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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Week 16: Yappy dogs, LAX and Nuns.


So I'm sitting in LAX waiting for our flight and this lady sitting directly behind has the YAPPIEST dog.

Let me paint the picture for you. 

We woke up at 4am to be at LAX at 5am to find out our flight doesn't leave until basically 9am (you just have to be early, Christmas time brings out all the crazies. ;) ) I saw this lady and her pomerian and chihuahua sitting pretty far from us, and thought to myself, " there is no way in hell these dogs are for emotional support", I was wrong. Then this lady thought it might be a good idea to move closer to us. Needless to say, this dog is bringing out all the wrong emotions right now for me. Here's to praying this lady isn't on our flight. 


Guess that margarita is gonna have to wait a few months.... but this would be me not preggo. 

Yappy dogs make me crazy enough without the pregnancy hormones. Here's to hoping I don't drop an F bomb, because there are Nuns sitting adjacent to me. NUNS.

How did I get so lucky?

On to week 16 preggo stuff.





So this week has been pretty good. I will tell you that the gas part hasn't gone away though. No matter what you do. I sat through the Star Wars movie, and felt horrible for the random man sitting next to me, I had the worst gas, but was super thankful how loud this movie was. The theater was packed to I played it up to the fact everyone was in there.. and if there were any toots it could have been from anyone. 

Who am I kidding? He knew.



Cravings: Salt and vinegar chips are at the top of the game this week. It will be a wonder if I don't gain a million pounds this pregnancy. Anything and everything orange. So many oranges. 

Aversions: EGGS. I don't know if its the texture or what, but my goodness I can't handle them this week, I think they smell like wet dogs. What is wrong with me?

Emotions: At LAX, I felt an abundance of emotions. I was angry, why there were so many people so early. I mean, what do you mean everyone get to the airport super early before a holiday? Blasphemous. Sleepy. Hungry. Right when we got into Houston, we go to Buccee's. It's pretty much just what you do after you've been away from Texas for months on end. I will tell you right now that everyone was so nice from the cashiers to random people in the store, for instance, I asked Matt a question at the checkout line and per usual he didn't "hear" me, well the super nice man behind me answered and was so nice. I WANTED TO CRY. I missed home so much. I am so proud to be from such a wonderful place. 

Sleep: I'm a professional sleeper again. Sleeping at 8pm is pretty much the norm and I have been getting home from work at 745p. Dreams are still insanely crazy. I had a dream that I all of things were floating out of my house and so were my cats. It was crazy.

Pregnancy thoughts:

  • I have missed Texas a lot. More than I think I have in years. I miss my support system and I miss how nice everyone is. I'm so glad there is a place that won't change no matter where I go and how long i'm gone. I'm more glad than anything that this place will exist for my children. There's nothing better than that. Nothing. 
  • This Christmas was absolutely one of the best Christmas' i've had in years. 
  • My mind started racing when I saw how parents kept their cool on planes when their kids decided to go psycho. Before I would just be annoyed and blame the parents for their kids' behavior being completely unsympathetic, now I'm wondering how they got their technique down and how the hell can I achieve that? Oh how things have changed. 
Thanks for listening to the rambles this week! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!




Sunday, December 20, 2015

Week 15: Might just be the week from hell.

Yes, you read that right. I've been so sick this week.

Not just the oh i'm nauseous. Literally the worst sinus infection ever. I haven't had sinus issue since high school. Kids, don't ever get a cold/sinus infection while pregnant, it's not pretty.


So with that being said, this week's post might seem a little blah/random/unorthodox/hormonal. 

Sleep: I have been sleeping a lot. Probably more in the past week than I have in the past 28 years. I'm actually making up for all the lost sleep that happened in nursing school. I basically didn't sleep for 2 years. To all the Preggos: i've laughed at in the past about sleeping and basically becoming an appendage to your bed, I'm sorry. Gestating is hard. Thinking about becoming preggo? Get an amazing pillow(s). 

CRAVINGS: Anything citrus. Literally, I could have eaten a bag of oranges this week. As long as it tastes like orange or lime this week, i've eaten it. Potatoes, hash browns, anything potatoes this week. I think my body is telling me it needs lots of vitamin C to get rid of this junk in the body. 
* Nursing fact: Did you know potatoes are very high in Vit. C?, Eat potatoes if you're feeling a cold coming on! * Orange sherbet! 

Aversions: Eggs. I don't like eggs right now. Like eating scrambled eggs. I think it's just the texture. Cabbage. UGH. I don't even eat that much cabbage as it is, but a lot of but there's a lot of places in LA that add cabbage to dishes. Tomatoes. 

Emotions: I've actually been less sensitive this week. Not emotionally constipated, but you know a little less weepy. I don't want to say i've been rage-y, but people have pissed me off a little more this week. For example: not having patience for slow people or gifts that you've bought weeks ago on Amazon, that have just now let you know they are out of stock, 7 days before Christmas.

Preggo Thoughts: 
  • I didn't get find out the gender this week at my baby appointment. I was sad. I really just want to know, Countdown to January 14!
  • I'm really waiting for this nesting thing to kick in so I will feel like cleaning my house... until then we will live in cat hair. 
  • My road rage is at an all time high.
  • Here's to praying that we can get through LAX Christmas crowds without unleashing a hormonal rage. 
My face might stick like this.




Obligatory Week 15 Bump pic! I'm so excited it looks more and more like a bump every week.  

Dear Peapod: I can't wait for you to get bigger and I can't wait to feel you move. I thank God everyday that you grow!





Friday, December 11, 2015

That time I thought I had Scabies.. Week 14

It's amazing how paranoid you get about random things in life when you are carrying a human inside of you. Especially, when you're a nurse. No amount of protective wear you put on will ever be enough. Ever.

So in my job I am orienting with different departments and I was following around wound care,  (I will never, ever, ever, ever be a wound care nurse, but that another tangent for a different time), Anywho, I was tending to a case, which required changing a wound dressing, when I noticed a horrible rash that had clearly just erupted. Turns out it scabies and was diagnosed two days later.

TWO DAYS LATER AFTER I HAD ALREADY BEEN IN THE ROOM PRIOR.


That might not mean anything to the non-nursing person, but Scabies are extremely contagious and extremely uncomfortable. So after I had a minor MELTDOWN with my nurse educator and she talked me off the ledge of another potential meltdown when I thought another room had shingles. 

Paranoia. 



I realized I don't scabies and I'm a spaz.

So this week I've come to some conclusions. 
  • I have had heartburn all week and concerned my baby will come out looking like a chia pet (that will be Matt's fault of course). 
  • My husband told me I was glowing this week and I wanted to cry, he's precious sometimes. 
  • Gas is really bad this week, I accidentally tooted in a patient's room and blamed it on them, when someone came in, I've hit an all time low. 
  •  Not giving one damn. I feel like that this is a bit early, but lately my filter is gone. Yes, I promise I had a filter at one time. Maybe. 
  • Headaches are no joke. 

Oh. The. Joys. Of. Pregnancy. I never knew what that really meant until now. 

This kid better be cute. 

So I'm fairly certain that this week's bump picture is actually a big ball of gas, waiting to be expelled. On the off chance it isn't, i'd like to believe that i'm starting to get an actual bump! Excuse the morning face, but if I didn't take the pic super early, I wouldn't remember.




Cravings: Soup. Lots of soup. and Cereal. Maybe I just like eating with a spoon because it's a more efficient vehicle for food, I don't know, but i'm still on a super salty kick. I will be as bloated as a whale by the end of this pregnancy I just know it. Cheez-its, all the live long day. Eating a lot of guacamole this week, clearly I haven't been keeping up my fat intake.. yeah right. And of course I'm still on a spicy kick, I had a bite of a co-worker's tamale the other day and was in heaven. 

Aversions: Artichokes, Tomatoes (it's back), the smell of cabbage makes me crazily sick.  

Emotions: Irrational and overly truthful. Emotionally attached to Walking Dead and know it won't be on until February makes me sad. Sarcasm is at an all time high this week.

Until next week folks, Thanks again for listening to all my rambles and supporting all my craziness.







Sunday, December 6, 2015

It's been real first trimester... Week 13


But I am beyond happy to say goodbye. I didn't enjoy the sickness, or the awkward "don't tell anybody you're pregnant" stage.  I have pretty high hopes for the second trimester! I hope i'm not shooting myself in the foot after saying that.



This week I started working again at a super small hospital, I know, I am as surprised as you are. However, I wanted to keep busy and I felt like this was a very good decision for me.

I was very hesitant on telling my brand new job that I was pregnant. I told them the second day on the job, and instead of my job asking me, "uh, did you know you were pregnant in the interview"?

They congratulated me and told me how wonderful it was.

They completely ignored the fact that I wouldn't be able to lift patients.

They ignored that I would be taking a hefty amount of time to bond with my baby later on next year.

This solidified the fact that I was in the right place at the right time. I love when life shows you how truly wonderful it can be, all my prayers were heard after all. Thanks be to God.


On to the little peapod! This week he/she is as big as a jalapeƱo! Some days I don't know if I have a bump or I took Thanksgiving dinner a little more serious this year (most likely the latter). This was taken in the morning before it could be mistaken for a food baby. I will tell you I still fit in all my clothes, so I guess i'll milk that for a little while longer, but for the first time in my life I wouldn't mind having to get bigger size clothes for this little peapod.



I have been one tired preggo lady this week. I'm not used to waking up at 530a-545a, ok who am I kidding 6am, to get to work by 7am, and you'd think that living in LA and all the bitching i've been doing traffic this wouldn't be possible. Well my job is so awesome, it's only 15 minutes up the road. Nothing in LA is 15 minutes up the road in Monday morning traffic. Nothing.

Cravings: Lots and lots of spicy foods. I'm still loving salt and vinegar chips and pumpkin pie.. Maybe I didn't get my fill over the holiday.. I honestly don't know how. I also am craving Subway sandwiches really really bad. I haven't eaten any sandwich meat since before I was pregnant and love Subway. Maybe I should just go sit in Subway and smell the bread for awhile.

**So apparently preggos aren't supposed to eat deli meats/soft cheese due to possible listeria that can cause horrible sickness, so we have to avoid at all cost**


Aversions: Smoked turkey. I loved our turkey over Thanksgiving, but after that every time I smelled smoked turkey matt would heat up, I would cringe. I think it was just the smoky smell. Cabbage! ugh. Actually starting to yack when I think about tomatoes again... UGH.

Emotions: My emotions have been literally everywhere. We put up our christmas tree.. I cried. Put up the Cat's Christmas stockings.. I cried. We nearly adopted a dog... I cried. Reading all the comments of support from all my people.. CRIED.  Then I got angry because Matt didn't fluff the tree enough before ornaments... ANGER. Upset there was no pumpkin pie left.. actually that emotion was pretty normal.. but you get the point. Pray for my husband and the emotional whiplash he endures EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.




Preggo thoughts:

  • I heard my baby's heartbeat this week. Is there any sweeter of a sound? I could have listened to it all day. I was sad we didn't do another ultrasound, but they let me know that I would get another on January 14, which should be the one where we get to find the gender! COUNTDOWN TIME!
  • Between all the emotions, I have been feeling really good this week. I really hope this lasts for the rest of the pregnancy! 
  • I think I have a bionic nose. 
  • I want to know the gender of my baby sooooo much. I really don't understand how people don't want to know. I think I would go insane.
  • We did put up our Christmas tree and didn't get a divorce in the process. 

  • I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but I CANNOT wait until Christmas next year! I just get butterflies thinking about it! 

Thanks for listening to my preggo rambles! <3 p="">







Sunday, November 29, 2015

I'm pretty sure my fingernails are actually talons: week 11/12

Well Hello Everyone!



I'm blogging to you from week 11! This little peapod is size of a lime! Woooooooo! He/she is probably having a blast in there, because the amounts i'm having to pee is at an all time high.

Cravings: SUSHI. Don't worry I'm not even thinking about eating it, except all the cooked stuff. I'm still in love with mushrooms this week. I've pretty much put them in everything i've been cooking. Maybe my body is trying to tell me something? I officially like Tomatoes again. I have a love for Salt and vinegar chips. OMG. A little obsessed. Still loving pickles like it's my job.

Aversions: I don't like eating beef or chicken right now, well I can eat chicken in small amounts, but beef is definitely out.

EMOTIONS: I think this category should be here from here on out. I don't know if its the hormones, probably, but I turned on ABC family the other day and The Notebook was on. I was so stoked. I love this movie. I didn't even get through the next five minutes and I was a crying mess. LIKE BIG CROCODILE TEARS. Ridiculous. Oh and for that matter, I think any Nicolas Sparks book is out, someone always dies at the end. I have no idea how I'm going to get through the last Hunger Games movie, Good luck Matt!



For next 6.5 months I want to apologize in advance for random mood swings and lashing out at random people. I nearly lost my shit on this poor defenseless check out person at the grocery store. He clearly didn't know how slow he was going because the cashier was already ringing up items for the next person in line. So I started to help him, by shoving all my shit into bags, he said that he would rather me not do this. HOLD THE HELL UP.  Y'ALL IT TOOK ME EVERYTHING IN MY BEING TO NOT SCREAM AT HIM. If looks could kill that boy would have been dead, TWICE.



Sleep/Dreams: I'm trying to train myself to sleep on my side and not on my stomach or back, It's not working out too well. I have been having crazy dreams that i'm crushing my baby, and realize that I have a cat laying on top of me when I wake up (Lou Kitty likes to lay across me to stay warm, that cat is at least 18 lbs...we will work on that one.)



Preggo thoughts:
  • At this point I'm so tired of keeping this pregnancy a secret!!! I want everyone to know!
  • Fingernails grow so freaking fast. 
  • I have ADD. I cannot focus on anything. Pregnancy brain is real, i've given so many preggos crap about it over the years. I feel that this is major payback. (specifically Tami and Ashleigh, Sorry y'all. 
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Week 12!!!

I'm convinced Baby Coates loves doing crunches. I just can't get over there being something in my stomach other than food. I can't wait to feel like this little person kick, just look at those legs! It's so crazy to think this little person is just the size of a plum!



Peapod is saying hello here, and to thank you for coming to the blog. 


Ok so we had a photoshoot this past week to check out tests for Spina Bifida. Let me tell you, sleep before this test was almost non-existent. I still don't know the results, but the office told me no news is good news and it's been almost 7 days. Plus, during this appointment I got to stare at this little blessing. I couldn't believe my eyes, that this little baby was moving all around. There was little cooperation from my child, it almost took an hour and half for a good picture for the NT scan! Looks like I have a strong willed child on my hands, imagine that?!

Cravings: BUFFALO WINGS with no blue cheese dressing, which I love.. I actually have been craving spicy things this week. My baby will come out of the womb asking for salsa, I just know it. Dill pickles, black olives, salt and vinegar chips, PUMPKIN PIE. 

Aversions: NONE. I couldn't believe it. I actually overcame my fear of eating curry last week and thought it was wonderful again, probably because it was so spicy! 

Emotions: Emotions this week have been in more control this week. I read in my baby book that the placenta is more formed this week so the hormone load is supposed to even out. 

Sleep: It has been much better this week. I think i'm now getting the hang of this pillow thing. 

In other news: 
uhhhh.. sorry I forgot a 12 week belly pic... Preggo brain is totally real, y'all. Plus, Thanksgiving was this week. Best week ever. 


Shout outs are in order: so our friends came into town for Thanksgiving and are actually moving back to Texas as we speak, but they pretty much rocked our Thanksgiving this year! 

Tirah cleaned ALOT and pretty much saved the day(s). and Troy smoked our beautiful turkey. Watson the Corgi looked cute and contributed to keeping the cats in line.  Thanksgiving would not have been as awesome this year without you. 

Much love to Tia Tirah and Uncle Billy (not Uncle Touchy, you weirdo) and I am super jealous you moved back to the motherland and neglected to take me with you. 









Professional sleeper status: Weeks 9 and 10 Update!

Hello!!

Week 9 is under way and our little peapod is actually the size of a pecan! So freaking excited!

Y'all. I went to my ultrasound this week, and it was amazing. I never even knew I could love something so much. I was definitely a little nervous, because I really hate going to the woman doctor, guess I better get over that one quick! Matt was with me, which made me feel better.

So on to the ultrasound.. I was really still convinced, there is no way there is a baby in there... and sure enough, I saw our little peapod right on the screen. He/she was just wiggling around and I saw the heart flicker about what seemed a million times a minute. I just couldn't believe it.


I only shed one tear in the doctor's office, which was equally surprising. Don't worry once I got in the car I balled like a baby (pun intended). All the emotions just washed over me. I can't believe I get to be a mama. I stared at this picture for a long while. How perfect, my precious little blessing. 

I promptly celebrated with a ChikFila Ice cream cone, a salad, and lemonade! 

Don't worry this ultrasound picture was promptly framed when I got home, until I can get my hands on a baby book!

Here is the obligatory bump picture! You'll appreciate the different attire this week, HELLO jean shirt! Still rocking these leggings. My goodness they are so comfortable. I still fit in all my clothes, which I am so thankful for, but these leggings are really where it's at. I got these at Express, yes, a tad bit pricey BUT you can't see my butt if my long shirt comes up, it's really like they are black pants. Anyways. Get some they are amazing. 

I couldn't tell if I was really starting to show a little teeny bit in this picture OR if it was because of my lunch... Probably just my lunch. Hurry up baby bump!





Cravings: I am still loving all my cold cereals and foods. This week though I had a huge craving for grits. So I went to the store and bought some and I have to say I was a little sad at my selection. I just have to remember I am not in Charleston anymore :(. However, I am eating a whole lot more, and I'm excited for that. I am still really craving salty everything. This week I ate a legit Ramen place, I WAS IN HEAVEN. I plan to eat at that place again this week!

Aversions: Still tomatoes. Artichokes. Strong smelling foods like indian curry. I opened up some curry powder I have on hand, and it was not pretty.

Activity:  This week I've noticed that I could be doing barely anything at all and a wave of tired washes over me. It's the weirdest thing. I feel like I could be sleeping for 2-3 hours at a time.

Random Prego notes: 


  • Just when you think your boobs can't get any bigger, they do. 
  • Your bladder is always full, even if you just went to the bathroom. 
  • This cold (70 degree) weather LA is experiencing is Heaven. HEAVEN I TELL YOU.
  • My mother in love just got me a Snoogle. It's a pregnancy pillow. OMG. It's pretty amazing. 
  • I am a team trainer for a Pop Warner football league in Redondo Beach, my Smell factor is off the charts ridiculous, the smell those adolescent boys emit is extremely uncomfortable. UGH. 
  • Matt and I call our baby a "peapod" because of a Key and Peele Skit. I think it's hilarious every time I think about it. So the name stuck.
_________________________________________________________________________________


Week 10 is here!!!! Our baby is the size of a Kumquat! My sassy little kumquat that dances on my bladder!



As of Week 10 approached it came on my 28th birthday. What a wonderful birthday present to be in the double digits!



Cravings: I'm loving Mushrooms this week. So strange. We went to the melting pot and I ate all the mushrooms in the fondue. Since I'm not eating meat as much I really love the "meat-iness" that the mushrooms give. POTATOES. Mashed potatoes are where it's at this week. Also, I love the real fruit popsicles. They are so wonderful and if I'm feeling sick or yucky, I eat one of those and my world is ok again.

Aversions: Meat in any form or fashion, with Thanksgiving around the corner this really worries me. Tomatoes. Spaghetti sauce.

Body Changes: My mid section is a little thicker this week, and i'm thankful that's all thats thicker. Still wearing all my own clothes!  Let me tell you something that many pregnant women won't: YOU WILL HAVE GAS AND ALOT OF IT. My goodness.

Activity: Professional sleeper and trying to stay awake long enough to do my online BSN classes. Rough. With it getting dark at 4:45pm on the west coast, I really think the universe is telling me to stay in bed.

****All day sickness went away this week. Praise Jesus!****


I'm counting down the days until I can see/hear our sweet little peapod again. December 2, you can't come soon enough!!

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Pregnancy is turning me into a sasquatch: week 7 and 8!



Hello Everyone!

This week is the week that I really felt pregnant. UHHHH the all day sickness really hit me this week. I mean there has been one day that I literally could not get away from throwing up. 
Let's just say I won't be drinking orange juice for a while. 

Aversions: Tomato sauce. OMG. I will tell you, we ate italian food one night and I ate two bites of Ravioli. That 's all I ate of that. Orange juice. Protein. This has been a difficult one. The thought of eating chicken, fish, or beef absolutely makes me sick. I'm hoping to get more of an appetite. 

Cravings: JELLO, pudding, String cheese, and really anything super cold. 

Activity:  Being lame and sleeping a lot. Like I slept for 14 hours one night. I have never in my life slept that much. I guess growing a human is hard work! The cats don't seem to mind all the down time and snuggles. 


Future goals for my children. 


I am excited for our very first baby appointment which is during Week 8!!!


_____________________________________________________________________________





I am writing to you from Week 8! I had my first doctor's appointment! 

 I had a crazy dream the night before my appointment, that I had gone to the doctor and they told me no I wasn't pregnant and I made it up. 

Well I'm definitely pregnant! Exciting! and very relieved that I am not having all day sickness for no reason! The all day sickness is starting to let up just a bit and thank goodness I want to eat a little bit more. 

Aversions: I still can't eat Tomato anything. Just thinking about it makes my stomach do flip flops.I tried to eat a steak taco this past week and couldn't stomach the beef.  I have a love for tacos, so this was a tough pill to swallow. I still don't like orange juice

Cravings: I'm loving Jello, pudding, string cheese, dill pickles (typical prego craving, I know), popsicles, and anything salty. I crave salt. Chikfila fries are up on the list of things that I love to eat and popcorn. I am really into eating small meals right now, even if they are really just snacks all day long. I ate Olive Garden's unlimited soup, breadsticks and salad. I WAS IN HEAVEN. 

Body changes:  No real body changes this week. I do notice that the hair on my legs grows quick. I mean QUICK, like I shave at night and the next morning there is a noticeable stubble. ** Thanks Baby Coates!** Matt,  I might just be a hairy Sasquatch the rest of the pregnancy, you're welcome. 



Activity: I have been more active this week, I'm able to clean the house, which has not been easy the past couple of weeks, washing dishes makes me gag. I'm hoping to get back to doing more in the weeks to come. 

Random Thoughts: 

I am already excited for next week's doctor appointment! We will get an ultrasound and figure out just how far along I am. I still think I have a good idea, but who knows! I cannot wait to hear that little heartbeat. I've longed to hear that sweet little sound, and for Matt to know that there is actually a baby in there. Here's to a lot of prayers and patience that this pregnancy and our baby is blessed with good health throughout. 

OH and We received a lovely, little gift in the mail from Auntie Michelle! She is such a sweet, sweet friend. Love you!!




Wonderfully made indeed. 

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Orange juice, we're no longer friends: week 4-6 update!


I will be one of those annoying bloggers that blogs about pregnancy! I want to remember all the fun cool stuff, remind my husband the loveliness that comes with pregnancy (incase he ever wants to get me pregnant again), and I do want my kiddos to look back on this and know how much we loved them from before they were born.


Update for Weeks 4-6!
Symptoms: 
Crazy dreams! I've been having dreams about cats, without heads. It's the weirdest thing. I can't tell you how real they feel sometimes. I also have dreams about water, but maybe that's because I have to pee all the time.

Peeing all the time. NONSTOP.


Oh you have to pee now too? Welcome to my life. 


Morning ALL DAY sickness!!!! My goodness. It's like a hangover every morning without the epic night before. I will tell you that I love pickles right now. They actually have been helping with the All day sickness a lot. Of course, I got a prescription for Zofran from my doctor, but keep in mind Zofran can give you really bad headaches and constipate you like nothing else. I only take it if I really can't find relief.



Holy Nipples Batman. So not only have my boobs gotten much larger, they hurt and my nipples change colors EVERYDAY. They get one shade darker. I already have olive skin... how much darker could they possibly get?! (This is TMI, but I feel like you can look in any medical/nursing book and they will tell you the same thing.. so there)

Emotional roller coaster. My goodness, the day before I found I was pregnant, I cried at least 7 times that day. I will be happy one minute and the next be so emotional over commercials. COMMERCIALS about anything.


Then the next minute.... 


After that... 



Y'all it's a conundrum. 


Aversions:
I never believed that I would get an aversion. At all. But I do have one.... it's raw red bell peppers. I think they taste like pennies. This is the weirdest thing.

Activity: 

Couch. This I know is horrible, because I need to be more active. Pregnant ladies need at least 30 minutes of activity a day. I'm hoping I can kick this sickness so I can be more active.

Chugging water. I will count this as an activity because it's pretty much all I do.


Baby Coates The First: I love you and I love every second of this, no matter how sore my nipples get.

Ahhhhhh! I still can't believe I get to be a Mama!






Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Hello Baby Coates!







Baby Coates will be making his/her debut June 2016. So I will tell you right now, Yes, we had been contemplating having the chirrens (children, I'm still from Texas, remember?) for the a good bit of this year.

FREAKING EXCITED ABOUT IT MIGHT I ADD!!

So on October 1st, I had just got done writing a monstrosity of a nursing paper and realized, I should be having a period today...

Well I didn't.

I did feel somewhat dizzy, had a headache, and lower back pain....

So I have two trusty pregnancy tests. What the hell, I thought they would probably be negative.

They were most certainly not.



Y'all, when I saw those two lines. I felt a rush of feelings. I was scared, excited, happy, thinking is this even real?, then I thought how amazing and blessed I am.

I absolutely never felt like this in my life. I get to show this little person, EVERYTHING!
I get to hold hands across the street.
I get help with homework.
I get to help someone be the best they can be.

I get to make my husband a dad. Something I always knew he'd be good at. He's one of those people that is so warm, nurturing and loving. He's one of the best people in the world, I know that he will be the best dad ever. After nearly 10 years together, this is the best gift we could have given to one another.

Here's to one amazing year ahead of us!

Baby Coates the First: We love you more than you'll ever know!

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Year 28 and Yes, I did chop off my hair.

I looked over my birthday pictures in the years past, I've changed so much. In so many good ways. My perspectives on life have changed for the better and I have never been so happy in my life.

I've learned that life really is what you make it. Somedays you really have to create your own sunshine and that's ok. Growing older isn't something to feared, it's something to be embraced.

So many people, including myself, have said "oh i'm not celebrating my next birthday, ugh another year older". I realize I'm two years away from thirty. I have accomplished way more in my twenties than I ever had hoped for. I am educated and accomplishing everything I had set out to do.

If you ask me, what could be better than that?

I appreciate my crazy family more than I ever have, and hold a set group of friends near and dear to my heart. I may not have all the friends I had years and years ago, but that's ok. All the people that I still talk to today, are people that never left my side. Those are the people that matter. So a special thank you is in order for my people, you are appreciated each and every day.

There is no doubt that California has been a struggle for me this year, but i'm learning to like this place a little more everyday. I find things here that I can't find anywhere else. It's been a learning curve, but I'm praying that one day it will feel more comfortable.

Last but not least. My Love, thank you for putting up with my crazy over the years. I love you more than words can say, and I know this year will be one of the best years yet!

I hope when I look back on this blog day that I will feel a sense of peace and love for years to come. I have so much to be thankful for and I realize that everyday.

Here's to an amazing year with some amazing people!

Ps. Yes, I chopped my hair off! It was crazy, but I needed a change!







Thursday, September 24, 2015

Hello Fall!




So yesterday was the Autumnal Equinox, which means Fall is here!!! A year ago I would have been this suburban white girl... I'm really still this girl, just with a different scarf on. 

Well I have no scarf on, I live in California, but you get my point.. 

Mostly, I love the changing of seasons. For me, it gives a new meaning to a different stage of life. 
It means the nights are much longer and the days are a little crisper. Spirits are a little livelier.
All the holidays are right around the corner, a time for all the people you love to get together to make memories you'll remember for years to come. 

With the changing of seasons means that you, yourself have changed. Whether you'd like to believe it or not, you might be a little wiser, a little more patient with others or yourself. You might be a little stronger than the one before, be closer to some people or be a littler further from others. It happens. Seasons change and so does life.  

Living for today is a concept we often forget. Get what you can get done today and what you can do tomorrow, do tomorrow. Spend a little more time with people you love today. Spend a little more time calling someone, rather than a text message. You won't regret it one bit. I know I don't. 

I don't know if i'm wiser or paying more attention (probably the latter), but I do know that the season i'm in is the one I need to be in right now. 

Whatever season you're in, I hope it's a good one, and that you look back on this time in your life and 
love yourself. 

Just some meanderings about the change of seasons. . . 

And you thought this post was going to be about the infamous PSL. 

Stay Amazing my friends! 



Love, 
Your Texan girl

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Why I quit my dream job.

Yes, you definitely read that right.

Serious post.. Y'all.

I have been doing a little LOT of soul searching and found out how much I needed some peace in my life. Since moving to California, I've been on-the-go the entire time and didn't pay attention to myself. I realized that I was doing myself a real disservice.

Public service announcement: Your mental health is one of the most important aspects of your life. Period.

There was a period of time where I didn't enjoy working out anymore. I stopped doing yoga, I basically stopped everything that I loved to try to put my all into my job, my BSN program, the new grad program I was attending, and getting used to California all after moving from everyone and everything I knew. It was too much.

I started feeling so bad that I would wake up with chest pains. I started doubting everything I knew. That my friends is:  Anxiety.

That's when I realized I needed a new game plan.

Yes, I quit my job. My dream job. Something i'd been working towards for so long.

You know what though, once I quit my job, I started to feel better.

I was not waking up with anxiety and anticipation for the next shift.
I was not worrying myself silly about all the traffic I had to get there.
I started doing things for me again. I started to feel balance. Balance that I had lost.

Balance that I desperately needed.

I tell you all of these things because as nurses we tend to focus on our patients and sometimes when that's all we focus on, we often forget about ourselves. We forget that if we don't take care of ourselves, how can we care for our patients?

The answer: you can't. 

This doesn't mean I'm any less of a nurse or that my career is over..Which I was completely convinced, when my husband said maybe it would be a good idea that I quit for now. I literally was in tears and the very thought of quitting my job was unfathomable.

I felt like I was giving up on my patients and really more than anything I felt like I was giving up on myself.

I was so convinced that this was the only place for me. I was wrong. Without the balance in my life, I was only harming myself.

I know this is only a pit spot. A slight pause if you will.

It took a lot of courage to write this post, but I had to. I want anyone of my friends, nursing or not, that nothing is worth your mental health. Nothing. So if you need to take time for yourself. Do it. Anxiety is real in anyone's world, whether it is small amounts, or incapacitating amounts, we all live with it in some form. The balance and awareness of it, make it bearable.

Your life is too important to be anything but happy.

For now I'm doing a lot of yoga, focusing on hanging out with new/old friends, traveling California, as well as focusing on my bachelors degree,hanging out with my main squeezes, Matt, Lou, and Giz, and relying on the support of some amazing friends.

Today, I feel good and I keep positive that I will find my dream job once again!

Until the next post! Stay amazing, people!


Ps. I made sure my "nurse's stethoscope" was on here. #NursesUnite



Monday, June 15, 2015

And It's June.. How Did That Happen?!

Y'all, sorry it's been awhile, but I'm back! We have had back to back visitors almost every weekend since Memorial day. I love it, but my blogging skills clearly are not up to par!

We have been doing a lot of hiking... Pardon the "June gloom", here in LA, apparently this only happens in the June. I actually don't mind as much, that only prolongs the heat i'm sure we'll endure later on in the summer.

Oh and picture overload. You've been warned.



So we have had tons of visitors come the past couple of weeks. Here is a couple that we knew in Charleston, SC, Shannon and Russell. They are some of the coolest people we've met in our military life. Here we hiked to Griffith Observatory which is a nerd's paradise! I really loved every minute.


 Do you see what I do?! It's the famous, iconic Hollywood sign in the distance! It's on our bucket list to hike up to. I really think we will have done the hike up there by the end of the summer. I can't wait.


We then went to this beyond Bougie restaurant in downtown LA called Perch. Perch is literally perched on the top of a building. Anyways, it was gorgeous and the food was actually pretty on point. 


Thank goodness, I had someone in our group that got an old lady drink (Bloody Mary) with me. It basically had a salad on top, which was nice because there was just about a million people ordering food in this place..  I always get the Eggs Benedict where ever we go. I'm pretty lame, but it was amazing. There were crab cakes under those eggs.


Another thing check off our bucket list was a Los Angeles Dodgers game. I normally hate watching baseball, but man you put in me in a park with a beer and a hotdog, I am one happy camper. It was so cool to be there, I know this won't be our last game.


Folks, I bought that hat when we were out and about. It was by far the best $10 i've spent in a long time. My head did not burn, and I rocked that old man hat all day long. 

I meant to crop our the guy photobombing us, but they I thought, you know what he's part of our experience, I better not. 





I promise to blog more don't leave me! 

Have an amazing week!