KaDooMEnT

This past week was Darin's golden birthday, he turned 30 on July 30th, so also his "dirty 30th". His birthday weekend has got to be the best weekend all year. There's so many parties for weeks leading up to Kadooment Monday and especially the week before there's TONS to do. We started our weekend with Friday being a holiday but stayed in to rest up for the next 3 days. Saturday I took Darin out to dinner to celebrate his birthday and then after dinner our friends surprised him and we stayed an had a few drinks with everyone. He was quite surprised, I even made a ridiculously corny sign and got balloons and whistles for everyone, Darin also had a gold crown to wear :) Sunday was the annual boat cruise that we went on last year for the first time....I was also 3 months pregnant but had a blast so I knew this year i'd have a great time also, and I sure did! Nothing like being out on a boat on a beautiful day with blue waters and fun floaties to use....and of course the people watching part, lots of good laughs. We came home and were in bed by 8:30 because we had to be up at 5am to start getting ready for Kadooment....hair, make-up, costume, drop off Gem, meet up with friends to finish getting ready and head out by 7am to the stadium. Our group left the stadium around 9am with drink trucks and super loud music to start our 6hr walk! I was a little scared of drinking and being in the sun the whole day so I started out with a very large water. Kadooment was SO MUCH FUN!! I would do it every weekend if it was possible. There is SO many people and everyone is wearing these insane costumes and there's so many different colors and patterns it makes the sea of people look so good! The crowd watching on the side of the road is packed from the start of the morning down to the end of the road 6 hrs later. Everyone dances and interacts with the Kadooment people, kids, parents, grandparents are all having such a good time!! It was a great day to see the culture of Barbados and see thousands and thousands of people come together to celebrate! We had a great group of friends who made our first time doing Kadooment a blast, wouldn't of been the same without them and we're so happy they made us do it this year.....didn't know what we were missing out on!! Can't WAIT for next year!!!

TiME fLiES

We've just passed the 3 month mark with G. In the last 2 weeks we've had a great Easter weekend with friends, been to the beach a few times in the last 2 weeks because we've had probably 4 holidays (haha, we have a lot of those here), and she continues to smile big and be happy 90% of the time :) We got her a little rash guard for the beach to help protect her from the sun (see pic below), it's so cute on her! I got a swim bottom for her also a few weeks ago that a friend brought but it's already to small and tight on her legs....she's a chunk! 

It's so fun being home with her all day, yea sometimes i'd like to leave but for the most part I love being home, I can't imagine missing all the things I see all day if I had to work....the moms that work must have a hard time leaving every day then every minute they're gone they can't wait to get back. Babies don't do much till 2-3 months and then maternity leave is over and mom has to go back to work when all the fun begins, to those moms....you're amazing in every way! I'm very thankful for this life i've been given and all these great opportunities that are so amazing, there's nothing better than being able to watch her grow and change day in and day out....one day she's on her back and the next she can roll over and the next she can grab toys and put them right in her mouth!! She's also laughed a couple of times but Darin can really get her going and it's so funny listening to how she laughs and watching her stare at Darin waiting for the next funny thing to happen.

G had her first birthday party to attend (Liam's 5th) and as it was her first, it was also our first...with a kid lol...we're usually in the adult side group with no kids and a beer or wine in hand watching all the crazy happen around us and not having to do anything about it, haha, not anymore! She had a great time watching all the kids run around screaming and playing with all sorts of toys, she just sat there and grunted a few times as she kicked her legs and arms while the kids ran by her. She'll be amongst them soon enough :) 

I can't help but be jealous of how my daughter gets to grow up, the older she gets the easier it is to bring her around places so we go everywhere. She's been to the beach more times than some people go in an entire year and not just a beach but the most bluest, turquoise beaches. I'm not sure how old I was when I saw a beach for the first time, but the first time it was a blue, turquoise, clear water beach, I was 18 years old. I moved to Florida when I was 11, but the beaches there don't count as they are brown :( I hope G appreciates all this one day and I hope she continues to love the water as much as her mum and dad do.

Craig and Kaitlyn come in 2 weeks and we're so excited!! Gemma and I also go back to Florida the end of June for 2 weeks and we can't wait!!

Gemma Loves:
-her play mat
-watching daddy make her laugh
-holding a blanket when she sleeps and likes it on her face too (that's my girl :))
-her BIM (barbados) cousins, aunties and uncles 
-sitting holding mommy's hands and standing, she likes to see what's going on around her
-the beach

Gemma Hates:
-again, STILL hates tummy time, a part of me doesn't think she'll ever like it

Gemma Stats
-next apt is @ 4 months and is the end of May....we think she's 12 + lbs so we'll see, maybe 13 by the time we go to her apt.

34 & 35 WeeKs

I've had this post written for a while but my computer was giving my issues so I spent 3 days at the Apple store and now i'm finally able to retrieve all my photos and post this blog!! Sorry about the delay :)

Christmas day I woke up and made a big breakfast for Darin and I, we exchanged our stockings and then I got him a few fun things to open, since he already got his new surfboard a month ago for Christmas. I was pleasantly surprised when I got a little Pandora box!! I wanted something with a G on it for Gemma so Darin got me a G bead and a bag of money bead....it took me a second but then realized, duh, we call her "G Money" sometimes lol....so hence the G and the bag of money bead haha, good thinking babe!! :)

Been in Orlando for a little over a week....SO SO glad we (G & I) made it safe and sound with no complications, besides A LOT of walking because of gate changes at Miami airport and the crying children that seemed to follow me around from flight, to flight, gate to gate and through immigration and customs.....I just kept telling G, don't be like them, you're gonna be a good baby right? The thought terrifies me bringing a crying/screaming child through the airport.....i'll be "that" mom one day i'm sure of it. When I finally got to my parents it was almost 7pm! We had family Christmas dinner and then Christmas presents to open which was nice, I was glad they waited so patiently for me :) My mom got us all tickets to ICE at the Gaylord Palms, i've been wanting to go there for years.....glad to finally make it with the family :) I did manage to get some of my suitcase put away but I was exhausted so I tried hard to just stop what I was doing and then get some sleep. 

The next day I had my first Dr. appointment but because of some misunderstandings and neither the Dr or his office manager weren't there, I ended up not seeing anyone and as a prego should, I cried in the car to my mom :) With a friends help we got things figured out over the next few days so the following Friday I finally got to see the Dr. and boy do I love him!! I'm so happy to have him and feel 100% comfortable to see him for the care of G and I while we're here. He's happy with my belly size and weight gain, listened to G's heart rate and said she sounded awesome!! I have to re-do all my labs, blood work, sugar tests etc because although i've had it all done in Barbados, he isn't quite sure what the numbers mean for the results lol....guess it's not that bad but it does stink it's just something else I have to do here.

I've been splurging on fun foods I haven't gotten to eat in the last 8 months, but I know it can't last long or i'll gain 100 lbs in the next 5 weeks and that CAN NOT happen!! I bought a couple goodies at the food store for me to snack on that I don't have in Barbados like cheeze-it's, goldfish, ravioli, yummy cereals and MILK, finally normal MILK!!!! (see pics below haha) It's been nice that i've got to unpack completely and put my suitcase away and have my mom and dad making sure i'm comfy all the time. It's nice that I don't have to rush off so fast back to Barbados but at the same time we miss Darin, a lot! Wish he was here to spend the relaxing time with me before G arrives but hopefully the time will go by and he'll be here sooner than later and make it in time for our daughters arrival.

New Years my mom made her traditional donuts which were amazing as always!! I think I had 4 or 5 total?? I had to make up for missing it last year duh! :) I went about a mile down the road to a friends family house on the lake to watch fireworks and hang out to ring in the new year but sadly, with me being pregnant and my friend with a new born, we made it till 10:30 before we left hahahahahaha, I was in bed by 11pm...LAME!! Oh well, there's always next year!!

Prego Quirks, Symptoms & Info:

*gained 3lbs since my last visit....not bad if you knew how much i've eaten in the last week alone :)
*love my 3 rotating maternity pants and shirts, how do people NOT like these things?
*my nose closes up at night so those nose strips are my friend, except when i have to pull them off in the am
*missing Darin 24/7, i send him videos or G in my belly so he can see her move, he says she looks like she's            dancing :)  still my sweet girl, not hurting mommy one bit 
*love my moms dunkin donut chocolate glazed donut coffee.....i'm bringing back BAGS of it!!
*looking forward to my shower this weekend!! YAY!!

28 & 29 WeEKs

HELLO 3RD TRIMESTER!!!!! Holy crap that's hard to believe! A few things have changed in the last 2 weeks....Darin's been sick with a nasty cold that's been going around for about the whole 2 weeks, it's lingering now but we tried hard not to get me sick and so far it's worked, my gym days are down to 1 or 2 due to some pressure "down there". Walking is all I do at the gym and I try to keep it at a brisk pace but I can't walk fast enough right now, i'll stay active doing other things as much as I can and hopefully G will move a little out of the spot she's in and I can get back to the gym in December before I head to the states. I finished her quilt which looks pretty awesome :) i'd give myself a B+ if i was a teacher. I painted the crib one more coat and bought some gray paint for the wall I hope to do next week. That's all for me to set up before I leave.....when I come back i'll have a bunch of stuff to set up her room like her bedding, pillows, blankets, clothes, curtains, dresser and a bookcase....i'm looking forward to it though, it's my Christmas (in March lol) :) G has been on the move this week, it's super weird seeing her move instead of just poke and kick my belly, it seems to happen more when I lay on my left side and I got it on video the other day finally!!

This coming week is Thanksgiving and us American's love to celebrate and invite all of our local friends over for a HUGE dinner. Our friend Candice threw such a great Thanksgiving last year and she's doing it again this year but at our house!! I'm excited to help host, I have so much food I want to make (mostly desserts), and the list grows daily because of the show The Chew and their Thanksgiving episodes that have been on the last 2 weeks, everything looks so easy and yummy, I want it all!!

Prego Quirks, Symptoms & Info:

*feeling lots of movement and LOVE it!
*loving the decaf Dunkin Donuts coffee my mom brought!
*1 month countdown until I go to Florida for a few months!

27 wEEkS

As you know my parents were on their way to visit for an entire week!! I was so happy to get to spend some quality time with them and show them around Barbados. We (I mean, I) had a few plans for the week that included going to tour St. Nicholas Abby, paddle boarding, island touring, DIY day, trying new foods and lazy beach days....we got it all done needless to say :) Mom and dad left with lots of color to last them a little while back in Florida, they enjoyed the heat here but I know they were relieved to breathe the cool air back home. Besides all the fun things we did....I also had planned a DIY day, mainly a "fix things in my house" day (we all know Darin isn't that much of a handyman, sorry babe) because my dad is here and he's the best handy man I know! Got him to hang curtains, paint a crib, assemble the crib, move a tv from one wall mount to another room on the wall, moved a few mirrors around, hung some shelves in G's room, helped rig my couch cover, meanwhile everything is cement walls here so he even brought some screws and a drill bit because I wasn't sure I had the right materials :) My mom painted most of the crib because she loved the breeze on the porch so she was happy to sit outside and paint her heart away :) She also made dinners, random desserts and snacks while she was here (which was awesome!) My parents are so amazing, they love us unconditionally and want to help every way they can. Paddle boarding was so much fun! It was a little breezy but the water had great visibility (see turtles below). I love getting my parent's out of their comfort zone and making them do thing that they wouldn't normally do....I knew my dad would be up for it but I questioned my mom doing it, she did admit she came very close to NOT going but is glad she did and so am I, it was a moment in life when a daughter is so proud of her mother lol....seriously, if you know my mom you're probably as shocked at me and my dad were haha!! We had a few lazy beautiful beach days, relaxed with our noodles at some beaches and watched Darin body surf all afternoon at other beaches. One of the coolest things for them was probably the morning they left....they got to join me for one of my Dr. appointments! My Dr was so nice, he did a quick ultra sounds for them so they could see little Gemma and hear her heartbeat! It was nice to see our little one, now I know what are kicks and what are punches because of where she's moved to :) I fully enjoyed every moment of my parents visit, only wish they could of stayed longer but i'll be going to Florida in a short 6 weeks to have G so it won't be to long before I see them again. 

Gemma's room projects: 

Prego Quirks, Symptoms & Info:

*got 3 maternity shorts, they're pretty comfy....i like how they "hold" my belly, plus the buttons and waists of pants and other shorts aren't digging into me :)
*gained a whole 17 lbs!! YIKES!!
*feeling pokes and kicks a lot and LOVE it!
*love walking upstairs to peek in G's room and see it partially done....it's getting real!!! ahh!!

BarBaDoS

THIS WEEK in our life......we got to visit Barbados for a week. Originally Darin was going to get the shop demolition started and interview some people, but it ended up that I got to join!! I was asked to do a comprehensive demographic report for the investors and directors of the company while I was there. At first I had absolutely NO clue what that meant, but with the help of some special people in my life, lol, I think i've slowly figured it out. You'd be surprised how much I know about this island now that I probably would of never known. It's kind of like my homework with a professional report attached. I have a feeling i'll go above and beyond my duties, but it's just because i'm not sure what to put in it so i'll just put in everything. I'm sure that's not all you want to hear about sooooo......i'll talk about the island. Barbados is pretty awesome. The structure and roads remind me a lot of Nassau, not so "pretty" but lots of older buildings they're trying to preserve, roads that are super narrow from the "horse" days and almost like poverty next to the rich. All of that i'm used to so I don't mind it at all. Barbados though, has LOTS of beach access, plenty of bars and restaurants on the water and on the beach, plenty of world class surf spots, tons of people our age and so much to do at night! Everyone we met says "trust me, you'll fall in love living here", I can't help but be so excited about this place. I have a lot to learn, with the health system and having kids, as well as the school systems here, but i've heard it's not at all bad and the schools here are really great!! Darin and I have looked at a few places to live and we love all 3, but the 3rd is WAY out of our price range, even though i'd love to have a pool on my second floor which is also the roof top of the building, UGH!!! So the first two will be just fine if we can negotiate the right price (which I think we will). We're stayed in a few places one was our realtor's guest house, which is PERRRRFECT! It's right on the beach, with a hammock, and the waves to listen to, the breeze, a bar just a short walk down the beach, just the best little set up. I can't wait to be there and live there and have all of our stuff in one place, FINALLY!! The flight wasn't bad, 3 hrs from Miami, where Darin's last trip was 3hrs 45mins. It went by pretty fast, especially since there was an in flight movie and a tv show after.  COME VISIT!!! I'll post some more when I get home, until then.....enjoy the pics as usual!!

Oh yea, and don't be jealous that sea rocks can spell our name and not yours, ours is just that awesome!!