Bump Pictures – Part 1

Life has been a roller coaster over the past 6 months (2-3 years really).  Blogging has slowed way down but I really want to document my pregnancy and this joyful part of our lives.  And I want to share with family/friend/anyone that cares to read this!  So here is my recap of roughly the first half of my pregnancy with my precious twin babies.

Five Weeks

• My pants still zipped.
• We hadn’t told ANYONE yet.
• I had started to feel twinges of nausea and pregnancy symptoms.  But I felt pretty good overall.  I was counting my lucky stars for no morning sickness.
• No real cravings, other than FOOD.  I kept saying, “I haven’t done anything to warrant being this hungry.”  Scott always gave me a look and said, “You’re growing two humans.”  It just didn’t feel real yet.
• Frank Beamer’s last home game.  Won in overtime against North Carolina. Go Hokies!

Ten Weeks

• Last Christmas before we become a family of four!
• I used a hair tie to hold my pants up (but was anxious to try my newly purchased belly band and Target maternity jeans).
• Had told both of our families and close friends.
• Got 3 high fives per touchdown (one for me, one per baby)  during the VT bowl game on 12/26.
• Exclusively used the “Virginia Tech Mom” and “Virginia Tech Dad” mugs during our stay at my parents house.
• Got nauseous if I didn’t eat basically once an hour.
• Felt like I was hungover every morning (this was the extent of my morning sickness – not nausea but tired/dehydrated/hungry).

Eleven Weeks

• Scott’s 31st Birthday! Celebrated with friends, old and new from near and far.
• Hosted a New Years Eve gathering.  I prepared by fighting with Scott because I was cranky from a week-long headache (no Advil for pregnant women!?) followed by crying in Scott’s lap because I was so happy.  Scott prepared by hanging out (hiding) in the basement and riding the hormonal waves of his wife.

Twelve Weeks

• My 30th Birthday!
• I squeezed myself into the pretty tulle skirt I bought pre-pregnancy.
• Still felt hungover every morning.
• The Bump had popped!
• Scott and I saw our babies looking like babies (not beans) for the first time at our 12 week ultrasound appointment on my actual birthday.  After a broken ultrasound machine and a rush to the hospital, we got to watch our babies move and kick onscreen for a good 45 minutes!  One was nicknamed “The Kicker” aka The Scott Twin.  The other was much more laid back, aka The Rebecca Twin.  Yes, I am laid back in this equation. 
• We officially passed into the “safe” zone and made the big announcement to the world (Instagram and Facebook).

Fourteen Weeks

• Officially out of the first trimester.
• Started to feel less hungover each morning.
• Everybody knew and it was so fun to talk about it. 

Fifteen – Sixteen Weeks

• Life started to feel ‘normal’ again.
• I often commented that I hadn’t realized how bad I felt during the first trimester until now – I felt so much better than I had for the past 3+ months.  But I still think I got it easy overall.
• Forget to do official pictures with the good camera, but I snapped a little something weekly for mom.
• Craving=chocolate cake.

Eighteen Weeks

• Feeling good!
• Went on 2 mile hike with Scott.  Get shell-shocked at the difference in my 16 week picture and this one.  I believe I said, “Why didn’t anyone tell me!?”
• Took advantage of the unseasonal warm weather (and my new pink Hunter boots) at the beach.
• Was getting seriously anxious to start setting up the nursery, but had to wait until we found out what we were having!!
• At this point, I haven’t worn pants that zip in months. Elastic is my friend and there are usually at least 3 layers of clothing over the belly at any given time.
• Prince has to make accommodations for the new shape of my lap.
• Still craving = chocolate cake.

So there you have it- the first half of my pregnancy!  Back with more soon!

Shotgun Rider

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that Scott and I went to a Tim McGraw concert on Saturday.  And you might think, “What fun those two have!  So glad they are enjoying their weekend.”  To which I would say, “Fooled you!”

Don’t get me wrong, the concert was a blast. It was an absolute lifesaver from the sheer amount of home improvement that consumed our weekend.  I’m still finding paint and caulk on my arms and legs.  I think my hand will forever be a claw that can only hold a paintbrush.

But. We have finally…FINALLY…finished every project we have started.  I’m so excited to share finished pictures this week.  This has been such a long, grueling process.  And frankly, I’m just so happy I married someone who I can do home projects with all day and turn around and head straight to a country concert together.  We weren’t sick of each other and had so much fun dancing the night away.

Tim McGraw always puts on a good show.  You know all of his songs and can dance and sing along all night.  He’s like Kenny Chesney – always a good bet for a live show.

And he looks darn good in a hat.

Blush and Champagne

Two weeks ago, Scott and I were in VEGAS, BABY for Maria’s wedding!  We took a 5:30 am flight.  From Philadelphia.  We left our house at 3:00 am. I couldn’t talk about it leading up to it.  My father-in-law is an eminently helpful individual and would bring it up to talk through the logistics and details.  Scott would just nod, “Yes, that’s right, 5:30.  Yep, from Philly.  Yes, we figured out the parking.”  I would just walk in the other direction.  Not trying to be rude, but it was just my coping mechanism with that hour of the morning!  Here I am on flight #2, post-make up-application.

The flight into Vegas was a PARTY!

We stayed at The Venetian and after checking in, headed straight to the pool party at TAO.  This is so far from my realm of comfort.

But it was a great way to get the wedding guests together in a Vegas atmosphere before everything started.

We roomed with our new friends, Allie and Todd.  Allie is a fellow bridesmaid (thats how we met) and fellow Hokie.  She lives in the next town (coincidence!) and we decided we must be travel partners throughout all the Miami and Vegas travel for the wedding.

We introduced the husbands once before spending 3 nights in one room together.  It went well, but we couldn’t predict just how smashingly they ended up getting along.  Todd came into the room and casually said, “I brought American Flag bandanas.”  The room went dead silent.  And that was when I knew, everything was going to be just fine.After a 2:30 am wake up call and an afternoon in the sun with cocktails, all we could manage for dinner was burgers.  They were amazing – definitely try I Heart Burgers if you can.  They also had great orange crushes/margaritas.  Cause it’s Vegas.  This is a Seoul burger (with Kimchi and a fried egg).

And then we went to bed at 8:30.

The next day was nails and rehearsing for the girls and golf, gambling and celebrity-sighting for the boys.  Isn’t the day before your wedding such a surreal time?  It was fun to spend some quick quiet time with Maria.

Josh came in during our photo shoot and well, grooms need love, too.

The fabulous foursome snuck in a little time at the sports bar in the casino.  Did I mention that the Kentucky Derby AND the Mayweather fight were both that weekend?  In the biggest gambling city in the world?

It was a show.

The girls were so busy with wedding stuff, that we barely got any Vegas time. So we really enjoyed our stroll to and from the rehearsal dinner down the strip.

The desert sunset was just beautiful.  And Las Vegas is really just a playground for adults.

This is becoming gratuitous, but humor me.  We were dressed up and had places to go!

Oh my word, the Bellagio fountains! I was in love.  We stayed for 3 shows. 

Hats off to the designers/choreographers. 

They had classic Vegas-Sinatra, Big Band and the Grand Finale was Whitney Houston singing the National Anthem. We loved it and talked about it for the rest of the weekend.  There may have been fountain-inspired dance moves at the wedding…

Now! The reason for the weekend!  Would you just LOOK at that champagne and blush perfection?

Our bridesmaid gift was this adorable PJ set.

I love it and can see no reason to not always have adorable sleeping outfits.

Here is our beautiful bride!  We had a nice, leisurely time getting ready.  And in true Maria and Rebecca fashion, the two of us wound up hidden from the make up artists fixing our make up, while having a giggle fit.  Don’t stand between us and eyeliner and bronzer, mmkay?

Maria was a beautiful bride, inside and out.  I can’t say enough.  My iPhone photos don’t do it justice.

The day was just perfect, as was the venue.

These handsome gents were there waiting for us.  We couldn’t have asked for a better support team.

The beautiful bride.  (She had a GoPro in her bouquet – brilliant!)

It was a very emotional, beautiful ceremony.  As you can tell by the bridesmaid caught mid-tear brush (that would be moi).

I always try to soak up the messages at weddings, because it makes you treasure your own marriage.

Speaking of marriage – I wore my wedding shoes again and it was GLORIOUS.

BFFs.

I promise, we talked to other people!  There were some dear lifelong friends there and I soaked up every minute of it.

Patrick is the closest thing to a brother I had growing up.  It warms my heart that we are such good friends with each other’s spouses.  Jenny and I talked throughout the whole dang dinner.  And forget about small talk, this was heart-spilling stuff.  And Patrick basically tackled Scott when ‘Enter Sandman’ was played at the end of the night.  My heart could explode from the happiness.

Why didn’t I play Enter Sandman at my wedding? Can I even call myself a Hokie?

Maria had some lovely details. 

I can’t get over the cocktail napkins…Maria loves Josh more.  Are you serious right now with the cuteness!?

Dear friends, old and new.

The cool thing about sharing a middle school & high school with Maria?  Getting to reconnect with your best friend from 7th grade. And marveling that she married a kid you met in kindergarten. And remembering why you got along so well all those years ago.  Hi Thanh and Randy!

Basically, what I’m trying to say is that we had a good time, to put it mildly.

The Strip by night.  It was a wonderful wedding and I’m glad to have shared in Maria and Josh’s special day.

Best wishes, y’all!  LOVE you!

No Lilly for Me

Y’all. If you are a guy and have made it this far, I’m sorry that I am about to lose you.  But. Like almost every other female out there, I was eagerly anticipating the Lilly for Target collection.  As in Lilly Pulitzer.  As in a dress for $38 which would normally cost you $238.  I scoped out the products online and there were quite. a. few. I found adorable.

Spoiler alert: it was a big bust for about 98% of the female population.  However, I think this story is worth telling.

So on Sunday morning, I crawled out of bed at 7 am (claiming a bathroom trip to my sleepy husband).  Everything was sold out online.  Completely gone.  By this time it was 7:03 and the nearest Target opened at 8.  I went into full confession mode with Scott at this point.

Tap tap. “Honey.”

“Hmmmph?”

And in one breath, I laid it all out there. “I have to tell you something.  Lilly Pulitzer released a line for Target and it’s soldout online but I have time to make it to the closest store and it’s a big deal and this is where you tell me not to go.”

To which my love replied, “I think you should go and have fun. But you’re going solo, you know that right?”

Of course I knew that! Then he asked me what it was.

“Clothes.”

“Oh, I thought it was books.”

…

Books? Did he think I had just asked him to go stand in line for a book a la Harry Potter releases in the early 2000s?

“Umm no, it’s not books.”

“Oh, you know…like…Pulitzer”

And then he rolled over.  Yes, yes I have heard of Pulitzer award winning books. Sadly, that is not what I was after.  My poor literary aspirations aside – what a bust!  There was a line out the door and I’d say 15-20 women literally grabbed everything and hoarded it.  It didn’t help that Target had four – FOUR – racks of stuff.  That is nothing. What are you gonna do?  Maybe I would have had more luck with the Pulitzer authors.

Bizzare-o Weekend at the Fitzgerald House

The past two weekends have been domestic bliss, I tell you.  Without an ounce of sarcasm.  We have stayed home, worked on the house, gone to church, caught up on movies, saw friends and enjoyed the glorious weekend sunshine-y weather.  I literally couldn’t want anything more out of my weekends.  Except a trip to Greece, I suppose.

Friday night, Scott and I went to one of our new local favorites, The Robinson Ale House.  We followed it up, no lie, with a viewing of How to Train Your Dragon 2.  If you ask me it was even better than the first one.  And apparently, dragons are just big cats.  Because Scott and I both kept laughing at the bizarre behavior similarities between the dragons and Prince.

Saturday was gloriously beautiful.  We hit up an estate sale (two lamps for $1 a piece), drove to the ocean and came home and put our new (to us) weight set to use.  Yes, that is right, I pumped some iron.  First time since a brief, week-long stint in weight training class in high school.  You know I promptly dropped that class in favor of aerobics.  Do they still offer aerobics as a legitimate class these days?  Anyways, I’m still sore.  I would love to know why my elbows hurt.

And in the afternoon, Scott continued to build doorway headers as we slowly inch our way to a completed downstairs. I can’t wait to show pictures of the final product.  Especially considering the amount of painstaking work that goes into making an old house level. 

Believe it or not, this is what level/90 degree angles looks like.

And I planted a vegetable garden!  It’s success is doubtful, but I’m hoping to get some fresh veggies and a few gardening lessons out of it.  Lesson 1: Stick to the list you go to the store with, which was informed by garden research.  Don’t get fooled by the fact that they are selling brussels sprouts! Because you might come home to learn from Google that brussels are more of a fall crop and should not be planted in the heat.  Well then.  I planted spinach, mixed lettuce, cauliflower and the doomed brussels.  And some marigolds, since they are apparently the garden equivalent of a bouncer and “keep pests away.”

At one point, Scott came outside to inform me that Prince had escaped the deck and was halfway under a bush.  He pulled him out and then we saw a MOUSE run out from the bush!  So basically, my fluff ball went hunting. Outside. Without any claws or real world know-how.  And I lifted weights.  Bizarre-o land for sure.

I also finished a small makeover/DIY project. Our house came with this massive (4′ x 5′) mirror.

So I used up some leftover Annie Sloan Antique White paint on the frame.

And voila – it’s hung in our entryway, bouncing around more light and filling the wall nicely. You can see that the sunny weather didn’t last past the weekend, but I’d rather have sunny weekends than work weeks anyways.

Next up: Building a grey-washed shelf or table under the mirror.  And then pretty candles and vases and decorations. Hopefully my massive muscles and the aggressive mouse hunter don’t get in the way.

Things I Learned in February

Linking up with Chatting at the Sky with What I Learned in February.

1. You know on Pinterest how they throw some “Suggested for You” pins in with the ones you actually follow?  I got this gem recently.  I honestly saw it in my feed and thought, “Who pinned that gaudy thing!?”  And then saw that Pinterest picked it out especially for me.  I learned a little something about myself, not gonna lie.  That I’m a Barbie come to life. 

2. I also learned my first teensy bit of coding.  I found myself Googling how to code at work.  Watch out developers, I’m coming for you!

3. I learned that I won’t lose my soul if I follow celebrities on Instagram.

I just started following my first celebrities on Instagram.  I’m pretty anti-celeb-gossip.  I don’t watch any celebrity shows and don’t do magazines.  At all.  I’m firmly in the “it makes me feel worse about my life” camp.  If it’s not body image, its money.  I’m dangerously close to materialistic on a good day so I don’t need to go around coveting things I absolutely don’t need, like big diamonds and Hermes Birkin bags.  Also? You put back out in the world what you consume.  So I try not to let the Kardashians be the content I consume.  (However, if someone is what they consume, I’m oreos and Outlander books.  So I’m not coming at you from any high horse.)

On Instagram, I now follow Ellen and she helps me laugh and put good energy back out in the world.

Reese Witherspoon is sweet, southern and sassy.  She has sparkle, love for her mom and great inspirational quotes for ya. 

I also follow Monica Potter (aka Christina Braverman) now.  She has corny jokes on Fridays and helpful tips on Tuesdays!  This Tuesday had a zit zapper recipe.  Gotta love a celeb posting about zits.   I also follow The Kensington Royals because that is the one celeb stalking indulgence I allow.  Because I’m convinced that Kate and I are besties in another life.  But if you have to choose just one, choose Ellen and don’t look back.

4. Lastly, in yet more pink news…

I’ve been accepted into the fold at my new job.  Everyone has a nickname on their computer and I’ve received mine.  It is Blossom.  As in the pink powerpuff girl. It’s a long story.

As for what I learned from this?  Well, I learned {again} that I am a pink cartoon character.  Need proof? At my last job, my alter ego was My Little Pony.  I think I need to go paint my nails black and trade in my sequin shirt for…something not sparkly.  Have a great weekend!!

Oscars Thoughts

First, Julie Andrews!  Gah!  She wins all things, just like Meryl Streep.  And how funny did it sound to hear her say, “Lady Gaga.”?

Speaking of, who knew Lady Gaga could sing?  She is such a performer that I never think of her as having a beautiful voice.   She did justice to Sound of Music and I was duly impressed.  And she should play Barbara Streisand in the {inevitable} movie about her life.

I reacted verbally to the following looks.  I’m officially a magpie attracted to all things sparkle. Disclaimer: I’m not a fashionista, I just like pretty.

Jennifer Lopez – she GLOWED.

Jennifer Aniston – The lower half of her dress was completely see through and sparkly at the same time.  It was stunning when she was on stage.

For the red carpet, I flipped between the E coverage and the ABC coverage.  ABC was much more enjoyable to watch.  They had more actual interviews of the stars and listened to the #AskHerMore movement.  I totally support asking women about more than just the designer of their dress.  As Reese Witherspoon said, “We are more than just our dresses.”

I was disappointed in the ‘In Memorium’ section.  I would have liked to have seen snippets of the work of those lost this past year.  They blew threw the names and photos and then had a whole performance by Jennifer Hudson.  They could have had clips showing while she sang.

Neil Patrick Harris did a pretty good job.  I loved Ellen last year and she is hard to beat.  But the opening number was pretty great!

That is all.  What about you, friends?

Flashback Friday: NOLA

Airplane photos? I’m not usually a fan.  Cloud pictures always look the same to me.  But would you look at that New York City skyline? 

I couldn’t stop snapping.

She is just the prettiest.  I may have been feeling sentimental, since I was on my last trip as a working-in-New-Yorker.

While New York is the Queen, I was stoked that my farewell trip took me to New Orleans.  It’s southern, it’s irreverent, it’s got serious soul and a music culture like nowhere else on earth.  And they put dilly beans on everything!  Salad? Put a dilly bean on it.  Bloody Mary? Garnish with a dilly bean!  It’s such a special city.  Again, don’t let these photos fool you, I was working while there.  But a girl’s gotta eat! And drink sweet tea.  Lots of sweet tea.

Best oysters I’ve ever had, hands down.  At Cochon.  They were wood-fired with chili garlic butter.  After Wednesday’s post, I might be in danger of having an oyster-review blog…

Well, hello, Bourbon street!

I love a city that wears her jewels.

And that has not one, but two signature drinks.  I was able to sample both.  The first was the Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s.  I’ve had them before at a bachelorette party, while touring a cemetery.  Never thought I would type that sentence.

New Orleans also boasts the Sazerac.  The Sazerac is “America’s first cocktail” and you simply must have one while sitting in a leather chair at The Roosevelt.  Key word for me being one.  That thing is strong!  It was all I could do to not make a yucky face after every sip.

Cafe Du Monde. Need I say more?  

The beignets are the most delicious thing ever. Best served warm with plenty of dips into the bag for extra powdered sugar and a cup of chicory coffee with a generous serving of cream. If you ever have the chance to go to New Orleans – GO!  I heard some people compare it to Vegas.  Sure, if you seek out that atmosphere on Bourbon Street.  But I don’t. I enjoy the amazing music you can find in every type of restaurant at all times of day.  And the supreme quality of the food and drink.  And how everyone there clearly loves their city and want to make sure that you leave loving it as much as they do (see: the amazing conversation I had with my cab driver on the way to the airport).  I mean – you can hire your own parade there!  I may have followed a bridal party dancing down the street with their own band!

So yes, please go.  And invite me to come with you!

A Farewell to New York. Again.

You guys. I had the best send off from my old company, Eventive.  I was their resident pink and sparkle girly girl and they honored that in my farewell soiree.  For SURE.

Let me paint you a picture.  All of the doors to the conference room are closed.  As I walk up I can hear Bruce Springsteen’s “Jersey Girl” playing.  I open the doors to find the whole company there, ready and waiting (that NEVER happened – we always had to track people down).  On the wall, there is a MASSIVE pink New York City skyline.  And on the TV a sparkly farewell slide show with co-worker messages and pictures from my 3 years at the company.

The theme was Good Bye New York, Hello New Jersey.  It was my favorite thing ever, including New York pizzas and soft pretzels…

…paired with Bruce Springsteen.  My boss and I may have been known to break out into the Courteney Cox dance whenever we heard Dancing in the Dark. So naturally, this was part of my farewell slide show.I even got a send off gift (a hot pink “I Heart NYC” T Shirt).  And as much prosecco as I wanted, of course.

I made some dear, dear friends in my three years there.

One of the things I miss most about that job is the people and doing day-to-day life with them.

They were my daily support network.  They knew me and Scott and I could always count on someone to talk to, to make me laugh, for advice or the occasional sip of vodka in the middle of a particularly challenging day.

It was not perfect and wasn’t without it’s problems, but what is ever perfect?  I learned so much and we had some SERIOUS fun along the way.

You can tell I was myself with them and I felt pretty darn comfortable and accepted there.  Ahem.

I don’t get emotional easily in the moment.  I process things more slowly and get emotional later.  Well. After seeing the slide show and reading the quotes people wrote about me (SO sweet) they asked me to make a toast.  Dang it if I didn’t get all choked up!

After a photo shoot in front of my own personal NYC skyline, many of us made our way out to continue the farewell.This man.  I was lucky to have him as a mentor and friend.

After more fun and antics, we had one more prosecco/martini toast.

And all too soon it was time to head home (in a car on the company, no less) and I got my last view of New York as a commuter.

Thank you, Eventive, from the bottom of my heart.  I miss you.  

One Year in our House

We have been in our house in New Jersey for one year.  Well, one year on October 18.  But life has been busy, y’all.  In the past year, we have accomplished quite a bit.  I still get overwhelmed and have to remind myself of that and rest easy that we are doing as much as we can.  And what we can do is enough.  Here are some of the highlights.

We ripped up our front yard and planted sod.  

We basically gave our house a major botox-injection-facelift.

Front Yard Before and After

I found our house on Google Maps street view.  it’s the best picture of the front of the house with a straight on  view…of the craziest tree ever.

SO much better!

Now we have some serious landscaping to do next spring, but we still consider this one of our biggest accomplishments.

We ripped out plaster and put up drywall.

I promise we have walls now.  Just gotta get you some pictures!

We bought a Jeep.

We hosted at least six major holidays/get-togethers.

And that doesn’t include little visits here and there.

Thanksgiving (six weeks after the move).  I’m so proud of that, I feel like I should include it on my resume.

New Years Eve

Christmas (in January)

Easter

Summer Fitzgerald Family Reunion

Labor Day

We traveled far and wide.

Punta Cana

Harrisonburg, VA for Megan’s Graduation

West Point, NY for West Point’s graduation

Manassas, VA

Boston, MA

Cape May, NJ

Amish Country, PA

Rehoboth, DE

Nashville, TN

And that doesn’t include work travel!  I went to Anaheim, Las Vegas, Florida, Pittsburgh, and Chicago (and probably more that I’m blocking out).  Frankly, we are both a little exhausted.  But its fun to look back at what we have accomplished.  And our house has been the site of so many good memories for us and our friends and family already and I have a feeling that will continue for a good, long time.