Week 30 ramblings!

It's week 30 (on Saturday)! How am I having a baby in 10 weeks? (Or sooner! I'm convinced I'mma pop early). And I would type, "how are WE having a baby in 10 weeks," except -- let's talk about who's actually going to be doing the birthing. Yours truly. I wish Jims could help, but the sad part is, I'm on my own for the scary part. Nail bites!

Anyway, there's no medical reason behind my "early" hunch -- all of our appointments say we're perfectly on track and measuring just right. I just feel like I came early, my brother came early ... I know, delivery dates have probably gotten more accurate since 1986 and 1990, but. I'm predicting a Thanksgiving baby! And I'm still having dreams she's a girl, but who knows. Still preparing names for either sex!

And no, I still won't discuss specifics on here! James and I have the best time on college football Saturdays, watching every game available and "brainstorming." ... "Janarion, that's a good one. BUT WHAT ABOUT SAYQUON?" Sayquon Ganley, has a nice ring to it. It's a maybe.

In all seriousness, I think I've mentioned: In general, we like classic, old-fashioned names. I'm super crotchety, like, "too many Aidens/Jacksons/Bellas/Olivias/Sophias right now! NO."

I realize a few of those are classic, but really -- Olivias have taken over. The name manages to be classic and trendy all at the same time. And I still rule it out.

What else?

I'm craving pumpkin-y fall things. It's still nearly 100 degrees here, so ... hmmm. Hard to TRULY get in the fall mood! It's nice though, to still wear summer dresses to work every day. I don't like pants lately, or really anything touching my midsection. So many of my work dresses are bo-ho, flowy-like, so I'm still wearing about 60-70% of my wardrobe.

Desserts still sound bomb. All the time. But as always, Jims has been making me eat my vegetables -- and he made the BEST from-scratch chicken noodle soup the other day. What a guy.

Oh, and THANK YOU for all the personal messages and texts after my last baby post, the one where I was all, "I don't know where to start when it comes to car seats and strollers!" I received some really great suggestions, and I threw some ideas on our registries, too! Feeling relieved about all that.

Although, I'm also trying to keep in mind: Babies don't need much. Especially not at first! Edie told me to get the basics, but suppress my urge to buy all the things -- and just wait till (s)he gets here instead, to see what we really need. James can run to the store, and I have Amazon Prime (meaning things will arrive to our place quickly).

Changing topics, I'm sick, so that's a downer. My immune system isn't helping much, it's like, "bye! I have other things to tend to right this sec, good luck!"

It started as a sore throat, but that didn't last (thank goodness it wasn't strep).

Now I've just decided it's a bad cold. A bad cold, but a standard one. I messaged my midwife -- cool that you can do that with Kaiser -- and she's actually out of town, but another got back to me fast, giving me some tips. I didn't think I needed to schedule an appointment or anything; colds usually just need to run their course, you know what I'm saying?

Still. A downer, to be sitting at work with a numb face. I am SO stuffed up. My sinuses are backed up like crazy. I'm not sleeping well, because of all the congestion. I have a gross cough, and at any given time, would rather be blowing my nose. Sick-while-pregnant is kind of the crummiest. No one wants me at work, but I have so much to get done before our new site relaunches. (I did take Monday off though).

Enough bitching!

28-29 weeks? Ish? The lighting in our kitchen is awful, plz excuse!

Baby G prefers my left side -- has this ever happened to anyone else? I asked Google, and a lot of moms seem to report something similar ... where the baby will just curl up in one specific spot, and stay there. It makes my stomach look cray. And it kind of hurts, to have that much pressure on the one side! If it's bedtime and I'm trying to change into my PJs, it's like, I can't even lift my left leg, my "abs" on that side are so shot.

Whoops, I said enough bitching.

But really, it's the strangest thing! If I poke him enough (or her, I promise we still don't know the sex!), I can sometimes get BG to shift. But seriously ... the weirdest.

SPEAKING OF THE WEIRDEST.

Not only is the baby kicking up a storm -- it gets bigger and more surreal every day, no exaggeration, as I'm sure I've mentioned -- but now you can see it now from the outside!

Jimmy and I watch it and giggle like little kids. There's a human living inside me! I'm growing an extra set of lungs, an extra brain, possibly a penis ...

W.
T.
F.

Did I already write about our Tahoe hike a few weeks ago? We did Castle Peak, up in Tahoe. I slept for two days afterward, it might have been a bit draining! We didn't go to the very VERY top because it was all loose gravel and really steep, unpaved dirt -- I didn't want to fall -- but we made it approx 92 percent of the way. The elevation gain was no joke. It took us a few hours and kicked my ass, but in a good way. Still, that day I finally got the cue: Time to take it easier! You're not the Michelle you once were. (And, carrying 15-20 extra pounds is hard).

Ugh, I KNOW I've mentioned missing hot yoga. And really, I know some people go pregnant. But my doctor said from the beginning that she didn't advise it.  It's not that I'll kill it, it's just way too dehydrating. Not good for either of us. Sigh.

I mean, I get it. When I was die-hard about it, sometimes I'd have a bad class and just feel awful. The rest of the day, it was hard to bounce back. Sometimes I couldn't shake the sweat or truly cool down, or my head pounded or my sugars felt off.

But staying on a regular bikram routine was also something I thrived off of. I slept so well, my body felt strong and flexible, and it brought me so much peace. I could truly escape work, and my head, and I just miss it. Even the other day, I had this realization: "I can't even go back right away! I don't want to leave the baby for 90 minutes. Factor in how early you have to get there and then the automatic shower you're required to take, that's like, SO LONG away from BG!"

James laughed and told me I'd figure it out. I hope so! I am creaky like an attic these days.

Have I discussed how thick my hair is? #pregzbenefits   Man, this entry is jumping all over the place. I'll let you know on my nails, if I ever let them grow. (So, never).

Next up: Figuring out how much leave I can take, contacting HR at my job, and looking into FMLA. Whimper.

When it comes to ANYTHING baby-related these days, I'm just trying to keep my mind right: I'm going to do my best, but I'm not going to beat myself up if something goes awry.

And that includes breastfeeding, diapering, day-to-day, staying on top of my life ... I'm already a bit too Type-A/my own worst critic. I don't want to let motherhood push me over the edge! : )

That said, I feel very lucky to have such a great partner throughout all of this. Do I say this every blog entry? I should. James is the absolute best. We're excited to fly home soon for the shower!

And James is turning 33 next week!

And were you worried when I said midwife earlier? Kaiser (our hospital) has midwives, but there's still a doctor on hand. And they're still certified medical professionals. And we're still delivering AT the hospital. I know these questions have come up already with relatives, so I thought I'd mention!

Trust me, I want to be an organic, hippie mom in some senses ... wearing the baby, getting the hour of skin-to-skin bonding time right after birth (like, before (s)he gets cleaned off even), cloth-diapering, etc ... but we're still delivering at a hospital, with a team of docs!

My midwife (Carol) is basically just like, my main B. She's usually eye-rolling at me for watching an ECV video from Sweden on YouTube, or reading too many delivery horror stories on Reddit.

We love Carol.

Until next time!

Oh, and then we got married!

To rewind!

I feel I owe you the wedding story. We're only a liiiiiiiiittle overdue/out of order these days!

Love this guy.

So, let's go back to where this story truly starts, finding out we had a bun in the ov. Exciting! A touch surprising, yes. But our hearts were already so filled with love for each other and for this little embryo. We're going to be parents!

We told our parents in due time, and at first, our plan was to be kinda Kourtney and Scott* about it all, and like, we knew we'd get married eventually. What was the rush?

*Bad example? Kourtney and Scott have since broken up.  :/

Well, there was never a RUSH, per se, but people kept giving us good reasons why we might want to consider speeding up our plans. Logistically, with a baby en route, it seemed to make a lot of sense to just seal the deal/tie the knot beforehand. Our families seemed to push for it, too. Finally, I just bit the bullet, and I was like, I can plan a wedding in a few months. Can everyone else make this work?

As it turned out, yep!

It may have helped that I was married previously and had already gone through the motions when it came to the planning. But I swear, I set up 95% of the wedd just like, during my dinner break at work. (Not even MANY dinner breaks. Maybe three? Haha). I'm a planning monster.

First, we found a date that seemed like it'd work for our friends and families. Then, I emailed the Iroquois Club, which I had visited previously, years ago actually, and always kept my eye on. As it turned out, they'd just gotten a cancellation for July 26. The date was all ours if we wanted it! I mailed them a check immediately to hold the space.

We decided to do both the ceremony and the reception there -- it just seemed easy. The original plan was to hold the ceremony in one room, let our guests mingle off to the side with mimosas afterward, and the staffers would then flip the space into tables, chairs and the reception setup.

But as it turned out, no one else ended up booking the other half of the building. So it was really spacious! We held the ceremony in one room, then guests were able to transition to the room next door, where the brunch setup was already in place. Perfection! I think we had 50-ish people? (How am I forgetting already?) It was small, you get the picture.

We decided on brunch instead of dinner just because the wedding was so low-key. I figured Sunday would be cheaper to book than a Saturday, so why not get our guests in and out at a relatively early hour? (Plus, who doesn't love brunch food? Best meal of the day, in my opinion).

Also, as a bride who wouldn't be drinking ... I didn't want to watch everyone else have TOO much fun without me! (Kidding/not kidding/can't decide). Still, brunch seemed like a good opportunity to host an open bar, but keep costs lower. We figured people would indulge a bit, but not as hard as they would have on a Saturday night with a dance floor and a DJ. (It really wasn't that kind of wedding anyway). But all these thoughts definitely ran through my mind, especially as we were the ones hosting!

Really though, I'd never planned on being a pregnant bride. At first, I thought it'd be a huge downer. Maybe that's what made us say originally, "we'll just get married next summer!" But I'm really happy we knocked it out when we did. A) Not drinking wasn't so bad after all. (I did have a Shorts Soft Parade at Duggan's afterward). Baby G went wild in there. B) Like I imagined, it really wasn't a drunk-fest anyway. C) I really wasn't showing much, so it wasn't as if I had to style around a huge baby bump. D) It was just like, THE most perfect morning/early afternoon of love and happiness! Everything went so well, and being pregnant just made it that much sweeter.

Another iPhone pic to hold you over : ) I rented the runway for those earrings!

So, back to the process! I booked Iroquois. Ordered invites, just like, the first ones that called to me online at Wedding Paper Divas. Sent Jimmy out for love stamps, which should probably come with its own story; he was slightly flummoxed at the concept. "What? I just go to the counter and ask for ... 'love stamps'?"

He said the words "love stamps" like they were German or something -- completely foreign. Ahahaha. But spoiler alert: He managed!

So, we set the menu -- and offered french toast, eggs benny and veggie scrambles. (With Bloody Marys, mimosas and other brekkie dranks). Found an officiant online, and put down a deposit with her. Took myself dress shopping on a random Friday when I was off work (aside to follow). Booked the most responsive florist I could find, and just ordered a bouquet, a few bouts and a few corsages. Loaded up our iTunes with ceremony and background reception music. Selected some flights home. Contacted a photographer, who agreed to do a two-hour session. Headed to our favorite neighborhood winery two weeks before the wedding, where we bought two cases for reception favors. And I ... think that's it? I picked up a few odds and ends here and there, and we went suit shopping for Jimmy closer to the big day.

But everything was so easy! I just chose things and people that seemed talented/good quality but affordable, and more than anything, flexible. Basically, anyone who answered my emails within a few hours was in! That's key when planning a long-distance wedding. If you were a responsive vendor, you were booked. If you hesitated to get back to me, BYE Felicia.

My parents were lovely enough to host the rehearsal dinner (which included zero rehearsing, actually). The thought was just like, we aren't home often. Plus, James' family would be in town -- from Rochester, New York, for those of you keeping tabs -- so, it might be nice to get everyone together while we're all in the same city! Before the big day, instead of after. And it was SO fun and low-key. Just an extra opportunity to spend time with everyone we love! Families, family-friends, friends, neighbs ... loved every second. We ate mini pizzas and Greek food, drank Michigan beers -- well, not me -- and visited for hours.

Even a monsoon or two (or four) couldn't get us down! Thanks mom and dad, for renting that backyard tent!

Earlier in the day, my friends and I went out to Cafe Muse for a so-called bridesmaids brunch. Similar to the rehearsal dinner without any rehearsal, I actually didn't have bridesmaids. We decided to keep things wedding-party free, just to stay simple, but I figured these girls would have been my bridesmaids in another universe!

Muse was wonderful. I ate elaborate french toast, because that's what I'm into these days. And, TFG for Rachael, who helped keep all my plans under control all weekend, and insisted we get our nails done after brekkie. In hindsight, just like, YES, how did I think I could have gone without? My nails are atrocious, and this point can't be overstated. If you think I'm exaggerating, I will send you a pic, and you'll def skip your next meal, they're so gross.

Now I'm on a tangent. But we turned my stubs into soft pink acrylics and it was $30 well-spent! Really ... for all the driving around Oakland County, the Gchats, the consultations, the nail encouragement -- thank you, Rach!

Anddddddd that was Saturday! I was at Cafe Muse while James picked his family up from the airport, and he showed them around a bit -- then it was onto nails, rehearsal/no rehearsal, and bed. The wedd was the next morning at 11! So naturally I was up at 6, heading to hair and makeup with the moms.

But before I continue ... I feel like I should hit on a few different side stories!

The actual engagement -- <-- read here!

The dress: This is a lackluster story! Ha. I'll tell it anyway. On a Friday I had off work, when James was in the newsroom, I visited a bridal shop a few miles from our place. They were known for having this closet of discounted dresses, like, maybe from seasons past that never sold? So I thought that sounded like a budget-friendly route. Yet, that closet was so sad and lonely. It's like, where unloved wedding dresses gathered to die. They were dusty and had makeup smears and I couldn't see myself wearing any of them. So I headed back into the actual salon, to the discount rack. (These were a bit more current, and well-maintained, but still marked down from their original prices). My consultant and I managed to gather about five for me to try on, and just as we were heading back to the dressing room, a blush-colored gown caught my eye. (I swear, it looked so pink in the shop. My sales girl even asked, "oh, you want to try on the pink one?" It barely even registered as blush out in the real world).

Our one and only professional pic so far!

But anyway. The pink one looked large, but there was something romantic about it. And I think I was drawn to the simplicity of the A-line, and how well it'd conceal my pregnancy. So I said sure, and we tossed it in the try-on pile. I think I changed into it first, and it was definitely the dress to beat, once I was all pinned up and it was fitting a little closer to size (yes, bridal typically runs large, but this was like, a 12 or a 14. Which I am not, even pregz).

I changed back into it last, just for comparison, and yeah, it was love.

The only confusing part was, we tried snapping iPhone pics for me to send to my mom and friends -- but the look wasn't really translating in photographs. That made me nervous for a sec, but then I considered: the lighting was kind of shitty in there. My hair and makeup were OK, but not exactly what I'd be rocking on the big day. I was clipped in, and it didn't really fit properly ... why taint what I was seeing in the mirror, based on a few crap pictures?

So, I told everyone SORRY, there'd be no photos until the weddz, but this was my dress and I wasn't going back on the decision. It rang up for about a third of its regular price, which made me happy, and after a cleaning and some alterations, I was good to go! I shoved it into one of James' garment bags and carried it on the plane. (Oh, and a note: Southwest doesn't have closets you can use! Kind of a bummer. It definitely got tossed into an overhead bin. Luckily, once we landed in the D, it had a few days to steam and return to form).

What else we did while home in Michigan: #HoneymoonDetroit, yo! (Haha, meaning not much). Few details to follow!

-----

Anddddd back to the wedding itself! See? This entry has been hard to write and keep organized! This is why I shouldn't take a five-month hiatus from the blog.

So, back to wedding morning, I drove over to the hair salon around 6:45, I believe, and it was just a few minutes from my parents' house. My stylist (who's actually my mom's stylist, although I've used her too over the years -- she's the best) works/worked SO FAST. I had a pretty massive amount of hair (my friends caught up with me a few hours later and some asked if I were wearing extensions, anddddd nope), but Manije did 95% of my 'do in maybe 25 minutes. We saved the very final touch-ups for last, mostly because I still had to sit through makeup, and I forgot to bring my veil to the salon. Rach to the rescue again!

Anyway, the moms got their hair done a short time after me, while I sat through makeup with Robin (Manoogian, of About Face in downtown Royal Oak). She's the best. Anyone looking for a makeup artist in Metro Detroit needs to book her! Honestly, I got pretty annoyed with the makeup sitch when I was calling around town incessantly a few months before the big day. I had SO many girls say they couldn't do it so early on a Sunday, or just like, weeks would pass before I'd get any type of answer at all ... that shit's weak. Be professional.

But Robin called me back just a few hours after I left her a message at her salon, and she was so accommodating. At first it was just me who wanted makeup, then the moms got on board, but she was willing to do mini sessions for the moms and travel to us ... and needless to say, she does such beautiful work. She's done makeup for Aretha, she was on board at Channel 7 for years, she's gotten called out to the Townsend in Birmingham for some other celebs -- yet she was more than willing to take our little party of three at 7 a.m. on a Sunday! I was eternally grateful.

What else -- I got to Iroquois around 10:30, my friends helped me get in my dress -- which was no small feat, actually -- and it was down the aisle in no time! We kept the ceremony fairly short, maybe 20 minutes? Our sibs Liz and Robby signed as our witnesses, James and I ducked out for just-us pictures with our photogs + my mom and Aunt Teresa (for Cranbrook access, just in case), and we knocked those out in about a half-hour. The 'Brook is only a few miles away.

Immediate family pics took place in that short window too, phew. That was the one time frame where we ran a liiiiiiiiiittle tight!

Meanwhile, our guests were sipping dranks and hanging tight inside. We tried to go as quickly as possible out at Cranbrook -- I didn't want to leave everyone hanging too long before we served the meal!

But James and I were back in the room by 12:15 or so, and we had the staff get plates down fast. From there, all we really had on the agenda was more visiting! We did a brief welcome and had Amanda say a prayer, but there was no first dance. No parent dances. No bouquet toss/creepy garter fetch. (Didn't even wear a garter, now that I think about it).

No formal cake cutting (although we did slice into a baby cake just for the photo op). No toasts -- although I did request a friend speech, and it never happened and I'm the worst because they gave it later at Duggan's and it was amaz! -- but hmmm. What else?!

No dance floor at all, really. After everyone finished up their meals, the staff brought out fruit and mini desserts, which were delicious. And we were wrapped up by maybe 2, 2:30? We had the room till 4, but we didn't really need it. So we headed back south down Woodward and landed at Duggan's, which was a little trashy, but in the best way possible. I died a little inside when I had to bite the bullet and pee there. Whatever, I was basically done with my dress anyway. I ate chili-cheese fries, like a true #pregzbride. (They were delish, and hit the spot so hard, in case you were wondering). It was nice for my friends to be able to meet James a little bit more, and the relaxed setting was really fun!

After THAT, I was a little sweaty, and it felt like a relief to get home and change out of my dress. My legs were so slippery ... that humidity! I don't miss it. NorCal is hot, but dry. Anyway, my dad and Robby headed up north, but my mom, James and I had dinner a short time later at the RO Brewery with the Ganleys. I wasn't hungry, but like the healthy person I am, decided to order soft pretzel sticks. (McD's for breakfast, chili-cheese fries for snack, soft pretzels for dinner, in case you were keeping track. Plus mini desserts. ARGH). #cleanleanbride #shredforwedd <-- Hahaha.

We slept so hard that night! And didn't do much of anything the rest of the trip, which was surprisingly nice. Slow's BBQ. Belle Isle. Eastern Market. Family dinners. We were just happy to be home (well, my home, although D-town is growing on James, too!), and happy to be married! All the quick planning was so worth it. We were finally done with one landmark and onto the next -- welcoming Baby G!

The week though ... overall, so special. Every second. I will never forget tearing up at the ceremony, or James' sweet words, or what it all meant to me. I'm so happy we decided to say a few words to each other in front of our friends and families, and he was just the sweetest Jims I ever saw.

I am so lucky to have him, and so lucky to be a part of these families. To everyone involved, thank you thank you!

***I would share more professional pics, but we STILL haven't gotten to see them, outside of one or two! :( Will post whenever I can.

The engagement story! May 16, 2015

(I was going to roll this tale into our wedding post as sort of an aside, but why opt for the shortcut? 

I want to remember this for all time, and go into as much detail as I'd like -- and the wedding post is already getting SO LONG -- so here goes!)

To rewind: James and I had already decided we'd get married this summer, and we'd even set a date. I believe I'd already booked the Iroquois Club, and purchased a dress!

So at one point, as July 26 drew closer, I just asked him, flat-out, some version of: "Do you want to skip the whole 'actual engagement' thing? I mean, I know it's forever, you know it's forever, we're having a baby together, and about to host a wedding ... finances are tight. You don't have to like, get down on one knee or buy me a ring right this second -- we could always get to that later. Somewhere down the road. Do you want to wait?"

Romantic, I know.

I expected him to say, "Sure, that makes sense. I'd be happy to get you a ring someday. Cool." (Or something!) He's very easygoing, and he usually agrees with whatever I throw on the table. We're pretty reasonable as a couple.

But in reality, he put up some pretty tough resistance.

I don't remember exactly what he said, but it was basically like, "Nope. You stay out of this. Maybe I've already beaten you to the punch, and I have some sort of idea in my head, and you need to get out of here. Don't try to make a plan. Let me do my thing. Please."

OK then.

(Can't blame me for offering, can you?)

So, I did as I was told and I backed off. Maybe a ring WAS in my near future after all, who knew?!

I mean, I knew he'd been browsing ... he even ducked across the street while I was at Future Ford, finalizing my SUV purchase the month or so beforehand. But I had no idea he was actually close to buying something.

SO, one day he suggested going to Calaveras County on our upcoming Saturday or Sunday, perhaps for a little day trip. (We went to Calaveras last summer, and had like, theeeee most magical time, playing among the big trees and getting absolutely CHARMED by the tiny town of Murphys).*

*Seriously, if you live in or near Northern California, go visit! It's such a gem. One of my favorite places I've visited out here! Wine, hikes, trees, foothills -- what more could you ask for?

... But then he was like, NAHHHHHH (on the whole day trip). And we didn't end up going. I forget why. I did think to myself at one point, "Maybe he'll propose in Calaveras!" But once it was off the table, I was probably too pregnant-tired to care. "In due time!" I told myself, and promptly forgot about it.

Maybe the next weekend or so, he suggested going up to Tahoe. This wasn't out of the ordinary, as we frequent the LT area on a semi-regular basis (especially now that we're in Rocklin! Truckee is like, only 60 miles away). Our coworker Richard told us about this spot called Bonsai Rock, and it looked gorgeous from his pics. I was in.

We woke up pretty early (for us) on that Saturday, and headed up I-80. Traffic wasn't bad, skies were clear, it looked like a nice day was brewing. We arrived pretty quickly, and walked down to the beach to get a better view.

Bonsai looked gorgeous. And the lake absolutely shimmered, per usual. It was pretty chilly, for NorCal anyway, so no one was really out and about at 11 or so that morning. Even the sun wasn't going crazy, so I think James and I were really the only people down there -- on that part of the beach at least.

We walked around for maybe 45 minutes to an hour, just climbing around the rocks and lounging on the boulders. Tahoe is the best.

It felt like we might be heading back to the car soon, as we had snapped all our pics and tooled around the area for long enough ... but Jimmy was being such a snuggler. We were standing together, with him behind me, just looking out over Lake Tahoe -- and he was so sweet, whispering cute things in my ear, telling me how much he loved me or how precious I was -- rubbing my shoulders and my head, the whole nine yards. I was just soaking it all in, being out at one of my favorite places with my favorite guy.

Suddenly, his voice dropped to more of a hushed tone, and he instantly sounded more serious.

...

It was in that moment that he told me he NEVER thought he'd be in this position. He could never see himself wanting to spend the rest of his life with another person -- he just wasn't sure it was in the cards for him. Or if he did do it, he always thought it'd be like, he was resigning himself to the idea. Like, maybe he'd just get married because that's what people do.

But this wasn't that, he said.

Not by a long shot.

I was so touched by his words, I can't even tell you. Time almost seemed to slow down. I was just taking in every second, hanging onto all of it. He choked up. I choked up.

See, I've always known he was my person. From probably WAY too early on, I've known it for certain: If we could just be together forever, we'd be the happiest two people alive. Under any circumstances. We could live in a box! With a fox! Eating rocks! As long as we had each other.

We were made for each other, and it's just as simple as that. Love at first conversation.

Back to the scene in Tahoe, he went on to tell me how much I meant to him, and how much he wanted me to be his wife, and how in love he was, every moment of every day. When he turned me around to face him, I thought it was just for a kiss.

But he got down on one knee, said a few more words, pulled out that little velvet box, and OF COURSE I said yes!

Like I said, the venue was BOOKED! We were on a schedule! Hahaha.

A selfie (doesn't Lake Tahoe look beautiful in the background?) right after it happened!

But ohmygosh ... he bought the prettiest ring I'd ever seen in my LIFE! I didn't give him a ton of hints or direction. I think I'd said things before like, "simple is better, I do love rose gold," but not much else.

I can't even describe. I still catch a glimpse of it when I'm typing or driving, and I think, "is that really mine??!?"

I love it so much. But I love what it represents even more, in ways I'll never be able to put into words. He's my rock. My love. The best listener I've ever met. My calming force. The funniest person of all time. Truly, my whole heart.

Are you dying yet, at this ginormous sap-fest?

So, with that, we went out for theeee most romantic, candlelit lunch -- right on the water! -- and gazed lovingly into each other's eyes ... oh wait, none of that is true.

We're a little bit more basic than that!

In reality, we drove over to the Peppermill in Reno (ahahaha), where he put money on the Preakness ponies and I dropped big Ds on MSU (football and basketball). And I walked around the casino and called people with the news, and tried to take pictures of the ring but there was bad lighting -- and then we got hangry and went to Jimmy John's. (Again, this is more like how we roll)!

A Snapchat of my rang!

We don't have JJ's in Sac, so we each got a sammy, then each bought another to take home for lunch the next day! We considered staying the night in Reno but, nah. It was only a short drive back!

And THAT, my friends, is the story of our engagement. We were married about two months later in the tropical destination of Detroit, surrounded by our friends and families. And in three more months, we'll be parents!

Love that Jimmy. He's a keeper for life.

Rolling into the third tri!

On Monday, I was walking into work, and I decided to Google "when does the third trimester start?"

"Did you mean to ask, 'how to be the worst pregnant girl on the planet' for not already knowing?" Google shot back.

Yep, basically.

As it turns out, the answer is 26 weeks! Which I hit last Saturday. Holla! We in this.

Every week, I think, I'm at an all-time large, body-wise. (But now I REALLY am, I swear). Can't even get bigger. I've popped big time. My stomach feels ginormous.

It's just crazy. All of this has gone by so fast. How can I be in my third trimester? This weekend, I'll hit 27 WEEKS. If the baby were somehow born, it would likely survive. I mean, in the NICU, sure, but it would survive, The Bump app tells me. Baby G is as big as a head of lettuce. It can open its eyes and it's feistier than ever! (Kicks: all day all day).*

*Not a typo, you have to sing it like Kanye.

Are you sick of seeing my basic-ass bathroom yet?

Let's do a little pregz roundup, shall we? Still working on the proposal/wedding post and a million others. But I need to stay in a reasonable blogging routine or I'll let weeks/even months slip by without realizing. So! Here's what's up lately.

Eating: Nothing weird, really. I get asked about my cravings from time to time, but it's never been anything strange or cliche, like how you hear of bishes eating pickles dipped in peanut butter. All through trimester one, I just wanted fresh food, if anything -- so we made a LOT of smoothies, which were nice, actually, to pack my nutrients into one travel mug. Like I mentioned, I wasn't very hungry, so it was hard to snack on vegetables or get my protein and calcium in. But we added Greek yogurt, spinach, coco water, milk, a MILLION things to those smoothies, which made me feel like, at least I was getting something good to Baby G! (I should get back into that routine, actually. Would help if our blender wasn't a piece of junk).

I still love fruit. Doesn't every pregnant girl love fruit? I feel like you hear that. I can take out two cartons of raspberries as my pre-dinner snack. I went through a huge watermelon phase. Right now, it's peaches-plums-pluots! Ugh, they're the best.

Rice Chex with blueberries are a bit hit in my life right now (I like the plainest, most boring cereals -- always have). Triscuits with sharp cheddar and heirlooms, with a drizzle of balsamic, = another really great snack. Or the paper-thin tortilla chips + super spicy salsa from Nugget ... YUM. I could eat that for dinner every night, if Jimmy weren't so serious about me eating well and balanced. We're kind of on a dessert kick lately, but I'm trying to squash it. It's too easy to take our evening strolls past Baskin for kids cups, or pick out a slice of tiramisu at one of the fancy grocery stores we frequent on the weekends. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Not trying to give this kid type 1 and type 2! Everything sweet and carby just sounds so nice lately. Andddddd I'm usually hungry.

Feeling: My tiredness has come back just a touch. After a long day at work, I usually just want to eat dinner, watch an hour or so of TV, and climb into my Snoogle. I'm not above going to bed at 9, 9:30. (Jims isn't either, which is helpful). Again, transitioning into a new career/line of work has been a steeper learning curve than I had anticipated. It's draining at times. No complaints, I was so relieved to get the opportunity -- but man. Sometimes I wish I were the unemployed one, and could sit around researching pumps and diapers all day! A lot of days, just getting through work, my commute and like, one errand will be all I can manage. I guess that's life when you're growing an extra human.

Making an effort to: Walk more! This is my main form of exercise, and I do love it -- once I'm out. Previously, when I was alone all evening/night, and Jimmy was working late, I'd use the workout room at our apartment complex. But that got boring, the weather is still gorgeous, and now Jimmy's able to join me. Once I hit the pavement, I'm always so happy I made the time and effort. However. Just getting my shoes on and laced up can really be the hard part! Um, mentally and physically, now that you mention it. Midtown (our old neighb) was definitely a more walkable area. Rocklin is fine, but ... suburban. Not as much to look at! But still -- working a desk job, sitting all day long ... I need to be walking like, five days a week. Right now, we're around 3-4 (and some weeks, probably not even).

And we're up and about all weekend, so I'm not concerned about Saturday-Sunday. But sitting is the new smoking (ha), so I need to combat that! Especially with Baby G on board. I miss hot yoga. (But it's super dehydrating/not great for the baby, so). In due time!

Missing: Summer dranks! And my family and friends.

But luckily, summer drank season is wrapping up -- I know I know, will be replaced by Captain and cider and FALL DRANKS -- and I'm flying home for my baby shower next month! Should fill the hole where my loved ones live.

Looking forward to: Flying home! Setting up the crib! We bought a crib and a changing table, did I mention? At Sears, actually. I won't lie, I like Buy Buy Baby ... but it's a touch overwhelming. Was it Sex and the City? Where Miranda was like, "I don't want to see 900 cribs. I want the store to sell one crib, and it's labeled, 'this is the crib for you. It's perfectly safe and it has everything you and your baby need.'"

Um, yes. That, a million times over.

All the cribs at BBB were a million dollars. None really called to me. I didn't know what I wanted, but I knew what I didn't want. We've been there twice now, and left both times, floundering on the crib front. (K, I still feel that way with strollers and car seats). HALP.

But yeah, then we stopped by Sears and asked if they had baby stuff. I don't even know why; I think we were checking out all the major department stores at the mall, just scoping the selection and price-comparing. I hadn't been in a Sears in forever. I had my eye on a crib at Pottery Barn Kids, but James wasn't that into it (he said the gray was bleak and cheap-looking).

Sears didn't have a massive selection, but it was almost better that way. We spotted this one crib, and I swear, it matched our bedroom furniture perfectly! We have like, a maple, finished-wood theme going on. The crib seemed like a perfect size, it came with a changing table option, and it was SO reasonably priced compared to everywhere else. There was a one-day sale, so I think we got everything for maybe $300. (Still need the matching glider!) Bummer that they wouldn't deliver, but it wasn't too massive. James returned the next day with my SUV and picked it up. YAY! And his parents are reimbursing us for it. DOUBLE YAY.

I also now have a breast pump, a bassinet on the way, and some hand-me-downs from one of the KCRA anchors, who was super helpful, showing me what I'd need and how things would work. Can't thank her enough -- who knew you'd have to know how to pump right away? Can't really say I'm looking forward to that, but who knows. Maybe I will look forward to Jimmy doing some overnight feedings while I snooze, given there are no issues with my supply or anything! I won't get too ahead of myself.

I had a prenatal massage too, on Saturday -- a little happy birthday present to myself -- and I guess there was a miscommunication about what time I was supposed to show up. Basically, the therapist and I arrived at the same time. She was so embarrassed, she's now giving me a free sesh. Looking forward to THAT for sure! Myyyy hips hurt.

Weird pregz problem: My gums won't stop bleeding. Every time I brush! I floss often, too. Was warned this might happen; have scheduled an extra cleaning for next week.

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Random things: It was my birthday on Sunday! I ate peaches and cream stuffed french toast and it was incred. Had the best day with my fav guy. My next doctors appointment is next Friday. I got 4-5 inches of my hurr cut off (needed a change, it's still long AF). We're going to the Bay Area for DMB with some friends -- including Caitlyn and Dan! -- that day, too. Work will be cray the rest of the month. Still DYING to see our wedding pictures; we've really only gotten the one I shared on FB a few weeks ago. I'M ANTSY. Anddddddddd Sparty football starts TOMORROW! Dying of excitement, cannot contain. Oh, and I've been considering getting newborn pics, but I hatehatehate how every photographer is seemingly Anne Geddes. That shit weirds me out. Also, the bows on little girls have gotten TOO BIG and scary.

Until next time!