The case of hormones and AC

I have a new found appreciation for air conditioning with this pregnancy.  I am sure at this point it is the hormones because I am not that big yet.   Even with the air conditioner I am having issues with the heat.  The other day at work I pulled my pant legs up above my knees and rolled my sleeves for a little while in an effort to get cooled off.  This was  in a room with no windows, in the middle of the building, and a regulation medical thermometer that said room temperature was 75.  Yep Hormones.

This weekend we have a family reunion..........mostly outdoors.........with predicted temps in the high 90's to 100.  

Awesome.

Needless to say I will likely be staying inside most of the time.  I am planning on leaving on Thursday to head out and help with anything they need help with on Friday.   This will mean me standing in the air conditioned  house giving orders with Aunt D and Grandma......or keeping those two in line, which can be a job in itself.

My Dad  and Theresa are on the truck together this week. We were talking about this weekend on the phone and he said, "When you get to the house on Thursday you will need to turn on the air conditioner."

I cried a little.   

I told him I  would probably not be able to stay the night there on Thursday.  He didn't really see why, but he's a guy and not pregnant so that line of thinking is not there.  Luckily a friend has a key and is going to  turn it on Thursday morning for us, so I am praying it is cool when we get there.

With the temperatures already in the100's I have a feeling it is going to be one hot summer for me.  I will survive.............. as long as I have airconditioning.

Sugar, spice and all things nice.....

That's what little girls are made of.

We found out we are having a girl! Honestly this pregnancy has been so different that we all  suspected a girl, but to have it confirmed is pretty awesome. I love that I will have a little girl, just as I love my sweet little boy. I know he will be a great big brother. The emotions that come with this confirmation are slightly overwhelming.  

Excitement over the beautiful baby coming our way. What will she look like?  What kind of personality will she have?  Will she be like her brother?

Anxiety over the beautiful baby coming our way.  How do we transition to two kids?  How are we going to fit us all into our 2 bedroom house?  

I have heard that your first child brings major change to your life, so does your second, then if you have more it's a cake walk.   How much of that I believe remains to be determined.  Anytime you have a major change in your life there will be some adjustment time for everyone involved.

This will be an exciting time for us.  We have many things to look forward to before the year comes to an end.  It will be one crazy roller coaster of a ride and I will be enjoying every minute.

Girl Time

Something extraordinary happens when sisters get together.  

There is girl talk, laughter, tears........... peeing of the pants due to the laughter and tears.

Ok that last part may be due to the fact that I have a baby sitting on my bladder and a sneeze will do the same thing.

But I digress.

It's a magical time when your hair comes down and you are completely comfortable in your skin.

I just returned from a 5 day girly weekend with my sister S in Florida.  Yes, the sister who hates frogs.  It was a much needed vacation with some quality sister time thrown in.

I arrived on a Thursday afternoon, hungry and in need of a nap.  So we stopped on our way back to her place for a kids meal at a fast food joint, which I scarfed  in the car.  It was raining off and on so the beach was out for the day.

After a short nap we headed out to meet some friends for dinner at a place call Red Mesa Cantina.  It is Mexican food fusion and delicious.  I had a duck taco, steak taco and jicama fries.

Awesome!  I met several of S's friends including a gentlemen we'll call him J that she is currently seeing.

Friday was still a little cloudy and rainy so we went shopping at an outlet mall.  The sun stayed out enough to enjoy walking around the area.  This was not your ordinary outlet mall.... this mall had Coach, Michael Kors,etc.  It also had some regular store in it.  I got Carter a couple outfits and a dress from Motherhood that I had been eyeing for a while. 

Friday evening we went to a part of Tampa known as Ybor.  It is home to several night clubs, bars, restaurants, and fun little shops.

We went into one of the coolest vintage clothing shops I have ever seen.  We headed to dinner at the Columbia  It was very good!   I may have to try to copy their Spanish soup.  It was basically ham and bean only using chick peas and adding chorizo.   Amazing. 

Next on our list for the evening was a drag show.

When  S lived where I do she used to go to the local shows all the time. She told me about the ones that she goes to down there and I told her I wanted to go to one.  So she made sure we made it to one while I was there.

Daphni is the star of the show there and she is 6'7" with her heals.  She recently became engaged and I had a great conversation with her fiance.  There are  stone pavers all over Ybor that you can buy and engrave with whatever you would like.   That was how he proposed.  Very sweet, they plan to wed in about a year in New York.

It was a blast to watch.

Then I was brought up onstage to take place in a booty shaking contest.  They have the contestants do a shot before they start...... luckily my S knew the bartender and when he came up with the tray he handed me a Shirley temple shot.

Daphni who was standing next to me asked me why I was not drinking and if I was under 21?  I told her I was pregnant and she said she had not even noticed.  Still not sure how I feel about that comment.   There were 6 of us on stage and Daphni went down the line asking the audience if they wanted us to stay for the contest.   I got a few cheers but Daphni turned to me and said "No one wants you to hurt your baby, you can go sit down."  It was a fun evening and I got some great pictures.

S and her friend who works with Daphni.

Saturday morning we went to brunch at a friend of ours home.  We graduated high school with this girl and she moved down to Tampa after college. Her daughter was in a dance recital and invited us to go.......little did we know it was a 2 hour show.   Not a big deal, but I fell asleep in the middle of it.

Later that evening we met up with my S's current beau and some of his family, whom she had not met either, for dinner.  I enjoyed seeing how he interacted with his family.   You get a good sense of what the guy is like when you can see them in that setting.  After dinner we went home to watch a movie and relax. 

Sunday was finally a beautiful day for the beach.

We went our early before it got too busy and enjoyed the sun and waves. For lunch we went to a beach side restaurant called Frenchy's.  Pretty good food, even though I was not a fan of what I ordered.  I don't like fish much but I decided to try it anyway and was not a fan.    We walked to some shops along the beach and decided to cook at home that night.  J joined us for a nice relaxing dinner and movie at home.

Monday we went to an Italian market called Mazzaro's to gather goodies for dinner that night.  They had an amazing selection of wines, a cheese monger counter, fresh pasta, bread counter, a selection of fresh made sauces, and a variety of jarred goods as well.

Cheese.......yum!

Carb overload.

Vino!

Fresh Pasta

Did the price tag really need to go right there?

I  wish that we had something similar where I live....... it was awesome.  

Right after lunch we were joined by S's friend K and her nieces to go to the aquarium where the dolphin Winter from the movie "A Dolphin Tale" lives. 

Winter and her trainers.

Panama is a 40 year old dolphin that lives at the aquarium.  She likes to show off. 

Panama on the left and Winter on the right.

Turtle Turtle!

A couple of the many sting rays.

This is Hope, she lost her mom at a young age and doesn't know how to hunt.  She will stay at the aquarium.  

Another Turtle.

This is Nicholas.  He was rescued when his mom  stranded on the beach and  later died.  When they found him he had 2nd and 3rd degree sunburns on his back.   He will stay at the aquarium because he doesn't know how to hunt. 

This aquarium specializes in rescue rehab and release of injured aquatic life.    It is life-long home to several animals that were too injured to be release, including Winter the dolphin.  They house 4 dolphins, about a dozen sea turtles, a couple sharks, many sting-rays, and other aquatic animals they either hatch or rehabilitate.   

We were able to walk to the aquarium because it is only a couple blocks from where S lives, but it sure was hot.  When we got home we relaxed in the AC for the afternoon, then made some delicious Italian food for dinner.

Tuesday was breakfast with sister and packing up to head home.  We ate at a little "mom and pop" place called Maggie Mae's right on the water. After packing up and relaxing a little we headed to the airport.

Sunrise on the bay.

Midnight bay view.

I had a wonderful time with S. It was great to spend time with her.  In the future I hope to take the boys down there, they would have an amazing time as well.