Easter Weekend

When Thomas and I started dating, we tried out a variety of churches together, neither one of us wanting to push our faith on the other. He is born and raised Catholic, and I Protestant.  We often went to Episcopal churches, as we both felt comfortable with this "bridge church" between Catholic and Protestant. I would also occasionally go to Catholic church with him, and he'd come to my Presbyterian church when we'd visit my parents. Neither one of us was ready to let go of our religious customs when we got married. However, about a year or so ago I decided to convert to Catholicism. We knew we wanted to have a family and raise them in a church together. I've been taking classes with Thomas as my sponsor every Tuesday night at Christ the King church in OKC. We've really enjoyed it, we love the Priest, and have gotten MUCH closer from it. During this time we found out I was pregnant, stressed about finding a house, heard some scary news about my pregnancy and health, got in a horrible and perspective-changing car accident, FOUND a house, heard GREAT news about my pregnancy and baby's health, and somehow all three of us survived the car wreck. This period of our life has proved to be a time we needed God more than ever. It was the perfect time to refresh and learn about our faith, Catholic traditions, and prayer. It's been a roller coaster of a year, but we have gotten through it by praying together, and relying on each other and God. To say we are thankful for a healthy baby, coming out of the car accident with only cuts and bruises, and now have home to start our family- is quite the understatement.

All that being said, we were able to celebrate my confirmation on Easter weekend! Thomas's family came in town to support me, which meant a lot. :)

28 weeks and a Catholic!

Well we had to make our rolls for Easter morning! We made cinnamon maple pecan AND orange sweet rolls. Mmm

We went and cleaned out my very totaled car. I was too hyseterical right after the wreck to notice my car, so it was crazy to see it so smashed in the front AND back (as we were hit from behind on the highway, pushing us into car in front of us.)

Beginning 3rd Trimester

I can't believe I'm in the 3rd trimester! I've really enjoyed this pregnancy, especially the 2nd trimester. I felt good and had a ton of energy. Just when I think I am so lucky that I am having such an easy pregnancy, hello 3rd trimester and hello crushed ribs. As my uterus has expanded, it has gone up into my ribs and has given me not so pleasant pressure. I sit most of the day reading with students, so that makes it worse. I'm trying to be good about getting up and stretching often. Everything else, however, is still great.

Looking pretty large- 2/3 of the way till meeting this lovie!

We have been trying to take some time for our first babies. On Saturday mornings they get to come snuggle with us in bed. Lukie always wants to be touching (or on top of) Lola.

~Pregnancy Cravings~

I've finally moved on from my intense sugar cravings I felt during the middle of 2nd trimester. Now I usually want comfort food. I made gnocchi the other day.



And turn it into gnocchi!



Start with T's amazing leftover rosemary and goat cheese potatoes...

Favorite spring-time lunch, and an actual healthy pregnancy craving- tabouli. We make a big tub of this frequently so we can have it throughout the week.

Our Baby's First Shower!

I had such an amazing shower thrown by Thomas's amaznig family in Houston. They went all out with decorations, flowers, and even the food- all "Carly-type stuff," like macaroni with a topping station and everything had a variety dips! I left feeling so overwhelmed and blessed by all this Italian family!

Love this family!

Best friend, Katy, and her sweet daughter, Georgia

 Beautiful, over-the top decor by Aunt Angie...

toppings for the mac & cheese

Love my mom! What would I do without her? Seriously.

Thomas's wonderful family of ladies- so good to me (the out of place blondie.)

My friends in Houston that came to the shower- Maggie (friend from growing up,) Katy (best friend from college,) & Kylie (friend from Tulsa.) So fun to have friends in Houston since I visit often!

Our cousin Emma MADE the baby this little knitted hat! Are you kidding me? Best gift ever!

My sweet mommas

 Bailey came from her spring break trip in Florida and Amanda came during her busy season. Sisters... sisters... never known such devoted sisters..."- song from White Christmas? Anyone? When Amanda and I were little and would get in a fight, my mom would make us sing that song with our noses pressed together.  

 More from the weekend...

My 5 year old nephew, Jackson, during his first ever T-ball game. How cute is he?!?

Moments before he slid, yes slid, into home plate. He's five, remember.

cutie!

Me and Charley, or as everyone calls her- "Pip." Look at those curls. I may or may not have added a little hair product to her hair to keep the curls after her bath. I'm the aunt that comes to town and gets (demands) to do her hair. :)

Adriane and Charley. She looks a lot like her dad, but she gets her beauty from her momma!

Beaver Lake "Babymoon"

Thomas and I planned a short and sweet little getaway weekend months ago, and it just so happened to be the weekend after we bought a house! This was huge because had we not found one yet, we probably would have felt the need to stay in town and look at houses. We were able to get out of town, relax, and enjoy time with just the two of us. After a stressful last few months, (and stressful few weeks since then) we needed it!



bed with jacuzzi bath looking out on lake



cutest little one-room cabin





Great dinner at a cool and very old Grand Central Hotel



Ahhhh. Napping, reading, listening to music- heaven

Our favorite meal any time- bread, cheese, pesto, olives. This was what we threw together our first night in.

T seared some steak on the grill for lunch our 1st day, and we made a delicious & simple arugula salad with lemon olive oil and balsalmic



Vanilla bean and dark chocolate creme brulee



Amazing dinner at the Local Cafe in Eureka



 

Brunch on our patio- same arugula salad topped with egg and olive tapenade... Oh hello sunburn! Apparently your skin is more sensitive when pregnant.




Paddle boating on the lake



HOUSE!!!

We bought a house this weekend. Words cannot describe the pure elation and relief. AND, crazy- my sister and Kevin bought a house on the same day! I was starting to really feel the pressure and stress of baby coming and no house, especially when I hit the 6 months pregnant mark last week. Thomas and I just prayed and prayed. We learned that things don't always come when you want them to, but God does answer. We had to be very patient, as have my parents who did not expect having us as house guests for 9 months, but we are so excited and feel like this is the "one." We wanted central OKC- close to work, daycare, church, etc, and we wanted a safe neighborhood that we could picture having a family in. It is small, but has a huge backyard and a lot of charm. We move in April 10th! Aghhhhhh... this soon-to-be momma is happy!

Baby Training

My closest college girlfriends and I all went to visit Katy in Houston a few weeks ago. While we would love nothing more than an adult girls trip, everyone always brings their kids bc we all live in different cities and don't get to see each other OR the little ones often enough. It was crazy chaos, but so wonderful (we ALL stayed at Katy's house!) I learned a lot about babies of all ages, and we all just played and caught up! All of my friends' babies are so beautiful and full of personality. It is really cool to see my friends transform from the college girls I once knew, to moms. Everyone parents differently, and everyone was amazing with their child. This was good for me to see- how babies and kids can be so different. Libby is the first one to have two, so I watched in awe of her parenting a toddler and a new baby. I took lots of mental notes. :) The only one that couldn't make it was Jordan, as she lives in Australia, but she is preggo with her first as well! Five of us are due this summer.

 This is us before our senior year "Kite and Key" date party in early 2005. You can tell little slinky silk dresses were "in." Geez, we were skinny!

 AND this is us now. 6 babies later with 5 more on the way (including Jordi.) How times have changed...

I also got to play with my sweet neice and nephew while in Houston. My sister-in-law is where I get the most parenting tips bc I have spent the most time with them over the past few years, and she is amazing- she kills it being a working parent (as I will be.) They are both at such fun ages right now. Jackson is 5 and was reading a book to me for the first time (dreamy for a reading teacher) and was slamming baseballs off the tee in the backyard. Charley, almost 2, finally really knows me, talks to me nonstop, wants me to hold her, to do her hair, and to read with her. I love every second of it! Love being an aunt to these two! I keep telling my sisters how much fun being an aunt is! You get to love on them constantly, and you don't have to worry about the discipline and constant decision-making of a parent- it's awesome! 

23 Weeks with a Feisty Acrobat

At 23 weeks I am feeling very pregnant! I make a weird "umph" sound when I get up from the floor when teaching or tying my shoes or when I have to bend over. My bigger non-maternity clothes no longer fit. My appetite is quite large, though I have finally gotten over my crazy sweet tooth (though don't ask me to turn away a cupcake.) This is me maternity clothes shopping Tulsa to try to expand my currant rotation of a wardrobe.

My favorite thing about pregnancy has been feeling our baby move around, which has been constant lately! I started feeling it for a few days at 15 weeks, but then felt nothing for 3 more weeks after. Starting at about 18 or 19 weeks I started feeling the occasional flutter. But now, at 23 weeks, it is ALL THE TIME. Sometimes it is a hard kick, and sometimes I just feel like the baby is rolling around. It is so cool, and I really love when both Thomas and I can feel it. The first time he felt our baby was when we were praying for the babe, as we do when we are lying in bed at night. His hand was on my belly and in the middle of the prayer we felt a huge one. Our eyes flew open and we simultaneously said "did you feel that?" It makes the whole thing so real. The babe is showing off his/her skills in the below ultrasound. We call this the acrobat pic because the baby is literally folded in half, with feet above head. This was at 21 weeks.

This has nothing to do with baby, but Thomas and I used our new kitchen "toys" this week. Thomas used his mandolin and fryer to make these amAzing rosemary parmesan french fries, and I used my new juicer for the first time to make juice! I asked my friend that makes juice all the time, Maggie, for her favorite combination.

This is pear, carrot, pineapple, and lime juice. It was so good!