Don't miss us too much...

Tomorrow morning Cole and I board a flight headed for Tampa!  Derek and Opa got on the road this afternoon.  We wish them safe travels...and good conversation for a quick trip!

I laugh when I think about the age groups we will be in the company of...We will get a taste of 'college life' when we visit in with JayJay in Tampa.  Then she will take us on down to Ft. Myers to catch up with Opa & Derek at the 'community,'  where we will get to enjoy retirement (primary mode of transportation = golf cart, dinner time = 4:00pm)!

Don't worry, you won't have to miss us too much!  I've planned to deliver a blog-a-day-while-we're-away!  By the time we return I should have all of my missed moments caught up!

Let's hope the sunshine state can live up to her name this week!

Stress

I am feeling it.

Stress.

My stress seems to always come when I think of taking time off of work.

I have the balance like the rest of the world.

Mother.

Wife.

Employee.

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Fitness Goddess, Chef, Maid, Co-CEO of the Albracht house, Decorator, etc.

Mother, Wife, and Employee seem to be conflicting lately.

Cole has been out of school all week.

There is lots of work to be done...at work.

Derek has been sick, is trying to save PTO for when Bebe comes, and has knee surgery at the end of the month.

I should probably try to save some PTO too...

We are going to Florida next week.

That takes time, organization, and money.

Whew.

Deep breath in.

.....

and out.

To put things in perspective though (something I need to do much more often)....

I have an employer who is understanding, even if I feel guilty.

Derek has an equally wonderful employer/supervisor.

Cole is on the mend.
We have wonderful family who stop in to help! (Thank You, Na!!)

We are having a baby.

And...

We are going to Florida!!!

See You Soon, JayJay!

Cole and I joined Na, JayJay, Laura, Stella, & Maria for a farewell lunch for JayJay.

The end of her Christmas break came way too quickly!

Lunch at DiCarlo's was the perfect end to her time at home.

The "egg" and "nest" that Cole found in the nut bowl and carried around for the day, waiting for the "egg" to "catch".

Cole and the girls had lots of fun while we got to visit a bit.

We were sad to see JayJay go, but we are excited since we were only really saying "see you next week!" in our farewell!

See you Saturday, Jamie!  

DON'T FORGET ABOUT US AT THE AIRPORT!  ;-)

We're doiks!

"doiks" = dorks

We are leaving for Florida on Saturday morning (Cole and I flying after Opa and Daddy drive).

I started packing way in advance because I am a geek/nerd/"doik" and because I am excited!  

I don't think that Phoebe is too excited to see us go.

In the packing process I needed to dig through some of Cole's summer clothes to find him suitable warmer weather clothes. 

I ran across a wetsuit. 

He tried it on.

We laughed!

He wore it for the rest of the day.

We are doiks!

Pregnancy Post

Today I am 28 weeks and 5 days pregnant.  

Bebe is more active that I EVER remember Cole being!

Derek was able to feel bebe kick much earlier this time around, about 24 weeks.  

Cole predicted a baby brother until this week.  Now he says there is a baby brother in his tummy and a baby sister in mine.  Hmmm....

I was much more nauseous this time around.  With Cole I had headaches, not a problem with this bebe.

I have gained around 20 pounds so far.  With Cole I gained 75 pounds total.  I think I am on track to have a MUCH lower total this time.  Even I would have a hard time gaining 55 pounds in the next 11+ weeks.

Derek and I are up-in-the-air on names.  I love family names.  For a girl, I will have a hard time choosing.  For a boy, I am stumped.  We used three of the best with Cole!

The nursery is nowhere near completion....not even started!  We have all of the basics that we used for Cole. It will be a matter of painting and putting things into the room.  Then comes the laundry and sorting through baby clothes.  (and ooohing and aaahing over how tiny and sweet they are)  <3

Daycare is up in the air.  Being in a new community....a small community, makes it hard to find someone.  I have put my feelers out and am hopeful that the right person will come along.  Paying for 2 kiddos care is going to make things tight!  All worth it though.

I am flying at 30 weeks.  I would never have done this with Cole.  I am much more "brave" this time around...I don't worry or question nearly as much as I did with my pregnancy with Cole.  I have heard and hope that this will translate into my mothering of this bebe.  Enjoy more, worry less.

I grunt a lot.  In and out of the car = grunt.  Standing too long, making everything from the waist down ache = grunt.  Getting out of/off of the couch = grunt.

I pee a lot...mostly through the night.

It was very hard to not find out the baby's gender this time around.  However, I am so happy we didn't.  I can't wait for the moment when we hear, "it's a..."
(and this means I get to buy a "home from the hospital" outfit for both)

I snore.  Loudly.  Poor Derek.  

I breathe through my mouth most of the time.  I've had sinus/congestion issues throughout this pregnancy (hence the snoring).  I am tired of being a 'mouth-breather.'

Heartburn!  It came early...before I knew I was pregnant I had heartburn, one of the first signs (I ONLY get heartburn when I am pregnant).  I broke down today and asked my doctor what I could start taking for it.  Pepcid, Prevacid, etc....here I come!

Very little swelling so far!  I remember missing my ankles while pregnant with Cole!

Childbirth will be all natural.  I am trying to pump myself up for this fact.  We have hired a doula and will begin our "training" in February.  We may even set up a birth tub in our dining room to help me labor at home comfortably for as long as possible.  Please pray for us!??!

11 weeks and 2 days to go in theory.  I can't wait to meet this little one!