Bumpdate {Weeks 15-18}

Size of baby: We have gone from an avocado at week 15 to a sweet potato at week 18!

Weight gain: At my 16 week appointment, the scale at my doctor's told me I was up 6 pounds. But, I had on my heavy rain boots! My scale at home tells me I'm still only up 1 pound (with no rain boots on, ha!). I have no clue how I haven't gained 1400 pounds with everything I've been eating. 

Maternity clothes: Yep! Pants for sure...the belly band is super annoying already. Wearing a few maternity shirts, and some longer regular shirts. 

Gender: It's a BOY!

Movement: Right around 15 weeks, I thought I felt somebody moving around in there. Now, at 18 weeks, it's definitely him! During the day, I don't feel him move as much because I am moving around so much and busy, but at night when I'm in bed, I can feel him kicking and moving all around in there!

Cravings: My new ones this month are cereal (I go through 2 boxes of Cocoa Pebbles a week, no joke) and bagels with cream cheese--specifically, everything bagels with strawberry cream cheese. Still not interested in meat, and can only eat chicken in very small amounts.

Symptoms: Still having a little bit of sciatic nerve and round ligament pains, but nothing too awful. I've also been slightly hormonal (sorry, Trav), but other than that, I feel great!

Workouts: Welp, I've gone from 3 miles down to a whopping 2 miles each run. I only need to run for 2 more weeks to make my goal of getting to 20 weeks!

Sleep: I busted out my pregnancy pillow on Christmas night and it has been as amazing as I remembered it to be! 

What I miss: Wine! Fun cocktails! Alcohol in general!

Best moments: Seeing this little guy on the ultrasound screen at our elective ultrasound (and we can watch him on the DVD we got whenever we like!), and finding out it's a boy on Christmas!

Looking forward to: My anatomy scan next week and getting started on decorating his nursery!

2015 Goals and Goals for 2016

I strangely like setting goals...gives me something to work towards! Here's a look at last year goals and if I accomplished them, as well as my updated goal for this coming year! I really liked how (without doing this on purpose, I swear!) my goals focused on different aspects of my life: family, home, health, faith...so I decided for this year just to tweak each one slightly. 

1. Run at least 1,000 miles

Check! 

I actually ran my last 2 miles on New Year's Eve! 

{my running buddy!}

2016 verison: Be active at least 3 times a week. Let's be real: running is getting real tough real quick with this pregnancy, and then I'll for sure be out of commission for 6 weeks this summer. So I'm not setting a mileage goal this year. I just want to walk or whatever I can do that day, 3 times per week. Should be easy enough, right?!

2. Take at least one family vacation

Check! 

We went to California last April, plus a family trip to Hilton Head in October!

2016 version: Keeping this one the same! Trips with my family are good for my soul :)

3. Go to church at least once a month

This was a big fat fail. 

We did go on Christmas Eve (and Easter)...but with Ella, it is just so hard! We don't like leaving her in the nursery (Trav works long hours during the week, so on the weekends, he wants to spend every second possible with Ella). Oh well...maybe in a few years?

2016 version: Considering right now I have a crazy toddler and I myself cannot make it through a service without having to pee, I think I am going to aim to go to church just a few times this year. But I would like to read a sermon or something every week (yes, Dad, if you're reading this and would like to start emailing me your sermons again, feel free!). 

4. Record something about Ella every day

Check!

I've been filling out my daily journal, although not daily, I will catch up on it every few days...but I have something written for every day in 2015!

{Ella would probably also want me to take her to Diamonds Direct every day...she loves that store!!}

2016 version: Keeping this one the same, but also come June, I need to record something about our new little guy daily, too! This is a challenge that I have been anticipating since I found out we were having a second child...everything I did with Ella, I will have to do with this kid, too! So yes, the weekly posts about what all we did that week will return this summer!

5. Get our house ready to sell

Check!

This is almost laughable, because this time last year we weren't even thinking about moving, and this year, our house is going on the market in 2 days! So not only did we get it ready to sell, we are actually selling it!

2016 version: Heck no am I going to get this new house ready to sell! Ha! But I would like to paint a few rooms: baby's room is already done, working on Ella's now, then I'd like to paint our living room and Ella's bathroom. Plus, I'd like to re-do our family room and half bath downstairs this year. Totally do-able with a newborn, right?! 

There you have it...my new goals for 2016! 

Happy New Year!

2015 {Year in Review}

What would New Year's Eve be without a little yearly recap?!

January

We started 2015 off with a little Carolina basketball, and a LOT of Ella's 1st birthday party planning!

February

We took Ella to the circus...

...and then she turned 1!!! (I only cried the whole month.) 

We had an amazing Breakfast at Ella's birthday party for her!

I also had to go back to work in February which was the absolute worst. Luckily, we had quite a few snow/ice days so I didn't have school!

March

In March, someone got a new stroller...

\

...a new car seat...

...and new shoes!

April

We took a family vacation to California!! 

And Ella and I got to meet Kyle Richards!!! (Duh, of course that would make it on my yearly highlight reel!)

May

May was all about golf...

...and strawberries!

We also celebrated Trav's grandma' 90th birthday and my 2nd Mother's Day!

June

Trav and I celebrated 3 years of marriage!

And we had Ella's week of Lilly, which was the best thing ever! 

We also attended weddings, birthday parties, celebrated Father's Day and Travis' birthday...and I had my last day of teaching ever (or at least for a while)!!!

July

Lots of blueberry picking...

...and swimming. Seriously, 80% of my July pictures are of Ella at the pool! 

I celebrated turning 30 by doing 30 acts of kindness!

Trav and I also took a trip to Paris Vegas for my 30th birthday!

August

This little nugget turned 18 months old. Halfway to her second birthday!

I also battled some gross stomach bug and took Ella to my parents' in Virginia. Of course we had to hit up the zoo while we were there!

And we celebrated the beginning of the school year...and the fact that I didn't have to go back!! Ella was excited, I promise. Just not in this picture.

September

We went apple picking...

...watched entirely too much football...

...and on September 21, we discovered a little someone would be joining our family in June!

October

I threw a baby shower for Kathryn....

...and we went to the beach!

October is also when we found and put an offer on our house!

November

We told the world about Baby Ferg 2, and celebrated Thanksgiving a little unconventionally...in a restaurant!

We also closed on our new house!

December

In addition to doing all the Christmas things, we hosted our families for Christmas and found out that Baby Ferg is a BOY!

I have no doubt in my mind 2016 will be an amazing year...but 2015, you were pretty great, too! :)

Happy New Year!

{For more yearly recaps check out: 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011}

Christmas 2015

We had a wonderful Christmas, and hope you did too! 

Christmas Eve, we attempted attending the family service at our church. It was 45 minutes of me and Travis keeping Ella from throwing goldfish, ripping hymnals and crawling all over the floor. A little stressful...next time, we will just leave her in the nursery!

Once we got home, Ella opened her traditional Christmas Eve present of jammies and a Christmas book.

And we also left cookies out for Santa (guess who wanted to eat them...)!

Santa had a very busy night wrapping and dragging presents down from the bonus room the chimney!

Santa also had to walk to the neighbor's to pick up some last-minute monogramming (thanks again, Anni!!!!) and on the way, saw some {rein}deer!!

Christmas morning, Ella was very excited!

We thought she would want to open all of the presents, but nope, girlfriend just wanted to get all of the bows!

{Admiring her bow collection}

Once she finally got into the unwrapping, it took forever! Ha! I guess I am just too impatient.

Then we watched a Charlie Brown Christmas while I made cinnamon rolls.

Yum!

{Coloring at her new table}

After Ella's nap, Trav's and my family came over and Ella loved helping them open their presents...but again, took forever to open hers!

After presents, it was time for our gender reveal!

Proof that all of those old wives' tales are a bunch of crap!

Ella's favorite part of Christmas? Besides the bow collecting, it was getting pulled all around the house in this box by my brother! I promise you, she is getting nothing but bows and boxes for her birthday!

Time to eat!

My sister-in-law made all of this delicious food!! Please note the pasta dish...that was my one request since meat and I still aren't good friends! 

Yum!

{The aftermath...I don't think she got enough stuff! Not pictured is her big girl bed and new table & chairs!}

Now it's time to take down all of my Christmas decorations, and get ready for 2016...and baby BOY!