Dear Baby "Cohen" - 5mo Letter

Hello baby!!

SO much has happened in the past month!  The biggest news of all is that on March 29th, we found out you're a little BOY!!  There really aren't words for how I felt when I actually made the discovery - that's right, your brainiac of a momma read that ultrasound loud and clear before the doctor even had a chance to announce it and I screamed, "OMG, it's a boy!!"  I was bawling, your Grammy was bawling, and Daddy - well, he was in disbelief for a minute that he was going to have a little man running around the house with him, someone to watch Buckeyes games and to take to the batting cages.  Once the shock wore off, he was jumping up and down and was beyond excited.  I can honestly say that other than the moment I said "I Do" to your daddy on our wedding day, it was the best moment in my entire life...and I'll never ever forget it. 

We decided before we even knew if you were going to be a little girl or a little boy that your name was going to be Cohen Lees Jaroscak.  The name 'Cohen' is a name that I've really liked for some time now.  Your first name isn't named after anyone in particular (although when you're old enough you can watch old episodes of the tv show 'The OC' with us - because a character on there, Summer, called her boyfriend by his last name, which was Cohen.  I always thought it was such a cool sounding name - and when I brought it up to your daddy he loved it too!)  It's such a strong first name, and one that will undoubtedly suit you as a baby and much later in life!!  Plus, I don't know of any other 'Cohen's so you'll be one of a kind!!  Your middle name, 'Lees' is after your Great Grammaw Ghertie's maiden name.  Grammaw Ghertie is daddy's grandma and PapPap's mom.  I only had the chance to meet her once while your daddy and I were dating, and she went to live with Jesus before we got married, but I know she was a very special lady and your daddy loved her VERY much.  I know he can't wait for you to be old enough to tell you stories of how when he was little he would bury army men in her backyard or how she made the best strawberry rhubarb pie.  Your PapPap is so excited to have you share a piece of her and represent her memory with your middle name (plus, everyone tells us how cool of a name it is!!) 

You've done a ton of growing the past month!  You're about 10.5 inches right now, from head to toe (because you've stretched out, beginning in week 20, the dr starts measuring you from head to toe instead of head to the bottom of your cute little tush) - and you weigh about a full pound!!  I found myself in the pantry the other day holding a box of sugar because they say that's about what it's comparable to.  No wonder I'm starting to feel heavier as well :)  A white, greasy protective coating called vernix caseosa has just begun to form on your skin and if I could look in and see you right now, you would be pink, translucent and really wrinkled!  I know how wrinkly my fingers get when I've been in the pool or the lake for a long time - I can't imagine how wrinkly they'd be after 5 months of swimming around!!  You may have hair on your head and eyebrows by now.  You can make facial expression, frowning and grimacing expressively.  Although I like to think with all of the dancing around to good music that we do and with the great foods I feed you, you do more smiling than anything!  Speaking of music, your ears are well developed and you can hear my voice, my heartbeat and even when my stomach growls!!  You can also hear outside voices and sounds - and I know you like R&B music already.  You have regular sleep and wakeful periods as you begin your daily patterns (and trust me, I know you're very active around 9:30am and 7:30pm). 

Not only does being able to call you by a name make you feel SO real, but I can also feel you move around in my tummy all the time now!!  At first it was a few little cute flutters, but now it's more like judo chops and kicks - I think by the time you're born you'll be black belt certified!!  I also think you think it's fun to jump on my bladder like a trampoline.  It makes me giggle, but it kind of scares me too because every time you do it I feel like I need to run to the bathroom and I'm afraid I won't make it there on time!  Daddy has felt you kick now and he loves it!  We'll just lay in bed sometimes with our hands on my belly and feel you move around - it's the coolest thing!!  Grammy will be here this evening and she hasn't felt you move yet, so I'm going to need you to store up some energy and put on a big show for her!!  All I ask is that as you get bigger and bigger in there, you keep in mind that you'll be able to kick harder and harder - and that mommy loves you very much and hopes you keep the really strong jabs to a minimum.  I'll make you a deal - keep from kicking me in the rib cage and I'll let you stay up really late and eat popcorn on the couch and watch tv with me and daddy one night!

Since I'm halfway through with my pregnancy with you, I figured this month's 5 things would be about the 5 things I've enjoyed most about having you in my tummy!!
***1.  Being pregnant with you has really made me feel more beautiful than I ever have, both inside and out.  While it's a little hard to see the body that I've had for the past 29 years change and get bigger without any of my control, knowing that behind the bump is the most amazing little man in the world - and every time I look down I am so consumed with the reality of how blessed I am to be your momma.
***2.  Being pregnant with you has given me a greater appreciation for my momma and daddy.  I can't lie to you, this pregnancy thing isn't always easy and the thought of the responsibility that comes with raising a , but it really makes me look back and be so thankful to your Grammy and Granddad for how hard they worked to make me the person I am today, which has in turn shaped me to be the best mommy to you that I can possibly be.  The same goes for daddy and Mimi and PapPap.  Although their job may have been a little tougher than Grammy and Granddad's was (stories to come, when you're old enough...), they did an amazing job shaping daddy into the most perfect man in the world for me - and the most perfect daddy in the world for you.  There will be times when you don't like me and daddy very much or times when you think that we're being unfair or mean, but trust me now when I tell you that one day you'll look back and know that we always had your best interest at heart and everything that we ever said and did was out of love - just like daddy and I now realize about our parents.
***3.  Being pregnant with you has also given me a greater appreciation for your daddy.  Cohen, there aren't words for how much I love him and just when I think I can't love him more than I did yesterday, I wake up today and realize I love him even more than that!!  Your daddy is such a strong and hard working man (not to mention devastatingly handsome!)  He has always done everything in his power to make me as happy as I can be, and to provide for me and for our home - but over the past 5 months I've seen that side of him in a whole new light.  Even on days when I come home tired and hungry and achy, he brushes it off and lets me relax and takes care of whatever needs to be taken care of so that I feel better.  Grammy and Granddad prayed for God to send me the perfect husband before I was even born - and God did exactly that.  And your daddy and I already pray for the woman that God has planned for you, way, WAYYYYYYY in the future.  (I'm the #1 woman in your life for at least 35 years, okay!?)  I can't wait for you and your daddy to meet face to face - you're going to be so much like him - and love him more than words can say.  Just like I do.
***4.  Being pregnant with you has brought me closer to God.  Back in October of last year, Dr. Belle told me that I would have trouble conceiving a child.  I was so disappointed because I wanted a baby so badly.  So me, your daddy, Grammy, and a ton of other people began praying.  And low and behold, not 2 months later God proved that He was smarter than any doctor and gave me a big ol "YES" on a pregnancy test!!  He knew what He was doing (He always does), and He just needed me to lean on Him a little bit - and rewarded me with you!  Since then, I've probably thanked Him a million times - and I'm sure I'll thank Him countless times more. 
1 Samuel 1:27 says "For this child I prayed and the Lord granted me what I asked of Him".  I read that verse with insurmountable faith before I knew I was having you - and now that you're a reality, I read it with praise.  I can't wait to teach you all about how amazing God is and how much He loves you!
***5.  Being pregnant with you has given me a greater appreciation for our friends.  Daddy and I have a ton of friends - I can't wait for you to meet them all.  But what's been the most amazing part is how much they love you already!!  Many of them have brought you gifts and call and email and text to check on us every day!  Everyone has gone out of their way to support us in the months before you arrive, and once you're here I'm sure they'll be beating down our door to come and see you and hold you!!  You're going to love them just as much as we do - and just as much as they love you already!

Well my love, we're over halfway there.  In 4 short months I'll get to kiss your sweet face and actually be able to look into those big beautiful eyes of yours.  And there aren't words for how excited I am for that day.

All my love,
Mommy.

20 Week Recap: Halfway with the Auctioneer in Training

It's a Buckeye Baby!!

Week 20 was incredibly busy, as we held the 2012 Tom Mack Spring Fling Auto Auction at Metrolina Expo. 

Monday I had my 20 week checkup with Dr Belle.  It's crazy because I spend 30 minutes driving there and because I make my appointments at 4 in the afternoon so I can go straight home afterwards, traffic is always horrendous and I spend at least 45 minutes getting home - and all of this for maybe a 5 minute appointment where I pee in a cup, get myself weighed, listen to the baby's heartbeat and go on my merry way.  But the hassle of driving downtown and spending so much time navigating one-way streets in gridlocked traffic are so worth it to hear that sweet whoosh-whoosh of Cohen's heartbeat!  This appointment did last a little longer because we discussed the probablity of whether or not I'd be able to actually birth this linebacker of a baby.  I mean, I'm 5'1 (5'2 on a good day - and 5'6 with my heels on) and Drew is 6'2 always...you do the math on how big this baby could be and how unlikely it is that I'll be able to get him out on my own.  Anyway, we'll know by our next ultrasound whether or not we need to schedule a c-section.  I really don't mind either way - I'm not afraid of the pain of labor and delivery, and I'm not afraid of having a major surgery as an option either.  Whatever way he's meant to be brought into this world is a-ok with me, as long as he makes it here with us both being healthy and happy.  Anyway, the amazing news from the dr is that I only gained 1 pound since my last appointment!  YAY!  I guess craving apples and strawberries really helps keep the extra lbs at bay.  (However, I have to admit I celebrated the next day with onion rings from South 21 for lunch).  And the scary part is I'm at the point where I'm supposed to start gaining about a pound a week - so with 19 weeks left to go, I'm hoping to keep it only around 20 pounds max.  Fingers crossed.

The remainder of the first part of the week was spent resting up as much as posible - the 'calm before the storm' as we always refer to it.  I worked Monday-Wednesday and come Thursday at 8am, it was auction time!!  The auction didn't start til 4pm both Thursday and Friday, but the hours before I work in the office, registering cars, etc.
The auctions are always SO much fun because it gives us a chance to spend time with our 'auction family', but let me tell you, if I ever thought they were tiring before, they're a million times more tiring when you're 20 weeks pregnant.  I did, however, manage to rock a new pair of 4 1/2 in wedges both days - for 14+ hours. I like to think a preggo can be as much of a rockstar as she allows herself to be. And if I'm going to be pregnant, you better believe I'm going to use it to my full accesory benefit.  I hadn't seen the auction family since January, when I was only about 5 weeks, so everyone got an eyeful at how much I've grown.  And everyone was SO sweet with the compliments and the well-wishes.  Our Real Time Bid auction guy, Justin, even gave us a gift that his wife hand made for Cohen!!

Thank you, Jen!!!

Isn't that the cutest onesie and burp cloth you've ever seen!?  I can't wait to see him in the onesie and the burp cloth is going to be hung in his bathroom because, well, it's simply WAYYY too cute to be puked and pooped on.  :)
One of the best moments of the weekend was when our head auctioneer, Scotty Adcock, was introducing everyone before the show on Thursday and handed Tom this adorable onesie to announce to everyone (or at least those who didn't know me personally and that I was Tom's stepdaughter with the basketball in my shirt) that momma and Tom were welcoming their first grandbaby into the Tom Mack Auction family this September.  Tom just beamed...and I (of course) cried.  It was such a cool moment and it was an awesome feeling when everyone started clapping and hooting and hollering for our family.  This baby is already SOOO loved by so many.  And, once again, I'm reminded that we're blessed beyond measure.

Proud Poppy.

The auction went off without a hitch and we had so much fun with everyone.  Our next auction is in June, but it's in Asheville so the majority of our typical auction family won't be in attendance.  So it's crazy to think that by the next TM Auction at Metro Expo, Cohen will be here and everyone will be able to meet him face to face!!  Ahhhhh!!!

WEEK 20 CRAVINGS:  Green apples...again and again and again.  I'm thinking we need to uproot one of the pine trees in our back yard and replace it with an apple tree.  In addition to the apple madness, I've also discovered this amazing little piece of Heaven right down the street from my office in Matthews called The Sweet Frog.  It's a magical place that offers frozen yogurt and it's imperative that I visit at least once a week.  I always get the fat free vanilla FroYo and pile it high with pineapple, strawberry, chocolate sprinkles and wet walnuts on top.  I mean, that's my personal recipe for FroYo perfection.  And I gotta say, it's AH-MAYY-ZIIINNNGGGG!

Cant go wrong with the Frog.

WEEK 20 "Dose of Daddy":  Drew's quite the artist.  And while he didn't send me this picture this past week (I think it's from week 17 or so), I haven't included it in my blog yet and just came across it again the other day.  This is from when Cohen was measuring about 5 inches from crown to rump (he's currently 10.5 inches, from head to toe, as they begin measuring head to toe instead of crown to rump at 20 weeks).  You can tell a) Drew was bored at work and b) Cohen's sure to have the cutest little belly button in the world, according to his daddy's drawing. 

Poppa, the Picasso.

WEEK 20 "To Remembers":  To try and somehow find a way to bottle up the feeling I get when Cohen kicks or punches me.  I know they're little nudges of love, but there are times where they're so strong they take my breath away.  I'm pretty sure by the time he makes his debut in this great big world he'll be black belt certified.  And his new favorite thing is thinking my bladder is a trampoline.  Every time he bounces on it I'm terrified I'm going to pee my pants.  But so far, it's resulted in nothing but him just having a good ol time in there.  It's not always comfortable and sometimes scares me when he's asleep and goes for 15 or 20 minutes without making a move that I can feel, but I love each and every reassuring second I do get to feel him in there, growing happy and healthy and (no doubt) really strong.  It really is the best feeling ever.

19 Week Recap: HE is Risen; and "he" is moving.

Cohen's first boat ride on Lake Murray!

19 weeks and I seriously don't think this kid sleeps.  Ever.  I hope this isn't an indication of his sleep patterns when he's out here in the world because momma needs her sleep too!  It's so amazing to feel him move around though - and it's so indescribable.  He's finally big enough and packs such a punch that you can feel and see it from the outside...Drew's eyes get so big when he feels him and he just giggles.  It's the cutest thing!  Sometimes I sit there and marvel at the amazing blessing growing inside me, but I have to admit that sometimes I feel it and mistake it for the aftermath of the monstrous Monterrey bean burrito.  (Is it wrong that it's 9:23am and I could totally house a Monterrey bean burrito right now!?)

Week 19 was really busy!  We spent Easter with Momma and Tom at the lake and I think this Easter lunch was by far my favorite of all time.  I didn't feel good enough at Christmas to really enjoy Christmas dinner, so this is the first Holiday spread that I've been able to really dig into and appreciate!!  I think I ate my weight in asparagus casserole (my FAVE), pineapple casserole and pretty much anything on the table that I could shove into my mouth.  After lunch we went on a boat ride and I got my first taste of how miserably hot it's going to be this summer and how as a large and in charge preggo I'm going to deal with it.  I haven't yet sprung for the maternity bathing suit, but I'll have to get one before our next lake trip because it was SO hot and although the water was cold, I was about to pass out when the boat was still.  My plan of attack is to be in some kind of water at all times for the summer, whenever possible.  I'm talking pool, lake, ocean, sprinkler, etc.  All water, all the time.  It may be the only way I survive.  After the boat ride, we all sat around and watched as Bubba Watson won the Masters.  There's something so calm and relaxing about watching golf.  Maybe it's the beautiful scenery (especially at Augusta National), maybe it's the calm demeanor of the announcers, maybe it's me watching in hopes to get a glimpe of Adam Scott in his Burberry-clad hotness (<--the most probable possibility).  Whatever it is, I love it and it always makes for a good Sunday nap.  And to see a good ol humble southern boy, who just became a father for the first time 2 weeks prior to the tournament, win it for his new little boy and put on that green jacket really made for a feel-good moment.  (Take note, Tiger...)

We had a special mid-week surprise on Wednesday, because Abby was in town!!  She was here to interview candidates for the new Quicken Loans here in Charlotte - and it was awesome to have her here in the QC!!  We met her at the Marriott Southpark (where Drew and I had our wedding reception - talk about memories!!), and we headed to RuSan's (Charlotte's #1 sushi joint).  I had been craving sushi, and I'm not talking the cheap California roll crap, I wanted REAL sushi.  Like raw as all get out and completely against everything the baby books and websites permit.  However, I opted to throw caution to the wind and go with MY doctor's "everything in moderation" mentality.  While I didn't completely give in and order my usual squid salad appetizer and raw spicy yellowfin w/ the raw quail egg on top, I kind of had the best of both worlds and ordered the 'Gone With the Wind' roll.  This roll was awesome because not only did it offer a small amount of the raw tuna I wanted, it also offered crab and salmon, which were both cooked - and the outside of the roll is fried.  Hello - this southern girl loves ANYTHING fried!!  So I left there beyond happy - and beyond stuffed :)

And now it's 9:52am...and I could house this as well.

Daddy and Tracie came over for dinner Thursday night, which is always nice!  And Friday we had our weekly dinner at Carmella's with the DeMeio's.  Saturday was perhaps the best though, because it started with brunch @ Flying Biscuit with my friend Margeaux and then I went to Destination Maternity, which quickly turned from an 'I'm just looking' venture to a 'Drew's bonus check just hit and this momma needs this top, and this dress, these white linen pants and OMGahhhh, are those kelly green skinny maternity jeans!!???!?'.  I left there feeling cute and chic and like my old stylish self.  Which I've missed.  I try to keep my maternity style as fashionable as possible, but when I can't fit into 90% of the clothes I already own and know that investing in a new wardrobe that will only fit me for a few more months is kind of ridiculous, it's challenging.  But I've found that with a few key pieces and some really great statement jewelry, it's not really that difficult.  I'm to the point where I can't bend down and buckle my strappy Christian Siriano wedges anymore, but thankfully I either have Drew there to do it, or a place in my bathroom where I can sit on the edge of my tub and put my foot up on the wall and do it myself.  (Note to self: buy more Mr Clean Magic Erasers bc I'm scuffing that wall all to heck).

On to Week 20 - which means I'm halfway through this pregnancy.  There's so much I need to do, so much to think about, so much to process...and I just sit back and try to enjoy every single minute of it because 20 weeks from now, there won't be much time to just sit anymore.

WEEK 19 CRAVINGS:  Well, we've already covered the sushi endeavor, so I'd have to say that my craving for this week wasn't so much food-related as it was some good ol R&R.  Being on the go so much this past week, I hit a wall Saturday night and after we got home from dinner, I went straight to the bathroom and ran the best bubble bath ever.  There's not many aches or pains that bubbles, Pellegrino w/ lemon and John Legend on Spotify won't cure. 

Calgon, take me awayyyyyyyy...

WEEK 19 "Dose of Daddy":  This past week I was really consumed with wondering what Cohen will look like.  I know without a doubt that between the two of us, his personality will be fun loving and adventurous and sweet.  But I hope he has Drew's height, and his eyes, and my smile and my hair.  And I came across this picture of Drew that his cousin Stacey had sent to me a few months ago - and I was immediately reminded that as long as Cohen is half as cute as his daddy is, he'll be one handsome little man!!!

I mean seriously, how cute is this!?!

WEEK 19"To Remembers":  To remain calm and have faith that people do this every single day.  Having anxiety disorder has proved to be a little challenging during pregnancy because of the influx in whacky, psycho hormones that I can't control (and again I'm reminded to send Drew a text to thank him for dealing with me in whatever mood he faces from day to day).  However, this past week was my first official panic attack.  I was sitting at my desk at work, and looking through the Presby Maternity Ward website at the beautiful birthing rooms and the cute newborn baby profile pics, and it just hit me - that's going to be ME in that bed...and MY baby in that frame.  I can't put my finger on exactly what freaked me out - I think it was just the first moment that everything got "REAL" for me.  In true panic attack fashion, I got hot and sweaty, thought I was either going to pass out or puke, and I was pretty sure my heart was going to beat out of my chest.  And then come the tears.  Uncontrollable crocodile tears, out of nowhere and with no cure.  I left work early that day and first talked to Drew, then to my momma.  Both made me feel much better and put things back into perspective for me.  This is the biggest thing to ever happen to me.  And it's beyond any word that can describe the overwhelming feeling and pressure to be the best momma ever.  But I learn from the best - and I have the most amazing support system ever.  So I think that without a doubt, I'll be just fine :)

If He's Anything Like Me...

For those of you who know the epic love saga of how Andrew and I met, you already know of our romantical connection to Brad Paisley.  For those of you who don't, we met beyond randomly in the beer line at a Brad Paisley concert on July 18, 2008.  We would joke about how he should write a song for our wedding and come perform it (for free, of course - I mean, that's some good PR/publication right there!)  It only took about a year and he released the song "Then", which he no doubt wrote just for us...and while he didn't show up to serenade us at our reception, we did have that as our final dance of the night.

Now that we're having a baby boy, we'd like to personally thank Mr. Paisley for writing and recording the song "Anything Like Me", which of course he wrote in honor of Baby Cohen.  Read the lyrics and tell me if there's any doubt that he wrote this in relation to Drew and what he'll say/feel towards his son.  It's perfect...and priceless. 

Baby Drew...a glimpse into our future ;)

ANYTHING LIKE ME

~Brad Paisley

I remember sayin' I don't care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy, I'm okay
And then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said, "You see that thing right there? Well, you know what that means"

I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if he's anything like me

He'll probably climb a tree too tall and ride his bike too fast
End up every summer wearin' something in a cast
He's gonna throw a ball and break some glass
In a window down the street

He's gonna get in trouble, oh, he's gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback
If he's anything like me

I can see him right now, knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass tryin' to melt a Tonka truck
Won't he be a sight with his football helmet on?
That'll be his first love 'til his first love comes along

He'll get his heart broke by the time he's in his teens
And heaven help him if he's anything like me

He'll probably stay out too late and drive his car too fast
Get a speeding ticket, he'll pay for mowing grass
He's gonna get caught skippin' class
And be grounded for a week

He's gonna get into trouble, we're gonna get in fights
I'm gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It's safe to say that I'm gonna get my payback
If he's anything like me

He's gonna love me
And hate me along the way
The years are gonna fly by
And I already dread the day

He's gonna hug his mama, he's gonna shake my hand
He's gonna act like he can't wait to leave

But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out
If he's anything like me
There's worst folks to be like, oh, he'll be alright
If he's anything like me

18 Week Recap: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

18 Weeks - Pregnant in HEELS.

18 weeks kicked off at my favorite place in the world - my momma's house on Lake Murray, SC!  My good friend, Mandy, and I decided we needed some girls only - no boys allowed R&R and since my step-daddy Tom was out of town for the weekend, we figure the lake was the perfect place to get away for a bit!!  (We knew the guys would appreciate the time to themselves as well - and considering that Ohio State lost Saturday night and was kicked out of the March Madness tournament, I'd say we picked a good weekend to leave).  We left Saturday morning and relaxed with pedicures and the fresh lake air!  It was so nice to get away for a little bit.  Being pregnant you don't realize how much you have on your plate and how much even the mundane day to day activities such as an 8-5 job or balancing the checkbook wears you down.  To have a little more than 24 hours with no schedule and no one to worry about was really nice!  We even had dinner reservations at Steven Ws for Saturday night, but cancelled them last minute in lieu of putting on pjs and eating whatever we could find in the fridge.  While I was looking forward to a nice dinner out, I was so happy to make the cancellation call and put my comfies on and just relax. 

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

It was a really relaxing getaway, but of course, nothing lasts forever so back home and back to the grind!!  Thankfully, with the Easter weekend approaching, I only had a 4 day work week!!  YAY!!  I had lunch with sweet Ms Elaine on Monday, a Sub Station 2 rendezvous with Neff on Tuesday and thankfully Wednesday and Thursday sped by.  Then it was back to the lake, but more on that in the 19 Week Recap.

There wasn't much to report on the baby front in week 18, other than I REALLY started to feel him kick.  Gone are the days of the random swimmy, fluttery popcorn-ish feelings.  Now I'm talking full on judo chop blows!  Cohen moved around so much on Tuesday that I don't think he slept all day.  But he must have worn himself out because he didn't move half as much on Wednesday.  It's always so exciting to feel him move - I just sit there and giggle to myself!  And if he does it in the middle of the night (during one of my 6-7 midnight potty breaks), I'll lay there with my hand on him until I fall back asleep.  I can't wait until everyone else can feel him move - or when I can see him move inside my stomach, but from the outside - it sounds a little weird and very 'Alien' to think of the moving life inside of me, but it's the most amazing blessing and I love every second of it!  I still can't believe it's happening to me - and that it's almost half over!

WEEK 18 CRAVINGS: GREEN GRANNY SMITH APPLES.  Again.  I have decided to replace the saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" with "an apple a day builds a strong BAYBAY".  I plan on copyrighting it, so if you'd like a tshirt order placed, just let me know.  I'm also a sucker for these new V8 VFusion Sparkling drinks.  They come indivdually canned and they're not that cheap, but they look awesome in a wine glass and are REALLY good.  Plus, they contain a full serving of fruit and veggies, so how can I not justify the $4 for a 4-pack?

My dinner on Tuesday night...and Greyson trying to steal it from me.

WEEK 18 "Dose of Daddy":  So there's this joke that since Drew and one of his best friends, Kevin, will both have sons (Damon is Kevin and Shavon's 11 month old), Cohen and Damon are inevitably going to be instant BFFs as well.  Which, I'm sure they will.  However, when Kevin and Drew get together, trouble usually ensues.  And we all live in the same neighborhood.  So the fact that the kids will be about a 2 minute bike ride from eachother's houses is sure to fuel the fire when they're old enough.  There have been talks of tree climbing, fights over girls, front yard wrestling matches and dirt bike races.  The scariest thought was when Kevin and Drew shook to seal the deal that one day they'd alternate having to explain the boys future escapades to the cops (and of course keep the details on a highly strict 'need to know' basis from me and Shavon).  While us mommas laugh it off, our fears became somewhat reality last week when Kevin pulled into our yard to have Drew help unload his new 4-wheeler.  As Kevin and Drew were laughing and saying things like 'Dude, I can't wait to get the boys on this', all I could think is "oh my gosh, one day my kid's gonna be with Damon on the back of this thing and while Shavon and I are having heart attacks, the guys are gonna encourage every bit of it".  Two things are sure to be true: 1) I'll be a nervous wreck, being the momma of a sure-to-be curious, athletic and mischevious little boy and 2) he'll get it 100% honest from his daddy.

I like to call this picture "Daddy Danger" or "A Glimpse into my Future".

WEEK 18 "To Remembers":   Not all maternity shirts are created equal.  And just because something is labeled as 'maternity' doesn't mean it's necessary designed to cover everything that one may think a maternity piece should.  I learned this lesson the hard way this week when I got ready for work on Wednesday morning and put on a new navy blue Liz Lange "Maternity" shirt.  The problem was a) the maternity shirt didn't even come close to housing my maternity boobs and b) I unfortunately came to this realization after I got to work and there was no tank top or cami to put on underneath it.  However, I consider myself a fashionista, and clever when I need to be, so I looked around my office and found a stapler.  I have been known to temporarily hem a pair of too-long pants with a stapler, but this shirt is made of delicate material and it's really cute on (not to mention it wasn't on the clearance rack), so while a stapler would have fixed the problem, I didn't want to destroy it.  Plan B: I always have super glue on hand.  You never know when you're going to need it and when you actually have it, you'd be surprised at how often you really do use it.  But as I contemplated it, I realized that while the super glue may temporarily fix my problem, I may have trouble pulling the shirt back up over my head when I got home after work.  So, back to the drawing board.  I looked around once more and HARK!  There was my answer, a shiny paper clip laying on my desk in this gleam of light from the window behind my desk.  I'd like to think God put it there just for me!  So, I went to work with what I had and tacked my boobs back in their rightful place (at least from 8a-5p).  I present to you the end result...in all of it's OfficeMax fixed glory.

Who says you can't be stylish while pregnant?

17 Week Recap: Momma's Little Man

17 Weeks
and thankful for sundress season!

I can definitely say that week 17 has been the most exciting of my pregnancy!!  This was the week that we got to actually find out whether we were having a boy or a girl!  (for a detailed description of that eventful day, check out the blog post "Oh Boy, IT'S A BOY!")

The week went by pretty slow, considering we had to wait until Thursday at 2pm for my appointment.  It was slower than Christmas coming - even the Christmas in 2nd grade when I got 2 hampsters. 

I have decided to start of the beginning of every week for the duration of my pregnancy (and maybe afterwards) with what I refer to as "Mani Mondays" - in order to keep some shred of sanity for the next couple of months, I needed something to look forward to when a new week rolls around.  I wanted something that would give me time to myself and be relaxing, so I'm taking my lunch break every Monday and heading to the nail salon for a manicure.  This is something that should be enacted by every pregnant woman, should be encouraged by her husband, and in my opinion should even be covered by your health insurance policy.  That hour of being doted on, having someone massage your hands and even make you feel somewhat pretty (eventhough I'm starting to not even recognize the body staring back at me in the mirror) is magical.  And worth every penny.  So to all of my fellow preggers, RUN - do not walk, to your local nail salon and treat yourself.  You deserve it!!

Thursday was the big reveal, and it did not disappoint!  It was the best moment of my life - seeing our little BOY on the screen and knowing that I was completely devoted to a baby that finally had a name.  Cohen Lees Jaroscak has every inch of my heart - and that's something no one can ever take away.  I love him so much and while I feel like I already know him, I'm counting down the days til I get to meet him face to face.  I can say that this is gonna be one stud of a kid - his closet is already growing by leaps and bounds and he's already got some pretty cool accesories!  Can't wait to see him all dressed up and handsome!

Cohen's First Bib from Uncle Tina!!

Friday we had about 14 friends over for dinner.  It was a little hectic at first, as the guest list for a relaxing Friday evening at home kept growing, but it was SO much fun to have everyone over and enjoy steaks on the grill and twice baked potatoes!  This is one of the many advantages to having such a wonderful home - being able to have people over and all of us being able to hang out without having to be out and spending a ton of money.  What was even better was the thoughtful gifts that some of our friends brought to Cohen and the sweet necklace Denise had made for me.  It's amazing what wonderful friends and family we have in our lives and I'm so excited to introduce Cohen to all of them!!

Drew and Cohen's BFF, Damon
Gettin the practice in :)

WEEK 17 CRAVINGS:  GREEN GRANNY SMITH APPLES.  Only green will do - and the more sour, the better.  I think I've eaten at least one every day since week 17 began.  My favorite is to slice them up and eat them with some really sharp white cheese (Dubliner cheese is my favorite and highly recommended if you like really sharp cheeses).  With the exception of my "3 Oreos a night" craving, I'm pretty stoked that all my cravings have been healthy!!  Dr Belle will be very proud of me :)

WEEK 17 "Dose of Daddy":  This was taken on Saturday, the first day in a long time that I can remember Drew didn't have to work or play golf or get up to do something with the new house, so he was able to sleep in.  I got up to get ready, and there he laid, all cuddled up with the current baby in the house.  (All together now..."Awwwwwwww!!")

My sweet boys.

WEEK 17 "To Remembers":  Eat every few hours.  Even when I'm not hungry.  In my previous, non-preggo life, I'd get busy and forget to eat and considered it a victory in the way of not gaining extra weight.  However, now that I have a little life inside sucking all of the energy and nutrients away from me, I know that I have to keep something on my stomach every few hours or so.  This is vital for two reasons (in addition to making sure my son is happy and healthy and growing strong):

1.  I have hypoglycemia...so even before I got pregnant it wasn't a great idea to skip a meal or eat terribly, just because it reaked havoc on my blood sugar.  But now that I am pregnant, it's even more important that I don't let my blood sugar bottom out.  I was reminded of this while in Target, when I got super dizzy and realized it was 3pm and I hadn't eaten all day.  After getting berated by both my momma and Andrew, I quickly paid for my things and pulled through to order a double cheeseburger at McDonalds.  Perhaps not the healthiest of remedies, but it did the trick and I was back to normal within a few minutes.

2.  I get REALLY bad mood swings when I'm hungry.  This was also the case before I got pregnant - I am crabby, irritable and incredibly short tempered when my blood sugar drops, but it's like a million times worse now.  Drew can totally vouch for the fact that my hunger-induced bad moods these days could render Freddy Kruger helpless.  I try really hard to prevent them, but there's sometimes where even the occasional KitKat won't ward off such evilness.

For this reason, I found this someecard relevant and had to share it with any and all who have experienced my wrath.

Is it wrong for me to blame it on the baby??