Ribbons, Lace, & Memorial Day

    

     In May of 2012, I became a bride-to-be. I remember having no idea what was in store for me; all I knew was that I wanted the next 11 months to be absolutely perfect. And not so surprisingly,  they were (for the most part)! I had the support of family, friends, and an amazing group of bridesmaids and groomsmen who were all so happy and excited for Eric and me. These people made our engagement a wonderful experience, even through the tougher times. As I prepare for my duties as a bridesmaid in three, count 'em, THREE, weddings this summer, I hope to do just the same for my brides!

     I started by volunteering to host a lingerie shower for my May 31st bride, Cheslin. So, this past Saturday, that's exactly what I did! And can I just say that I have no idea what I would do without my mother? She was such a big help to me, and without her there's no way the shower would have been as lovely as it was!

     We had the shower at Newk's event room in Oxford, MS, and it couldn't have been more perfect! The party was from 2-4 in the afternoon, and I got there around 1:30, fifteen minutes later than I'd hoped to be there, and was already worried that I would spend the next twenty minutes trying to get our food and drinks set up inside the party room, leaving me hardly any time to decorate! Not to worry, though; I walked into the event room to see that the food and drinks had been completely set up! They even had ice, cups, plates, and silverware laid out and ready to go (THANKS, LIZ!!) I was so relieved! My mom got there a few minutes later and began helping me rearrange and dress tables. Cheslin had requested sherbet lime as her punch flavor, and my mom just so happens to be a total whiz at making punch! Not only that, but she has the entire collection of McCarty Pottery punch bowls, cups and saucers; if you're wondering why that's relevant, just know that McCarty Pottery (along with Peter's) consists of some of the most beautiful pieces of handmade pottery you might ever find. They always dress up a nice party or shower, and my mom has been an avid collector for nearly twenty years (I'm very slowly building my own collection)! So she brought in her McCarty and began making punch, which turned out to be a hit with everyone!

 

     When Cheslin arrived, her eyes just lit up when she saw the room. I could tell how thrilled she was with how it all turned out, and that of course made me the happiest hostess!! She especially loved the line of panties I had hung for her, which went along with a "panty poem" I read for her.

 

     We had lunch and chatted for a while, then Cheslin got to sort through the panties each guest brought for her for the "panty game." Guests buy a pair of panties in their own personal style but Cheslin's size; the "game" part is where she has to guess who is responsible for each pair!

 

 

 

She then opened gifts and received an abundance of lace, silk and frills! Her lingerie drawer is stocked up for a while!

 

     After watching Cheslin open her lacy gifts, we had cake, punch, and lingerie cookies! It was all delicious! One thing to know about Cheslin is that she is a "little" girl with BIG attitude. And I love that about her. Because of this, it was great having her mother there; she told us tons of stories about Cheslin in high school; turns out, Cheslin has always been crazy, outspoken, and full of nerve! I tell her that I wish I could just pack her into my bag and carry her around with me to stand up to people who cut me off in traffic or are rude! We talked about the fast-approaching wedding and how excited we all are to be a part of it; I know I am! I know how special this time in Cheslin's life is; I remember how wonderful it was for me and how thankful I was to be surrounded by such amazing people. I'm truly honored that she selected me to be one of the few standing next to her as she becomes Mrs. Astorino next Saturday. I'm so glad to have been able to host such a lovely lingerie shower for her. Her future husband can thank me later :)

Cheslin and my mother

     My mom only asked one favor of me after helping host the lingerie shower: that I attend our boss's son's wedding with her thirty miles down the road in Holly Springs. Well, of course, mom! I would love to! And I really enjoyed it! It was a lovely, rustic wedding at the Presbyterian church in historical Holly Springs. It seems like the entire town came to the wedding, so the bride and groom were sent away with lots of well wishes and whistles from onlookers. As I sat through the wedding though, I could not get over how impeccably tired I was. My feet hurt and were swollen (yay pregnancy), and my back and shoulders were killing me. I left Holly Springs around seven and sent this picture to my husband while driving; I assured him we had plenty of leftovers for a few days!

 

     I got home just in time to change clothes and head to our local (and new) Piggly Wiggly grocery store to get food and party necessities for our Memorial Day lunch on Sunday. $97.23 later, we were all set! By the time we got home from doing that, I had surpassed exhausted. I would almost say I was lucid. Even still, I tidied up the living room and kitchen in preparation for family the next day as Eric began seasoning the hamburger meat. I tried to stay awake for a Netflix documentary with him when we laid down; I only made it about thirty minutes in!

 

Sunday:

     We woke up around 8:30 and went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  Normally, I cook a good spread for the husband and I on Sunday morning, but seeing as how we had our parents coming in a few hours, I didn't want to have any dishes to do before they arrived! We got back around ten, and I had time for a quick, thirty-minute workout at my gym before going home to get ready. Eventually, I plan on posting some of the pregnancy workouts that I enjoy. Pregnancy definitely brings about some crazy changes in your body, but the main goal for my workout routine during these nine amazing months is to try my best to retain the muscle that I had begun to put on before discovering I was expecting. Lately though, my back has been hurting so bad, I've been resting more than ever, stretching instead of doing much of anything else. I think I've been to my gym twice in the past two weeks, which is very unlike me. I plan on becoming a regular again very soon, though :) 

 

     Having our parents over for lunch Sunday was more enjoyable than I can explain. Our house is a simple, single-family home of about 1,600 square feet, so we were all packed into my kitchen and living room, but at least it meant that we got to all be together! Our getting together and remembrance of the men and women who have proudly served our country also kind of doubled as a birthday celebration for Eric, who turns 27 this Thursday. He was our chef for the day, and while he grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, and chicken wings for us, he had purchased an enormous fourteen ounce ribeye for himself. Normally, I might scold him for that, but I had to remember that he was the birthday boy! His stepmother and dad came from New Albany, and they brought him a "diaper cake" as a birthday gift, which was too adorable! So, it actually ended up being a gift for Baby Pace more so than Eric, but anything you give to Vaught you're really giving to us too! The diaper cake was too cute! She had also attached a baby photo of Eric (so sweet!) and a few toys for Vaught.

The diaper cake and the birthday boy!

 

     And speaking of Vaught, it was hard for the conversation to not turn to him at least once or twice every few minutes. He is, after all, the center of mine and Eric's focus right now! As we were talking about all the nursery items we've gathered and others we plan on getting soon, crib bedding came up. With a sympathetic, knowing glance at my husband, I began to describe the gorgeous bedding I had discovered from Carousel Designs. I fell in love with it when I saw it and knew it was exactly what I wanted for Vaught! It's weird that there's actually nothing at all spectacular about it; it's plain navy. But I have searched the web (far surpassing the first page on my Google searches), for plain navy bedding, and I've not been able to find anything else remotely like what I've found from Carousel Designs. The reason I was quick to look at my husband is because when I first showed him the bedding, all he saw was the price tag: $375 for everything, though I tried to tell him I didn't really want everything in the entire set. He proceeded to tell me I had "lost my damn mind" and no one in their right one would pay that for baby bedding. I originally told him that by the time I was ready to buy it I wouldn't be in my right mind anyway, so that didn't apply to me. That had been several weeks ago, and I hadn't brought it up again. My grandmother, who was looking over my shoulder as I showed the bedding to my  mother, pulled out her credit card and told me that this would be her gift to me for Vaught. I couldn't believe it. I was convinced that I'd either have to purchase the bedding and deal with my husband's wrath later, or worse: settle for baby bedding I hated. I had found some other styles that were doable, but they were so busy and modern, I knew I'd tire of them sooner rather than later. It meant so much to me that my grandmother wanted to do this for us. Although we've still not bought Vaught's crib, it's comforting to know that we've got his bedding taken care of! Not to mention, Carousel Designs was also having a 20% sale for Memorial Day; they rarely have sales! So, I felt a little less guilty knowing that I (as well as my Grandmother) was getting a pretty good deal!

    

Mom petting Anabelle. She rarely loves on our pitbulls!

My cousin, Audrey Anna. She had been at the lake and stopped by on her way home.

Chance just kind of laid in the middle of the floor; he doesn't like to miss anything.

With mom and dad.

 

 

 

      On Monday, Eric and I got up a little after nine, and I was somehow able to convince him to go shopping with me in Collierville. I told him I just wanted to run to a couple of stores at the mall then visit Once Upon a Child because I'd never been. Now, before you assume anything, you should just now that although I was fortunate enough to have almost always been given the best of everything, my mother also taught me that some of the very best gems are found in secondhand/thrift stores. So, I've never had a problem shopping around at Goodwill or junk stores. You'd be surprised at what you can find!! Once Upon a Child is a children's store that sells gently used hand-me-downs--everything from clothing to strollers to Boppy pillows. I believe you could prepare your entire nursery from items found in this store! Even my husband enjoyed browsing the racks, gathering up cute onesies for Vaught. We left the store with 7 adorable outfits and only spent $27! We left there and went to TJMaxx, where I found a couple more baby outfits at great prices. Although I've been told countless times to not go overboard purchasing clothes for the baby, I couldn't help myself. I was awakened this morning by some powerful kicks and punches from our sweet little boy, and since then, he's all I've thought about. Well, almost all....

 

     I've also spent some time today thanking God for our freedom as Americans and for the men and women who have so bravely fought for it. Because of their service, we can enjoy the freedoms we have that we are so quick to forget sometimes. It's not about swimming pools and barbecues; today is about remembering those who have given their lives so that we can enjoy these things that are fun to do on Memorial Day. Sure, this three-day weekend has been amazing and very much needed, but we must remember why we have it in the first place. Thank you to all who have served and still do, for you are so much appreciated!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You

       Just wanted to extend a humongous THANK YOU to all of my friends, family, and social networking friends who visited my blog yesterday. I typically get 25-30 views on my blog every day; yesterday I had over 150! I'm glad I finally decided to share it with you all. It means so much to me. I started this blog in 2010 (I've deleted some of my snarky posts from way back when), but I never really went anywhere with it. Through blogging, I can express my love and talent for writing and sharing my thoughts with others; I hope you'll check back frequently because I plan to keep it very well updated from here on out!

       I've also contacted Google AdSense and have the opportunity to make a small supplement from my blog, which is really exciting! But the only way it will really work is to gather more and more readers. Please feel free to subscribe to Keeping Pace and keep up with me :) Your support is so much appreciated!

Kate :)

22 Weeks!

 Today, Baby Pace and I celebrate 22 wonderful weeks together! Okay, so they've not been 100% wonderful all the time, but overall, it's been pretty grand. He probably weighs a good pound by now and is about the size of a small doll. I felt my first kicks on Mother's Day, and since then, he has been all over the place! Between my husband and all the tall people in both of our families (except me, sadly), I feel sure that Vaught will be big, tall guy one day. However, his kicks have me thinking he might be the next Andrew Ritter! Man, this little guy packs a punch! Sometimes he'll do it out of nowhere, and I'm like "Really, son? Really?" He is particularly fond of my bladder. It surprises me sometimes, especially while driving and laying down at nighttime. But it's a bittersweet feeling--bothersome at times, yet I'm just so glad to know he's doing okay in there!

 

Still eating cereal like a mad woman!



I sent this to my family & told them they better tell me I'm cute!

      We have just a couple days of school left, and I am counting down the hours! I can't wait for summer this year, which is rare (fall's my favorite)! I love my summer job so much, and I plan on saving the money from it for a gorgeous navy and grey nursery (and yes, of course I will have to throw in some red and a little Ole Miss memorabilia)! View what we've I've picked out so far here.   I just love the idea of classic colors and a room I won't get sick of. I think this is definitely more common with baby girls than boys, but too often parents moms go a little overboard with crazy colors and patterns that they'll soon tire of as styles change (I'm guilty too, though--I still really love chevron!) But being a lover of classic neutrals (and red and blue, naturally), I know I'm creating a room I will love spending hours upon hours in with our sweet little darling. I'm too excited to pick out a paint color in the next few weeks!

Five-ish Things to Never Ask/Say to a Pregnant Woman

      Below are statements and questions I compiled as I pretended to "work" yesterday afternoon. The school year's winding down (4 days left!), and I am so looking forward to summerrrrrrr. So, to get us in the mood, enjoy a little crude humor...

Were you trying?
Uhh. Does it matter? I'm married. To me, this translates into "Were you actively having unsafe sex for procreational purposes?" Would you ever say that to someone?

You shouldn't  _______________ that when you're pregnant.
Drink that. Eat that. Be doing that. Whatever. I love my doctor; he told me from day one, keep doing whatever you were doing before. Enjoy this!
"But, Dr. Cole, I'm a coffee drinker."
"How many cups per day?"
"Umm... maybe a small latte? Some days I have a frappucino."
"You're fine. Don't exceed 2 small cups per day."
"Dr. Cole, I want to keep running and lifting weights."
"Okay...? Keep running and lifting weights. Don't push anything past discomfort and always stop at pain."
Also, please show me your medical license before you  furrow your brows at my drinking a Coca Cola. Please tell me about how you abstained from absolutely everything during your pregnancy. Oh wait, most people that have said that haven't actually been pregnant before.

"You are going to breastfeed, RIGHT?"
Well, you know, I'd like to think that my baby will spend many hours attached to one boob or another, but let me just assure that I'm no less of a woman or mother if I'm unable to do so. Since that is, after all, what you are insinuating.

"Can I touch your belly?"
Um, can I punch your face? No. Hell. No.

"Your life is about to change forever."
Yes, it sure is, as I can imagine every parent's does when a baby comes into the picture. This is usually in addition to whomever telling me how hard my life is going to be and how I can no longer do all the things I did before Baby P came along. Sorry, but I'm probably not going to have the energy or care to make midnight grocery runs and early morning Starbucks trips.

"Have you gained much weight?"
"Wow! You're hardly showing!"
"When are you due?"

     The list could go on and on! I've encountered all of these, and though I sound like such a bitter smarty-pants on here, I've actually been quite pleasant and friendly. The first person to touch my belly was my sister-in-law, after we announced. I was only 8 or 9 weeks along, so it was a little strange. I was like "That's not baby, Mykayla, I'm just fat!" Since then I've had a couple family members ask to touch, and once I okayed it, they did just that: a light touch, no obnoxious rubbing. I don't think I mind so much when it's family, but strangers? No.
     Now that I'm expecting, though, I really do realize how rude and uncalled for some of these things are. The girl I bought my house from was 5 months pregnant when I toured the house two years ago next month. I gushed to her, "When are you due?!" I realize now that her response "Oh, any day now," with a sly smile, was probably her way of telling me to shove off. And I totally get it now. Most of these things are of absolutely NO concern to anyone aside from mother and her doctor (and of course her husband, but Eric couldn't possibly care less about many of these things).

21 Weeks

    At my doctor appointment Monday, I had my 20 week anatomy scan (read more about it here)! At my appointment, they officially moved my due date from September 27th to the 25th! OMG, a whole TWO DAYS sooner!!! LOL. I know, it's not a big deal; Baby Pace will come just as soon as he's ready, whether it's September 25th or August 25th or October 5th! But still, I feel like that whole 2 days matters, and I was thrilled to be at 21 weeks yesterday!
    Unashamedly, my work pants have gotten too uncomfortable, especially when I sit down. My favorite pair are from New York and Company, and they sit really high, like above my natural waist, so they're just too snug for me now with this growing belly. Because of this, I've been wearing yoga pants (with a decent top or school t-shirt) and a cardigan to work every day this week. Yesterday, one of my students said to me "Ms. Pace, those yoga pants ain't hiding anything no more. Just stop." I couldn't help but laugh. This is the same student who told me that pregnancy is making me look beautiful just last week! But as you can see in the pictures below, he's totally right. There's no disguising that there's a little baby in there! You can especially tell by the way I walk sometimes, and much of it has to do with the terrible lower back pain I'm experiencing. My husband told me a few weeks ago that I'm beginning to "waddle." I can't help it! I just reminded him, very sweetly of course, that I'm aware that my body is doing some funny stuff lately, and I appreciate the humor he gets out of watching me undergo these changes as I bring his son into the world. He has been very kind since then :)

 

 

 

Baby Vaught is now about the size of banana or large carrot! On Monday, he measured in at 14 ounces--almost a pound!!

 

Movement: After feeling his first kicks and punches on Mother's Day, I've felt them at different times every day since then. He is especially active after lunch and at bedtime. For a few days, I think he was all over my bladder, but he seems to be moving up a little now!

 

Weight Gain: So far, according to the scale at my doctor's office, I've gained a total of 10.5 pounds. My goal gain was 15 through the very end. Am I going to surpass that? Probably, but hopefully not by much. Granted, I have not gone to the gym in over a week. My lower back has been killing me, which leads to...

 

How I'm Feeling: Awesome, aside from the lower back pain. So, basically, like crap sometimes. I have a bad back (misaligned pelvis and spine) from a gymnastics injury in 6th grade. It began bothering me terribly last summer; a new x-ray showed that my pelvis and spine had shifted 4mm. Doesn't seem like much, but when your body is designed to be aligned a certain way, it changes everything. So that, on top of the stretching and rearranging muscles and ligaments are doing in there, doesn't help much. I still go to the chiropractor but not routinely. My insurance doesn't seem to want to cover very much of my chiropractor visits :( I'm just praying it gets a little better with stretching and moderate exercise. Some nights aren't so bad and then some I can barely move, and when I do I moan and groan like an old lady. However, like I was telling my husband last night, the back pain will be totally worth it. If this is what I have to endure in order bring this sweet baby in the world, so be it!

My heat pack is my new best friend. Anabelle is pretty great too!

 

Food: I still crave cereal, especially Rice Crispies, and especially at night time. I usually eat a bowl every night. I'm not craving much else, and I rarely finish my dinners. I get full pretty quickly! Getting miserably full when pregnant, something we shouldn't do anyway but especially during pregnancy, is one of the most uncomfortable feelings ever! I figured that out a little while back and have made a point to avoid it ever since! Regardless of how yummy the food looks, when my brain tells me I'm full I make sure to STOP!

 

Up Ahead: School is almost out, and I am working at my mother's office all summer. My first day back is May 28th! I LOVE my job there; I look forward to it every year. Not just because I'm working with my mom, but because I've learned all about this business and how it works, and the things I get to do are really neat, like visiting attorney's offices and the courthouse records department. It's a cool gig, and I hope to work full time this summer. My July graduate class was cancelled due to low enrollment, so it looks like I will not take any more graduate classes until next Spring, which is fine because I will be super busy this fall with a little one!

 

 

I'm looking forward to a fun, relaxing weekend; this is the only one in May where I am not hosting or attending a wedding or some type of wedding event! My cousin and I are going to the arts and crafts fair in Hernando tomorrow; maybe I can find some nursery decor for Vaught's room! 

SURPRISE!!

      I've always claimed to hate surprises. I'm notorious for snooping through my presents weeks before Christmas and birthdays. I knew Eric was going to propose on my college graduation day; I picked out the ring! I don't know how I ever made it through sorority rush--I can't stand the thought of waiting! And, of course, I have never had a surprise party of any sort--because I cannot stand a surprise!
      But I was completely unsuspecting yesterday afternoon when I went to my friend Amanda's classroom for a junior class meeting. Together we are sponsors of the junior class at the high school where I work, so this meeting seemed completely ordinary, as we are planning a final goodbye project for the senior class. When I got there she said, "Come with me to the library real quick before all the juniors get here." I still didn't suspect anything. We are like two teenage girls together at school: "Come with me to make copies," "Come with me to the teacher's lounge," "Come with me to talk to the principal about such-n-such." Seriously. Other teachers probably make fun of us!
       As we passed a side entrance to the front office, another teacher stuck her head out of the door and said, "Are we all supposed to go to the library?" For just a second I grew suspenseful. I hadn't heard or read any announcements for a meeting of any sort that afternoon. It suddenly dawned on me that we didn't make habits of going to the library after school. I thought to myself, Am I about to walk in on something I wasn't supposed to know about?  Sure enough, we rounded the corner into the foyer, and I could see that the lights were off in the library, yet teachers were filing in. I started grinning because I knew then that something was definitely up! We walked in, the lights came on, and at least a dozen of my closest teacher friends jumped out and yelled "SURPRISE!!!!" I wish my reaction could have been filmed (the pictures were pretty great!) because I know I looked like a total spaz! My only words I could manage were "Is this for me?!" I couldn't believe it!! I stood there for a good 30 seconds looking totally confused until finally I was asked to sit down, have a cupcake, and open gifts!!
          I have found some amazing friends at my school, but I never would have dreamed that they would go through all the trouble to surprise me like this. There were yummy cupcakes on one table, while brightly wrapped presents crowded another. As I opened each sweet, thoughtful gift and thanked each person who came and made it such a special afternoon, I found myself praying for each person. There are some incredible people at my school; these men and women truly care for me and for one another. It's overwhelming to know how loved Vaught and I are. I could never understand the excitement over pregnancy (coming from a girl who always claimed she was never having children), but now I totally get it. Together, my husband and I are bringing a new life into our family, into this world. A new, precious beating heart. A new soul to join us in Heaven one day. That is definitely something to celebrate!
         I will never forget yesterday, just as I will never forget these amazing, loving people I've met at my work. Words can never express just how much the surprise shower and their love and kindess means to me and my family. I love you all so very much!!

 



SURPRISE!!

Presents for Vaught

All of his goodies laid out on the bed in his nursery! Yes, it will look less girly pretty soon!

Already organizing with the wardrobe in his room!



An additional 20 weeks update and Vaught's first kicks :)

       In my original post, I stated that I was unsure if I had felt any definite kicks yet. For a couple of weeks I have felt what might be little pokes and nudges, but I just coudn't be sure. Two days later, on Mother's Day, I felt my first for sure, definite, 100% positive kicks from Baby Vaught.

Here's the story...
      My husband and I were on our way to church in my hometown, Potts Camp, about 40 miles from our Olive Branch home. It's Mother's Day, so we want to be at church with my parents and family. One thing I despise about my husband is his incessant need to be on time. I have no idea how he was cool in high school; if the party starts at 8, you don't arrive until 9:30, at earliest, or at least that was my rule. But Eric Pace is always on time, right on the minute. No, I don't stroll into church twenty+ minutes late, but if I'm there by 11:10-11:15, I consider myself "prompt." Well, if we don't make it past the railroad tracks in Potts Camp by 10:50, we're definitely going to be late, as two trains (one headed to Birmingham, one to Memphis), meet every Sunday morning at about that time. We round the corner onto highway 349, and the cross guards are down, the lights flashing. We can hear the train's whistle, and we see that it's still about 30 yards down the track, creeping at about 20 miles per hour. My husband can beat it and starts to speed up to do so. I, on the other hand, immediately begin screaming and crying, begging him (pleading for my life, really) not to beat the train. Growing up, I knew of several people who had been badly hurt, one even killed, at this particular crossing. I was always terrified of trying to beat the train and getting stuck on the tracks and not being able to get out of the vehicle and escape before definite tragedy.
         By this time he's laughing hysterically at me, I've got tears pouring down my freshly made-up face, and I can't catch my breath (of course my inhaler is in another purse at home). He puts the truck in park, still laughing, and attempts to calm me down. It took about two full minutes for my heart rate to slow (and blood pressure to return to normal, I'm sure). I wiped the mascara from my cheeks and was attempting to re-powder when I felt it... a slight but sure poke on my bladder. It didn't help that after the scare my husband gave me I really needed to go to the bathroom. I didn't say anything at first. I couldn't be entirely sure it was the baby. But then it happened again, and I grabbed Eric's arm. "What?" he said. Vaught then did it a third, really good time, and I told him "Vaught's kicking." Eric got all excited and put his hand on my belly, but I told him he probably couldn't feel, as Vaught was poking around at my bladder. I couldn't believe that I had just been telling some family members the day before that I couldn't feel him yet but then I did on Mother's Day, of all days. Eric said it was his way of telling me "Happy Mother's Day!" By this time, I really had to go to the bathroom, so since it looked as if we'd be waiting at the tracks for a while anyway, I had Eric run me to a gas station to use the restroom. Then as we waited an additional 30 minutes at the tracks, missing church of course, Vaught kicked another solid two times. It was an incredible feeling! I say that now, knowing I might get a little annoyed with it eventually, when every poke and prod sends me running to the bathroom! But for now, it's such blessed assurance; my sweet little guy is doing just fine in there :) 
         Since then, I have definitely felt him. He's especially active anytime after I eat and when I lay down for bed at night. I can't help but smile when I feel him. It's his way of saying "Hi, mom!"

  
         Yesterday I had my 20 week appointment at my OB in Oxford, where Vaught will be born. I met with my doctor, who assured me that everything with me was going perfectly well-- weight gain (he was impressed--only 10.5 pounds!), blood pressure, blood sugar, the works. I was so relieved to hear I'm still low risk and am expected to stay that way. Then we were sent to the ultrasound technician, who gave Vaught a full anatomy ultrasound to check that all of his organs were there and functioning perfectly. I also had her check again to ensure that he is still a boy! All went well, with kidneys, heart, lungs, stomach, and brain being present and functioning the way they should. She took his measurements, and he currently weighs 14 ounces--almost a whole pound! She also said I'm a couple days ahead of my due date and can probably expect him closer to mid-September if I carry full term. I was happy to hear that, though it would be wonderful if he could hold off until after Ole Miss's first home football game on September 13th. My doctor laughed at that and said that all the walking fans have to do on game day would probably help jump-start my labor; Vaught might arrive just a few hours after a Rebel victory! Regardless of when he makes his big debut, we are so excited to meet him! But there's still so much to do before he arrives, so I suppose I'd be okay waiting a few more months!

Like My Mother Does

"Like My Mother Does"

 

People always say
I have a laugh
Like my mother does
Guess that makes sense
She taught me how to smile
When things get rough

I've got her spirit
She's always got my back
When I look at her
I think, I want to be just like that

When I love I give it all I've got
Like my mother does
When I'm scared, I bow my head and pray
Like my mother does

When I feel weak and unpretty
I know I'm beautiful and strong
Because I see myself like my mother does

I never met a stranger
I can talk to anyone
Like my mother does
I let my temper fly
And she can walk away
When she's had enough

She sees everybody
For who they really are
I'm so thankful for her guidance
She helped me get this far

When I love I give it all I've got
Like my mother does
When I'm scared, I bow my head and pray
Like my mother does

When I feel weak and unpretty
I know I'm beautiful and strong
Because
I see myself like my mother does

 

She's a rock
She is grace
She's an angel
She's my heart and soul
She does it all

When I love I give it all I've got
Like my mother does
When I'm scared, I bow my head and pray
Like my mother does

When I'm weak and unpretty
I know I'm beautiful and strong
Because
I see myself like my mother does
Like my mother does

I hear people saying
I'm starting to look like my mother does.

(Lyrics from AZlyrics.com) Perform by Lauren Alaina (American Idol season 11), compoesd by Nathan Chapman, Liz Rose, and Nikki Williams

 

       As a student teacher a couple of years ago, I attended the high school's beauty pageant, where I heard a young woman perform this song as the judges tallied scores. It brought tears to my eyes and has stuck with  me ever since. I had never heard anything so accurate about my mother; I felt as if this girl was singing about Bev herself! When we left, I looked it up on my phone and downloaded it then listened over and over so I could learn it and sing it myself. I have never actually been able to finish the song; at some point, I begin to cry. I mean really cry, tears rolling down my face. This song sums up my mother so perfectly.

       I've rarely, if ever, been told I look like my mother, but I am so much like her and proud to say so. She is so kind and loving and totally, completely, 100% selfless. I'm still working on the "selfless" part, but I try to model the kindness and love that she extends to others, especially those who seem to need it most.

      Now more than ever, I am so thankful to have been raised in a Christian home, especially as we evolve into a society and an America turning further and further from its Christian foundation. I have my mom to thank for much of that, along with my dad. Together, they have taught us the morals and values that I will pass on to my children and that I hope will be passed on to theirs. My mom has taught me from day one "Love others. Love them and pray for them; never judge or criticize." It's something I'm constantly reminding myself. When people are hateful, love them. When they are hurtful, whether to themselves or others, love them. When they are prideful or spiteful, love them. When they oppose you, love them. When they are for you, love them. Love is such an enormous part of who my mother is and who I hope to be one day.

       My mom is a Godly woman, a woman whose head I've seen bowed in prayer so many times throughout my life. Without her faithful praying, I can't help but wonder where I would be today, if she didn't constantly pray for God's hand in my life, that He lead me whereever He wants me. As God knits this perfect little human piece by piece inside of me, I think of my mother as I pray for him. If I could add up all the prayers she has surely prayed to the Lord up to this very moment, I wonder what the number would be. A hundred thousand maybe? Two hundred thousand? I'm sure the number would amaze me but not surprise me. She is not perfect by any means, but she's a Godly woman in a world that seems to be running low on them now, a woman I can look up to and turn to for sound advice, even when it's not exactly what I want to hear. I couldn't ask for a better Christian example, a better model of the mother I hope to be some day.

      

        In closing, we all think our mom is number one, and that's how it should be. In our eyes, no one can outdo her abilities in holding a home together, no one is more faithful, kind, or loving than she. But I've been blessed with a lady I know is special, a true gem, the kind of someone who only comes into the world every now and then. While I can be so ugly on the inside at times, I wonder why God gave her to me, me to her. She surely deserves only the best, and I know that's not always been me or my siblings. But I'm so thankful it was. He saw, long before we were ever even formed, that we needed her. He saw the things she would do for us, the way she would love us, and He must have thought "Yep, these crazy four have got to go to her." But I know she feels the same way. She needed us and wanted us long before she knew us. She prayed for us years before we made our arrival in her life.

        It is because of her unconditional faith in the Lord and prayers to Him that I am the young woman I am, and I'm glad to see myself little by little becoming more and more like her, and in the end, like Him. Happy Mother's Day to my amazing mother and to all the mothers out there. Each of you is special and so loved by so many. Thank you for all that you do!

 

        

 



20 Weeks with Baby P

Officially 20 weeks today!! Halfway there!

 

     One of my students asked if I would pose for a 20 week photo "now that you're finally starting to show." I couldn't help but giggle at her, but it was sweet. And true; I am finally starting to show my pregnancy ever so slightly! I've only noticed in the last 2 weeks that my jeans and work slacks have been just a bit more snug on me, so I've reverted to yoga pants, leggings (as pictured above), dresses, and maxi skirts; I just cannot stand to be uncomfortable for any reason! And as much fun as it to look at maternity clothes, I don't want to go out and spend a fortune on clothes I'll only wear for a few months. One of my best friends had weight loss surgery in December and has since lost almost 80 pounds! I am SO proud of her! And to show my support and encouragement, last week I emptied out approximately two thirds of my closet (my very trendy closet, might I add), filled up three plastic garbage bags, and took the loot to her. She was nearly in tears she was so thrilled!

 

Why do that?" you ask. "Won't you need those clothes after the baby arrives and you can wear them again?" Well. No. I don't think I will. When I found out about Baby Pace, I was in the midst of my very own "fitness journey."  28 days in to be exact. I had lost nearly 20 pounds and looked and felt better than I had in years. I was at a weight I personally hadn't seen in three years. When I discovered I was pregnant (read all about it here ), I vowed that I would continue eating extremely healthy and working out hard 5 days a week like I had been for almost a month. HA! That lasted a matter of days. You see, pregnancy, especially the first trimester, takes over you like nothing you could ever imagine. And it's different for every woman. I spent about 4 weeks in a coma-like state because I just couldn't get enough rest, no matter how long I slept. I was drained of energy, and yeah, I wanted sweet and salty food (read: junk food) as opposed to anything somewhat good for me.

     In my first trimester, I gained about 2 and 1/2 pounds. Not bad! By my third appointment I had gained 7 more, making my total gain 9 and 1/2. And don't ask me what prompted me to do this, but I just stepped on the scale in my bathroom to see that I have gained an additional 1/2 pound since my 16 week appointment. No, it's really not bad at all, so I've done fairly well to be halfway through this pregnancy! But I am so looking forward to continuing my journey and striving to be the healthiest, fittest me once Vaught is here. I know it's going to be tough, but I was enjoying every minute of it prior to getting pregnant. I love fitness and health, and I'm determined to get back on track and keep going!

     Sorry to get off on that, but it's just motivation for me throughout this pregnancy--I can't wait to get back in the gym and go full throttle!! So, yes, I gave most of my clothes to my friend and kept the basics and my new maternity dresses for the summer. Once baby gets here, it is back on track to fit and healthy!!

 

     New this week: Well, I'm finally starting to look and feel pregnant!

     Baby Pace's movement: None yet, not that I know of. I think I have felt the "fluttering" sensation a couple times, but it's hard to say for sure. Honestly, I am waiting on that good kick to my gut. Then I'll really know that's little Vaught causing trouble!

     Weight gain: So far in my pregnancy, I have gained 9.6 pounds exactly. However, I'm counting that from the weight I was at my first appointment on February 12th. I had probably gained a couple of pounds from what I'd lost that day, but I'm going by the scale in the doctor's office :)

      Vaught: He is about the size of a melon now and weighs close to 10 ounces! He was 7 ounces at 16 weeks, so 10 is my guess now, but it could be more! I can't wait to feel him kick and move around!

 

Up Ahead...

 

     Tomorrow my cousin, a Mississippi State fan, graduates from my beloved alma mater (and now hers too!) The University of Mississippi! I am SO proud of her!! Her graduation is at 11am, so I'll be making the drive to Oxford to watch her walk across the stage. My little baby brother is engaged, and there's a party for him tomorrow night, so the husband will be joining me in my hometown, Potts Camp, for that.

     Sunday is Mother's Day, and I'm so excited this year. My husband thinks it's a little silly that I want to celebrate Mother's Day already, but I feel like after carrying his son for 20 weeks, I am entitled to at least a nice card :) I will also hopefully get something special about my own precious mother posted tomorrow or Sunday night. She's the best, so all the world should know.

 

Have a fabulous weekend!! :)

 

 

 

 



What's in a name?

     Perhaps there would never be a right time to do this, and perhaps I shouldn't even feel as if I should  justify or clarify my and my husband's decision on the name we chose for our sweet baby boy. But when folks prompt us with the ever-popular, "Wow, how'd you come up with that?!" "That's weird. Where's it from?" and of course "Vault, like a bank vault?" I can just direct them to this lovely little blog of mine, and they can read allllll about it :)

     I'd like to start out by saying that my mother's opinion means more to me than anyone else's in the entire world. More than my father's, more than my husband's, more than my best friends'. It doesn't matter if everyone and their mama likes the dress I have on, the decisions I make, the way I style my hair. If Beverly doesn't approve, I'm not happy.
     Months ago, long before I was pregnant but after our April 2013 wedding, I was talking about baby names with my mother, just making random conversation. I went through the boy names I had loved as a teenager: "Marshall" and "Benton" among them. I even liked really unique names like "Brick" (a 'la Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and "Nyle" (not a 'la One Direction). However, when mentioning these names to my husband at some point, he scrunched up his nose and nearly gagged the way he does at the sight of vomit. So, I of course had to rule these out, long before we found out we were expecting Baby Pace! Husband and wife must agree when naming their children, and I'm not the kind of person to try and push a name on him he doesn't like from the get-go.

So, during this conversation with my mom I said to her, "What about Vaught Pace for a boy?"

     Apparently, I had been thinking of notable folks from The University of Mississippi at the time. I think maybe my mom had suggested "Eli" or "Manning" (her boss's son had named their new little boy Manning not long before), so Vaught just came to me automatically, and as the name rolled off my tongue, I instantly loved it, and I anxiously awaited the two seconds it took for my mother to respond to see if she felt the same.

     "It's beautiful," I remember her saying. "I love it. Like Johnny Vaught, right?"

Yes, just like Johnny Vaught.

 

     Born in Texas in 1909, John Howard Vaught served as head coach for the Ole Miss Rebel football team from 1947 to 1970 and again in 1973. Under his leadership, the Rebels claimed 6 Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships and 3 national football championships. His overall record was 190-61-12, and in 1982, Ole Miss had its stadium renamed Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, in honor of Coach Vaught and the notable Judge William Hemingway. He passed away in Oxford, MS, in 2006. In 2008, a statue honoring Coach Vaught was placed in front of the athletic training center at the school, just yards from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. He is Ole Miss's most well-known and beloved football coach to this day.

Common questions and remarks we've received so far--the inspiration for this entry:

"So you're naming your son after a football stadium?"
If you want to look at it that way, sure, I guess so, but rather, we're naming him after a legendary football coach from the great state of Mississippi. (Read more about our love of footbal below). You can typically locate him in most lists and documentaries of the most famous football coaches in the history of American football, the only one to ever come out of Mississippi. Ideally, any Mississippian should take pride in this, from Rust College down to Southern Miss. That's solely my opinion though :)

"Isn't that a little too different?"
(Big sigh here). Honestly, not to us. Baby names have become extremely intriguing over the last several years: Beckett, Brayleigh (various spellings for that one), Braxton, Paxton, Grayson, Braylen, Jaxon, Kingsley, Kingston, Grover, Prescott, Stellan, the list just goes on and on. I actually just glanced at 4 or 5 different lists from Google searches to compile these names. In my opinion, there is a fine line between uniqueness and just plain weirdness, and also in my opinion, about half of the names listed above would classify under my own personal list of "strange." But here's what I remind myself: If it's not my baby, it's not my name to choose. Yes, Vaught is different. But not so different that we think it's strange, and shouldn't mom and dad's opinions be the only two that matter? The second I mentioned it to my husband (again, long before Baby P came along), he fell in love. "That's it," he'd said.
I vaguely remember how disgusted I was when my sister announced my niece's name: Cherish. I literally gagged. I thought it was the dumbest name in the world. I swore I would come up with my own nickname for her and never actually call her Cherish. (It's only now that I realize how selfish I was being and how hurtful it probably was to my older sister). Today, that curly-headed little girl will be 6 years old on July 4th, and there is no better name for her than Cherish.... I hope you caught where I went with that.

"People will think his name is Vault."
Haha, of course. I already get that. "Vault? As in a bank vault?" and then I have to spell it out for them. You pronounce it "vawt," but that's a little too alternative for me. In my opinion, if you name your child something authentic, you are going to be correcting people all of his childhood life. I have a cousin named Audrey Anna. Simple. Audrey and Anna. As simple (and pretty) as it sounds, there are still those who read her name and call her "Aidry Anna," "Ordrey Anna," and my personal favorite, "Andrianna." I've kind of simplified everything and have begun calling her "Audrana" in the past few years. I'm really not disrespecting her full name; I just talk so fast, I realized that's how it comes out!
Anyway, like I said, you realize what you're doing by taking on such a unique name. Yes, I will be correcting people, and so will he, but after that first time, it'll be easy. I know his name is different and unique, but I'm so in love with it, I don't mind correcting people. I'm an English teacher, so I'm used to it anyway :)

One last thing to note... 

 

 

Hotty Toddy

     Together, my husband and I are two of the biggest eggheads you might ever meet. We are football nuts, and yes, we are extremely passionate Ole Miss fans. I am a product of the flagship school of the state of Mississippi, and my husband earned some college credit there as well. We didn't meet at Ole Miss, but it is part of what brought us together and keeps us together. We jokingly say that we don't agree on everything, but we agree on the most important thing: Ole Miss football. It's true, and maybe it's a bit extreme to some people. But unless you're one of us, you cannot understand it.  An important thing I feel I should note here is that Ole Miss is truly a part of who we are. We're not "committee fans," as my dear husband says. And trust me, Ole Miss does have plenty of those, like every other big name school. We don't wear red and blue t-shirts just for the heck of it and cheer for the Rebels when they win. We don't go to games sparingly and then leave the stadium when the team is down 66-31 (Texas Longhorns 2012--we came back strong in 2013 though). We don't badmouth our team when the quarterback trips into the endzone and fumbles the ball, costing us our season rivalry game, and we don't dwell on one sorry loss in battle while we're winning the war (all time Egg Bowl record: 61-43-6 OOOOOOLE MISS). Between the two of us, we can name every player on the team and every coach, his hometown, a few stats, and maybe a few random things about him. We are loyal season ticket holders, despite the fact that we have tons of others things we could put $800 towards, and we are at every home game screaming our lungs out, win or lose. We had a red and blue wedding at Paris-Yates Chapel, and you can probably find the University's logo on at least three items in every room in our house. It is an enormous part of who we are, and we truly, truly love being Rebels.

But tell me, what's in a name??

     Vaught Charles Pace is the most beautiful, most perfect name in the entire world. I honestly cannot wait to say "Hello, Baby Vaught," the second I see his newly born face. I look forward to saying "Come here, Vaught," when he's crawling or walking, or "Vaught Charles!" when he is scolded. I'm in love with him, his name, everything about him. When he's older, he'll ask how we came up with it. Accustomed to going to Ole Miss football games with his mom and dad, we'll tell him he's named after a good man who coached the Rebels a long time ago. If he wants to be proud of that, that's fine. It's not something to be proud of, rather it's just the name that felt right to his mom and dad. He might have friends named "Davis Wade," or "Jordan," or "Neyland," or "Noble," or "Bryant," or "Denny!" We'll smile and know that those moms and dads have teams and schools that are just as prominent parts of their hearts as Ole Miss is to ours. A love that strong and that loyal (and yes, a little crazy) is a love Eric and I can always understand and appreciate, even if it's for a team we aren't particularly fond of.

     If you've made it all the way here, thank you, and I'm sorry. I definitely didn't mean to get on my soapbox if it seems like I've done so. Honestly, I spent hours, days even, on this post because I've been thrown flack once or twice over our name for our son, and it's something I feel so much better about getting out there. I hope this sheds a little more light on who I am and who we are as a married couple and now, as parents. It was also important to me that I document his namesake in some way, so I'm going to save this and show it to him many, many years from now!

 We're so excited to be welcoming Vaught Pace in September... just in time for Ole Miss football.