It’s a Typhoon (June 23rd—Tuesday)

We decided we needed a day to rest our weary feet from all of the walking we had been doing at all of the parks. So for a day of rest, we chose a water park that we hadn’t been to before…Typhoon Lagoon; And I must say, I really liked it.

In the past, we’ve gone to Blizzard Beach which is also fun. Typhoon Lagoon seemed a bit more spread out, so it seemed like you could a bit more privacy and the wave pool is one of the biggest in the world (so they claim). It also has this massive wave that comes crashing out every 5-10 minutes or so…It’s amazing. When that wave comes through, it’s like dominoes…all of the people get completely covered and knocked over by this wave.

For fear of getting Bob knocked around, I stayed closer to the edge of the water in the 2-3 feet deep section and by the wave would reach me, it would still push me hard enough that I had to move several feet with the water.

The boys did all of the water slides, that I’m unable to do right now…and I relaxed under a tree and read; Occasionally getting some sun, but moving chairs when I decided that I preferred shade. Wil and I also rode around the lazy river on inner tubes a couple of times. And I will say that my ability to get in and out of a tube is not as graceful as it usually is. Instead, I did require some assistance…and I also know why they tell you to wear one piece bathing suits…I had a 2 piece tankini bathing suit (so don’t worry everyone, it covers everything) that is actually a bit too big on me…this normally is a great thing for me. However, when you’re trying to get into an inner tube…not so great…we’ll just say, I’m not sure the lunar schedule in Orlando that day, but there was definitely at least a quarter moon in the lazy river that day. This resulted in Wil swimming under the inner tube to help pull my bathing suit bottoms up. Not one of my more graceful or proud moments, but an actual even nonetheless.

After the water park (and before the rain started), we headed back to our resort to shower and change and head out to Downtown Disney.

We had an enjoyable dinner at the Blues Brothers Restaurant and then headed over to Disney Quest to allow the boys to feel at home...5 floors of video games. I will admit that I even played a few, but had more fun watching Wil.

The hours lost at Disney Quest didn't leave us much time for shopping...so while I did at least make it to some of the stores that I wanted to visit...we will have to schedule another shopping day to ensure maximum shopping time. :)

It’s Magical (June 21st—Sunday)

Oh, yes it is magical. Walking down Mainstreet USA…hearing the music…seeing Cinderella’s Castle in the background. It’s as though you’ve walked into a fairy tale and you’re 5 again when all your dreams are just waiting to come true…Ok, so I’ve obviously bought into the whole Disney experience…but why not…there are worse things to get lost in. And it was Father’s Day, so what better place to spend Father’s Day than a magical land where all your dreams come true.

We hit just about everything we could (including some things twice) and I am proud to report that at the Magic Kingdom there were only 4 rides that I wasn’t permitted to ride, as opposed to Universal Studios where there were only 2 rides that I was permitted to ride…so Disney is much more expectant mother friendly if you ask me. We started our day in Adventureland catching up with Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean and then taking a jungle cruise filled with wild animals and headhunters (ok, so they were all animatronics…and I had to convince Wil that the headhunters were not the type to find him a job after the Navy); the boys headed for Frontierland and the wild west and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain while I did a little shopping to help the economy of course…after that we moved over into a different type of world and went to the Haunted House (always one of my favorites) and then into Fantasyland visiting Mickey’s Philharmonic…from there we moved into Tomorrowland and went on the Stitch Ride and the Monsters Inc Laugh Factory…and then it was time to leave the park…for a little while anyway.

We headed over to the Fort Wilderness Campground for the dinner show that we had planned to see, The Hoop de Doo Revue. And let me tell you…it was quite a revue. Talk about a hoot and holler of a good time. There was comedy…there was dancing…there was singing…there was unlimited food…there was Wil spinning his napkin in the air…and there was Jon-Christian on stage…what more can you expect from a dinner show. I can definitely see why it is one of Disney’s most popular dinner shows. It was a lot of fun.

After the show, we waddled back over to the Magic Kingdom for another shot at the park…this time we started in Tomorrowland and worked our way around counterclockwise. We went on the Buzz Lightyear Ride (it’s fun…I almost killed more aliens than Wil…it was close)…then we moved around to Fantasyland again and went on the Pooh Ride, the Snow White Ride, and It’s A Small World…the Peter Pan line was an hour wait with no fast passes left…so we had to skip Peter this year. As we moved on around, what’s better than the Haunted House at night, so we went through the Haunted House again and then the boys went back around to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for another ride, while I walked around some shops and sat down to rest my weary feet. After that we made one more ride on The Pirates of the Caribbean and then headed for the front of the park.

We made it hobbling back to the resort close to midnight. I am slightly disappointed that we weren’t able to hold out until 3am when the park closed for resort guests…but since my feet still hurt the next day, I think we probably did all we could do. Oh, and in case you’re wondering…the oppressive heat has continued…with the temperature over 100 degrees on our Magic Kingdom day. Because of the heat, Wil has been like a crack dealer…only for water and liquids…every 10 minutes he’s forcing liquids down my throat…normally I wouldn’t complain, but that means frequent bathroom stops for me and frankly with my feet as tired as they are…I’m not sure I need the extra weight from carrying those liquids around …but alas…a good time is being had by all…I may have to call into work next week in order to rest…hmmmm

Universal Studios (June 20th—Saturday)

When I think of the word universal, I think of all encompassing or a part or something that fits in every product, no matter the model. Well, I think I could argue that Universal Studios needs to change their name because they are, in fact, not a universal theme park. In fact they are quite discriminatory.

This may be the first time I’ve gone to a theme park and truly felt that I didn’t belong. EVERY ride at Universal was prohibited to “expectant mothers” EXCEPT for the carousel in Seuss Landing and some of the other “toddler” rides there. Talk about feeling like a leper. Even some of the shows were prohibited because who knows…they might scare me into labor.

I think this may be a case of when the lawyers have gone too far. Now, I am sure that there are some “good” reasons for restricting some of the wilder rides…but the Men in Black ride is not much different from the Buzz Lightyear ride at the Magic Kingdom…yet I can ride the Buzz Lightyear ride, but not the Men in Black.

So, this may cause you to ask yourselves, “What did Pauletta do all day while the boys rode rides at Universal.”

I walked around the park multiple times, as evidenced by the blisters on my feet; I walked around ALL the various stores in ALL the various areas at both Universal parks, as evidenced by my credit card bill; I sat in the sun, as evidenced by the sunglass tan line on my face; and when the sun got too hot, I sat inside the various restaurants in the park…but since we decided on the Universal meal plan, no worries…I didn’t eat my way through the parks since it only applies to certain restaurants.

The Heat (June 19th—Friday)

Well, I know that “The Heat” is supposed to be in Miami, but I think they could just as easily replace “The Magic” because it is darn hot in Orlando right now. We spent our first day in Orlando at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Wil and Jon-Christian had never been to Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM Studios) and I hadn’t been in probably 12+ years.

We got to Orlando around 11am and checked into our resort, The Old Key West Resort, which I have to say is FABULOUS! After checking in, our room wasn’t ready yet so we decided to head to the park and enjoy a day of rides and shows before coming back to our room at about 8:30pm and unpacking. It’s always good to get settle in, but at the end of the day after a hot full day at the park, I’ll admit that it was the last thing I wanted to do…but alas, I got it all done while the boys watched TV.

Hollywood Studios hasn’t changed too much since the last time I had been there, but it was a good time.

Jon-Christian, Pauletta, and Bob

Jon-Christian and Wil

The boys enjoyed the three rides that I was not permitted to ride due to my current condition…and I walked around the shops while they rode those.

All in all, the plan worked out pretty well. We saw a stunt show,

the Indiana Jones show,

and the Beauty and the Beast show

…all of which were really good. Although I’m not sure the boys were as interested in the Beauty and the Beast show and probably preferred seeing things get blown up in the other two. Oh well…baby steps.

Other than the oppressive heat, which really took its toll on me today, it was a good day. I did learn my lesson and intend to take a water bottle with me for the rest of the week and try to constantly keep drinking water to help avoid some of the exhaustion I felt today. I’ll also wear comfortable shoes and not just flip flops for all of this walking. And the final piece of this survival plan includes something I purchased today…it’s a water bottle with a fan and sprayer attached to keep myself cool. I’ve placed it in the fridge to get it nice and cool for tomorrow when we head to Universal Studios.

Disney’s Old Key West Resort (June 19th—Friday)

After our recent trip to the Outer Banks, I’ve convinced myself that I need to be prepared for disappointments in hotel rooms…well…Disney’s Old Key West Resort has given me high hopes again . The resort is beautiful and filled with enough activities that you could probably just spend a week at the resort. And the room is amazing; so much more spacious than I ever imagined. This is definitely one of those places where I would consider staying again.

Gucci, Coach, Kate Spade, and Kenneth Cole Oh My! (June 16th—Tuesday)

Ah, one of the best things about coming to St Augustine (other than seeing the in-laws of course) is going to the outlet mall. And this year I got to go to the new mall. Yes, there are 2…one on each side of I 95 and they both have great stores…so on Tuesday (June 16th) I spent the day shopping while the boys played video games and went to the beach.

I like to think of myself as a walking economic stimulus package, but in all fairness…I was pretty good. I really did stick to my list of items I was looking for with a few minor exceptions when the sale was really good. J I’m sure some would say, how many Coach Bags does one girl need? But I also got a Kenneth Cole leather purse too because it was too darn cute and is a perfect work.

And I didn’t just shop for myself, I found Willy D some water sandals to wear in the ocean and to and from the ocean. I also found a couple of gifts, so I think that completely justifies my shopping…at least in my mind.

Going to the Chapel

Ok, not Wil and I…we’ve already done that. But Wil’s baby sister, Danielle got engaged on Saturday, June 13th. This is very exciting…yet somehow shocking news…I’ve only known Danielle for the past 6 almost 7 years…but somehow it still seems like she’s too young. I think Kate and Wil have somehow convinced my mind that Danielle will perpetually be 6 years old.

Once I get past thinking that she should be playing with Barbies, not getting married…we’re very excited for her. And she’s already got a lot of great ideas for her wedding. It was a lot of fun talking to her about it. The excitement is contagious.

Long Term Memory (June 13th—Saturday)

There are days when it seems like my long term memory isn’t too long…and they say that dogs don’t have much of a long term memory, but I really have to disagree. Three years ago, Indiana made his first trip to Grandma Carla and Grandpa Dean’s Beach House. While at the beach house, we got him a Frisbee to play with and enjoy. Well, before we left that year, he somehow left it out in the marsh behind the house. We left assuming that it would never be seen again.
Hurricanes came through…torrential downpours flooded the marsh and yet…Indiana found his Frisbee (and a lost pair of Dean’s shoes) in the marsh the following year. We were shocked! By the time we were leaving for home last year, the Frisbee had again disappeared into the marsh. As you can guess, upon our arrival at Grandma and Grandpa’s the first thing that Indiana did was to go into the marsh and find his Frisbee. I guess we’re beginning to understand why this breed was named “retriever”.

And the beat goes on...

The heartbeat that is...We had our next doctor's appointment today and we're happy to report that all is going well and I've even been given permission to come off of the hormones. I'm sure Wil is happy about that!

It was a typical visit, but the first visit with the doppler to check the heartbeat, so I got to hear a strong heartbeat (in the 150s) and apparently quite a bit of movement today. The nurse said that the other noises we kept hearing were the baby moving around...so that was quite a relief.

They are also giving us a bit of a reprieve from doctor's appointments and we aren't expected back at the regular OB/GYN for about 4 weeks, which will be 2 days after our appointment at the Perinatal Specialist in Richmond. The appointment in Richmond will also include an ultrasound and then we'll have one in Fredericksburg about 2 weeks later.

But so far, so good. And so we're getting ready to pack the car in the morning and enjoy 2 weeks of "relaxation" in Florida. Of course, I've never really been known to take relaxing vacations...they're usually busy/active vacations and this one will probably be no different. Either way, it will be great to get away and take Bob on, technically, his/her second vacation (after the long weekend in OBX).

Trying to Relax

We've officially made it into the 2nd trimester and I keep hoping that I will eventually be able to relax and not be worried every day that we will wake up and something will go wrong. I thought once I reached today that I would be able to relax and feel more confident, but no...not yet. We have our next doctor's appointment on Friday and I'm hoping that I'll feel a bit better then. However, with all of the normal aches and pains I'm not sure I'll ever be able to truly relax and not worry that it is a sign of some impending disaster.

Reaching the 2nd trimester has also brought another discovery...that I can no longer fit into my clothes. Just last week I was...but this week the buttons are a bit tight, so I went to the closet to pull out the old maternity clothes and have decided that it is apparently that time...I will say that this was a bit shocking as I don't think I actually wore maternity pants with Bailey until I was 5 or 6 months pregnant...so I was not expecting this early change. But alas, it was bound to happen at some point I suppose.

USMC Command and Staff Graduation

Today Wil officially graduated from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College with his Masters of Military Studies. While there were a few times when I wondered if his penchant for procrastination would be a real problem...he nonetheless pulled through and graduated with all A's.

Wil's Conference Group at the Command and Staff College

While the ceremony seemed to be quite long and at times difficult to hear, we did enjoy hearing from the Deputy Commander of CENTCOM, Lt General Allen. He was probably the best speaker they had...not to throw stones at the President of the Marine Corps University, but he was quite difficult to hear, so I really have no idea what he said and I'm doubting if anyone else does either.

After the graduation we grabbed some lunch before heading home to change and relax. And since Wil did not want a party like I had planned to throw for him, we had a small little celebration with just us and my parents and nephew who came in town for the graduation.

Wil and his graduation present, a Kindle...and of course Carvel Ice Cream Cake

Bob

After much thought and debate, we've decided to introduce the world to Bob. (Previously an acronym for "Blob of Baby" and now since he/she is no longer a "blob", the acronym still works but stands for "Baby on Board".)

Bob at not quite 7 weeks...on the ultrasound he/she

appeared to be a blob with a heartbeat...hence "blob of baby"

Bob and his/her sack lunch (i.e. yolk sac)

We discovered in late March that we would be expanding our family this year, but after what we have been through in the past year with the loss of Bailey and two subsequent miscarriages, we have been hesitant to get too excited about the possibility. Since discovering that we were expecting we have been closely monitored by the doctors and specialists with appointments every other week, hormone supplements (poor Wil...I've got twice the normal pregnancy hormones), and warnings of early delivery. So, while our official due date is December 9th, I am hesitant to say that as it is expected that we will induce early.

Ironically, we discovered this news as I returned from my trip to Pigeon Forge, TN and right after what would've been Bailey's first birthday. On my trip to Pigeon Forge I had jokingly bought a nightgown that said "Bearfoot and Pregnant" with a pregnant bear on the front of it...perhaps I subconsciously knew.

Last week we went to the Perinatal Specialist in Richmond to discover that so far so good and with that, my regular OB doctor thinks all is moving along well and we can take a breath of relief. I'm waiting for 1 more week before I feel a bit more comfortable, but at last week's appointment we saw a strong heartbeat and development that was right on track. Our next ultrasound is scheduled for July 8th in Richmond and then we should have another in Fredericksburg within a few weeks after that.

We're officially 13 weeks now and I'm hoping that after my doctor's appointment next week I'll be able to come off of the hormones as they have exacerbated morning sickness, which has kept me feeling pretty miserable for the past 9ish weeks.

Wil and I are in disagreement as to whether Bob is really a Bob or Bobette...he's convinced that Bob is a girl (i.e. Bobette) and I'm convinced that Bob is a boy...after all, I've had some terrible morning sickness and we all know that boys make you sick! :) Perhaps Wil is so convinced because he realizes that Bob will get a lot of hand-me-downs from his big sister, Bailey...and most of her stuff is pink...I don't know...it could work...Bob's first drag show...

When trying to think of names this time it's been a bit tougher. We knew from the beginning what Bailey's name would be...but this time we're not quite so prepared. At first thought we're thinking Harris Pharis for a boy and Paris Pharis for a girl...