The Golden State

California.
Such a beautiful place. 


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I arrived in Santa Barbara [early] Monday morning. My friend Caitlin picked me up Sunday afternoon as I was locking up the house. It was strange trying to shut our home down for two months. I wanted to be sure I unplugged all the major appliances and set the water heater to "vacation." I made sure all the windows were closed and that the ice maker was shut off. So many little daily details that I never think about. 


As we walked out to the car, I couldn't help but wonder how many more days we would be spending in that house...


I was grateful to have Caitlin take me to the airport. Not only was it super sweet and convenient for me, but it also gave us time to talk. I mean, two months is a long time to go without seeing one of your best friends! 


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The airport was a mess. I stood in the security line for what seemed like an hour. Ridiculous. Mostly due to the fact that they were doing full body scans. I started getting nervous the closer the line crept to the scanners, but I was waved through the regular line. What a relief.
Although, I'm sure I would be an exception. Baby on board and all. 


I didn't have time to grab a sandwich or anything before the flight [which left around 6:45 pm est] so I was kind of a grouch as we boarded the plane. I knew it was going to be at least a 5 1/2 hour flight and I was nervous that I would start getting nauseous without dinner. 


I was fine.


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After landing in San Francisco nearly 6 hours later, I was just ready for bed. [It was past midnight back in Florida.] But, I still had a quick 1 1/2 hour flight ahead of me. The gate for said flight was located down a locked flight of stairs, through the dimly lit parking garage and a short bus ride away. Once our plane pulled up the gate, we walked out in the chilly night air to board, celebrity style. 


This plane was nowhere near celebrity status. There were only 20 passengers and the plane was almost at capacity once we all boarded. Our takeoff was loud and rocky, almost as if the propellors could pop off at any moment.

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I landed safe and sound in Santa Barbara with my husband patiently waiting for me. Even though I was exhausted and in need of dinner, I couldn't help but smile in excitement at the new city in front of me. 

14 Weeks

14 weeks.

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Things have been crazy lately. 

Jordan has two months of space training in California. He flys out tomorrow morning. He was also offered another short-term job by the Air Force in L.A. starting in October. It could be a short three week trip or it could last two months. As much as we both think it would be best for his career if he goes, we have our reservations. Jordan really doesn't want to miss out on the pregnancy or our last months alone without a little one.

But, he still hasn't made a decision.   

As for baby, things are going well. I've kicked the majority of that awful, body crippling fatigue. However, it's been replaced by bouts of nausea. But for the most part, the second trimester has been much lovelier than the first. My energy is back during the day and I couldn't be more appreciative. 

How far along: 14 weeks + 1 day

Baby's size: Not exactly sure. I'll hopefully have another ultrasound at 18 or 20 weeks. Just a month or so away!

Sleep: Is lovely! I'm still exhausted in the evenings and I always want to sleep in. But the crazy tiredness is gone

...for now... 

Maternity Clothes: My clothes still fit fine. A few pairs of jeans and shorts are getting snug, but no maternity pants just yet.

Food cravings: Cool, icy drinks. Hawaiian shaved ice, popsicles, a huge glass of water. 

Food aversions: Not a whole lot. Some days there will be something that just doesn't sound good to eat, but it changes day to day.

Symptoms I have: Headaches.

Doctor’s Appointment: I have one scheduled for July 31st (16 weeks), but that may change if I am able to go to California with Jordan. Then I'll just have my appointment over there!

Movement: Nothing yet. I want to feel this baby move, but I know it's still early.

Belly Button: The top of my belly button has been different since about 8 or 9 weeks. It's already begun sticking out a bit.

Gender: Not sure yet. Hopefully we'll know in a month or so!

What I’m looking forward to: The next time we get to see our little one!

What I miss: Nothing right now. I'm truly enjoying this pregnancy. 

I do miss seeing my family. I wish I could share more of this with them.  

Baby News!

The news is finally out.

We're having a baby!

[First sonogram at 7 weeks.] 

[And again at 12 weeks.] 

Isn't this baby perfect?

We are elated. My due date is January 18th, 2013. Which means I'll get to enjoy my enormous belly during Florida's beautiful winter. 

Currently: 12 weeks 3 days

Craving: Waffles. Jordan has been so amused with my random desire for these.

Feeling: Exhausted. The entire first trimester I have felt dead on my feet. Some nights I have gone to bed at 7 and proceeded to nap the following day. Thankfully, the second trimester is only three days away. Hurry!

Avoiding: Dirty dishes. The smell is enough to make me gag. Luckily, I have not had too many food aversions. 

Measuring: Not much. Though I know I am up a few pounds. My next doctor's visit is Tuesday and I get the full scale exam and lab work. Oh, joy. 

Looking: A bit pregnant. And bloated. My belly button slightly sticks out some days and goes back to normal others. I have to avoid any cutesy tight shirts in fear of looking like I've been throwing back the beers all summer.

Reading: Pregnancy blogs and "What to Expect..."

Enjoying: The ultrasound videos our friends Drs. Andy and Stephanie Goggin recorded for us. They invited us over this past Tuesday to do an ultrasound at their home. My parents and in-laws all came. It was amazing to see how much our little one had grown in just 5 weeks! Andy and Stephanie both assured us that our baby looks perfectly healthy. We heard that precious little heartbeat and watched as our baby stretched, kicked and moved around. One of the best experiences of my life.   

Looking forward to: Tuesday! I am so ready for the second trimester. And our next ultrasound. I can't wait to see if baby is a boy or girl.