Part 2

So i've been told that once you get going into the second trimester you're supposed to start getting a portion of your energy back. This has yet to happen for me yet. True, I am only a little over a week into it, but i'm still really looking forward to feeling like "the old me" again. Lately i've been feeling pretty run down and am wishing I could have a few cups of coffee to make myself a little more lively.
Hence, this doesn't take away the fact that I am getting a little bit more excited about this whole process. This week we have a full week ahead of us with birth activities. I've been reading quite a lot and decided that I absolutely want a midwife, so i've made an apppointment with one on Friday, and hope that she will be the one I could fall in love with. The place that I have been going to has just not been doing it for me. There are 5 obstetricians who work in the practice and I wasn't in love with any of them. I need to feel comfortable while i'm giving birth so the search is on!
We are also hopefully meeting with our potential doula this week too, who I also can't wait to meet. I am starting to feel like things are begining to come together a bit more now and am becoming about the whole birthing process. I can't believe that at this time next year I will have a little one on my arm.

14 weeks 4 days

11 weeks 6 days

A few weeks ago, Amir took a bunch of photos of me so that we can start documenting my ever expanding belly during these next 9 months.

The Secret is Out

So, yes, i've been gone for quite some time. I guess it was because I felt as though there wasn't a whole lot to say, as has changed now. This summer was amazing. Although the summer weather here never really came, we still were able to make the most of it. We had a wonderful time visiting LA and seeing old friends. I love that city more than any other in the US and always will. After a week there we took a road trip up to San Francisco for another week of just relaxing and hanging out in one of our other favorite city's. I didn't want to ever come back from my California dream.
Upon arriving back in IL about a week into it we were lucky enough to make it to Lollapalooza to have our final blowout of the summer. It was the hottest weekend of the summer, and I was sad to see it come to and end.
A few weeks after that I found something out that was to change our lives forever. One day I was feeling extra sick at work and left early, only to come home and take a pregnancy test(well maybe 2). It was positive and I could and couldn't believe it all at the same time.
So up until this past week I was keeping it a secret from most everyone until I made it safely through the first trimester. I have just heard the horror stories of quite a few ladies I know not making it through. I can only imagine telling a bunch of people then later having to go back and tell them the horrible news. So as of last week we heard the baby's heartbeat and saw it dancing around like crazy. I thought it might be okay to let the secret out, even though i'm still a little nervous. It's definitely nice to have people know and tell you how excited they are for you. There are at least 7 other ladies I know who are pregnant right now too, so it's really great to be able to talk about it with them too.
This whole experience is still so unreal. I haven't gained a lot of weight yet, and haven't felt the baby move so i'm not sure it has completely hit me yet. Yesterday I bought a book by Ina Mays Gaskin called "Guide to Childbirth", which is comprised of a lot of different women talking about their births and i'm just excited to be learning again.
Mostly i'm SOO glad that the secret is out because that was one of the hardest things i've had to keep in my life.

So the last few weeks have been a bit depressing, and just downround strange. I'm talking about the whole death of Michael Jackson. When I first heard about it, just like so many other people, I thought that it couldn't be true. However, I quickly found out that it was. For the first few days it just didn't seem real to me. I know that Michael Jackson was in no way super human, and I knew that oneday he would pass, however I never really put it into any form of reality. There are many people who could care less about this whole thing and that's fine. I, on the other hand, have been affected. One of my best/first memories as a child was when my ma played "Thriller" on the record player. I LOVED LOVED LOVED that song!!!! Not to mention that "The Making of Thriller" was my favorite movie. Still is actually. I watched it all the time as a child.
I feel that in these last several years I've definently strayed from Michael. In my mind i've always loved him and stood by him through all of the drama that his life was, however, I wasn't buying all his cds and been totally there. That makes me feel a little sad. I feel like he was such a good person aside from the fact that he's definently the best entertainer of all time, and I just want people to see that instead of making such harsh judgements about him. We need to become a much more positive country instead of the pessimism that clouds many peoples minds.
There was something that I had to do because of the strong feelings that i've been going through these last few weeks. I wanted to show my love for Michael by getting a tribute tattoo.
So, Michael Jackson, you've touched me in a way that nobody will ever again. Michael, I love you!!! Rest in Peace

And the Countdown Begins....

I am getting so excited as there are only 2 days now until my mom and I leave for our trip out east to Virginia!! Our reason for going, of course, is for my friend's wedding. However, it's also a 3 day weekend away from work and it's just always good to go on a trip away from it all for piece of mind, which is something that I really need. I feel like my life has become work work work, and i'm so needing this vaca.
Besides this trip happening it's me and Amir's one year anniversary which is another reason to celebrate. Hard to believe that a year has come and gone so quickly, as I feel it was just yesterday that we were on our way to Vegas.
Hope y'all have a fabulous Memorial Day weekend!

Summer Lovin

So i've been gone for a bit. There haven't been moments in my life lately worth writing, thus the hiatus. So the winter has come and thankfully gone. We have now been granted blooming trees, green grass and the occasional 70 degree sunny day. All of which are things that make me very happy these days. I've definently grown to love some of the simpler things that life has to offer: family, good friends, my dogs,good food and some warm weather. If that was all I was given i'd die happy.
I'm pretty excited for this summer to really get here because we've got some nice things planned. Things will get going a bit next week when mom and I head to Virginia for one of my good friend's wedding. They are both chefs and will be doing a lot of the cooking themselves which i'm looking forward to. Not to mention that they are also brewing their own beer! Never been to Virginia either so i'm looking forward to taking quite a few photos! The same weekend that they are getting married is me and Amir's 1 year anniversary so we'll e celebrating that upon our arrival on Sunday with some delicious Italian food. Then, of course, in July we are going to California again to chill for a few weeks in our beloved Los Angeles and San Francisco. I've been missing it since we left so i'm just counting the days until we get there. Soon after we get back from there will be Lollapolooza. I was real sad that we didn't get to go last year since the lineup was so amazing that I couldn't even think of not going this year. My bro was nice enough to buy me a ticket for my bday so he will be getting something equally amazing in return.
Below are some photos from a day with friends on Cinco de Mayo.