18 and 19 weeks and Missing the Magic City

19 weeks today.  Almost halfway!  Another doctor's appointment tomorrow.  Anatomy ultrasound next week.  We are super close to knowing pink or blue....and I can hardly stand it!

Feeling pretty great except that my energy level hasn't really bounced back from 1st trimester misery.  Thankfully I'm awake enough to make it through the day at work, but once I'm home, it's all she wrote.  Weekends I take a nap everyday to try and catch up.  My home was DEEPLY cleaned for the 1st time in a long while...obviously, knowing me, you know that it's not like I hadn't cleaned in 3 months...but this time I really went after it...and it felt so great when we were done.  I think it was the highlight of my weekend :)

We spent Friday night finishing up our shopping at the Galleria (the BIG mall).  Saturday we cleaned and fnished decorating for Christmas...I was on call and didn't get called in.  Another highlight! Sunday was church, small group, and then I took a 2 1/2 hour nap :)

We've officially reserved our parking spot at the airport for Christmas. Lexi has her reservation made as well.   Hoping I can survive the next week and a half. 

Missing the Magic City (Bham) more than usual today.  As I was walking through the OR today, I heard a visiting Sales Rep say, "Well I'm originally from Tuscaloosa"...  I just had to, I couldn't help, so I interrupted their conversation to say, "Roll Tide!"...to which he replied "I heard that!".  It led to a conversation about Birmingham, and I lamented to the whole crew of strangers how my husband and I missed our old home a lot.  As I sit on the couch in my Bama sweatshirt...here are the reasons why today:

1.   Every year while we lived in Birmingham, I would go up to Kristen's school at Christmas to help her 1st grade class decorate gingerbread houses...This event happened to take place last week and of course due to a mere 650 mile separation, I was unable to be there.  Xmas Tradition missed.  Still hoping that there will be another day where we will live within 5 minutes of J, K and Sam :)

2.  Christmas season in Bham also brings Ed and Shawn's Christmas party.  Missing any kind of party at their place is a big disappointment.

3.  Matthew and I started the Christmas tradition every year of going to eat at our favorite Birmingham restaurant, Chez Fon Fon, and then going to the Alabama Theater to see It's a Wonderful Life.  There's no Fon Fon in Houston :(

4.  Swapping creative gifts with Geoff, and our Christmas celebration consisting of take out Little Caesars.

5.  And then there's our sweet dear friends.  You know who you all are.  Hoping to see you soon. 

18 weeks.  Wearing maternity jeans and shirt... Thanks to my good friend Kelly :)

Our UK tree!  We ordered a white tree online and found some blue lights at Wal-Mart.  Perfect edition to our bedroom.  Apparently it was bad luck on Saturday... That's all I can say about it.

After 4 married Christmases, I finally found a place to hang out stockings.  Still not monogrammed...

Bought some new sparkly Gold chargers that I am obsessed with!  Cannot wait to get some Christmas china...but for now our wedding china will do.  And yes, I did set a whole table for 8 even though I still don't have dining room chairs.

19 weeks!