Nearly A Nursery

I'm thrilled to say the work on the nursery has begun! My mom and I spent three days in the study cleaning out books off the bookshelves (even after the Great Half-Price Books Selling of 2011, I still have QUITE a few), finding a "new home" for all the artwork on the walls, and just doing some general rearranging. I can't believe we found a place somewhere else in the house for just about everything in there. Will and I still have to find a place for some things, but we definitely made a major dent in getting the room ready to go. My mom and I also spent a lot of the weekend in places like Hobby Lobby and Home Depot. We went to both places at least 3 times throughout the weekend. Paint samples, nails, anchors, and easels were a few items on our list. I now have three paint swatches on my wall: Lovelight, Poetic Princess, and Dusty Rose. I am leaning heavily towards  Lovelight; in fact, I'm 90% sure that's going to be the choice of Baby's walls. Every girl should have a perfectly pink bedroom sometime in their life. We are well on the way to a cleaned out, empty room to move Baby in. Thank goodness, because the guest room is beginning to overflow with baby things ready to move into their official room.
Another huge accomplishment this weekend: we bought the furniture for the nursery! Wow! It was so exciting! It felt really good to get that done; and I'm glad I did it so soon-- we may have to wait up to eight weeks for all the pieces! Eight weeks would put us pretty darn close to my goal date for the nursery-- beginning to mid-April. My first shower is on April 15, and I want everything in place by then. We hit a good sale at Baby's First Furniture, so with our purchase we received the toddler rails, adult rails, and mattress for free. The crib is a convertible, so this is furniture that Baby can grow up with-- the crib turns into a toddler bed and then a full size bed. And if you've ever bought a mattress, you know they aren't cheap. Especially when it's double sided, organically made out of a "breathable" material, and with vegetable oil instead of chemicals. So I was especially happy to hit the sale. We bought a gorgeous set called Renaissance in an espresso stain. Even though we are using the darker wood, it's still feminine because it's very curvy. Here are a few pics:

The Renaissance crib:

 Renaissance Dresser/Hutch:

I'm so excited to get these pieces in so her room can begin to feel complete. It's all a work in progress. We have our work cut out for us, but it is so fun and exciting that it doesn't feel like work at all. We'll make sure that she has a room fit for a princess by the time she arrives. We are on our four month countdown, so not too much longer!

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Dreaming Dreams of Familiar Faces and Faraway Places

Since I've been pregnant, I have the most strange and vivid dreams. There isn't anything that's off limits; anything can happen. (I guess that's usually how dreams work, right?) Thankfully, they've all been good dreams; I haven't had any bad dreams or nightmares. A lot of my dreams have the baby in them. I usually find myself fighting waking up because I want to stay in the dream with the baby. The first few months when I was adamant that this baby was a boy, I was always dreaming it was a girl. I secretly thought it was a sign of things to come, and that the baby truly was a girl and I was kidding myself about the boy business. How right I was. I wholeheartedly believe that our dreams can be a connection to God, or to the Other Side. God gave us the ability to dream for a reason. I believe our dreams can be a connection to loved ones who've passed on, as a way for them to communicate with us. I don't think ALL our dreams are for that purpose, but it's a capability that dreams have. Since I've been sick this past week and taking a night time cold medicine, I've been sleeping a little later than usual, and it seems as if I dream all night long; the same dream. Research says that dreams typically last only seconds, and my dreams do change through the night. However this week there have been a lot of scenarios but with the same recurring characters and with the same ongoing theme. I dream that I have the baby; the baby is mine, but I've left her in the company of people I love and I'm always going to see her, or visit her, or get her from them. In my dream I feel she is very safe and cared for, I'm never worried. I just know they are taking care of her and it's time for me to go get her now. The funny thing is, the company of loved ones that I have left her with, have all passed on. She's with loved ones that I believe are in Heaven, and they are taking care of her until I come to get her. They are very much alive in my dreams; just as real as you and me. Night after night this week, it's been the same dream, the same people, in different scenes. Though I wake up with these loved ones on my mind, I'm never sad. The memories of them make me smile and I'm happy to have seen them in my dreams that night. The dreams seem so pure and good and happy; that they are happy, and happy to be taking care of my baby. I can't be sad after feeling that way all night long. And I dream that we are in the most beautiful places. One place I remember being last night was in a lush, green, leafy forest, like a rainforest, with a canopy of huge leaves, and we were in this beautiful building that I thought was a hotel. I remember thinking I was in Australia (though Australia is a desert without a rainforest...) The building was very tall and many people lived there. The canopy of leaves covered this building just over the outside of the balcony and we could see the sun shining just beyond. A man who seemed very wise was holding my baby and told me, "No matter how warm it gets or how much the sun shines, there is always just enough shade." We were sitting on a balcony that seemed to be around twenty or thirty stories in the air. There were plates of the freshest, juiciest fruit for us to eat. I was very comfortable there. My brother was also there, and he said, "Watch this, Ashley," and he leapt over the balcony. I was afraid at first and peered over, and he was laughing as he landed on these soft pillows far below at the bottom. The man was laughing and telling me not to worry, and a woman there told me that there was always someone there to catch you. I knew neither of these people. From there, the baby was gone and back again with my loved ones, and again, it was time for me to go find her. That was only one scenario from what has seemed to be entire nights filled with similar stories, all week long. Though I didn't know these particular people, I am going to choose to keep the ones more personal to me just for me. I feel that they are very special and some of them only I can understand. And I could never put into words the feelings that were in these dreams; my words would fall short of doing them justice. I just know with all my heart that my baby is a gift from God, and that she has been loved, cared for, and happy in the time before she was ever placed in my arms. I know that the people I love and miss everyday are glowing with happiness and radiating a purity that I never imagined, and that they already know and love my baby; and after she is here with me, they will continue to love her and watch over her. They made sure she was safe before her arrival, and will ensure her safety throughout her life. I felt very content and at peace this morning when I finally decided it was time to wake up. I'll hold these dreams dear to me and will always remember them.

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Rocking and Rolling Baby!

Even though I haven't felt well the last few days, we did have an exciting event that I have been waiting and waiting on! The baby finally gave me a good kick! I thought I began feeling her move on January 7 before the football game, but I wasn't sure if that's what it was. I had never felt such a thing before! And it wasn't a tickle or a flutter, it was more like a nudging; and I wouldn't say it hurt at all, but it was like a small dull pain. On January 7 I was feeling it on my left side. A week later, this past Saturday, January 14, I felt the same thing, just a little stronger, on my right side, and it happened quite a few times in a row. That's when I was sure it must be the baby rolling around in there. It was awesome! I felt her again several times that day and a few times the next day. We were all really happy and I can't wait until she kicks hard enough for Will to feel it, too. It's just another reminder that she's snug as a bug in there. We love you, Baby!

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Sick+Preggers= No Fun :(

Being sick is never fun. Being sick while pregnant takes it to a whole other level. There is hardly any over the counter medicine that I can take; but thankfully I can take Tylenol products. However, the Tylenol Cold I shot last night like it was tequila unfortunately did not help as much as I had hoped. Generally any medicine with "night time" does not work well on me. I've overdone it with years of Tylenol PM and Simply Sleep; now it doesn't work on me anymore. It generally just makes my eyelids extremely heavy while making me feel restless, anxious, and irritated. Then I start wandering room to room in a semi-sleepwalking state. I never really fall asleep and "wake up" off and on, off and on. I haven't slept in days now. When I did fall asleep, twice was with a cough drop in my mouth. But the worst part of all is the congestion. One nostril is completely stuffed while the other one runs. I honk like a goose into a million Kleenex, and my nose is so incredibly raw and red and dry. So, in a nutshell, I'm miserable. Will has done a good job taking care of me and I'm headed to the doctor tomorrow, thankfully, so maybe I will get some relief! Baby needs Mommy to get some rest.

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Death by Cuteness

Little girl clothes are going to be the death of me. And my mother. They are going to send us to the po' house. We just started "picking up a few things" a few weeks ago, and though we haven't gotten completely out of hand.... let's just say that we're headed that way. Swiftly. There are just SO MANY cute things out there!!! You walk by and say, "Oh this is cute," "oh, this is cute," "oh, this is cute," "oh Mom, look at this one!" "Awwww, look at this!"; and before you know it, you're saying, "Oh, she HAS to have this one," ".... and this one," ".... and THIS one." I am just now reaching the halfway point of my pregnancy; we still have 4 1/2 months to go. WHAT are we going to do? Self-control is completely out of the question. This baby is like my own personal living, breathing American Girl. I want my baby to be the Suri Cruise of Clear Lake. And clothes that tiny are just adorable.... then there's the hats. And the socks. And the shoes. She already has several holiday themed outfits, and I had to stop myself today from buying her a shirt with a four leaf clover that said "Daddy's Little Shamrock." But she IS Daddy's little shamrock! Luckily my mom snapped me out of my trance. Her new mantra is "We have to stop doing this," but the more she says it, it seems like the less it works. We act like no one's giving the baby ANYTHING; which couldn't be further from the truth. My mom suggested today that if we keep this up, the baby will have to have a costume change every fifteen minutes just to wear all the clothes she's going to end up with. The baby registry checklist suggested that I register for twenty-five hangers. I registered for fifty. This baby has too many grandmas, aunts, and "aunts" that love her. And a mommy that loves her so much; she wants her to be the cutest baby in town.
Now, I do have a few things where I draw the line:

• My baby will NOT wear animal print. Of ANY kind. Leopard and zebra print have their place, and it's not on my baby. To prove this point, one of the Teen Moms on TV ONLY has her baby in animal print, and it matches most of the mom's wardrobe. A nineteen year old and a one year old should not have anything in common when it comes to clothing.
• My baby will NOT wear a flower on a headband that is bigger than her head. A flower of some kind, sure. It's not the flower. It's the SIZE of the flower. And they look ridiculous.
• I will NOT have a hoochie baby. Today at Babies R Us, I actually saw a one-shouldered dress. For a baby. Not appropriate.

I also have a few Must-Haves:

• Ruffle-butt bloomers
• Patent leather Mary Janes
• Feltman Brothers dresses (...at least a few. Not all of them.)

I have a feeling that dressing my kid is going to be my downfall. I don't even go clothes shopping for myself. But my daughter is a whole 'nother matter. I thought I would share with you a few of my favorites so far:

From her Nini (my mom):

Surfer Girl!

 Such a cute quilted dress! Love the colors:

 Matching bloomers and bonnet:

 From her Aunt Sandi:

Little Miss Princess!

 From her Aunt Allie:

Christmas time!

From Mommy:





 Hoot Hoot!

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Texans Win Round 1 of Championship Playoffs

 Will and I were so very lucky to be invited by my parents to attend the Houston Texans game for the first round of the playoffs. We were both very excited and couldn't wait for the big game! We had great seats and always have fun with my mom and dad. After lunch at Saltgrass, we headed over to the stadium a few hours in advance because we anticipated heavy traffic. It usually takes Will and I at least and hour and a half to get to just a regular season game. Well, to our surprise, there was NO traffic at all! The parking lots were already full when we arrived at noon (the game didn't start until 3:30) and the tailgating was in full swing. Since we had a few hours to spare, we made our way over to the Double Deuce Tailgaters, which is ran by a friend of mine. They were in the Tailgater of the Season finals against five other teams. Local radio station KILT sponsered them and had the music in full effect. After seeing lots of old friends, and one of my very best friends, we ended up having a great time! My parents were unexpectedly into the tailgating. We wandered around to look at some of the other teams, and by 1:45, 2:00 so many people had lined up to get into the game, we decided to join the HUGE crowd that had accumulated at the gates. We got all our free towels, ticket holders, and noise makers and waited our turn. It was surprisingly calm and went relatively fast (we had a lot of surprises that day.) We made our way to our section, which was going to be featured with the huge Go Texans sign as the Texans ran in at the start of the game. My cousins Ben, Faye, Louella, and Jackie showed up; and they were sitting right behind us, so we were in good company. The Texans played fantastic, scoring at least a touchdown a quarter and a field goal in the second quarter. The Texans were neck and neck with Cinicinnati until the tide turned with JJ Watt scoring a touchdown off an interception. After that, the Texans took it up a notch and we ended up winning 31-10. Everyone was cheering and celebrating. I had never heard Reliant Stadium get so loud. There was a record breaking 71,000 people in there, clapping and screaming the entire game. I kept wondering what the baby was thinking about all the noise. After the game we had a relatively easy exit (again, another surprise) and before we knew it, we were home. My feet were killing me because the entire game I was up-down-up-down, and I was exhausted. I ended up sleeping twelve hours last night! But we had a great time with our family and were so happy to have had this experience. Thank you, Mom and Dad! We love you!

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Yep-- It's Definitely a Girl!

Dr. Rowe made it 100% official this morning-- it's definitely a girl! Of course it was what we had assumed all along, but now there's no denying it. Will was so thrilled to see his baby girl this morning and said he was already a goner. I'm sure he will be wrapped around her little finger the moment she arrives. Now, the shopping has officially been cleared for take off! Watch out, Babies R Us! In our excitement this morning we rushed over to start our registry. Will and I had anticipated going over there on Sunday, but after we left the doctor, he asked,"Want to just go do it now?" Ummmm... YEAH! I don't think he anticipated the time that goes into something like that because he kept wandering off and getting antsy; and he didn't understand why I was inspecting every little thing. Of course I was registering for things for 6+ months, and he thought I was crazy. I had to explain some things. We weren't even half way through when he started getting "woozy." He needed to eat; he was light headed. Aren't I the one who's pregnant? I think he was a little overwhelmed. So after Will was through giggling over the nipple cream and asking what breast pads were for, we got down to business. Luckily we had been there before and I did have some idea about the things I wanted; then there are a few things I need to ask Jennie about. She's my sidekick mama. (That's what best friends are for!) The most important part of the day, however, was the doctor. Dr. Rowe was just thrilled with the resulting numbers in my blood test, which he called "excellent." I'm really glad I had the blood test done to test for the many abnormalties, including certain special needs and heart disorders; but I would find myself randomly fretting about the possibilities the last couple weeks. Will and I had already decided that whatever challenges the Lord presented to us that we would face together head-on, but of course you hope and pray for the very best; and thank you, Jesus! We were presented with the very best! The chances for down syndrome were 1 in 8,000; spina bifida was 1 in 6,000; and trisomy-18 was 1 in 10,000; and Dr. Rowe says these are excellent numbers and that we both get an A+ for our passing genes. We are so happy and thankful to our Heavenly Father that our little girl is healthy and has all ten fingers and toes (we counted them today). Baby Girl was being a little stubborn this morning, even though I gave her some donut holes to get her moving around before the sonogram. The sugar didn't kick in for her until we'd been there about 30 minutes. She was very complacent and didn't want to move around too much; she may have been sleeping. The technician commented that may mean she'll be a calm baby. Fine by me! She is weighing in at 8 ounces (half a pound). Her head is on my right side up near my ribcage and her body is angled downward toward my left hip. She was upside down and we really needed her to turn right side up! Finally she started to get to moving a little bit and we could see her tongue moving as she was sucking her thumb. Then she decided to put her tush and feet up in our face. She kept playing with her feet, and Dr.  Rowe commented, "She sure loves those toes!" Then she clasped her hands under her chin and looked so sweet; then back to sitting Indian style sucking her thumb again. It took the whole time to get her in a position to see her girlie parts. The technician and doctor agreed that she is just a modest baby; and we were not unhappy to hear that! She had those knees glued together until the very end. It was so exciting and touching to see her and I'm sad that I won't see her again for several months until the end of my pregnancy. Even though she is with me, I miss her already. Does that make sense? I'll be happy just to finally hold her in my arms. Until then, it's full court press to get everything prepared just right. My friends and sister-in-law Meagan reassure me it will be here before we know it. I hope they're right!♥

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