies on him that he did not expect me to get, like the bird flying way behind the car in traffic!

Eventually the tow truck arrives to take us to the only open garage for miles, in Richmond! This tow truck was so old I was terrified it was going to break down before we made it. Two scrawny kids were driving it and one rode in our car and the other drove. They had to have been all of 18 maybe. Their truck was older than them. It was a 1988 truck with 620,000 miles on it! I will never complain about my car's miles again. The thing rattled and shook the whole way to Richmond where we got to Merchants, got four new tires (why not?), two subs, and sat for over two hours before going back on our way. Ryan also found it a convenient time to get his oil changed. He said the tire popping may have been God's way of yelling at him to change his oil.

All in all our 4 hour drive home was over 9 hours.

We opened a bottle of wine when we got home, popped in a DVD, and passed out.

So, for those of you who didn't have time to read the whole thing:
1. Ryan lost his wedding ring in the ocean (only wore it 29 days!)
2. I left my iTouch at the hotel which they are mailing back to me.
3. Our tire shredded on the way home.

We sure know how to make our first married vacation memorable huh?

Thanks for reading, I must get back to Padrevia now.... the opera.

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