So much to say, no time to say it! [32 weeks]

Well those weekly pregnancy updates obviously got pushed to the side.  I wish I were better about getting on here and writing up things.  But to be honest, when I have down time, I prefer to just RELAX.  Truth be told, I've been going WEEKS without getting on my computer.  Facebook on my phone has been my online social outlet, but even then it usually happens when I'm in public waiting on something.

All that being said, there's a lot to catch up on!  I truly intended on each of these little things having their very own post, but alas, they do not.  So here's what we've been up to:

THE TRIP TO VIRGINIA
We were fortunate enough to have the time and money to visit our future Air Force base in Virginia.  I can't even describe to you how pumped we are to get there, now after seeing it with our own eyes.  There's SO MUCH to do there!  And it's green.  AND there's an ocean!  And ALSO a very awesome shopping area that reminds me a lot of Zona Rosa in Kansas City, which I always loved to visit.  We made the decision while we were there to go ahead and keep our names on the wait list for the Air Force housing.  We'll see what we get when it's moving time!  We had way too much fun enjoying the bridge tunnel (at least I did) and admiring the views of the bay.  Hard to believe that 3 months from now, we'll be there.  Virginia, here we come!

THE HUSBAND LEAVES
Nic left around the beginning of March for his Commissioned Officer Training.  They basically owned his life for the entire month of March.  He was up at 4:30 and in bed around 11:30, and was both physically and mentally exhausted.  He says he wasn't having fun (he said "fun" was the wrong word) but I think he did, and won't admit it.  He still enjoys looking at his flight's Facebook page and stays in contact with his flight members. 
As for my first taste of being the Air Force wife, forced to be alone without a husband- um... yea... it sucks.  A lot.  Nic and I are the type of couple that does nearly everything together.  We were friends before we ever dated, and that has remained throughout our marriage.  Once he was gone, I was just so SAD.  I missed my friend!  The first week was the hardest.  I didn't even want to clean up things he'd left out because then the reminders of him living in our house would be gone.  I cried.  And THEN I got over it.  I had my pity party, then I buckled up to try to make the best of it and tried to keep him in good spirits.  I cleaned the house, sent him a care package, talked to him daily, thought of fun sexy things to make him smile while he was away, and it all worked out!  It really did go by fast.  And before I knew it, I was watching him graduate in Montgomery!  (Which also meant I got to attend his fancy dining out, and got to meet his new friends.  Ah, fun times.)  :-)  We also had the pleasure (seriously) of experiencing 18 hours in the car with Nic's parents.  I'm honestly not being sarcastic here... Clark and Dendy are such fun people!  It was a good time!

SPRING BREAK
A few weeks after Nic had been gone, school went on Spring Break.  That was quite good timing for me-- right in the middle of his time away, which gave me some much wanted distractions and company.  The highlight of my Spring Break (besides seeing my family, of course!) :  The Missouri Baby Shower!  My mom and my best friend, Rachelle, did a ridiculously FANTASTIC job of planning and prepping the shower.  There was way more delicious food than necessary, the hugest diaper cake I'd ever seen, and a seemingly endless supply of generous gifts.  I felt so blessed that day, to have all of those wonderful people in my life, loving me and loving Audra.  I couldn't have imagined a more perfect shower.  (And THANK YOU, again!)  :-D

SCHOOL
It's hard to believe we're already in our last 6 week session!  We've got it organized into a 2 week block, a STAAR testing week, then a 3 week block, then all of a sudden it's the last week of school!  The days are going by so fast and I know it'll be here before we know it.  This may seem so dumb for me to even mention, but if you all knew how long I'd been looking forward to the last day of school (pretty much as soon as I knew Audra would be coming around that time), then you'd know how important that day is to me.  My heart is leaping with joy just knowing how quickly it'll get here!

THE BABY
Well, she's still cookin' away.  I'm at week 32 now, so an update is beyond due!  So for those who are interested:

How far along: 32 weeks

How big is baby: weighs about 4 lbs. now!

Maternity clothes:  DEFINITELY went maternity shopping.  These clothes changed my pregnant life!  I wish we would all wear maternity clothes all.the.time!  They're so comfortable!  I should have done that a long time ago!

Sleep:  No longer normal.  I'm sleeping on my sides, as I'm supposed to, and my hips are constantly falling asleep-- and STAYING asleep!  I wake up with my sides incredibly sore and the soreness barely wares off by the time I go to bed again.  When I'm at home, I usually wake up only once for the bathroom (due to the TempurPedic putting less pressure on my bladder); when I sleep other places, I usually wake up about 3 times to use the bathroom.  Audra doesn't wake me up, but when I roll over (again, due to the hip falling asleep), I feel her GINORMOUS kicks [which is actually kind of fun].

Gender:  CANNOT WAIT TO MEET SWEET LITTLE AUDRA!!!

Movement:  Movement, lol, how about ALMOST ALWAYS?  It's so fun feeling her move around in there!  I can tell she's getting so strong!  Last night, I was sleeping on my side, with my arm kind of draped over my stomach, and she was kicking so hard she was moving my arm.  It was crazy!  There was a teeny little concern for a few days when she quit moving like crazy.  She was moving, but not like the crazy mover I know her to be.  So that worried me.  I had a feeling it was connected with my workouts, and once I saw the doctor, my suspicions were confirmed.  Basically, she's growing so quickly now that she needs a lot more from me than she ever needed before.  My workouts (not all THAT intense, mind you) were stealing away the supplies she needed, so she was moving less to conserve her energy.  Interesting, huh?  I was advised to ease up on the workouts, and so I have.  It feels like I'm doing hardly anything when I work out now, but... AH, the start of sacrificing for my little gal...

Belly-button:  It's an innie, but it sticks out kind of (not plush with the rest of my rounded stomach).  It's confusing to me, to tell you the truth.  It doesn't LOOK weird, but it feels soft and I can push it in a little.  Yet like I said, it's what we would all consider an "innie."  Didn't anticipate this bellybutton weirdness.

Exercise:  I've been sticking to my goal of 3 times a week, and I've been proud of it!  I wish I could say my eating habits have reflected the healthy lifestyle, but that's not as much the case.  I'm not going nutso like I was toward the beginning, but I'm not holding a whole lot back, either.  I make sure I eat at least 1 pretty healthy meal a day so Audra gets some solid nutrients.  But I also indulge in more ice cream now than I ever have in my life.  Never really been a dessert fan until this pregnancy... and I kind of like it...

What I'm loving:  The fact that she'll be here in less than 2 months! 

What I'm NOT loving:  Missing my husband.  But trainings are over before we know it!

What I miss:  Painting my toenails (but I DO love pedicures!), being able to take medicine, not waking up to pee, having a neat guest bedroom (which has been taken over by baby supplies... yet gifts are no reason to complain, I know!), having time to relax!



So there you have it!  I'll try to be more regular with this, but I make no promises!  As always, I hope this finds you and yours all very happy, healthy and well.  Keep in touch!  If you read, let me know so I don't feel like I'm just talking to cyber-space!  :)  Take care!