Lady Lylah

Well, it's official! We are having a GIRL! We are all beyond thrilled and can't wait to welcome our sweet little princess. Jon and I both suspected it was a girl pretty much my entire pregnancy so far, and Josh even answered "girl" every time I asked him what the baby would be, but I had really prepared myself for it to be a boy (which would've been GREAT too!) I cried when the technician confirmed our suspicions that we were indeed looking at our little girl on the screen! We are still trying to wrap our heads around the news!

God's timing in this pregnancy has really blown us away. We found out we were pregnant at the end of one of the saddest weeks I've experienced in a while. My grandma, Mom Jo, had just passed away suddenly and although we were at peace knowing she was with Jesus, it was still very difficult. I had always been extremely close with her and the thought of her no longer being with us was hard to imagine. When I found out we were pregnant the day after her funeral, I immediately thought of how happy she would be, especially if this baby turned out to be a girl. We had always talked with Mom Jo about naming her Lylah, after Mom Jo's mother. I thought the name was beautiful, feminine and different without being over-the-top trendy. I love that Mom Jo knew that was always our plan for our first girl. A few months before Mom Jo passed, we decided that if and when we got our Lylah girl, that her middle name would be Jo. Mom Jo was absolutely thrilled when we told her and I am so grateful that we got to share that with her before she died.

Even though we would have been so happy with another boy, this baby girl is really a special gift from the Lord in light of Mom Jo passing. What was a terribly hard and sad time for everyone became a little brighter with the news of this little one. I wish Mom Jo could be here to meet her and love on her. Lylah Jo means: The Lord adds or increases. It is such a great reminder that the Lord gives, and takes away. We lost a wonderful woman and a cornerstone of our family, but I know every time I look at our Lylah Jo, I will think of my sweet Mom Jo's smile and southern drawl, and I am grateful.

Here's a little update on our girl and mommy too:

Our sweet girl at 18 weeks 3 days

We were able to see everything we needed on the ultrasound, including a VERY clear confirmation that she is indeed, a girl :) We saw all 4 heart chambers beating (the technician said she had a beautiful heart!), we saw her kidneys, brain, spine (also said to be beautiful!), and all her fingers and toes. She opened her mouth and got the hiccups at one point...so sweet! All of her measurements were right on track, and she's even slightly chubby at this point (a relief for mommy who was so sick and hasn't been able to gain too much weight). She's about as perfect as she can be and we are so grateful and thrilled! Also great news was that my hematoma, which caused me to experience bleeding at 10 weeks and be put on bedrest and restricted activity, is completely gone! Such a huge answer to our prayers! Also great news is that so far, my blood pressure and vitals have all been normal (I was already having high blood pressure with Josh at this point) so I am so grateful!

Can't wait to put cute little shoes on those feet!

A 4D image of her with her little hand over her face...just like big brother!

Mommy is feeling pretty good these days. I'm having a lot more "pains" than I remember with Josh, but nothing alarming. Mostly round ligament stuff and stretching. I'm over the nausea/sickness (can I get an AMEN!) and now that I know my hematoma is healed, I can begin to be more active again. It's been really hard for me to be somewhat stationary, especially trying to entertain and care for Josh. I'm glad I took the time to rest, but am so grateful things can be a bit more "normal" now. Here's a picture of Lylah and Mommy at 21 weeks!

How far along: 21 weeks...officially halfway there!
Total weight gain/loss: + 7.5 pounds 
Maternity clothes: Mostly just maternity pants and my regular tops still with tanks underneath. Also at home when we don't have anywhere to be I live in yoga pants and t-shirts
Stretch marks: None. 
Sleep: I'm usually waking up around 3-4 am to go to the bathroom and usually have to eat a little something then too. Sometimes I'm able to get back to sleep but other times I turn on a show and doze in and out.
Best moment this week: Getting to see our little GIRL!
Miss anything: I've missed being active with Josh. I'm grateful we can start up again!
Movement: I'm definitely feeling lots of movement! Her jabs and kicks are finally strong enough to feel on the outside sometimes
Food cravings: Grapefruit, strawberries, breakfast potatoes and cinnamon rolls. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: I have to eat as soon as I start to get hungry. Also vegetables aren't really tasting good except for the occasional salad. 
Have you started to show yet: Yep! I popped out a lot sooner this time around. I'm just embracing the belly :)
Gender: Girlie Girl!
Labor Signs: None 
Symptoms: Round ligament pain, some hip pain and the beginnings of heartburn
Belly button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy mostly. I get frustrated easily and lose patience with Josh much more quickly. I'm working on it :)
Looking forward to: The Christmas season and getting our house ready for another little one!

Baby Brown #2

Well most of you probably know by now, but just in case you haven't heard yet, we are pregnant with our second baby! We are absolutely thrilled and can't wait to meet the newest addition to our family (although we've got a while to wait still). I'm going to do my best at documenting this pregnancy like I did with Josh, but now that I have a 2 year old to keep up with I doubt it will be a weekly thing :) I really do enjoy looking back at all the updates I did the first time around though so I want to try and document as much as I can. To start, here's a little bit of the story of how we found out and how this pregnancy has been so far.


We found out about baby #2 when I was only 4 weeks along. We were completely surprised! We had talked about having another soon, but since it took us a while to get pregnant with Josh we expected it to be a little while still. It was the weekend of my grandmother's funeral and although I didn't feel sick or anything, I was completely exhausted. Like...have never been this tired before in my whole life...not even with a newborn and no sleep. I mentioned to Jon that I was abnormally tired but we both thought it was just because the last couple weeks had been so stressful with long hours at the hospital and funeral arrangements. I didn't think much more about it until I was at the dollar store getting some supplies for Josh's 2nd birthday party, and decided to get a pregnancy test. I figured, "all I'm losing is a dollar" and I was sure it was going to be negative anyway.

I took the test the next morning. Jon was already at church for worship team and Josh was still sleeping so I had some time to myself. Sure enough...the faintest but very much "there" pink line showed up on the test. Had to be a fluke right? I immediately started crying. Freaking out. Pacing back and forth just staring at it. I seriously could not believe it. I decided I would take Josh to Target on our way to church and get some more tests, just to be sure. I chugged a bottle of water on our way there and took 2 more tests in the Target bathroom (while Josh played cars on the floor...gross). Both showed up positive right away, including a digital one. There was definitely a baby in my belly! I cried some more, called Jon to tell him (I was too shocked to wait and think of some cute way to tell him) and we went to church, just like it was any other Sunday.

Our selfie in the Target bathroom. Josh was obviously not amused.

We told our families that week but kept it quiet from everyone else. After all, it was so new and I was still so early. I went to teacher orientation that week feeling pretty great honestly (oh I miss that feeling!) and I scheduled all my necessary appointments for the coming weeks. We still were having a hard time wrapping our heads around the news! We had Josh's 2nd birthday party which was super fun and a great distraction for me. We had our first sonogram and visit with my doctor and discussed plans for this second little babe. I also began preparations for school to start (another great distraction) all while knowing that the morning sickness was probably about to hit any minute (and it did in full force!)

Our little babe at 7 wks + 4 days

Everything looked good at my sonogram (such a cute little chunky peanut baby!) and as I went into my 8th week I thought, "man I'm feeling pretty good! Maybe I won't be as sick this time!" I was feeling nauseous pretty much constantly and having the usual food aversions (meat...blech) but wasn't throwing up nearly as much as I did with Josh. I continued to be very nauseous and occasionally sick (mostly I felt the worst at night) but was still able to make it through teaching and home activities. 

Then in the middle of my 10th week we took an unexpected trip to the hospital. I was having some bleeding, and while it wasn't heavy, it was out of the ordinary and we didn't want to take any chances. I've never had to go to the ER before and I was trying to stay calm, but obviously worried. After about 4 hours of tests, waiting, more tests, and more waiting, they finally told me that the baby was perfectly fine and measuring right on track with a very healthy heartbeat (cue major sighs of relief) but (uh-oh) they did find a small bleed (subchorionic hematoma). Although it was small, it can present some complications, one of them being that the bleed keeps growing and eventually prevents the baby from growing. Most of them heal on their own though so that's what we are hoping for! They sent me home with bedrest orders until I could follow up with my doctor and very strict orders to basically not do anything except lay down. 

My doctor recommended the same thing for 2 weeks until my next appointment and to not lift anything, do any cleaning or any type of exercise. I could basically go to the bathroom, shower and get myself food. I wasn't even supposed to pick up Josh (yeah right!) Almost as soon as I got home from the hospital I started getting major morning (let's face it...all day) sickness and just felt horrible. Basically like I was coming down with the flu...every day. Laying in bed and doing nothing else didn't really help either. My sweet husband you guys...he is just the best there is. At my 12 week appointment my doctor was very comforting and supportive, telling me that she was confident it would heal on its own, especially since the bleeding had stopped. The baby's heartbeat was loud and strong (the best sound ever!) and all of my bloodwork and other tests looked normal. I was sent home with instructions for pelvic rest (basically I didn't have to lay in bed but still nothing strenuous and no exercise or heavy lifting). 

Fast forward another 2 weeks and I am beginning (finger's crossed) to feel better this week. I still have bad days/moments here and there but my appetite is picking up and I'm starting to feel like I can do things. I go back to teaching this week (yay!) and am hoping for a breezy pregnancy from here on out (even though I know pregnancy isn't breezy) We will hopefully be finding out in about 3 weeks what we are having (!!!!) and we are so excited! We are also heading up to NC next weekend for a family reunion/birthday celebration so we are excited to see everyone (and for some fall weather!) 

Thank you to all of you who have helped us these past couple weeks/months. It has been tough for me to sit back and let others clean and cook and entertain Josh but I know it is what is best for me and the baby right now, and that makes it worth it. Thank you for the prayers, texts and congrats from you as well. We are so grateful that God has chosen this season for us right now, and we are especially grateful for His perfect timing and plan.

Our official announcement courtesy of big brother Josh!

14 wks + 3 days

Josh Turns 2!

I seriously can not believe our little boy is 2 already! I thought the first year went fast, but man this year went even faster. As much as I sometimes miss the newborn/infant days, I absolutely adore the little man Josh has become. It's so much fun to watch him learn, explore and grow. He fills our house with so much joy, laughter, and noise :)

We celebrated his 2nd birthday at our favorite park this year. We had a Sesame Street theme because he loves watching Elmo (although recently Little Einsteins has been the favorite) and we had a blast with family and friends. We love having people in our home, but it sure was nice to not have to clean this year! Less stress for Mommy! Here's some pictures from the party and a little update on our guy!

Birthday pancakes!

He's a fan!

Party in the park! It was supposed to rain all day but it was sunny and beautiful during his party!

He talked about this cake for weeks

Goody bags for our friends

Sesame Street themed food galore!

Loved these veg cups! I put ran in the bottom just before everybody got there

All ready!

Waiting for our friends to arrive

Playing ball with the big guys

Sliding with Daddy

Party time

Happy Birthday Wubba!

Yay for cake!

New bike from Mimi and Gray

Wubba just loves these two...and so do we :)

Most of our pictures turn out like this

We love you so much Josh!

Josh Stats:

Age: 2
Height: 34 inches
Weight: 27 pounds
Favorite Food: Spaghetti and Meatballs (his answer)
Favorite Show: Little Einsteins, Curious George and Elmo
Favorite Activities: Playing at the park, drawing with chalk, bubbles, stickers, playing basketball, riding his new bike, wrestling with daddy, playing cars and trains, and coloring
Favorite Songs: Bushel and a Peck (we sing it every night at bedtime), Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald, Jesus Loves Me, I See the Moon
Favorite Books: Red Truck, Alphabet Book (he knows all his letters really well!)
Working On: Saying the correct colors, counting, sorting by color and shape, obedience, trying new foods, learning opposites (hot/cold, big/small)

Trader Joe's Favorites

I don't know about you guys but I love Trader Joe's. Our closest one is not the most convenient place to get to (which is unfortunate) but when I do manage to go, I absolutely love it. Except for the parking lot...which is a different story. Anyway, I thought you guys might like to see what I buy from there on a regular (about once a month) basis. I always love seeing what people like from Trader Joe's because I never feel like I get to peruse the aisles and see what all they have. Usually I'm on a mission to get my stuff and get out! I mainly shop at Publix (free balloon, coloring page AND cookie for my little guy makes it super fun) but I do think that Trader Joe's has some really great deals on certain things, so I try to stock up when I can. There's a few staples I didn't get because we didn't need them this time, but here's what I came away with this morning!

Quite an assortment! 

I always grab a couple bags of this broccoli and frozen peas because they are two vegetables that I know Josh will eat!

This with some baked chicken, cucumber and dressing is dinner tonight!

The top bag is roasted peppers and onions, which I love for fajitas and tortilla soup. Brussel sprouts because roasted with bacon...yum!

For meat options I always get the spicy jalepeno chicken sausage (top left), uncured natural beef hot dogs (no nitrates or fillers), lean ground beef, and Italian frozen meatballs. I also pick up the gluten-free all natural chicken nuggets for Josh. Also not pictured is a bag of frozen chicken tenderloins which I use ALL THE TIME.

This is pretty straightforward but: Cage free eggs, almond milk, organic yogurt for Josh, and cheese sticks

This was a new purchase today. Josh has been on a yogurt kick lately and I wanted to try these for on the go snacking. I like that it includes additional probiotic!

Bread, oats (for oatmeal and granola), and GF mac & cheese (or "doodles" as Josh calls them!)

I don't buy these every time, just when I run out. I love, love, love the coconut oil spray and the salsa. The spaghetti sauce isn't anything special but it's cheap and we were out of ketchup.

I decided to try a new kind of hummus (Josh likes hummus too on cucumbers) and picked up some cashews (great price!), and applesauce - some of Wubba's favorite snacks

You'll notice I didn't get much fresh fruit or fresh vegetables, and that's mainly because we get an organic produce delivery every other week and currently have plenty. So, this is mainly just pantry and freezer staples, with a few new things to try. I'm proud of myself for not getting any chocolate because let's be real...their dark chocolate bars are where it's at. 

What are you're favorite things from TJ's? I'd love to hear and try some new things!!

Roasted Kale Chips

I'll admit that it's taken me a while to jump on the "kale is awesome" bandwagon. I've had it in soups and in salads and enjoyed it but it's not the leafy green I tend to choose all the time (spinach is a different story...I love me some spinach!)

For the past 6 months or so we have been getting a local organic produce delivery every other week (shout out to Space Girl Organics!) and we have been loving it!! It's so nice to get fresh fruit and vegetables (and eggs!) delivered right to your door and it's always a beautiful selection (and they let you choose what you get so you never end up with things you don't like!) If you're looking for a produce delivery in Central Florida, definitely check them out.

Ok back to the recipe...

This past week we received a bunch of curly kale in our delivery and I roasted some with fingerling potatoes (also in our delivery) and carrots for dinner but didn't know what to do with the rest. I finally decided to try these "kale chips" I'd seen almost everyone raving about. They were awesome! While they definitely do NOT taste like a potato chip, they did satisfy my craving for something salty and crunchy in the moment and if you season them well they don't taste at all like salad. Give 'em a try!


What you need

- 1 bunch Kale (I think this is curly Kale which worked great!)
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (or olive oil)
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Cayenne Pepper

*You can really use whatever spices you want. I just wanted garlic and a little spice but you could use whatever you have on hand. *




Directions

- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees

- Wash your kale and dry thoroughly (make sure it's REALLY dry or else the oil won't stick to it)

- Take leaves off from the ribs, tear into bite size pieces and spread out on a baking sheet

- Pour the oil over the leaves

- Sprinkle liberally with salt

- Add your garlic powder (I used quite a bit because I loooove garlic)

- And if you can handle a little kick throw some cayenne on 'em too

- Toss everything together to coat the kale evenly

- Put the baking sheet in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the leaves are browned and crisp

Waiting for the "chippies" to cook!

- Let them cool completely before eating. This will also help them crisp up more

- So yummy and super easy!

 Happy (healthy) Snacking!