38 weeks... and still waiting!

Another two weeks has passed... now standing still at 38 weeks!

Things have not progressed too much... I had a few days of some contractions but nothing significant. My doctor appointments are still showing everything is going great for Baby BOG and me... so we are just "patiently" waiting!

Frank and I are still hoping for a 2011 baby... :-)

Love to you all!

Christmas Fun!

I hope you all had a very Merry and Blessed Christmas holiday!

Frank and I celebrated our holiday together on Christmas Eve evening and Christmas Day was spent with the family. However... we did give McGraw and Kayla their gifts Christmas Eve afternoon...







Frank and I got some really awesome gifts from each other as well as his parents. There were very sweet and generous to have sent us gifts... that we will definitely enjoy!

On Christmas Day we went to my parents house early in the morning to open gifts with Zane (my nephew). He was so excited for all of the gifts from his Mom, grandparents, aunts and even Santa! Here are a few photos of his morning:









After the excitement settled, Hilary, Frank and I prepared breakfast for the family... biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, waffles, muffins... YUM!! "Traditionally" my dad makes breakfast on the holidays with pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc. For some reason, he decided to sit this year out! Hopefully this is not the NEW tradition...

Following the fulfillment of breakfast... we moved into the living room and played our tradition of the Chinese Gift Exchange. Consisting of drawing a number and picking a gift or stealing a gift until all numbers have palyed out! I was excited to end with four large variety bags of my favorite candy... M&Ms!!

A few of us decided to go the movies... watched "We Bought a Zoo". HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT... very sweet and loving movie. I could see the kids enjoying it as well.

The evening was a litle less eventful with a light dinner and a game and then home we went... and in the bed! Overall... it was a great day spending time with family and just being in each others presence. That's the best tradition that we can have!

Lots to Share!

So here we are... week 36... There has been a lot going on these past couple of weeks so I better get started on the updates!



The force of a smile... at least I tried!

BABY BOG... and I had a doctor's visit this morning. His/Her heartbeat was 148, my blood pressure was 110/68 and of course a couple of pounds gained! The doctor was very pleased with the checkup and stated that he would be happy with an arrival at any time :-) We were very excited to hear that as well!!

FAMILY TRADITIONS...
It has become tradition for our family/sisters to gather for an Annual Bake Cookies Day in December to give out to family, friends, co-workers, etc. YUMMM... this has become my favorite day of the year!! This year we did our baking the first weekend of December knowing the rest of the month would be busy... and unexpected things could happen :-)

Here are some photos of the day...







The first weekend of December, Frank and I also went and picked out our tree! We intended to go to the mountains of N.C., however, with the long day of Baking Cookies, we decided to just go to a local store to find a fresh cut tree (or the closest to it!). Of course you have to let it sit for a few days befor you can decorate... so we did. Here is our tree :-)



It would probably be a prettier photo if the lights were on... but I definitely was not thinking of that when I took the picture.

Because there is not enough excitement heading our way... Frank and I have been looking and talking about new living room furniture for months. When Thanksgiving came around and the Black Friday shopping spree... there was a specific tv Frank wanted to purchase. However, after discussing the "what if" purchase we finally decided to take the plunge and get new living room furniture vs the pointless purchase of a tv. We are definitely happy about our selection... it adds light and additional space to the room!





HAPPY BIRTHDAY... my sister, Hilary, will be turning 30 on December 22! YEAH!! Since that falls around the Christmas holiday, she wanted to celebrate a couple of weeks early to have as many friends and family around her to celebrate. We all met up at Azteca (her favorite mexican restaurant) and then afterwards some went to a friends house to continue the celebration. Of course I wish I could have... but I would have been no fun sitting on a couch falling asleep! HERE'S THE BIRTHDAY GIRL!!







THIS WEEKEND... will be full of fun festivities as well! I will be making gingerbread sandwich cookies and decorating them with my nephew, Zane, as well as getting together with friends for our Annual Christmas Party! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with family and friends for the next few weeks, as it could all come to halt when Baby BOG arrives... he/she will be getting ALL of my attention for a little bit :-)

I will be in touch next week...

34 Weeks... and completed Nursery!

So... 34 weeks... and I am already hoping for Baby B.O.G. to arrive soon after Christmas! OK... so maybe we have been hoping for this since the beginning... but I am definitely wanting this now! Here are a few of the reasons I can think of:

1. I have reached the 30 lb mark of weight gain... and it doesn't help that I feel like I am constantly eating!
2. My back has been aching for what seems like non-stop since a few days prior to Thanksgiving... and no, my constant walks do not help, they just subside the pain for a short period of time.
3. My cloths feel like they are shrinking and I don't want to spend additional money on maternity clothes... nor can I wear yoga pants and a sweat shirt to work everyday!
4. I can barely bend to tie my shoes.. or bend at all!
5. My hips crackle everytime I get up from sitting or lying down
6. I can barely breathe at times
7. I even feel more moody/irritable in general and I am trying to keep that tamed as to not offend anyone.

OK... so I said I had a "few" complaints and listed a little more... but I am enjoying the pregnancy. Every minute of it... and every movement of it! And I still consider myself to have had a pretty easy pregnancy. Just a few minor glitches in these last few weeks...

Baby B.O.G. had his/her check up today and everything went great (as always!). Baby was calm with a heartbeat of 144 and Baby B.O.G. continues to be active... especially at 4am!!

Frank and I have also been working on getting the nursery set and all of the clothes and items washed and ready for Baby B.O.G.s arrival. There are only a few items left to tend to... mainly bottles and bags to pack. I love going into the nursery and sitting in the chair and just relaxing... it does seem to calm me!





We are hoping to enjoy these next few weeks of not doing a lot except for getting ready for the Christmas holiday and spending time with family and friends. We are getting our tree this weekend and decorating the house... I will post photos when we are finished!

I may be posting weekly after this week... and watch out... because I may even post more often in general! :-)

Love to you all!

32 weeks

32 weeks and still moving strong! Baby BOG is still as active today as he/she was a few weeks ago... those jabs are just a little stronger... but I am enjoying each and everyone of them!

It sure has been a busy last couple of weeks... Baby BOG had his/her special day, the baby shower! He/She got a ton of wonderful gifts that will definitely be used! Mom-to-be was definitely excited about putting all the items away in the baby's room! I will have to post a completed room photo soon!




(awesome diaper cake sent from my mom, sister, and grandmother!)


Missy and me, best friend & event photographer


Jennifer, me, and Hilary, the event hostess'


Baby BOG's row of aunts, outside of the family!

With Frank's mom, grandmom and cousin and my aunt in town, I took the opportunity to have a family cookout at our house that same weekend. We even celebrated Frank's birthday... sorry no photo of the wonderful cake... it was an angry bird! Frank play's it all the time! It was a great... and long... day!

Frank and I also recived giftcards and cash for Baby BOG, so we took the opportunity to go ahead and get the items we knew we would need for the Baby. THAT WAS FUN TOO... I LOVE TO SHOP!! I spent the following weekend washing all the baby clothes, blankets, burb cloths, bibs, etc. and hanging them or placing them in the drawers. Needless to say... my energy is starting to decrease daily. I have been going non-stop on the weekends... going to support my best friend (Missy) at her half-marathon to coming home and clenaning and prepping for Baby BOG and a little shopping!

I don't know how this weekend is going to be... busy or relaxing? But I am definitely looking forward to next week... a short work week and long holiday weekend with family, friends (hopefully!), food and relaxation!

The Final Weeks...

Well... if you are counting the weeks with Frank, me and Baby BOG... you know that today is the 30-week mark. YEAH!! ONLY 10 MORE TO GO... approximately!



Tomorrow is a doctor's appointment to get the latest news on Baby BOG and mom-to-be's health status. Since my last doctor's visit, I passed the gestational diabetes test but my iron is low so I am now taking a prescription for iron. This is normal for most pregnancies, so everything is still great!

Baby BOG is still active, although they say this could calm down a bit since the baby is going to start running out of room to stretch and kick. However, I don't think this baby is going to calm down that easily... the stretches and kicks are more prominent to the touch and fun to watch all the way across the belly.

I am looking forward to this weekend... it's time to celebrate Baby BOG with a shower! Frank's mom, grandmother and cousin are coming into town for the occasion and I have an Aunt that just so happens to be here as well! I am looking forward to seeing a lot of family and friends (some that I don't get to see on a regular basis) for this blessing of an occasion. Hopefully you will be there!! :-) I am sure there will be plenty of photos to share with you all!

It Was Worth the Wait...

28 weeks!

I know I usually post consistently every other week on Wednesdays... however, I had to wait a few extra days to get in a special sneak peek!

Yesterday was our 28 week check up, diabetes testing and 4D ultrasound! DON'T LOOK YET... let me finish!!

Before the usual check up portion, they had me drink a sugary drink (that was not great, but better than the chalk stuff from my galbladder surgery a few years ago!). And then we headed in to see the doctor... the nurse did her usual thing and then came time to get the baby's heartrate! Baby was lovin' my latest beverage!! Heartrate was 156! I have gained a few more pounds... which is crazy considering I was just weighed two weeks ago!! I had a heart-to-heart talk with MY doctor about this and he stated that I was ok... as long as I was still maintaining a healthy diet and exercising! That helped me be more at ease with the weight gain...

So then we went for the 4D ultrasound... we decided to spend the extra money since we did not find out the gender of the baby. A little treat for us!

OK... NOW YOU CAN LOOK!

26 weeks

Well... here we are at 26 weeks... 14 weeks left to go!

We are going to the doctor tomorrow for the gestational diabetes test and to schedule our 3D appointment!

Wish us luck!!

Trip to Jersey

So I was hoping to post this last week when Frank and I returned home from our visit to Jersey. However, life got in the way and since I post every other week for 'Baby BOG', I figured I could wait until then...

One of Frank's groomsmen, Mark, celebrated his marriage to Jennifer on Sunday, September 25. The forecast was not looking great for the weekend, but they got lucky and the rain held out... all day! The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was fun... the food was great also, the best part... dessert was a buffet of sweets!

Here are a few photos of the newly weds:








Frank and I got to Jersey on Saturday afternoon and planned to meet up with his friends to celebrate his best friends (Lou) birthday... at least that is what he told me! So we get to his house... and to my surprise, his wife (Michelle) set up a baby shower for us! I was definitely shocked and probably didn't seem too excited... but I honestly was Michelle! She made a bundle of yummy snack foods and cupcakes (my favorite) and had the cutest lollipops for party favors. Here some photos of the gifts for Baby BOG:








This was not a gift, something we found at the mall and we had to get it!!

Other than the celebration of Baby BOG and Mark and Jennifer's wedding, there was not a whole lot planned. The trip was short but we managed to do a little relaxing while we there well. OH! Did I mention the ride... to Jersey was great... it took about an extra hour with a few additional stops for the restroom and walk breaks but good overall. Back to Charlotte... not so great! We were stopped by traffic and then we had to make a few extra long stops because I felt so swollen and needed to walk longer. That was a long day... but we still managed to get home and have the evening to relax and get to bed early.

I am a little sad that it is going to be a while before we can get back up there... I always enjoy escaping to Jersey for what seems like a mini-vacation... but a few of the family members and the frien are already talking about making trips to Charlotte. That will definitely be a nice change!

24 weeks = 6 months!

Can you beleive it?... 6 months already! Only a few weeks away from entering the 3rd trimester!
I can honestly say that the 2nd trimester flew by... when I felt like the 1st trimester was a long wait.



I am still feeling great... going to the gym on a regular basis and watching what I eat (a little!). I desire sweets a little more often and sometimes (okay... most of the time) give in to the temptation. But I figure... if I am balancing it out with a some-what healthy diet and exercise, I should be ok, right?!

Baby BOG has definitely made him/her-self known! Some friends and family have been able to feel the movement... some not as lucky as others. Music and reading to the baby are becoming a regular evening activity for us already. Baby BOG likes the Beyonce Pandora mix, Boston, and Aerosmith! I grew on country music but I haven't received a lot of sparks from any of my favorites.

Can you tell we are excited? Half my blog is just about Baby!!

Other news in the Sims' household:
A few weekends ago I met up with some high school friends for lunch (minus one favorite!). We have tried to get together before, but it didn't work out... so it was a year since our last visit. Thinking back on that visit... it is amazing how much has changed since high school... and that one-year visit! But I love those ladies and it is awesome to see how we have all grown into wonderful and proud women!

Last weekend I got the chance to support my best friend (and running buddy), Missy, at a local 10K race. Last spring we started running together and participating in local 5K, 8K, 10K races and even ended the year with a half-marathon. This year... well... I am on the sidelines cheering Missy on with my full support! She has been training for, not just one, but TWO half-marathons!



I have envied her this year because I can't train and participate with her... but then going to support her at the race this past weekend... UGH!... that made me miss running and getting that "accomplished" feeling at the end! Missy did an awesome job... she came in at 1 hour, 3 minutes... somewhere around 7 - 9 minutes better than last year! I can't wait to cheer her on at her half-marathons... I know she will knock them out!


(About a month ago... out with friends for dinner!)

This week... Frank is in Atlanta for a work training program. In the past I haven't really noticed when he goes out of town for these things because I am always pretty busy or it's just quiet and I get to enjoy it... but this time it's different! Don't ask me why... sometimes we just need a break for ourselves! But I am definitely not liking being alone... so I am keeping myself busy after work.

Monday: had to travel the world to go pick up Frank's vehicle at his work
Tuesday: had a hair appointment (that usually takes a few hours!)
Wednesday: gym, drop-off Goodwill bags, and errands to prep for going out of town this weekend
Thursday: gym and laundry, pack for trip
Friday: possibly dinner with Missy and picking up Frank

YES... this weekend is another trip to New Jersey! This will be our last until next year sometime. And even then we are still not sure when that will be...
This trip isn't just a last-minute venture... we are going for a friends wedding (Mark and Jennifer). So we will definitely be a little busy but looking forward to escaping Charlotte for a few days!

Love and hugs to you all!

Nursery and Movements!

Here we are at week 22... and it has definitely been an exciting past couple of weeks! Since week 20... I have spent some much needed time with my best friends, visited a few of Frank's baseball games, worked (and finished) the nursery, finished a book, started a new book, definitely went shopping for baby necessities and got a manicure!

Here are a few photos of the nursery, that I am SO excited to finally share!

BEFORE PHOTOS:




AFTER PHOTOS:






Revisions to the room:
- painted the walls and furniture ($75)
- upgraded hardware on furniture ($80)
- added a fan with a dimmer switch ($100)
- added the curtain rod ($20)... curtains were from the living room!
- added a shelf in the closet ($25)
- miscellaneous decor items added to the room ($45)
- TOTAL COST... $345! Not too bad considering what I have seen and heard from others!

PS... I did not include the crib/mattress in the cost because it was a gift to us from Frank's father and step-mother!!

I am so in love with this room and enjoyed putting everything in it's place. We are hoping to still get a rocker from a friend... it's just a matter of getting to their home for a visit!

OTHER EXCITING NEWS... Baby BOG gave me a good punch/kick on Friday evening while we were at home relaxing! I was definitely hoping for a repeat moment... but it hasn't happened yet; however, Baby BOG is very active in the morning and for most of the day and pretty calm at night. I have been playing music at night to see if that helps get some activity, it has a few times but there is no consistency. But it has been fun trying!

On a personal note... I am feeling great these days! Going to the gym 3 - 4 days a week. Sleep is still an issue sometimes and middle of the night snacks are getting better. I am amazed at how "pregnant" I look already and still have four-months to go! At our last doctor's visit, I had gained a total of 11 lbs, which "they" say is just enough. SO... I will definitely be curious to see how much I gained this past month... we will see on Thursday!