this life

It happened on March 5 . . .

2013-03-26T10:08:00.001-04:00

. . . this little lady entered the world and stole our hearts.

I would like to introduce you to

Joanna Renee Castro

These last few weeks have been quite the blur as we have been adjusting to this new little life running the show. I don't think you can ever be fully prepared for becoming a new parent. It is really tough, I'm not gonna lie. I have had my fair share of melt downs and I am sure there is more to come. But even though it's been a bit rough, I wouldn't change it for the world. Joanna is amazing and my heart feels so complete now that she is here. Her sweet smiles and big eyes just melt my heart and make all the struggles totally worth it. I know it will only continue to get better.

Jason has been so wonderful and helpful and just simply awesome. He is already won the dad of the year award in my book. I didn't even change a diaper until several days after Joanna was born, no lie! He is just the greatest.

28 is great

2013-02-21T07:39:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week Jason and I celebrated my birthday with some yummy Thai food for dinner at Rain Thai Bistro. I really wasn't even sure if I wanted to do anything because some days after work I am just so exhausted that the thought of venturing out again is too much. But I am so glad we snuck in this birthday/date night just in case it's our last one for a little while without baby.

We are finding that it is hard to talk about things other than her though; she consumes most of our thoughts and discussions these days. Which is okay because we are just so anxious to meet her. We have each been doing some reading in preparation for her arrival; Jason is reading The Happiest Baby on the Block and I am reading Breastfeeding Made Simple. So far we are really enjoying both, we will have to see if they are helpful and worth it once she gets here. 39 weeks tomorrow!!

look at me now

2013-02-17T15:58:00.001-05:00

^ 20 weeks ^ 23 weeks

^ 25 weeks ^28 weeks

^ 31 weeks ^ 34 weeks

^ 36 weeks ^ 37 weeks

I tried to be a super pregnant lady and take a photo of my growing belly each week, but that didn't exactly happen. oh well. I think you get the gist in the photos I did take: I just keep getting bigger. (see a few more here) Today I am actually 38 weeks and 3 days - no belly photo this week yet. I can't help but laugh at seeing how my little black tank top has continued to stretch over me and begun to look oh so unflattering. again, oh well. These days I am in survival mode and feeling oh so...big. Baby girl moves constantly and although I am always happy to feel her dancing around, it hurts like heck sometimes. I swear one of these days her foot is going to come straight through my skin.

We are down to the wire now with less than two weeks until my due date (March 1). I keep telling her that she can come early if she wants, but no earlier than February 25th because my doctor will be out of town this week and I really want her to be the one that is there for the delivery. I just love my doc. But with all this moving around, I have a feeling she is anxious to get out of there. Please just hold on baby girl. one more week.

65 days

2012-12-26T21:26:00.000-05:00

65 days until our baby girl is due to be here.

I am really starting to feel the pressure that she will be here in no time.

She is moving all the time. The craziest is when she changes positions and it feels like she may pop through my tummy.

By the end of the day, my back and feet are achey and sore.

Almost all of my regular clothes are now no longer options for maternity outfits.

Comfortable sleeping are two words that no longer belong together. And going through the night without a pee break is not an option.

I get super emotional without any notice, tears just happen.

Being sick while pregnant is the absolute worst. Miserable is an understatement.

The nursery finally feels like it's coming together. Although we still have much to do.

I grow more and more anxious for her arrival everyday. I just want to meet her. I want to see her face and love on her. It's kinda my favorite when I see Jason's excitement; he is going to be the best dad. This is just the most amazing time of our lives, worth whatever pregnancy decides to throw my way.

christmas time

2012-12-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

december 8, 2012 - 28 weeks pregnant

Last weekend was Jason's Anesthesia Christmas parties. This year was a bit different for me than last year, for obvious reasons. Although for being 7 months pregnant, I was pretty proud of myself for making it through the night in heels and closing out the party at midnight. I have to admit that my poor feet were killing me by the end of the night, but it was well worth it to have a good time with great friends. I soaked my feet in warm water and got a foot massage before crashing in bed that night. Jason takes good care of me :)

I have truly enjoyed getting into the Christmas spirit this year. We haven't been able to go all out with decorations and such like we usually do since we have plenty of baby projects keeping us occupied. One of my favorite things to think about lately is how this time next year we will have a precious baby girl celebrating her first Christmas. I get so overwhelmed with excitement wondering what she will think about all the beautiful lights and decorations. I wonder if she will be a fan of Santa or be totally freaked out. And most of all, I can't wait to tell her the story of Jesus being born in the manger. This is such a special time of year!

With the events that happened this past Friday in Connecticut, I can't help but also be a bit nervous about bringing an innocent child into this scary world. My heart still aches for all the families that lost someone that day. I can't even begin to comprehend losing a child. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with them.

and she grows

2012-11-13T19:23:00.001-05:00

23 week baby bump in this photo. however, today I am 24 1/2 weeks along.

Baby girl is growing and growing. Whenever I walk past a mirror and get a good look at my belly, I almost can't believe it's me. She has certainly made herself quite comfy in there. And I love it. I especially love feeling her move around throughout the day (and night).

Jason and I have been busy little bees trying to get things ready for her arrival. Still, though, every bit of progress we make, I realize how much more we still have to do. Our big project right now is the nursery and I am feeling super overwhelmed! There are just so many options and choices and decisions to be made. I just want it all to be perfect; is there even such a thing? Probably not. I just want it to be comfy and cozy for her as she grows up. Jason assures me that she will love whatever we put together for her, and I think he's right.

bear

2012-10-28T21:01:00.000-04:00

This has got to be the cutest photo going around the internet right now. Have you seen it? If not, you're welcome.

*photo found here

it's a . . .

2012-10-20T20:41:00.000-04:00

. . . girl!!

We are thrilled! Don't let the look on Jason's face fool you, he can't wait to have a daddy's little girl. I think it's safe to say that he is already wrapped around her tiny little finger. We love her so much already, it's incredible.

Two nights before the day of our appointment, I dreamt that I was having a girl. This was the first and so far only dream that I have had of our little one. It was like she was telling me her secret; a secret for her and I to share for just a little while. I am so lucky to be her mom, what an amazing gift God has given me. She is so amazing already.

day trip to atlanta

2012-10-13T14:55:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, Jason and I went down to Atlanta with our friends Scott and Kelly. We had tickets the the Hawk's first pre-season game and we decided to make a day out of it. So naturally, Ikea was our first stop because, well it's Ikea and any chance I get to go, I am so there. We picked up a few items and actually made it out in record time. Next stop was lunch in Atlantic Station at California Pizza Kitchen and then onto the game. (I will admit that it was hard not to do any shopping in Atlantic Station, but I have to keep reminding myself that I can't exactly buy "normal clothes" right now because my body has been taken over by baby) It's been a while since I've felt up to doing a day trip like this, so it was really nice to get out and about again (Atlanta is 2 hours from where we live). I was pretty pooped by the time we got home, but the fun time with friends was well worth it!

4 years

2012-10-12T07:37:00.001-04:00

Happy Anniversary, my love! What a journey it has been. This next year will be the most exciting yet as we take on the roles of mommy and daddy. How fun it will be! There is no one else in the whole wide world that could be a better partner, thank you for being so amazing. And happy 20 weeks to baby! We are half way there :)

*photo by melody hood

19 week baby bump!

2012-10-09T19:27:00.000-04:00

We have been feeling lots of movements and kicks over here at the Castro house and boy do we love it! What I was 90% sure of last week, I now know was definitely the real thing. We have started to play music for baby (mainly classical and baby einstein). And so far whenever we play music, it has been a guarantee to get baby moving. This is when Jason is able to feel the good jabs. This family time is so special to us and I think it's pretty safe to say we grow more smitten each day with our precious baby.

p.s. hello pumpkin pie craving. yum!

baby bump

2012-10-05T19:14:00.001-04:00

It is crazy to think that I am almost halfway through this journey to motherhood (I am actually 19 weeks now). On one hand it has flown by and on the other it seems to be dragging. Since this is my first, it has been quite interesting adjusting to having no control over my body. Obviously I knew that my tummy would be growing, but to experience it is simply mind blowing. There is a baby in there, wow! I still can't wrap my head around it. I am 90% sure I have felt one, maybe two kicks. It was amazing and I can't wait for more to come. We don't know if it's a boy or girl yet, but we are hoping to know soon. On our last ultrasound, baby didn't want to show us the goods. And that's okay, we are fine waiting if baby wants to play hard to get :)

doggy date

2012-09-14T21:04:00.001-04:00

A couple weekends ago, Jason and I headed downtown to a concert on the river front with some friends. It was a dog friendly event and I really wanted to bring Jack along. We were a bit nervous about the idea at first because sometimes Jack can get pretty excited around other dogs. Not because he is aggressive or anything, but he just loves to play with other dogs. In the end, we were nervous for no reason because Jack did so well! We were such proud doggie parents.

We are trying to get out at every chance to enjoy this perfect weather while it lasts. Don't you just love the transition into fall?

the reason for my absence: an announcement

2012-09-10T18:00:00.001-04:00

That's right, we are going to be parents!

We are thrilled beyond belief for this exciting new chapter in our lives. I am 15 and a half weeks along now, so happily in my second trimester. Let me tell you, that first trimester was rough on me. I was sick pretty much everyday with morning and night sickness. So in between running to the bathroom and falling asleep while walking, blogging just didn't seem to fit in my schedule. Thankfully, I have been gradually feeling better and my bad days are less, although not completely gone. I definitely want to remember all the wonderful milestones, so I am hoping my blogging will pick up quite a bit. Our little one is due March 1, 2013 and yes we will be finding out the gender; we can't wait!

open for business

2012-06-20T19:35:00.000-04:00

Last Friday evening, Jason and I re-opened our super exclusive babysitters club and watched my niece and nephew for the evening so my sister could take the night off and have dinner with a friend. We had the whole evening planned out - rice and bean burritos with avocados for dinner and a surprise trip to get frozen yogurt for dessert. When I told my sister our plans, the first thing she said was that Adelynn doesn't like rice and has always refused to eat it. Say what?! I refused to accept that fact and proceeded with our burrito making plans. We decided our method would be to just give her the burrito and don't tell her whats in it. Turns out, it worked like a charm. She ate (almost) the entire thing and said that she loved it. Operation rice-lover: success.

After dinner we loaded up the car and headed out for dessert. This definitely put us on the top of the list for best Auntie and Uncle. We had a grand time; sampling flavors before making our final choices, carefully selecting the perfect toppings, and enjoying every last bite until there wasn't a drop of yogurt left. And we managed to make it through the entire evening with zero meltdowns. I think it may be time to upgrade our babysitting status to child whisperers. Maybe.

a little backyard fun

2012-06-18T18:49:00.000-04:00

It has been so amazing having my sister, niece and nephew in town. Last week, I had everyone over for dinner and afterwards the kids ran around in the backyard until sweat was dripping down their brows. Our neighbor's little girl, Ana, came over to play too. Her and Kaleb are the same age and they always have a fun time playing. Adelynn insisted that my brother run back and forth without stopping. "Come on, Uncle Ryan!" She just loves him so. And of course Jack was in the middle of it all. My heart is full.

slam on your brakes

2012-06-13T20:02:00.001-04:00

A while ago, my high school friend Emily wrote a post about slamming on the brakes. While reading it, I instantly thought of occasions where I wished I had done exactly that. You see something interesting on the side of the road and hesitate for just a second and then the opportunity passes by.

I remember last year while we were driving down to Panama City, we took some back roads and passed by this tiny post office building that was straight out of the olden days - I had never seen anything like it. I said I wanted to stop, but Jason was hesitant and I didn't press the issue. So I missed it. And a year later I am still thinking about what an awesome photo that would have been.

Needless to say, a few weeks ago when we passed this field of cows, we slammed on the brakes. I mean, it's not everyday that you see horns like those (unless you are in Texas, I guess). I am pretty excited about this new motto I have added to my life; it's time to start really living. Thanks, Emily!

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i can't help but smile...

2012-06-11T19:33:00.000-04:00

...because they are here.

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hooray for new landscaping!

2012-06-06T23:01:00.002-04:00

When you own a home, it seems like the projects are never ending. For the most part it is fun to fix things up and make it exactly how you want it, but the down side is that everything seems to to require a good amount of $$$. We have been in our home for three years now and each year we pick a couple big projects that we will do. Last year we put in wood floors, new grass and added a concrete slab.

This year we decided it was time to fix up our landscaping. We had let it get pretty bad...please don't judge. ha! Since neither Jason nor I really had the time to tackle this job, we hired a good friend to do it for us. We are super pleased with the end result. And I am so in love with having trees now, I never realized before how incomplete our home was without trees.

Next year everything will be more grown in and look even more fabulous.

Thanks Shawn for helping us out!!

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pool crashers

2012-06-05T21:36:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday we spent a little time at my mom's pool. You may notice that in the summer time, the pool is a constant theme for us. When it's hot outside and the sun is shining, we can't think of anything better than being water side. Pool or beach. Thankfully, Jack shares our feelings about this. I know he is wondering when we will take him back to the beach. I don't think it will be this year, so the pool will have to do for now.

Thanks mom for letting us crash your pool all the time! :)

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that time i got all personal and stuff

2012-06-04T20:26:00.000-04:00

Trying.

It’s one of those topics that most couples don’t really discuss or announce. Once you make that decision to take the leap, it sort of remains a secret between you two until you have something real to tell. That was our thinking, anyway. And then month after month would go by. So here we are, a year later and with nothing to tell.

We have always known that we would like to have a big family. When we reached the point of being “ready,” we were excited, anxious and scared all at once. So we began trying to have a baby with high hopes. We had a little bet going – Jason thought I would be pregnant within three months and I thought it would take longer. Usually I am always happy to be right, but not so much in this situation.

I have read that infertility is defined as the failure to conceive after one year of trying. Two of the scariest words wrapped up in one definition. Infertility and failure. Sheesh…way to cut straight to the heart. I have to say also that I don't totally agree with that definition. I have not been to see my doctor yet, so our situation has not been officially labeled anything. We feel it’s too soon to jump to any conclusions. I try not to worry or think about it too often, but those of you who have been in my place know that is almost an impossible task.

We pray everyday for God’s blessings and still have strong faith that we have great things to come. We know He has wonderful plans for our future. Sometimes the waiting is just so hard though, but we will do our best to be patient and remain faithful. We are still so excited for what the future holds.

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baby birds

2012-05-30T06:39:00.000-04:00

Every spring my mom hangs big ferns on her front porch. And every year it never fails that a bird or two or three will find the perfect spot in one of those ferns to build a nest and lay eggs. This is actually the second batch that has hatched (the first little ones have already flown the coop). I snuck an up close look while mama bird was away and snapped some photos. Aren't they precious?! I can't wait for them to grow up and learn to fly - they are such amazing creatures.

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memorial day weekend

2012-05-29T06:42:00.002-04:00

Jason and I both had a three day weekend for Memorial Day, woohoo! That meant we got to spend the whole weekend hanging out. The weather was gorgeous, which gave us the opportunity to get in plenty of pool time at my mom's house. These photos were from Sunday when we brought Jack along with us. He loves the water and also loves my brother Ryan!

It was so nice to be able to relax and go with the flow without any set plans. We were able to enjoy dinner and a movie one evening with some great friends. We finally watched the Hunger Games - I know, it came out like a million years ago. I have read the first two books, so I have been dying to see it and just as I have heard, it did not disappoint.

I would also like to take a moment to say thank you to all the men and women who have served in the military. Our country is forever in debt to the sacrifices you have made and continue to make. Thank you!!

florida, part II

2012-05-25T06:22:00.003-04:00

Like I said in my last post, the main reason for our Florida trip was to see my brother-in-law's high school graduation. We are so proud of Reuben for reaching this milestone in his life. His plans for the future are to join the Navy, big kudos to him for making this huge decision. The graduation ceremony itself was quick and painless - thankfully, because we were sitting on bleachers. For having 300+ students, they really flew through the program. There was a chance of rain too, so we were so glad the weather held out for us.

Briana, Kelly, Emily and Reuben

The day after graduation, we had a lunch for Reuben and three of his friends that he grew up with since they were wee little kids. They didn't all end up going to the same high school, but they have remained close friends throughout. I think that is so special and I hope they all stay in touch as they move onto the next chapter of their lives.

We ate at River Rocks, which was delicious. I should have taken a photo of my food, but I was so hungry that I just scarfed it down without a second thought. I got fish tacos and french fries - yum! They also put a congrats message on the marque, which was really cool (although they spelled Reuben wrong with Rubin).

Congrats grads! And good luck with all that you do!

florida, part I

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florida, part I

2012-05-24T06:44:00.001-04:00

Jason and I hopped on a flight to Florida this past weekend to attend my brother-in-law's high school graduation. Besides celebrating this special event, we knew we wanted to get in some much needed beach time. So one morning we decided to sneak off to the sand and have a little ocean-side date. The beach was nearly empty, and after snapping some photos, we just sat next to each other, talked and enjoyed each other's company as we listened to the waves break on the shore.

Our lives have been pretty hectic and out of whack for the past month or so. It was almost as if God gave us this moment to get out of the fast lane and regroup and reconnect as a married couple. It was truly amazing and incredibly refreshing to have this time. We even managed to sneak in some beach yoga. For real. Just what the doctor ordered.