Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Cherry Blossoms

Up north in Okinawa Spring has already sprung!  It's cherry blossom season.  Last weekend we had a gorgeous sunny day and decided to take the journey up North to go check out the beautiful trees. 

Our first stop was Yaedake Park  in Motobu Town.  You could wind you car up the mountain side under a canopy of pink, fluffy flowers. 


 At the top we got out and admired the view and flowers close up.





Our next stop was at the Nakijin Castle Site.  I've been to this castle so many times and I especially love it at cherry blossom time.  The trees here weren't quite out yet, but we still enjoyed a stroll around the old castle site. 


Cherry Blossom ice cream!  I loved it, Brad didn't.

Other than going up to see the trees we had such a chill weekend.  It involved movie marathons and watching all 3 Lord of the Rings movies.  I just love being able to savor these last little bits of quiet and relaxing.  Our little man is on the way and boy-o-boy will our lives be changing.  I hope you all had a great holiday weekend! 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Turnip - 16 weeks

Jan 16 - 22, 2013
How Far Along: 16 weeks
Size of baby: a turnip, 5 in, 5 oz
Total Weight Gain: About 10 lbs, yikes.  I'm worried about my weight gain, but the Dr said it's fine.  It's not doing great things to my self image.  I feel so fat and yucky!  You know those women that only gain weight in their bellies?  Yeah, I'm not one of those women. 
Maternity Clothes: I finally gave in and put in my first maternity order.  I am starting to get a little bump, but you can only see it in certain clothes. Most of the time you can't see it.  And if I tighten my abs (or what is left of them) you really can't see it.  But, I am WAY wider that I ever have been, so I'm just waiting to pop.
Gender:  Found out this week it's a BOY.  If you missed it be sure to check out the video I posted from our ultrasound appointment.
Movement: Still feeling him every so often.  It always surprises me and catches me off guard! I can't wait to feel him more often.
Exercise:  Running pregnant is a real challenge!  But, I'm still at it and managed to run 5.5 miles without stopping to pee.  Still enjoying prenatal yoga classes, spin and zumba! I'm trying to make sure I do something every day to ward off the fatty feeling.
Sleep:  I really am not supposed to sleep on my back anymore and laying on my side is a real challenge even with all the pillows helping to prop me up.  I'm getting up to pee about 2ce a night.
What I miss:  wine, sushi
Cravings:  Nothing new or strange.  But, man, when I'm hungry it's like the feeling takes over my soul.  I've never experienced hunger like this.  I'm really trying to watch what I eat and the calories I get every day, so it's like fighting a monster sometimes!
Symptoms: Expanding in all directions! And my skin is kind of a mess.  I've never really had skin problems before, thanks hormones.
Best moment this week:  Going to the Japanese clinic and having the Dr say "Penis! I'm looking! Penis!"  One of the most amazing and surreal moments ever.  I'll never forget it!  I also had a normal OB visit this week, so I got to hear my amazing little man's heartbeat 2ce this week.  Even though I have no symptoms and my EKG was normal the Dr still wants me to get an ECG and go see a specialist about my heart... I'm pretty annoyed.  Hopefully they keep finding nothing.  And it's a good thing I was able to go out to the Japanese clinic because the military hospital can't get me in to my 20 week appointment until I'm 22 weeks and waiting to know what the sex is for that long would have sucked! 
What I’m looking forward to: We booked a vacation in 2 weeks at a ski resort up in Hokkaido and I can't wait to go!  This is our one last vacation here in Japan. And probably our last vacation as a family of 2!  I think I'm going to do little man's nursery in a moon/stars/outer space theme.  I'm looking forward to moving, buying a house and getting settled in FL.  I contacted a realtor in Pensacola, and I'm really getting excited about our future home.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Boy or Girl?

Check out this video to find out if Baby Carey is a boy or girl!



Excited beyond belief.  So happy! 

Monday, January 14, 2013

C-130 love

I just have to share this awesome video with you.  It was made by a friend of ours in Brad's squadron and it shows a bit of what the guys have been up to the last year.  My husband seriously has one of the coolest jobs ever.  I'm always jealous of the amazing places they get to go and the cool things they get to see, but I also understand how hard, demanding  and serious his job is.  These guys work super hard, work incredibly long hours, are frequently away from home and I honestly would not be able to do it.  And it's not all fun, as I'm sure he would tell you, aka Afghanistan.  But, he's had incredible experiences and has been able to get a ton of flight hours.  I am so incredibly proud of my amazing husband!  We are coming up to the end of our 3 years here I'll have to ask him to make a list of all the countries he's flown to.  I bet it's huge! 


Monday, January 7, 2013

Orange - 14 weeks

Jan 2 - 8, 2013
How Far Along: 14 weeks
Size of baby:  Navel orange, 4.5 in, 2-3 oz
Total Weight Gain: I know this answer, but I'm not admitting it.  Lets just say I'm making sure I get a workout in every day.
Maternity Clothes: Leggings, jeggings, longer tops.  Still nothing officially maternity, but my normal clothes are not fitting super great.
Gender:  So excited and ready to find out!
Movement: I feel it move every couple or days or so.  Always when I'm laying quietly on my back.
Sleep:  Brad was out of town for the week.  Hawaii, the lucky duck!  Had the bed to myself and got great sleep!
What I miss:  My abs.
Cravings:  Sushi with wasabi, edamame, dairy - cheese, yogurt, milk, cottage cheese.  Organic blueberry waffles, I made them 2ce this week!  
Symptoms: Weight gain, thicker middle.  I just look like I've gained weight at this point.  I want a baby bump!
What I’m looking forward to:  Finding out the gender on Jan 17!  I had to get an EKG done yesterday for some minor heart issues so I'm looking forward to my OB dr giving me the all clear on that.

Don't really have any pregnancy photos from this week, but here I am (in white) on the New Years Beach Ride on Jan 2.

Friday, January 4, 2013

5 year anniversary

5 years ago today I was a bride!  This day might have only been 5 years ago, but it feels like forever ago.  Mostly because we have done SO much in the last 5 years.  We've moved a bunch of times, lived overseas for almost 3 years and for those 3 years Brad was gone for a lot of it, we've taken more amazing vacations than most people take in a lifetime, and we've managed to finally get on the same page about starting a family now that I'm actually pregnant! 
"Dedication, love, and joy can grow only when you nourish them together.
Stand fast in that hope and confidence, having faith in your shared destiny
just as strongly as you have faith in yourselves and in one another today.
Only with this spirit can you forge a union that will strengthen and endure all
the days of your lives." -from our ceremony
 
These 5 years have not breezed by easy-peasy.  There have been numerous challenges to overcome and difficult patches to work through. Marriage takes work and 2 people that want to work at it.  If someone told me 5 years ago today all the things that Brad and I have gone through together I wouldn't have believed them!  Life and marriage isn't smooth sailing.  It's about finding that person that can weather the storm with you and even pluck you out of the sea when you're sinking. 

So here we are, right at the end of our wedding ceremony after we said our vows and right before our first kiss as husband and wife.   
"May this day shine eternally in your lives.
May it add brilliance to every achievement and cast a divine light over any misfortune.
May you care for each other in all sadness.
May you give cheer to each other.
May you give vitality to each other in all undertakings.
May all that is virtuous, beautiful and honest, remain with you always." - the blessing at the end of our ceremony.

Happy 5 year anniversary to my wonderful, adoring husband.  This is quite an adventure we're on!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy 2013

 Wishing you all the very best start to this brand new year.  I have a feeling that this year will be one of our best yet!  I am so excited about what this year will bring - a move, a new house, a new car, Brad will get a new job and new plane to fly and we'll get a new baby! ... and that's only just up until July.  Hello big life changes!
The girls and I at our NYE party last night.

Lemon - 13 weeks

 Dec 26, 2012 - Jan 1, 2013
How Far Along: 13 weeks.  Hello 2nd trimester!
Size of baby: a lemon, 3 inches, 1.5 oz.
Maternity Clothes: I'm in that awkward in between time where I don't really look pregnant and I just kind of look fat. I'm living in leggings with long tops and dresses.
Gender: Had a dream it's a girl and she had a lot of really dark hair.
Movement: I swear I've felt a little fluttering 2ce.  Once in the bath and once laying in bed reading.
Sleep:  I really need to get used to not sleeping on my back.  
I raided the libraries baby books this week.  I have some major reading/learning to do!  I watched the movie The Business of Being Born the other day and it was great, but totally freaked me out.  I want to make sure I learn and know as much as possible.
What I miss:  Champagne on New Years Eve... champagne in general.
Cravings:  Organic Mary's Gone Crackers and garlic hummus is currently my favorite snack. Loving fruit and spinach smoothies. 

Symptoms: Feeling pretty good!  Getting some energy back.  I ran 5 miles yesterday... why is running pregnant so hard?!  I felt like all my leg joints were all wobbly, snap, crackle poppy and I couldn't catch my breath, and I pretty much constantly had to pee.  This is going to take some getting used to.  I'm doing yoga and went to a spin class this week.  I am not liking this feeling that I'm getting fat! I know I'm gaining weight for a good reason and that it's good that my jeans can't button... but I still freak out that my pants won't button!

 What I’m looking forward to:  I have an OB appointment this week for my 14 week check up.  I'm hoping everything is still going great in there.  I'm going to a Japanese 3D ultrasound place in 2 weeks to try and find out if it's a boy or girl!  My friends Becky and Brandy told me this week they'd like to throw me a shower.  I'm beyond touched and excited.  I still have moments where I'm like "is this really happening?!