31 weeks! {& Seminole Football}

I drew this chalkboard update on Thursday, the day I hit 31 weeks, and I decided to go for a little Seminole theme being that football season has officially begun! As it turned out, we woke up Friday and decided to take a little trip to Tallahassee once J got off work that evening. Spontaneous trips are the best. Let's recall here just so you know how much I enjoy spontaneous activities :) And on top of spontaneous activities, let's recall here just so you know how much we enjoy Tallahassee! So if you were wondering, yes, we had a great weekend!

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On to the update, then back to the weekend! My preggo brain will have you jumping all around.

Oh, and if you didn't think preggo brain was a real thing...then just hang around me and you'll see that it is. Gosh, have I become ridiculously forgetful and somewhat absent-minded!

31 weeks!


And it was a SEMINOLE WIN!
(Actually, make that a Seminole blowout)
Oh, and if you think I look tired here, it's just because the sun was making me all squinty-eyed..I was good to go :)

• How far along?: 31 weeks, 4 days
  
• Baby is the size of a: Pineapple!
  
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• Total weight gain/loss: +17
  
• The Bump: Getting bigger by the moment. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so we'll see how it's measuring!
  
• Symptoms: Still the crazy heart rate. Doctor says if we can get my hemoglobin levels where they should be (by taking the iron pill), it can calm my heart rate a little. I have higher-than-average pulse while not pregnant, though, so this even higher-than-usual heart rate will probably last throughout pregnancy for me. It certainly alters my daily schedule, though, but I can't really complain since I don't have too much going on.
  
• Food Cravings: Well I had some of our favorite Tallahassee cuisine! Mr. Roboto's and Bagel Bagel - you are delicious!!
  
• Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Between the beta blocker, iron pill, and prenatal vitamins I take, I'm bound to feel queasy at some point each day...but I get by just fine!
  
• Sleep: I think I jinxed it last week! I'm back to waking up super early...boooring!
  
• What I miss: Well this weekend was a rather different football experience with the whole no drinking thing! A beer or two or three would have been nice, but it's worth it for our baby girl :)
  
• Weddings Rings On or Off: On..they were SUPER tight over the weekend..like TOO tight. So I took them off and put on my Grandma's ring which is one size up. But then after relaxing, that ring got a little too loose and I'm back to my rings. I'm sure this process will go on up until delivery!
  
• Any Names Picked Out Yet: Yes, actually, this came very easy for us contrary to what everyone told us about picking out names...but you'll just have to wait ;)
• Gender: Baby Barr is a girl! :)
  
• Movement: I think it's so funny when I see my belly completely lopsided and moving around. It actually makes me laugh out loud sometimes watching it..yes I LOL to myself sometimes!
  
• Maternity Clothes: Same as last week..I wear a few things but still squeezing into some of my non-maternity clothes.
  
• Labor Signs: N/A
• Best Moment of the Week: Taking some maternity pics to remember the baby girl belly :) Going to Tallahassee and visiting with friends and eating delicious food (let's face it..the real reason we go to Tally!) The walk around the neighborhood tonight with the husband and pup was also wonderful as the weather was gorgeous! And of course, baby jabs/pokes/kicks..even the ones that make me jump!
  
• What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Seeing FAMILY and friends and celebrating with them! And then just coming back to wait on baby girl! (AND decorate for FALL! Oh, how I LOVE that time of year!!)
  

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Fall is just slightly in the air. It's coming - I know it! And fall is my favoriteeee. Well, one of my many favorites! Crock pot meals are coming, along with great shows, great decorations, a fabulous fall weather feel, pumpkin spiced candles, windows open, and this year -- a baby girl! If you know me, you'll be surprised to hear I have not rummaged through our junk to bust out the fall decorations yet. Recall last September? I started early then! I'll get there :)

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Visiting with old friends is the best. Especially when you can go months without seeing each other, and sit down at the table with them to pick right back up where we left off -- which is usually somewhere inappropriate that isn't worth sharing on here ;) Dana and Dave are our old drinking buddies that we didn't do much without in Tallahassee. "From beer to breast milk" just may have been the theme of the weekend. We're used to passing beers to each other as each person made their way to the fridge, but this time, there was breast milk passed. What a guy J is to offer to get the breast milk for an ol' pal! Haha...and, well, it quickly reminded us all just how old we are getting. Or rather, how much we are growing up, because I wouldn't quite consider us "old" yet ;) Although we did have talks about water heaters, ceiling fans, and cribs...oh my! Tallahassee days may be a little different now, but it certainly doesn't change how much we love going there!



Football games are a slightly different experience at nearly 8 months pregnant, but a game is a game..and for that, I was happy to just BE there! Plus, it doesn't hurt to get a little special treatment at the games. Getting front row parking at the stadium and sitting atop the patio overlooking Doak Campbell Stadium with my feet up on the railing was just what I needed to curb that swelling! (Seriously.)



And now we can tell baby girl she made it to a football game before she was even born. Let's hope she get's to enjoy many home games to come with her mommy and daddy and some pretty sweet tailgating!

GO NOLES!

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Thanks to Dana for the photoshoot {previews coming soon!}
Thanks to the DiSalvo's for the wonderful hospitality!
And thanks to Tallahassee for another great weekend spent there!

21 weeks -- {Happy 4th of July!}

Happy 4th of July!

I'll be 22 weeks tomorrow, but I didn't want to skip this week, so I figured I'd post it today :) We are nearing the end of our hotel stay in Orlando and getting ready to trek on up to The W (Warner Robins) to move into our new home in 2 days. I spent this past week in South Florida with family and certainly enjoyed it! Got to spend time with my nieces, got in some photoshoots, and saw most of our family altogether for a BBQ (missed you Mom, Gma, McDonald's, Bill, Maggie & Tommy!) -- We even got to see Jessica & Kyle, who finally made their way back home after 2 years in Ft. Irwin, CA. This month in Florida has gone by quicker than I could have imagined, but I'm ready to get back up to Georgia and settle into our new home. The hotel life with free breakfast everyday and maids once a week has been good to us, but we're ready!

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21 weeks

• How far along?: 21 weeks, 6 days
  
• Baby is the size of a: Pomegranate --these fruit sizes confuse me! They randomly seem bigger/smaller as the weeks go by. Average baby size is 10.5 inches at this point. That's one large pomegranate, eh?!
  
• Total weight gain/loss: Lost 1 lb. So +10
  
• The Bump: Growing and getting harder. And I'm noticing it a little higher up these days.
  
• Symptoms: Random right sided pain in belly when I walk somewhat quickly..it's happened 3 times in the past week. I'm told round ligament pain. Ouch!
  
• Food Cravings: More BLT's :) And today I had a Dunkin Donuts croissant with egg and cheese, and the whole time I was eating it, I thought, "Why have I not had more of these?!"
  
• Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: No food..But my tachycardia has been crazy lately and when my heart rate gets too high, I feel a little dizzy/nauseous.
  
• Sleep: Sleeping well and sleeping in -- I've been lucky to be able to lately without working right now. I'm loving the body pillow (seems as though J likes it too!) and my sis just gave me "the wedge" pillow for the belly. I don't quite need that yet but it sure is nice to have.
  
• What I miss: Today (4th of July) seems like a great day for a drink! We're planning on heading over to Universal's City Walk in a little to catch the fireworks tonight and J is already thinking about his Fat Tuesday's frozen drink....me wants!!
  
• Weddings Rings On or Off: On
• Any Names Picked Out Yet: Yes, actually, this came very easy for us contrary to what everyone told us about picking out names...but you'll just have to wait ;)
• Gender: Baby Barr is a girl! :)
  
• Movement: Love feeling those little fireworks in my belly!
  
• Maternity Clothes: I like dresses and my jeans still -- got the belly band from sister and wearing it in today's picture actually :) I do wear my maternity capri's too, but I'd prefer my jeans to those as they still get saggy on me.
  
• Labor Signs: N/A
• Best Moment of the Week: There's a few. Same as last week...feeling baby girl and hearing her heart beating away on the doppler. And also showing off the baby bump to family :) It was the first time I've seen them since I've been pregnant. Anddd, sister gave me tons o' baby gear and baby girl clothes -- Oh. So. Cute!! I have a stroller in my car right now in the back..weird!
  
• What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Daddy feeling kicks! And getting settled into our new home and meeting with the new doc.

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Check out some of my favorites from this past week's photoshoots :) Happy 4th of July and enjoy!!

Ocean City, NJ

It's his 'happy place' - that husband of mine. Passed down through multiple generations, this home has been a gathering place for the Barr family for over 70 years. Of course the family has grown, expanded, and changed throughout the generations, so it's fun to imagine all the laughter, joy, and special moments this home has bottled up for the Barr's, and will continue to for generations to come.



My father-in-law can point out all the things he did as a kid at the shore and remembers the special moments spent with his grandmother there, just as my husband does. Gosh those 2 remind me of each other more and more as the years go by! J gets giddy here -- and for him, that's a big deal. The memories he has of summers growing up in the quaint town will forever keep him tied to it. He cannot wait for his children to gain the same fond memories and start to appreciate all the little joys that Ocean City has to offer....and oh goodness, if our children do not like Hamburger Construction Company, he might just leave them stranded on the side of the boardwalk somewhere. So let's hope for the best on that one :)



We just smile when we talk about Ocean City, and double check calendars and schedules to see the next time we can possibly get back there. It's just simple times in OC. Nothing to worry about, except maybe what we're going to eat for dinner. Boardwalk bike rides, more mini golf than one should ever play in one week, nostalgic treats, and family memories are what comes to mind when you think 'Ocean City.' You can look around and probably point out the families who have been coming since childhood. The ones who bring their kids years after being a kid themselves on that very boardwalk. It's special -- and yes, it's a happy place, especially J's!





It'll surely make you feel like a kid again -- and if you know me, you know I sure do love that! Like I said before, no fist pumping on this part of the Jersey Shore...so let's fist pump to that :)







Beautiful sights, historic homes and buildings, and family times -- well, I'll let the photos speak for themselves :)

Oyster shooters.........yuck!

The rest of Ocean City...beautiful!

And until next time OC, stay happy!

19 weeks + our first anniversary!

I'm certainly pushing it with these posts, as I've waited until 19 weeks, 6 days to post this :) Maybe the 20 week update will come a little sooner? That just goes to show I've been keeping busy!

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19 weeks

• How far along?: 19 weeks, 6 days
  
• Baby is the size of a: Mango
  
• Total weight gain/loss: Not sure..we didn't bring the scale into the hotel!
  
• The Bump: It's showing a little more for sure. The other day we were walking around the outlets and it was the first time I noticed people take a glimpse of my stomach.
  
• Symptoms: Same as last week...some round ligament pain that shoots a little.
  
• Food Cravings: Well, it seems I'm obsessed with BLT's lately! Any time I see it on the menu, I get it. Yummy :)
  
• Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.
  
• Sleep: Sleeping good! Took a midday nap on Saturday -- those are great :)
  
• What I miss: An ice cold beer on the Disney Boardwalk at sunset would have been yummy...J asked me to hold his beer while he took a picture, and it just seemed so natural to take a sip..but I didn't!
  
• Weddings Rings On or Off: On
• Any Names Picked Out Yet: Yes, actually, this came very easy for us contrary to what everyone told us about picking out names...but you'll just have to wait ;)
• Gender: Baby Barr is a girl! :)
  
• Movement: Feeling little wiggles over the past couple days! So exciting!
  
• Maternity Clothes: Just a few things here and there...I can still wear my jeans when I rock the unbuttoned look. I've wanted to buy one of those belly bands to put around my jeans, but I'm holding out a few more weeks til I can just take my sister's ;) Please..?! Oh and I've been liking dresses lately which make it easy.
  
• Labor Signs: N/A
• Best Moment of the Week: Feeling little wiggles in my belly! And seeing family, dinner with Christina & Spencer, and celebrating our first anniversary in the Disney resort area :)
  
• What I’m excited about/looking forward to: More baby movement!
  

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We spent the past weekend in the Tampa/Tarpon Springs area with my mom and grandma. It was great to just relax and enjoy family time, each other time, and soak up some sun and fun while celebrating one year since we said "I do!"

Once we ventured back to Orlando, we spent June 18, 2012 -- exactly one year after exchanging vows -- at Disney's Boardwalk, which was just the relaxing type of night we were looking for!

Crap..does this mean we are not "newlyweds" anymore? Aw..

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I honestly can't believe how quickly this past year has gone by. I feel like it was just yesterday where I woke up to begin getting ready for our "big day!" Standing up on the altar with my then-almost husband was one of the best moments of my life, probably even 'the best.' I don't know if I'll ever feel those wonderfully indescribable feelings that I felt at that moment again -- while exchanging vows and such an intimate moment in front of all of those we care about -- but I know I wake up happy every day being married to my best friend and love :) And that's enough to get me by each and every day. I sure am thankful for all that this past year has brought us, and am excited to take each moment one day at a time while spending the rest of our years together. Cheers to one year since this amazing day!

We certainly didn't take the 'nice' route here -- so typical of us. I got smashed in the face not once, but twice! Lucky I love you :)

Here's to many more, my love!