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.