I just dropped the bomb on Facebook, Instagram and the blog. Here are the links to easily catch up on our baby news!
Announcement
2 Pink Lines
The First Few Weeks
First Doctors Appt
Still Hiding
The Big Reveal
Now That Everyone Knows
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Now That Everyone Knows
Finally! Everyone knows. I can openly talk about being pregnant. I don't have to make any more fake drinks, pretend I am not starving, or hide my tiny growing bump. I was pretty good about taking pictures but most of them I don't have a top on so I won't be publishing those on the world wide web. Here are some bump picture that I can show you...
As I type this, I am currently 18 weeks and 3 days. I start a new week every Friday. In the 18 week picture, I think I look pregnant but Kyle said strangers still won't be able to tell.
I have not been sick 1 time and really haven't had many symptoms. I have been working out since the day I found out. Probably the worst symptom I have experienced is a very sore lower back. I have been craving Mexican food! I could eat Mexican food everyday before I was pregnant but it is almost the only thing I want now.
And even though most people say that they don't miss drinking, I am going to be completely honest here and say that I really do miss it. While I am not saying that I want to be 18 weeks pregnant and drunk, I miss having a cocktail at dinner or wine while Kyle and I watch a movie. It also drastically changes certain events. I still go to anything and everything that I would have before, but I either don't end up staying as long or I get a little bored when everyone is drinking and I am sipping on water (or my new friend, ODoul's). I have made almost every combination of sparkling water and some type of mixer/juice you can think of and I have been enjoying it. My favorite is sparkling water with peach sangria mix from Williams Sonoma.
So there ya have it! The last 18 weeks of my life all wrapped up for you. I have every intention of blogging regularly from here on out, but I was finding it hard to blog when I was keeping this secret.
Jan 10th welcomes 20 weeks, halfway for us!
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| 12 weeks |
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| 17 weeks |
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| 18 weeks |
I have not been sick 1 time and really haven't had many symptoms. I have been working out since the day I found out. Probably the worst symptom I have experienced is a very sore lower back. I have been craving Mexican food! I could eat Mexican food everyday before I was pregnant but it is almost the only thing I want now.
And even though most people say that they don't miss drinking, I am going to be completely honest here and say that I really do miss it. While I am not saying that I want to be 18 weeks pregnant and drunk, I miss having a cocktail at dinner or wine while Kyle and I watch a movie. It also drastically changes certain events. I still go to anything and everything that I would have before, but I either don't end up staying as long or I get a little bored when everyone is drinking and I am sipping on water (or my new friend, ODoul's). I have made almost every combination of sparkling water and some type of mixer/juice you can think of and I have been enjoying it. My favorite is sparkling water with peach sangria mix from Williams Sonoma.
So there ya have it! The last 18 weeks of my life all wrapped up for you. I have every intention of blogging regularly from here on out, but I was finding it hard to blog when I was keeping this secret.
Jan 10th welcomes 20 weeks, halfway for us!
The Big Reveal
The time was here. November 26th, 2013. 71 days after finding out we are having a baby. 71 days of hiding my hunger, my non-drinking, my ultrasound pics. 71 freaking days.
The Gatewood's arrived on Monday around 2pm. We invited my parents over for dinner on Tuesday night. We used the excuse that the Gatewood's wanted to have them over to thank them for hosting Thanksgiving in 2 days. Here was the plan:
Kyle made a video of our NYC pics on his Mac. He put it to music and at the very end, he slid in a video of Dr. Butler doing the doppler on my stomach at 12 weeks. I wanted to show the video practically the moment my parents walked in but Kyle told me to be patient. Yeah, 71 days of patience was wearing off. We opened a bottle of wine and I waited. Eventually we sat down to dinner and now I was back into hiding mode. I even poured a little wine out in the bathroom sink. Once dinner was over, Kyle casually mentioned that we should watch the video he made. As far as I could tell, no one had a clue what was about to happen...
My parents sat on the couch, Kyle's parents sat in our large recliner. Kyle discreetly put the iPad on record and started the video.
You can hear my mom yell, " I knew it!" I asked her if she knew and she said that she had been suspicious for a few weeks. There were a few things that tipped her off but she didn't want to say anything because she didn't want to ruin any surprise that I had planned. I can't thank her enough for that! I had a very specific plan on how to tell the parents and I would have been so sad if it was blown before my plan fell apart.
It was such a huge relief to finally tell our parents. I almost felt lighter and refreshed afterwards. Now we had so much to talk about!
Up next...telling the rest of the family at Thanksgiving on Thursday.
We weren't really sure how we wanted to tell and we threw out a few ideas but it seemed like showing the video to a large group of people would be difficult so I decided to let my dad announce it during the prayer before the meal. This would be the only time that everyone was quiet and paying attention.
I wish I had video of my dad doing the prayer and choking up almost immediately. No one but my mom, Kyle and myself knew what was going on. As soon as he got out the big part "thank you for Baby Gatewood that is coming in May" the room went crazy. My aunt was crying and ran to me. I really have no idea what else was going on in that moment! I finally made it over to my brother and his family and got plenty of hugs and the sweetest part of all, my 4 yr old niece pulled my shirt up and put her hand on my belly.
Now it was time to celebrate, talk about all the things that had been going on, and EAT!
The Gatewood's arrived on Monday around 2pm. We invited my parents over for dinner on Tuesday night. We used the excuse that the Gatewood's wanted to have them over to thank them for hosting Thanksgiving in 2 days. Here was the plan:
Kyle made a video of our NYC pics on his Mac. He put it to music and at the very end, he slid in a video of Dr. Butler doing the doppler on my stomach at 12 weeks. I wanted to show the video practically the moment my parents walked in but Kyle told me to be patient. Yeah, 71 days of patience was wearing off. We opened a bottle of wine and I waited. Eventually we sat down to dinner and now I was back into hiding mode. I even poured a little wine out in the bathroom sink. Once dinner was over, Kyle casually mentioned that we should watch the video he made. As far as I could tell, no one had a clue what was about to happen...
My parents sat on the couch, Kyle's parents sat in our large recliner. Kyle discreetly put the iPad on record and started the video.
It was such a huge relief to finally tell our parents. I almost felt lighter and refreshed afterwards. Now we had so much to talk about!
Up next...telling the rest of the family at Thanksgiving on Thursday.
We weren't really sure how we wanted to tell and we threw out a few ideas but it seemed like showing the video to a large group of people would be difficult so I decided to let my dad announce it during the prayer before the meal. This would be the only time that everyone was quiet and paying attention.
I wish I had video of my dad doing the prayer and choking up almost immediately. No one but my mom, Kyle and myself knew what was going on. As soon as he got out the big part "thank you for Baby Gatewood that is coming in May" the room went crazy. My aunt was crying and ran to me. I really have no idea what else was going on in that moment! I finally made it over to my brother and his family and got plenty of hugs and the sweetest part of all, my 4 yr old niece pulled my shirt up and put her hand on my belly.
Now it was time to celebrate, talk about all the things that had been going on, and EAT!
Still Hiding
After OSU homecoming, I still many more weeks to go of hiding. The reason I was still hiding this amazing little secret was because Kyle's parents were coming into town for Thanksgiving and I wanted to tell our parents together. There are only a few times when we get our parents together and I just had this vision of revealing this wonderful piece of news to them together!
At the end of October, we had my grandma's 80th birthday party at our house. My whole family would be here and I had purchased all kinds of liquids that I could make into fake drinks. My plan was to tell no one.
But my cousins, Zach & Kristin, got there first with their baby girl, Dylan. I was holding her and talking to them and I literally couldn't keep it in any longer and I just blurted it out! Took them completely by surprise!
I had called my cousin, Katie, a few weeks prior and told her over the phone since she wouldn't be able to make it to Deeya's party.
I was glad that my mom and aunt were preoccupied with my grandma and too busy to keep an eye on the fact that I wasn't drinking the delicious rose champagne we opened.
Once the first of November was upon us, I was on serious countdown mode. It was becoming increasingly harder to not tell...
Nov 16th, I took my mom to the Harry Connick, Jr concert for her birthday. Still hiding....
Nov 23rd, we went to the last OSU game before the reveal. I was starving the entire day and I had to pee about 15 times before we went into the game. We ate at Hideaway Pizza before the game and I tried not to inhale the food. The Baylor game was freezing and I took a pair of snow pants that were already a little snug and when I slipped them on at the game over my 2 layers already, they wouldn't button.
After the game, I only had to wait 3 more days until the reveal to our parents.....
First Doc Appt
My first appt with the doctor was Oct 11th. At this point, I had know I was pregnant for 4 weeks and it was really hard to have to wait so long to see the doctor! At my first appt, she just gave me some prenatal vitamins, brochures and did an exam. Oh and then the blood work. Kyle wasn't able to get off work for this appt so I was there by myself. I don't like to have my blood taken and I usually get a little woozy and then pull myself together. But this time was bad, they took 6 vials of blood. 6!!!! I had no idea how many she had to take and about 2-3 vials in I started to sweat and get really light headed. She kept asking me if I was going to throw up or pass out. I told her neither because I knew if I made her stop we would just have to do it all over again.
Once the 6 vials were taken I had to wait in the room for about 30 min before I could get up. I was drenched in a cold sweat and was shivering. And I was white as a ghost. I had to go home and change my clothes and blow dry my hair. I was a mess!
I spent that weekend at Hudson Lake with Sammi, Elaina and Harlan celebrating Sammi's 30th birthday. I drank lots of sparkling water and lots of relaxation.
The following Friday, Oct 18th, was my second doctors appt. Kyle went with me this time and they did an vaginal ultrasound (I was 8 weeks pregnant). It was so surreal to see that tiny little fish looking baby with a tiny beating heart! The heartbeat at 8 weeks was 162, that little thing was moving!
At this appt we met our OB (I saw the PA on my first visit). I have gone to the Women's Health Group since my first gyno appt at 18 years old. Jennifer Butler is new to the practice and will be our doctor. This appt only lasted a few min and we just asked her a few questions and then we were on our way with the knowledge that our little one was growing as expected and had a strong beating heart (with pictures to take home!)
I hid those pictures on my nightstand for the next 6 weeks....
The day after our 9 week appt, we went to OSU homecoming with my parents. After the game, we went to eat at Mexico Joe's. Kyle went to the bar to get drinks for everyone and forgot to get me a fake drink. I will always have a margarita at a Mexican restaurant but once I told him he had to get me a fake drink, he really dropped the ball. After we sat at our table, he comes walking up with a pina colada. Not that I won't ever drink a pina, but I really would never order one. I was hoping this wouldn't tip my mom off that I was hiding something!
Once the 6 vials were taken I had to wait in the room for about 30 min before I could get up. I was drenched in a cold sweat and was shivering. And I was white as a ghost. I had to go home and change my clothes and blow dry my hair. I was a mess!
I spent that weekend at Hudson Lake with Sammi, Elaina and Harlan celebrating Sammi's 30th birthday. I drank lots of sparkling water and lots of relaxation.
The following Friday, Oct 18th, was my second doctors appt. Kyle went with me this time and they did an vaginal ultrasound (I was 8 weeks pregnant). It was so surreal to see that tiny little fish looking baby with a tiny beating heart! The heartbeat at 8 weeks was 162, that little thing was moving!
At this appt we met our OB (I saw the PA on my first visit). I have gone to the Women's Health Group since my first gyno appt at 18 years old. Jennifer Butler is new to the practice and will be our doctor. This appt only lasted a few min and we just asked her a few questions and then we were on our way with the knowledge that our little one was growing as expected and had a strong beating heart (with pictures to take home!)
I hid those pictures on my nightstand for the next 6 weeks....
The day after our 9 week appt, we went to OSU homecoming with my parents. After the game, we went to eat at Mexico Joe's. Kyle went to the bar to get drinks for everyone and forgot to get me a fake drink. I will always have a margarita at a Mexican restaurant but once I told him he had to get me a fake drink, he really dropped the ball. After we sat at our table, he comes walking up with a pina colada. Not that I won't ever drink a pina, but I really would never order one. I was hoping this wouldn't tip my mom off that I was hiding something!
The First Few Weeks
The first few weeks after finding out were interesting. Three days after, we drove down to Dallas for a wedding where we would see my brother and sister in law and my cousins and my aunt and uncle for breakfast the next morning. Kyle and I had a plan for him to order me fake drinks all night and luckily, for me, there ended up being no booze at the wedding. During the 36 hours that we were in Dallas, my aunt and sister in law both asked questions related to me being pregnant. I dodged the questions like a speeding bullet!
I also had a work happy hour event that I needed to sneak my way through and then the big one, a bachelorette party in Austin. My 3 best friends would be on this trip and I was going to have to reveal. Due to the nature of a bachelorette party (lots of drinking), I knew I wouldn't be able to hide it from them. I didn't reveal the secret on the first night which meant I had to fake drink. I made friends with a bartender and she would fill my beer bottle up with water. In the hotel room on Saturday morning, we were getting ready for brunch in our room and I told the girls that I brought us cookies. Each cookie had a pink or blue stripe on it and instead of being really cool and collected, I just awkwardly stood in front of the beds holding the bag of cookies with my shaking hand. Once they realized what was happening, lots of happiness (and a few happy tears) followed. Now I had my 3 besties on board to help me hide my soberness all weekend.
Following that trip, we went to Baltimore for a wedding. At this point, I was 6 weeks pregnant and I had only told my 3 friends. We decided that we wanted to tell our best Pittsburgh friends, Dante and Erin, on this trip. I told Kyle that he got to tell them anyway he wanted. So we joined them for lunch and as soon as the first round of drinks came, Kyle made a toast to his "pregnant wife". Later he told me that he planned to say something different but got nervous and just blurted it out. After Baltimore, we departed on our anniversary trip to NYC!
Since we hadn't told anyone in the family and I knew they would be following the pics I put up on Instagram, I decided I had to order some fake drinks to throw them off.
I experienced the tiniest amount of nausea on the flight to Baltimore but I just drank a ginger ale and was golden. I also was starving the entire time we were in NYC. We would eat, walk around for a while, and then I would be ready to eat again. I remember sitting in the Phantom of the Opera thinking about how hungry I was and hoping we could get to some food very quickly.
While I certainly wish that I could have had a glass of champagne at our anniversary dinner, we will always be so happy to have celebrated our very first anniversary in NYC with our little one growing with us.
I also had a work happy hour event that I needed to sneak my way through and then the big one, a bachelorette party in Austin. My 3 best friends would be on this trip and I was going to have to reveal. Due to the nature of a bachelorette party (lots of drinking), I knew I wouldn't be able to hide it from them. I didn't reveal the secret on the first night which meant I had to fake drink. I made friends with a bartender and she would fill my beer bottle up with water. In the hotel room on Saturday morning, we were getting ready for brunch in our room and I told the girls that I brought us cookies. Each cookie had a pink or blue stripe on it and instead of being really cool and collected, I just awkwardly stood in front of the beds holding the bag of cookies with my shaking hand. Once they realized what was happening, lots of happiness (and a few happy tears) followed. Now I had my 3 besties on board to help me hide my soberness all weekend.
Following that trip, we went to Baltimore for a wedding. At this point, I was 6 weeks pregnant and I had only told my 3 friends. We decided that we wanted to tell our best Pittsburgh friends, Dante and Erin, on this trip. I told Kyle that he got to tell them anyway he wanted. So we joined them for lunch and as soon as the first round of drinks came, Kyle made a toast to his "pregnant wife". Later he told me that he planned to say something different but got nervous and just blurted it out. After Baltimore, we departed on our anniversary trip to NYC!
Since we hadn't told anyone in the family and I knew they would be following the pics I put up on Instagram, I decided I had to order some fake drinks to throw them off.
I experienced the tiniest amount of nausea on the flight to Baltimore but I just drank a ginger ale and was golden. I also was starving the entire time we were in NYC. We would eat, walk around for a while, and then I would be ready to eat again. I remember sitting in the Phantom of the Opera thinking about how hungry I was and hoping we could get to some food very quickly.
While I certainly wish that I could have had a glass of champagne at our anniversary dinner, we will always be so happy to have celebrated our very first anniversary in NYC with our little one growing with us.
2 Pink Lines
Sept 17th turned out to be a very interesting day for the Gatewood's. I expected to start my period on Sept 16th and I went to bed thinking that I would wake up the next morning to find Aunt Flow had come to visit. When I woke up, I went to the bathroom to find nothing. Nothing. I am never late. Ever since I got off the pill, I had very precise cycles. So I ran to our upstairs bathroom and took a test. I waited the 3 min, and looked. Yep, there was definitely a second pink line. Holy crap. Even though I knew this could/would happen, it is still surreal to see that line. So the next step was to take another test. Yep, that second pink line again. I was feeling so many emotions. Pure joy, excitement, nerves, happiness. Kyle wasn't home so I was just staring at the wall for a minute or two. I went downstairs and ate a little breakfast and called the doctor to make an appt. I had recently mentioned to Kyle that Sept would have been a interesting month to get pregnant because I had so many things going on: destination bachelorette party, Baltimore wedding, trip to NYC. All things that I had been looking forward to for a very long time and would be changed by a pregnancy. But who cares, I'm pregnant!!!!!
After I made the doctors appt and ate some breakfast, I did the only logical think next. I took another test. I took a digital one this time and it immediately said "pregnant". Holla. I didn't want to tell Kyle on the phone and I had to work a wine tasting that night so I had to wait all day to tell him. I was completely distracted all day long. I kept thinking I would do something creative to tell him, but when it came down to it I didn't. I left the tasting around 7:30 and headed to the house. I found Kyle on the couch watching tv. I discreetly went upstairs and got the "pregnant" test. As I walked back into the room, he said "I'm glad you're home. I was bored". I handed him the test and said "well you won't be bored anymore". Shock. His face was unforgettable. He sat up and stared at me. Then he got up and hugged me. I told him all about the morning and how many tests I took and I called the doctor, blah, blah, blah. We sat there for quite some time talking about everything. You know, having the conversation that you always imagined you would have at a time like this.
The next few days were odd. You don't feel pregnant but apparently you are. Can I drink this coffee? Guess I should pour out the open bottle of wine. I've heard things about cheeses and deli meats, what is the deal on that? I'll google it (bad idea..there is some really crazy stuff on the internet about pregnancy).
Here is the the story of how we started our journey of pregnancy...
After I made the doctors appt and ate some breakfast, I did the only logical think next. I took another test. I took a digital one this time and it immediately said "pregnant". Holla. I didn't want to tell Kyle on the phone and I had to work a wine tasting that night so I had to wait all day to tell him. I was completely distracted all day long. I kept thinking I would do something creative to tell him, but when it came down to it I didn't. I left the tasting around 7:30 and headed to the house. I found Kyle on the couch watching tv. I discreetly went upstairs and got the "pregnant" test. As I walked back into the room, he said "I'm glad you're home. I was bored". I handed him the test and said "well you won't be bored anymore". Shock. His face was unforgettable. He sat up and stared at me. Then he got up and hugged me. I told him all about the morning and how many tests I took and I called the doctor, blah, blah, blah. We sat there for quite some time talking about everything. You know, having the conversation that you always imagined you would have at a time like this.
The next few days were odd. You don't feel pregnant but apparently you are. Can I drink this coffee? Guess I should pour out the open bottle of wine. I've heard things about cheeses and deli meats, what is the deal on that? I'll google it (bad idea..there is some really crazy stuff on the internet about pregnancy).
Here is the the story of how we started our journey of pregnancy...
Looking Forward to 2014
We are having a baby!
Kyle and I are so thrilled to announce that we are expecting a baby in May! I have waited quite some time to share the news so I will be catching you all up with several blog posts (because I know you are dying for all the little details).
Monday, November 25, 2013
So Cold
I am sitting in my house with 2 layers on. Kyle likes to keep our house at 64 degrees. Which is ridiculously cold. I remember when I used to be cold at my parents house and I am pretty sure they kept their thermostat at 68. If we are having people over, I usually turn it up a few degrees. One of our friends keeps her coat on at our house every time she is here in the winter months. And I find myself almost sweating if their house is above 68 degrees.
Kyle's parents are arriving today and I plan on turning the heat up for them. His dad doesn't like to be cold and our upstairs hasn't had a touch of heat this winter. My best friend during this time of year is my heated mattress pad. If you don't have one, (and don't like to get into an ice cold bed) go get one.
Speaking of cold, let's talk about the OSU game on Saturday. It was 25 degrees and felt like 18. I was so bundled that you could only see my eyes. But it was worth it to watch us beat the crap out of Baylor.
In other news, I took my mom to the Harry Connick Jr concert. Other than the drunk people that almost spilled beer all over her and then fell on a group of people while they tried to walk down the stairs, we had a great time. Harry has always been one of her favorites and she passed that along to me.
And then a few days after Harry, I got to see Justin Timberlake in concert. Pinch me. He was unbelievable. There were times that I couldn't believe we were actually watching him perform in front of our eyes. If you like him and you have the chance to go see him, do it. Well worth the money.
We have had lots to do lately around here. Kyle has been working so much, I have had tons of after hours tastings, concerts, birthdays, etc. This week we welcome Kyle's parents and get to spend Thanksgiving with our parents and family at my mom and dad's house. I plan on eating my weight in stuffing (or dressing as my aunt says).
Happy Thanksgiving!
Kyle's parents are arriving today and I plan on turning the heat up for them. His dad doesn't like to be cold and our upstairs hasn't had a touch of heat this winter. My best friend during this time of year is my heated mattress pad. If you don't have one, (and don't like to get into an ice cold bed) go get one.
Speaking of cold, let's talk about the OSU game on Saturday. It was 25 degrees and felt like 18. I was so bundled that you could only see my eyes. But it was worth it to watch us beat the crap out of Baylor.
In other news, I took my mom to the Harry Connick Jr concert. Other than the drunk people that almost spilled beer all over her and then fell on a group of people while they tried to walk down the stairs, we had a great time. Harry has always been one of her favorites and she passed that along to me.
And then a few days after Harry, I got to see Justin Timberlake in concert. Pinch me. He was unbelievable. There were times that I couldn't believe we were actually watching him perform in front of our eyes. If you like him and you have the chance to go see him, do it. Well worth the money.
We have had lots to do lately around here. Kyle has been working so much, I have had tons of after hours tastings, concerts, birthdays, etc. This week we welcome Kyle's parents and get to spend Thanksgiving with our parents and family at my mom and dad's house. I plan on eating my weight in stuffing (or dressing as my aunt says).
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
1 Year Reflections
We celebrated our 1 year anniversary on October 6th. This past year has been so many things, and difficult is not one of them. I had lots of people tell me that marriage was tough, especially the first year. But for us, it wasn't hard. Here is what I learned in our first year:
1. Men change when you get married
- What I mean by this statement is that men tend to revert to children-like behavior. They want you to take care of them, to coddle them, to cook and clean for them. Kyle used to be really competent and then we got married and now he can barely find his shoes before work in the morning.
2. Living together is so much fun
- Since I didn't live with Kyle until we got engaged, I was very excited to move in with him. Driving home late at night during the work week had become really annoying. It is really comforting to share a home with the person that you love.
3. Boys are gross
- Boys do not clean up after themselves like girls do. And they like to dry all the clothes on hot so it might be better to do all the laundry if you don't want your shirts to shrink.
4. Golf only gets more annoying
- I would say that Kyle and I fight over golf more than anything else. Mainly because he always wants to golf, it takes forever, and they always drink too much while they do it. Also, his friends don't care if you don't want him to play golf, they will call him over and over and over and wear him down until he feels like a chump if he doesn't go.
5. Being married is the best thing I have done
- I feel like, for me, I got engaged and married at the perfect time in my life. We knew each other well, loved each other, loved our families, and most importantly, enjoy time with each other. Genuinely enjoying time with your spouse makes things much easier.
We enjoyed so many things this year and I know we have so many wonderful things ahead. We have parents and siblings that are a wonderful example of marriage.
My life is infinitely better with Kyle by my side. He is kind, thoughtful, funny, crazy, sassy, determined, hard working, and sweet. He loves me with as much passion as he has and would do anything to make me happy. He also is a hot mess that drives me crazy daily.
I love him more than cheesecake and do not know what I would do without him. He has made my life more interesting and has brought more joy than I could have imagined. I am so lucky to have someone to share my life with who allows me to be myself, has the same values and makes me laugh every day.
1. Men change when you get married
- What I mean by this statement is that men tend to revert to children-like behavior. They want you to take care of them, to coddle them, to cook and clean for them. Kyle used to be really competent and then we got married and now he can barely find his shoes before work in the morning.
2. Living together is so much fun
- Since I didn't live with Kyle until we got engaged, I was very excited to move in with him. Driving home late at night during the work week had become really annoying. It is really comforting to share a home with the person that you love.
3. Boys are gross
- Boys do not clean up after themselves like girls do. And they like to dry all the clothes on hot so it might be better to do all the laundry if you don't want your shirts to shrink.
4. Golf only gets more annoying
- I would say that Kyle and I fight over golf more than anything else. Mainly because he always wants to golf, it takes forever, and they always drink too much while they do it. Also, his friends don't care if you don't want him to play golf, they will call him over and over and over and wear him down until he feels like a chump if he doesn't go.
5. Being married is the best thing I have done
- I feel like, for me, I got engaged and married at the perfect time in my life. We knew each other well, loved each other, loved our families, and most importantly, enjoy time with each other. Genuinely enjoying time with your spouse makes things much easier.
We enjoyed so many things this year and I know we have so many wonderful things ahead. We have parents and siblings that are a wonderful example of marriage.
My life is infinitely better with Kyle by my side. He is kind, thoughtful, funny, crazy, sassy, determined, hard working, and sweet. He loves me with as much passion as he has and would do anything to make me happy. He also is a hot mess that drives me crazy daily.
I love him more than cheesecake and do not know what I would do without him. He has made my life more interesting and has brought more joy than I could have imagined. I am so lucky to have someone to share my life with who allows me to be myself, has the same values and makes me laugh every day.
NYC: Day 4
This was my last day in the big city :( I was so sad. I was not at all ready to leave. We didn't have to leave until 2 so we could squeeze a few more things. Kyle really wanted to eat at a New York deli, so I found us a place called Artie's Delicatessen. Kyle ordered some type of 3 meat sandwich with the Jewish fries. They were unbelievable. They had pieces of pastrami, onions, and melted cheese mixed with ranch dressing.
We walked to the subway station and took a quick ride to Times Square to get the girls and Henry some presents. I took one last look at the lights and people and action before taking the subway back to get our bags.
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We grabbed a cab and took the ride to the airport. I almost cried when we had to leave. It was such a wonderful trip with my husband. We hadn't been on a trip just the 2 of us since we started dating in 2010.
It was the most wonderful time. Kyle put so much effort into this trip and I couldn't be more grateful for him and his kind heart and thoughtfulness.
We walked to the subway station and took a quick ride to Times Square to get the girls and Henry some presents. I took one last look at the lights and people and action before taking the subway back to get our bags.
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We grabbed a cab and took the ride to the airport. I almost cried when we had to leave. It was such a wonderful trip with my husband. We hadn't been on a trip just the 2 of us since we started dating in 2010.
It was the most wonderful time. Kyle put so much effort into this trip and I couldn't be more grateful for him and his kind heart and thoughtfulness.
NYC: Day 3
Ok, I am officially exhausted. NYC can really take it out of you, but we have to keep going. We did not go for a run this morning! We headed down to Ground Zero and made a stop into St. Paul's Cathedral. It is right across the street and only a tree suffered damage. It is a very small church and it served as a staging ground for the first responders. Here is the story of the church. The pews were all scratched up from the firefighters that would sleep on the benches and their tools would scratch the pews. They had a banner hanging up that came from Oklahoma!
After Ground Zero, we took the long to the Brooklyn Bridge. I thought Kyle was going to kill me for making him do all this walking but he sucked it up and followed me. Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is something we always see in movies, so of course we should do it. The bridge is a little over a mile long. Kyle did a little heel kick as we reached the other side.
Our feet were screaming at this point so we stopped at this cute little bar and got a cocktail before we took the subway to Soho. In Soho, we hit up the H&M. I have never been shopping at H&M so I was thrilled. I found out that there was a Piperlime store in Soho that I missed. I guess I will have to go back.
That night we sat around in another sports bar and once again watched the Cardinals beat the Pirates.
Our feet were screaming at this point so we stopped at this cute little bar and got a cocktail before we took the subway to Soho. In Soho, we hit up the H&M. I have never been shopping at H&M so I was thrilled. I found out that there was a Piperlime store in Soho that I missed. I guess I will have to go back.
That night we sat around in another sports bar and once again watched the Cardinals beat the Pirates.
NYC: Day 2
We woke up Tuesday morning exhausted but I had plans to exercise. I have always wanted to run in Central Park and I was going to do just that. Kyle NEVER runs with me but he wanted to do this with me for 2 reasons: 1) we were on our anniversary trip and 2) he didn't want me to get mugged. Kyle had been smart in telling me to pack my running clothes since I never run on vacation. We had such a great time running through Central Park, I will never forget that wonderful memory.
After we showered, we headed out for a full day. We took the subway to Times Square. And the crowds of people are exactly what you would expect.
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After we showered, we headed out for a full day. We took the subway to Times Square. And the crowds of people are exactly what you would expect.
Then we went to the Empire State Building. Of course, we picked the day that was "unusually busy". It was so crowded that I could barely get the edge to take pictures. Luckily I am not afraid to push my way into a small spot the minute that someone walks away.
We grabbed a late lunch at Gramercy Tavern after the Empire State Building. I ordered some type of tasty pasta and Kyle had their special, a burger. He said it was delicious, but it was not as good as the burger at The Tavern in Tulsa. So go eat there if you haven't.
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That evening, we went to see the Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theater. It opened there in 1988, and is the longest running show in Broadway show in history. I loved that we walked through Times Square in our fancy theater clothes.
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NYC: Day 1
After researching where to eat for brunch, we decided on Sarabeth's near Central Park. We took a leisurely stroll through Central Park (pinch me) to get there. I loved seeing the kids in the park with their teachers and class, the nannies pushing the babies in the strollers and the runners.
We sat down for brunch and chose an outside table so that I could take in all the hustle and bustle of the city streets. I ordered the jalapeno and cheddar omelet with an English muffin. Which was the best English muffin I have ever eaten in my life.
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I really wanted the lemon and ricotta pancakes and I am still pissed I didn't get them. I definitely could have walked them off on our way back through Central Park. It began to rain and we didn't have an umbrella, so we had to go back to the room to dry out. That afternoon we found a sports bar so we could watch the Cardinals beat the Pirates. After the game I wanted to do some shopping, so we hit DSW. Yes, a real New York gem. Haha..actually Kyle's feet hurt so much that he needed new shoes. It was 3 stories and magnificent. Then we walked over to Loehmann's where I scored some designer duds for cheap. It was probably good that the store was close to closing or I could have done more damage. Kyle has the patience of a 2 year when I am shopping. We walked to Coppola's West to have dinner. I really wanted authentic Italian food while we there. They had a framed picture of Britney Spears eating there so I knew I had to be in the right place.
We ordered the meatballs as an app, followed by eggplant parmesan for me and pepperoni pizza for Kyle. He said it was the best pizza he has ever eaten.
We ended the night sitting on our hotel rooftop looking over the NYC skyline.
We sat down for brunch and chose an outside table so that I could take in all the hustle and bustle of the city streets. I ordered the jalapeno and cheddar omelet with an English muffin. Which was the best English muffin I have ever eaten in my life.
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I really wanted the lemon and ricotta pancakes and I am still pissed I didn't get them. I definitely could have walked them off on our way back through Central Park. It began to rain and we didn't have an umbrella, so we had to go back to the room to dry out. That afternoon we found a sports bar so we could watch the Cardinals beat the Pirates. After the game I wanted to do some shopping, so we hit DSW. Yes, a real New York gem. Haha..actually Kyle's feet hurt so much that he needed new shoes. It was 3 stories and magnificent. Then we walked over to Loehmann's where I scored some designer duds for cheap. It was probably good that the store was close to closing or I could have done more damage. Kyle has the patience of a 2 year when I am shopping. We walked to Coppola's West to have dinner. I really wanted authentic Italian food while we there. They had a framed picture of Britney Spears eating there so I knew I had to be in the right place.
We ordered the meatballs as an app, followed by eggplant parmesan for me and pepperoni pizza for Kyle. He said it was the best pizza he has ever eaten.
We ended the night sitting on our hotel rooftop looking over the NYC skyline.
1 Year...NYC Trip!
After we left our hotel in Baltimore, we grabbed a cab and headed to Penn Station. Kyle was in charge of planning our entire anniversary trip. And he nailed it. He hands me an Amtrack ticket that will take me to the one place in the US I desperately wanted to go....NYC!
I was beyond thrilled. I have been begging to go to NYC for quite some time now. And this was so great because I plan 99% of our travel. From the flight booking to hotel to rental car, I do it all. I didn't have to do any research. (Until I got there and practically lived on my Yelp app).
We loaded our luggage onto the train and began our journey. Everything was going very smoothly until our train hit and killed a person. Yes, you read that right. Our Amtrack train was involved in a suicide and we became a crime scene. We were delayed about 2 hours but luckily we didn't have to switch trains.
We got into NYC around 6:30, grabbed a cab and headed to our hotel. Kyle said he searched hundreds of hotels and finally decided on NYLO in Manhattan, the Upper West Side. We were about 4 blocks west of Central Park. Our room was so cute! It was definitely smaller than the room in Baltimore, but I can easily handle a cozy room when I am in NYC.
We freshened up and headed our for our anniversary dinner. Kyle picked Telepan for dinner, based on a blog he read listing the top 10 restaurants in the Upper West Side. We shared dry-aged grass-fed ribeye for 2, which was unbelievably huge. And they brought out the marrow with it, and Kyle died and went to delicious butter/bone marrow heaven.
And then he told me how wonderful our first year of marriage was, and I cried at the table.
We walked home from dinner (one of my absolute favorite parts of NYC) and stopped at a little store and bought hydrangeas for our hotel room, which was the flower we used in our wedding.
Despite the Amtrack delay, our anniversary day was fantastic. Now, we needed to sleep to prepare for the next 4 days in NYC!
I was beyond thrilled. I have been begging to go to NYC for quite some time now. And this was so great because I plan 99% of our travel. From the flight booking to hotel to rental car, I do it all. I didn't have to do any research. (Until I got there and practically lived on my Yelp app).
We loaded our luggage onto the train and began our journey. Everything was going very smoothly until our train hit and killed a person. Yes, you read that right. Our Amtrack train was involved in a suicide and we became a crime scene. We were delayed about 2 hours but luckily we didn't have to switch trains.
We got into NYC around 6:30, grabbed a cab and headed to our hotel. Kyle said he searched hundreds of hotels and finally decided on NYLO in Manhattan, the Upper West Side. We were about 4 blocks west of Central Park. Our room was so cute! It was definitely smaller than the room in Baltimore, but I can easily handle a cozy room when I am in NYC.
We freshened up and headed our for our anniversary dinner. Kyle picked Telepan for dinner, based on a blog he read listing the top 10 restaurants in the Upper West Side. We shared dry-aged grass-fed ribeye for 2, which was unbelievably huge. And they brought out the marrow with it, and Kyle died and went to delicious butter/bone marrow heaven.
And then he told me how wonderful our first year of marriage was, and I cried at the table.
We walked home from dinner (one of my absolute favorite parts of NYC) and stopped at a little store and bought hydrangeas for our hotel room, which was the flower we used in our wedding.
Despite the Amtrack delay, our anniversary day was fantastic. Now, we needed to sleep to prepare for the next 4 days in NYC!
Baltimore
Kyle and I recently took a trip to Baltimore to see his good friend "Fleck" get married. The day after their wedding was our 1 year anniversary. We left Tulsa on Friday, Oct 4th and arrived in Baltimore late that night. We stayed in the Inner Harbor, which has a beautiful view. I finally got the meet the groomsman, Jake, that was hospitalized during our wedding and unable to come to Tulsa. Saturday morning, we took a stroll around the Inner Harbor while we waited on Dante and Erin to arrive from Pittsburgh.
Also, let me mention that it was 92 in Baltimore that day. Everyone kept saying how unusually hot it was. Meanwhile, in Tulsa, it was a cold 40-something degrees. Exactly the weather that greeted us 1 year prior.
After a leisurely and not very tasty lunch and Phillips, we freshened up at the hotel and left for the wedding. 4pm full Catholic mass, this was a first for me. The church was beautiful! We headed back to the hotel for cocktail hour followed by a beautiful reception in a ballroom. The invitation said black tie optional, and since I don't own any long dresses, I decided to purchase one for this occasion. I found this beautiful emerald green dress on sale at Dillard's and I am in love. I want to wear it everyday.
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The morning after, we grabbed brunch at Miss Shirley's where I ate delicious chicken and waffles with the best jalapeno butter. We returned to the hotel, packed our bags and headed out for our anniversary trip...
Also, let me mention that it was 92 in Baltimore that day. Everyone kept saying how unusually hot it was. Meanwhile, in Tulsa, it was a cold 40-something degrees. Exactly the weather that greeted us 1 year prior.
After a leisurely and not very tasty lunch and Phillips, we freshened up at the hotel and left for the wedding. 4pm full Catholic mass, this was a first for me. The church was beautiful! We headed back to the hotel for cocktail hour followed by a beautiful reception in a ballroom. The invitation said black tie optional, and since I don't own any long dresses, I decided to purchase one for this occasion. I found this beautiful emerald green dress on sale at Dillard's and I am in love. I want to wear it everyday.
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The morning after, we grabbed brunch at Miss Shirley's where I ate delicious chicken and waffles with the best jalapeno butter. We returned to the hotel, packed our bags and headed out for our anniversary trip...
Friday, September 6, 2013
End of Summer
We had a fun-filled summer visiting Pittsburgh, a short trip to Hot Springs, & baby showers followed by new babies. We also experienced extreme sadness when we lost our bulldog, Jackson. I still have a hard time looking at pictures of him without crying.
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| The original Primanti Bros |
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| Dinner at the Pittsburgh Field Club |
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| Doing touristy things in the 'Burgh |
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| Spending the day with Vincent, Dante & Erin's baby |
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| Loving on Kristin's bump |
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| How gorgeous does Lilia look?! |
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| Dylan Rylee Webb in her new outfit from me |
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| Bright eyed baby girl |
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| Lucas Sullivan...looking just like his daddy |
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| Nothing better than a baby and cousin (with her own baby marinating in her belly) |
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And we spent a lazy Labor Day weekend catching up on some sleep and completing a few small projects around the house. These photos are blurry but who cares!
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| "Life is too short for bad wine" "Eat dessert first" |
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| "Forever starts today" Awesome gift from my mom that I finally found the perfect spot to hang |
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