MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!!! (grrrrr)

Back in August, as soon as Rob and I saw the 2 pink lines on the test, we have been very money conscience. We have always been pretty good and never lived outside of our means, but we aren't the best with saving money. With the exception of Aruba this summer, which was actually a Christmas gift from his family, we never go on vacations, we don't buy huge electronic items, overall we try and keep it simple. I think it really helped that we met each other in college and were very use to the 'pizza for dinner date nights' lifestyle. However, there are definitely areas where I know we can improve on. We have cut back on eating out A LOT in comparison to our college days, but I know I'm guilty of going out to lunch with co-workers here or there, Rob visits Dunkin Doughnuts/Rutters every day, we don't clip coupons, we don't save as much money as we should each month, etc. etc. So there are definitely some areas that we could do better in.

Back in October 2009, I finally paid off my car, thank the lord! It has been great being able to save an extra $200 each month and put it towards other bills. Rob also doesn't have a car payment and is currently driving my Grandmother's car. Have we been driving the most glamorous cars over the past few years, absolutely not. However, we both don't have car payments and the cars are fine for our current lifestyle. Real recently, we "started" to casually think about possibly getting a new car-something "family friendly" and could accommodate our growing family, but thought we could wait until spring to buckle down and look.

Lets back track to last week. Once or twice when I drove to work, my car would 'jump' a tiny bit when I accelerated. When it comes to cars or other unfamiliar territory for me, I take the position, I'm not going to worry about it until I actually have a problem. Sure I see lights go on in my car here and I have no clue what they mean, but until I have a major problem- I usually just tell Rob about it and he takes care of it. This past weekend when we were taking my car out, he asked me about the "jumping problem." "Oh yeah." I said, "I did notice that 1-2 times or so." He goes, well it could be due to the cold weather, but please keep your eye on it. Sure thing, hubby- I will!

Tuesday night, I was on my way home from work when several cars stopped in the road, because a car was turning left. Once the car turned, the line started moving again. I pushed on the gas and nothing....The next few seconds were a blur, I just remember thinking, "Oh sh*t, I can't move. Please God, help me move at least over to the side of the road." After a lot of beeping from behind me, the hand of God came down, and I somehow had enough 'juice' to steer my car out of traffic. The next hour and a half consisted of, 10+ calls to the husband (he wasn't answering at first), a call to AAA, a call to Mom and Dad (who live hour + away, but you always need your Mommy and Daddy in that situation) and a call to my neighbor to try and track down Rob. Rob finally got my message and met me where I was stranded. Once again, he gets the husband of the year award. He was actually getting ready to go to his part time job when he got my message. He called out that night, met me out on the side of the road, pushed my car further away from all of the traffic and waited with me until the tow truck arrived. I swear in terrible situations, Rob always seems to find the positive in everything and make friends with everyone he meets. It was dark and cold out and he told me to wait in my car while he spoke with the tow truck man. All of a sudden I see them laughing and Rob comes back and goes, "Oh Kristin, he is so nice. His name is Andy, he is our age, blah blah blah...." LOL "That's great Rob, but how will that fix my car?!?"

To make a looonnnng story short. My nice little Honda needed a new transmission, $3000! Soooo it was pretty obvious that it was time to look for that new car! Merry Christmas to me! YAY/Bah humbug! (grrrr not exactly the most perfect timing!) Most people would be excited to get a new car. However, we weren't 100% ready, I knew I would get next to nothing for my Honda and the holidays were quickly approaching.

Car Shopping 101 with Kristin and Rob

Today, Rob and I agreed we need to start the process to look for a new car. I knew it was a blessing in disguise of our timing and I could technically go for at least one week without a car if I had to. With the college closed for a few days, I knew we could make do. So Rob and I went out to "just to look." Rob was very persistent (while driving to dealership #1), "We are just looking, I don't feel comfortable buying today." I agreed and since this was our 2nd huge joint purchase together (house was #1)- I knew that was probably the smart thing to do. So we started off by looking at the Kia dealership. My parents just bought a Kia in October and raved about it- so we decided it would be a great place to look. The salesman showed us some options close to our price range and asked if we wanted to test drive a silver Kia Sportage. Rob quickly said, "Yes" and off we went. After two minutes of Rob driving, he told me that this car was perfect and we should get it. My mouth dropped open- he is never a spontaneous buyer with huge purchases like this. We get back to the dealership and Rob was ready to start talking "numbers." Rob and I secretly chatted about our strategy while test driving, he would ask the "car questions" and I would be the negotiator. Again, I'm the bargin shopper at yard sales and craigslist- how difficult could a car be?!?

So I tested the waters a bit when they presented us with numbers..."I think you can do better." (Go Kristin! I felt so proud of myself). Well between negotiating back and forth and constantly calling my dad for advice/texting during the middle of all of this, there definitely comes a point when you become a bit greedy and I think I may have crossed that line a few times. When I finally was happy with the price and payment, I told him that if we threw in a second key beeper (don't know the proper name), we would sign today and it was a go. He goes, "I have to be honest, if you ask for another thing, I think may boss may say 'no' and walk away. You have already gotten us down as much as we can go with the price and interest rate. We're done." Well that shut me up pretty quick and I said, "Just another basic key is fine, we're good!"

Do I think we got a great car at a great price, I do think so. I always get so nervous making large purchases and just wanted to make sure we weren't being taken advantage of. I even pulled out the "I'm pregnant" card to see if we could soften them up a bit. The most important thing is that we now have a nice, safe car for Baby Schab. My boss was too funny when I told him I needed to use a personal day on Thursday to shop for cars. "Oh the little princess wants a new car and she isn't even here yet." LOL So true, she did move a lot when I was stranded on the side of the road and when we signed the paperwork. Hope she likes her new car!

I will post photos soon of our new Kia! Also, if anyone is in the market for a used car, I have a Honda that I can offer you for a GREAT price! (j/k) Unfortunately, Kia did not want used car that didn't have a working transmission, call me crazy but they are really missing out :-)

Baby Brain

So let me just start off this post with saying that I pride myself on being a very organized and detail oriented person. In a work environment that requires me to work on multiple events and projects at once, I have to give myself a pat on the back and say I think I do a great job keeping everything organized. I'm also amazing with dates! Again, in my line of work, my calendar is my best friend! Between scheduling meetings, booking venues and constantly working several months ahead on many items- I think I do a great job of keeping it all together. I also feel I'm amazing with keeping Rob and I organized as well. Whether it's sending out a birthday card out for family/friends or making sure all bills are paid on time, I've got my stuff together!

Well, not sure what has happened lately, but I think I'm suffering a tiny bit from "baby brain." At first when I heard about this, I thought- no way, I would never be a victim of this, do you know who you're dealing with? Well, I'm officially a victim of baby brain and of course Rob was there to witness it!

When you are pregnant, you will notice that the amount of items you need to "juggle" is amazing. Between scheduling monthly Dr appointments, blood tests, etc- there is a lot to remember! So today (or so I thought) I had my monthly Dr appointment. Due to some car problems (which will be covered in another post), I took a personal day off from work and Rob and I took advantage of our free day to go to the Dr appointment, finish Christmas shopping, go car shopping and grocery shopping for Christmas Eve dinner with my family. So at 9:30am, I told Rob, we need to leave now for my appointment. Another pet peeve of mine, I hate being late. With my appointment at 10AM, that gave us more than enough time to drive there and get there 10 minutes early to fill out any necessary paperwork.

With my pee sample in a zip lock bag, Rob and I walked into the office and I signed in. I felt a bit odd because the waiting room was packed and I felt as if everyone was staring at my zip lock bag. We sat down and started to chit chat about our "game plan" for the day. I also told him how excited I was to hear her heartbeat today and not so excited to weigh in. (come on people it's the holidays!) The nurse called my name and I went up thinking I had to fill out some paperwork. She goes, "Um, who is your appointment with today? We can't find you in the book." I go, "Uhhhhhh, I don't know?" Really Kristin?! Come on now, girl! You're more organized than this. "I know it was a female," I stammered. (I can feel my face getting warm at this point). "Well, we only have one doctor on call today and it is a male. Let me look you up in the computer.....(a few seconds later).... Did you know that your appointment was yesterday? You will need to reschedule." At this point, I turn back and as Rob is staring at me, he shakes his head and there is a huge smirk on his face. After we reschedule, I held up my ziplock bag and say, "Can I still give you this?" She was able to take it, but I would have to return with a new sample during my next appointment.

So Rob and I walk back to our car in silence. I felt as if I was doing the walk of shame through the waiting area with other patients staring at me. I kept saying over and over, "I can't believe I did this. I never miss appointments." Rob on the other hand was loving it and making little comments to push my buttons. "Babe, you know what I do when I have an appointment, I write it down on a calendar. (but I did I protested! just the wrong date). This just shows you are human and you ARE capable of messing up." I think he was proving a point, that the wife isn't ALWAYS right, like I always think I am.

The classic ending, I'm still trying to figure out how I could of done this and I exclaim, "This is just so weird, they never even tried to call me to say I missed my appointment!" So I whip out my phone and check my voicemail to prove my point to Rob......two new voicemails. Voicemail #1, "Hi Kristin, this is the York Women's Health Center calling. You missed your appointment and we were calling to re-schedule." YIKES!!!! At least I have an amazing husband who took me to Dunkin Doughnuts for breakfast and told me that everything would be fine.

So let this be a lesson for all ladies, even if you are the most organized person, you may not be able to escape Baby Brain. My next appointment is scheduled for Monday at 7:00PM- so if you notice me on facebook or at home just hanging out- kick my butt into gear! :-)

Baby Schab- 23 weeks!

I am 23 weeks! I feel great and still continue to grow! Some exciting developments...I definitely feel movement and even a few small kicks here or there. The "moving feeling" started around 18/19 weeks, but has become much more noticeable throughout the past few weeks. It is truly an amazing feeling and every time I feel 'her' I get even more excited! It is truly starting to sink in that she will be here in four months!!!

A lot of developments have been made over the course of the past few weeks, so I will try and recap as best as possible.

Nursery Update...
Furniture bought and delivered! We selected a white sleigh crib, matching changing station and a four drawer dresser. A preview of her bed set is below, I call the theme of her nursery, "sophisticated lady bugs." We selected paint color and will work on putting her nursery together after the holiday season. A big thank you to Grammy Summers for buying us the lady bug comforter set and a big thank you to Grandma Schab for purchasing our glider! We are so blessed to have such wonderful parents that are so excited about becoming grandparents :-)

Bust a move...

So I definitely love when Baby Schab moves in my belly...truly THE BEST feeling in the world. I can't help but say, "Ooooo hello baby" every time I feel her move. I'm not quite at the point where others can feel the movement, but I anticipate that will all change in the next few weeks. The other night when I was watching TV in bed, I felt a few kicks. I called Rob upstairs to feel, but she had stage fright and stopped once Daddy was around. I hope she kicks hard soon, poor Rob feels a bit neglected.

Food...
No weird cravings to report. I am happy to say I love the majority of all foods again. I'm back to loving spaghetti with meat sauce and will occasionally indulge in certain sweets (but I have to drink milk with it). I still hate eggs, but besides that, everything else is fine. I'm not really eating much more than I usually did. I think my weight gain is at 10-12lbs (we will find out the exact number in a few days). I usually have to close my eyes every time I step on the scale, what torture!!!


Don't make fun of my waddle!
There are definitely times when I feel like the cliche pregnant lady! There has been at least two times when Rob and I are out at stores and I catch him laughing at me. Apparently, I "waddle" slightly when I walk. There are also times when I need "assistance" getting up, too. Rob and I were watching TV and I went to get up and was like, "uh oh." I started laughing hysterically and said, "Can you help give me an extra nudge?" Classic story.... we were in bed one night and I asked him to give me a slight nudge to help me roll over because I was struggling a bit. The next thing I know, he is pushing me out of bed! I started yelling, "What are you doing???" He stopped and said, "Oh my god, I thought you needed to get up and use the bathroom (valid point since I average 4-5x/night). LOL I said, "Nope, just need to roll over a bit."


Got milk?!
I was home alone about one week ago sitting with Lexi on the couch in my PJ's when I looked down and noticed two wet marks. Yes, it happened already....I started leaking! I wasn't wearing a bra and I could feel it right away with just a t-shirt on. I googled right away and it turns out this can be quite normal. I am going to confirm with my Dr this week, but definitely an interesting way to start your day!


My new shopping obsession...
I'm officially obsessed with buying baby clothes! I have hit up my favorite consignment shops and have scored deals of the century. I must have bought her 75+ outfits (ok one order was a box full of 50 outfits for $20) and have paid less than $50 for everything. Trust me, everything is of the cutest taste- Gymboree, Old Navy, Gap Kids, Carter's, etc. She will be like her mommy, dressed in cute fashion at bargain prices!


Next up...
I have my monthly Dr appointment scheduled for this week and will learn more updates and the fate of my weight this week. Cross your fingers for good numbers! I will also post some belly shots later this week, too.

Girls, Meet Santa....

This past Saturday, we took the girls to visit with Santa. We have been "talking about Santa" all week with them and we knew they were so 'thrilled.' Originally, we wanted just the ladies to pose with Santa, I didn't dress well, do my hair or put make-up on. However, when Rob went to put Porscha on his lap, she couldn't even look at him and started to shake. So mom and dad jumped in and helped the girls pose. As you can see on the video, Porscha did warm up to Santa and even gave a few kisses. For the photos, we went to the York County SPCA and all profits would benefit the shelter. While we were there, we ran into Rich, Kelly and Abbie who came up to York that day. Abbie did a great job with Santa and this year marks her first Christmas with Kelly!

Thanksgiving/tree cutting/our tree

So I noticed I'm a bit "behind" blogging about life and baby updates, so I'll do my best to get caught up :-)

Thanksgiving was great! We were lucky enough to spend time with both families again this year. Rob and I hosted Thanksgiving for my family and we went to Long Island the next day to enjoy more fun with his family, grandparents and cousins.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Rob's mom hosted a benefit party in honor of Aunt Linda's fight against cancer. The night consisted of lots of food, dancing and socializing for an amazing cause! I think everyone was amazed that I was still able to "bust a move" on the dance floor, despite I was 5 months preggers! Baby Schab and I were having a blast dancing, even Daddy Schab joined me as well!

The following weekend, Rob and I returned to Long Island for the 20th annual tree cutting tradition. Every year, Rob's family, along with four other families, go up to CT to cut down trees. Following the tree cutting, they all gather afterwards for appetizers, dinner and fun.

Rob and I knew it wasn't practical to haul a tree from Long Island to PA, so he went out the following week to a tree farm in Gettysburg and cut down a tree for our house. He did an amazing job (as always) and I was a terrible decorator (as always). Call me crazy, I just don't have fun putting up lights and ornaments, so I kept "pretending" to do other things around the house. I did assist him by cooking an amazing meal and baking cookies. Maybe next year when Baby Schab arrives I will be a better helper :-)

Baby Schab is a.......... ?

Enjoy our gender reveal videos below!
(take a good look, Porscha makes an appearance in almost EVERY video LOL)

Video #1
Surprising the 'future' Summers Grandparents...
Scene- We gave them a gift bag with a "gift" inside that would either symbolize girl or boy. The bag included a balloon that said, "It's A Girl" and a pink bib.



Video #2
Surprising 'future' Great Grandma Summers and Aunt Kelly
Scene- We baked a cake and the middle had either a pink or blue middle...



Video #3
Surprising the 'future' Schab Grandparents and Aunt Danielle
Scene- We gave them a "word scramble" with her name and they had to come up with the answer.



Video #4
Surprising the Uncles
*they took some time, so there is part I and part II






More videos to come which include: future Great Grandma/Great Grandpa Kalman and aunts/uncles/cousins surprise.

19 weeks and the big reveal!

So this week marked 19 weeks and our second official ultra sound/gender reveal. Rob and I were absolutely thrilled to see Baby Schab's development and also to find if we were having a boy or girl! Our appointment was at 1PM on Monday and believe it or not- my morning flew! I didn't think it would, but thank god I was up against another deadline for a work project and therefore that served as a wonderful distraction for me. However, the whole drive there and the walk to the office, I was incredibly nervous. Whenever I get nervous, I have to use the bathroom, a terrible and annoying habit. Prior to them calling my name, I peed 2x. As we were walking back to the room, I asked the tech if I could use the bathroom again (#3). The tech couldn't have been any nicer during our whole appointment. She really took her time and went through each part of the body carefully pointing out parts such as the spine, brain, heart, eyes, etc. As she was checking over the brain/eye area- I thought I heard her make reference to 'her/she'. I brushed it off and didn't think much of it.

As she was getting closer to the "private area" she goes, girl you have a full bladder again. She made me get up off the table and pee again (#4). As she was checking over each section, she asked if we had names picked out. We told her, believe or not, we have a girls name picked out (Ashleigh Paige), but we know we're having a boy and haven't narrowed it down. A few minutes later, I casually asked, "So do you have any inkling of boy or girl?" She said, "I think you have a little Ashleigh in there." My heart melted on the spot. I gasped and go, "Oh my gosh are you sure?" Then I turned to Rob and said, "Honey are you ok with this? I am so sorry for thinking it was a boy, now you won't have anyone to play trains with." LOL No surprise here when Rob shrugged and goes, "I was going to be happy either way, I am just happy to know what paint color to buy now."

Well, before I got too excited, I made her really scan the "private area" and show me that it truly was a girl. Baby Schab was being a bit stubborn and wouldn't open their legs. Finally, after what seemed like ages, the legs did open and she pointed out "girl parts." The whole ultra sound appointment was beautiful. It was the best feeling in the world to finally refer to Baby Schab as a he or she. It has been so much having a conversation with Rob and saying things like, "When Ashleigh arrives or I think we should do her room in pink, etc., etc." For the record, I also used the bathroom (#5) after she completed our appointment...I think I have a serious problem!

Reflections...

I have always, always wanted a little girl. Ever since I was little, whenever we would play house or nursery, I would always have "girl" children. Prior to getting pregnant, I had a "vision." I know this sounds weird, but I even told my neighbor that for some reason I just felt in my heart that we would get pregnant right away, baby would be healthy and it would be a girl- that was my original gut instinct (I was right on the money with all three so far). However, for some odd reason after our first ultra sound appointment at 6 weeks- I convinced myself we were having a boy. I bought all boy clothes, picked out a boy bedding set and only would look at boy toys. Within a few hours of our appointment and learning Baby Schab was a girl, I was eagerly looking at nothing but Pink Pink Pink. She is going to bed our little spoiled princess. I am so excited to meet our little lady in April! Real recently, I was on the phone with Rob discussing plans on furniture for the nursery and I made reference to the fact how nice it is to know what we are having and how much easier it is now choosing items. He responded back by saying, "Although I agree, I wish we would have learned the sex two weeks before she arrived." Ummm, ok Rob and why? "Because Kristin, I really don't know how I am going to make it until then. I really want to meet my daughter now." Ohhhh tear jerker! Love my husband, he will make an amazing dad and will be just so sweet on our little girl.

A few commonly asked questions throughout the pregnancy so far...

1. Are you going to find out the gender? Have you ever met me? I am a PLANNER! I want everything to be PERFECT for Baby Schab- bedding, clothes, toys, etc. Yes, we found out and yes we will happily share the news with family/friends and even strangers :-)

2. Will you reveal the name? Yes- mostly to just friends and family before she is born. I commend anyone who can wait- but we felt comfortable sharing the name once we knew 100% of what we wanted.

3. What name choices do we have? For girls- we loved Ashleigh Paige right away. Other top choices (and possible baby #2 or #3 names) Taylor and Brooklyn. Boy name choices (here were my top 4, although Rob and I didn't see eye to eye on all of them): Penn Thomas, Brody Penn, Ethan Penn and Robbie Thomas.

4. Why Ashleigh? Have you ever heard of a little show called the Hills? Back in the day, I was 'mildly' obsessed with this show. During one of the episodes, a bikini designer teamed up with LC to present a swim suit fashion show. Her name and bikini line....Ashley Paige. From that moment, I just looooveeed that name. We did change the spelling a bit to make it more unique for us, but I just think it is a beautiful name.

5. Have you been "eating a lot more"- one of my favorite questions asked by one of my male bosses. I can't really say I have been. I feel I'm eating the same amount of food before I was pregnant. I do not crave any type of sweets and would prefer items like- chicken salad, soups, salads, pizza, raw veggies, peanut butter sandwiches, bagels, muffins, granola bars, cereal, etc.

6. How do you feel? Ever since Week #14/#15- I'm a new woman and I love life! I feel great and have so much energy! I'm the little energizer preggers lady constantly running around now.

7. The big question....how will Porscha and Lexi react to a new baby? Based off of other observations and interactions with kids- I see them doing just fine. I have my predictions of how this will play out and I'm curious to see if I'm right. I see Porscha as being more of the observer. I can see her ears go back when the baby would cry and watching me during diaper changes and feedings. I could see her walking up to the baby and giving her a giant lick and saying lets play. I can see Porscha also just sitting and staring at the baby. I always find Porscha in our back yard sitting and staring at the children next door and her tail wagging wildly with happiness. Lexi may view baby schab as competition for mommy's attention. I don't see her being hostile, but rather, don't forget about me, love me, hi mom! I can envision her jumping up on my lap as I'm holding the baby and trying to compete for love and attention. Lexi is a huger licker/kisser and I can see her squeezing her little head in between my arms and the baby and wanting to get in on the action. Overall, I think they'll do great with their new roommate.

8. Have you felt the baby move? YES! At first I didn't want to believe it actually was the baby, because I didn't want to seem crazy for thinking I felt something. However, after doing some research and catching up in my pregnancy books, my suspicions were confirmed! The fluttery/pop corn like feeling in my stomach was definitely her moving. The other night, Rob and I were watching the AMA's and during a performance by Christina A. and I felt her moving away! If this is any preview into the future- she will take after her mother and serve as the life of the party when the music plays! I think my little gal wants to be a dancer :-)

19 weeks

Decision Day 2010....(the celebration)

So Decision Day 2010, no not the election, but rather gender reveal day took place this Monday, November 22nd at 1PM. My other blog will go into more details about the actual appointment and our reactions, but another post will feature reactions from family and friends. A few weeks ago, my co-worker Jessie and I started a friendly poll for faculty/staff and students in our department. Find their "predictions" below. As a result of the poll, I owe Jessie lunch at our favorite restaurant Mexitaly and a few people owe each other coffee from Starbucks.

Telling the Summers fam... My parents were in town Monday for an eye appointment for Grandma so we were able to tell them a few hours after the appointment. Find the video posted in the 'reveal video blog', I really wished my mom would have shown some more excitement.... (LOL) She was so sweet and even brought over two bags for Rob and I to open. One bag had boy items and the other bag, girl items. So once we revealed it was a girl, we opened up a cute pink monkey and an adorable pink onesie!!

The luckiest girl alive!

So let me just start off by saying I have some "sneaky", but the most adorable girlfriends.... About 3-4 weeks ago, I got an email from my college best friend's husband. He had bought a 'Green Bay Packers table' for her 30th birthday and needed me to get her out of the house for him to set it up. So I quickly sprung into action and set up a fun girls day for us, Chilis for lunch and the movies to follow...

I was pumped! It was great to have a free Saturday and do something fun and girly. Rob was away for the weekend on a camping trip with the boys for a bachelor party and I had an open morning. We agreed to meet at 11AM that morning and I was going to pick up her at her house. I was running about 5 minutes late and didn't want to run the risk of being late to catch our 12:50PM movie, so when I got to her house, I beeped the horn. Yes, I know, not the nicest thing to do for a friend, but I figured she would be on her way out the door. After a few toots of the horn, she still wasn't coming out. I left my purse in my car (with the doors unlocked) and ran up to her house to get her. As she opened up the door, I heard...."SURPRISE!" Doing what I do best during surprises, I quickly shut the door. I was so startled, I didn't know what else to do?!?

When I gained my composure, I opened the door to find some of my girlfriends throwing me a pregnancy party in my honor. A "pregnancy party" is a small gathering of girlfriends to celebrate your pregnancy. Instead of receiving gifts for the baby, friends do special things for the mom to be. I was absolutely stunned that all of the secret planning was taking place behind my back- I had NO clue. As we chatted over a beautiful brunch spread, I was absolutely stunned by everyone's generosity! I received gift certificates to restaurants for Rob and I to enjoy before the baby, gift certificates for massages/nails, maternity tops and gift cards for clothing. I am so blessed to have the nicest girlfriends in the entire world. I had the best time and was on Cloud 9 for the rest of the weekend.


Allison predicted girl (pink balloon) and I predicted boy (blue balloon)....winner will receive free chips and salsa during our next "real" dinner date at Chilis.

It's Official...I'm Preggers!

You're probably thinking, wait a minute, I knew this already?! However, this weekend truly marked a turning point for me. Yes, I have known I was pregnant since August 12th, but Friday marked my first day of "really feeling pregnant." I think the fun started Friday afternoon. I was like, "oh goodness my pants feel really, really tight." I got home after work and changed into jeans for our 'date night' later that night. That is when it happened....the button wouldn't close. Yikes! I officially couldn't buckle my pants. LOL So someone taught me the "rubber band trick" where you take a hair tie and loop it through the button hole and wrap it around the button. I did that to make it through the night.

Rob and I went out to the mall for dinner at the food court (no jokes, we're on a budget) and to take care of some phone issues at the ATT&T store. I also asked Rob if we could make a stop at Motherhood Maternity so I could check out work pants. Obviously in my other post, you would read that I hardly ever shop at regular malls now, but I have to admit, finding work pants at consignment shops are a bit tough. So I went into the store to stock up on some dress pants. The sales woman asked me if I needed any help when I walked in. I said, "Yes, I'm officially fat and can't fit into my pants anymore." She must get this a lot, because she didn't even blink and eye and said sure thing - lets get started. Rob was a supportive shopping buddy and waited patiently as I tried on pants and a few tops. Rob and I continued our wild date night that Friday by stopping at Walmart to pick up our new kitchen table set (find photos below) and making an impromptu stop at McDonald's for me. I told Rob, "Well, I can't fit into my pants, so lets celebrate and get some ice cream." I think I've only had ice cream 2-3x since I found out I was pregnant and was really in the mood for a carmel sundae. Mommy and baby approved, it was delicious! We were so excited to pick up our new table set- quite the bargin and is PERFECT for our growing family. Our other table only could seat 2 people, so we knew we would outgrow that pretty quick.

Additional weekend highlights...

a. My Mom and I spent the afternoon together on Saturday and had a great time seeing the movie, "Life as We Know It" and shopping at Kohl's.

b. Rob and I spent our Saturday night enjoying take out for dinner with my Mom and after she left, we played a game of Scrabble later that night. I always get so frusturated playing against him. Since college, the same scenario happens during every game. I start off strong and then he comes from behind and absolutely crushes me. I wouldn't get so upset, but the sad truth is, I would write HIS papers for him in college. Sophomore and junior year, he would bring over this english papers to my dorm and I would start off editing and eventually re-write his papers. I was young and in love and he was too darn cute to say no. So hopefully you can understand my frustration on how he beats me EVERY TIME we play. grrrr :-)

c. Sunday he got home late from job #2 and randomly bought me flowers. At first I quickly asked, "Uh oh, what happened." Don't get me wrong, he does surprise me here and there with flowers not on major or Hallmark holidays- but he was just giving me the weird smile. However, all is well and he said he saw them while grocery shopping and wanted to do something special for this "pregnant wife". xoxoox he is the best!

My Secret Addiction....

So yes, I have a secret addiction that I wish to come clean about (even though some are aware of this already...) It all started back in May 2007 (I remember this date well because it was the same day Rob and I got engaged). My good friend and now neighbor asked me to join her for lunch and shopping. She said, you have to check out this adorable consignment shop. I was a bit hesitant at first because I was only use to buying name brand items, BUT my friend always dresses super cute and looks like she walks out of a J Crew or GAP magazine at any given moment. So I agreed to this, told myself to keep an open mind, and the rest is history.

I am now proudly ADDICTED to consignment shops. Yes, I admit they are my absolute guilty pleasure. Ever since that Friday afternoon in May, I would say I buy 75% of my clothes from consignment shops. I'm not talking about frumpy clothes either, but rather labels such as Limited, Express, GAP, NY&Co, Ann Taylor and the list goes on and on. I have truly built up my closet to look cute and trendy at a very affordable price. In fact, the majority of my cute vacation clothes from this summer came from this shop including the biggest deal of the century, a white sundress from White House Black Market for less than $20! Also, the majority of my work clothes including suits, dresses and purses have also come from this store as well.

So naturally, my addiction continued when I found out I was pregnant. I started checking out children's consignment shops and I'm now hooked! I have found amazing deals on cute items and all in mint condition! Just for fun, I have added up the amount of what the items would have cost retail value and what I spent at the shop and I have saved us $500! I know the fun will only continue when we find out if baby schab is a boy or girl.

It is fun being frugal at times. Our life style is so much more different than how we were in college. I was able to take my RA/RD paychecks and spend all of it at the mall on clothes, food and other luxuries. Now, we have a mortgage, house improvements and most importantly, baby on the way. You soon realize you can still have nice things, but not pay an arm and a leg for it. In another post, I will explain my new love for yard sales as well. However, it isn't what you probably think. The trick is....go to the really, really rich neighborhoods in your area! That is how I scored our amazing pack n play and cute maternity tops. The lady goes, oh we had three pack n plays lying around and never used them. $20 for a Graco pack n play in mint condition!!! I think Rob is impressed with my bargaining skills. He laughs anytime I bring home new "treasures." Check out some of my deals below...

16 weeks baby!

So time is just flying by! I am 16 weeks and feeling ammmmazzing! I was a tiny sick this week, but it was more fever/chills type of sickness. Nothing really new to report other than I'm loving life very much! We are just so blessed with all of the kind words, unexpected baby gifts and cards that have arrived since we shared the news with our friends and family. Rob and I have also begun the "nesting" process. We both get into these kicks where we will be cleaning/organizing for a few hours in a row. I'm happy to report I'm STILL in normal pants and jeans, but they feel a bit snug places. My wonderful husband even made a comment when I was getting ready to take a bath to relieve some of the flu symptoms..."Wow, you're really filling out there." Hmmmm thanks?!? LOL Not what you necessarily want to say to your pregnant wife. However, in all seriousness, he is constantly commenting on how beautiful I look. I just roll my eyes and say stop joking, but he really does mean it. He is much more excited for my belly to grow then I am.... He will constantly rub it or put his face on my stomach and say, 'hi baby.' Too cute for words, I love him so much! Rob and I wanted to share the news with some of our other friends, so he put his design talent to good use and made me a cute T-shirt to model. If you are a Jersey shore fan like I am, you'll get it right away. If not, call/email me and I'll explain.

Fun Kristin Preggers Stories (never a shortage of these)...
a. Last week I was having an "off" two days at work (wasn't really myself). Well, ever since I announced the news at work, a few meetings were scheduled to make sure my work would be covered. As a side note (and this wasn't planned)- I have the potential of missing 3 of our biggest events that take place each year in April....again didn't plan it this way. So my boss so nicely asked if I wanted to go out to lunch with him and discuss my maternity leave and what would happen with my events. So the drive to the restaurant, I was a bit quiet and fighting back tears. I really didn't like the thought of "passing" my events to someone else and felt I was being replaced. He asked several times if I was ok and I simply nodded yes. We pull into the restaurant and I lost it. I entered Cry Fest 2010 for about 10 minutes in front of my boss and in a public place. I have been working with him for 3 1/2 years and have known him since I was a student and he is the type of person that can handle a few tears and my emotions- but I still felt terrible for my crying. He said, "Lets wait out here for a bit and try and calm down." In between the sobs, I was pouring my heart out to him, how I didn't like to leave work or my events and the best quote, "I don't even know who is in me right now and I'm changing everything for them." Oh yeah, dramatic with a capital D. Continued crying in the bathroom and five minutes later joined him at the table. YIKES! Well, I felt better and he was more than understanding and now it is the office joke. I am 100% ready to be a Mom and am 100%++++ excited to meet "whoever is in me." I think I was just having a hormonal 'moment.'
b. Food cravings...I really can't say I'm eating differently. I am eating a lot of carbs (which will be bad in the long run) but NOT craving sweets at all. Lexi got a hold of a mini Twix bar for the trick or treaters (it was still wrapped- but just stole it from the bucket and was about to take it to her bed) so I ate it and was like, eww gross. So either the baby wants to watch their figure or just doesn't like sweets. Love raw veggies/dip, salads, grilled cheese, peanut butter sandwhiches, bagels, tomato soup, french onion soup and Papa John's pizza (YUM)!
c. We will find out the gender in 2 1/2 weeks! whoo whooo (my prediction is still boy)


"We Got A Situation" at 16 weeks!

Happy Halloween!

Fall and Halloween are definitely two favorites of mine! I love dressing up the ladies and decorating the house for the fall season. On Halloween, I joined my Mom, sister, Abbie, Heather, Iggy and took Porscha and Lexi to participate in some "doggie Halloween fun" in Harrisburg. I know this sounds silly, but I am trying to soak up every minute I have with them because I know in five short months, life will be much different! So in the mean time, they are my doggie children and I will continue to spoil them. We had a blast taking them to get their photos done and they later "helped" Mommy hand out candy for the kiddos. Porscha and Lexi DID NOT like the kids dressed up in costume...check out the video of them going absolute NUTS!

14 weeks and counting...

So far, the second trimester has been much more enjoyable than the first! This past Saturday, I was unstoppable. I did more from 8AM-11AM than I have in the past two months! I had to take a few breaks to rest in between, but I was able to do several loads of laundry, run some errands, clean the house, play with the ladies in the back yard and much more. I even went "garage sale hunting" and found some great deals on baby items. I was able to decorate our front porch for "fall" and enjoy dinner out in Gettysburg with my mom and dad. I even started organizing the baby's room and transferring clothes and other items to new locations. I would say I'm about 80% back to normal- with occasional night time nauseousness and major headaches throughout the week. On Sunday, I was browsing Craigslist and came across an amazing baby jogger. I scored a great deal and only paid $60 for it. In another blog, I will have to post all of my amazing finds and how much money I have saved us along the way! In good news, I am still able to fit into my work pants and jeans, but after meals, things feel a bit tight. My goal is to wear normal pants through the end of October (cross your fingers!)

A few food cravings to report...

a. I miss deli meat so badly. I would do ANYTHING and I mean anything for a turkey 6" sub on honey oat bread with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes from Subway. (obsessive much?)

b. Loving fruit- watermelon, honeydew and green apples.

c. Loving pizza hut personal pan pizzas and breaksticks!

d. Enjoying yogurt.

e. Loving tomato soup and salads (from only specific places).

Hello 2nd Trimester!

Well I did it, I'm in the 2nd Trimester (officially tomorrow 10/13)- but definitely have a lot to blog about it. Rob and I had an ultra sound appointment yesterday and boy was it AMAZING! I never thought I would be one of those sappy women who would cry when I would see an ultra sound clip-I WAS WRONG! As soon as the image popped up on the screen, I was like holy sh*t, our baby looks real! Even at almost 13 weeks, you could clearly see a baby definition. Body, face, nose, arms, legs, butt cheeks, etc. As soon as I saw the heartbeat, I was done. Rob on the other hand...where did he think he was at, the movies?!? On TV/in the movies- you see the husband gently holding the wife's hand while they watch the baby together. Nope, not my husband. LOL He was sitting in the chair in the corner going, "Wow, cool. Now what zoom are you using?" You could definitely tell he was asking graphic designer type questions. (Honey this isn't Avatar, this is our baby).

Needless to say, the experience was breathtaking. We were also in there a lot longer than expected. She spent a good 45 minutes with us and we definitely got to see a lot of images. Also, the appointment was set up so they could do a first trimester screening which would check for down syndrome. In order to do the test properly, she needed to measure the back of the baby's head and check the fluid. Baby Schab was unfortunately not cooperating. The baby had his/her hands resting behind their head- almost like-"Hey Mom and Dad, just relaxing over here." At a few points we would see a hand pop up, almost as if they were waving at us. I looked over at Rob and was like, this is definitely your child because you could tell he/she was in laid back mode.

It is amazing how something like an ultra sound can totally change your outlook on life. A few hours prior to our appointment I was in major stress mode. I was working hard on talking points for a big presentation this week and my mind was totally wrapped up in getting it finished and approved before I left for my appointment. A short time later, work was not even a concern as I became so mesmerized by this little human who would be our first child!

My 'mommy mode' officially kicked in at that moment. Up until the appointment, I was very cautious about sharing the news and getting too excited about having a baby- I really wanted to wait until I knew things were ok and the baby appeared to be healthy. Once I saw things were good, I was a different person. I even told the tech, "I know you get this a lot, but don't you think our child is adorable?" Later in the appointment, another tech came in to do a finger prick to test my blood. I really don't remember the reasoning behind it, once they said finger prick, I started to freak out and almost cry. Rob held my hand and I had to turn away. She cleaned my finger and felt a small tap on my finger, I was like "Oh, that wasn't bad at all." I didn't even finish my sentence when she goes, "Sorry, I'll be right back, that one was a dud." Ugh, so I had to wait longer and I definitely felt it the second time! After she was done, she by accidentally moved the mouse on the monitor and Baby Schab popped up again. Once again, being the proud Mommy already I go, "Look at our baby, isn't it so cute!" I think she was just being nice and said, "Um yes."

Baby Schab looking stylish at Week #13


Fun Kristin Pregnancy Moments at Week #13

a. Future appointments.... we will find out the sex on 11-22-10 at 1PM and YES we definitely want to know!
b. I HATE CRACKERS- no more please! I love eating green apples now when I feel nauseous at night.
c. We spent a good part of the week calling family and friends to share the news.
d. Last night marked the first time (at least that I remember) asking Rob to get me food at 3AM in the morning. I felt sick earlier in the night and didn't eat a lot of dinner, so on top of feeling a bit ill, I woke up starving! Not to mention, it was thundering and lightning outside and I was scared to go downstairs by myself. He didn't complain at all, when I tapped him saying I was hungry, he rolls out of bed and goes, "Green apples and cold water?" Gosh- he is truly the best and I am the luckiest pregnant wife ever!

So even though Rob and I were on Cloud 9 all night after out appointment, we certainly didn't forget about our other two children, Porscha and Lexi. After our ultrasound, we dashed home and loaded them up in the car for their yearly vet appointment. We had switched vets earlier this year to be closer to our house (so this was a new office for them). Even though it was the same direction as the doggie park, Porscha wasn't buying it. She was fine walking up to the door and hanging in the lobby, but the moment they called us back, she refused to go into the tiny check-up room. It was too funny, Rob had to actually carry her in (all 35lbs) and then she ended up hiding behind his legs like a scared small child. An hour and $550 later, the girls got the clean bill of health with the exception of Porscha's right ear. She has an infection and needed two different kinds of drops and oral medicine. Porscha is definitely the biggest drama queen you will ever meet when it comes to shots (she takes after her mother). They took her in the back to have more people hold her down and Rob and I could hear her yelping from inside the room and heard the Dr. say, "I haven't even given you the shot yet?" Later that evening, Lexi ate an entire portion of noodles off of Rob's dinner plate when he left the room and so nicely threw it up every where in the family room. We just paid hundreds of dollars to make sure they were healthy and then she makes herself sick off of noodles! Despite the high bill and making a scene in the vets office with Porscha's dramatic ways, I just love them so much and I hope they are just as excited to meet Baby Schab as we are! Baby Bootcamp in preperation of Baby Schab has started already!


Our two ladies
Ms. Noodle not feeling too hot

Telling the Grandparents the news.... (future great grandparents)

Telling the grandparents the news proved to be quite fun for Rob and I!

I was able to tell my Grandma in person since she lives so close. After telling her the good news, we enjoyed a lovely girls day out and she bought me a maternity dress from Old Navy.
Scene: My Mom was "pretending to learn to take video clips" and wanted to test out my camera. I told Grandma Summers I got photos back from Aruba and wanted to share them with her.




We were unable to tell Rob's Grandma and Grandpa in person since we won't see them until Thanksgiving. However, we wanted to capture the special moment on video so we put them on speaker phone and I taped their "audio reactions." The video is quite long and a tad hard to hear at some parts, but definitely very funny. Unfortunately, the video cut off at one of the funniest parts. Rob's Grandmother asked when I started to feel sick and Rob told her when we got home from Aruba. She said laughing and going "Ooooooo, that is powerful water down in Aruba." LOL

Save the date, April 2011...We're going to Mexico!

So of course in natural Rob and Kristin fashion, we wanted to really surprise our family with the baby news and we went back and forth trying to come up with the best way to do it. Since my birthday fell real close to when we would be seeing our families, we decided to put a unique spin on "Rob's birthday gift" to me. With the exception of sharing the news with my sister, Rob printed up a postcard that said, "Pack your bags for an unforgettable journey, Mexico 2011" on the front and "Save the date for April 2011 for the arrival of Baby Schab on the back." We packed it in a bag along with my passport and travel items. Everyone asssumed Rob was surprising me with a trip to Mexico (yeah right) and no one saw it coming - their reactions were PRICELESS!!! Enjoy the video clips below...

Telling my sister...
Telling Kelly was a bit more impromptu then we planned. Kelly was leaving for DC a week after we found out, so we decided to tell her sooner than expected. Since I told her spur of the moment, I didn't do anything creative, but her expression/reaction was too cute! She was definitely surprised!



Telling my Mom the news...
The original plan was to tell my parents together. However, a few things went unexpected that day and I told her earlier that afternoon before my Dad got home.



Telling my Dad the news...
We told the news to my Dad the same day as my Mom, but just later in the day. It was funny because he just got home from a trip with Rob and he was very ready to start driving back home. I was nervous all day and the minute he walked into our house, he was like, "Ok Peg, lets go." Luckily we convinced him to stay an extra few minutes so Rob could give me my "birthday gift."



Telling the Schab Family...
We told Rob's family during Labor Day weekend when they came down to visit. Unfortunately, his brothers were unable to make it, so we could only surprise his Mom, Dad and sister with the news. If you listen real carefully, his Mom goes, "Hopefully, you're not going in April." Right before Rob gave me the gift, she said she was trying to organize a family vacation around Easter 2011 (Opps...) Luckily, once she heard the baby news, she was totally fine about re-scheduling!

I can see the light...

Pregnancy Post #4

I have finally made it to 10 weeks! Yay! Two more weeks until I am out of the first trimester and hopefully on the road to feeling better. I am starting to feel normal at certain times of the day which is an amazing feeling. Nights are actually much worse than mornings and usually the time when I feel the worst. That works out to my advantage so I am able to get through work and crash at night. The couch and TV have become my new best friends!

Last week I had my first pre-natal check-up and today was my first official Dr. appt. Both went well and I am getting another ultra sound done on 10/11. Very excited to see how Baby Schab is progressing and for Rob to be able to come with me this time.

So the good news is I am still able to wear all of my work pants- but the bad news is, I definitely gained a few pounds already. During my first appointment, I stepped on the scale and when I saw the number, I was like 'oh no.' The nurse looks at me and goes, 'Oh Honey, you have a long way to go.' Today's appointment, I am happy to report that I haven't gained anything. This is a Christmas miracle for sure, because I feel heavier than normal. Keep in mind, I haven't worked out since the beginning of August (which is very out of character for me) and I am no longer worrying about calories/food intake. If Rob offers me macaroni and cheese at 10PM at night because he had extra leftovers, why would I be a rude wife and turn his offer down? (You should have seen his face when he saw how quick I finished the bowl).

Other than the occasional night time meals, I can't really say I'm eating a whole lot more than usual- but some of my food choices make me cringe. Again, some days I'm in 100% survival mode and if I'm hungry and crave something like a slice of pizza- gosh darn, I'm going to eat some pizza to make myself feel better. Last night, Baby Schab really wanted a chicken cheese steak, so I put their needs before mine and enjoyed a steak and onion rings. The new food choices at 10 weeks I'm loving include.... green apples, lance peanut butter crackers, corn flakes, skinny cow mint chocolate ice cream cones, BBQ chips and vanilla yogurt with granola.

In fun news, my Mom and I hit up an adorable children's consignment shop and I purchased a swing that I have had my eyes on for a while! It was in perfect mint condition and I paid nearly half of what is normally would retail for at Babies R Us. I also picked up some cute maternity tops and even made my first baby clothes purchase. I am pretty positive I am having a boy, so I saw this ADORABLE blue collared shirt from GAP kids that I just couldn't resist! Rob actually has a similar shirt as well. My boys are going to be so cute!

Fun Kristin Pregnancy Stories....

1. Cry, cry, cry...I feel that is all I do some nights. Word of advice, don't ever watch Extreme Home Makeover when you are pregnant. I was hysterically crying on the couch for a whole hour and I think Rob got a tad freaked out. He came home from work during the middle of the show and had no clue what was going on.

2. Relax (yeah right...) I can be a very stressed out person at times. I would be the type in elementary school through college who would stress about every little homework/test/project etc. So naturally the thought of carrying a baby and learning new things started to stress me out. During my pre-natal appointment (on 9/16), she told me that my ultra sound would be scheduled around the 12 week mark on 10/11. Something about this date seemed so far away. I asked her, how do you even know if everything is ok when I won't see the baby for another 3 weeks and I started crying in her office. Who cries at a simple pre natal appointment?Apparently hormonal Kristin....

Ewwww.... You want to make what for dinner?!?

Pregnancy Post #3
8 weeks

So let me just start off by saying how much I hate eggs again. I was re-reading my previous posts and almost gagged when I saw how much I was loving eggs around 4-5 weeks into my pregnancy. By week 6-7, my eating habits changed once again and I was no longer loving my egg sandwiches. Prior to getting pregnant, I loved food. I would also be the party guest hanging by the food table, munching away at anything; I would be the girl at work emailing my co-worker at 9AM to see where/what she wanted to do for lunch; I was always the host of our BBQ parties that would spend $150 in food, because I was fearful our guests would leave hungry- I was always up for any food at anytime. Don't get me wrong, I paid for it later when I hit the gym everyday and tried hard to burn off the horrible amount of calories I consumed, but in reality, I just loved to eat.

Well, food has taken on a much different meaning for me now. Everything and anything has no appeal. I have become soooo picky about food it makes meal times quite the ordeal. Last night for dinner, I was in tears because I was so incredibly hungry and nothing seemed like it would make me happy or less sick. Poor Rob had to take his dinner of ravioli and fiesta salad and eat outside on our patio. The thought of his pasta with spaghetti sauce made me so ill that he had no other choice, but to eat by himself.

I have also been so incredibly nauseous these past few weeks that every minute of every day I feel so sick and just want to cry. Working has been my #1 hardest thing I have to do. I have been in my current position for over 3 years and I can honestly say I love my job. I am the weird girl who actually enjoys going to work every day and I look forward what each day has to bring. Unfortunately, now work has become very, very hard for me. Every day is a countdown until 2nd trimester so I can start to feel a tad better. I have also resulted to a new time low and now use my lunch breaks to nap under my desk. Yes, on the filthy floor, I crawl up in a pathetic ball and try to sleep during my hour break. Through all of this, Rob has been nothing short of amazing. The marriage vows we recited to each other two years ago have really taken on new meaning, "Through sickness and in health." From learning code, "Rob, crackers STAT" (early mornings if I thought I would be sick), to being a shoulder that I can cry on (which happens almost every day), to keeping our house in order (my new motto is, I'm so sick and I really don't care anymore), to dealing with my crazy food ordeals (Rob if I don't eat in two minutes I will be sick) he has been AMAZING! I am sooooo lucky to have him as a husband and I honestly can say, I couldn't do this w/o him!!! Love you babe! xoox

I know this is such an amazing time in our lives and Rob and I do feel so blessed and would never wish the time away, but I will be happy when October hits just so I feel normal again. I truly feel as if an alien has taken over my body. I joke with Rob saying I miss "fun Kristin" and I'm hoping she will be back soon!

Just for fun...my new food cravings/ weird food related items...

a. I HATE EGGS
b. I'm all of a sudden loving bagels w/ cream cheese (which use to be a very rare food item for me)
c. LOVE saltine crackers
d. LOVE toast with peanut butter
e. I am enjoying chocolate chip cookies here or there.
f. I will eat salad- but only certain types- the bagged mixes that I would buy at Giant by the dozen in my first couple of weeks of pregnancy have since been thrown out because looking at them make me sick.
g. Do not even think about bringing spaghetti with red sauce near me (although I have enjoyed pizza lately).
h. I crave hot dogs (but can't have them- that is a pregnancy no no)
i. Tomato soup/chicken salad sandwiches (only the kind from Issac's)

4 weeks...

Pregnancy Post #2

*all pregnancy posts were kept hidden until mid-October, but I still continued to blog

So the countdown to Baby Schab is on and at this time I am 4 1/2 weeks. Even though it is very, very early, I definitely do feel a little different. Simple tasks like laundry and cleaning take a lot out of me and I feel EXHAUSTED most of the time. My appetite has also changed as well. Believe it or not, I can't eat as much as I previously could. Also, certain food items that I use to LOVE have no appeal to me at all. The thought or sight of bread, (whhhattt I use to love Subway, rolls, sandwiches, Olive Garden bread sticks, etc), sweets such as cookies, cake, & candy and cereal & milk make me cringe. This makes me laugh because just a few weeks ago I would eat cereal every night for dinner?! It is truly amazing how things change so quickly. The biggest head shaker is eggs. I truly hated eggs throughout my life and would get sick just thinking of them. In this past week alone, I ate an egg sandwich every day for breakfast. In addition to eggs, I am happy to report that I am craving things like salads, vegetables and chicken which it totally fine for me!

The only other symptom is a shift in hormones....poor Rob. I am a little snippier than usual and I cry a bit more now than I have before. Classic story...Rob and I went to Giant and I went to the salad bar to load up on salad toppings. As I'm scooping up celery, tomatoes, etc- I start thinking how proud of myself I am for eating so well, which got me thinking of how we are having a baby and I started to cry. Rob just looks at me and goes, "Please stop crying, we're in Giant." LOL

Rob is so amazing and very understanding and I couldn't do this without him!

Oh Baby!?

Pregnancy Post #1

*all pregnancy posts were kept hidden until mid-October, but I still continued to blog...

August 12th 2010... who knew that two little pink lines could be so life changing!?

Back in January 2010 on New Years Eve, Rob and I were unfortunately very sick. I was bummed that we had to ring in the new year wrapped up in blankets and sit in bed before midnight. To make light of the situation, I got out a piece of paper and pen and asked him, "What are our 10 goals for 2010?" Among the list which also included, travel to Aruba (check), get promoted at work (check), save more money (a work in progress), was get pregnant (CHECK).

All throughout early 2010, we knew that anytime after July, the timing would be perfect. Little did we know how QUICK everything happened. I won't go into details (we all know how babies are made), but I will fast forward to a few days after we got home from Aruba. Prior to us leaving for Aruba, during our time in Aruba and days after we got home, I felt a little blah. However, I kept making excuses, "Oh it was hot in Aruba." "Oh I feel nauseous because I was nervous to fly." "Oh I'm late because we were traveling." Excuse after excuse after excuse. The week after we got home from Aruba was brutal with a capital B. I had numerous work meetings and two work events at night that required me to work very long hours and travel. I will never forget traveling on Amtrak in route to Long Island and thinking how much of a homeless person I looked like. I was sprawled out on both seats and slept on my book bag. I also felt like I was going to throw up at any moment. Once again, I just thought it was the long hours and the bumpy train ride making me feel ill. When I got home late Thursday evening, I decided to take a pregnancy test. I knew the chances were slim, but just thought I should check it out. OMG was my first thought (along with a few other words)....two pink lines!?! Ok, this can't be for real.... I went down to the kitchen and chugged about four glasses of water. I went back upstairs and took another test. OMG another TWO lines!?! By this time I'm freaking out. I drove to Rite Aid and bought more tests, rushed home and took test #3....PREGNANT!

By this point, I felt it was pretty official. I dreamt of this moment for so long, but when it did happen, the whole thing seemed so surreal. When Rob proposed, he spent so much time being creative and thoughtful. So I knew, this was my chance to return the favor. Here was my opportunity to be creative and surprise him. Well, if you know me pretty well, I am a terrible liar. The minute he came home from job #2 at 10:30PM, I was acting pretty goofy. I couldn't stop smiling or laughing. I was trying real hard not to spill the beans until the next day so I could do something creative for him. I failed miserably and couldn't wait to tell him. To view the video below of my "impromptu" way to telling Rob the news and his cute reaction see below....

The Happy "Father to be"


Sharing the news with Rob-(can we say he was a bit shocked...)

Family Weekend

In honor of Kelly's last weekend before departing for DC, we did one last family dinner. After an amazing meal at Texas Roadhouse, we played a friendly tournament of laddergolf while the cousins played in the yard. I am happy to report the Schab's dominated and everyone got along (except for Porscha and Lexi). During the middle of the game, Porscha and Lexi got into one of the worst fights I have ever witnessed (all over a stuffed animal). Despite the sisterly fighting, we all had an amazing time! We love you Kel, best wishes!!!

Goodbye Surprise Party for Kel

When Kelly found out she got her dream job in DC, I knew I wanted to throw a small party in her honor. She worked her tail off for the past two years to get this position, so she was most deserving of a nice celebration. In addition to our fam, I invited two of her closest girlfriends, Heather and Caitlin to join us in "wishing her well" before she started on 8/16! We had a great time and I definitely think she was very, very surprised!