38 Weeks!

How far along?
38 weeks! READY TO POP!

How big is the baby?  
He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he is over 19 1/2 inches long

Weight gain?
Still at 30 pounds. 

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Stretch Marks?
None that I can see.

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Sleep? 
Sleeping good. Always tired! I think I am ready to have this baby.

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Best moment of the week?
Our babymoon at Wild Dunes Resort was the best moment of my week. It was incredible. Such a relaxing trip! It was exactly what I needed. I think when I am at home all day, I have a hard time relaxing. I have a million things racing through my mind all of the time. Sometimes it is nice to get away, even if it is just for a few days! I have had a great few days really. My Uncle Tom, Aunt Marge, and cousin Katie, came to town from Colorado over the weekend. It was so fun to visit with them. We went out on the boat and had a great dinner at BIN112 in Greer. Then the glider came in on Tuesday. I LOVE it!! It matches the room perfectly. I even won this gorgeous Francesca Joy vibrant hand-painted tote bag from The Love List!  Life is good! 

Food and cravings? 

I wanted anything frozen while we were at the beach! I had yummy Snickers ice cream at Duney's ice cream shop. A delicious strawberry milkshake at Rush's in Columbia on our way to Charleston, and a non-alcoholic pina colada.

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Movement? 

He moves around SO much! It is crazy. I thought they started moving less at this point in the pregnancy because there is less room in my belly but he seems to find a way to keep on shaking in there. I think feeling him move is my favorite part of being pregnant. I love watching my belly go up and down and I have fun guessing what he is doing in there.

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What I miss? 

I missed boogie boarding at the beach. And just running around like usual. I kind of wish I could have played a round of golf too. But I have a feeling I will do my fair share of running around once this little guy starts crawling and walking! 

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Belly Button? 

Never turned into an "outtie" but it is gone.

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Looking forward to? 

I am looking forward to having this baby! I can't wait to hold him in my arms. And I can't wait to see Erik with him. They are going to be so cute. 

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Most Nervous About?

I am actually kind of nervous about breast-feeding. I have heard so many stories of mommas that want to breast-feed and aren't able to. I really hope I can and that it is not too difficult. I took a class and have been reading books and I think I will be fine but for some reason it makes me nervous that it will not work out like I hope.

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 Milestone? 

Making it to Charleston and back without giving birth to Harper. Most people thought we were crazy for risking it. But I knew the little man would listen to his mama and stay in for a few more days! As far as my checkup was concerned, I have not really progressed any more since last week. My next checkup is on Wed. 

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I also want to give a big CONGRATS to Miss Caroline and Nick. They are ENGAGED! Nick proposed while they were kayaking in Isle of Palms, SC. I am telling yall, 2011 is the year of the weddings! And I think they are all going to be within a few months of each other. I can't wait!  

I also wanted to shed some light on a very important cause.

September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and the color that represents Ovarian Cancer is Teal.

Ovarian Cancer, known as the "Silent Killer," is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. The American Cancer Society estimates that 21,880 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the U.S. in 2010 and about 13,850 women will die from the disease. It is an insidious disease that can strike without warning or cause.

"Teal Toes,"  promotes awareness to the symptoms of ovarian cancer.

"Women - and men! - are painting their toenails teal during September. Why? To raise awareness of Ovarian Cancer in order to save lives. Teal Toes encourages people to paint their toenails teal, the color of Ovarian Cancer Awareness, during September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

"Painting toenails teal, the Ovarian Cancer color, starts the conversation about the signs of this whispering killer," said Carey Fitzmaurice, founder of Teal Toes and a four year survivor of Ovarian Cancer. "The conversation can save lives. Women diagnosed at an early stage have a much higher five-year survival rate than those diagnosed at a later stage. Fewer than 20 percent of Ovarian Cancer patients are diagnosed early."

Go go get a pedicure and paint those toes teal! 

And one more thing:

GO COCKS!!

TB+Diva

The Perfect Babymoon!

We made it!! It is official, we made it to Wild Dunes and back without going into labor! On Tuesday morning I went to the doctors to get my weekly checkup. I am still a little over 2 cm dilated. But I did not progress to 3 so they gave me the "ok" to go on our babymoon. I am so thankful they did because it was absolutely perfect!

When Erik got off work on Tuesday night, we headed to Charleston. We didn't get in until after 11PM. We stayed with my good friend Brooke. We were able to catch up and she saw the gigantic belly. It was nice to get a few hours to hang out! Normally when we make our way to Charleston, we try to reconnect with all of our friends that live in the area. But this trip was short, sweet, and was really a chance to have a few quiet days together before Mr. Harper arrives. So unfortunately we didn't meet up with anyone else during our visit.

On Wednesday morning we stopped for a nice little breakfast then went straight to Wild Dunes Resort. The weather was PERFECT and the resort was just as beautiful as I remembered. All of the staff is wonderful and so helpful. I could have stayed for weeks. Really, I was ready to move on in. Our suite was gorgeous and overlooked the pools. Here are a few photos:

As soon as we got dressed, we headed straight to the ocean. I laid out in the sun, read a few pregnancy books, took a dip in the water, and fell asleep for a few hours. Erik and my dad headed to the golf course and played 18 holes. They said the course was gorgeous and they even saw dolphins swimming on the waterway as the sun set on the course. I think they had a blast! 

On Wednesday night, Erik and I enjoyed an AMAZING meal at the Sea Island Grill and Lounge. I started off with the local heirloom tomatoes. They were dusted with Hawaiian Black Lava Salt, Smoked Mozzarella, Basil Chiffonnade and topped with a Charred Onion Vinaigrette. It was seriously delicious! And Erik started off with the Baby Butter Lettuce Salad that had Cayenne Candied Pecans, Shaved Vidalia Onions, Pickled Strawberries, and was served with a Honey Lavender Vinaigrette. Yummy!  For dinner I had the all natural Filet of Beef that was served with black pepper potato rösti, Tobacco Onions, Gorgonzola Fondue, and a Cabernet Reduction. It was so good that I would probably get the same exact meal on our next visit. Erik got the grilled scallops and the were wonderful too! 

Yesterday we woke up and headed to the pool. The weather was still perfect and it was a great time to visit the resort because it wasn't crowded at all! We had lunch at the Grand Pavilion Café & Bar and it was surprisingly good for beach food. I would highly recommend the mahi fish tacos. They were great! After lunch we went down to the beach and relaxed all day long. The ocean water was perfect and felt like bath-water! We found hundreds of sand dollars under our toes. 

I even enjoyed a lovely pina colada. My first of the year. Of course, it was alcohol-free, but it was still delicious! We couldn't have asked for a better destination or weather for our babymoon! It was the perfect last hooray! And I am so thankful Harper decided to stay in a little longer.

We ended our trip with dinner at Poe's.  We can't make a trip to Charleston without a visit to Poe's. Their burgers and fish tacos are unbelievable! I got the Black Cat burger. It was topped with grilled onions, Edgar's drunken chili, applewood bacon and pimiento cheese. Any preggo woman's dream! And Erik got the Gold Bug burger with applewood bacon and blue-cheese. It was a perfect way to end our trip!

The Southern Preppy Bro

I came across this HYSTERICAL write-up on BroBible.com. Please excuse the foul language. I didn't write it, so I didn't feel right editing it... but it seriously cracked me up and I had to share. I decided to add some photos of my friends to help illustrate.

The Southern Preppy Bro:

It's game day. As you walk to the tailgate you get some weird looks from the opposing team's fans. It's not your fault they don't know how to dress. Sure it's 95 degrees out, but who the fuck cares? You look fucking sick in your sports coat, bow tie, and lobster pants. As the sun starts to creep into your eyes you touch your head to see if you remembered to wear your shades. Fuck -- they aren't there. Immediately you realize you're a fucking idiot -- obviously they're hanging around your neck on your Croakies.

With the tailgate in sight, you hear the voice: "Spare some change, sir?" Are you fucking kidding me? You are not in the mood. Not only are you late for the tailgate, but you just stepped in a puddle and now your top siders are fucking drenched, and now this? "No I don't have any change, but I do have some advice: GET A FUCKING JOB!!" Doesn't he realize how fucking easy it is for your Dad to get you a job with one of his golfing buddies? As you walk away, you give him the finger. Victory is sweet. Now, even if they couldn't tell by your clothes, everyone will know that you're better than them. Of course you are, after all, you're the Southern preppy bro. Often spotted at SEC schools such as Ole Miss, Georgia, or Tennessee, Southern preppy bros are brave as shit. You really have to be when everyone wants to kick your ass just because of what you are wearing. Southern prep bros love designer brand clothing even more than those sluts on "Sex and the City." Having a Lacoste croc, Polo horse, or trying-to-kill-himself Brooks Brothers sheep somewhere on your clothes immediately validates you as a true Sothern preppy bro. After they get decked out, Southern preppy bros can be found googling moonshine recipes beneath their Confederate flag in their frat house bedroom listening to some Kenny Chesney song with a fat pinch of dip lodged in their lower lip. A favorite pastime rivaled only by their love of pastel v-neck sweaters and veiled racism is their ability to make girls think they are "gentlemen." For some ridiculous reason, Southern girls demand to be treated like "ladies." Bros fucking hate this, but because of their resourcefulness, Southern preppy bros have adapted. By doing shit that other bros across the country would never do -- such as pulling out chairs, holding doors open, and actually going out on dates with girls -- Southern preppy bros are able to achieve the goal they share with bros across the county: Getting Laid. So the next time you see a bro out at the bar sipping whiskey with a haircut that looks as though he just got done filming "Two a Days," don't call him a tool or yell at him to get back to fucking his farm animals. He may refuse to pound your fist since it's "too ghetto" but shake his hand, he's a bro and the last thing this world needs is more bro on bro violence.

I happen to be a huge fan of the Southern Preppy Bro attire. Here are some of my favorites:

Packing List for the hospital!

We are packing my hospital bag! Just in case the little man decides to come early... we figure we would go ahead and get everything ready. 


I found this list online:


*Nightgown or pajamas Find out if your hospital requires you to wear one of their gowns. If not, you may prefer to bring a gown or pajamas from home. If you are planning to nurse, be sure to bring pajamas that open down the front (you don't want to be lifting up a long gown to breastfeed). Pack a pair of pajamas or a gown that you don't mind soiling for right after birth (lochia may ruin this set) or just plan to wear a hospital gown until your bleeding has subsided. It's a good idea to bring at least three gowns or pairs of pjs in case you have a longer stay than anticipated—you won't want to send hubby home to do laundry!

*Slippers and socks Hospitals are notoriously chilly, so plan ahead to keep your tootsies warm. Bring slippers or socks for walking around your room or down the hall.

*Bathrobe Most moms find themselves walking the halls in a nightgown and robe at some point during their stays. This may be a fun time to splurge a little on something nice you won't mind wearing in public.

*Nursing bra, pads, and tops These are especially wonderful for breastfeeding moms, but the bras are not a bad idea even if you don't plan on nursing. Nursing bras give you extra protection and support.

*Underwear You may want to wear the mesh underwear provided by the hospital since lochia can sometimes be rather heavy after delivery and pads often do leak. Or you may be more comfortable in some soft, old undies from home. Either way, it's best to be prepared and bring a few pair with you, just in case. Comfort is key post birth!

*Sanitary napkins The hospital will likely provide napkins for you, but you may want to bring your favorite brand. You'll need comfortable, highly absorbent napkins with plenty of coverage for your underwear.

*Toiletries Don't forget your toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, and a hair brush. You may even wish to bring some lotion and shampoo and conditioner. Lip balm is a good thing to add to your bag also; all that heavy breathing during labor and delivery can dry your lips.

*The going-home outfit Moms-to-be, it's time for a reality check! Put aside those hopes of wearing your favorite pre-pregnancy jeans home from the hospital and opt for something loose fitting and comfortable. You will probably still look pregnant (it takes time for most women's bodies to shrink back to pre-pregnancy size), and if you have a C-section you will appreciate something loose at your waist. You'll also want flat, comfortable shoes.

*Baby clothes Most moms bring something special for their little ones to wear on their first outings into the world. Be sure to consider the weather when you choose an outfit for your newborn. If it's cold outside, you'll need to bundle baby! And be sure to bring a cap for your baby's head (although they usually give you a cute one at the hospital).

*Diaper bag Time to start toting the bag! Bring a few diapers and some gentle wipes. The bag will also be handy to carry home all the extras you get at the hospital such as literature, thermometer, and a bulb syringe.

*Car seat This is a must. Your baby won't be allowed to ride home without a car seat!

*Receiving blankets Most newborns love to be swaddled. Although your nurse will no doubt send you home with hospital-issue blankets, it is nice to pack a couple extra soft and cozy wraps for your newborn.

*Phone book and calling card You'll want to share the joy of having a baby without paying the hospital's long distance rates.

*Video camera, camera, and extra batteries  Check with your doctor before you go into labor about the hospital's policy on taking pictures and videos in the delivery room. If you're not using a digital camera, bring plenty of film to capture those precious moments of your newborn's first minutes, hours, and days.


*Music player and favorite music Both during labor and after your baby is born you'll appreciate the familiarity of your favorite tunes as background music.

*Snacks You likely will not be eating or drinking much during labor, but the dad-to-be may want to fuel up without leaving you to find a snack machine. It's also nice to have a healthy snack for after delivery—you may be starving and very thirsty (hey, having a baby is hard work!), and if it's the middle of the night you'll be grateful for something to munch on.

*Breastfeeding information Bring a breastfeeding book or consider scheduling a lactation consultant to visit you after the baby is born. Some hospitals provide this service, but it's a good idea to double check with your provider and insurance company before the birth.
Niceties

*Laptop After delivery, you may want to take a few minutes to send your favorite cyber friends a virtual birth announcement.

*Baby book or journal You may want to jot down some details in Baby's book while everything is still fresh in your mind. Don't forget to see if the baby book has a place for newborn footprints—you can have these done at the hospital.

*Massage lotion/aromatherapy items Splurge on some special pampering lotions and aromas. Massaging you during labor will also give your partner something to do to help you (and him) keep busy.

*Cosmetics This is for moms who like to look great in all photographs! At the very least you may like to put on a little makeup after deliver as a pick-me-up and to greet any well-wishers and visitors.

Do yall have any advice or any items that you 
think are helpful that are missing from this list?I would love any helpful tips or pointers.

Puppy Love

Grown Pup

Fender when he was itty bitty! 

I am obsessed with my pup. I think he is the most beautiful and intelligent dog in the Universe. He has been such a blessing in our lives and he more like a child than a dog. I have taught him a few tricks and I think he is a genius. Then I saw this video and realized we still have a little work to do:

SERIOUSLY WATCH THIS VIDEO! IT WILL MAKE YOUR DAY, PROMISE!!

Hope you loved this video as much as I did. I am really really really impressed with the dogs dancing skills. The dog can dance better than me! Isn't he adorable? And he looks like he is smiling throughout the entire dance. I wonder how long it took the man to train him. Right now I am working on "roll over" with Fender. Maybe I should take it up a notch! haha. I will start working with him on The Dougie Dance! ;)

36 Weeks!!

Front view of the bump, taken yesterday.

How far along?  36 weeks! Almost there!!
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How big is the baby? Harper is packing on the pounds at the rate of about an ounce a day. He weighs almost 6 pounds!
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Weight gain?  As of today, I have gained 30 pounds!!! Let's hope it is not too hard to loose.
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Stretch Marks? After applying all of this belly balm, I better not have any!
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Sleep? Still not comfortable when I sleep but I am sleeping quite a bit!
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Best moment of the week?  Watching Erik put together the new crib and move in the new furniture. I just love it. And it is so fun to see everything come together. I am so ready to finish up all the decor and see that little man in his nursery. Although I have a good feeling he will spend the first few months of his life in our room. And I won this awesome stocking from "Living A Beautifully Blessed Life"  blog. YAY!

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Food and cravings? Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream. I am obsessed. And banana pudding. I found the best recipe. I will have to put it up on the blog this week. I think I am going to make some on Wed. I have a hard time eating full-sized meals now. I get full really fast. I guess because he is taking up so much room in there!
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Movement? Still kicking a bunch. He loves to kick during church service and late night.

What I miss? I actually miss working. I have been working on baby stuff... you know getting the nursery together, washing baby clothes, preparing as much as possible. But I miss work.
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Belly Button? Flat! bye bye belly button.
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Looking forward to? I am taking a few pregnancy classes this week. They are usually fun and very informative. So I am looking forward to it! And I started packing the bags for our Charleston trip! ;) And I started packing my hospital bag. Any advice?

Milestone? I had my weekly checkup today. I am 2 cm dilated. The doctor thought that was great and said I am further along than a lot of women at my stage of the pregnancy. But she also said I had to come in before our Charleston trip next Tuesday morning to make sure I have no passed 3 cm.  If so, they think it is better to stay close to home incase baby comes early. So I hope Harper will stay in there a little longer!! I am really looking forward to our Charleston trip. :)

Here is a side view so you can really get an idea how big the bump is:

Mom's Cancer Battle

The local newspaper did a really sweet story about my mom so I thought I would share:

Mother of 'Survivor' contestant beating cancer

By Dudley Brown

Julie Dugan's throat started hurting, and she thought it was the beginning of a cold. But the symptoms lasted a few weeks.

Then, she started having a constant cough and scheduled an appointment with her family physician. Dugan, of Spartanburg, was told she had acid reflux, but the cough wouldn't cease, even with medication. She began to notice her voice was becoming a bit hoarse, but delayed seeing a gastroenterologist about the acid reflux because of a trip scheduled to visit her parents. Then, the cough got worse, and she started having trouble swallowing.

Once Dugan returned home, she made the appointment with the gastroenterologist and learned she had laryngeal cancer shortly before Thanksgiving 2008.

She and her husband, Sean, immediately left the gastroenterologist's office to have an ear, nose and throat doctor perform a biopsy and was told the cancer was Stage 4, the most advanced form of laryngeal cancer.

“We thought she was going in for a normal checkup, and the last thing we thought we'd hear was she had cancer,” said Dugan's daughter Jaime Huffman, a Spartanburg native who appeared on the CBS show “Survivor: China” in 2007.

The cancer is in remission, but Dugan and her family have experienced a roller coaster of emotions since the diagnosis nearly two years ago. There have been appointments with doctors in Spartanburg, Winston-Salem, N.C., and Houston at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. There were also weekly visits to a speech pathologist in Columbia.

An emergency tracheotomy was scheduled once the severity of the cancer was determined. That involved creating a surgical airway by making an incision in her neck. Her voice box and a small portion of her esophagus were also removed during the 2008 holiday season. She lost her voice, and her family quickly learned to read her lips.

The cancer was believed to be in remission. Then, tumors were found in her lungs and they were told she would live three months to a year. However, Dugan, who wasn't very tech savvy, started doing research on the Internet and the family scheduled an appointment with a doctor at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Dugan credits the relationship between M.D. Anderson and Spartanburg Regional Medical Center's Gibbs Cancer Center with her being able to continue her life now that the cancer is in remission after chemotherapy and radiation.

Throughout this ordeal, her family has been amazed to see how the stubbornness they've been accustomed to won't give in to cancer.

“Mom is very stubborn, and it came in handy this time in her life,” Jaime said.

Head and neck cancers are rare, and Dugan's case is even more odd because she's not a smoker.

Amy Curtis, a radiation oncologist at the Gibbs Cancer Center, said smoking and exposure to some chemicals are the most common causes of head and neck cancers. Curtis said 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with head and neck cancers a year compared to 170,000 people who are found to have lung cancer. Plus, people tend to brush off the small lump they might feel on their neck.

“Most of these are caught later because people feel a knot on their neck and think it will go away,” Curtis said.

Curtis said physicians often can't see the larynx, which is a 2-inch-long, tube-shaped organ in the neck used to breathe, talk and swallow. Patients are advised to see an ear, nose and throat doctor who check for laryngeal cancer by using a mirror comparable to ones used by dentists to see the back of the throat. Endoscopes are sometimes used, too. Curtis said smokers are most likely to have a doctor begin checking for laryngeal cancer. Initially, patients who have never smoked are often prescribed antibiotics, and they could be asked to give their voice rest if hoarseness is one of the symptoms being presented.

Curtis said if laryngeal cancer is caught in Stage 1, patients have a 95 percent survival rate after having part of the vocal chord removed or seven weeks of radiation. She said between 25 and 40 percent of patients diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in Stage 4 survive. Like any cancer, it's important to stop the spread of the disease, so that's why a voice box with cancerous cells is often removed.

“It's a difficult surgery to go through,” Curtis said. “We try to use organ prevention as much as we can.” Once a person loses their voice box, they have to find a new way to communicate. Dugan whispers, and she carries a dry erase board with her. Her younger daughter, Jenna, a psychology major at USC Upstate, would often drive 20 minutes from campus to check on her mom between classes because phone calls and texts often didn't work.

“When she wouldn't text me I didn't know if she was OK, so I would drive 20 minutes to check on her for five minutes,” Jenna said.

However, there is hope of speaking again, and Dugan is determined to do it.

Erica McCarthy, a speech pathologist with the Gibbs Cancer Center, said there are four options laryngeal cancer patients can choose from to begin orally communicating again. Three of the options include using devices, such as an electrolarynx that vibrates words out after a person mouths them. McCarthy said esophageal speech, the option chosen by Dugan, is the most difficult option. It involves forcing air into the esophagus to speak with a new voice.

“That says something about her wanting to try something others might throw off and not consider,” McCarthy said of Dugan.

McCarthy said Dugan is one of the most dedicated patients she's had, but they stopped meeting so Dugan could work with a Columbia speech pathologist specializing in esophageal speech. However, that process has been hindered because of the scar tissue formed in her esophagus after six weeks of radiation, which caused her throat to shrink. She visits a doctor every six weeks to have her throat stretched. Dugan wrote that the goal is to get her throat a certain size so she'll be able to eat solid foods again and receive a trachea esophageal puncture, which will allow her to redirect air to speak.

She's been touched by the many people who've taken time to read her lips and those who've done nice things for the family, including pray.

The whole experience has made her family even closer. Jenna, who was attending school in Wilmington, N.C., returned home to help Sean care for Dugan. He works in Charlotte, N.C. Huffman and her husband, Erik, a Greenville native also appearing on “Survivor” returned to the area from Nashville, Tenn., to be closer to the family. The Huffmans live on Lake Lure. They're also expecting a son in about five weeks. He'll be the Dugans' first grandchild.

“That's another huge reason to fight my illness,” Dugan wrote in an essay describing her experience. “I want to see him and hopefully others grow up.”