Bump Update - 28 Weeks

How far along? 28 weeks and officially in the 3rd trimester!  Holy smokes! 
Baby Size: Chinese Cabbage - 14.8in and 2.25lbs.  (At the appointment today he weighed 3lbs by their measurements)  
Total weight gain: 19 lbs.
Maternity clothes? All maternity bottoms and I'm starting to phase out some of my tops, more because I don't want to stretch them out.  I have a handful of cute maternity shirts that were passed down to me that I'm planning on sporting soon. 
Stretch marks? Just dry, itchy skin.
Sleep: Still doing pretty good. I've been having very vivid dreams lately.  Nothing baby related  just really vivid.  Still one potty break every night which is manageable.   
Best moment this week: Seeing my sweet boy and knowing that he's progressing right on track!!
Miss Anything? This morning I missed my cereal and chocolate milk!!  I had my glucose screening this afternoon so I couldn't eat anything high in sugar or carbs.  Realized how much I love just a simple bowl of cereal and my chocolate milk.   
Movement: Some days he's so active that I begin to think something is wrong...lol!  Then the next day he slows down a little bit.  Either way he's moving every day, which is very comforting and exciting. 
Food cravings: Chocolate milk.  Can't wait until tomorrow morning.  HAHA!  (My name is Karissa and I'm addicted to chocolate milk!)
Anything making you queasy or sick: I did have to eat eggs for breakfast this morning and I was able to stomach them, but after the fact I thought I was going to puke.  Just the thought of eggs right now grosses me out. 
Gender: Baby BOY
Symptoms:  Just feel like I'm getting bigger and bigger every day.  Some back pain, but nothing really.  I feel like no news is good news?   
Belly Button in or out? In (it's getting close though...ahh!)
Wedding rings on or off? On (although I know when I'm not drinking enough water because those babies get TIGHT!)
Mood: Doing well...the nursery is coming along which is super exciting, my baby showers (yes, baby McCoy is spoiled and so blessed with wonderful family and friends that love us) are only a few short weeks away.  And...baby's arrival is only about 12 or so weeks away.  Crazy!   
Looking forward to:  Getting the final little touches in the nursery...and seeing everyone for my baby showers! 

2012 Book Review

As you know, I'm in a book club...so I just wanted to give you a quick rundown of what we read for 2012 and my brief thoughts.  I'm also going to rank them on a 1 to 5 scale, of course 1 being: don't waste your time and 5 being: go get it NOW!

Here we go...

Hunger Games
By: Suzanne Collins

We actually only had to read the first book, but I read the whole trilogy in a month.  It's an easy read and keeps you intrigued.  I know...there's all kinds of controversy around it with kids-killing-kids, but it goes so much deeper than that.  It's good.
Rating:  4

Spiritual Economics
By: Eric Butterworth

To be totally honest, I don't remember a lot of details about this book.  I remember there were things I agreed with and things that I was not so fond of.  It really focused on the importance of a positive attitude and how that can make a lasting impact in your life, which I totally agree with.  


Rating:  2  

Very Valentine
By: Adriana Trigiani

This was actually my pick, recommended by my sweet friend Angela who never, ever lets me down when it comes to book recommendations.  This is a great, light-hearted read about a grandmother and her granddaughter that are trying to keep their shoe making business alive in NYC.  Of course, there's a great little love story intertwined.  This book made me feel like I was in Little Italy in NYC and the real Italy.  Mi è piaciuto molto!  (I loved it)

Rating:  4 

The Twisted Thread
By: Charlotte Bacon

I didn't finish this book.  Ugh.  It was really confusing, with lots of characters and A LOT going on.  Just didn't muster up the motivation to keep reading.  


Rating:  n/a

The Secret Garden
By: Frances Hodgson Burnett

I didn't finish this one...I remember reading it when I was in middle school and I just couldn't get into it this time around. 

Rating:  n/a

The Road
By: Cormac McCarthy

Oh my goodness...this book got rants and raves and awards and all kinds of stuff.  It's a short read, but so confusing, weird and depressing.  I was waiting for the big ta-dah moment at the end and...nothing. 

Rating:  1

The Language of Flowers
By: Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Gosh...this sounds like I didn't read any of the books.  I got through about half of this book (which is a good reminder that I should go back and finish it).  It really is an interesting book and I liked where it was going, but sometimes there are books where I feel like 100 pages could be taken out and it still would have been just as good.  That's how I felt about this one.

Rating:  n/a

Permission Slips:  Everyone Women's Guide to Giving Herself a Break
By: Sherri Shepherd

First of all, I love Sherri Shepherd.  I love her humor and she's so strait forward...so I love this book.  I think it's full of all sorts of good, though information.  Stuff, you don't necessarily want to hear, but you know.  Plus her humor is intertwined throughout the whole thing.  Great read!

Rating:  4

The Vow
By:  Kim & Krickitt Carpenter 

Yes, this is the book that helped create the movie, The Vow with Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams.  Let me tell you, the movie is so far from the book it's unreal.  However, the book is great!  It's a great read about a marriage, almost a divorce, perseverance and most importantly FAITH!  I'd highly recommend this book.

Rating:  4 

Divergent & Insurgent
By:  Veronica Roth

Once again, we were only going to read Divergent, but I couldn't help myself and had to read the second book, Insurgent to only find out that the third book isn't coming out for months.  These books reminded me very much of The Hunger Games.  A little different concept, but great reads!

Rating:  4

Born a Healer
By:  Chunyi Lin

I was bad...I didn't even crack this one open.  It wasn't available on my Nook, so I got lazy!


Rating:  n/a









Books I read on the side 

(I'm afaid to admit) 50 Shades of Grey
By:  E.L. James

I actually really wanted to read these to see what the hub-ub was all about and then my sweet friend Angela, who I told you I fully trust told me she'd like if I joined her in a hand basket that was headed for he-double hockey sticks.  Haha!  So of course, I jumped right in.  Yes, this book is full of sex...lots of it and it ain't your (as Christian would say) 'vanilla' sex either.  It's kinky and very disturbing at times, unless your into that of course.  Long review...short.  It has a great love story plot, it's predictable, but good.  It's defiantly a page turner.

Rating:  4

The Sugar Queen
By: Sarah Addison Allen

Once again, another recommendation from my Ang!  She knows her books and we have very similar taste so she never disappoints.  :)  This was probably one of my favorite books for 2012!  Sarah Addison Allen is an unbelievable author and her style of writing makes you feel like you're right there and you can see, touch and smell everything.  This is such a fun book, it's hard to even describe, but it's fantastic.  So...go get it!!

Rating: 5

Reflecting on 2012

I wanted to take some time to reflect and look back on 2012.  Of course, just like everyone it was full of it's ups and downs...(mostly ups).  With my faith, my husband and my family 2012 is officially in the books.  So, here's a rundown via pictures of some of my/our memorable moments and I'm sorry if I forgot anything!  And here's to the new year...2013 is going to be great!!

January 2012


 

Went to beautiful, green Portland, OR with my job.  When our plane landed I saw the gorgeous Mount St. Helen's. 

 

February 2012

 

 

Did some more traveling with my job.  This time I went to Port Jervis, NY and it just so happened that me and my co-worker JO had an evening to kill...so we went into NYC.  It amazes me every time!

 

 

We went to Fogo de Chao with our friends Cory & Jen during 5280 Week in Denver.  What a great night and great food!

 

March 2012

 



The Karvonen's and Miss Abbigayle came to visit.  We went to the Downtown Aquarium, ate too much food and had great fun!

 

May 2012

 

My sweet friend Keechia graduated college.  It took a little longer than she expected, but she kept pushing through.  I'm so proud of her!

 

June 2012

 

 

Was at a beautiful civil union of my good friend, Lis and her partner Jenn. 

 

 

Went to Dallas, TX for our annual Educators Summit.  This is an autographed, Carrie Underwood guitar.  Enough said!

 

 

We got a VIP tour of the Dallas Cowboys stadium.  I'm not a Cowboys fan, by no means, but that is one unbelievable stadium.  

 

At our Educators Summit we had a group of Holocaust survivors join us and share their stories.  That is one moment of my life I will NEVER forget. 

 

July 2012

 

 

On July 31, 2012 we found out we're having a baby!  I can vividly remember this moment it went from shock, to excitement, to fear...to JOY!  God has blessed us!

 

August 2012

 

We went to a pre-season Broncos game with my parents.  It was Peyton Manning's first game at Mile High.  Welcome Home, Peyton!  :)  Go Broncos!!!  (Oh!  And we also let my parents know that they'd be having another grand baby in April)

 

 

Geoff and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary at The Melting Pot, we also spent the night at a local Hampton Inn.  It was a great night.  Huge thanks to our in-laws for watching our little Bella girl so we could get-away for a night.  (Oh!  And we told Geoff's parents that they'd be having a grand baby in April)

 

October 2012

 

 

Geoff and I went to Phoenix to visit his grandparents.  (Who I didn't even get a picture of, lame!)  While we were there we also saw Carrie Underwood in concert for the 3rd time!  Best yet!

November 2012

(On November 14th Geoff and I celebrated 9 years of being together!  No pics though)

 

On November 22nd we found out that we'll be having a sweet baby BOY!!

We celebrated Thanksgiving with both of our families and shared the news with them that they'd be having a grandson or nephew! 

December 2012

 

Merry Christmas from the McCoy family!  



 

 













Christmas & Bump Update - 26 Weeks

It's already 2013!  How did that happen...So I'm going to back track a little bit.  We had a great white-Christmas.  We went back home for a few days and we really had a great time.  We did a lot of relaxing and eating.  I didn't take a ton of pictures, but here are a few.  Oh yeah, and here's my Christmas card.  (I know it's a little late, but I really like how they turned out!)

It's so hard to believe that Christmas is already behind us and the 2nd day of 2013 is a few hours away.  Hope everyone had a great one!  Here's my 26 week bump update!

How far along? 26 weeks
Baby Size: Hothouse Cucumber - 14 inches and 1.75 lb
Total weight gain: 16 lbs.  
Maternity clothes? All maternity jeans, all the time.  I'm still able to wear my pre-maternity shirts, but a few of them are getting a little short and the bottom of my belly gets a little drafty!
Stretch marks?  Just dry, itchy skin that I can see. 
Sleep: I know my days are numbered with good sleep, but I really can't complain.  My back does start hurting about half-way through the night, but I'm surviving. 
Best moment this week: I'm going to pull something from last week.  I'll have to say Christmas!  It was exciting to know that next year we'll have our sweet little boy with us and of course he got some cute stuff this Christmas already.  :)
Miss Anything? Cookie dough!  Haha.  When we were back at home last week my Mom was making biscochitos and I wanted some of the dough so bad!  Haha!
Movement:  Kicking like a football player.  :)  It's been fun to see the progress and how his little kicks were so low and now he's venturing up (into my ribs), which isn't too fun...but it's still exciting.   
Food cravings: My Momma's Famous Carrot Cake!  She didn't make any this year and that's all I can think about.  I might have to steal the recipe! 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope...doing well!
Gender: All BOY
Symptoms:  My back is starting to hurt a little more, occasional tailbone pain and bloating. 
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Mood:  Good!  It's so hard to believe that we only have about 14 weeks left!
Looking forward to:  Just continuing to get his nursery done...we're moving along slowly but surely!