Third Trimester Pregnancy Symptoms

My third trimester of pregnancy was a relatively smooth experience. My biggest complaint was insomnia and fatigue. Most nights I probably slept 4-6 hours, even with the use of Benadryl. I either couldn't get comfortable in bed or had to pee a thousand times thanks to a tiny, pregnant bladder. Thankfully, I wasn't horribly uncomfortable physically until literally just days before giving birth.

The strangest symptom I had during my third trimester was seeing white stars. There were two instances where I wasn't able to see for a few minutes. It was incredibly unnerving, but everything was fine. The doctor said it was just one of those weird, normal things. Pregnancy is something else!

And, naturally, the best part of the third trimester was feeling this sweet girl roll, move and kick around — even when it meant getting jabbed in the ribs!

Other third trimester symptoms included: leaking breasts, seeing stars, fatigue, headaches, nausea, insomnia, dizziness, rapid heart rate (related to dehydration), more belly stretch marks, occasional swelling (though I think that's more related to the heat), back ache (once or twice), feeling baby and change in movements towards the end.

Always,

June N-town

With our move to Amarillo coming up, June marked my last month as the N-town editor. It was definitely bitter-sweet! Check it out here.

Always,

Oklahoma Baby Shower

Some sweet friends from church threw us a co-ed baby shower/going away party this weekend. We were grateful for the chance to celebrate with our friends and say goodbye! Sadly, I was a bad picture taker and didn't take a single one myself and thus, missed a lot of photos with friends! Thanks to Andrea, one of my hostesses, for snapping these ones for me.

 With my wonderful hostesses Sandra, Andrea, Amy and Ann!

Alien Encounter aka Baby Kicks

Feeling your baby move, roll and kick inside you is one of the most surreal experiences. Words do not adequately describe it. Seeing it is about as weird as it feels. Case in point:

I swear she's about to burst through the skin at any moment. Straight up alien encounter over here.

Always,

Second Trimester Pregnancy Symptoms

My second trimester of pregnancy was good, for the most part. Some days I felt really good and could almost forget I was pregnant, and other days I really struggled. The hardest part was dealing with dizziness and a rapid heart rate. It took me almost the entire 12 weeks to discover it was related to how well hydrated I was. Most mornings I would feel light-headed and couldn't catch my breath, but once I got to work and drank enough water I felt just fine! My nurse told me mornings were probably particularly bad since I hadn't been drinking water all night. Once I started drinking a glass or two of water before bed — and yes, I have to use the rest room in the middle of the night — I felt significantly better come morning and therefore, the rest of the day, too. 

Where Was God?

I recently interviewed the producer of a faith-based documentary about the May 20, 2013, EF-5 Moore, Okla., tornado called "Where Was God? Stories of Hope After the Storm." The movie follows a handful of families and individuals on their road to recovery after the tornado. You can read the full story here.

While I was talking to Steven, the producer, I discovered that one of the women in the movie is a woman I took several pictures of on May 20. I thought her face looked familiar in the trailer and remembered it from the pictures I had taken. I showed Steven and he told me about her.

Associated Press awards

I recently earned two recognitions at the B Division of the Associated Press/Oklahoma News Executives competition.

I earned third place for "spot news" for my story covering the May 20, 2013, EF-5 Moore tornado. You can read that story here.

I also earned second place for "general news" for my story covering the May 20, 2013, EF-5 Moore tornado. And I honestly have no idea which story it is referring to — I think either this one or this one.

Always,

Amarillo by Morning

Palo Duro Canyon outside of Amarillo, Texas

Nathaniel was lucky enough to have graduated with a job. I am at once incredibly proud and jealous! Nathaniel accepted a position with Child Protective Services out of Amarillo, Texas. We are both excited for the opportunities it will provide for him!

Mother's Day

For my May column I wrote about my mamma's — my own mother and my mother-in-law. I gave my mom the column as the card to her Mother's Day gift. She bawled! I call that success! Read my column here.

With my mom and mother-in-law in 2010 at my bridal shower.

Always,

Nathaniel's graduation

Nathaniel graduated this semester from the University of Oklahoma with his bachelor's degree in sociology. I am so proud of him! Nathaniel has grown a tremendous amount as a student over the last few years. He went from academic probation after his first semester at OU to the dean's list his last semester. He is also the first in his family to graduate from a four-year college. Way to go, Nathaniel!

May N-town

May 2014 N-town is DONE.

Always,

On roller derby girls, hot dog costumes, photo bloggers and macaws

Sometimes my job is serendipitously fun. Covering the second day of Norman Music Festival was such a day.

Honestly, I hate writing stories on large festivals like Norman Music Festival because the story relies totally on man-on-the-street interviews. These types of interviews are usually awful and boring, and only occasionally really spectacular — if you're lucky.

The makings of a perfect night at work.

In the Newsroom

The average newsroom isn't a glamorous place. To be frank, ours feels like a dungeon — it's in the back of the building and there's no windows. Most things are aged more than is reasonable. Like the desks. Lord knows when those were purchased. But still, this is where the magic happens.

I sit next to the photographers' desks, and our lead photographer Kyle Phillips often experiments with his camera while I sit at my desk...here are some of his creations taken while I work at my desk.

Taken April 25

Showing

I always assumed when I was pregnant that I would show quickly and get huge. That has not been the case. My body has shifted dramatically, though! When I was only about 10 weeks and had only gained about six pounds, I had gained two inches onto my waist line. I have also gone up a cup size already, and trying to embrace my already DD bra. YIKES!

In November before I found out I was pregnant, and around 17 weeks. I'm a little more pouchy here.

17 weeks and pre-pregnancy. I think you can see the adjustment on my waistline here.

At around 22 weeks it started to become more obvious, and not just look like I was chubby!

Dana's poster

My dear friend Dana recently commissioned me to create a poster for one of her friends, with the saying "Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." The quote is something they use to encourage each other at work. At first we envisioned the poster with color, but after completing it, we both felt maybe the design would be stronger in simple black. And thus, two posters were created.

The two final products, both created with ink. The color image is purple with gold leaf on the bottom.

Always,

You know you're pregnant when...

All the reasons I've cried thus far:

• My boobs are going to get comically big.
• I'm going to get fat.
• Pure exhaustion.
• Nathaniel is cute. Yes, really.
• My carbonated water exploded when I opened it.
• Nathaniel squished a single, solitary ant. 

Thank you, pregnancy hormones, for making me a crazy person. The best part is I'm usually laughing and crying at the same time because I realize how absolutely ridiculous I'm being.

Always,

Associated Press, take 3

My story on Art Feeds was picked up by the Associated Press and ran in several publications nation wide, including The Washington Times, The San Francisco Chronicle and The Houston Chronicle.

Feeling pretty proud about now!

Always,

April N-town

April N-town done and out highlighting some pretty incredible local arts initiatives. 

Always,

On art, therapy and tornadoes

I spent 12 weeks this spring volunteering for Art Feeds, an art therapy program, in Plaza Towers Elementary, one of two schools destroyed in Moore, Okla., on May 20, 2013, from an EF-5 tornado.

I spent Monday mornings in one of two 5th grade classes, rotating every week. Some of the kids were very open about their experiences with the tornado, sharing stories about their homes being destroyed or their dog never coming home. It was always brought up matter-of-fact. Living in the wake of the tornado, after all, is just a reality of their young lives. Others hardly mentioned it, but brought up other life issues. One week the project was to do a self-portrait. Students were instructed to draw themselves however they saw themselves, inside and out. All but one child drew themselves with smiles. A boy drew himself frowning and crying. I asked him about it. He said he's always sad. He said he's medicated and just feels numb to everything. It was heartbreaking to hear such a young person share something do distressing.

A few weeks later the project was to use cardboard boxes to rebuild Moore the way they envisioned it — fill in all the empty spaces left from the tornado with whatever they want. Students were told they could do anything — from the funky to the practical. The same sad, sweet boy decided he would build a pharmacy — because people still need their medications. Many students still did silly — video game stores, Sponge Bob stores (as seen below), or houses with swings and slides. But others wanted to be sure there were plenty of hospitals and new schools for everyone. It was incredible watching these bright, hopeful minds imagine the future as they reflected on a dark spot in their pasts.

One of the hospitals built by students.

Weird Dreams

Pregnancy has given me insomnia and weird dreams to boot. This was one of my favorite:

I had a dream that I rode my bicycle — what bike? I don't own one — to the McDonald's drive through for a vanilla soft serve cone. They ran out of ice cream and I rode back disappointed.

To say the least, I wanted a vanilla cone when I woke up. Damn, hormones.

Always,