All you need is love.. and a blizzard.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I bring this post to you from snow day number SEVEN.  Yes, seven.  I have been in school (either as a student or teacher) since 1989.  I know, I just dated myself.  But anyway, in all of those years I have never had this many snow days in one school year.  How crazy!  I know that we live in the northeastern part of the country and that our winters are usually  filled with cold and snow, but I am 99% sure (from what I read) that we broke the record this year for the number of snows we have had that have totaled at least six inches.  Our last blizzard was in 1993 or 1996.

We have officially gotten to the point where we need to add days on to the end of our school year - and possibly push back graduation.  While these days off are nice now, I know I will be cursing them once the middle of June rolls around.  We were originally supposed to have a four day weekend this weekend, but both of our days were used up with previous snow days.  As it turns out, we got our four day weekend in the end.  Irony?  I don't know.

I am looking out my windows right now at two feet of fresh snow that is piled on top of the six inches or snow we had on the ground from last week.  Needless to say, the dogs are loving it!  Just a few pictures to capture this craziness.

If you look closely, you can see the very top of our mailbox across the street.

Rooney is pumped because he doesn't even have to squat to pee!

Back to Valentine's Day.  I have not always been a fan of this holiday because I hate cliches.  However, I look past the cliche and celebrate this holiday with my husband for the third year in a row.  He is without a doubt my best friend and biggest support system.  There is no way I would be where I am today as a person, or we would be where we are today as a couple without him.  He is my rock and my shoulder to cry on.. which doesn't happen often ;).  Without him, I wouldn't be carrying our sweet baby boy that we both look so forward to meeting in a few short months.  He went above and beyond this year with his gift (which I specifically said we were not doing!).  I am a Pandora addict and he knows it.  

He picked out the H charm for our sweet Hudson and the earrings are our little guy's birthstone.. given he makes his arrival on time!

And last but not least, I want to give a "shout out" to my friend Steph and her husband Chris, who welcomed their baby boy, Jackson, into the world yesterday.  Congrats to both of you!  He is one handsome little boy!

Art project with a side of snow day.

And here we are, snow day number 6!  This is the mother of all storms (so far) this year.  It's currently 12 noon and we have 16 inches of fresh snow.. with round two projected to begin later this afternoon.  Kudos to you, mother nature.  Kudos to you. 

Anyway, when we found out we were having a boy, I immediately started to draw up his nursery in my mind.  I am all about simple and classic, but I also love a little pattern and all things nautical.  (Thus the tattoo on my wrist.)  I (decorating is not Matt's forte) decided to go with a gray, black and white color scheme and throw in the chevron pattern here and there.  I began to do some searching in Etsy for things to put on his walls.  I found some canvas sets that I absolutely loved.  What I did not love about them was the price.  Lucky for me, one of my good friends is an art teacher at my school!  She said she had some extra canvases and we could totally do the project for free!

I was in!  However, my artistic ability is anything but.  She said she'd do the "difficult" parts and show me how to do the rest.  Challenge accepted.

I chose a set of three canvases - one large and 2 medium sized.  I went with my color scheme of gray, black and white and even threw in some nautical!

Here are some pictures from start to finish.  I am pretty proud of the end result and am excited to be able to tell our little guy that mommy did this project (with a lot of help from Julie) for him.

And finally, the finished product!

My plan is to hang these above his crib, but I won't make that final decision until his furniture comes in and we have it set up and put into place.

Week 19

Week 19 has been a crazy and exciting week!  I have so much to share.. so be prepared for a long post filled with lots of pictures!

How far along: 19 weeks (as of 2.1.14)

Gender: It's a BOY!

Baby is: The size of a mango.. about 6.0 inches long and 8.5 ounces.

Weight gain: 6 pounds as of my last OB appointment.

Maternity clothes: If I could live in leggings, life would be perfect!  None of my pants close, so still using the belly band when possible or maternity pants.  Shirts.. I can still wear some of mine, but the extra room in the maternity shirts are so much more comfortable.

Stretch marks: Not yet.

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, but I find myself waking up multiple times a night and eventually not able to fall back asleep.  Still feel rested, though.

Best moment this week: Our mid-pregnancy ultrasound which confirmed that our sweet boy is a boy and that he is also nice and healthy!  I feel like I cannot see him enough :)

Movement: I have definitely felt some flutters this week, but not much more than that.  I will explain below!

Cravings: The spicier, the better.

Queasy or sick: Feeling good!

Looking forward to: Ordering nursery furniture and bedding!  I am so excited to begin to put his things together and prepare for him.  It's so surreal.

Ahh.. week 19!  This was a long, short week.. if that makes any sort of sense!  We started the week with a snow day on Monday.  A snow day that brought us a good ten inches of snow.. yikes!  We had a 2 hour delay on Tuesday due to the refreeze on the country roads -- our district is very rural.  

Basketball season came to an end Tuesday evening and brought a nice ice storm with it.  We got about 1/4 of an inch of ice Tuesday night into Wednesday.  We had our FIFTH snow day on Wednesday, but it was an eerie, eerie day.  We woke up to the text telling us that school was closed around 5:30.  I was unable to fall back asleep after that because all I could hear was trees and large limbs crashing down in the woods around our house.  We lost power around 9:00 am and didn't get it back until almost 6:00 pm.. which ended up being a very SHORT period of time compared to many others around us.  We sat in our house in silence (watching the temperature drop on the thermostat) just listening to our trees come down one by one.  We ventured out at one point to check out the damage and see how much work we have ahead of us.  Let's just say.. we are going to need a chainsaw and a few days.  We also ventured out for lunch.. only to find that a gigantic tree came down on power lines down the road from us and that was causing our power outage.  Again, we were very lucky to get our power back when we did.. there are still some (including one of our school buildings) in our immediate area that are without power--5 days later.  Thursday brought another 2 hour delay (rough life, right?).  And Friday brought some awesome excitement!  

Matt and I were off work for the day because we had our appointment at Maternal Fetal Medicine.  We were one of the first appointments of the day, so we did not have to wait long to be seen.  I was being strategic when I scheduled this one :)

We spent about an hour with the ultrasound tech checking every little part of our sweet, little guy.  We started with his face because he was facing us.  We saw some cute little eyes, a button nose, and his lips.  We then moved on to the arms/hands/legs/feet because he was squirming around like a little fish!  Everything measured on target.  Next, we moved on to his neck and brain.  Again, all checked out well.  Next, we confirmed that he is in fact a boy.. and this time he was not afraid to show us his goods.  Typical boy already :)  The spine, placenta, cord and abdomen were next and then finally his heart.  He would not hold still long enough to get every view of the heart and he refused to turn the way the tech wanted him to.. so, I had to do two minutes of toe-touches and walk around the room!  That did the trick.. and his heart was doing it's thing normally.  The last thing we tried for was a full profile, but all we could get was a profile of his head and neck.  He would NOT hold still long enough to get anything else!

The tech asked if I was feeling any of his crazy movements and I said no.  She told me that was perfectly normal because the placenta is directly between him and I and therefore cushioning most of his movements.  As I said above, I have felt some flutters, but nothing of significant strength.  She told me not to expect that until between weeks 22 and 24 due to the placement of the placenta.  I will say that put my mind at ease since most others are feeling their babies by this point.

It was just so surreal being able to see him move and wiggle around and knowing that he is a healthy little boy.  I will leave you with some pictures from our appointment and a picture of a sweet goodie box from Stacy over at Live, Laugh, Love.

She snapped a quick shot of his face while he was looking at us.

He was kicking his feet all over the place. Maybe an indication that he will be a soccer player?

Thanks, Stace! You're the best!

P.S.  It's snowing AGAIN as I type this post!  

Snow Day!

Today happens to be our fourth.. yes FOURTH.. snow day of this school year.  This is my eighth year of teaching and only the second time we have exhausted all of our built in snow days.  The difference this time.. it's only February 3rd!  We still have a good month of winter left, if not more.  So, any more days off will get tacked on to the end of the school year in June.  Oh, and let's talk about the rain/snow/ice storm we are supposed to get on tomorrow and Wednesday and the possibility for a nor'easter in the works for the weekend.  Phil was right when he predicted six more weeks of winter yesterday!

Today's storm gave us the most snow we have seen (at one time) this year!  Sophie and Rooney have spent more time outside than inside.  They love chasing each other around and rolling in the piles of snow and eating a good bit as well.  

Happy Snow Day to all of you in the North East!

Week 18

Let's start this week off by saying this might be my most favorite picture to date.  We did not try this or plan it.  Rooney just happened to walk in the room and do this right as Matt as taking the picture!

The polar vortex stayed with us through most of this week, but by Friday we were topping out at 40 degrees.  Heat wave baby!  Matt wrapped up his last full week of basketball season and we had our first full week of new students (new semester began a week and a half ago).  

Sophie was put on a diet by the vet.. she topped out at 93lbs at her annual exam.  That's 13 pounds more than last year at the same time.  We had to cut her food intake in half.  When we fill her dish (half way) every morning and night, she looks at us like "seriously, this is all you are giving me?"  But, we are hoping it helps her lose the 5 pounds he "suggested"!

How far along: 18 weeks (as of 1.25.14)

Gender: It's a BOY!

Baby is: The size of a sweet potato.. about 5.6 inches long and 6.7 ounces.

Weight gain: 6 pounds as of my last OB appointment.

Maternity clothes: Still mixing and matching.  If one more person tells me that my belly looks really, really small and they can't imagine how I need maternity clothes.. I might kick them in the shin.  I measured normally at my last appointment, so I don't need to crappy comments from people.

Stretch marks: Nadda.

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: I fall asleep as soon as my head hits my lovely, gigantic pillow.  And then I am wide awake at 5:30.. normally.  However, the last few days I have been sleeping until my alarm goes off!  And the weekend.. at least 8:00 am!

Best moment this week: Starting a project for baby's room.  I was going to order a set of canvas prints off of Etsy, but my friend Julie (art teacher in my school) told me she would help me and we could do it for free!  We are about 3/4 of the way done.  I'll do a separate post once it is complete.  Please note.. I have NO artistic ability!

Movement: Ugh.. I don't know how it is supposed to feel.  I read many other blogs and have lots of friends who have had kids or are currently pregnant.  Many of them have felt definite movement by this point, but I'm still trying to determine if I have or not.  I am 99% sure I have felt a few small movements.  But again, I am not 100% positive.. and of course, my mind starts to wander.  My OB said not to worry last night, but now I am just anxious for our ultrasound this week to reassure me that he is in fact moving around in there.

Cravings: Pancakes and goldfish crackers.

Queasy or sick: Feeling good!

Looking forward to: Our appointment at Maternal Fetal this week.  I am excited to see our little guy in 3D, but am also a little nervous for the genetic portion of the appointment.  Once we confirm 100% that he is a boy at this appointment, we are going to order his furniture.  I'm pretty pumped for all of that to start, too.  Oh.. and more snow on the horizon!

I know I look completely exhausted and probably half stoned in these pictures.  We are currently taking them at 6:00 am before work because Matt has basketball games every single Friday night.  And there is no way I am in a picture taking mood when he gets home at 10:30.. so early AM it is!

The belly is there, people.  It just isn't huge.  Also, I made sure to crop out all of the dog snot marks on this mirror.  Sophie and Rooney are fascinated with their reflections and try to lick themselves in the mirror.

The beginning stages of our art project!

I caught this sunrise on my way to work on Friday.  So, so beautiful.  I wish I could have gotten both sides of the road.. it was a bright bright blue.  And just like that, it started to sleep!

Sunshine Award

Wow!  I don't even know where to start with this one!  My good friend, Stace, from over at Live, Laugh, Love, sent me a direct message on Instagram a few days ago telling me that I was one of five girls that she nominated for this award.  I felt so humbled by this nomination.  She chose me because she said our journey has inspired her.  Again, wow!  Thank you, Stace.  I love you and can't wait to see what Team Ricci has in store for 2014! (Also, this made me think of sunshine and warmth during this hellish Polar Vortex part 2.  I like me a little bit of winter, but I'm tired of this vortex lady and crazy cold weather and the super negative wind chills she brings with her.  Yes, I have deemed it a "her".  Bring on the sun!)

So, what exactly is the Sunshine Award?  It is an award given by women in the infertility community to bloggers that they feel bring sunshine and light to their lives.  Again, totally humbled.  As a nominee I have to answer ten questions that Stace gave me.  Then I get to choose five people of my own to nominate and give them ten questions to answer.  These questions can be about pretty much anything, and let me tell you, Stace gave me some good ones!  Without further ado, I present to you my answers.  And yes, I am long winded when it comes to writing, so they will be quite detailed and 100% honest.

1.  How/where/when did you & your hubby meet?

Ahh, this is quite a story.. and one I'm sure our child/children will be so proud of in the future!  Matt and I met about 8.5 years ago when I first moved to the area for my job.  We ended up in the same circle of friends, but 100% completely despised each other.  Not all hatred, but I'm talking a very strong dislike.  I thought he was a sarcastic a$$hole and he thought I was a sarcastic b-word.  Hey, one thing we had in common was our extreme sarcasm!  After a few years of ignoring each other or making snide comments to each other, we just sort of stopped talking.  Then one afternoon, I saw Matt leaving school while I was at field hockey practice (I used to coach this sport, too).  We had a short chat and that was it.  A few months later we both happened to be at a "classy" club in town with friends enjoying a snowy weekend (with lots of adult beverages).  We ended up playing darts together.  That lead to some Facebook chats/likes/comments and a few more drunken encounters (in which Matt said I got right in his face to have conversations).  Like four months of this.  School started the following year (almost a whole year after that awkward practice conversation) and we began exchanging daily emails.. which lead to hours of chatting each night.. which led to Matt asking me out on our first date.  We went out for dinner and Matt got to meet Sophie up close and personal for the first time.  He was not impressed with her lab-puppy "personality" at the time!  Two nights before I left for a week long girl's cruise.  Once I returned from the cruise, the rest is history.  We dated for a few months, got engaged, and got married about a year and a half after our first date.  Hey, when you know, you know.  So there you have it kids, your mom and dad started "liking" each other one drunken evening at a classy establishment in town.  Aren't you proud?

2.  How did your husband propose?

Ah yes, another good story!  A moment that I totally, 100% ruined without even knowing. We traveled to Sandbridge, VA for a week long beach vacation with Matt's family in July of 2011.  The day we arrived, we quickly unloaded the car and unpacked our things, and then made a bee-line to the beach and pool.  After a few hours of soaking in the sun and water, we showered and got ready for dinner.  We were sitting on the porch swing outside of our room and Matt asked if I wanted to go for a walk on the beach.  Being totally oblivious, I gave a very stern "no" and said I'd rather take a quick nap before dinner.  I was exhausted after being on the go since 4 am!  So, we went inside and laid in bed.  Matt started a nice conversation about our future right as his sister walked in to see if her husband could borrow a pair of shorts.  (Who forgets shorts at the beach, Luke?)  He seemed agitated, but gave her the shorts and shushed her out of the room.  Then, all nice and romantically (as I was annoyed because all I wanted was a nap), Matt got on one knee beside the bed, said some romantic words, and asked me to marry him!  Of course, I said absolutely!  And then he proceeded to tell me how I ruined the whole thing because I wouldn't go for a walk on the beach.  I felt like a total ass.  Sorry, Matt!

3.  What is one of your favorite quotes?

My hands down, number one, favorite quote is:
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quote has a lot of meaning to me for family reasons and is one I always think of and resort to when I am on my way to what I think is rock bottom.  You have no idea how much strength lies within you, ladies!

4.  Who are some of your favorite musical artists?

I am a country girl.  Always have been, always will be.  I do like some other music as well.. like 90's boy bands.  Give it up for BSB, Nsync, and the one and only NKOTB!  (I have seen them all in concert more than once.  And at least two of them for a second time within the last five years.. or three.  LOSER!)  But, in the end, I always go back to my good old country.  I don't really have a favorite artist, but I would watch Luke Bryan "shake it for me" any day, any time!

5.  What is your favorite vacation spot?

This one is tough.  I LOVE to travel.  I love the beach, Disney, the mountains, and places overseas.  Our honeymoon was amazing - Venice, Burano, Murano, Sicily, Naples, Amalfi, Capri, Rome, Florence, Pisa, Barcelona, Dubrovnik (Croatia), and Monaco.  I could have spent weeks in each location.  I also love Disney.. but who doesn't?  And islands.  Who doesn't love a good beach with palm trees?  But, my all time favorite vacation spot is the Outer Banks, NC.  I have gone there with my family for at least two weeks every summer for the last thirteen years.. and even a few Thanksgiving weeks.  Matt and I got married there as well.  It is relaxing, peaceful, and just plain awesome.

6.  What are you most looking forward to about being a mommy?

There are so, so many things I am looking forward to.  The number one thing is just that I get to be someone's mommy.  I get to be responsible for a tiny human being that is half me.  I get to wipe the snotty noses, change dirty diapers, and cuddle with my little one when he or she is sick.  And I will be the one he or she calls mommy.. which will make every little thing (good or bad) and this entire infertility journey worth it.

7.  How many children do you want (if fertility, money, and time weren't factors)?

Four.  I've always wanted four.  A nice, even number!

8.  What three foods are your weakness that you either crave or can't live without?

Middleswarth potato chips (of the bbq or sour cream and onion variety), buffalo chicken anything, and cheese fries.  Don't judge.

9.  What are you three favorite clothing stores?

J.Crew (usually the outlet), Gap, and DSW.  (do shoe stores count?  I am in love with shoes.)

10.  What are some of the best life lessons you've learned?

Talk about deep.  I'm not going to elaborate too much on these, but they are the life lessons I feel have been the most important over the last few years.

a - You DO NOT and CAN NOT control the outcomes of your own life.  That is up to God and what He knows is best for you.  Yes, you can make your own decisions, but the ultimate answer to everything is up to Him.  And everything happens for a reason.

b - Not everyone will be in your life forever.  And that's ok.  You will find that people will use you, leave you when you need them the most, and distance themselves when something isn't easily comfortable for them.  And it's ok.  They were placed in your life for a reason, whether that is long term or short term.  Over time, when things get tough, you will learn who your real family and friends are and you will see who is going to be there for you no matter what.  Don't stress about it.

c - Life isn't a competition.  Don't compare yourself to others.  You are an individual.  Be you.  The one and only you.  No two people are the same.. and this goes for fertility cycles and pregnancies as well.  Every single case and every single person is different.

d - You determine how your day will go from the minute you wake up.  Set your own tone.  Decide to make it a good day (or not.. the choice is yours.  Sorry, SW people.  I had to) from the get-go.  

e - Dogs are a girl's best friend.  Hands down, no questions asked.

Ok.. I've written way too much and I am sure that boredom has officially set in.  So, time to nominate my five candidates.  They are (in no particular order!):

Megan at A Brink Adventure
Brooke at It's Just Endo Darling
Jen at Inconceivable
A at The Runaway Stork
Caroline at In Due time

Ladies, feel free to join in the fun if you feel so inclined.  If not, that's ok, too!  Here are the questions I am giving to you.  Some are new and some are repeats.

1.  How did you know your husband was "the one"?
2.  How far (if at all) would you go/continue with fertility treatments?
3.  What are you most looking forward to about being a mommy?
4.  What is your "happy place"?
5.  What is your biggest pet peeve?
6.  What are some of the best life lessons you have learned?
7.  What is your biggest fear?
8.  If money and time were not issues, what would your dream vacation look like?
9.  What is your favorite thing about family?
10.  What is your favorite book?

Week 17

How far along: 17 weeks (as of 1.18.14)

Gender: It's a BOY!

Baby is: The size of an onion.. about 5.1 inches long and 5.9 ounces.

Weight gain: I had my 16/17 week OB appointment this week, and I am up a total of 6 pounds at this point.  

Maternity clothes: Pretty much the same.  My pants are officially out unless I use the belly band, which I only do for work on occasion.  I love leggings and wear them as much as possible.. too bad they don't fall under the "appropriate" column for my dress code at work!  Still mixing in my own shirts and maternity shirts.

Stretch marks: None!

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: I can't get enough!  Of course, this isn't really anything new as I've always been a sleeper.

Best moment this week: Finding out that we are having a sweet baby BOY and being able to see his profile on the ultrasound screen.  I was amazed at how much we could see.  I loved seeing his little arms and legs squirming all over.  He was crossing and uncrossing his feet and rubbing his little eyes with his hands.  The best.

Movement: I think I might have felt a little something when I was laying in bed Friday night, but I am not 100% sure. At this point, I'm not sure I would know what I was feeling.  My OB says within the next 2-3 weeks I should start to feel something.

Cravings: Hot dog shop.  Again.  And I gave in to this craving TWICE in the last two weeks.  I've also really been into Goldfish crackers.. of the cheddar variety.

Queasy or sick: Feeling good!

Looking forward to: Starting to prepare the nursery.  Now that we know we are having a boy, we have officially decided on the room color and Matt has started to paint.  We plan to order the furniture and bedding after our 20 week ultrasound in a couple of weeks.  I am looking forward to that appointment as well because we will be able to see him in 3D/4D!