Amidst the studying and school work that dominated the first part of the week, a new pregnancy milestone occurred--my belly "popped!" Yes, indeed! I woke up on Monday morning and quickly noticed that my belly was notably rounder! At first I was certain that it was a temporary development, but in the days that followed I learned that my bump was there to stay :-) By Wednesday, some of my friends were beginning to notice the bump, and baby boy even experienced his first "bump rub" by someone other than Daddy or I! His "Aunt Jen" was the lucky lady and I just know our little one loves her already--he kicked extra hard when she was rubbing my belly :-)
Wednesday evening, following another school exam, I visited my dear friend Sabrina & finally saw her little boy's future nursery. Little Garrett is due March 2 and now the only thing his room is missing is him! The theme of the nursery was "Noah's Ark," and cute blues, khakis, and greens were everywhere! I absolutely loved the wall art of Garrett's name as well as his extra-spacious closet--after all, boys need room too :-) Seeing another little boy's nursery made me even more excited to decorate our own, so hopefully we'll get started before too long!
Thursday afternoon, Andy & I prepared for our weekend get-away, and before long, Friday & our mini-vacation, had arrived! We made the short drive up to Indianapolis and after settling into our picturesque 11th floor suite at the J.W. Marriott, prepared for Andy's company business meeting/party. The evening before, after learning that the meeting was more formal than we had originally thought, Andy & I made a last-minute shopping trip to the mall, where we both found the perfect outfits. I purchased a long, black chiffon evening gown with a pretty criss-cross back detail that easily accommodated my little bump, while Andy wore a sharp black suit. By the time we arrived at the party, I was starving! Unfortunately, there was still a 2-hour-long business meeting standing between us and dinner, so in the meantime baby & I enjoyed several servings of carrots and celery (at least we got in some veggies :-) ). During the business meeting we learned about several of the company's most complex and challenging projects, as well as the company's goals for the future. Perhaps more exciting than that, though, was that many of the party guests commented on my bump. For the first time, strangers noticed that we're expecting! What a surprise and shock that was! At long last, it was time for dinner, which was beyond yummy! After enjoying vegetable lasagna, broccoli, green beans, and fruit, we socialized with Andy's co-workers before turning in for the night. Even though we were ready for rest, baby boy wasn't quite ready for the party to be over! He must have been dancing in my tummy because for the first time, his kicks were strong enough for Daddy to feel! I think Andy was both shocked and excited to feel his son moving around :-)
Showing my husband some love :-)
Amazing company ice sculpture at the party!
After Friday's business meeting, we checked into a different hotel for the rest of our Indy visit. This hotel, the Crowne Plaza at Union Station, was significantly older, but much more unique, which was exactly what we wanted! It was originally an active train station, so the entire hotel's theme was based around this. There were even 4 real trains still within the hotel!
There's a train in our hotel!
You can definitely tell the hotel was originally an active station in these 2 pictures!
After checking into our temporary home, we grabbed lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, and then explored the city on foot. First, we checked out Indianapolis' famous "Circle Centre Mall," a massive structure complete with movie theatre and arcade! Next we walked around the city, admiring the many monuments and historic buildings. One of our favorites was a towering war monument, complete with a 37-story-high observation deck. After taking the elevator to the top, Andy & I enjoyed the amazing view of the city. This was probably the highlight of our trip! We ended the night with a delicious meal at the Old Spaghetti Factory and watching the UK ball game on TV.
Delicious "Cinnabon" Cinnamon Roll from the Mall!
Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe
The War Monument Tower
View from 37 Stories!
Sunday morning we made our way home and enjoyed a Super Bowl party for 2! I prepared yummy spinach-artichoke dip, mexican 5-layer dip, salsa roll-ups, chocolate-chip cheese ball, and buckeye-brownies! They were huge hits with my hungry, football-loving husband and my little boy, too--he kicked up quite a storm afterward :-) We ended the evening watching the game together--what a perfect end to the perfect weekend!
Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
Party for two!
A gorgeous sunset at home :-)
Here's our weekly update!
How Far Along: 18 weeks
Total Weight Gain: -2 lbs
Stretchmarks: None!
Sleep: Solid, especially after a super-long day.
Best Moment this Week: Having a distraction-free mini-vacation with my amazing husband.
Movement: Yes, getting stronger every day :-) Daddy felt your movements for the first time this week!
Gender: Baby boy!
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button: In...for now ;-)
What I Miss: Nothing
What I am Looking Forward to: Our big 20 week anatomy scan! I can't wait to see more of our little guy!
Milestones: Baby is the length of a bell pepper and his ears are finally in their rightful position. Myelin is forming around his nerves and he's busy flexing all of his joints now!
18 Weeks
See the bump?!
Til Next Time,
Hugs & Kisses,
A Southern Sweetheart
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