"Gerber"

I had the best of intentions on doing a pregnancy post before June was born heck, before she was 8 weeks old! and well... I got busy with other things {like nesting!} and neglected this little blog of mine. Now that June is here and apart of Our Story, I want to be more intentional about blogging since this is my little online scrapbook after all. How I will love looking back at pictures and stories of life with her sweet little self, just like I do about our stories I blogged about before we ever knew her. 

"Gerber" was the nickname Aaron gave our little one since we decided to let the gender be a surprise. So many people thought we were crazy for not finding out, but we absolutely loved the anticipation of it all! I was planning on decorating a gender neutral nursery and registering for gender neutral baby items anyways because we may have both genders in our family one day and I'm all about being practical! And even though we did not know the gender, we still felt so much love for our baby because he/she was our baby.

I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed pregnancy. Now I know I may be eating my words on the next go round because all pregnancies can be different, but... carrying my sweet baby around for 10 months was such a special experience. There were days that the exhaustion was a tad overwhelming or I felt weak and queasy... and carrying around an extra 20 lbs was not easy on my joints or back by any means... but feeling "Gerber" kick and move and watching our little one grow was just so much fun. 

I never realized just how tired I could feel until I was in the throes of my first trimester. I am SO not a napper and while I would still fight it, if I sat still in a comfy spot, I could fall asleep before I knew it.  Those 12 hour shifts at work would be brutal some days and I could easily go to bed each night around 8:00. I had occasional bouts of queasiness but those were mostly on the mornings I worked where I was up before the crack of dawn. I had heard people say they get nauseous if they let themselves get too hungry and that was never the case with me... because I was eating all of the time! haha Before pregnancy, I could blame my appetite on Ironman training and when that was over, it worked out great because I could blame it on pregnancy... now I guess I can blame it on breastfeeding!

I was absolutely ravenous in my first trimester... The foods I craved the most were Little Caesars pepperoni hot-n-ready's, Waffle House all star special and my Mom's fried chicken with rice and gravy and vegetables. I've never been much into sweet treats {except donuts and cinnamon rolls} and they did NOT appeal to me at all until the end of my second trimester. I wanted anything salty, cheesy or crispy. My food aversions were steamed vegetables, pork (except bacon), anything Asian and anything with a sweet, sticky sauce like BBQ.

As far as exercise goes- if I could muster up the energy- I would still ride my tri bike, run a few miles here and there and swim laps. I tried to stay out of the heat for the most part and kept my heart rate in check with my Garmin watch.

The first trimester was the least fun especially because I couldn't actually feel my baby inside of me. People would ask me what I thought the gender of the baby was and mine and Aaron's initial gut feeling was that we were having a girl.

The second trimester was great because my energy came back full swing and at around 19 weeks I could feel our baby moving inside of me. We got to see Gerber on the ultrasound which was so much fun and everything checked in developmentally sound when we did the review of systems. Whew! Thank you Lord.

As far as exercising goes, running was getting to be so bothersome with how many potty breaks I would have to take... so I started power walking which I thoroughly enjoyed because my mom would walk with me most days. Throughout my entire second and third trimesters I had quite a lot of braxton hicks contractions each day, despite being hydrated... it was probably because I was so active all day at work and my days off too for that matter. I couldn't ride my tri bike anymore because my knees would bump my belly every time I would pedal!

In my second trimester the junk food cravings of my first trimester weren't quite as strong and I craved more fruit and healthier things... the aversions stayed the same except that I could now eat donuts and cinnamon rolls and actually enjoy them. 

As I started showing more and more, I kept getting a million gazillion comments that I was "carrying low" and that I was having a boy. My friends, coworkers, patients, strangers...about 80% of people predicted that I was carrying a boy! So then Aaron and I both began to second guess our initial instinct that it was a girl because maybe they were right? Not to mention,  little "Gerber" was SO active... like a maniac. That got me wondering if it was a boy too. The good thing about it was... I did not care what the gender was because I loved that little person so much it made my heart hurt.

My third trimester felt a lot like my second until about the last three weeks. The cravings, energy levels, exercise, etc were all the same. I stuck to power walking and we planned our routes around bathroom breaks! Aaron got me laughing so hard one day that I literally peed in my pants {in a semi-public place!}. 

The last three weeks were a little more uncomfortable and fatigue was settling in at the end of the day... although, it's probably because I was in hardcore nesting mode and I think I had SO many projects to get done and errands to run that I just wore myself down... not to mention three {physically hard} 12 hr shifts a week. I think my Mom went into nesting mode as well because she was my partner in crime... Aaron was like, "What has gotten into you two?!" Ha! Not only did we get the nursery all decorated and organized, but I had my couches recovered and we painted several pieces of furniture around the apartment. I was on a mission!



I worked up until my due date and I'm so glad I did because that means I get to spend extra time with June, and I think it helped her come on her due date. Those last couple of days I worked I was volunteering to run upstairs to pick up blood for other nurses, turn and lift heavy patients and carry equipment down the halls just to help get "Gerber" here in a timely fashion!

And... it worked! My water broke the morning of "her" due date and you know the rest of the story...



I do miss feeling June move in my tummy... That was my favorite part about carrying her... we joked and called her "a worm in hot ashes" because that's how active she was all the time and surprise, surprise she is the squirmiest little baby I've ever held... she never stops moving... {I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!}



It was you in there miss Junie bug! It was you all along... :)

Baby Love

Ummmm.... where do I even start?? I think I've avoided blogging the last few months because every time I sit down to write and share photos I get pregnancy brain overwhelmed by everything I want to share that I just close the window and open up someone else's blog to read... that's easier and more entertaining... ha!

But- since this is my little online scrapbook of sorts, I would like to share some photos from the last few months including the basketball I've been carrying around my baby and my friends' babies. I would like to write a post about this pregnancy of mine to share with those of you that are interested, but mainly to be able to look back and remember. Carrying around this little one has been such a special experience and I can't wait to share it with you.

But today I want to show you my friends and their sweet babies!

Being able to spend all this time with Courtney and baby Harlan has taught me SO much and definitely eased my anxieties about caring for a newborn... I mean, it's just not everyday you are responsible for keeping a newborn little person alive! I'm so thankful for all of the "practice" I've had with this little sack of sugar...

I've become quite popular with all of my friends babies thanks to the "built-in boppy pillow" I have around my middle section... Harlan loves to have a seat on the ledge of his friend, even though it does come with a few kicks in the booty every now and then. My mom has also enjoyed getting some practice in as well...



Another little one we have enjoyed loving on is Tanner Michael Corley. Remember when his big brother was born?







These photos were obviously taken the day after he was born and he's such a big boy now! I totally stole this photo from Emily's IG but can you blame me?! Their little smiles make me so happy!



Being surrounded by my friends and their pregnancies/babies has definitely helped amp up my excitement for my own little love to arrive... and being able to watch them "mother" has taught me all kinds of things that I know will help me make it through those first few months.

I'll leave you with mine and Harlan's idea of "tummy time"...



Sometime before I deliver, I would like to post a blog about my experience carrying this little one Aaron named we call "Gerber". Hopefully it'll be in this next week or so because March 1st is coming sooner than later!



{And yes, my blog has a new "look"! It's all my fave colors and I'm still in the process of getting all of the links {and kinks} worked out- Lord knows I am technologically challenged to say the least!- Thank you Rachel Cox!! -see the bottom of the page for a link to her site}

Harlan is here!

John "Harlan" Calhoun entered this world on October 16, 2014 at 7 pounds 11 ounces and 21 and 1/4 inches long. Courtney and Clay have made the transition beautifully... little love has as well. 

I was scheduled to work on his birth day but thankfully all I had to do to see Court was walk through a set of double doors. I was able to spend some time with them that morning before my work day started and right before Harlan decided to make his debut. My little bambino must have sensed that Harlan was on his way because he/she was kicking up a storm! {Which is one of the sweetest feelings in the world I must say.}



Courtney handled the delivery {and everything that goes with it} with such poise. She was smiling, calm, and instinctively started mothering as soon as that baby was in her arms.



Clay was such a proud Dad!



Family and friends came from far and wide to meet the little guy. He's been quite popular since his birth day.



The new family of three have made it home and Courtney says it's been a "living and learning" kind of transition... I can only imagine. Look at how beautiful Harlan's nursery turned out...







The "brothers" have had to do some adjusting as well... they have learned they have to be "gentle" around the baby... and most of the time you can tell they are reeeeeally trying to be and it's hilarious.



We just couldn't resist getting a picture of this little punkin' with Court's fall decor ;)





I come over to see this little man and his momma every day that I can... He loves his Aunt Jill to hold him and his Mom loves the coffee and treats I bring her ;)



He has been just the sweetest baby. So far, he has his Daddy's chin and his Momma's laid back temperament. {I'm knocking on wood as I type this} I told Aaron not to expect our little one to be quite this chill... ha!







Sometimes when I hold little John Harlan my heart literally swells and starts to ache because I just love the little bug so much... I think it's because of how much I love his mom. Seeing her go through this major life transition so gracefully has been inspiring. Every time my little one starts kicking Harlan while he's on my belly makes me so thankful my heart could just burst. Maybe they will be best friends just like their Mommas and Daddies are.





You are so loved John Harlan Calhoun.

Summer 2014 Highlight Reel

I have to say, it has been a very full summer. Full of celebrations, time with family and friends, the beach, ballpark nights, summer vegetables, berry pickin'... all of that good summer stuff. Here are a "few" (Ha!) photos from my phone that tell the story better than me.

Jane Gray and her little fam have moved closer!! They have moved from SoCal back to the good ol' South and we are ecstatic to be closer {physically} to each other again... Thankfully, her being across the country never wavered our friendship and I am so grateful. We've already seen each other three times this summer... it's a record!

Mister James is quite the character and I could literally eat him alive. I have loved getting to kiss his sweet cheeks more often too. He's quite the busy little man and thinks stopping for a pic is a waste of precious time... I'd rather be swimming too, James.

My birthday fell on a week day where everyone was working except this nurse and teacher... Court {and baby Harlan} and I spent the whole day at the beach and had a blast. {and if I can carry my little babe half as beautifully as Court has carried hers I will be glad...}



... and she treated me to a birthday dinner at the Gulf. Yum!



On a typical simple summer afternoon, you could find us riding the golf cart... snow cones in hand.



Then later on, we would cook dinner for the boys.



Summertime vegetables are my absolute favorite thing to eat. I could eat a plate of them everyday. Don't let me fool you though... The last four months, I haven't gone a week without eating pepperoni pizza... #preggo



We spent several summer nights at the ballpark watching FHS baseball classes of 2005-2006  the boys play city league softball. They all played together back in their high school days and a few went on to play in college as well. It was so fun to see them playing together again... It's been 10 years!



... and their wives had just as much fun watching in the stands. Some of the parents would come too! It was almost like old times...







We traveled over to Louisville, MS to cheer on Mom, Dad and Evan in the Heart O Dixie triathlon... I was signed up to race too but... I don't think the little bambino would have appreciated the Mississippi heat that day.



We were one week out from the big wedding! The father and mother of the bride were ballin'! And the groom rocked his very first triathlon... one of the hardest hottest ones in my book. The bride loved getting sweaty hugs from her adoring groom...



The week of the Ironman, we started calling my Mom our "sherpa" because she was our pack mule/guide throughout the whole week/race day. Well, Jessica and I enjoyed being the sherpas that day and Jessica started calling the little one "sherpee"... and Julie calls it the bambino... :)

The major highlight of the summer was Evan and Jessica's wedding in Jackson Hole! That whole event/trip deserves a couple of posts on its own so I will be back a little later on with that story.



Meanwhile... in between workdays... I am unpacking/organizing this new abode we've moved into. Never a dull moment around here!