Pregnancy Update

My last entry on pregnancy was when I shared that we were pregnant and now, 6 months later, I'm giving you an update (I'm such a slacker)!

This pregnancy is going very well.  It has been different from the last in that I actually did experience morning sickness.  I never got sick but felt nauseous a lot of the time.  I also have been experiencing heartburn almost constantly and since the beginning of the pregnancy.  This baby better have a head full of hair!  But other than those mild complaints, everything has been great.  I felt the baby move at 16 weeks so that has been very reassuring.  Baby L2 likes to be active at night which concerns me because apparently their pattern in the womb is their pattern when they are born.  Hmm.  We'll have to talk about that one Baby L2. 

I've really started showing recently, so I'll have to get a few pictures up.  It took a while for people to realize I was pregnant which really is a good thing when you think about it!  I'm just glad to be past the "chubby" stage! 

I'm still dancing and am on the treadmill quite a bit during the week.  I want to be in the best shape possible to have this baby and have the energy needed for two when s/he is born.  We are planning on having a natural birth again at the Birthing Center.  So far, everything looks good.  I pray the baby likes that plan too!

I'm trying to prepare Coraline for the baby as much as a 19 month old can comprehend.  I really think she has no idea what's going on but we read books, play with her baby and talk about the baby in "mommy's tummy."  She's such a sweet girl and loves babies and toddlers that I really think she'll be fine.  I can see her getting mad when she wants me to read to her and I'm nursing or something like that but I'm sure every child goes through a jealousy stage.  We are also going to move her to a big girl bed soon so we can have the crib for the baby.  I was so nervous about this but just today she started trying to climb out of the crib which is a great indicator that they are ready to move out of it.  Hopefully, that move will go smoothly! 

Here is a shot of me at 14 weeks.  I have more recent shots (24 weeks) I just have to download them from my camera (talk about lazy)!

Honest Scrap!

Here are the rules:

1. Must thank the person who gave you the award and list their blog and link it.

2. Share "10 Honest things" about yourself.

3. Present this award to 7 others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you.

4. Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.

***

1. The person that gave this award to me was Kellan Vernon! We've known each other for a long time! We both danced together at Providence Baptist Church and attended a ballet class together (many, many years ago)! She's a new mommy to a precious little girl. You should check out her blog (linked to her name)!

2. 10 Honest Things about me:

(i) For the most part I do not care for music. There are very few songs that grab my attention and move me. Very, very strange, I know. I can't listen to the radio while driving because it makes me crazy, so I listen to books on tape instead. I have, however, really enjoyed the Glee soundtrack. One of the first CDs that I actually like (almost) every song on the list.

(ii) I love almost all vegetables and fruit. I grew up eating them and love them to this day. It's hard for me to name a vege or a fruit that I don't like- hmm, not a huge fan of green bell peppers or ripe bananas. That's all I can think of. Ooh, a salad would be so good right now.

(iii) At first, I didn't think I wanted children. Even when I was a kid, it never really crossed my mind. I'm just not a "kid" person per se. But then we had a change of heart! Although, I'm still not comfortable with children not related to me, I love to pieces my nieces and nephews and already adore my own soon-to-be-here child.

(iv) My favorite tv show is So You Think You Can Dance. I am so in awe of what those dancers can do. Sometimes I get inspired and stretch for an extra 20 seconds!

(v) I grew up wanting to be a veterinarian. I am a paralegal. What went wrong?

(vi) I love surprises. I hate when people spoil something for me. I never peek at wrapped presents. I never search for unwrapped gifts. I wait until the last possible moment to "open"/"know" my surprise. Hence, my lack of desire to know the sex of our baby. I know some women count down the days until they get to know what gender their baby is. Strangely enough, I have no such desire at all. I can't wait to be surprised on the day that he or she decides to join our family. (Disclaimer: I totally understand why people want to know though, and I would never judge anyone's decisions!)

(vii) I don't feel like I have a hometown. I also don't feel like I can attach myself to any one label- Southerner or Westerner. I was born in dairy farm country in Texas, grew up in middle class Hawaii, but have lived the majority of my life in North Carolina. I don't feel particularly connected to anyone state. I love them all for different reasons. So don't ask me where I'm from, because you get many answers!

(viii) I never eat in my car. I think it's gross.

(ix) I can only fold clothes on a freshly vacuumed carpet. I don't know why. I don't try to understand why.

(x) I am super excited to cloth diaper my baby. I hope that it is something that the baby likes too, because it sure can save us a lot of money. We bought a new washer/dryer system in 2008 with a sanitary option on it, in preparation for cloth diapering. Can you tell it's been on my mind awhile!


3. I am not going to name 7 bloggers to do this. But, if one of my readers wants to do it, just leave me a comment so I can see what you've got to say!

My weekend

I had such a busy weekend. Which is great because I don't need to be sitting around watching a weekend's worth of Deadly Catch marathons. I don't even like seafood.

I headed out bright and early Saturday morning to my church's yard sale and was able to stock up on some great half-priced items. Then went straight to dance rehearsal. Worked up a nice sweat. Did you know that my hair curls even more when I work out. Strange. By the end of the rehearsal my hair was way curlier then when I began?! But I digress.

My dancing friends and I then hopped into a car and had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. We then mosied on over to our other dancing friend's baby shower. Too much fun. Ever played the rice and safety pin game- amazingly difficult. Or how about the "what did daddy feed the baby" game. umm hmmm. Fun times. The cheesecake almost did me in though.

Then I went home and started cleaning.

Sunday started bright and early too. I had to be at church at 7:30 to begin warm up and dance rehearsal on the stage. Services were at 9:15 and 11:00. Then I went home and cleaned even more. Non-stop cleaning until 5:00. Then my dancing friends and I decided to go to a free modern dance concert at Cary Academy. I knew several of the people dancing and let me tell you it was fabulous. If I could only dance like that!!!! Maybe one day. Or am I running out of time?! I don't know, but it's fun to dream. Got home at 9:40 and finished putting away laundry and then off to bed.

Fun good times. I was with the same people almost all weekend and I kind've miss them today. Hey guys! See you Wednesday for another dancing date!

More Rainbow Pictures

More fun Rainbow pictures . . .

(I'm the one upside down)

All these pictures were taken by Matt Kesterson.

Dance Pictures

The long awaited Rainbow pictures. So here's the deal. The following photos were taken by a husband of one of the dancers, Richard Warr, while we danced in the concert. He did a fabulous job capturing the essence of the pieces. I also have some posed shots that I'll post in another post.

15 points if you can pick me out of the crowd!

Rainbows and Butterflies

The Rainbow dance concert was a success! Wow, thanks to all the many friends and family that came. I even got a comment about how many of my peeps showed up!! You guys rock!

I got so many wonderful comments about the swimming piece! I can honestly say that I was a tad apprehensive about my costume-- halter top bathing suit with shortie short shorts, but once the music came on it didn't phase me. And I know, people think I 'm crazy and way too self conscious, but I cannot help it-- really, I cannot help it! But then, I remembered that there were tons of little girls around and the last thing I wanted to do was set a bad example of negative body image issues. So, I sucked it up (literally), took off the cellulite-hiding tights and embodied a 50's synchronized swimmer cheesing it up for the audience. After all, when will I ever get to wear a polka dot bathing suit, swim cap and bright red lipstick again? Hopefully, I can get a few pictures of the piece up soon.

Sunday was beautiful and I was able to enjoy the sun for a few minutes. My doctor said I was Vitamin D deficient and that I MUST sit out in the sun for at least 15 minutes a day. Hmm, okay doc, if you insist. I can just hear it now . . . "No Grant, the doctor said I must sit outside. I'm sorry, but breakfast/lunch/dinner/laundry/dusting must wait." (I kid, Grant would never interfere with the doctor's orders). So, I sat and I read and I watched butterflies flutter by and I felt the wind and I heard the birds sing. It was a glorious ending to a LONG month.

Thanks again for all your support (dancing, life, etc.)- you all are great! Here's to Spring.

Here I go again . . .

Being a bad blogger that is. Wow, again, a crazy two weeks. Maybe one day I'll share what has been going on. In the meantime, I'm getting ready for the ever popular RAINBOW DANCE CONCERT!!!! Please come if you are in the area. Details here. Wow, my life will be a bit simpler once this concert is over! I've even lost a couple of pounds recently from all the dancing- woo hoo! I know, random thoughts-- this is where my head is lately.

And, by the way, spring has not arrived yet. It's still cold and rainy. But I can't wait to start on my garden this year and my sister gave me an old trellis that needs some TLC, so I'm excited to start on that project too-- spring are you coming anytime soon??

That's it for now. I'm planning a post on my homemade, whole wheat pancakes and hopefully a before and after of the trellis project!

Be well my friends!

Overwhelmed

Have you ever just felt overwhelmed!? I'm currently in that place right now. Just so much to do. And, my goodness, it's already March- winter is almost over and Easter is fast approaching. The year is flying by so fast. My life is flying by so fast.

I have so much to do at work-- major deadlines all this month and next. So much so that there is not a single day to take off (and this would be the month that I need to take a day off). I have a major dance concert coming up and am participating in another dance commitment this month-- both dances are not complete yet and dress/tech rehearsals are coming soon!!! So busy. I've got appointments that I am trying to squeeze in here and there. And, I've even learned how to say "no" to some commitments. That is not easy for me, but I have to realize my limits.

Trust me, it's not that I'm complaining, per se. I'm glad to be busy, but I'm ready for the "lazy days" of summer. I'm ready for warmer weather and time outside. I'm ready for a break from rehearsals. I'm ready for work to calm down. I'm ready for . . . who knows ? I'm hoping that April will be just what I need. Sunshine and rain. Calm and quiet.

Of course, in the midst of all this, I am so thankful that God has allowed me to be healthy, active and alert enough to do what I love to do and to help support my family with work. So really, yes, I'm busy, but thank you Lord for allowing me to be busy. There is a season for everything.

Hope you are experiencing the calm and quiet of life right now. Or, that the upcoming season will bring what you need!

Random Post

I've been a bad blogger lately. This will be my fourth post so far this month. Oh my faithful two readers, I fear I may have lost you! I must and can do better than this. The truth of the matter is that I've been super busy at night and on the weekends. I've had dance classes/rehearsals up to five times a week. I don't get to eat dinner until 9:30 and by the time I'm done, I'm exhausted and ready for bed. Oh, by the way, mark your calendars for March 27 (7:00)and March 28 (2:00) for the Rainbow Dance concert at Cary Academy. We had our first showing last night and the pieces are beautiful, quirky, elegant and just plain fun. My dance falls in the quirky and fun category! And this will probably be the only time to see me in a polka dot bathing suit and swim cap. It will be like "Where's Waldo"-- I dare you to be able to spot me in the dance. Double dare!

My big plans for tonight are to gather some things up in our house for our church's yard sale. Grant and I have tackled the attic, I've tackled the guest bedroom and now it's time to do our room. I love a clutter free home and I'm trying to live by the mantra "live simply," so this needs to be done. I also have another dance rehearsal tomorrow, so that will take up my morning and afternoon. Then FINALLY some down time. What will I do with myself? I know what needs to be done and that is to cook, clean and go to the Farmer's Market. But I make no promises! There are also some knitting projects that need to be completed and some cards to be sent out.

Anyway, I've just enjoyed my last peanut M&M and am now ready for lunch! Sidenote- I have never in my life craved candy, but I read a girl's post that said her favorite food was peanut M&Ms and oh my, the beast raged inside me and I had to run down the 5 flights of stairs to the vending machine. If it matters, I ran back up the stairs (2 at a time) to burn some of the calories that I was about to consume. Oh well, they did have peanuts in them.

Anyway, hope my two readers are having a fabulous Friday and a lovely weekend! 'Till next time.

What to say

Hmm, what to say . . . what to say.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing right now, so I haven't gotten anything newsworthy to share. Work, dance class/rehearsal, work again, dance again, dinner thrown in every once in awhile, maybe a tv night with Grant, treadmilling, some sporadic knitting and stamping in my few spare minutes. Despite my less-than-wild life, I am working on something exciting and, when I get it just right, I'll let you know.

In the meantime, I am planning a post on the benefits of coconut oil and my finished knitted blanket. Stop the madness (I know) how exciting! Stay tuned!

Oh, I have been nominated for a Kreativ Blogger Award. Thanks Krystal!

Photo Shoot

So, I'm an hour away from going to a photo shoot for Rainbow Dance Company. And I'll admit that I'm nervous. I have to wear a 50's style bathing suit- very cute, yes. However, it is January (a few weeks post the ever fattening holidays, my friends), and I haven't seen the sun since, well, June of last year! So wish me luck. I will be practicing my "America's Next Top Model" moves to disguise the not so lovely parts bring out my strengths. Should you come to my concert in March, you will have the chance to see those photos and me in action. Oh, I forgot to mention that this is a synchronized swimming inspired piece- hence the bathing suit and swim cap! Okay, that's enough. I'm just trying to kill some time.

Movement

I think these shots are really cool. Me in action.

Twisting and kicking.

Turning. Turning.

This is my favorite shot. Floating in air.

Lucky Me

How lucky am I. I got to meet two very big Christian artists in the past couple of weeks.

Mark Schultz and my dance team . . .

Me and Nicole C. Mullens . . .

Now, if I could just meet Selah, Third Day, Casting Crowns and Bruce Springsteen. My life would be complete.

My weekend plans

So, I am very excited to be spending my weekend with the MARK SCHULTZ-- yes, the very talented Christian singer who was just on "Extreme Home Makeover" and is known for many songs.

He is coming to my church and will be a part of our Christmas concert on Friday and Saturday night. How cool is that? I get to hear him twice-- woo hoo! Anyway, our church is having our concert before and after Mark Schultz' concert. I am dancing in 2 songs, 1 Bible verse, a small finale bit and am a "music box ballerina" for a drama skit (with a real, live, pink tutu and pointe shoes y'all)! So, it will be a busy week for me with tech/dress rehearsals and two performances. But who cares, because I get to hear Mark Schultz this weekend. Sweeeet!

Poinsettias for Sale

Wow, I thought I was done with fundraising!

If you live in my area and would like a poinsettia for Christmas- then I am the one you want to see! This is a fundraiser for my dance company, Rainbow Dance Company. They and I would appreciate any help!

I have red, white, pink and/or Candy Cane available. They are $13 each and will be in on December 3 (I will deliver them to you shortly after that).

Candy Cane variety- pretty, no?

Just let me know-- I would so appreciate being able to serve your poinsettia needs!

7 things you probably did not know about me . . .

I am taking Nate's suggestion and posting 7 things you may not know about me.

1. I cannot handle most drinks with caffeine. Caffeine makes me crazy, absolutely crazy. Ask my husband-- he does not allow me to have any caffeine after 8:00 at night because I will sing at the top of my lungs, try risky dance moves on my bed, run around the house and create lively situations wherever I may go!!! Seriously, caffeine makes my heart race so regular coffee is absolutely out of the question.

2. I clean with only natural products such as vinegar, baking soda and borax. Regular cleaning products are so toxic to the system and make me feel sick, so I've abandoned them all (except for Windex wipes for the bathroom mirror- still trying to figure out a good natural cleaning system for mirrors). Grant thinks our kitchen smells like sea salt and vinegar chips (trust me, the smell goes away after a few minutes, and that is when you know the germs have been killed). I've even gotten Grant to use vinegar in the kitchen.

3. I hate taking medicine and try to avoid going to the doctor as much as possible. (Um, my post is looking a little "crunchy." Sorry, hang with me). I didn't grow up on medicine (we used homeopathic remedies as much as possible), so I try not to take medicine to this day. My own remedies include peppermint oil for stomachaches, garlic for colds and just about anything else, and lavender oil for headaches. I've even chopped up raw onions and put it on my chest when I had a lot of congestion-- I think it worked! I will go to the doctor for some things, but mostly I weather sicknesses out at home. To be honest, I rarely get sick (maybe once every two years), so this is not a big issue.

4. Okay, something less crunchy. I love modern dance. You probably did know that about me. What you probably didn't know is that I have not been trained in dance very much at all. I took a few ballet classes growing up (I'm talking like classes from the YMCA and in a church, not a serious studio). Amazingly, I've been able to get myself into a few different companies/ministries throughout the years despite my lack of technique and have sort of self taught myself. It is only the past three years that I've taken modern technique class. Currently, I'm in the Rainbow Modern Dance Company and Windsong and taking technique classes! This is a testimony to going after something you really want (and perfecting your art). Go after your dreams, you never know where it might take you!

5. I'm really not a swim-in-the-water person. I will not swim in lakes. Lakes freak me out to no end (it's muddy, fishy and you can't see the bottom). The ocean is daunting and scary. I like pools best, but have been in maybe 5 times in the last 5 years. I think I'll stick to land. Strangely enough, I decided to take a 8:15 swim class with my suitemate in college during the winter season. Not sure why, but we did have fun! Only 8:15 class I ever took in college.

6. I have emetophobia. That is the fear of throwing up and being around it. I can't handle it at all. You can ask anyone of my family members. I haven't gotten sick since I was about 11 years old and one time when I was 20 because I drank a little to much of the fun stuff! I read that people with this phobia can sort of will themselves enough times not to get sick that it turns something on in their brains that won't allow them to get sick. I think that is true. And I'm not worried about morning sickness, because I can totally will myself not to get sick. Now, do not ask me how I intend to handle my future kids. I will trust the Lord that he will give me enough sense to be able to deal with it, because I know its coming. BTW- I can handle my cat's who throw up at least once a week and I can handle spit up from a baby (I consider these baby steps). Anything else, I will flee the room or blast the tv or stereo to ear numbing volumes. Needless to say, sharing a hall bathroom with 20 other girls in college was no picnic.

7. I like to bake when I am bored. One time Grant came home to 3 different types of cookies. Needless to say, he had to share them with his co-workers, because we couldn't eat all of them between the two of us!

That is 7 things you probably didn't know about me. If you do this on your blog, let me know so I can read them!

I'm an Aunt again!

Lauren, Grant's sister, had her second baby yesterday. My new niece is beautiful, adorable, cute, pink, etc. (and this is all from the one picture I saw of her)! Check here for updates on the new family!

On a completely unrelated note, I am extremely sore from all the AFRICAN dancing that I did yesterday. This was my first experience with African dance. I was afraid to look at myself in the mirror, so I didn't. Little 'ole white girl trying to get down and dirty with the real live African drums-- couldn't have been pretty. But, I survived it and now my neck, shoulders, hamstrings and tongue (??) hurt. Next up, swing and traditional Chinese dance. Glad there are no cameras at my dance studio.

Dance

So this week begins the craziness of all things dance for me. I’ve joined a modern dance company and we have rehearsals every day this week. I love the idea behind this company. It is a multi-age (therefore multi-level) dance company with about 40 members or so. We split off into different rep pieces and create, rehearse and perfect all year for the concert in March. What a great concept for those of us who are not going to win “So You Think You Can Dance” in any lifetime of ours. Yet despite all of our levels and abilities, this company allows us to be creative and share in our passion of dance with one another. I think this will be a fun year for me- my goal is to truly give all I have while I dance and not hold anything back.

At the same time as Rainbow Dance Company, I am also involved in my church dance ministry, Windsong, which meets on Wednesday nights and some weekends. This is another group of ladies with different dance abilities who come together and worship the Lord through dance. A totally different concept than Rainbow, but equally as challenging. We are a pretty dedicated group of woman and we also do a lot of stuff outside of dance.

So, this year will be busy- I have dance classes/rehearsals on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights as well as at least one weekend (Saturday and Sunday) a month. It’s going to be great. After all, if I wasn’t busy I would just be sitting on the couch watching reruns of CSI interspersed with mind-numbing games of Spider Solitaire on the computer, and would, consequently, be 15 pounds heavier. And, just so you know, I hate to be bored and chunky. So, bring on the dance classes. I am ready.

I've got the bug

to choreograph that is. When I hear a fantastic song, and one that touches my soul, I feel the need to choreograph something to it (well, at least try to choreograph). I'm in love with a new song-- "All That I Can Say" by the David Crowder Band (listening to it right now and squirming in my seat with movement ideas). I can't find the song anywhere though. Apparently, the band does not sell the CD anymore. I'm desperate to find it. AHHH.