A Little Get To Know

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend wants to get to know her blog friends better so she has invited us to answer a few questions about ourselves. She is even throwing in a good prize for the lucky winner. I am so happy to tell her and you more about me.

1) Where are you from? I was born and raised in Charleston, WV where i still live. It is a beautiful town and although rough around the edges it is a sweet country home.

2.) How long have you been blogging? I am coming quickly upon my one year anniversary of this blog. I use to blog on Live Journal years ago when i was a teen but eventually fell out of it. I also use to blog on my MySpace but didn't find it as enjoyable.

3) Married? single? how long? I have been happily married going on 5 years in November! I can not imagine being much more happy. He truly is the love of my life even if we do have our fights lol.

4.) Just one of your FAVORITE Blogs? Besides Grammy Girlfriend i would have to say Steph @ Adventures in Babywearing

5.) Your favorite thing to do when you have a FREE day? Hang out with my boys and if i don't have my boys any piece and quiet is accepted.

6.) Any kids? grandkids? what are there names and what ages?I have 2 boys and another on the way. Phabian is my eldest at 4. MJ is my baby (and always will be) at 3. Sione, my little bug, is due November 11th.

7.) Your favorite restaurant? OH MY WORD!!!! That is a hard one lol. Did i mention i am pregnant so all food is my favorite. If i had to pick one i probably would say Hibachi's Japanese Steak House. It is kinda like Benni Hanna's.

8.) What is your favorite TV show? Once again so hard. It i had to pick one i could not live with out it would probably be Grey's Anatomy. I am a hard core addict and can not wait for the new season to start!

9.) What is the thing you wish you were more disciplined in? I wish i wasn't such a procrastinator as that affects everything in my life. I always have a list of things that need to get done but it always seems to get longer and never any shorter.

10.) Where is your FAVORITE place to vacation? We go to Orlando, FL every year. I have family who lives in Winter Haven so we spend 2 weeks with them a year and usually partake in the multiple activities that surround the area (Disney, Sea World, Beaches, Universal).

22 Weeks: The View From Here

Happy 4th and Pregnancy Update

Source

Happy 4th of July aka Independence Day! Today we celebrate our freedom to be individuals. We have so many freedoms here that others are not privileged to. We take for granted a lot of these and today we celebrate instead of complain.

While you are BBQing with your family, swimming, or watching fire works please remember to give a prayer and a thought for our troops who fight for our freedom to remain intact. They risk their lives so that we can say we are free. Also remember the families that are behind these brave men and women. They need our support just as much as those who fight.

If you see one of our soldiers out today give them a big Thank You for all they do!

I hope you all have a great day! I am headed to a family BBQ with the In Laws! We are going to have a blast with lots of food, family, friends, and did i say food! Enjoy the day!

Now just as a reminder to myself and for a baby book reminder i am updating on baby and me.

We had our 21 week appointment Thursday. I gained 4 lbs since my last appointment but that only puts me at +2 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. My BP was 100/68 which is low for me but still normal and good. Sione's HR was 156 as usual. He was a little preturbed by the doppler and insisted on kicking it and dodging it. He is becoming quiet the kicker. He spends a good 3 hours on an off all day kicking me around lol. Yesterday we spent a good hour watching my belly bounce around with his kicks. As I type he is kick kick kicking away lol.

As for a name we finally found a middle ground we love. Sione has a middle name baring any changes. You might remember this post about my husband's cousin who passed away. they were very close and we have decided that his middle name would make a great middle name for our little man. So without further ado his name will be Sione Marcellus! I have gotten rave reviews from all our friends and i presonally love it. So thank you all who made suggestions and helped out.

Reflection

This morning as i read through my reader i found an entry that hit home. Nell @ Casual Friday Everyday wrote a post about body image and how we see ourselves. She talked about how her own opinion of herself has changed over the years and how she has become happy with herself. i ask her if she would mind a piggy back post and with her blessing here we go!

This is me at 15. It was the summer after my Mom passed away. My Aunt Kay and my Dad had taken me and a friend to Disney and to Florida to see my Grandma and Aunt Linda. It was a good trip but my mind was all messed up. It would take me many years after that to get myself together and realize how special I really was/am.

I had huge body image issues. I remember people (especially guys) telling me how beautiful i was and how unique and special i was. It just didn't add up for me.

When i looked in the mirror i saw a girl who was too wide in the hips and had thunder thighs plus a bubble butt. My nose was crooked, my eyes were a boring green/hazel, my lips were not full or plump, I had no exotic look of some of my friends, and i was not the perfect size 2, blond haired, blue eyes, well dressed, preppy girl. I, in my reflection, was plain Jane. There was nothing special about me.

This is me at 18 right before i graduated high school. Of all the pictures i have of myself this is one of my favorites now. I think it speaks an honesty that only a lens can capture. I see hurt and pain in the eyes of a young girl who wants to be beautiful like she sees others to be. Only now do i see how beautiful i was in my own unique way.

At the time i tore this picture apart. I had a fat role on the back of my neck, my nose was too big, my eyes too far apart, my lips to pouty. You will not find a picture in the bunch that shows below my chest as i thought i was so fat. I was at my skinniest in years here in a size 8 and 160 lbs.

I hid my pain and insecurity behind a ton of makeup, revealing clothes, and a "I'm the Stuff" attitude. I had just about any boy or girl i wanted wrapped around my finger. I could fool anyone with my "I'm Hot and Sexy" attitude. Everyone but me! I felt empty. I felt alone and sad. As much as i tried to hide it i was insecure and vulnerable.

This is me at 19 the night before i went into labor with Phabian. I cant explain exactly what happened to me over those 37 weeks that i carried that special baby boy in my belly, but something in me changed.

I felt alive, i felt rejuvenated, and most of all i felt beautiful. Maybe it was the act of giving life and bringing it into the world. Maybe it was the fact that I had a husband who adored me and wouldn't dare even think of looking at another woman. Or maybe it was just a maturity i had never known before taking over me.

After the birth my body changed. I had stretch marks on my belly, i was heavier than i had been in years, and my body was anything but normal. But i was a mom! When i held that baby in my arms i knew i was perfect and that he saw nothing but beauty and perfection when he looked at me. Somehow i knew it too! I knew i was special and wanted and beautiful in all my stretched out, flabby glory!

Here i am at 23! This is one of the most recent pictures i have of myself. I was preparing to go out with my husband to a Valentines Day Party. I don't normally wear makeup and when i do i usually don't like it as much as i do when i am just my plain Jane beautiful self.

I still have my days where i think i am fat or my self image slips, but to counteract that i have 2 handsome boys and a husband that remind me how beautiful i am. I will never be a size 2 as i don't think it is even in me to be that small. I will always be stripped by stretch marks to remind me of the lives i have brought into this world. I will never be a blond haired, blue eyes, preppy girl, nor will i be an exotic beauty.

What i will be is the beautiful girl with the crooked nose, normal lips, green/hazel eyes, boring brown hair, wide hips, thunder thighs, bubble butt, strech marks, and flab. The things is that now i don't mind. I embrace who i am because if i don't who else will. I love me for me and i understand that i am the only person like me. No one else will ever take my place and that is exactly how i want it.

A big thank you to Nell @ Casual Friday Everyday for allowing me to piggy back her post today and inspiring to give myself a look over today and tell myself how beautiful i am. Thank You!

Wordless/Wordful Wednesday 13

So my dear sweet friend Laura who lives in the UK sent me a package. I have known Laura since we were pregnant with our first children. We are in a parenting group via yahoo and i couldn't imagine a more wonderful group of women. Most of us have known each other for going on 5 years and we are so close even if it is only through the internet.

But back to Laura. A few months ago i posted about what kind of Mom i had always dreamed of being. Laura left a comment and told me that she had a Ring Sling that she would love to give to me. I humbly accepted and i got my package yesterday with a few added surprises.

This is the Red Ring Sling from Freedom Slings. It is made of a very comfy material and i can not wait to try it out! This will be my very first sling and i am just thrilled!

She also sent a sweet card from her family congratulating me on the addition of another sweet baby boy! She is such a doll!

Last but certainly not least she sent me a box of Cadbury UK Chocolates. We had talked awhile back about how i love Cadbury Cream Filled Eggs but it makes me so sad that i can only get them during Easter. In the UK (I don't think they have been released here in the US yet) they make a candy bar version that is included in this box set. I tried one of each and they are all so yummy!!!

So i want to send a big thank you to Laura! You made my day with this package and your sweetness!