Home, For Now.

Spoiler Alert! It's taken me a while to build up the energy to decorate our Philadelphia apartment, but I've finally put it together to make it feel like home. When buying pieces for the home, I had to take into consideration that we will be moving out in three months, we're expecting a baby, and we'll be moving again come next August. Pieces had to be light, durable, comfy for all stages in our futures, suitable for baby(ies), and did I mention durable?

We learned the hard way that Ikea just isn't worth it. We've bought a couch, TV stand, barstools and a bed frame from there and we returned each and every single item after they all failed, miserably. Speaking of, It's not cheap returning items when you don't have a large enough car to return them in. Each pick up trip was $60!

I learned my lesson and headed to the next furniture store, Raymour & Flanigan. We bought the our new couch & dining table there. Pier 1 for the TV stand and then we ordered some specialty items on Overstock.com. Majority of the decor and accent furniture was purchased at Home Goods. There's plenty of more work that could & should be done but to keep it like this will make sure that it stays a semi-easy move. Anyway.... here are some photos :D

This is going to be a pain to move but I love that I feel closer to home by having these photos up. Sorry it's so dark, I should have lit the place up.

Our new and improved couch! Much better than Ikea, don't know what we were thinking! And for only $150 more we could have just bought this one from the start & wouldn't have had to build it!

Cozy. The dining table can comfortably fit 8 people and I'm pretty sure we have over 8 guests coming for Evan's birthday. Maybe by then I'll muster up the energy to make a nice dinner for everyone. You can barely see them, but there are little glittered halloween decorations everywhere. Do you see the flying sparkling skeleton hanging from the curtain rod or the dancing skeleton on the corner table? I like the glass vases because I can change the faux flowers for each holiday or season. Of course there's black and purple glittered tree stems in them now, not as pretty as the blossoms, but it's only for 31 more days.

Flying skeleton ;)

Funny guy.

More Halloween fun on top of the dining table.

I've fallen in love with the guest room. It's going to be the center of my never ending project. I'm out to buy curtains tomorrow! I really do just love the idea of eventually (possibly) being able to go either way with this room for a nursery. 

My favorite buy! The gas pump! I don't know about ya'll but growing up I always wanted "my-size" this & that. It's far past my-size but it's still extra special because it says "Alabama" on it. 

11 Weeks

I have been feeling absolutely wonderful! I can now get out of bed with out getting sick & continue on my day like a normal person. For a while there even Evan was concerned what we got our selves into ("Is this what it's going to be like the whole pregnancy?") I've been really enjoying myself. Not dealing with morning sickness has allowed me to see the light, I have nothing to complain about. It has also made other symptoms seem stronger than before, like the head aches & the lack of sleep that ends up adding to my extreme fatigue. It doesn't help that I've caught on to some sort of sinus infection. Ear, nose & throat, the pain seems unbearable, BUT- like I said, I feel as if I have nothing to complain about. I can eat and eating makes me happy. 

Being able to eat has allowed me to fully enjoy Philadelphia to the fullest. Evan and I have been venturing out to sample some of the best recommended restaurants we've heard of. We have found one that is our official go-to & the restaurant we plan on taking all of our out of town guests to. We have also been able to have fun a birthday party, which was just wonderful, great people. Even attending the football games are better! I've been able to go out with some of the wives I've met here as well. Everything is better when you can eat. 

Being able to get out of the house, I've become a homemaker machine. I run around town in search of the perfect this & the perfect that to go on every table top and every wall of our lovely abode (temporary apartment.) When I first met Tammy Reid (Coach Andy Reid's wife) she showed a group of girls a tour of her home & it was beautiful. Of course, she's had 13 years to create such an art piece but she hasn't always lived in the same home. She's lived all over the country following her husband making and packing up home every year for many years in a row. The advise we took from her before we left was to make our house a home, no matter how short we'll be here, because the home of the heart of our family & ultimately it's where we'll be the most. Every girlfriend/wife/fiancee of a player took that and ran with it. "Tammy said....so....Thanks!" That was four weeks ago and only these last few days have I been able to get out and play house. As soon as I finish (or close to it), I'll post some some pictures for you all to see & hope everyone will make the trip to visit.

How far along? 11 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 4 lbs!? geez!

Maternity clothes? Not yet ;)

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: It's hard to fall asleep & then I can't stay asleep.

Best moment this week: Crying, listening to "Chicken Fried' by The Zac Brown Band (song below)

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything?  Still seriously missing sushi...

Movement: I heard, rare cramping could be the baby flipping.

Food cravings: Not right now, but they change often.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really, eggs a little. 

Have you started to show yet: The bump is growing.

Gender prediction: Evan & I agree to saying it's a boy, but only because everyone else says it's a girl.

Belly Button in or out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy 

Looking forward to: Evan coming home! haha

10 Weeks

ohmahgash

I wish I could call my bump a baby bump, but I'm pretty sure its all the food I've been able to eat since my morning sickness has backed off. I still wake up and crawl to the bathroom but after that first wake up call I can go about and eat what I want, while keeping all my food down... sorry, tmi. We celebrated by visiting one of the restaurants recommended by "Philadelphia's Restaurant Week" list, Tequila's Restaurant. It was fantastic and the service almost made me cry out of happiness (thus far Philly has awful service.) The manager is an Eagles fan and knew Evan by name so he made us two special virgin cocktails. 

Evan and I have already figured out what names we intend on using and also (very important) our birthing plan. We've decided to keep the names a secret but are head strong on both of them. Our birthing plan is for all who are interested. We plan on having a unmedicated home birth in the house where my father grew up. The house where I also grew up. The house I hope to one day raise my children in. I have always planned on having a home birth and am very excited about it. It took a about a minute to convince Evan & my parents that this is safer and much more natural than in a hospital, it's just unheard of. I'm sure I'll blog about that next... bring on your insecurities! 

How far along? 10 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 2 lbs!! WOOHOO!

Maternity clothes? Nope, but that's because I haven't left the house and have resorted to not getting dressed... all day.

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: My natural alarm clock didn't go off this morning for the first time! I slept 12 hours with little getting up to pee :D

Best moment this week: Dinner tonight with my best friend.

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything?  Seriously missing sushi now...

Movement: Nope

Food cravings: Gapes

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not so much anymore. Too much movement mainly. 

Have you started to show yet: I got a bump!!

Gender prediction: No idea!

Belly Button in or out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy :)

Looking forward to: Next ultrasound & buying a stethoscope! 

Grandmother to be

When we heard that Evan’s mother was making the drive from Alabama to Atlanta to see Evan and watch him play, we both knew that we had to come up with some special way to share the big news. First we threw around the idea of myself joining Evan down south but we figured at this stage in the pregnancy there is NO way I’m going to make it out of the house, let alone away from the toilet. We played with the idea of sending a gift of some sort; frame, M&Ms, Cliché T-shirt… nothing stuck. Then some light went off & Evan knew he wanted to make a card, from scratch. His mother makes them and would truly appreciate our effort. So we made one, then two, then three…. and now I’m moving on the next holiday, it’s an addicting little craft.

He told his mother at the hotel before the game, I wish I was there! I would have loved to see her melt the way he describes, she cried with tears of joy! Oh, how love simply filled the air and spread all across my face when she called. As soon as his mother knew, she spread word, & as soon as my mother knew it was “going around,” she felt obligated to share too. I have to applaud both women, they both raised such wonderful children & are going to be grandparents for the first time! I do say, bring out the champagne (sparkling cider)!

Play the VIDEO of Deb finding out our good news! 

How far along? 9 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: -2 lbs

Maternity clothes? No, but I’m going to have to start using a rubber band to keep my jeans done!

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Off and on the whole night

Best moment this week: Telling Evan’s mother

Have you told family and friends: Yes!

Miss Anything?  Sushi. I’m still taking in some caffeine if any, but nothing crazy.

Movement: Not yet...

Food cravings: Vegetables, fruits and (haha) french fries!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Everything, even Evan (sad.)

Have you started to show yet: A little bump

Gender prediction: Not I, but everyone else seems to believe it’s a girl.

Belly Button in or out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, but it does come out & B A D!

Looking forward to: Finding out the gender & feeling the baby move!

Weeks 6-9

Oh sweet morning sickness, how I despise you. It didn't hit all at once, it took a few days to be at it's full potential. Once it did, it was bedroom & bathroom for me all day everyday with NO exceptions. I tried all the tricks of the trade but nothing worked. My skin looks like the skin of a teenager, I may be young but I haven't had it this bad in years. And my hormones- poor Evan. The guy handles all this as well as any guy should. He feels so bad for me hanging over the toilet that he comes to rub my back but my hormones get in the way and I apparently just want to be left alone. It's everything I've read & heard about but everything I hoped I would never have... except my breasts, I like my breasts now :D

Every morning my mother calls, actually my mother calls all day, but it feels good to hear from one other person that had it like you & she always comes with the cure, "There's a baby inside you!" So obvious, yet so soothing.

We had an appointment to meet with our midwife last week. She checked the heart rate, it was hard to find but once we caught it it was deemed normal. Everything about this pregnancy is normal. Sounded awfully scary at first but she explained that a normal pregnancy is the best you can expect. I brought up my worry about having a large baby and she straightened me out by telling me that every woman has a baby that's made to her body.

This past tuesday, 9-13, we went for our first ultrasound! The little guy or girl was flippin-floppin-swimmin-and-a-woddlein all over the place. The images made it all come together, the extent I will go for this little shark looking thing inside me.  I am now & will stay happily pimpled, sick and hormonal.

(Do you see the baby shark?)

Week 4

Evan and I fell heels over head for each other the moment we laid eyes on the other & knew we're going to spend the rest of our lives together in bliss- but that doesn't mean that we should "try" to have a child.  We weren't by the way, it just happened to be and we are as ready as you can be in the first trimester.   

It was important to Evan and I that I told my parents in person. One reason, I need to vent to someone & who better than that special someone that shares the same genetics as you. The day before I left for Philly, my mother and father were arriving back from their cruise to Alaska. I was instantly greeted by "Oh Honey! What's wrong with your skin?" 

I was eventually called out by my mother. Even though I was petrified, I was prepared for this. I bought some baby onesies and wrote a poem on a card. I had no idea what was about to happen.

She opened the card first and- cried. I didn't know if it was a good cry or a bad cry. Hell, I wanted to cry. I asked what it meant but she decided jumped in my arms and continue to cry. She was speechless but my father, not seeing the card, has no idea why my mother just burst into tears was now opening the gift and to put the two together. Finally, after no readable reaction- both parents sharing a huge smile, lots of excitement and pure happiness! 

I wasn't expecting this from them, not in the least. But it really showed me how others can see what we have, true love.

 

(My mother dressed our dog, Monty, in a onesie, too cute.)

SURPRISE!

Wednesday evening, August 4th, I was just finishing getting all dolled up to go out with the girls one last time before I moved to Philly with Evan, when I lost all energy and started praying my friends would cancel. By this time, I had already been having "crazy" dreams, feeling poorly and was late by a few days. Light switched on and I ran to the market to grab the tests. Lo & behold, two pink lines. One was faint but it made two. 

(You can barely see it!)

(The second test I took the next morning.)

A burst of energy woke me right up. I wanted to tell Evan right away but he was in camp & fast asleep by now. The girls came by as planned and we went out for a night on the town! The "glow" I had all night, wasn't shimmer, it was the uncontrollable swag I had and smile I couldn't wipe off.  

The next morning I woke up to Evan's 6:00 AM wake up call, My 3:00 AM wake up call, said "I love you" and went right back to sleep. Deciding not to share the news while in dreamland, I waited till he called after his first practice. 

Evan know's me so well. He called via Skype and after some hellos I said.. "So... I want to....umm" He cut me off almost instantly and bluntly told me "You're pregnant." Smiles flew over both of our faces and I began to see a side of Evan I would have never thought existed. He began cooing and awing and talking about a little baby monster/monsteret. 

I guess I've questioned if I should have waited to tell him till I saw him a few days later, by doing something extremely blog-able and adorable. But I really like how we did things... so 2011.