May 6, 2020

First Trimester Update



Now that we have finally announced our pregnancy and have reached the second trimester I thought I would update y'all everything I've kept secret for thirteen weeks.
Jamison and I had been trying for a baby for a while so when I found out I was pregnant it was euphoric. I actually found out on my 30th birthday. I want to take more tests before telling Jamison so I waited until the next day to tell him. It was the sweetest thing surprising him until he cursed. 😂 I was already taking prenatals since that is what everyone recommended while trying to conceive. We went to the first doctors appointment March 5th, just a day after Jamison's birthday. At the appointment we had the fastest sonogram ever given. We saw our peanut for just a flash and then heard the heartbeat for a quick second. We were so excited they confirmed our blessing but disappointed it went so quickly. I had already told my sister so I decided to announce to my mom, dad, and nieces in a fun way. I had made a little bandana for Blitz which read "Big Brother." My mom wasn't home when I came over to surprise her so when she did get there I went with my nieces to go scare her and put Blitz's bandana on real quick. The girls were trying to read his bandana while we were hiding and I just knew Kinley was going to give it away. We come out and my mom is too busy to notice Blitz is wearing anything. Kinley repeatedly asks her what does Blitz's bandana says and she finally reads it and yells, "I knew it." My mom and dad were very excited but the news to Kinley and Bailey was really starting to sink in.

Until I was 8 weeks pregnant the pregnancy symptoms I was experiencing was bigger, tender breasts. I ordered these bras off of amazon to hopefully use for breast feeding too since I had already out grown my normal bra. From 8 weeks to 11 weeks I would get nauseous if I went too long between meals. A few smells would trigger me but all in all I think I only got sick once. Preggie Pops were a game changer and I kept them all over the place for when I was starting to feel crummy. I've also been including these supplements which The Skinny Confidential recommended. I highly suggest you do your own research and clear everything through your OB. Other than being nauseous all the time my other pregnancy symptom was gas. Yea, we just got real. I was super freaking gassy and constipated. TMI, yea I get it but you want to know what to I experienced and well this is what happened! I was regular before and not until 13 weeks did I start to get relief from either.

We got to share the news with Jamison's family a two weeks later when we got together to celebrate four of our birthdays. Their reaction was the SWEETEST by far when we shared the news. Unfortunately, I did not get it on video for some reason but they were good sports and reenacted it for me.

After we went to the doctor and he confirmed that we are in fact pregnant we shared the news with Jamison's Mom, sister, grandmother, grandpa, and nephew for Jamison's birthday dinner. 
These past 13 weeks have been incredible, and I am thrilled to experience this journey. I have been feeling a little down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Not being able to be around friends and family and share this experience has been hard. I wanted to do a gender reveal and find out all together with our families what our little nugget is and well we just cant do that right now. It is okay to not feel yourself, it is okay to be upset about missing out on experiences but right now I am so very grateful to have a healthy baby, loving husband, and Facetime. 


April 27, 2020

Charleston Edit


Thursday 06-07-2018
We started our morning by walking the formal garden of Middleton Place, taking in the alligators and giant live oaks. The oldest landscaped garden in the U.S, it was planted in 1741.This place is like a real life hedge maze from Alice and Wonderland!
 A map is a must need, but it is gorgeous. After a short walk back to the hotel, we headed into the city. When arriving downtown, Blitz and I headed to DryBar to get get my Blowout, while Jamison headed to find parking and refreshment. We then met up with J who was enjoying a beer and onion rings at the John King Bar. I dropped the beast off with J, while I took off to checkout the boutiques and galleries. Most were high end resale and antique stores with lavish price tags.

The boys were going to catch up to me further down King Street but were seduced by air conditioning, leather recliners, and cigars at Kings Leaf Cigar Lounge. J toked on a Vintage 1990 Rocky Patel, on the recommendation from helpful staff. 

We then teamed back to go to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, which drew us in by the line out the door. If its worth that wait we knew we were in for a treat. We left with matching scoops, F’rose and  Buttermilk Strawberry. The F’rose was delicious, just the right amount of tart. Remember my keen taste of fine strawberry ice cream? Jeni’s fell short. 

We browsed a few more place on Kings St., then headed for dinner at Leon’s Fine Poultry and Oysters.



I had the mahi sandwich and J had half a dozen chargrilled oysters (One of which I devoured) and a piece of spicy fried chicken. He loved it. 















We made our way back to the Inn which is just 15 minutes from Downtown Charleston, just in time to walk the garden again at sunset.
Friday 06-08-2018
We began our Friday at Magnolia Gardens, just few miles down Ashley River Rd from the Inn. Which unfortunately rained out our Audubon Swamp tour.  
We found a dry spot at  the West Ashley Crab House. Crazy good  bloody mary! Feast on raw oysters, and low country crab boil. 
Back to the Inn to dry off and get ready for an evening Downtown. Jamison napped a few hours while I tried to save my blowout. The humidity is no joke in SC. 
We parked in a lot just down from Kaminsky’s Dessert Cafe. Hot Toddy, caramel apple cake.  Hot Buttery Chocolate and Brownie Sundae.*****

We walked to the Battery to see the pineapple fountain, and watch a few ships sail in and out. Just off the Battery is Rainbow Row. Brightly painted houses with gas lit lamps, dreamy florals, and stoops to swoon over. 
Our 9pm (only time available) reservation crept up on us so we had to hustle. We made it in the door of Halls Chophouse with two minutes to spare.


I now know what my death row meal will be... she crab soup, 8oz wet aged petite filet with bearnaise sauce, pepperjack cream corn skillet, Parmesan truffle fries, sweet and sour collard greens. It could be safe to say the same for Jamison just sub my petite filet for a 14oz  Dry aged ribeye with peppercorn brandy sauce. They doted on us all night. Several of the staff came to congratulate us on our marriage. We were gifted Champagne and they slipped a generous slice of caramel cake into our to go bag. 

Which was excellent the next day in the car on the way home. It was another perfect ending to our night. 

Saturday 06-09-2018
We packed our bags up first thing... headed back to the city. We didn’t anticipate all the things we would later want to see and do until we arrived in Charleston. We had a beautiful brunch on the porch of Poogan’s Porch. 
I had the Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict with a spicy bloody mary.  Delicious. Jamison had eggs, bacon, potatoes fried in duck fat, and all the southern biscuits you could eat! This is where J told a very sweet lady that Blitz is a “St. Bernard puppy.” Poogan’s Porch  is named after a Queen St mutt that frequented the porch regularly. They have a headstone for Poogan just inside the gate. On of the Staff mentioned they installed a doggie water fountain in the brick patio. How freaking cute. We were happy to come across this gem that appears to be someones home from the street. I didnt make it inside but J said it was FULL. We walked the our way back to the Pavilions on Market Street which house the City Market.  Local, small version of Canton Trades Days. We found my favorite Boylan soda root beer, a couple of t shirts, and J picked a pineapple watercolor print to bring home. 
We hailed a pedicab to take us uptown to Sugar Bakeshop. At this point we had walked nearly 50 miles. Not sure why we didnt do this more. It was a luxury! My score at Sugar Bake Shop- Almond, Strawberry, Vanilla & Chocolate Cupcakes. 
We walked back downtown only to come across Jeni’s one more time. After learning our lesson we stuck with the F’rose. After all is was National F’rose Day! We basically had to.