May highlights: third trimester, Pride & Prejudice in North Carolina, Mother's Day, Idlewild!

 1) Pregnancy updates. the first week of May coincided with entering the 30th week of pregnancy ... as well as finding out that I officially have gestational diabetes after successfully dodging it with the others. as a PA who regularly manages type 2 diabetes and is reasonably familiar with type 1 diabetes (although all of our type 1s are ultimately managed by endocrinology), I was amazed and humbled at all there is to learn about gestational diabetes. essentially, as pregnancy progresses, the placenta causes the mother to become progressively more resistant to insulin. this happens in all pregnancies even with the healthiest lifestyle imaginable, but when it tips the threshold into gestational diabetes, then diet and exercise become key to helping manage it. I met with a dietitian as well as the maternal fetal medicine high risk OB who both were so kind and encouraging in talking about how best to manage blood sugars (essentially, eating a balanced amount of carbs for each meal paired with plenty of protein and fiber, making sure to eat 2-3 snacks per day especially at bedtime to prevent fluctuations in blood sugar, and ideally walking for 10-15 minutes after each meal). they also stressed the importance of eating enough carbs and calories to support a healthy pregnancy, rather than restricting as a means to get good numbers. I check my glucose four times daily (fasting, and one hour after each meal), and my meter automatically syncs to an app on my phone, and that automatically uploads to my OB's office so they can review my readings each week. so far, the vast majority of my levels have been in range, so I haven't needed to start medication. of course, I will do whatever is best to keep baby healthy, but fingers crossed it stays that way! 

30 week bump, and my dad!

amazing technology! 

on a happier note, preparations are underway for baby's arrival. I found a fantastic rocker/recliner for our bedroom that should make for a quiet place to snuggle and feed baby, and is already my new favourite reading spot. thanks to a very generous gift from my family (and Amazon's baby registry completion discount!), I splurged on a new double Bob jogger to replace the old one I had given away when the older girls outgrew it. yes, this means we now have two double strollers, but they each have their own specific purpose and function (this is Nick's reasoning behind his fleet of vehicles and I get it!). I can't say enough about how much running impacts my physical and mental health, so being able to hit my favourite (flat) trail with the kiddos is very important to me.

cozy bedroom nook

thing 1 and thing 2 in the jogger, circa 2017. this version had a locked front wheel so
it was great for jogging but tough to maneuver at the park, etc.

the 2023 version with all the bells and whistles for thing 3 and thing 4... she's a beaut! 

2) North Carolina adventures. thanks to Nick and my wonderful mother-in-law, I was able to take a solo road trip down to North Carolina for the weekend to watch Kira perform the lead role in a stunning outdoor production of Pride and Prejudice! right after work on Friday, I picked up the girls from school and daycare, drove an hour east to meet up with Sabrina, kissed the girls goodbye, and then started the drive south. I absolutely love road trips, both with friends and just with my own self. (road trips with kids are not quite the same...) around 10 pm, I pulled into the hotel I had booked in advance off the interstate in West Virginia. the next morning, after taking advantage of the free hot breakfast and fueling up, I was back on the road -- although I absolutely had to stop to take a little walk out to view the New River Gorge bridge before driving over it! the drive went by quickly with Pride and Prejudice on audio to refresh my memory, and a long overdue, much-needed phone conversation with my dear friend Julie. 

have compression socks, will travel (see also: mom in her late thirties
gives absolutely zero thought to how she looks in public)

the longest steel arched bridge in the Western hemisphere at 3,030 feet long

finally, around 1 pm, I arrived in Asheboro, NC, where Kira had been living for the past month for rehearsals. after lunch at the hotel with my parents and Auntie Kris, we drove over to the performance venue, the incredibly beautiful Linbrook Heritage Estate in Trinity, NC. the experience truly began the moment we pulled into the long drive approaching the estate, which made the perfect backdrop for the show. tickets included a delicious dinner from a local cafe. the show itself was such a delight: the stage adaptation held true to the book (with many lines taken verbatim from the text) but added so many comedic elements that let every character shine. I was a bit concerned about being able to hear the actors in an outdoor setting without mics, but the brick house essentially functioned as a soundshell so we could hear perfectly even if an actor's back was turned. and of course, Kira's performance was phenomenal! as the show swept to its dramatic conclusion with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth finally professing their love, the audience sat in hushed silence and then burst into applause. 

entrance to the estate

Pemberley, is that you?

Dad, Mom, and Auntie Kris. we were seated here specifically because Kira walked
around the audience and came right past us at a few points in the show. we had to be courteous
audience members and try not to be distracting!

Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham

dancing with Mr. Darcy

a passionate argument...

...transformed into passionate love!

of course, I had all the big sister feels throughout the whole performance. Kira was born when I was about to turn 8, and from her toddler years on, she was the adorable star of dozens of plays and musicals we put on for our amused parents. it was such a joy to see her on the professional stage, with her natural talent honed by years of hard work and careful technique!

on Sunday morning, Dad and I attended a vibrant Catholic parish just a mile away from our hotel. the mass was an interesting blend of contemporary music and decor combined with deep piety, with many of the parishioners wearing veils and receiving the Eucharist on the tongue (with the altar server holding the Communion-plate underneath to prevent any particle of the Host from falling to the ground). then we all reconvened for a delicious brunch before I got on the road again, this time making the seven-hour drive in one day. meanwhile, Nick had picked up the girls at Sabrina's and arrived home with them shortly after I got back. a weekend to remember, for sure! 

3) Soccer season ends for Cecilia. her last session was held inside the gym due to cold weather. for the most part, she has loved soccer, but on this last day she was not feeling it (she kept coming over to me and saying "this is too much running!"). she finally mustered up her gumption to finish out the scrimmage and then practice kicking in some goals at the end of practice. to celebrate, we stopped at Rita's Italian Ice where she confidently ordered a mix of chocolate custard with "mermaid splash" (blue raspberry) Italian ice and declared it delicious, notwithstanding dubious looks from me. 

4) Mother's Day. the day began with a shower of handmade gifts and cards, including a letter from Greta written in invisible ink, which is still apparently the height of 9-year-old coolness. Nick thoughtfully gave me a gift certificate for a prenatal massage. Cecilia prepared a bowl of fruit salad for me and Nick had prepared my coffee with the perfect amount of half and half (he apologized that he couldn't find my usual preferred flavored creamer in the fridge, but that's an intentional swap due to the gestational diabetes diagnosis -- it's shocking how much faster sugary drinks will spike your glucose levels compared to solid foods!). after mass, we stuffed ourselves with a delicious lunch at Buca di Beppo, and in the afternoon, I betook myself and my book out to the backyard to read in the sun for an hour. finally, I was able to chat with my own mom and sister for a combined total of two and half hours, while folding laundry and preparing dinner. (AirPods for the win!) it was a truly restful day and I am so grateful for my girls! 

daycare crafts are just the best

fresh-picked bouquet from the bounties of Nick's garden. I have the blackest of black thumbs ... any beautification of our yard is his doing!

5) Idlewild. we finished out the month with a trip to Idlewild, courtesy of the season passes Sabrina gifted the girls for Christmas -- even more fun since she was able to join us! Idlewild is such a delightful amusement park with mostly smaller rides and an attached waterpark. this summer, Cecilia has surpassed the 48" height requirement for being able to ride every ride without an adult, so she and Greta had a great time (although Greta rode the thrill rides alone -- she is for sure our coaster fanatic!). this is a timely development since I'm usually the one who goes on the more intense spinning rides with the kids, but at 33 weeks pregnant, that wasn't in the cards! Elizabeth wasn't so sure about her first ride on the balloons but she did love splashing in the kiddie zone at the waterpark while the older girls surfed in the wave pool. 

100% the best photo of the day. I never buy the ride photos but this was well worth it!

"get me out of here"

Elizabeth was all excited to ride the carousel and kept trying to get the horse to giddy-up,
but sadly the ride broke down and they had to get off. next time!

doing her favourite thing, "wash wash wash"

the sign of a successful day!