Oh snap

This is a picture of heaven ladies and gentleman. HEAVEN! I have been needing, dreaming about, wanting, dying for all things potato this week - and what do you know that my mother-in-law happens to make THE BEST company potatoes on the face of the earth, there's no disputing this. She has been so sweet, last week she called my mom to get her chicken and dumpling recipe so she could surprise me since it's my favorite, I was so happy and blown away at how thoughtful it was - especially considering it's a crazy hard recipe!

So for the last few days I've been driving Jared crazy talking about his mom's potatoes and how I have dreams about casserole dishes with arms and legs dancing around with potatoes that have arms and legs - don't judge me. I've tried explaining to him that I have lost all control of my brain and taste buds. Yesterday I told Lori about my potato dreams and asked if the next time she was making her famous dish I could come over and help (and eat half the batch). When she emailed me later in the day and said that she was bringing them over that night I wanted to run out and hug everyone in my office and tell them the great news. POTATOES!!

They never tasted so glorious - heaven!

I know it can't be healthy to only eat potatoes for dinner but I told Lori "It could be worse, at least it's not cupcakes 24/7 or something!" And she said "There's no such thing as better or worse, if it's cupcakes you wanted it would be cupcakes 24/7! That's just how it is!" If that's not the best thing to say to a pregnant lady I don't know what is!! LOVE her.

On to non-potato related topics - we're wrapping up the semester here, THANK GOODNESS! Jared is taking 19 hours and has finals next week so I know he is more than ready to be finished, we both are! Only four summer classes and then graduation in August!! It's so crazy to think he's almost done, crazy and not crazy at the same time because he's definitely put the time in and earned it. He has two job offers so we'll either be in Houston or Dallas after August. Yay!



The past three years I have worked at the business school at A&M which has been amazing. One of the things we'll miss the most when we leave is our annual spring break trip to NYC. Every year I take 15-20 students to meet with companies in the city for 5 days and I get to bring Jared with me! The first trip was Jared's first time to the city so we had a lot of fun doing the touristy things and I loved getting to show him my favorite things to do there and places to eat.



This last trip was our third time there together and it was really fun because by now we know our favorite spots and things to do. We stayed at the most amazing hotel in Murray Hill - the Affinia Dumont. I LOVE this hotel because all of the rooms have a full kitchen - stove, microwave, refrigerator, everything! It's a fitness hotel so they always have fresh fruit at the desk, a pillow menu you can choose from every night, and the best staff ever. We also love that it's walking distance to everything in Midtown without being in the middle of all of the noise and traffic. I HIGHLY recommend it if you're going to the city anytime soon!!

They upgraded us for free so that was fun, we loved our room! (Jared loved it because I could watch American Idol in the bedroom and he could watch basketball in the living room)



Here are some sunrise pictures from our window overlooking the East River. (PS - I do not lug my huge camera around on these trips so bear with me with the point and shoot)



We always eat at ESPN Zone on Times Square, Jared's favorite and shop a ton, my favorite. Jared went to the Met while I was at appointments so I got to hear all about the weapons and arms section of the museum, haha. We also asked our concierge what their favorite restaurants were and ended up having some of the best Italian food and going to a hole in the wall burger joint that was voted best burger in NYC (and we agreed). It was SO MUCH FUN!

The night we got home was when I found out I was pregnant so I'm glad the clothes I bought were the blousy style tops that I won't grow out of when I start showing! We have our 3 month appointment in 2 weeks so we're really excited, it's funny how much you look forward to seeing those blobs on the ultrasound that don't really look like anything. I can't wait to see what's changed since last time! I'll be sure and post the pictures when they give them to us.

I'm also excited to be out of the first trimester in two weeks, everyone has told me that it is the worst as far as tired and sick goes so c'mon second trimester!! And for me, those pressure bands that my doctor recommended don't do squat! Other than this -



Not fun. I think he should start recommending these -




Mmmmmmm......potatoes....

One more

..from a recent session. This dad was so cute with his girls!

The ultimate bubble wand

I promise a full life update is coming soon, I have been seriously slacking, eating way to many ramen noodles, and going to bed very early lately so bear with me. In the mean time here's a cute series from a recent session. I was as mesmerized by the bubble wand as she was, that thing is awesome!!

Swings and Trains

That's all you need to keep this little guy entertained! He was such a cutie.

Spoke too soon...

I think I jinxed myself last week when writing the post about feeling great, it wasn't four hours later that I was speeding through the cracker isle at Kroger exhausted and nauseous. I felt like the checkout guy was mocking me when he asked how I was doing. I felt like saying "I'm buying thirteen boxes of crackers and all the chicken soup you have, I'll let you guess smarty pants" but I figured that was the hormones talking and just smiled instead.

So after frantic emails to my pregnant and formerly pregnant friends I found a few things that are definitely helping - thank goodness!!

1. B-6 vitamins in the morning - total lifesaver!



2. Small snacks throughout the day - not letting myself get too hungry.



3. Sleep!!! I definitely feel like an old lady going to bed at 8:00 every night, but it's better than being sick!



4. Having the best husband in the world - seriously, he could not be more supportive or helpful, and he loves to clean. I love him to pieces.
   
   
   
   

   *Example - The past couple of weeks I've been unapologetically going to bed at 8:00 which has been great for me, but not so great for Jared who usually stays up until 11:00 or so watching ESPN by himself and then walks my unconscious alter ego upstairs to bed. The past week or so he's been adjusting my blanket on the couch and wiping my face as I cry (because I'm a wimp) about being sick of being sick.
   

   So I sent him an email this morning about going to see a movie tomorrow (yay, something fun!) and this is what he wrote back: "Yes I do! Maybe the 11:30am showing seeing how that is your best time of day;) love you" Bless his heart, he knows that I'm likely to go downhill come 2:00 or 3:00.



5. Good hair days - thanks Matt! Feeling blah is one thing, but feeling blah with bad hair is a completely different story.



6. American Idol - not really sure how this one helps with morning sickness, I just love this show. Love Chris, love Danny Gokey. However I am not on the Adam train, has anyone else noticed that he sticks his tongue out when he sings the high notes. Creepy.



7. Sophie - because she is always right by my side and so concerned.
   
   
   
   
   
   And she's the only one I know that needs more sleep than me, and she's beautiful, and she makes me laugh because she sits on everything like this -
   
   
   
   
   

So thanks to everyone for the advice and support! It's still a day to day thing so if anyone else has anything to add please feel free. And thanks to all of my clients for being so patient, I know sooner or later I will be able to sit in front of a computer longer than 15 minutes without wanting to die. This 15 minutes is up, peace.

Little Miss Margaux

I had so much fun with this cute family from Washington D.C.! I was super impressed that with all of the travel and time changes little Margaux was so good, already an expert traveler.

How are you feeling?

I get asked this question a lot now that people know I'm pregnant, which is the first question I would ask a pregnant person too. Honestly, I've been great! When we first found out almost four weeks ago I wouldn't have even guessed that I was pregnant - no nauseau, no moodiness, I felt great...

...but I desperately needed to eat tomato basil soup at least once a day, it got to be a little ridiculous. (tomato basil soup for breakfast - don't put it past me)

Now I'm seven weeks in and have started noticing that I am definitely pregnant, for instance the thought of tomato basil soup now sickens me. I can't even look at the picture in this post without feeling nauseous. The past two days I've been feeling a little carsick (that's what I tell myself anyways). Carsick while sitting at my desk, carsick watching tv, maybe it's not carsickness.

I haven't had any weight gain but I'm not too worried. I'm not going to be one of THOSE pregnant people that agonize over every single pound and drive everyone crazy obsessing about still fitting or not fitting into their jeans. I plan on excercising just like I have, eating for one, having more protein and wheat germ (hear that mom!), and I'm sure I'll stay within the 25-30lb range that the doctor says is "normal". If not, I'll get a trainer afterwards. No stressing, this will not be the end of the world.

So that being said everything is great! (but don't come near me with any tomato basil soup)

A few fun ones...

from our session in Austin. I wanted to do some where people would look at them and say "That is so them!" So what does Jared love - all things camo/anything manly. What do I love - clothes/shopping/Anthropologie. Here's what we came up with.

He's camouflaged in a tree, I'm camouflaged in an Anthropologie store window.





I LOVE these.




Oh and we made it onto Sarah Q's blog (our oh-so-amazing photograher) - check it out HERE!

Oh baby...

This post has way too many pictures! I've been so behind on posting and proofing lately so please forgive me! There has been A LOT going on at the Jacox house so here's a quick update:

Got back from NY a week and a half ago (pictures coming from that trip too) and had a session with the amaaazzzinng Sarah Q. in Austin. It was so fun (and wierd) being on the other side of the camera!! But we had such a blast and Sarah is a genius with the camera so every single image is my favorite ever. I love her. Here are a few faves, more to come later!

LOVE these.

















And then the exciting part! On Wednesday after we got home from New York I found out I was pregnant! (yes, it was planned!) I knew we had our photo session Saturday morning and thought it would be so awesome if I told Jared the news during the session so we could have his reaction captured forever. So I called Sarah and ran the idea past her and she loved it, then I just had to keep my mouth shut for the next two days which was REALLY hard to do!!

I love all of these, they are so priceless!!!



At first I said, "We're going to have a baby!" But I don't think he quite got it at first.




So then I said, "I'm pregnant!!" He definitely got it then!








In shock. Trying to hold in the tears because he didn't know if the photographer knew or not. He kept saying later, "I didn't think she knew so I didn't want her to think I was losing it for no reason!"





Me telling him that she was in on it with me!







Jared amazed that I kept quiet for two days!!










Me trying to poke out my belly and pretend that I'm showing.




Just a little bean right now!!




Happiness.




So we went to our first doctor's appointment yesterday and saw the little heartbeat, it is so amazing!! They gave us a due date of November 25th so it will be a Thanksgiving baby! We are so so excited and can't wait for the adventures ahead!