Friday - Mom, Gram, and I got much-needed pedicures (much-needed for me, anyway!) at Top Nails in Mount Pleasant and then we enjoyed some time on the deck at Red’s at Shem Creek.

Saturday - Gram & Pop, Mom & Dad, and Scott & I all checked out Park Circle’s St. Patty’s Day parade and block party.  It was HOT out and my sunscreen didn’t really help a sister out.  Oh well!  This event was BUSY!  Luckily, parking [30 minutes prior to the parade's start] was not a problem.  Impressive!  The food and drink choices were okay, the music was great, and the people-watching was FANfriggenTASTIC!  And “what about the parade,” you ask?  That parade was over in about 5 minutes.  Kinda lame – sorry, it’s the truth.

Shout out to Charleston Animal Society’s adorable parade car!

Park Circle’s got NOTHING on Hoosick Falls in the parade department. [Dude, Hooty has a website...who knew?!]

We stayed for a few hours, then we came home and I napped for 2.  Scott and I hit up Coleman Public House for dinner.  Scott got his typical fav burger.  I, sadly, cannot have the best.burger.ever during pregnancy (due to the goat cheese) so I finally tried their mac & cheese.  OH CHEESUS…it.was.amazing.  No wonder my friend Liz gets it to turn-that-frown-upside-down (and why it won “Best Coma-Inducing Skillet of Cheesy Goodness” in Charleston City Paper’s Best of Charleston 2012!!!).

A skillet of pure heaven

Sunday - I sabotaged church-going due to my chronic lateness and the paving on 526 (Scott hated me for a straight hour).  Instead, we took advantage of the Customer Appreciation Day (aka – FREE admission) with Charleston County Parks and finally checked out Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park. How beautiful!  We held hands, said some prayers, and sang some church songs terribly out of tune.  I didn’t really make it up to Scott until I persuaded him do this (along with a non-negotiable “weeeeeeeeee!”).

Mad at me, no longer – how could he be?!

I loved this place!

What’s awesome is that the normal park fee is $1 per person.  I am embarrassed that it took us a $2 discount to finally get our butts there!!!  We WILL be back!

Next, we hit up THE BEACH at Isle of Palms before all of the storm clouds moved in.  [Minus the $7 parking fee, thankyouverymuch.  Consider us - TWICE appreciated.]  It was gor-geous.

I hope everyone has been soaking up this beautiful weather!

WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

p.s. Question of the day: Do I allow myself to get sucked into this season’s Dancing with the Stars?  We are HUGE Gavin DeGraw fans!!!

Beach Count: 68!   

High Temperature: 82°  

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY…FROM MY CRAZY HAIR BABY AND ME TO YOU!

(Seriously time to do something with that mop)

We’ll be off soon to check out Park Circle‘s 9th annual St. Patty’s Day Block Party (and parade)!  Bring on the corned beef, mechanical bull (for pure people-watching pleasure), and live Irish music!  Did I mention food vendors?

And I leave you with Scott’s favorite St. Patty’s Day jig…

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

p.s. 84 degrees today!

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 81°  

Soooo…does anyone remember the rapper, D’Angelo, from like 1995?  Yeah, me neither.  Regardless, Scott and I talk about him when speaking of that crazy 6-packy stomach situation that no one I know has really ever sported.  Ya know, “the D’Angelo.”

Well, I now have the pregnant woman’s version of the D’Angelo.  I will NOT give too many details (and definitely not a picture of the bare belly), but I now have side definition like never before (minus the 6-pack, obviously).  Hilarious.  Here it is dressed.

I figure you may wanna see a belly pic other than the weekly photo, so here it is.  The shirt is a little big, but you get the idea!

Please excuse the after work, no makeup look

There it is – one big belly!

Weirdest belly realization thus far?  When you are trying to fit behind someone or something and you suck in your belly, although you can physically feel your muscles tighten, nothing happens.  You cannot suck in a baby belly.  SUCH a super strange feeling!!!

That’s the latest on my current belly situation.  Stay tuned!

p.s. In case you’re wondering, I AM that girl who touches and rubs their belly a lot.  Even in public.  Don’t judge unless you’ve been there!

p.s.s. I’m feeling some beach time in our very near future!!!

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 84!°  

*Week 19*

dorks.  big ones.

CURRENT STATS

Percentage Cooked: 48%

Baby Size: A mango (one website said that the baby currently looks like a mango dipped in cheese – not a cute picture, not cute at all)

Countdown to Baby: 21 weeks

Symptoms: Still with the lower back pain and my balance is starting to get a little questionable

Cravings: Still Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans…also pretzels with peanut butter (thanks, Caroline!) and/or NUTELLA

Yes, this even happened…

YUM!

Weight Gain: 8 lbs. –  which probably means 15 or so via MY scale (yikes)

Related Purchases: Let’s see…other than the purchases over the weekend, we bought a print to frame for the nursery from this Etsy shop, a $2.50 tin from Target, and a toy, 2 bibs, and a onesie from Angels and Rascals (a local kids’ consignment shop).  Also, we were given a crib mattress, a huge bin of baby toys, about 90 size 1 diapers, and a cute little outfit from Mom and Dad.  We are so blessed and this baby is soooo loved already  ♥

Sadly, the Charleston Repeats event was a Bust with a capital B  for the Trottiers.  Not because there wasn’t anything to choose from.  I mean, look at this madness (from their Facebook page)…

And that was just some of the toys.  It was utter chaos for these parents to-be.  There were 1 million big-bellied women filled with angst and anxiety bearing double the amount of hormones.  It was scary business.  We felt incompetent, overwhelmed, insecure, and ugly.  Yes, I said ugly.  It just wasn’t for us – plain and simple.  2 more consignment events to go this month, YIKES!

Fear of the Week: 1 more week until our next appointment; I’m still not feeling any movement from this little nugget

Relief of the Week: 1 more week until our next appointment, a week and a half until we starting registering (yes, this is now more of a relief than a fear – yippee!)

Randomness: We have started MISSION: FIND CHILD CARE.  Hands down, this has been the least fun part of the “we’re having a baby” process thus far.  Gross.

Scott’s Quote of the Week: It’s beer-related, of course…

#1: Scott – “Soooo….when does the secondary beer closet need to become the baby’s closet?”

#2: Sarah – “Um soonish, as it IS in the baby’s room.  My condolences.”  Don’t worry – we’ve got plenty of closets, love!

Cheers to the beautiful weather, nationwide!  Our forecast is out of this world!!!

xoxo

p.s.  A pedi’s in the works with Mom and Gram this weekend – yay!

p.s.s. Don’t worry, picture updates of the nursery are coming soon!!!

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 75°  

Thank you, Fox News, for your quick and dirty write up on Charleston a few days ago.  The article is titled – “Charleston, the darling of the South.”

Finally we agree on something!

Click here to check it out!

It’s only the tip of the iceberg, but lovely nonetheless.

The infamous Rainbow Row

Happy Monday (and Bachelor 3-HOUR finale)!  Wine is [sadly] not in my future, but special popcorn just may be.

Lots of blogs to come this week!!!

p.s. Countdown to our workless summer is less than 60 days!!!

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 69°  

Scott and I rocked Saturday’s socks off.  Seriously.  I am going to list our accomplishments, annoying way-more-information-than-you-probably-care-about-Facebook-style.  Anddddd…GO!

Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the fact that we have a crib ready to go in the nursery.  Thank you and HALLELUJAH!  (Photos to come in a later post!)

Those were just the BIG accomplishments of the day!!!

Today?  I’m off to grocery shop, Scott is already taking care of the dog, we’re going downtown to enjoy this gorgeous weather (while simultaneously looking out for cute nursery items), dinner later at Mom and Dad’s…who knows what else we’ll get into!

If you read through this whole blog…I LOVE YOU! 

HAPPY SUNDAY!

p.s. Don’t worry visitors, we still have the full bed in the spare room and will be investing in a nicer blow up mattress soon!  (Home friends – who else is sad that the best sleepover bed has now moved on to a new family?!)

p.s.s. Spring has sprung.  Who’s gonna tell my toes? 

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 66°  

*Week 18*

Cheese – party of two

CURRENT STATS

Percentage Cooked: 45%

Baby Size: Length of a bell pepper, size of a sweet potato or a large tomato

Countdown to Baby: 22 weeks

Symptoms: Lower back pain (nothing new!), interrupted/light sleep, love handles and back fat – yeah, HOT MAMA!

Cravings: English Muffins, Frosted Mini-Wheats, nachos from Señor Tequila (we just went there for the first time Friday night-LOVED!), and still Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans

Weight Gain: Still steady at 6 lbs. –  scale = liar liar, pants on fire

Related Purchases: We actually bought some nursery-related items this week – yay!  We bought the rug that I agonized over for weeks.  It just arrived today and is currently hanging out in the nursery, earning its keep.  I think I LOVE it!  

We also bought 3 paint samples for the nursery walls – exciting!!!

Tonight we’re going to Charleston Repeats, a seasonal consignment event where we’re hoping to score lots of awesome deals.  I will be sure to report back!!!

I was thisclose to buying some Easter/shower-worthy maternity dresses online yesterday, but didn’t pull the trigger.  Soon!

Fear of the Week: 2 more weeks until our next appointment.

Relief of the Week: 2 more weeks until our next appointment.

Randomness: I got the call this afternoon that OUR CRIB IS IN AND READY FOR PICK.  Shut the front door!  Weeeeeeeeeee!

Scott’s Quote of the Week: He was full of it this week!  Here are two of my fav lines…

#1: Me – “I don’t think love handles are normal at this stage of pregnancy.  It must be the Reese’s.”  Scott – “So then where do you think the jelly beans go?”

#2: Scott – “Are you sure you don’t want me to take off 12 weeks?  Me – “If we can find a way for your boobies to make milk, I’d think about it (totally lying).”  Scott – “Can’t we just use yours?  Your Dad and I can just bottle it!”  No Scott.  No.

Thanks for following along…you all are so fantastic!

Charleston Mamas – I will be asking some advice of you very soon, so please check back often!

p.s.  Thanks Gram for the Reese’s and JR Jelly Beans!  xoxo

p.s.s. Excited about this forecast!

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 59°  

You know your life is about to change when the top of your friend’s baby registry list is All-Natural Butt Paste.

Oy.

p.s. Cathy – that was from YOUR registry!  ;)

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 59° ← brrr!  

It’s about that time when we can find out if we’re having a little girl or a little boy (I seriously first wrote “little girl or little girl” – woah).  We actually could’ve found out at our 16 week appointment…but didn’t.

That’s right – WE’RE NOT FINDING OUT!!!  (WHAT? what? WHAT?!)

Here is how we came to our decision to keep this baby’s gender a surprise (for all, including us)!!!

Finding out …

PROS

- We can get lots of cute gender-specific clothing

- We can better personalize the baby’s nursery

- We can start saying “he” or “she” instead of “baby” (since we still have yet to come up with a nickname for this babe!)

- We might be able to better visualize this little miracle…maybe

CONS

- The surprise is revealed earlier rather than later (this is often a “pro” to others!)

- I have always dreamt about having a surprise for the first (yes, I am one of those girls who has fantasized about this!)

- We won’t have that “IT’S A ____!!!” moment in the delivery room

- Once we know, we can’t take back our decision

- I would buy every stinkin’ cute little outfit out there – baseball OR ballerina (so the con? we’d be poor)

- I definitely want to find out the second time around (if we’re so blessed), so this is our only chance!

So that’s it…a secret it will be until delivery day.  YAY!

We all know it’s a girl though…seriously.

 p.s. Happy Weekend, loves!!!  ♥

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 69°  

No seriously…KICK ME BABY [with no nickname]!  

Yes, I awkwardly took this picture of my own belly.

Babycenter says I should feel the first movement between 16 and 22 weeks, but I WANT IT NOW, DADDY!  (Veruca Salt: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, anyone?).

We have seen the baby move on ultrasound at our last two appointments (he or she is a BIG waver), so all is good under the hood.  (Ew?)  BUT – I just can’t feel it yet.

I’d like to feel it.  Like yesterday.  Baby can you hear me?  Websites  tell me that you should start hearing me (albeit muffled) by now.  Those little ear bones are almost fully hardened and your ears are almost in place…so don’t lie to your mother!

Just do it.

KICK ME!

Please and thank you.

When did you start feeling your baby move about?!

Is this something I shouldn’t be rushing?

MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, PLEASE!!!

p.s. Anyone watching American Idol?  I think this may be the best season e.v.er. Who likes Elise Testone from CHARLESTON?!  I’m a fan!

Beach Count: 67   

High Temperature: 79°