22 weeks

How far along? 22 weeks + 3 days

Total weight gain: 17 pounds

Maternity clothes? yes! I finally went to the mall on Friday and bought a couple pairs of maternity jeans! It's about time. and I cannot believe how comfortable they are! I'll never know how/why I didn't get a pair before now. I didn't even buy any during my pregnancy with Harper. I guess I just made due, but man oh man I am so happy to have these! It's become quite the struggle to find bottoms to wear lately and now I'll always have a comfy go-to :)

Sleep: good! as it has been all the prior weeks. BUT now it's gotten even better. we just got a new mattress and oh the comfort! since I'm sleeping on my side all through the night, I was noticing some soreness in my shoulder when I would wake up. but now with the new mattress it gives into the pressure point so much better and I wake up feeling even better. thank you hubs for the best birthday gift!!

Best moment this week: getting our new, much needed mattress :)

Worst moment this week: one night I woke up at 4:30am with the worst stomach ache! my stomach was extremely bloated, painful, and I felt an urge of needing to throw up. I never did throw up (although at one point I thought that might actually make me feel better), but after a couple of tums and crackers, I started feeling better and was able to fall back asleep. must've been something I ate that night that didn't sit well...
Current symptoms: this week my appetite and thirst have really increased. I'm also feeling a little pressure low in my belly, that I never felt with Harper. I think this baby must be sitting lower.
Miss anything? just belly sleeping :) (which I know isn't a good way to sleep even when not pregnant!)

Movement: His movements have started to feel a bit stronger and more definite. a couple of nights ago while laying in bed, I pulled the covers down and Brandon and I were actually able to see some of his movement. feeling kicks/movement (on the inside) is so great, but then being able to see it, is just that much more exciting!

Food cravings: nothing particular. well... except for those darn Reeses peanut butter eggs... being pregnant during Easter time- it's hard not to resist those! I could eat them alllll day long. I had the exact same problem when I was pregnant with Harper. (with these babies being nearly exactly 2 years apart, it's like I'm going through the same things during the same seasons/holidays- kinda feels like life on repeat from two years ago- at least in the pregnancy aspect of things)

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or moody most of the time: happy :)
Looking forward to: we have a check up with my midwife this week and it's always something I look forward to! it's my favorite sound getting to hear my baby's heartbeat, and I just love pregnancy and babies so an appointment where we're talking about all things related.. it's time well spent!

Xoxo

-Brittney

OUR TABLE || lemon cheesecake pie

This. Lemon cheesecake pie.

the picture truly does no justice to just how delicious it is!

light. creamy. lemony. sweet. (but not too sweet). and the crust. oh the graham cracker crust!

I made this for supper club a few weeks ago and it was a hit!

I've made it a few times now (the first was actually on Harper's first birthday) :) and it is such an easy, go-to dessert. I think Brandon would say this is top in his favorite desserts. and I would agree!

The original recipe is here.  and for the most part I follow it to a T, except for just a couple of my own modifications :) not sure how she gets hers to turn out so yellow! mine never has, but it's still delicious at that.

Here are my modifications:

1. and most important (in my opinion)! make your own crust and do not use a premade one. nothing compares to a homemade graham cracker crust!

recipe I use:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup sugar

6 Tbsp melted butter

-in a bowl, mix all ingredients together with a fork.

-press into a pie pan.

-bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

-let chill for 2 hours before adding pie filling. I throw mine in the freezer if I'm needing this step to be a bit quicker

2. the '2 8 oz bars of cream cheese' I replace one bar with neufchatel cheese.

it's right next to the cream cheese in the grocery isle and is 1/3 of the fat :)

3. for the sour cream - go with fat free

That's it. everything else, just follow the original recipe!

You will love this! 

We still have some leftover pie in the fridge and I'm quite contemplating getting myself a piece now. 

Pie for lunch?? Sounds good to me!

Xoxo

-Brittney

Palm Desert Vacation

This is so so so so- so late!

like we got home from this trip 2.5 weeks ago. but life, yeah that, has gotten in the way of this post :) and well, taking care of my family will always come first.

anywho... I still wanted to document this trip- as it was sunny, fun, relaxing and I was with my little family!

This will mostly be a bit of a 'photo dump' of the fun things we did, places we went, and more of just us. However.. let me start off with a quick little story that I can't not share!

Day 1 of vacation. 

So the day we are traveling down to California. All went g r e a t!! Everything at the airport went great, our flights went great, and Harper did great! We couldn't have been more pleased. 

Brandon's parents have a condo down there and were also there for the week. When our flight landed, they were there to pick us up and we were so ready for this fun, relaxing vacation with our little Harper to start! I just couldn't wait to have easy, (low responsibility) days, play with her out in the sunshine, take her to new places, and of course spend some time at the pool! This little girl is a fish and loves the water!

After the traveling we were all hungry and ready for a late lunch. and we had just heard that a new In-N-Out had just (like a couple days ago) opened not far from the condo. We were all more than ready to give it a shot. I was pregnant and hungry and this was just what I needed! A burger, fries, and a strawberry shake! (the dietitian in me though - thinking yikes!)

We placed our orders and began looking for a table to sit at. and that's when it happened...

I'm holding Harper, standing right in the front entry, before I know it Harper is suddenly vomitting allll over me and anything within touching distance to us! I have to say my mama instincts reacted faster than I would have. Somehow I instantly knew where the restroom was (thank goodness I went through the women's door, not the men's) and bolted straight to it! all while she's leaving a trail of every food she's eaten earlier that day. To the sink she went. and I tell ya, it would.not.stop. It was horrible. and when she eventually had nothing else left to come up, her and I were completely covered! and then I was frozen. Brandon's mom came in to help clean up and thank the Lord, we had our suitcases in the car!! Out to the parking lot we went. Stripped down and threw on some fresh clothes.

Somehow following all that chaos we still then managed to go back in the restaurant, find Brandon and his dad, and enjoy our lunch :) not quite the start to vacation I was expecting (and thank goodness Harper was fine from there on out!) but happy to say the trip was uphill from there!

and that. was Harper's first experience to In-N-Out.
trust me, she won't forget it. we'll be sure to remember this story as she gets older :)

V A C A Y  P H O T O  D U M P!

pool days.

the living desert zoo.

birthday eve (out with hubs) bathroom selfie.

my birthday.

cute Harper, ect. :)

last picture before heading to the airport.

in the airport. wishing though that she wasn't :)

Since the day we got back home, we have so been wishing we could still be wearing our summer clothes! It's now just barely March, and sadly we have a few months still until it's shorts weather. but we're ready for it when it gets here!
It was a great trip and memories were made :)
and chances are that was our last flight with Harper as a lap child!
I am so happy we had the trip though and were able to really enjoy our time away. The quality time with Harper was priceless. It's likely that the next trip she goes on, she will be a big sis!

Xoxo

-Brittney