When we started to think about ideas for a babymoon we knew we wanted to do something little. Nothing too crazy but just enough to enjoy some time together as a family of two before we officially become a family of three! Of course Charleston was the clear choice since it is one of our favorite cities to visit. The weekend in Charleston was full of all the wonderful things that Charleston has to offer… food, shopping, drinks (for the hubs) and some live music! I couldn't ask for a better weekend with my favorite person.

We started the weekend off with a trip to the Saturday Market which was conveniently

right across the street from our hotel. After some coffee and a smoothie we walked around town

and met up with some friends before our reservations at our special place for dinner later that night.

Our reservations were at Circa 1886! 

It is always a must when we visit Charleston & as always, it did not disappoint! 

On Sunday we enjoyed the beautiful city of Charleston and 

walked by the water for a cool breeze on the hot day.

The next time we will be in this wonderful city, we have little Solomon with us!! I can't wait to create so many memories in the future with our family of three!

let's be real.

There are many aspects to this pregnancy thing and you can prepare as much as you wish, but there are still moments when you think, what the heck?!? I thought I would share some of those moments with you for fun. All of these little things took me by surprise and so I give them to you, in hopes that they might not surprise you one day!

// my shirts are always dirty

This one totally surprsied me but, I find left over food on the top of my belly ALL THE TIME. Salsa, pop-tart crumbs, something crusty that you have no idea what it could possibly be?? Anything. It never fails, I don't even think to put shirts back in the rotation to get a second wear because they all have to go straight to the laundry thanks to the mess. And also thanks to the next little surprise....

// keep deoderant with you at all times

when they say that you may sweat more than normal they mean, that you will smell more than usual. For the sake of all those around you, keep deo in your purse and carry it with you everywhere so you are prepared!!
Also, be preapared to explain your reasoning for applying deoderant before bed at night when your husband asks "why are you doing that?", tell him it is for HIS benefit and to just go with it.  

// pregnancy brain is a real thing

I didn't really believe in this until it started happening to me. Not just simple things that I forget (because let's be honest, that's normal!) but the whole forget what you are saying while you are saying it, that is weird! And doing bizar things for no reason like, walking around the island in your kitchen several times before you remember what you were doing. So, so weird!

// make sure you always have a snack in your purse

You never know when you will feel like you haven't had a meal in over a week. It is CRAZY. This tends to always happen to me at church on Sunday mornings and I regret the mornings that I didn't pack a larabar just in case. 

// people stop looking at your face

yep. I had no idea this would happen.... I mean, I knew that people would check out my belly but when I walk in the room or walk by someone that I know at work and I get a hello or a hi to my belly, and not my face, well, it's just odd. I wanna say, yo! My face is up here!!!! But, instead, I just say hello back and smile. 

Anything that took you by surprise??

Share your funny stories, I'd love to hear them!

Goals // 6.15

June = Summer weather and fresh eggs from the chicks!

May Update

1// Clean out the junk room to get ready for the nursery - it's clean and ready once we have the furniture purchased! My mom is being her normal wonderful self and painting the room for us while we are in Charleston this weekend so once that is done all we have to do is assemble the furniture and decorate!!

2// Enjoy my first Mother's Day and love on the Mothers in my life - yes, it was wonderful and I shared a little bit about that day HERE.
 

3// Complete a 30 Day Arm Challenge - nope. oooops, but I am on track now and have a plan in place plus I'm back in the gym at work since the heat outside was making me swell way too much. 

4// Celebrate Peter's Birthday - we had a wonderful weekend and several days of celebrating his birthday and I also shared a little love for that wonderful man HERE.

5// Enjoy Memorial Day off of work - we did a little shopping (purchased the rocking chair!!!!!!!) and some yummy mexican food for lunch, then we had a little cookout at our house with our moms and Peter's sister that was in town with her son. It was a lot of fun, and relaxing!

June Goals

1// Have a wonderful "Babymoon" in Charleston!
2// Celebrate my Mom's birthday a little early with a Mom/Daughter trip to Charlotte.

3// Enjoy Father's Day with my dad & Peter.

4// Spoil Solomon a little bit with our first baby shower!
5// Start the Chronological Study again.

this guy.

Over the weekend we celebrated my favorite guy. He turned 32 and the camera didn't come out once. That is really not like me at all, I love pictures... but it was so nice to just enjoy the time with him and family and friends and not worry about posing for a picture or enjoy the fun from behind the lens. I think the traveling for the past month made me appreciate the little things he brings to my life so much more. He is a good one, a perfect match for me, and I'm thankful for him every single day. Here are a few of the things that I love so much about him.

he makes me laugh till I can't breathe and I'm crying tears of joy in the bed at night, which is also one of the main reasons I miss him a lot when he is traveling for work // watching him with his nephews now that he knows he will have a son very soon is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen, he is going to be an amazing daddy // noticing how his passion for our church and the teaching we receive there has grown so much and how freely he shares it with others, it is a true blessing to have him lead our family // the way he always makes me feel safe and loved, even in the little things, like simply rubbing my leg while we are talking on the couch after a busy day at work

Peter, thank you for loving me and for choosing me!

I'm so blessed and happy to choose you over and over again, every single day.

Here's to many more birthdays with you!!

Pregnancy Post // month six.

Seriously crazy that we are starting month seven already!!
Our little man will be here in no time and I can't wait,
we are so excited and enjoying this time so much!

Weeks 21 - 24

Some questions we've been asked

Why do you want a natural birth // this has been a pretty common question I have been asked recently after people find out that I am planning on not having an epidural. I guess the biggest reason for me is my belief that God made our bodies to be able to endure the pain of child birth and women have been doing this for a very long time. The amount of endorphin's and adrenaline that women feel during and after a natural birth is supposed to be one of the most amazing feelings and I would love to experience that. Like I have mentioned before, I would love to have a water birth, and that is not something that can be done if you have an epidural.
However, I have one goal in mind, at the end of this pregnancy I pray that our family of three will go home together. That is the most important thing to me, so if that means I need an epidural or an emergency c-section for any reason then that will be fine. The health of Solomon and my safety is all I care about at the end of the day. I will trust my midwives and doula throughout this process.

I also want to point out that birth is an amazing thing and I know things will end up the way God planned, but the way we can plan for what we want is such a privilege. I know that a natural, epidural free, birth is not for everyone and that is perfectly fine. I do not pass judgement on anyone else's decision, this is just the decision that I have made for my birth.  


Where did the name Solomon come from // Peter's middle name is the arabic version of Solomon and he has said for a very long time that he wanted to name our first son Solomon, because of his middle name. I've always loved the name and I can't imagine our first boy not being named Solomon after all the conversations we have had about it. I can't wait to meet him.
We have also been asked if we will call him Solomon or give him a nickname. We might call him "Saul" around the house but for every day purposes and for school in the future he will go by Solomon.