christmas in nashville

updated 34 week belly pic :)

this was hank and my first christmas not traveling, i don't have any time off around the holidays and i am getting close to 36 weeks, when they don't advise flying- so we stayed here :) my mom came into town and really made it feel like christmas. we ate an amazing dinner at cafe nonna, took a walk through shelby bottoms with the pups (pics below) and had a really low key and lazy christmas day. it was perfect.

the watson crew.

georgia in action.

mom and pups action shot with my new camera!

we got so many generous gifts, lots in anticipation of wee watson's arrival! hank bought the outfit her him/her to come home in, an adorable jumper. i can't believe we are ready to get our bags packed in preparation!

wee watson is getting big and running out of space, so inversions are feeling especially yummy. check out wee watson's elbow in this shot!

all in all i am continually reminded of all my amazing blessings. thank you mom for coming to nashville and celebrating an untraditional but beautiful christmas with hank and i and the pups in nashville.

xo

guessing game

click here and you can guess wee watson's arrival date, gender, weight and length :)

:)

christmas week and ice

34 weeks will ring in on christmas day, so much to celebrate and be thankful for. i must say, i think i have the best christmas gift right inside my belly- hank, it is going to be hard to beat what is coming our way with any exchange of gifts :)

my mom got into town last night, and as hank said, it doesn't feel like christmas until some family is around, so thank you mom for coming to nashville! it feels like christmas now that you are here!

the biggest change this week for me- i can't see my toes anymore! it is official :) i was showering yesterday morning, looked down to admire the beautiful pedicure sarah and i got the day before- and i couldn't see it! i had to lean forward :) i have to admit, i laughed at myself in the shower and smiled- its a milestone i think! just another amazing reminder that we are getting close to meeting wee watson and i just can't wait!!!

second piece of business- i am obsessed with ice. yes, ice. it is 30 degrees outside and all i want is crunchy, cold and refreshing ice. it must be a preggo thing. anyone else have this?! poor zoe's next door to the store, i go over there and stalk them for their ice machine! they must think i am crazy (and the ONLY person looking for ice in the winter month of december), but i can't get enough. oh, and don't even get me started on sonic's ice. it is the cream of the crop and always worth the drive :) and not bad that in order to ask for a cup of ice i also have to purchase a chocolate milkshake. yum yum yum.

my mom is armed with an amazing camera, so we will get some updated belly pics while she is here. until then, a sleepy hello from the pups.

xo and happy holidays from the watson fam!

33 weeks and oh, so thankful

i am not sure when the shift happened, but now i am counting the weeks to go rather then the weeks done :) i guess you could say i am getting excited and anxious to meet wee. i am also in complete shock that i can almost count on one hand the number of weeks until he/she comes into the world. what i also never thought about until now is that my due date is a good guesstimate of when wee watson will arrive, but not a guarantee! i could potentially go into labor anytime between two weeks from now and seven weeks from now! two weeks!!! i don't plan for that, nor hope for that but i have spoken with lots of women who have delivered around 35-38 and when you are counting down weeks shaving a few off makes a big difference!!

i don't have an updated belly pic for this post, will put one up as soon as hank gets home from getting bagels :) yum.

did have an appt. with my midwife this past week and all is still great. wee watson's heart is still the most beautiful sound, steady and strong. i will go back next week for my 34 week appointment, then at 36 weeks and then every week after that until i go into labor! i asked my midwife LOTS of questions last week. i think she thought i wasn't really educating myself because all of my appointments prior i wouldn't really ask anything. this time, i brought a list :) i am so happy i went the midwife route, she was so thorough with me, answering all my questions about labor, what happens when it starts, when i know is a good time to go to the hospital...etc.

what were her answers you might ask? listen to your body. i love it. just simple. i am a strong and intuitive woman, i will know what is right and what is wrong. i will know when it is time to go to the hospital and when i am ok to still be at home. so beautiful.

i think a part of why i am feeling so amazed that wee watson comes so soon is that i am still feeling mostly like myself. i am still actively working at the store on my feet all day, still spinning, doing yoga (sometimes in the same day!) and meeting friends at a bar for a drink (water for me). i feel so alive, so empowered and so lucky. i have a friend who i work with who was put on bedrest. she is just as healthy and fit as i am and yet, she needed medical intervention. it is in these moments i step back and realize- wow, i am so truly blessed to be engaged and active and living my life with wee watson every day. i really hope to carry this into our lives postpartum as well. realizing that this is a gift and an addition to my already amazing and beautiful life.

xo

32 weeks and snow!

hello from the pups!

this weekend marks 32 weeks, officially putting us in the 8 month of pregnancy! the bump hasn't changed that much in my perspective, although my belly button is starting to show! i find myself constantly touching my belly and belly button, i am so used to having such an innie! i have never felt an outie :)

this past week has been very busy at the store, keeping me on my feet and on the move. i still feel amazing, lots of energy and excitement. yoga is the best thing around these days, it takes the swelling out of my body, eases my mind and always reminds me that my body and mind are capable of so much as long as i focus my breath. every time i step away from my mat i am so thankful to have found this community, the people, the practice, the energy- it is all so healing and powerful. i know my yoga practice, my time on the mat, will directly transfer to my labour. i trust my body, i trust my heart, i trust my breath. i trust my labour experience will be amazing, and most importantly, the result of it will be the most beautiful thing- our firstborn baby, the one who will complete our family. with every week hank and i are just bursting with anticipation to meet wee watson.

and of course, because its me, i have already stocked up on diapers, cream, wipes...the whole nine yards. we are ready!!

8 more weeks to go :) and i am going to soak each and every one of them up!! wee watson is kicking and punching and moving around like a little soccer player/ballerina and i although i can't wait to meet wee, i also will be sad to have these movements go :) they are so special.

here is our house, snowy and decorated for christmas!

happy holidays! xo

31 weeks, baby shower and thanksgiving

so much to catch up on! sorry for my absence, time is slipping away faster then i can handle! i can't believe christmas is right around the corner.

hank and i had an amazing thanksgiving in pittsburgh with his family, they are the most wonderful and loving people- i feel so blessed to have inherited them as my family :) hank and i got lots of practice too with quinn, our newest nephew (and my Godson!) as well as a glimpse into our future as maggie and peter have three kids- we can only hope we are that together when that day comes! being with all the kids made both hank and i realize that the next time we are all together, we will have our own! one we get to take home with us when we leave :) SO exciting. we are so grateful to have such an amazing family who support us in this new journey.

thank you Watsons/Brittains/Kumars. much love.

i came home early as i had to work on black friday and since hank and driven with the dogs, i was alone in the house. it was erie! then my dad came into town and we got to spend 3 days hanging out and doing it nashville style! we saw emmylou harris at the bluebird cafe (she just showed up!), ran into nicole kidman and keith urban at whole foods and JUST missed the newest couple- taylor swift and jake gyllenhaal at fido. it was quite a weekend :) thanks dad for coming and making an empty house feel full and happy! love you.

we also put together the final touches on the nursery, see the result below!

the artwork was a present from my dad, it is an 1800's ABC book that he framed for wee, so gorgeous! thanks dad.

we also finally got our glider and holy cow, it is the most comfortable chair i have ever put my bum in! i sat in there for 30 min and teared up thinking of rocking my little wee watson there. it is such a happy space and i can't wait to welcome him/her into it!

wee watson is growing so fast! here is the best self pic i could get this morning....

he/she is kicking and moving like a champ, i go for my 32 week appt next week, then after that we visit the midwife every 2 weeks! getting SO close i can't believe it :)

hank and i toured the hospital this week to see the labour and delivery ward...i have to say, i was a bit scared when i left. it didn't give me any warm and fuzzies inside. but, i am choosing to focus on the end result- beautiful and healthy wee watson in my arms.

the highlight of my week though was saturday night. hank and i had chatted about celebrating the milestone of 30 weeks. well, it was right after thanksgiving and we weren't together, so we decided to celebrate 31 weeks instead. so, he made reservations at cafe nonna for us saturday night (or so i thought). we got dressed, got in the car and as we were getting close i started to be the front seat driver that i am and told him he was going the wrong way! i am too busy googling directions on my blackberry when he parks and tells me to get out of the car. i look around and realize we are not at cafe nonna but my friend blairs house! he told me we had to pick something up there before dinner...i was so confused! we walk up the door and SURPRISE!! all my besties are there waiting for me to throw me a baby shower!!! it was SO amazing, i have never been surprised like that! i was (and still am) overwhelmed with the love i am surrounded by. lucky, lucky me! it was a hilarious party, just a pure celebration of the fact that hank and i are surrounded by the best group of friends here in nashville and we are so blessed.

opening our nashville onsie!

caroline, me & sarah

mindy, me & sarah

lets just say it wasn't a typical baby shower, but it was perfect. lots of laughs, drinks and toasts (thanks caroline!). i couldn't have planned it any better myself! thank you ladies for your love, your support and most importantly for your unrelenting friendship. i love you all so much.

phew. that was quite a post. if you are still reading, thank YOU for your support and love. hank and i wouldn't be here were it not for you :)

xo

29 weeks

wee watson is on the move. this has been the most dramatic week of movement yet! hank and i had indian food tonight (yum!) and he/she is loving it! twisting, kicking and moving all around. it is the most amazing feeling and i don't think it could ever get old...i might have to try and see if i can post a video because we can see body parts moving individually now and it is amazing.

not much else to report, just can't believe how quickly the weeks are flying by!!!

oh, and i think this is going to be the best thanksgiving because i get to eat for two :) extra apple pie a la mode? yes please :)

xo

28 week update

this was my caffeine replacement this morning, and lets just say, i will happily drink my decaf over this any day! i had my gestational diabetes test this morning along with my 28 week appointment with my midwife, Soheyl. had to drink this amazing cocktail in 5 minutes and then wait an hour before they could take my blood. should find out the results tomorrow, but with all the snickers and 100 grand bars wee watson has been craving, i am sure i will have no problem reacting to this sugary drink!!

hank is in chicago tonight for an interview tomorrow, so here is my self-portrait belly pic. measured a perfect 28 today at my appointment so although people keep telling me i am small, my midwife assures me growth is right on track! this week officially starts my third trimester too! 12 more weeks to go until hank and i get to welcome wee watson into our home and lives :) i get teary just thinking about how magical that day is going to be!

oh, and no, we aren't moving to chicago :) hank is interviewing there for a potential position in nashville. although i am open to relocating for hank's dream job- chicago is not on either one of our radars, WAY to cold :)

getting back into the swing of things after our babymoon, missed the pups and i think they missed us :)

xo

babymoon in san fran!

hank and i just got back from an amazing 4 day vaca to San Francisco, aka, our "babymoon". we had such an amazing time walking the streets (or mountains!), eating amazing food (i miss diners!!) and just being together.

the hills were no joke! this street had such an amazing view of the city but took some serious work to get there :) wee watson and i were exhausted and promptly went to enjoy a few slices of delicious pizza :) thank you wee for making dairy a digestible food once again!! haha.

the sea lions were one of my favorite san fran stops! they stack on top of each other in the bay and they were SO funny. the fat one on the edge reminded me of georgia :)

this was waiting outside one of the best breakfast spots in san fran called mama's. i had the best fresh fruit pancakes! yum-o! we had to wait in line, but had no complaints, the sun was out and we were together with no where in particular to be!

we quickly realized that although the cable car is a bit of a tourist attraction, they are VERY practical! we hiked the hills one day and by the next, were happy to pay the five bucks to ride the cable car :) wee watson in particular enjoyed the ride, since some of the hills were so steep i felt like i was hitting him/her with my knees hiking up!

and last but not least, we got to see a great friend, Josh, who recently moved to san fran. so good to see you Josh! thanks again for all you did to make our trip such a great one :)

good looking men, right? i got to dine with both of them, talk about arm candy!

most of all i gained the reminder that i am married to the most amazing man. i am so blessed, so happy and can't wait to call hank not only my husband, but dad. he and i have so much to learn, so much adventure ahead of us and there is no one in the world better suited to take it on with :) joy is a choice and a blessing and i am so happy to have hank to remind me of that choice and our blessings daily. thank you hank, love you so much.

xo

vacation day 1

i am officially on vacation :) the email is off, away message sent and my amazing husband woke me up with coffee and toast in bed :) this is the life.

had a small scare this morning when i went to go pull up our itinerary and couldn't find it, but phew, settled that with a little phone call to hotels.com.

we are going to san fran :)

i will be sure to take lots of photos, we need an updated picture of hank and i with the weester in bump form- christmas card anyone?

i am so excited for this "babymoon", just time with the hubs to relax, enjoy a brand new city and celebrate the new life we have coming into the world in february (or maybe january....hank hopes wee comes early). either way this is such an amazing time in our lives, i feel so blessed every single day and can't wait to meet wee! he/she is also really excited for the trip, kicking away like crazy this morning! could also be because i am finally still for more then 5 minutes :)

xo

still here!

sorry it has been so long since my last post, things in life have picked up and i have to say this month has flown by!

i am officially 27 weeks today, in the last week of my second trimester! how time flies! 28 weeks will mark the beginning of the third trimester, a time of much growth and anticipation for the newest addition to the watson crew :) i think the dogs are starting to understand something is changing in me...they are so gentle with my belly and love to rest their cute little faces on it. wee LOVES when they do this and responds with a few somersaults and elbows :)

so, what has happened this month...

1. we opened our lululemon nashville store! it is so beautiful and i am so proud to call it home. here are some photos so you can enjoy it too :)

the front entrance

our cash wrap

it has kept me busy, and wee watson has been along for the whole ride! i am so proud of my whole team, it is an amazing place because of them :) here is a pic of a few of us with the founder of lululemon, chip wilson who came to visit us days after we opened!

chip is in the white t-shirt in the back and to the right :)

2. my little nephew, Jack, turned 1! i can't believe it, he is the cutest! check out this picture if you can even stand it!!!

don't you want to just squeeze those cheeks? i do!!!

3. i have officially become a woman. i bought bras yesterday, like real person, 3-clasp bras! amazing i know. for some of you, you might be saying, too much information!! well, stop reading here...haha. for those of you amazed and astonished since you know prior to this faithful day i was the proud owner of the same bras since i was fifteen, and even then owned them not out of need but because everyone else around me had them :) they were essentially training bras, so this is a HUGE leap. and imagine my surprise when i was measured and they told me i was a 36C! yes, C. wow, wee watson thank you! haha.

as for wee, he/she is growing by the minute. most everyone i run into now recognizes that i am pregnant and so i have enjoyed chatting more and more about it. hank and i started our childbirth classes and are looking forward to learning more about how we can work together to make this an amazing birth experience no matter what happens. :)

my books/websites tell me wee watson is now almost 2 pounds and 9 inches from crown to rump! so big! hank and i are getting SO excited to meet wee, to snuggle him/her and know whether it is a him or her!!!!

here is an updated pic of the belly....

not the best quality, it was a self-pic while i was in memphis this week. better pictures to follow :)

that just about covers it! i promise i won't be such a stranger :)

xo

buy one get one free

pure bliss.

spent the morning with my husband- a walk to our fav coffee shop, ugly mugs, with our very own ugly mugs, georgia and annie :) we then drove to franklin to get the remaining pieces of our nursery, the glider, mattress and changing table pad. i think we might have gone overboard a bit with the glider, but we figure it will last us forever...fingers crossed :)

finished our date with a yummy lunch at one of our favorite franklin destinations- pucketts. got to sit outside in the crisp fall weather, leaves changing and falling all around. stunning. and the cherry on top was my company :) oh! and the fact that i learned sweet cece's has a buy one get one free deal for preggo's- i was pretty much in heaven. pumpkin yogurt- yum yum yum!

to top off my amazing morning and early afternoon, i spent the rest of the day at my new store, with my amazing team. they are the most amazing women and i am so ecstatic to be opening our doors tomorrow morning together!

my mantra these days is- i have the choice. no matter what happens, i have the choice. i create the result. so, i choose to be happy. blissful.

xo

week 23

here is wee watson at week 23 :)

starting to grow, more and more each day! he/she is also getting more and more active, turning and kicking all the time. since i am so busy (physically) each day, i look forward to the evening when i finally put my feet up and lay down on the couch because wee goes crazy! he/she starts doing gymnastics in my belly and it just makes me smile from ear to ear.

i really do love being pregnant :)

oh, and hank and his brother denny painted the nursery this weekend! it is amazing, the crib is put together...ahh, it is getting so real! i almost cried when hank sent me a photo of the room with the crib (he put it together while i was at work). if i wasn't surrounded by a bunch of people, i know i would have cried. pure happiness.

been reading an amazing book called beautiful, bountiful, blissful that i can't recommend enough to anyone who is pregnant or hoping to be. here is an excerpt that has really resonated with me...

"the teaching of kundalini yoga is that a woman comes to know and love herself, radiance shines through to the outside, and we call her beautiful. as she grows to be more compassionate not only of others but of herself, we call her bountiful. finally, as she comes to experience the vastness of who she is and of what she is capable, we call her blissful."

some days, all three exist. others, its struggle to connect with any. but there is nothing more important then being present with each moment to recognize where you are and honor it.

xo

22 weeks

i have been thinking a lot lately about new beginnings. i have recently discovered numerous new feelings on my mat and not from new poses, but from a new awareness in each pose. sometimes, it is a literal feeling- a kick, a somersault or fleeting hand. other times, a spiritual feeling of gratefulness, joy, love, vulnerability, strength...

in the moments i am most present with myself, those are the moments of spontaneous smiles and sometimes tears. emotions that come from a place of really digging into the pure joy that is growing and moving inside of me each day. the emotions that remind me, i am a mother. :)

loving this ride called pregnancy :)

xo

bring on the zantac...

wee watson blessed me with heartburn the past few weeks. thank goodness for zantac and babycenter.com to help me figure out what to do to make it go away! it comes and goes, and i read it was a common side effect, but i also had no idea what heartburn actually felt like! ouch! i can't complain, overall still feeling great, starting to grow a little bit, feeling more and more like a momma each day :)

here i am, 21 1/2 weeks! starting to get a few more when are you due questions...so much fun to start to feel a bit more like i am pregnant rather then just bloated! still have some room to grow as does the little wee-ster. he/she is kicking like crazy, they get stronger every day- now we can actually see them! it is so amazing, such a feeling of pride i have when i feel them knowing that i am sustaining a new life inside of my body- i am the sole caregiver! that is when i feel like a mom already, and it feels AMAZING. gives me the chills!

also so excited because hank and i planned our "babymoon"- if you are unfamiliar with this term, it is all the rage these days...haha, just kidding. but i have had a few friends tell me that this is an important time for me and hank to spend time alone. so, we have booked a vacation, just the two of us, to san francisco in november for 4 days! i am going to take a full week off work and soak it all in :) and of course, use some time to set up the nursery! we have all the necessities, now just time to pick a paint color and put hank to work! :)

well, it is only 945pm but i am exhausted. the spin and yoga class wear me out a bit more then they used to! i am just happy i am still going and feeling great when i am there!

xo

fantastic family filled weekend

my sisters went above and beyond making this the most special day for me and wee watson! the tables were draped in green and yellow fabrics, there were beautiful fresh flowers, childrens books and blocks on the tables for decoration. it was amazing. i was so blown away i almost cried! could be the hormones, but i was so filled with love.

on top of that seven of my aunts came from all over, my grandmother on hank's side and my in-laws as well as many of my mom's closest friends and some of mine! 30 people in total gathered to celebrate wee watson coming into the family. wee, we all can't wait to meet you! are are going to be smothered in love and snugly blankets :) thank you to every who came and showed your love and support. SO amazing.

and it didn't hurt that they served my favorite foods. a make your own salad bar that trumps whole foods :) including my most dreamed about tofu salad and tahini dressing from the lime restaurant in norwalk. yum, yum, yum!

so excited to start putting together wee watson's room!!!!

after the baby shower in connecticut we drove to new jersey to celebrate the newest addition to the family- Quinn Peter Brittain! i am honored to be the Godmother and was so proud to celebrate his baptism.

we made it home last night, with lots of love in our hearts for all the new beginnings coming up! hank and i just can't wait to add another little one to the family... :)

xo

ultrasound day!

today we got to see the ultrasound tech and the midwife...good news all around!

19 week ultrasound today :)

phew, didn't find out the sex! they were so sweet and understanding, we just had to look away when they told us to :) wee watson is 12 ounces, 6 inches long & healthy as a horse! they said everything looks great. this was our last ultrasound, but we will go back in 5 weeks (at 24 weeks) to our midwife.

also got to use the 3-D ultrasound machine. here the picture...wee watson looks a bit weird, but SO cute. i guess i am bias....

side lying photo...you can see the eyes, nose and mouth as well as the right arm and hand :)

so happy and grateful for today. took the day off so hank and i got to celebrate by driving out to pucketts in leipers fork, yum-o!

xo

19 weeks and oh so grateful..

19 weeks! almost half way through this amazing journey, i can't believe it. :) so, i have to pause and be really cheesy for a moment. maybe it is the hormones, maybe i am just a mush of a girl, but either way, i am so in love.

i am in love with the husband i have who wakes up every morning telling me i am the most beautiful pregnant woman in the world (such a confidence booster when i tend to think about my ever growing butt and thighs...).

i am in love with my body and its ability to adapt and grow and nourish our child. i am in love with my family and the love and support i feel from them daily, even if things are hard here and there, they always amaze and inspire me.

i am re-falling in love with yoga. it is such a nourishing and comforting place to be. i am so alive and light when i am on my mat. i am so blessed to be surrounded with amazing teachers and students here in nashville. i am not saying i ever fell out of love with yoga, but as my body is changing and bootcamp, running, kickboxing, zumba...etc. aren't feeling the way they used to- i find so much power and grace on my yoga mat that my whole demeanor changes and i realize what is most important right now. i am a mom! i can slow down, i can take a nap, i need to do that both for me and for my child. i need to start thinking for two, not just for one. this is a huge step, but one i am so excited to make. both hank and i are just so overjoyed to meet our little one. and think wee watson is excited to meet us, if his/her kicks and somersaults have anything to say!

here is an updated picture of the belly...getting there! i am excited to see the growth over the next few weeks as every talks about this being the time you "pop"!

we have our next appointment tomorrow. i can't wait to see wee watson again :) i can't believe we could already know the sex, i have talked to so many people who were dying to know at this point and hank and i are so NOT ready! haha! we are looking forward to finding out when the little one comes out and we can say hello luke! or hello lillian! (those our favorite names as of now :)

leave on friday for our baby shower in connecticut hosted by my amazing sisters, meghan and emily...SO EXCITED!

(meghan, emily, me!)

aren't they stunning? i know, i am the luckiest!

more to come tomorrow when we have our ultrasound pictures...i just hope and pray they don't leak the sex to us! yikes! that would be so sad...

xo

movement!

i have been waiting for this HUGE kick or something that really knocks me to the ground...but alas nothing. i have been confused as to whether i am hungry, have gas or are feeling wee watson moving. so, i decided to just wait until he/she really wants to wake up and give me a good ol' hello mama i am HERE kick :)

and today, i finally felt movement! a really new feeling, a low, steady and quick pulsing...like a mouse is in my belly. so, not the kick i was waiting for, but better. so subtle but there is no mistaking it- i felt wee watson doing his/her favorite yoga poses today :) i instantly called hank, when he got home he could feel it too! quite a remarkable feeling!

we are getting so excited because we have our next ultrasound in a week and a half, this one is 3D! Nervous too because we have decided not to find out the sex and since it is 3D, well i am pretty sure we will be able to tell one way or the other! so, we are going to have to tell the technician we only want to look when we aren't at risk of seeing something we don't want to! :)

18 weeks this monday...can't believe we are approaching the halfway point! i am not eager at all to find out the sex or get to the end yet...just loving being pregnant and waking up every morning and seeing what is going to happen that day! still waiting to pop though... :)

xo

17 weeks and growing...

17 weeks :)

17 weeks tomorrow! here is the latest picture. hank and i were planning to head to the pool- he ended up going to the Jack Daniels distillery instead, so before i took off the only suit that still fits, he took a pic!

wee watson is definitely growing! still in-between regular and maternity clothes, but really loving my target version of the bella band :) it is a band that goes on top of your jeans or shorts, it smoothes out the bump and holds everything on!

my prenatal classes started, class number two is in a few hours...it is so much fun and i am loving being able to use yoga to relax and restore. i have always pushed myself in my workouts and am happy to let go of that, eat snickers, and listen to my body. speaking of snickers...why are they SO good? i have also added some other things to my diet that i have not eaten in years! sour cream (loving the mexican these days), cheddar cheese (mmm. mac and cheese) and eggs with their yolks! i went to bongo java yesterday and ate an egg and cheese bagel. yum, yum, yum! i am so surprised my stomach hasn't started a revolt!

off to get ready to teach my classes!

xo

the transformation begins...

ok, so i was looking through my "bump" pictures and i was shocked to see how much i had grown...

this was taken at 5 weeks...aka my pre-preggo shape.

and this was taken today, at 16 weeks. not much of a bump, but, lots of thickness!

wee watson is growing ;)

can't help but include this photo too...bought a onsie today (because they are just too cute!) and decided to see what georgia would do upon seeing it...

she wasn't very impressed! haha! :)

a wonderful saturday afternoon...

after a long week of work, feeling a bit like a ping pong ball as things started to get revved up for the opening of the store, the trip hank and i took with some friends on saturday was just the ticket wee watson and i were looking for!

if you are a nashville local and you have yet to explore it, Cummins Falls is an amazing place about and hour or so outside of town.

Hank and I enjoying the view off the waterfall!

we had to hike a bit to get there, but it was so great to catch up with our friends Caroline and Adam :) nothing like some bud light (for everyone else), good friends and nature!

Caroline and i enjoying the view! and our company :)

after the hike, swimming and having woken up at 6am that morning for work, i was ready for some delicious food and bed. luckily, east nashville provides hank and i with some of the best food around. we grabbed some wraps and couscous from silly goose. SO delicious. they are one of the most unassuming restaurants in nashville, they cook with george forman grills! but, they make all their own sauces, and combinations. so yum! :) both wee watson and i went to bed happy that night!

speaking of food, i am SO enjoying eating right now. i thought i loved food before but since my second trimester began i have been enjoying food more and more. so, you might notice that i will be chatting about my relationship with food lately, because it is so much fun!

belly pictures to come...still just looking thick :)

lots of love to all.

xo

there is nothing like a good nap...

i am laying in bed, freshly showered and in my robe. dogs are cuddled up next to me. and it is 2:30pm. i LOVE naps. especially when they are so well deserved, aka running and pilates bootcamp today! i love the flexibility of my job, there is always some down time from 2-5, perfect when i really need a nap. oh, and i forgot to mention there is also a bowl of mini snickers next to me right now. i couldn't help myself when i saw them at the grocery! actually, i realize now two days ago someone told me a story about a snickers and i haven't been able to get them out of my head since. so, finally i am here, eating snickers right before a nice easy nap :)

didn't sleep well last night, had my first night of feeling really uncomfortable and uneasy. i don't have a belly getting in my way yet, but i always sleep on my stomach. i gave that up a few weeks ago as it was no longer the most comfy and settled on my right side and back. however, last night i was laying on my right side when i started to feel a tingling sensation inside, like my organs were going to sleep. weird i know. but i learned in my prenatal yoga teacher training that after the first trimester laying on your right side or back are not advised, not for long periods of time anyway. this is because your vena cava, a major blood vessel that supplies blood all through out your body, runs down the right back side of your body. so, as your baby starts to grow and your uterus expands, your organs have to find new space. when you lay on your back and gravity moves your uterus/baby/organs onto your vena cava, you can stop blood supply to you and then ultimately your baby. now obviously as your baby grows, you have to take more and more caution to avoid any numbness or tingling. so, i guess i felt that? anyway, it freaked me out a bit. we learned it really only happens about 8-15% of the time, so you don't have to say never lie on your right/back side it is just important to be aware of. anyhow, i was able to place a small pillow in-between my legs and lay comfortably on my left side. having the pillow there seemed to really help me relax. and now, i am just going to be more aware of that feeling!

so, if you are in a class, whether yoga, pilates or bootcamp, the goal after the first trimester (esp after 20 weeks) is to keep the head elevated in comparison to the heart, and the heart elevated in comparison to the hips. this way, gravity doesn't allow for the vena cava to have any pressure on it and you can do all the exercises you would do on your back, just propped up on blankets, a bolster or sitting up against a wall. :)

click here for a great prenatal sequence to do at home. ;)

off to rest before i head back to work. i will take more pictures of the belly when it looks less like nothing and more like a bump! :)

xo

ps. i have to share this blog, i met meg yesterday at a group interview we were hosting for the store, she is such an amazing girl who has this simple but genius idea to start a blog about the things that bring her joy each and every day. so, check it out, it is sure to bring a smile to your face: http://www.350lights.blogspot.com/

the in-between stage....

so i have been reading a bunch of pregnancy books, and none of them have mentioned this awkward in-between stage that i have been in for the last few weeks. its like my midsection has doubled in width, but not in any particular place, just all around...love handles included! the books also all say you "pop" around 13-15 weeks. well, we celebrate wee watson's 15th week of growth tomorrow and i have yet to pop. so, i am embracing this new middle that i have grown, trying not to dream of the days when i can fill out maternity clothes and waddle down the street. for now, i will celebrate the fact that my maternity jeans are darn cute, my thighs have yet to expand too much and loose fitting tank tops are in style!

the one perk is i have begun to get more and more compliments on my new ladies. yes, my boobs. they are huge! well, for me. and they don't hurt as much anymore, so lets just say everyone is much happier :)

i have been able to get back to my normal routine, eating included. my appetite has curbed itself a bit, eating more normal meals, having less and less cravings. and i have gotten back to running and swimming, as well as keeping up with my yoga. my energy is much better and i have been sleeping through the night (unless i have to pee, which is not uncommon anymore). the heat here in nashville is unbelievable and it is the main things keeping me from feeling like myself- other then that, i have been feeling great! the second trimester is SO much better then the first! as our midwife said, the second trimester is the time to sit back, relax and enjoy being pregnant. so, we are taking her advice and just celebrating the fact that we are going to be parents in the new year!

my sister-in-law is overdue and being induced tomorrow, thinking lots of her and excited to meet wee watson's cousin and my Goddaughter! :)

goodnight for now...

xo

here come the hormones...

i hear from a lot of women that they are hormonal in the first and the third trimester. well, seems like second trimester hit and my poor husband just got home- to me hormonally charged. granted he got to miss all the nausea and laziness i experienced in the first (for those of you who don't know he had an internship this summer in DC) but i think he might take that over some of my outbursts lately.

i have always been a very stubborn person, sometimes to my benefit but mostly to my detriment. thank goodness for my amazing hubby, because he deals with it, but this is like stubbornness and tears on steroids. poor man. i do love him so :)

hear is an updated picture!

(hank (the hubs) says this picture doesn't do the bump justice)

it is kind of blurry, but my whole midsection is much thicker and the bump is starting to show. especially when i am in my lululemon tanks (which i had to buy up a size yesterday, SO much comfier now!) the boobs have seemed to slow down, although i am sure that won't last long :)

haven't worn my maternity jeans yet, but, am looking forward to them. it has been unbelievably hot here, so jeans are just out of the question. my bikini and the pool have been my favorite accessories these days!

so maybe it was the hormones or maybe we just finally felt educated enough to make a decision, but we switched doctors, or i should say midwives. we were going to the women's health center at 100 oaks, and it was OK. as you all remember, our ultrasound wasn't the greatest experience the first time and although our second visit was better, i learned some key things (thanks to my mom!).

a. they are a mixed practice, so if i went into labor at night, only physicians are on call then and so we would not have the option of a midwife.

b. they offer a "centering program" which they automatically signed me up for when i got there. while there is nothing wrong with this program, it wasn't the one-on-one educational experience i was looking to have with my midwife.

c. they use residents in their practice, so a few strangers might show up while i am laboring, not really my idea of a good time. what if i ran into them one day?! awkward!

SO, they were very nice about referring me to the Vanderbilt Nurse Midwives Clinic, the only hospital based nurse-midwife practice in Nashville. I called them up and they do a free consultation so you can come in and learn about what they do before making an appt.. I went on Thursday and felt right at home. It was a much smaller practice, focused on intervention only with reason and making sure the whole experience was educational and amazing for mom, dad and baby. smile. i was so happy. this is exactly what i was looking for and am so thankful i realized i had the power to make that decision and do it! so, we have switched over! thanks to electronic records, it was a seamless switch. and even better, they are letting hank and i come in on monday to hear the heartbeat again, since he couldn't be there the first time!

midwives are not for everyone, but this is exactly what i was looking for, so if the natural route is your path or not- i highly recommend checking this practice out :)

off to yoga and work :) looking forward to my first class at yoga country tomorrow- yummy deep and stretchy!

have a great saturday!

"fat guy in a little coat"...

this is exactly how i am feeling the past few days. remember the scene with chris farley inTommy Boy? if not, you should google it, or just watch the whole movie- it is a classic.

the point being, suddenly, everything is just a bit too tight. and thank goodness for my mom, she has been visiting the past few days and took me out shopping for some early maternity clothes and of course, some baby gear! being in the shops, looking at these tiny little onsies and stuffed animals- i realize this awkward phase is all going to be worth it. then i went and bought these maternity jeans from Pea in the Pod- not the cheapest option (which i am sure my husband won't be happy about) but, they were comfy and lifted my spirits :)

how cute? of course these had my smiling from ear to ear as well. since we aren't finding out the sex, these were the most gender neutral onsies we could find- the blue one has a bulldog on it, so we couldn't resist! it is hard to find gender neutral clothes, which is probably a good things since i would not be able to stop shopping if there were! this stuff is just SO cute.

tomorrow's task- pick out some paint colors for the babies room. my husband hank is back in town for good (thank goodness!) and thus, is ready to paint! i know i am only 13 weeks, BUT, if you know me, you know i will not wait until 7 months to get this baby room set up, it is just too much fun :)

while he is painting i will be cleaning out my closet of all the things that don't fit anymore...:)

what are your favorite maternity clothes?

ps. getting SO excited for my deep and stretchy classes to start, they are exactly what i am needing in my own practice now, so i hope to share it :)

whoosh, whoosh, whoosh

13 weeks! Head on the left, body to the right, laying on its back!

whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. exactly what our little babe's heartbeat sounded like today! ah! it was the most amazing experience. i have been so looking forward to this day, not only did i get to see him/her again on the ultrasound, but i got to hear the heartbeat with a doppler (separate machine) AND now i can launch my blog!!!!

the next appointment is around 20 weeks, which is when we would be able to find out the sex of the baby. we have decided not too, although i know towards the end it will be tough! but life is full of surprises right? so we will see...

i have noticed a major turn around in my energy and nausea. i am no longer nauseous and i feel as though my energy levels and appetite have evened out - thank goodness! 3 bagels in one morning just does not need to be repeated! i have gotten back to most of my regular workouts and can begin to do inversions again! yippee! inversions increase your risk of miscarriage in the first trimester while your baby is developing from an embryo to a fetus. now that i am through, and because it was in my practice before, i am set to get back on my head! thank goodness!

other then that i am feeling good. riding the high of my babies heartbeat...whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

* what is your favorite moment from your current or past pregnancies?

ps. for all of you just joining, which is well, everyone, i have been blogging (secretly) about my pregnancy since 5 weeks (scroll down to the bottom of page to see 1st post). i really wanted to create this space where i can share the happenings along the way for those of you who are like me and have never done this before! i am a first time mom-to-be and overjoyed to be sharing this experience in, i hope, in a light hearted and fun way!

i am also a vinyasa yoga teacher, as well as a pre & post natal certified yoga teacher here in nashville. i am inspired by the process of pregnancy, amazed that a whole new life is evolving inside my belly and honored to share prenatal yoga with the world. i plan to write honestly and openly about the changes that are occurring, post pictures of my life whenever applicable and share videos of prenatal yoga classes that anyone can use at home.

i love life and all the amazing unknowns and possibilities that come with it. i plan to use what i have learned about myself and my body through yoga as i guide myself (and my husband & dogs!) through the next chapter of our lives as parents!