A Showering of Good Wishes

Boy, this baby business is swiftly becoming more of a reality than ever. My friends Kristi, Megan, and Racquel got together to throw me another shower for even more of my girlfriends. We had a packed house of about seventeen girls, and the gettin' was good! First, Kristi, Megan, and Quels (that would be RACquel's nickname) decorated Kristi's home in decorations that match Hayden's bedding. Even the invitations! Super cute. We had yummy sandwiches and even yummier cupcakes (which is mine and Kristi's "thing") from Somethin' Sweet. And it was really  nice to have most of my favorite girls surrounding me with love and laughter. We did the classic candy bar diaper game, always a fan favorite. If you've never played it before, get prepared for a visual. Essentially, you take several different fun size candy bars and place them in individual diapers, pop them in the  microwave until melted, and then pass them around for everyone to guess what candy bar it is. So imagine with the wafers, nuts, caramel, etc, what this really looks like. It's pretty funny to see your ordinarily classy girlfriend sniffing or even finger taste testing something that looks remarkably like baby poop. Always a laugh. We played the old stand-by toilet paper measurement game, and my good friend Nicki was right on the money. My belly looks huge, but I was pleasantly surprised that the number of toilet paper squares was smaller than I expected. And, baby bingo, which was pretty fun. As I opened a gift and someone had it on their board, they got to mark it off. And the people who won all these games got the honor of handing me a hostess game gift, such as bottles, baby wash/lotion, bibs, pacifiers. Thanks, girls. The hostesses also were very generous with a gift card in a pretty large amount, which I was very thankful for! It helped A LOT with some of the bigger things I still needed. Hayden got a lot of cute cute cute clothes this round, which I was very thankful for! This kid is going to be the best dressed baby on the block. We'll be doing fashion shows at least once a month to see if she can wear any of the bigger sizes too (since baby clothes are all sized a little differently) because I'd be sad if she missed out on wearing any of the adorable outfits she got because it said six months but was made for a three month old. My friend Jennifer, who embroiders as a hobby, made the most gorgeous diaper cake I'd ever seen. She decorated it with the cutest ribbon and travel essentials, plus the most precious burp cloths that she embroidered herself with Hayden's name, initials, and owls. Everyone was all a-flurry over it, especially me. It was so special that she put her time and talent into my gift. My mom, awesome as usual, gave us one of the most important items still left on my list!!! Will and I were so so so excited that she and my dad bought us our pack and play. This was a MUST that we HAD to have before the baby was born, because we plan on her sleeping in the bassinet portion for the first couple of months in our room. It was also one of a few "big ticket items" still left on our list. And while a high chair can wait six months, this was something we needed immediately; so we were super grateful that they helped us out yet again with their generosity.
So now, downstairs alone, we are harboring a bouncer, a swing, the pack and play (which Will has yet to move upstairs; I think he just likes looking at it), and, as of yesterday, OUR STROLLER!!! Who knew a stroller would ever evoke such excitement from two grown adults. Since the stroller is a travel system (baby carrier/car seat plus stroller), it was pretty pricey. Plus, it happened to be a brand that Babies R Us did not recognize the 20% off coupon (because it's a super good brand??? Who knows.) However, the good Lord always comes through for us and provides just what we need! (I always notice how He always gives us what we need or works things out for us just how we need it to, and it's just crazy sometimes.) I had a rather large amount on a Babies R Us gift card, Nicki gave us another good amount on a Toys R Us gift card (same thing), my grandmother gifted me some cash, and I was hired for a day to do some tech work on some computers, so that also supplied some extra income, and WAH-LA! Not only did we get our stroller, but we got the waterproof Carter's Keep-Me-Dry quilted mattress pad cover, which was another necessity for that super expensive organic, breathable, hypoallergenic mattress in that crib of hers; and an outfit that I had been eyeing for a couple of months (like she needs more of those.) I walked out with $1.73 left on my gift card. It was awesome. So, all in all, it's been a fantastic week, topped off by the best UPS man ever today when he delivered an eagerly anticipated package from Babies R Us of some goodies that I'd ordered, PLUS the matching hamper that I'd ordered from Amazon two months ago, but had been out of stock until recently. Yippee! We get a weekend of rest (besides JP and Tanessa's wedding tomorrow) and then we'll be at it again for a Burgers, Beer, and Babies blowout at my parents' house, disguised as a couple's diaper shower. I'll be making Angela and I some virgin fuzzy navels for the occassion (she's due two weeks after me.) So, looking forward to seeing some of my guy friends get in on the action to celebrate with me. Hence, the reason for the beer. It's the only way I can get them there, besides their wives forcing them, haha. So that should be fun. Until then, the nesting continues. We are almost to my OCD-perfection obsessed point of satisfaction. I'll leave you with a few pictures from the last hoop-la:

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"Owl" Be Seeing You!

Last weekend, my cousins threw a baby shower for my family and bestest friends in the Woodlands. Faye, Tiffany, and Shannon did an awesome job, too! I knew they would, as Faye, Tiffany, and Shannon are all practically professional party planners in their own right, and Shannon's interior design skills are second to none! Everything looked beautiful! They took Hayden's owl theme and ran with it, so her nursery has some extra goodies it now and looks super cute (more on that in a future blog.) The majority of my family and several of my friends came for a day of celebrating and yummy food. I was so happy that both my mother in law and sister in law were able to come. My mother in law flew in from Midland for just a few hours so she could come! And my sister in law drove down from Dallas for the day, which was extra special since I don't get to see her very often, but I just love her to death. I was also very happy that my Aunt Darla and cousin Rebecca came in for the day from College Station. They don't drive to Houston very often and I was happy that they braved the scary Houston interstate just for me. I was also very thankful for my friends that drove all the way to the Woodlands for me. I know driving across Houston isn't easy sometimes, and it really let me know the people who cared so much about me and Hayden that they took an afternoon to drive so far to be with me. That really meant a lot to me, and I won't forget it. I would do the same for any of those girls, too. I have some really great friends that I love very much. :) And ya'll wouldn't have BELIEVED my cake pops-- they were the cutest! They looked like owls with chocolate morsels for the ears and so much more! They were adorable-- and made by a fifteen year old! I babysat Lauren when she was a little girl for several years, and now here she is making cake pops for my baby shower! She's had her own business since junior high and WOW, was everyone really impressed! They were as delicious as they were cute. I asked her if she wanted to be a baker, but no-- a cosmetologist, she said. I guess some things are better left a hobby; it's more fun that way. I was extra blessed with the gifts we received; lots of things that I needed off my registry, and I am so thankful for the people who were so generous to us. My Aunt Sandi bought Hayden's swing, and I could've just cried with happiness over it. Shannon, Tiffany, and Faye gave us the video monitor that Will has been DYING to have. He had to have it. When we first registered, we were in debate over it. I said, "No one is going to buy us a $300.00 video monitor, Willie!" but he wouldn't relent. He wanted to SEE his baby! Finally, I caved; and guess what, someone bought it for us. :) My mom, who has been so wonderful and more than generous throughout my pregnancy (and always) once again spoiled Hayden and I by giving us her bedding set. I was so happy to finally have something to dress up her crib. My mom was going to make sure her grandbaby had somewhere pretty to sleep! She made sure Hayden wouldn't be sleeping in a dresser drawer, haha. I kid! But I just loved it, and don't know where we would be without my mom and dad! They've been so giving. My cousin Crystal gave us a gorgeous embroidered blanket with Hayden's name, which I hung over my rocking chair; and my friend Allie went berserk in Babies R Us, I think, and I couldn't be more grateful for her kindness! And I loved everything else in between, including super cute clothes, socks, and shoes (boy, did this baby need socks and shoes!), her entertainer, a Bumbo, diaper bag, safety gate, gift cards, and a multitude of other things! We were so blessed. Will filled up the Tahoe to the brim for the ride home. I am just so thankful for everyone who came and who showered Hayden with all the things she needs to get her precious life started. Her mommy and daddy were super grateful, and more than anything I hope everyone knows how much we love and appreciate them. I can't wait for everyone to come visit once Hayden makes her debut. Love ya'll very much!

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Adventures in Midland

Road trip! My mother in law, Susie, lives in Midland, Texas; all the way across the state. (That's where Will lived also when we met.) She comes down for holidays and birthdays, and sometimes in between for a weekend, but we don't get to see her as much as we'd like! One of Will's oil rigs recently moved to about an hour away from there, and it was time for him to check on it, and he was going to stay with his mom. I decided to go, too, as a surprise! She has been wanting to see me before it was too late for me to travel, and the time is drawing near; so this was a perfect time!
We got up bright and early and left on Tuesday morning. We were having a grand old time laughing it up together on the road, but what do you know-- we hit Dallas about the same time as the tornadoes did! WHAT?! It came out of nowhere! That's Texas weather for you! All of a sudden, it was black and hailing and raining so hard we couldn't even see three feet in front of the car. My dad (ever the meteorologist) was of course checking our route and saw this coming. He called right in the middle of it all. (He gets a little frantic now since there's a baby on board.) We had no idea about the tornadoes until we made it through to blue skies again. Will was aghast that he had driven his pregnant wife so close to peril. He says he's going to take up my dad's habit of checking the weather from now on!
The rest of the trip was a breeze, except for my EXTREMELY swollen feet and ankles. I guess dangling down on the floorboard for ten hours is not good for the feet of an expectant woman. We had stopped and I had walked around a bit the whole way, but it must have been to much for them to handle. They were crazy huge. They looked (and felt) like kielbasa sausages with Li'l Smokies for my toes. I'd post a picture, but I don't want to horrify you. I did send a picture to my dad, which of course sent him into another tailspin. (I really do love that he does that, though. I almost think I egg it on! Sorry, Dad. Haha.) We arrived just a few minutes before Susie got home from work, which was just enough time for me to hide in the bedroom until she was inside. She let out a big scream when she saw me and was so happy to see me. It was a "such a treat," she said. We went out to eat some yummy Japanese food at Osaka's and went home so I could get pampered. They put me up in a recliner with a heating pad on my back, ice packs on both feet, and Susie made me some peanut butter cookies. I even got to control the remote. That's what I'm talking about.
I ended up getting the best sleep I've had in MONTHS that night. It was so wonderful. I felt completely refreshed the next day! Will and Susie both came to take me to lunch and I spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the puppies. Susie's labradoodles, Apollo and Isabella (Bella), had puppies about a month and a half ago. They are almost ready for their new homes at six weeks. They are adorable! I really loved the little runt, too. She was just so calm, and, well, a little lazy. She would just fall asleep in my arms at the drop of a hat. There were six cream, two chocolate, and one black one. I have to say, though, puppies are a lot of work!
Mostly throughout the visit, I just relaxed. It was a good time to take advantage of it since those days are numbered. I even enjoyed being away from the computer a little bit. I did use it here and there, but not like when I'm at home; and it was a nice break away from technology.
We left early yesterday morning for the long drive home, and I was happy to see Susie in good spirits when we left. I know it's hard for her to see us drive away sometimes. On the road, Will got a call that he had an emergency at one of his rigs in Oklahoma. He knew he needed to go himself to investigate the problem instead of sending someone in his place. We just had a couple of obstacles: a) I'm with him (not that that's the problem) but we had been away for four days. We b) had a cat that was probably suicidal by this point and someone needed to get home to her c) one of my best friends is in town from England and we were supposed to meet with him that night d) we had a couple's bridal shower on Saturday e) it's Easter weekend and f) he didn't want to drag me up there, stick me in a hotel for a couple of days, miss all our obligations, and come home to a cat that had subsequently taken her own life by overdosing on catnip. He was going to drive me all the way home to Houston and then turn right back around and drive to Oklahoma. No, no, no, no. I don't think so. We were halfway to Dallas, so I told him, let's just rent a car and I'll drive home and you can go from there. He was hesitant and did not want to leave me alone or make me drive, but he knew it was the best plan and he knows I can take care of myself. He loves to take care of me, but I'd lived thirty years prior and had made it just fine. Did it suck? Yes. But much better than the alternative. We rented a car and Fort Worth and I was on my own from there. I drove five hours home, and then waited an hour at Enterprise (2 miles from my house) for someone to take me home. I could've walked, but Will would have killed me, and plus I would look like a pregnant homeless lady with all my bags, especially the plastic ones that my mother in law had filled with food and baby gifts. So I got home JUST in time to shower, change clothes, and go visit Billy and his wife (from England) along with several other friends. I had a great time, but was exhausted! My brother informed me that "pregnant ladies have to leave the bar at 10 pm," and I agreed, so I came home to get a good night's rest with my very relieved and happy cat. She's clung to me like glue since I've been home (even right this second.) Thankfully, Will will be home tonight in time for church and Easter with my family tomorrow. We had a great trip and despite the obstacles, had a great time. It's those crazy instances that make life interesting. And I was happy to see that I could still be a little self-reliant. In our early days, Will thought I never needed him because I was too independent. Now that I'm getting ready to be a stay at home mom, I need him more than ever, and I know he loves that. But I know I can still take care of myself too. So that was a good feeling. Now I'm off to get ready for Tanessa and JP's couples shower (which I will obviously be going stag, boo); but Will will be home tonight, so I am excited to see him!  Hope everyone has a fantastic Easter!
Here's a few pictures of the pups-- aren't they cute?!

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You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile

This is just a couple of weeks late, but wanted to post them anyways. I had realized that I hadn't taken very many prego pictures, so whenever I get dressed up, I've been having Will take my picture. Now that I'm in yoga pants 24-7, that's not too often, so I gotta capture it when I can. Haha. Here's a few...

This is before going to see Alan Jackson at the rodeo with Erin and Rob. We'd gone to see Lady Antebellum with Kristen and Gareth the week before, so I learned then that boots were not the best option for a pregnant lady. My feet hurt soooo bad after that night. So, for this night, I was rocking the Sperry's! I'm also rocking a pre-pregnancy shirt. I had to do a little squeezing, but it worked! We're just having some fun here:

Okay, here's the night of Lady Antebellum. And having some fun with my Sketch Me app. I'm 6 1/2 months here.

And last weekend, Will took me to see the musical production of "Annie" downtown at the Hobby Center. He'd given me the tickets for my birthday in December because he knows that it's one of my all time favorite movies. Annie was the first movie I ever saw in a movie theater in 1981, and I had a small obsession with Annie as a little girl. I still love Annie to pieces and I know every word to every song (if not the entire movie). I was a little weary of putting on high heels, but I did anyways. You can't be looking shabby at the theater! And as Bert Healy and the lovely Boylan sisters say, "You're never fully dressed without a smile!" (7 months)

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Doctor Update!

On a side note, I had my monthly appointment today with the obstetrician. I have been dreading the stupid scale for a week now, and it's always the first thing we do. I was very happily surprised to learn that I had only gained TWO POUNDS! Now, don't get me wrong-- I know pregnant women and supposed to gain weight, and that it's healthy. It's not so much that as it was how much I was gaining, because my thyroid had completely shut down a couple of months ago, if you recall. Once my thyroid went all whack, I gained about twenty pounds pretty quickly, which is waaaaay more than I wanted or was necessary. I had only wanted to gain about 25 pounds the WHOLE TIME, and suddenly I blew up. But I've been on my medicine for about a month and a half now, and my weight and metabolism have completely stabilized. So after two or three months of constant bitching (sorry, but that's what it was) from my doctor about my weight, she came in today with a smile on her face (yippee! She was starting to annoy me. Not good. Haha) and said, "Your weight has totally stabilized! It was your thyroid all along! I'm so glad we tested it. Are you feeling better?" DUH, LADY! That's what I've been trying to TELL YOU! I do not stuff my face with McDonald's everyday! I eat pretty darn decent! And yes, I might have indulged in some zeppolis at Olive Garden last week (oh my God, to die for!) but that is VERY RARE! If you've been pregnant, I know you can relate. And, thankfully, the majority of my weight it where it's supposed to be-- in my tummy. It's slightly annoying that I could be twenty pounds lighter right now if we had caught the thyroid thing earlier, or if I had been on medication the last two years like I probably should've been; but no use looking back now. I'm just grateful we discovered the problem and I'm not really a cow. Moooooooo. She told me today that the thyroid test they did on my blood is actually not even standard procedure, that they did it just because, and the problem popped up. It must have been God's way of helping me out and showing me something that needed fixing. Thank you, Jesus! Anyways, it's an auto-immune problem I'll have to manage for the rest of my life, but whatever. That doesn't bother me as much as I'd think it would. I take my medicine in the morning and forget about it until the next morning, and then I forget about it again. And my endocrinologist (whom I saw about two weeks ago) is not worried in the slightest; he said though I've already gained a small amount over the average, that it's all where it's supposed to be, and that the medicine will help with getting the weight off after the baby comes. Sounds good to me. He upped my dosage and I'm actually feeling better than ever, besides my feet and lower back hurting sometimes, which is to be expected when you're seven months pregnant. Anyways, just a little update! I was very happy today!

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The Baby Furniture Has Finally Arrived!

The furniture has arrived and it is now in Hayden's room, ready to be used! Yippee! I have waited two months for this day! As I mentioned in an earlier post, we bought the furniture a few months ago and had to wait several weeks waiting on all the pieces to arrive so we only would have to make one trip to pick it up. I opted out of the home delivery; why would I pay $200 for someone to bring it to my house when I have a truck, a trailer, and a very strong husband and brother? No thank you. We will pick it up ourselves! Which is exactly what we did. We woke up last Saturday with baby furniture on the brain. Will and I were singing about it before we even got out of bed. We came up with a pretty good jingle, if Baby's First Furniture ever needed us for a commercial. You would've thought it was Christmas!
We arrived at the warehouse, picked up the furniture, and was back home without incident. Baby's First warehouse people were very nice, efficient, and had some great tips for Will since he would be putting the crib together. I was really pleased with how we were treated there. Grant met us at our house and helped Will carry all the furniture upstairs to Hayden's room. I was so grateful for his help. I know Will could've done it alone, but it was so much easier with Grant there. One thing about quality furniture-- it's heavy. Very heavy. They were both grunting away. Plus, there's the stairs to navigate, and the sharp right turn into her room. So Grant really helped everything go very smoothly. Will wasted no time ripping all the boxes and getting the dresser and hutch into place. He was so excited! He did the crib last, and was so cute about it. He was very meticulous with every turn of the allen wrench. I think that's a big moment in a man's life; putting his first child's crib together. I just sat in the rocking chair and watched him do it. But when I thought of what a moment this must be for him, I grabbed my camera to catch it on film. It was very sweet. Here are a few pictures of the furniture, and Will and the crib. I'll post more pictures of the nursery once it's complete. We still have a ways to go, decorating wise, but it shouldn't be too long!

Looking a little stressed, haha

                                                         
  Working up a sweat

                                                             
 Got it figured out now!

Making sure those screws are tight!

What am I supposed to do again?

                                                     
Oh yeah, I got it!

                                                     
 Almost there!

                                                       
Ta-da!

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