31 Weeks Bumpdate and Babymoon!

What a great week! We just returned from Kauai from our Babymoon weekend and we had a blast!

Saturday morning we had a 4am wakeup call to finish packing and get to the airport! Our flights got messed up because we were previously booked on another airline and then they went out of business! So once we re-booked the options for flying out were fairly limited. At the airport, there is a separate terminal for inter-island travel which makes it really easy for flying out. You get to park right outside the terminal too!

We arrived in Lihue and the weather wasn't the best! We had planned to do a sunset dinner cruise of the Na Pali Coast that afternoon, so we took some time to drive around the island and we had lunch at an old sugar cane plantation and did a train ride of the plantation as well! It was really fun!

Kyle's been wanting a coconut ever since we have been in Hawaii! He finally got one!

Delicious lunch at Gaylord's at Kilohana Plantation

Train Ride at Kilohana Plantation

We went to the check in for our dinner cruise and I was devastated because I wasn't allowed on the boat! We had to sign waivers before boarding and in big bold letters it said "NO PREGNANT WOMEN". I was really upset as I had emailed with the company, Blue Dolphin Charters, and explained we were coming on our Babymoon. The sales rep who wrote me back even acknowledged and congratulated me on the pending arrival of Charlotte! I think I was most upset because the Na Pali Coast is the top thing to see in Kauai and is only accessible by boat! Thankfully we were able to receive a full refund. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise because they were selling dramamine and ginger candies for sea sickness. I didn't even think about how that may affect me, so maybe it was for the better! So, we had a romantic dinner right on the water instead!

The Na Pali Coast
Now we will have to go back to Kauai so we can see it! 

Jacuzzi and Mai Tais!

Dinner at Oasis

On Sunday, we were up early as usual! Even with central AC and blackout curtains, we both woke up before 6! Kyle did a run on the beach and I walked! I have to say our beaches are prettier in Kailua! :) We ventured up to the Princeville/Hanalei area and saw some beautiful beaches. I read in a magazine that on Kauai there is not a building that is bigger than a coconut tree! Obviously there are a few larger resorts, but you get a very secluded, un-touched feeling in Kauai that is really nice! We also ventured to Poipu for dinner and it was so cute! It reminded me of a beach town and they had a great city center with restaurants and shops! However, if you didn't turn left off of the two lane road, you would never know it was there! Overall, we drove 280 miles in the 3 days we were there! My vision of a babymoon was to sit by the pool and sip virgin daiquiris (which we did for a little bit) but the weather wasn't really the best and it forced us to venture out and explore the island, which I am really happy about! In Hawaii, if it is raining in one part, just drive to another part and you will have sun! :)

River Cruise down the Wailua River 

The Fern Grotto

Opaeka'a Falls 

Lunch in Hanalei

On Monday, we ventured to Kapaa for breakfast and then to the pool for some last minute sun before heading home! It was a great trip and I'm so glad that we got to see another island! Hopefully we can head to Maui with Charlotte before we move off the island!

Soaking up the sun before heading home!

31 Weeks in Kauai

How far along? 31 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 2 lbs this week for a total of 8lbs. ( did I mention we had ice cream every day in Kauai?)
Maternity clothes: Oh yes! Love the new red maxi I just got and now coming up with outfit ideas for our maternity photos!
Stretch marks? Nope! Lathering up with oil and lotion every night! :)
Sleep? Ahh, the heartburn has been killing me at night! Last night I was awake until midnight just tossing and turning!

Miss Anything? Central AC and Tijuana Flats, haha! 

Movement: Always moving!
Food cravings? Ice Cream, Chocolate, Peanut Butter! :) So healthy, right?
Anything making you sick or queasy? Hmm not really!
Gender: Girl! :) Miss Charlotte! :) 

Symptoms:  Feeling pretty good, just tired alot! Trying to continue my exercise, but not stressing when it doesn't happen! :) Did 2 miles today!
Labor signs? Not yet!
Belly button in or out? Still in. But really looks like an outie in all of my shirts!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy
Worst moment this week: Coming back from Kauai and back to reality! Thankfully the trade winds are back and it has cooled off a bit! :)
Best moment this week: Our lamaze class and Babymoon! I feel so much more empowered about the labor process after just one week of class! Of course, the Babymoon was awesome and getting to spend time together in a beautiful place is always a plus!
Looking forward to: My big 2-6 birthday is coming up next month! :)
Baby info: She is a head of lettuce! She is now "sleeping" longer stretches and I can definitely tell when she is sleeping or active (about every 3-4 hours). 

30 Weeks

The past week flew by because we had Kyle's parents visiting! We had a really good time and we were able to do some touristy things and eat some great meals! 

We were able to take them on a special tour of Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona memorial because Kyle is active duty. The tour starts from the Commander of the Pacific Fleet's Boathouse. He has a special barge that is for his use only and special guests which include Presidents, Senators, etc. I had done the regular Arizona Memorial tour in March with my family and this one was definitely more informative and personal! It is requested that the military wear their dress uniforms to pay their respects. It's always fun to see Kyle in his whites! :) 

Kyle looking handsome in his Whites! :) 

After our tour, we had an ultrasound scheduled to see Charlotte. Well, she had other plans! I ate lunch and drank orange juice, but she wasn't budging! She was turned to the back and wouldn't show us her face. I got on all fours, walked, did high knees, among other things and nothing got her to move! Thankfully, the tech is super nice and she told me to reschedule (no charge) for another day! 

We had a great dinner on Tuesday night at Kalapawai Cafe in Kailua (by far one of our favorite places!)

On Wednesday, Kyle and his dad played golf for the second time at the Marine Corps Golf Course! It has such a beautiful view! After lunch at the Officer's Club, we went back to the course and borrowed two carts to go out to hole #13 where it overlooks the water! We had a great dinner at Hy's Steakhouse! We went here on our anniversary as well and absolutely love it! Our server overheard us talking about baby names (we were still debating a middle name) and brought us a dessert to celebrate Charlotte! Of course we had to get Bananas Foster too! 

The Chance's on the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course

On Friday, we met Kyle for lunch and then Kyle's dad and I toured the USS Missouri Battleship. It was sweltering out, but I really enjoyed the tour! We didn't get to see the whole ship because we were on a time crunch, but I'm sure I'll be taking another visitor there soon!

At the Battleship Missouri 

We also went back to have another ultrasound and Charlotte did cooperate! :) We got some great pictures of her! Who do you think she looks like? I love her chubby cheeks!

You can't come to Hawaii without seeing the beach, so on Saturday morning, we went to Lanikai Beach. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day! The water was so clear and the prettiest color! We found a pretty secluded spot on the beach and one of the beach goers asked if we were renting the Paul Mitchell house. I was really confused because of course there are TONS of beautiful houses in Lanikai, but I had no idea one was Paul Mitchell's house. Well, for a cool $7500/night, you can stay here too! Here is a link, it is a really beautiful house! http://www.luxuryvacationhomes.com/site/showpagelvh.pl?prop=6

Spending one last day together in Lanikai!

How far along? 30 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 1.5 lbs this week for a total of 6lbs.
Maternity clothes: Yes, options are limited and I find myself having the same go-tos in my closet! Boring!
Stretch marks? Nope! Added Mama Bee Belly Butter along with the coconut oil to my belly regimen!
Sleep? Not too bad this past week. The cool AC always helps to put you to sleep!

Miss Anything? I know I have said this before, but Chick-fil-A. I need to unlike them on facebook because I see their posts and it makes my mouth water!

Movement: I was laying on my side the other day and Kyle had his hand on my stomach and we were trying to nap. She was moving like crazy. He couldn't believe how much she was moving! Sometimes it feels like popcorn popping! I think she has alot more space to move around when I'm on my side.
Food cravings? I am doing much better suppressing my cravings and my appetite has returned for dinner  foods and healthier items, so I am happy to report that!
Anything making you sick or queasy? Reading my labor books. Yikes.
Gender: Girl! :) Miss Charlotte! :) 

Symptoms:  I went to the doctor last Thursday because I had some contractions and then so much pressure I just didn't think it was right. Her heart was monitored for 20 minutes, then I had an ultrasound. Every looked great and my cervix is completely closed. I apologized for wasting their time, but it so hard to know what is normal and what is not as a first time mom!
Labor signs? Obviously I am not good at differentiating between labor and regular pregnancy pains!
Belly button in or out? Still in. I am wondering at this point if it will pop out or just stay "hook like"
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy
Worst moment this week:  Kyle's parents going home! It was bittersweet because we had so much fun! But, they will be back in 2 months when Charlotte is born!
Best moment this week: Spending time with Kyle and family and working on Charlotte's room (We re-arranged the furniture and put her rug down and she has an AC unit now! Still a few more things to do before I share pictures!)
Looking forward to: another free prenatal massage at the Kailua Massage School ( a perk of pregnancy-they have to have someone to practice on!), our Lamaze class (it was supposed to start last week but got rescheduled) and our Babymoon trip to Kauai this weekend!
Baby info: She is a butternut squash! I smiled when I walked past the butternut squash at the grocery store! Crazy to think that she is that size! I can't wait to hold her! 

29 Weeks and Mother's Day!

It will be a short Bumpdate this week because we've been busy this week with Kyle's parents in town! But I didn't want to miss posting!

You can really see the growth in the past 6 weeks, much more ROUND! 

On Sunday, we celebrated Mother's Day at church and then Brunch at Duke's in Waikiki! Then it was off to Home Depot to get two more AC units for the house! Thankfully once we got the units installed, the cooler weather and trade winds came back which was really nice! 

Thank you Amanda Cramer for taking this photo of us! :) 

My Mother's Day Gift! 2 more AC units! 

How far along? 29 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: up 4.5 lbs
Maternity clothes: Mostly dresses and workout clothes! We are going to venture to the outlets tomorrow and I'll probably grab a few more things! :)
Stretch marks? Nope!
Sleep? Up a lot throughout the night getting comfy and adjusted. But sleeping at least 8 hours a night. 

Miss Anything? Hmm..the usual 

Movement: She's head down; which explains all of the kicks I feel under my rib cage!
Food cravings? Slowly but surely I am kicking my sugar cravings! It really just makes me feel icky after so I've been trying really hard to divert my cravings elsewhere! I have much more energy that way!
Anything making you sick or queasy? Nope
Gender: Girl! :) Miss Charlotte! :) 

Symptoms:   Had 3 contractions in 1 hour last night and sometimes I feel as though she is trying to push her head out! Yikes!! I go back to the doctor next week and will definitely ask about this!
Labor signs? Not yet!
Belly button in or out? In, but barely holding on!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy
Worst moment this week:  Not having enough time in the days/week to do everything with Kyle's parents!
Best moment this week: Seeing Charlotte on the ultrasound (even though she didn't cooperate and we are going back on Friday) and spending time with family!
Looking forward to: 11 days to our Babymoon to Kauai! 
Baby info: She is a small cabbage! According to measurements at the ultrasound she is 3 lbs. 1 oz! 

28 Weeks Bumpdate

This week flew by and as I mentioned in my last post, I had my 28 week check up and glucose test! Surprisingly, it went really well! I got to the office and I started drinking the drink! It was nearly as bad as I thought it would taste! The nurse reviewed my vitals and talked to me about the TDAP vaccine that I will get at my next visit! I talked to my doctor for a bit and then waited to have my blood drawn. She told me I needed to be under 130 or I would need to come back for the 3 hour test! :/  She also measured my belly and said I was measuring a little bit behind according to my belly and I will probably have a smaller baby (6-6.5lbs). I didn't take this too much to heart because I know things will change, but it is good to have an idea of what to expect! Shortly after, I was called back by the lab tech for the blood draw. I looked the other way and just tried to breathe. Before I knew it, it was over and I didn't really feel it! I was so glad! I found out Thursday that I did pass (with a 128) and my blood work looked good as well! 

Kyle had duty over the weekend, which basically means he brings a cell phone home and then goes into the office to make sure nothing crazy happened overnight. I decided to go with him since we had errands to run over on that side of town anyway! It was a fun morning going to work with him and seeing all that he does! We drove around the base in the command's electric van to get updates from each ship that they manage and Kyle also showed me some of the base I have never seen before! It was fun! 

Kyle's office

After duty, we ventured to a few of Kyle's favorite places... Babies-R-Us and Home Depot! We picked up a few things for Charlotte and then headed to Home Depot to get an air conditioner! As I have mentioned before, most houses here do not have AC for the sheer fact that it is extremely expensive and for the most part the tradewinds keep you cool. Well, when the tradewinds aren't blowing, this momma is pretty miserable. Since it is only May and we know it will get hotter and I will be home with Charlotte, we knew it would be smart to invest in a unit! Kyle spent Saturday afternoon installing it while I laid miserable and sweating watching him! Such a good hubby! Once he turned it on, it was pure bliss! I can't describe the feeling. It's been so long since I felt cold air (besides in the car) and it was so heavenly! Once Charlotte arrives we will probably get a window unit for her room as well. As I type this, I am downstairs with no AC and very comfortable, actually cool. The weather is just always changing, so it is nice to know that Charlotte, Macey Jane and I can escape to our bedroom if it is too warm. 

It's not the prettiest, but I love it! 

28 Weeks- I can't tell a huge difference from last week!

How far along? 28 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: gained 1 lb. this week for a total of 3 lbs. gained thus far! I had to double check the scale because I didn't eat the best this week (ice cream and Kyle's milkshakes that he makes for me!), but did manage to exercise everyday!
Maternity clothes: Really still a mix! Most days I am in workout clothes or dresses! I did get a few new things at Old Navy, Motherhood and another outfit from a boutique called Mahina here in Hawaii! Trying to keep in mind nursing when I buy things! :)
Stretch marks? Nope!
Sleep? Pretty good. I woke up at 6am to go to work with Kyle, but it's not that hard to get up when the sun is already out and shining! 

Miss Anything? Oh you know... NORMAL food! It is so funny I am complaining, but I am now a lover of Thai (which I wasn't before) and I am hoping as time goes by I will learn to embrace the food more!

Movement: Wow, I never thought I would see my belly move as much as it has! I think when I see the biggest movements she must be flipping from head down to head up. I also can feel where she is based on my stomach bulging or really hard spots!
Food cravings? Kyle's yummy milkshakes (Banana, Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Ice Cream), Peanut Butter, Greek Yogurt
Anything making you sick or queasy? Nope
Gender: Girl! :) Miss Charlotte! :) 

Symptoms:   No real symptoms per se, but having her move around makes it real!
Labor signs? Not yet!
Belly button in or out? Still holding on!
Wedding rings on or off? On, they were super loose in the beginning but are getting a little bit more tight!
Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy
Worst moment this week:  Kyle being gone all week! :(
Best moment this week: Passing my glucose test ( I was nervous) and getting the AC unit!
Looking forward to:  Prenatal massage, Kyle's parents visiting, a 4D ultrasound of Charlotte and starting our Lamaze classes
Baby info:  She's a head of cauliflower and can now hiccup! I haven't seen or feel this yet, but I am looking forward to it! :) 

HTC Reunion in Hawaii- Part 1

Well, it has been over a month since my family visited and it was SOOO bittersweet for them to leave! I cried the whole way home from the airport and I wasn't right for a few days! I was happy to have my house, cleanliness and sanity back in some regards, but in a sense, none of that mattered and that's saying alot for me! I knew I wouldn't see my nephew and sister for at least 9 months and I wouldn't see my mom until August! Until that point, I loved EVERYTHING about living in Hawaii and then when my family left, I realized it is one of the biggest downsides about living here and being so far away! All that aside, we had a really great trip! I am quite the planner and had an Excel spreadsheet of our itinerary for the 9 days they were here! I also had coozies made to commemorate our trip! A friend also took family pictures of us dressed in our Hawaiian garb! All in all, it was so much fun and I can't wait for them to come back next February!

Friday 
My family arrived on Friday. My mom lives in Orlando and my sister and her husband in Miami, so they met up in Atlanta and took the 10 hour flight out! They ended up getting Robby his own seat, so he was in his carseat and did good staying occupied with the movie Cars and his toys! They arrived at about 3:00pm Hawaii time and I was running through the airport to try to meet them. I had parked in the wrong place after buying some leis from the lei stand. I waited at the entrance from the terminal asking all of the passengers, "Did you come from Atlanta?" and they all said, "Nope!" Come to find out there was another exit, so I ended up missing them coming out! But, I spotted them quickly and Robby came running to me! It was so great to be reunited! Kyle met us too because we knew we couldn't fit all of the bags in my car! So, we packed up and headed to the Grand Waikikian in the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Of course, we hit major Hawaii traffic! :) Welcome to Hawaii, haha! We unpacked and got settled and then headed to our house in Kailua to pick up Macey Jane and have dinner! At this point, they were up for almost 24 hours, but we had a nice dinner at the Grove in Kailua! We headed back to Waikiki, caught the tail end of the fireworks show and everyone quickly found themselves cuddled in bed!

Saturday

On Saturday, we were all up super early due to the 6 hour time change. I think we heard Robby around 4:30am ready to play! Kyle and I went to pick up donuts from Regal Bakery (a must if you are ever in Hawaii) and then we ventured around Waikiki to try to get a little exercise from all of the donuts we inhaled! Then it was time to hit the pool and lagoon! We had a great time enjoying the sun! The hotel had some great water slides that Bob and Kyle really enjoyed! I went on one, but I will admit, I hate getting my hair wet! Robby woke up from his nap and joined us too! That evening, we had dinner at Duke's! Duke's is a Hawaiian staple and has a great view of the the sunset and Diamond Head!

Dinner at Duke's

Sunday

On Sunday, it was up early again to head to Kailua so Kyle and I could join our church! It was special to have my family there as well! After church we had brunch at Haleiwa Joe's in Kaneohe. It was our first time going and it was really great! It has a great view overlooking the botanical gardens. We went on the Marine Corps Base and toured our family around and grabbed a few things at the commissary and back to Waikiki we went! We had a low key afternoon at the pool and went next door to the Hale Koa for dinner. The Hale Koa is a military hotel that offers great rates for hotel rooms in Hawaii! And, as military, we can go there at any time and enjoy the pool/resort activities which is super nice! The dinner wasn't our favorite of the trip, but it was ok!

Monday 

Monday we played tourist! I got a great deal on Groupon for a complete island tour including the USS Arizona for $35/person! Normally this can go for over $100! We started out early, getting on the bus at 7am! Our first stop was the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor. Because this is such a popular attraction and even though we had tickets through the tour company, we still had to wait about 1.5 hours before it was our turn! So, we grabbed a snack and Robby chased the birds around! It was fun. Once in line, you watch a 20 minute video giving you the back story of the attack and the months and weeks leading up to it! It was a great film and so fascinating. If a few things had changed or been reported, there may have never been an attack. Next, it was time to board the "white boats" as they call them. For me this was really cool because all of the skippers on the boats are active duty Navy. This is a shore tour for them and what a special one it is! :) We got back on the tour bus for the rest of our island tour. We made quite a few stops, but I think some of the favorites were the North Shore and the Dole Plantation! We arrived back in Waikiki around 5:30 and we were so exhausted! I stayed back with Robby while the rest of the family got sushi.

Pali Lookout

North Shore

I'm sure I have bored you enough, so I'll save the rest for later! :)

To be continued...