34 Weeks

Week 34 was an extremely busy one! We started by taking off for New York for a family wedding and to spend some times with friends. I wasn't nervous at all to fly so late in my pregnancy, but apparently I should have been! We had some annoying delays on our way there that just made the day feel so much longer. I think I've mentioned this before, but I feel like I have some sort of pregnancy claustrophobia where I get super uncomfortable if I'm in a confined space... so the airplane was not my friend. I just couldn't get comfortable any way I sat and was SO relieved to get off. We had a jammed packed weekend that consisted of a lot of driving around Long Island to get to various things for the wedding. Thursday night was the rehearsal dinner, and Friday before the wedding we made a trip down to the beach. The wedding Friday night was a BLAST, so much delicious food and dancing. It was actually one of the most physically exhausting days that I've had my whole pregnancy; we were up so late and I don't think I ever stopped dancing haha. The pain in my back and feet was well worth it though! We got to see family members we hadn't seen since our own wedding, AND got to spend some time with my grandmother (who may or may not have been confused about why I was pregnant haha). Saturday morning we were all moving pretty slowly, had breakfast in the hotel and said goodbyes to some family. Then we headed to visit our good family friends the Arnones for the afternoon. We had sandwiches and spent time out on their deck... I even got to take a nap! Then it was into the city to drop our stuff off at Jakes apartment. I forgot how HOT it gets in New York, and how no one has central AC. Geez was it hot! We did some walking to find a restaurant for dinner and by the time we sat down my hands and feet were thoroughly swollen haha. After dinner we went back to Jakes to relax on the couch and got a chance to see some more friends who were around. On to Sunday, I started the day with a delicious REAL bagel and then we went to a baby shower thrown by some of our best friends! It was so dang fun, they really put on quite a party (for people who have never had babies, or have plans for babies anytime soon haha). We also got to see my brothers band play before we headed off the the airport. Like I said, jam packed trip!!

BUT the real highlight of this story was our trip back to Nashvillle... oof! We got to the airport and found out our flight was going to be delayed an hour. Bummer, but not the end of the world. We ate a real dinner and settled in. When we finally boarded our plane at 10:30pm, I was already uncomfortable but just ready to be home. We sat on the plane for an HOUR because there was a mechanical problem and they needed to replace the computer? Craziness. It took them until about midnight to realize they weren't going to be able to fix it, and we would need a new airplane. At this point though the crew was going in to overtime, and weren't going to be able to fly unless we were able to get on a plane by 12:30. Obviously that didn't happen, so we sat around the airport until they finally cancelled the flight and we had to wait in line to make new arrangements. By 2am we found out we would have a flight in the morning at 6am, but had to connect through MIAMI (New York to Nashville via Miami? Totally on the way...) so we got a hotel voucher, slept for maybe 2 hours and were back at the airport for more. Mind you... within this time frame Keith had to deal with maybe 4 or 5 emotional breakdowns? Lots of tears and exhaustion related frustrations. 36 weeks pregnant is not a good time for major travel problems... gosh it was the worst! We didn't end up making it home until Monday afternoon, we ate some food, took a nap and then headed to a midwife appointment (and she wondered why my blood pressure was high haha). We slept pretty well that night :-) and were pretty delirious the rest of the week.

So I guess in summary, my biggest pregnancy complaint for week was very swollen hands and feet. Obviously I think that traveling on an airplane, doing lots of walking and some extreme heat were the cause of that. The other thing that made me a little sad during our whole traveling catastrophe was that our little bug never got a chance to sleep. He was awake and rolling around in my tummy the whole night; I think he knew I was stressed :-/ We'll take the bad with the good though, for as awful as it was to be stranded at the airport all night, we're SO happy that we got to spend that time with family and to celebrate our soon-to-be little boy with so many people who already love him!

25

This is more than a month late, but here it is...

This years birthday was a great one! It happened to fall on the day before Thanksgiving, and knowing that most of our friends would be headed out of town we decided to celebrate a few days earlier. We started with dinner at one of my favorite restaurants Mas Tacos with lots of great friends and then we moved the party to a new brewery on our side of town, Fat Bottom. It was a fun night of chatting and catching up with friends, enjoying great food and great beers. Just what I wanted! On my actual birthday, I had to work but Keith had the day off so he brought my lunch at school and got to meet some of the kiddies and coworkers. We finished the night with a really delicious dinner at Lockeland Table and just relaxed and got ready for a quite Thanksgiving weekend together. It was wonderful! Thank you to everyone who got together to celebrate with me :)

Some before pictures from before we left the house haha

my husband's cute :)

Brittneys panorama from the restaurant

Getting us tables and food, and arranging everything for the night!

Brittney and Brandon

Isaac and Tytus

Bennett and McKel

Jamie and Cory

When we got to Fat Bottom we had a table reserved for us, but I must admit, the waitress and others that had read the sign were just a LITTLE disappointed to find out it was a different Keith Richards who showed up haha

Friends

Keith with the Butchers

Autographing the reserved sign at the end of the night, the waiter insisted haha

Jamie, McKel and I at 308, our last stop for the night

And just for fun, here are some of my birthday posts from years past: here and here

Key West!

So obviously our trip to Key West was QUITE a party, I'm sure if you follow me on instagram you have some idea of the shenanigans that went down. There is not enough space in this post to accurately describe all the great stories of things that happened there... but hopefully these photos will do it some justice. (be prepared for a heavy one)

It all started with a late flight in to Ft Lauderdale followed by drinks with old friends at the Blue Anchor

Then a little late night swimming at my parents house, and brother Jake getting dressed and ready for the trip to Key West

Thursday we packed and readied all the vehicles for the trek south

Back seat party

The Brides and their son Jack opening up the party box from my Uncle Chris

Peter testing out the beer helmets

All the party van people!

Jake couldn't hold it, so we stopped on the side of the road,  and he proceeded to pee for literally 5 minutes

BEAUTIFUL views on the drive through the Keys!

I got annexed to the front seat for not partying hard enough in the back seat, notice how not upset I am haha

First stop was in Islamorada for drinks at the Tiki Bar, Jake didn't hesitate to test out the water first

Tres Amigos and my father

Aunt Liz and Aunt Cindy

Family :) 

Jake

Kathleen and I reliving out photo from 2008!

After we arrived at the house in Key West and Kathleen and Renee had their ceremony, the party began with barbecuing and this crew of men drinking whisky

and then getting in the pool

in their undies...

and then dancing on the counter tops

Friday morning we all rented bikes and began our adventure around the Key!

First stop was the hogs breath 

to toast the bride with Key lime shooters! These things are dangerous...

two of my favorite people :)

next was our favorite bar in town, The Green Parrot, for beers and pictures with the creepy wall decorations. 

Then it was off to the beach!

We went back to the house to eat, nap and recharge, and then we set out to find a good time (and peter drank vodka and orange juice out of the beer helmet

Tres Amigos at it again

and then Gaynelle got attacked by a green man

Lots of dancing at the Hogs Breath

and more Key Lime shooters

The dart champions

This is one of those photos no one remembers being taken haha

Saturday morning we set out on our bikes again to do some shopping around town

Do I look sleepy?

Family bike riders

I got some new Kinos, and so did my mom and aunt... we're really fancy with our colors haha

Then we had an unintentionally large group lunch at the raw bar 

and then went to the most cliche dude bar in the world. Think... MTV spring break, complete with girls in bikinis wearing heels and a DJ playing dub step

best people watching of my life

Then it was back to the beach because Tennessee is lacking in ocean

Key West sunsets are next to nothing

brother

To see the best of the sunset we met up with the whole wedding crew at Mallory Square

dudes

My beautiful mother!

Chris and Heidi

the beginning of any good family photo

and here's the outtakes haha

getting in to the spirit of the weekend... true lovers

the Bennett/Manwaring family!

my parents

and Keith and I, looking at someone elses camera... oops

My mom and her siblings, just missing one.. my uncle Paul

Getting my chocolate dipped piece of Key Lime pie.. and someone tried to photo bomb me

Sunday morning we had to pack everything up and head back to the north so that everyone could get back home, we just had to get one more shot of everyone on their bike before we returned them

On the party bus on the way home we tormented my cousin Jack a little bit...

and here are a couple photos of the beautiful home we stayed in! it was actually a few houses together connected by a great patio and private pool. 

SO PERFECT for party central. We didn't want to leave at all!

Lastly I leave you with this photo of Jack eating some $50 king crab legs before Keith and I caught a flight back to Nashville... this kid has class haha