Holiday Traditions - November Blogathon

Three days in a row!! I'm so proud of myself for actually keeping this up. #novemberblogathon

 This third day of the November Blogathon is all about Holiday Traditions. The one Thanksgiving tradition I can say for certain is arroz con gandules (rice and beans). If there isn't arroz con gandules than it isn't really Thanksgiving and Christmas morning hasn't really begun until I've listened to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers Christmas Album. Oh, yes, it's real, and it's as magical as you could ever imagine - You're Welcome. 

Dean is still young and last year he was 3-4 months old during the holiday season. That didn't leave much for us to do in the traditions department. My mother bought him a set of footie PJs that she's hoping to turn into a tradition.
Last year we took Dean to Santa at the Bass Pro Shop. They will give you a free photo with Santa and let you take pictures with your camera at no charge - You're Welcome, again.  My friend, Allie, and I took Dean to see the giant ginger bread house at the Grand Floridian Hotel down at Disney. I'd really like to keep that tradition going as well.

Once he gets older I'm looking forward to carrying on the tradition of retelling the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve with our hand-made nativity set.  We also have an Elf in the Shelf that's just waiting to make an appearance.

As he gets older I hope that he has magical memories of the holiday season and I hope that the traditions we created with him are passed down to his family... I know that's getting crazy and thinking WAY in the future but, I feel it.

What are some of your favorite family holiday traditions? Maybe there's something out there that we'd like to start this year....

Until tomorrow dearies!!

Week 9

FINALLY!! Keagan moved me home this week and I will get to ring in the new year in Florida with my friends and NO SNOW!

We did hit some serious snow on our way home heading through the mountains of Pennsylvania. It was one of the scariest things I've ever done. Royce behaved so well the entire trip and we made it in 2 days.

 

 

Later that week we celebrated 2013 with a few our friends, Jessica, Alexis, and her boyfriend, Dennis. We went downtown and hung out at Finnigan's. We left at 12:04am and headed home to avoid the traffic and didn't even see one police officer our entire drive home.

 

 

Jessica and I enjoying the New Year

 

Keagan and I ringing it in

 

 

The Bump.com says:

This is a milestone. She's no longer an embryo -- now she's a fetus!

She's developing more distinct facial features.

And she might now have a strong enough heartbeat to be picked up by a fetal doppler







Week 8

Last week was my final week of work before moving back to Florida. I was sad to say goodbye to everyone but was too happy to be seeing my mom and fiance at the end of the week. Of course the week my mom was flying in Syracuse had their first major snow storm.

Nice snow shelf building on my car

 

Royce was enjoying the flurries

 

 

The shoveled walkway up to my house

 

Snow angels with Mom

 

Enjoying our time in the snow

 

2 Month Mark!

My funnniest pregnancy moment so far: I've had terrible baby brain. My memory is good for nothing.

Foods I can't get enough of: Buttered noodles

Strangest food I've been craving: I haven't had cravings I've been so sick

Foods I can't stand: hotdogs

Smells that make me sick: The mix of food smells in the fridge

Highlight of my first trimester: Seeing my baby's heartbeat

Low points of my first trimester: Being so sick and nauseous

The Bump.com says:

You can't feel it yet, but she's moving those arms and legs like crazy!

Her fingers and toes are now only slightly webbed, and her tail (yes, she had one) is gone.

Fun fact: your baby's taste buds are now forming.

Quite the Surprise!

Last week was Thanksgiving and, unfortunately, due to snowy upstate New York weather and a lack of funds I was unable to visit any of my family members. Royce and I spent the day watching the parade on TV, romping in the snow, and eating turkey sandwiches. Looking around at my family-empty apartment it was then I realized "I need to go home (Florida)". I called my mom tears streaming down my face and told her that I needed to move home and the sooner the better. She agreed and we decided that I would move home at the beginning of 2013.

As soon as we hung up the phone I felt sick to my stomach. I had exactly a month to pack up my life in Syracuse, NY and schlep all of my stuff back to the Sunshine State. I called my fiance, Keagan, and told him what my new plan was and he agreed to come up the weekend before New Years and help me move home.

For the next several days the sick feeling in my stomach never eased up. I was certain the limited time span I'd given myself to pack and move was stressing me out and causing me to have a bout of IBS. After work on Monday, December 3rd, I headed to the corner Rite Aid and purchased Zantac 75 for my new stomach issues. On my way to the register something else registered and I grabbed a home pregnancy test.

Well, surprise, surprise... Looks like I won't be needing that Zantac 75 after all...

Mother's Day

I probably win the award for Worst Daughter because I didn't take one picture of my mother on Mother's Day! I did, however, take a picture of our family's favorite game, Crazy Marbles. My Great Grandfather made this board and the game over half-century ago. It shows up to every family occassion and sucks people in like moths to a flame.

The one player you have to watch out for is G-Unit. She is the most cut throat player of them all. I call her the Albanian. She'll send you home, take your spot, and get her marbles home without even batting an eye.

The Albanian at work ... I got my mother's hands in the picture...Does that count???

Arriba!

One Friday a month Altamonte Special Needs Recreation does a Night Bird Dance. It's a themed dance where the participators dress up as the theme and party all night (Well, not all night. Until 9pm but still it's a party!!). This month was Fiesta Friday. I was so busy dancing and having a good time that I didn't get a chance to take any pictures. Here is a video of the Valentine's Day dance where Shawn, one of my cheerleaders, and I got down with our bad selves.

Don't you wish you had moves like us??