a hurricane fort

sunday night everyone was freaking out 

because they thought a hurricane was going to hit tampa.

they even cancelled schools for monday

and bennett got his classes called off as well.

so what do you do when you're expecting a hurricane?

you build an awesome hurricane fort

and watch alfred hitchcock films, of course.

it was the best.

and it hardly even stormed that night.

robe

i got a robe and i don't think i'm ever going to take it off.

it's the softest thing i've ever felt

and it feels so good against my uncomfortable, growing, itching belly.

bennett says i'm officially a mom now

since i sit around in my robe all night

tweaking our baby registry 

and googling which brand of cloth diapers is best.

yep,

life is good.

it's a..........

baby GIRL!!!!!!!

we could not be more excited : )

halfway there

it's official- we're halfway there.

20 weeks have gone by and 20 weeks left to go.

it's honestly hard to believe.

i now feel little bumps and kicks throughout the day 

that make me smile from ear to ear.

nothing makes me happier.

it's still crazy to think that there is a tiny human in there.

a tiny human the size of a banana.

with a fast beating heart

and tiny fingernails.

but oh, how i love this baby.

all the way to the moon and back.

today we find out if it is a little he or a little she.

i can't wait to know.

it will make everything so much more real.

and to see its tiny profile up on the screen?

and hands? 

and feet?

my heart just might explode.

let the school year begin

things have been a little nuts lately.

i had preplanning at school all last week

and the kiddos start tomorrow

so i have been running around like a crazy person

trying to get not just one classroom

but TWO classrooms put together.

(i am split between 2 schools during the week)

i'm ready for things to settle down again.

i have a little too much on my plate

and all i want to do is daydream about this little baby growing inside me.

by the way

we find out this friday if it's a boy or a girl!

i am so excited.

we are having a gender reveal party on saturday 

with all of bennett's family

and my mom is flying down for the weekend.

what do you think? 

boy or girl?

photos from steph's visit!

all photos taken by and stolen from steph

steph!

my steph is coming to visit me for the rest of the week

and to say i'm excited is a bit of an understatement.

we have so many fun things planned
(the beach, eating, shopping, eating...)
i can't even wait.

heartbeat

we just heard the baby's heartbeat again.

150 beats per minute.

so strong.

so healthy.

i can't get over how much i love this tiny baby already.

images from a best friend beach weekend

this little vacation came at the perfect time.

i was feeling super stressed about school starting in a couple weeks

and i'd been feeling pretty lonely not having any friends here in tampa.

so when my best friend karlie and her drew were going to be just an hour away

at siesta key for the weekend

we knew what had to be done.

and let me tell ya something about karlie,

after 15 years our relationship just gets better and better

(we met in the 2nd grade!!)

i love this girl. so much.

it's crazy to think about everything we've been through growing up

and now she's a nurse

and i'm married

and she is hopefully going to be standing by my side

as i deliver this sweet baby into the world.

CRAZY.

life is crazy.

so our weekend consisted of sup boarding

a sandbar

so many sand dollars

naps

sunsets

ice cream and salt water taffy

and drinking games (for them of course. i stuck with orange juice : )