A trip to Tar Heel Country

            So this past weekend consisted of a quick trip up to Chapel Hill, NC.  The main reason for the trip was for a family medicine recruiting fair.  Since Kenny graduated from UNC he got asked to go.  I got to tag along, help with the fair, and catch up with some friends. We hit the road early Saturday morning, and arrived to Chapel Hill a little bit before lunch time.

            After Kenny stopped faking allergy symptoms we stopped by our house to check on it and our renter....or renters as we found out when we got there (but that is a different story). It was actually really good to see the old place.  While we didn't LOVE our time in Chapel Hill, we do have many great memories from our time there and some great friends that are still in the area. This was also our first house, and our first time doing DIY projects throughout.  I walked around proud of our good work, and happy that everything was being taken care of. The house looked great, and we were really pleased with our HOA.  This is a first, while we were there it seemed like we were paying them money to decrease the value of our home with poor landscaping choices. Now, a new landscaping crew is under contract and everything is looking really great. :-)
          
             You can't go to Chapel Hill and not go to Franklin street, so that is where we headed next.  We stopped by our old mechanic's place to say hello and catch up.  Kenny and Daniel bonded over his Jeep while we were in Chapel Hill, and it was great to stop in and see all the guys.  It was gorgeous day, so we parked at the top of franklin street and walked to our lunch destination.  Not a whole lot has changed since we left.  We had lunch with our friend Ashley and her boyfriend Daniel.  It was great. We haven't seen each other in a year, so it was no surprise when she came in that she went straight for the belly and began talking to Tripp!

             The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to the recruiting fair.  Kenny and I went to a similar fair in SC during his fourth year, and it was great way to meet a bunch of programs, residents, families, and faculty. So here we are on the other side of the recruiting process, and I was excited to be able to go along.  Kenny and one of the faculty members answered most of the questions that pertained to the program and how it functioned, and I got to talk to people about the fun stuff.  Why we chose Anderson, are we happy, how is the shopping, etc. Overall it was great. Hopefully we did a good job, and some kids come for a rotation or apply for an interview.

             Afterwards we got some pizza at our FAVORITE pizza joint: Italian Pizzeria III. In our minds, there is nothing better than their pepperoni pizza. It was glorious! We then hit up a bar pregnant belly and all to see some more friends.  Here is a picture recap.

Waiting for IP3s!

Me, Stacia, and Ashley

Ashley talking to Tripp again!

Trip and Tripp!
(31 week preggo belly)

 Yay! We remembered to get a picture together!

        It was great seeing everyone, I wish we were closer and could see everyone more often! Thankfully we will be back up in Tar Heel Country in the fall for a wedding, and Tripp will be there in person!  Hard to believe. Hope everyone has a great week!

Graduation Celebration!

         This past weekend marked a huge milestone in our family. The last of the Mayfield clan graduated from college! It is hard to believe that baby brother is all grown up and in the real world now.  When I think of Alex as a kid, I tend to always remember him as a five year old.  Alex was not only the baby of the family, he was quite the runt when he was little.  The kid was small and could eat everything in sight and still manage to look malnourished. (that might be a little dramatic, but the kid was small.) Now, he is my "big" little brother. Its hard for me to believe that he reached this HUGE milestone.  I remember vividly when he started Kindergarten. Needless to say we were excited to head up to Boone to celebrate this big day.

            Here are some pictures from the day.

          All the graduates filing in. Sigh of relief Alex made it to graduation!

Walking up to get the diploma. Doesn't his face just scream excitement?!

You did it kid.  WhoHoo!

A little sibling love. (Missing one brother!)

Proud Parents.

Family Shot.

            I realize now that Kenny and I did not get a single picture together.  One of us was always behind the camera.  We are going to have to get better at this!

           On a side note, Kenny and I were both excited to be  asked if we were graduates. We've still got it! I'll take that compliment for as many years it wants to come my way.

          We finished the weekend with a cookout in Shelby and Mother's Day spent in Asheville.  It was a great first mother's day and Kenny hit the mark by purchasing some fun jewelry from one of my favorite stores!  This weekend we are headed back up to our old stomping ground...Chapel Hill for a recruiting fair.  Well Kenny has to work a recruiting fair, and I get to see some old friends. :-) We will be sure to post pictures soon! 

Sleepless Nights

        So it appears the sleepless nights have hit in full force.  I have gotten use to being up at least once during the night to use the bathroom, but for the most part have been sleeping like a rock.  Lately, it seems as though I can't get comfortable. I keep telling myself that I am not sleeping as well because Kenny has been working nights this month, but it does seem as though the uncomfortable stage of pregnancy is setting in.   I think insomnia is knocking on the bedroom door. I knew it was coming, I was just hoping that it was still a few more weeks away.
   
         First off let me start by saying I am fully aware that this is normal during pregnancy and most women, if not all eventually begin to lose sleep at night. That being said, I am also someone who likes to find solutions to dilemmas....so of course my mind has been reeling with ideas/thoughts the past few nights on how to solve this current one.
        
          I typically am someone who likes to flail around at night. I like to sleep on my back, side, stomach, etc. Obviously, sleeping on my stomach has been out of the question for a while now, but I was still able to sleep on my back up until last week.  I can't breathe when I am on my back. So now I am left with sleeping on my side for the next few months. :(

     

          I inherited this pretty awesome snoogle pillow from Kenny's cousin at the beginning of pregnancy, and it has been my jam so far.   I love the support under the growing belly and it makes it WAY more comfortable to sleep on my side. The past few nights, I haven't been able to get as comfortable with my favorite pillow.  I just can't seem to get enough back support while sleeping on my side. I think I might be outgrowing it!

Well today, I came across this gem. 

         It's like 2 snoogles put together! Could this be the solution to my dilemma?! Perhaps!

                 It appears as though it is the perfect solution to my back pain.  There is a potential downside...I am not sure there will be room for me, Tripp, this awesome pillow, Kenny, and Bandit. 

                I am pretty sure sleepless nights during pregnancy are God's way of preparing me for sleepless nights for the rest of my life once our little peanut arrives. However God created this wonderful thing called COFFEE which I can drink again once our little peanut arrives, and that my friends will make mornings a little easier. For now, I am left with water and a classroom of 2 years olds to keep up with all day. This pillow might be a lifesaver... and not just for me!

30 Weeks: Surprises

Things that have surprised me about pregnancy:

1) That morning sickness is worse than I thought, and lasts way longer than the first trimester.
             No one likes feeling nauseated or vomiting, that is a given.  I however did not think that it would last as long as it has, or that I would go periods of time feeling fine, and then have weeks of feeling icky. I know that every woman is different, and not everyone has morning sickness, but a lot of women do and it is definitely an adjustment.

2) That you spend most of pregnancy without a bump!
             I always knew that it would take some time for the baby bump to appear, but I didn't realize that I would be about six months pregnant before it was really even noticeable to me.  I figured the waddling and bumping into things would occur much sooner.  I am glad to have a clear bump now, and be able to fit into the comfy maternity clothes.

3) That when the baby moves it looks and feels as though there is an alien inside of you.
              Kenny and I would also joke that it would feel like an alien. It really does feel like a little alien.  It is a totally awesome feeling, but it still catches me off guard at times and I have been feeling him move around for weeks.  As he gets bigger the movements are starting to feel more "baby" like and can be distinguished as kicks and punches.  This always excites Kenny and results in a comment like, "Yea, that a boy!"

4) That pregnancy isn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be.
             I have always heard women complain about how much they were uncomfortable or in pain during pregnancy.  My mom is an exception to this, she has always talked about how her knees felt better while she was pregnant than when she wasn't.  However, I feel like A LOT of women talk about how miserable they were, especially in the third trimester.  I am sure by July, uncomfortable will be the word I use to describe how I feel, but I am so thankful that I am still feeling great.  Sure my feet hurt some days, and my back aches at times. The discomfort is minor; I have been in a lot more pain after a heavy day of lifting weights or after the first week of P90X. :-)

5) How much I miss working out.
            I mean really working out.  I pretty much gave up any intense training when we began trying to get pregnant, and I gladly did it. Since then, my workout have consisted of walking or elliptical from 30-60 minutes.  I shoot for everyday, but a few times a week is usually what occurs.  I have lifted weights a few times, but the weight load has been significantly less than what I consider normal.  Lately, I have REALLY missed intensely working out.  I miss sweating, I miss my body shaking from muscle fatigue, and I miss being sore. This is something I have always found fun, and has been a part of my life pretty much since the first grade when I joined a swim team. I like challenging my body, and I am really looking forward to getting back into the swing of things once this little guy arrives.  :-)

6) How much I don't miss drinking.
             Sure I miss the social aspect of it at times.  However, I am really surprised how I don't really crave wine or beer.  I am looking forward to drinking a beer later this summer, but I have been surprised how easy it has been to not drink, even when Kenny and friends are enjoying a few rounds.  Perhaps it is because I must smell Kenny's drink before he gets to enjoy the beverage, and that seems to be enough for now. :-)

7) How I am overwhelmed with excitement and not nervousness!
             As we near D day, I feel as though I just grow more and more excited.  I so badly just want to hold Tripp, kiss his feet, and see his sweet face.  I can't wait to meet him. I seriously am not the least bit nervous. I just can't wait for him to get here!

28 weeks Pregnant and a Baby Shower

          This past weekend my mother, mother-in-law, and my mom's dear friend Mary threw me a wonderful baby shower in Shelby, NC.  It was a great weekend and fun was had by all.  Kenny, Tripp, and I felt overwhelmed with all the love we were shown, and we are definitely starting to feel more prepared for our little boy's arrival. 

           I got into town Friday night and headed to dinner with my parents, cousin Laura, and my little "big" brother Alex (I call him that because no one thinks he is actually my little brother.  Everyone assumes he is older, and that is okay by me!)  We hit up a Chinese buffet and it was DELICIOUS!

           I got the boot from the house Saturday morning so that they could set up for the shower! Dad, Laura, Alex, and I all went to IHOP for a late breakfast.  By the time we got back, guests were starting to arrive and the men were off to play golf for the afternoon. 
           The food was delicious and everything looked so cute! Here is a picture re-cap of the afternoon!

Me with the wonderful hostesses!

The Cakes...delicious!  Kenny and I took one each to work so that we wouldn't gorge ourselves on cake all week long.  Needless to say, my 2 year old class LOVED having cake for snack time. My fellow teachers weren't so enthused...12 2-year olds on a sugar high are somewhat difficult to control. Oops. :-)

All the baby swag.

The delicious food!

Here are just a few of the awesome presents we received!

I know, I am flooding you with pictures, but this is a picture re-cap kind of day! Here are few more and then I promise I am done!

Nana and I

BG and I

Kate and I.  28 weeks pregnant! Whoop!

            Kenny unfortunately couldn't make the trip up for the shower due to night float.  It was fun to reopen all the gifts and show him what all our family had gotten us.  After seeing all the goodies we received, he set out to assemble the stroller and leave me to organize the nursery.  It really was a wonderful weekend and we can't wait to use all the goodies when Tripp finally arrives! Thank you to all who came and sent gifts! We feel so very loved and blessed!