Life in the Fishbowl

Jack Attack: 32 weeks

2012-02-09T19:39:00.002-06:00

ignore my tired face (and I did wear a sweater over that tank today!)

How big is he?: roughly 3.5+ pounds

Gender: BOY oh boy!!

Maternity clothes?: Yes, most of my normal shirts still fit but maternity ones are way more comfy!!

Weight Gain: probably 17ish pounds (I'll find out on Mon at my appt)

Symptoms: pain in the right side of my back/ribs, heartburn, sore legs & hips, and now the top of my fundus (learned that term in my class!) is burning.

Belly button....in or out?: 1/2 out!

Sleep: not too good

Stretch marks?: None. {Knocks on wood.}

Cravings: Kit-kats and last night I saw the Zaxbys commerical and literally HAD to have some for lunch today.

Movement: oh yeah....he definitely has a pattern though.

Best moment this week: Going to our first child birth class! It really made this whole process real.

confessions

2012-02-08T13:38:00.000-06:00

1. In my "snack" drawer at work I have a box of Special K protein bars and a bag of Valentine Kit- Kat/Reeses cups. Something might be wrong with this equation!

2. I brought my heating pad to work with me. I feel like an old lady having to use one but at this stage I don't care!

3. I've temporarily misplaced my tennis shoes. Therefore, I cannot go to the gym to walk....right?

4. I still haven't purchased a crib mattress. I wanted to this weekend, but forgot. Mother of the year goes to me!!

what's on your mind this Wednesday? Link up over at E's!

food truck fun!

2012-02-07T14:22:00.000-06:00

I've been bit by the food truck bug. Ever since moving back to Nashville, I've been hearing more and more about the local trucks. I've really wanted to try a few but the hours they are open didnt work for my work schedule.

I came upon a food truck festival type thing happening on weekends in February and decided to try it this past Saturday. It was raining so only 2 trucks were there, but we still decided to go.

I chose the Rollin' Smokin' truck which offered different smoked meats (in either taco or sandwich). I got the brisket sandwich and mac-n-cheese! YUM.

Ben chose the Yayos OMG Mexican truck. He got three tacos and said they were good.

I cannot wait to try the other local trucks.

Labor of Love

2012-02-06T14:24:00.000-06:00

B and I had our first "expectant parent" class Saturday! It really made the whole upcoming child birth thing a lot more real, which is good since this little guy will be coming in less than 2 months!

It was a small class (only 6 couples) and surprisingly very laid back and at ease. This week we talked about the different stages of the birthing process, warning signs, when to go to the hospital, inducing/sections, a bit about relaxation techniques and other things.

We began our session with the "not-so-fun" things about pregnancy. My #1 was heartburn. I've had it since day one and it's not fun. Anyways, the RN mentioned that another not fun thing about pregnancy is nasal congestion. She asked if anyone experienced that symptom and MY HUSBAND raised his hand! The whole room laughed and I joked he was having sympathy symptoms!! Man...can't take him anywhere! :-)

About half way through, she sent the men to another room and we had to answer questions separately. We had three questions (best thing about pg, worst thing and biggest fears). The girls took the full 10 minutes and answered each question fully. We had a long list. The men appparently took all of 3 minutes to answer the questions and then (according to B) talk about the football game and other men things. At least they answered the questions, I guess!

getting the pregnancy experience!

After our discussion, we watched the birthing video. Thankfully none of the men passed out! It was quite informative and not as corny as it could've been.

We went on a tour of the L&D floor and of the lactation boutique and then back to the room for relaxation techniques. We were required to bring a tennis ball, blanket and pillow. We listened to music and got to lie down while our husbands massaged our backs. Um...awesome! I did not want to get back up!

We have another class this weekend to learn about baby stuff. I can't wait!

decisions decisions

2012-02-02T15:26:00.000-06:00

I'm a researcher and always have been. As soon as something comes up (trip, life event etc), I begin researching andr researching.

I've been doing my homework on car seats/strollers. I asked several friends and a majority recommended the Chicco Key Fit 30.

Ben and I went to BRU to look at the KF30 and we both liked it. The KF 30 is rated up to 30llbs. The particular pattern we liked does not come in the "travel system" deal. Of course that means you have to buy the car seat and stroller separate. Cha-ching.

My mom saw the Target ad this week and it featured a Key Fit Travel System. The only catch is that it's the regular Key Fit which is only rated for 22llbs. But...it's like $100 less than the other at BRU and is the whole system.

So........now, my inexperience self is debating between the two. Is 8llbs really worth $100 more dollars? How long will it take J to be 22llbs anyways?! (lets just hope he's not a 14llb newborn like that poor mother in Iowa!)

I really wish this whole baby thing came with a manual. I just don't want to get the wrong things and mess up my first born (well, too bad)!

Thoughts???

progress

2012-01-31T12:00:00.002-06:00

Houston...we have nursery progress!!

A few weeks ago Ben put together Jack's crib and I love it! We just need to get his mattress and put his bedding on and we'll be done.

proud daddy-to-be!

My Aunt had a bookshelf she no longer needed and gave it to us to use. It fits perfectly!

it's not styled yet...just random things in it for now

I searched high and low for the perfect light for his room but couldn't find anything I really wanted for the price I wanted to pay. I ended up going with one from Home Depot because it was $20 and had the "feel" of the one I wanted. It's not exacly "right" but will be just fine.

My grandfather had a chair that is both a rocker and a glider. He sat in that chair for years and even after he passed it was always Pa's chair. Well, my granny left it to me and I knew I had to use it in the nursery. It needs to be reupholstered. I found a great brown fabric on sale at Joannes, and will be taking the chair to get covered this week!!

I love seeing it coming together!!

Jack Attack: 30 weeks

2012-01-30T20:42:00.000-06:00

How big is he?: 2.5+ llbs or the size of a cucumber!

Gender: BOY oh boy!!

Maternity clothes?: Yes, most of my normal shirts still fit but maternity ones are way more comfy!!

Weight Gain: 15llbs. I'm officially declare that I will not gain anymore weight! Now, if I can lay off the chocolate milk...ha!

I'm measuring right on track, which is a huge relief!

Symptoms: all.day.long back pain (seriously going to take my heating pad to work with me) & Heartburn, but thankfully Tums don't upset my stomach anymore (I take them in addition to my Zantac)

Oh and my lovely pregnancy-induced roseacea is back. Boo.

Belly button....in or out?: It's almost out and still strange looking. Ben probably thinks I'm a loon because I keep staring at it and saying "it feels/looks so weird"!

Sleep: Some days I sleep well and others not so much. I cannot get comfy for the most part because of my back pain. Sleeping on my sides of course now hurt my hips. Ugh.

Saturday night I fell asleep at 8:40 and woke up at 8:33 AM! Yep, 12 solid hours of sleep. Sweeet!!

Stretch marks?: None. {Knocks on wood.}

Cravings: Chocolate, good fries and water

Movement: He has moments where I think I have a karate kid because he's literally kicking up a storm. He punched me in the ribs yesterday and that didn't feel too good.

Best moment this week: Went to my 30 wk appointment and the Doctor felt that he is laying horizontally and low. His head is on my left lower side and feet on my right. It makes sense because he's always kicking me on the right and I get sharp stabbing pains on my left (his shoulder is pinchin my nerve).

She will monitor me in the next 2 visits and if he hasn't moved head down we'll discuss our options. The dreaded "c" word was brought up.

-B and I went on a lunch date to Cori's Dog House and the first thing the guy at the counter said to me was "Is it a boy or girl?". I literally had to stop and think about it because I wasn't expecting a stranger to ask that and plus my mind was on the hot dog I wanted!! I guess I actually look pregnant now and not just fat! ha!

Jackpot!!

2012-01-29T18:00:00.000-06:00

This past week has been way more exciting than winning the lottery (well, I wouldn't know about that but still). I scored a TON of baby stuff and am beyond excited.

One of the moms at my Center has a 15 month old son and she is not having any more children. She apparently lives to shop and this child is always well dressed! As soon as she found out I was having a boy, she started saving stuff for me.

Wednesday she brought me two boxes full of shoes, bibs, and misc clothes. Honestly, she gave me at least 30 bibs and some of them are seasonal (t'giving/4th of July etc) which will save me some mola!! J will have to have several bibs per day at daycare, so I was thrilled to receive a ton from her! She gave me three pairs of Nike tennis shoes (for when he's crawling) and they're too stinking cute. She also gave me a pair of "squeeker" shoes (they squeek when he walks), which I'm sure Ben is beyond exited to have...ha!

Then, she said she had a ton of clothes and other gear that she'd sell me for "garage sale" prices. Sign me up! Saturday, my MIL and I met with her and went through boxes of clothes and other stuff. B's mom scored a bouncer chair ($10) and a small crib ($35) to keep at her house! I scored tons of really cute clothes (b/w 50 cents/$1 pc) and most of them have only been worn once (some none at all).

I still have to wash them and finish organizing his closet. I'm so excited though I can hardly stand it!

One thing I know for sure is my son will be well dressed! :-)

zulily love

2012-01-26T14:41:00.000-06:00

Several months ago (heck, it's probably more like a year), I discovered a daily deal site called Zulily. Every day there are different deals on really cute stuff for babies, kids, adults and housewares. I was a loyal browswer for a while, but didn't see anything I had to have!

That was until the past few months. I've found three things that I just had to have for my Jack.

one fish, two fish, red fish, new fish!

I saw this "one fish" onesie and fell in love. How appropriate for our new little Fish!

I love anything smocked! I knew I had to get this because a) it's smocked, duh! b) it will be perfect for football season and c) how adorable are those socks?? I'm sure Ben will even love it too!

I was never into the whole sock monkey thing before I was pregnant. However, Ben really wanted his son to have an original sock monkey (he got one for Xmas) and ever since then I've grown to love the little guys. This outfit became available yesterday and I couldn't resist!

I may seriously need an intervention from buying things on this site! They really do have good deals and cute stuff.

I'll keep him!

2012-01-24T16:03:00.001-06:00

(total husband brag ahead....)

Today was a gorgeous day, so it was a perfect day to spring clean a "storage" room at work. Apparently, the former director was a hoarder and threw NOTHING away. Anyways, I want to convert the room to a media room so I had to get on the ball and get it cleaned out.

It just so happened that Ben was in town and free today! I volunteered him to help me (and a couple other girls) take loads and loads to the Goodwill and dump. He was less than thrilled. Apparently, he didn't have manual labor in mind for his day off. He, being the wonderful husband he is, did help me though and made my life way easier. I didn't even have to pull the whole I'm pregnant card!

Anyways, after he left I sent him a text to see if he was "mad" at me....here's the exchange..

I guess he is still my friend after all!

I'm pretty sure I'm keeping him forever and always!!

confession is good for the soul

2012-01-18T16:33:00.000-06:00

It's time for midweek confessions over at E's. This is way more convenient than going to confession at Church...ha!

1. When my assistant goes on-and-on about something that I'm not interested in, I tune her out. I'll nod my head and act interested, but I'm really thinking about all the other million things on my mind. I'm a horrible person, I know.

2. I'm over being in limbo. B only has an interview with the Psychiatrist (Monday) and then he'll be done with the hiring process with Nashville. Awesome, right? Well...we're still not 100% sure of a start date. Ugh. He will still have to give Memphis a notice, pack up our house, and move all before he begins. I'm just praying it happens asap. I'm ready to be in one home, with my little family.

3. I made an appointment with the Pediatrician I want to use for Jack. I'm nervous to meet her! I'm afraid I wont ask the right questions, get the right info or ask too many questions that she refuses to see us! I'll hopefully get that gut/motherly instinct feeling instantly.

4. The Geico commercials annoy me.

5. I ate TWO donuts yesterday for breakfast and enjoyed every bite. So much for the healthy eating thing. Oops.

12 in 2012

2012-01-17T20:33:00.001-06:00

Several people have posted 12 goals/items etc they want to accomplish this year. I'm a list person so this is perfect for me. I actually started this post a couple of weeks ago. Maybe I should put "do not procrastinate" on my list! ha!

Here's my 12 in 12...in no particular order.

1. Be content with what I have.

I often say to my children (all 70 of 'em) "you get what you get....", but rarely do I actually apply this rule to myself. Of course, I'd love to have a brand new car, a un-ending wardrobe, an iPad and slews of other items. The reality is: I don't have those things and it is OK. At least I have a car, clothes and luxury items. I'm going to try really hard to just be happy and thankful with what I do have, instead of wishing for things I don't.

2. Lose the baby weight in a healthy manner.

My brother and SIL jumped on the fitness/health bandwagon a year or so ago and completely changed their life style (eating/drinking/working out) in a positive way. As soon as I announced I was pregnant, I'm pretty sure my brother started counting down the days til he could train me. I know I need to be healthy for Jackson and I want to look my best for not only myself but B too. Of course, it would be great if there was a magic pill to lose the weight, but I'm afraid it will just boil down to good ole fashion hard work. I'm sure B and my brother are chomping at the bit to see me actually work out. Punks!

3. Have some me time

Pretty sure once the new guy comes, this goal will be a cherished commodity. However, I know I'll still have to carve out some alone time here and there in order to keep my sanity.

4. Keep a day planner.

I'm awful about this. I write down dates on stickies or sometimes put 'em in my phone, but rarely do I actually put them in a planner. I think it will really help the Fishbowl to run smoothly if I have every date, activity, doctor appts, birthdays, trainings etc all in one place.

5. Eat more meals at home.

It's so easy to pick something up or settle for a bowl of cereal. I'm determined (once we actually live in the same zip code again!) to eat more meals at the house. It's really silly not too, especially since I want to eat healthier.
I hope we can have dinners with our parents too at least once a week.

6. Participate in "different" activities!

My mom is on a bowling team at work. They're the "Sweet Rolls"!! How fun is that! Anyways, I'd love to do something fun and different....maybe ballroom dancing or something. Who knows.

7. Purge.

We've been married almost 4 years and I swear we have more crap than Carter has liver pills. I've been purging so I don't have to move a bunch a crap we don't want, and it's making me feel so much better.

8. Organize.

We also have a ton of papers. I try to register for online stuff, but we still get way more mail than I want. I'd love to utilize a mail organizational system and hopefully stick with it.

9. Date my husband.

We've been apart now for 6 months. I cherish the time we do spend together though a heck of a lot. We've been discussing that even once Jack is born, we are still going to find time to go on dates. I am already looking forward to this!

10. Spend less time on Facebook.

It's way to much of my life right now. It's to easy to pop on my phone and check status updates. Not sure why I care so much about people I haven't seen since highschool anyways!!

11. Go to church.

I went to mass 3 weeks in a row and the church didn't fall down! I really need to make an effort to get up and ready every Sunday.

12. Volunteer more.

I recently volunteered at Second Harvest and LOVED every minute. I have been given so much and really want to give at least a little back.

What are your goals for 2012?

Jack Attack: 28 weeks

2012-01-16T20:42:00.000-06:00

Body by Baby!!

How big is he?: 2+llbs

Gender: BOY oh boy!!

Maternity clothes?: Pants- yes. Shirts- most of my regular tops still work with a long/maternity tank under.

Weight Gain:13 llbs. I only gained ONE pound this past month! I'm so excited. It's amazing how eating right and exercise can help. I've been walking during my lunch break and we just joined a gym tonight. Even though I didn't want to, I walked 30+ minutes tonight. I feel so much better now (just don't let B know he's right)!!

Symptoms: heart burn, and back pain

Belly button....in or out?: Still weird looking. Depending on the day and where he is, it's more out than in. Won't be long.

Sleep: Not the best.

Stretch marks?: None. In fact, the Tech today said "wow...you have great skin"....made my day! I've been lathering with cocoa butter every time I can remember!

B's partner (a big tough police man) told him as soon as we announced I was pregnant: "make sure she uses cocoa butter...it helps with stretch marks!" I love getting pregnancy advice from men. :)

Cravings:Crush drink, Cuties (anything citrus) and I'm literally craving a Kit Kat as I type!

Movement: He moves a ton now.

Best moment this week: I had my Glucose test today and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought!! I should know if I passed tomorrow, but it's looking good! B's mom was able to go with me to the appointment and got to hear J's heart beat! So glad she was able to join me.

I now start going to the doctor every 2 weeks. I'm pretty sure these next two months will fly by now!

advice

2012-01-05T14:08:00.000-06:00

Once I announced that I was pregnant, everyone and their brother instantly became Dr. Phil and started passing out advice on pregnancy/childbirth/child raising! This is my first rodeo so of course I try to absorb all the advice I can. Thankfully, I haven't had any crazy or mean-spirited opinions given....yet.

In hopes that I don't forget them all, I figured I needed to write them down. Here the few I haven't already forgotten!

1. Sleep when he sleeps.

I've heard this for years, but apparently it is worth repeating.

2. Let others help.

My SIL told me to make sure I utilize the help of my mom/MIL when it comes to cleaning, laundry, cooking and other household items. This will allow me some time to actually sleep (see #1) and still have "normalcy".

3. Don't think less of yourself when you do utilize help.

Women tend to do it all and do it all well. However, I'm pretty sure that sleep deprivation and all the other fun things that come along with child birth will put a damper on doing it all. I'm going to try really hard not to put too much pressure on myself.

4. Doctor appointments on Fridays.

One of the parents (who has 2 boys), always makes their doctor's appointments on a Friday afternoon. She says it is so that if they do run a fever or have a reaction to shots etc, they have all weekend to recover (and not miss school/work). Um. Genious! I know it's not always possible to do this, but I'm determined to make all shot appts on Fridays.

5. Put bottles in ziplock bags before you put them in your diaper bag.

So in case the bottle leaks, it doesn't get all over your bag and his extra stuff. I know they probably make fancy bottle holders, but heck this seems like it'll be just fine!

6. Dress the baby as you would dress yourself.

My Mom had my brother in August. It's hot in the South in August. Being the concerned, first time mom she was, she thought it would be best to bundle him up, because surely he was cold. She took my brother to the Dr and he said "Are you cold?....then chances are your baby isn't either." Needless to say, she didn't bundle him up in the summer after that! (I'm so glad I was the second child..ha!)

7. The craziest advice I've received for the whole pregnancy thing is to drink PICKLE JUICE to cure my heart burn. Um....yuuuck. It may work, but I'm sure as heck not trying it!

What advice do you have or have you received?? I'll honestly love to hear it!

nursery inspiration

2012-01-03T20:17:00.000-06:00

I figured it was high time to get on the ball with Jack's room. I'm pretty sure he is coming in 3 months whether I have his room in order or not.

B's mom generously purchased his crib for Christmas, so that was one HUGE item we got to check off our list. (Thanks again MIL!) It has arrived at the store, and we will be picking it up this week. So exciting. Ben, of course, is adament that he is the only one to put it together. Um...no arguments from me buddy!

My mom, not to be out done by the inlaws (totally kidding!), decided that she wanted to purchase his bedding. Of course, she says this after I decided NOT to go with the $400 custom bedding. Ha!! Again, another huge item to cross off. It should be here in a week or so and I can't wait.

My Uncle Kelly came down from IL for the holidays and we recruited him to help paint. He painted J's room and a few others in the "new" house and it feels way more like a home now. We went with a beige type color, since it's not our forever home.

I've also been browsing Pinterest and some nursery idea blogs and found several things I want to incorporate.

Here are the ideas so far:

A year or more ago, I saw a nursery/child's room where they used industrial lighting for the main light. I knew if we had a boy, I wanted to do the same. I love this one, but have found others online that would be great.

My mom found this guy at Kohls and it's perfect for the nursery. I'm sure this guy with be good friends with J's other monkey friend.

I found this idea on Project Nursery blog and instantly knew it was going in his room. My Granny had old "freezer baskets" that will be perfect to hang on the peg board for his diapers and wipes. I'm sure I'll think of something else to go on the board too.

His crib! A girl I went to school with has the same one but in white and I loved it. I didn't think the white worked as well with the over all feel of the room, so I opted for espresso.

His bedding. I love the preppy, boyish vibe this gives. We wont be using the other pieces it comes with, but it was a great price and I think cute. Oh and it arrives in a week instead of 12 like the custom one I wanted.

A friend from highschool starting selling custom burlap pillows. I knew I had to get one for his chair. This is his! (well, he'll have one just like it!)

So....there's the inspiration. Lets just hope I get some energy and time to get it all done!

Jack Attack: 26 weeks

2012-01-02T19:15:00.000-06:00

How big is he?: Roughly 2 pounds! He's getting more body fat on him daily...better him than me!! :-)

Gender: BOY oh boy!!

Maternity clothes?: Pants- yes. Shirts- most of my regular tops still work with a long/maternity tank under.

Weight Gain: 12 pounds. I gained 6 b/w my 20-24 wk appointment. My Doctor says I'm doing beautifully, but I'm freakin out. I've been trying to eat better, so hopefully that will help.

Symptoms: heart burn, and now my back/hips are killing me especially when I'm going to sleep. Thank God for heating pads and tylenol.

Ben apparently is having sympathetic heart burn now too. I say it's a small price to pay...ha!

Belly button....in or out?: More like flat! It so strange looking. I can tell when J is higher b/c my belly button pokes out more. Weird. It wont be long before its out I bet.

Sleep: Not good anymore. My back and hips HURT and throb, which makes it not so fun. I've also started the pottying through out the night thing again.

Cravings: Cuties (I love those things), OJ (low acid kind doesnt give me hb) and anything salty

Movement: He moves a ton now. I love watching my tummy move when he's kicking. So neat.

Best moment this week: Ben got to feel him move for the first time!! I always knew B would be a good dad, but it just melts my heart seeing how sweet he is to Jack already.

More and more of the parents (mostly moms) are asking if I'm pregnant now. I had a new mom ask me and I said "yes, I'm 6 months" and she literally made my day when she responded "wow...you're tiny..." Brownie points for her...ha!

so long 2011...

2012-01-01T21:38:00.000-06:00

It's 2012 and I'm honestly wondering where 2011 went! I know I say this often, but time sure does fly!

2011 has been one heckuva year for us at the Fishbowl.

In 2011:
We traveled: 1) Minnesota to the Mayo Clinic 2) CA/Mexico cruise

santa barbara, ca

We ate....a lot! I discovered a Eat Local blog and decided I wanted to try local Memphis restaurants. I'm so glad because we found some really good places to enjoy. I will really miss my faves.

great restaurant/shop in Memphis

We celebrated 3 years of wedded bliss and neither one of us can remember how we celebrated. Yep, we're good like that. It must have been really memorable, huh!

We did some house renovations and survived! Tiling the kitchen floor was enough to drive one to drink, but it looks so much better.

tiling fun! not.

We made some major life changing decisions and agreed that I should accept a new job back in Nashville. This meant Ben would be a bachelor for a few (more like 6+) months, but we knew it would be best for us in the long term.

We found out that God has impeccable timing. After what seemed like ages of trying to create a Minnow....we found out that I was PREGNANT!

We lost my Grandmother. I was so thankful I had the chance to be with her the day she passed and to tell her my good news (2 weeks prior). The look on her face was one I'll never forget. My 89 year old Granny (who had dementia) actually remembered my news and TOLD EVERYONE who visited. I guess I forgot to tell her it was a secret (I was only 8 weeks then)...oops! I was so touched that even on her death bed, she remembered her little girl.

Granny love!

We found out that Minnow is a BOY! We named him Jackson and are in love.

Jack

We found out that Ben was offered a position with Metro Nashville's PD. He only has a few more tests and then can start training. So excited to be a family again.

We cannot wait to see what 2012 has in store. More importantly, we cannot wait to meet our occupier!!

Happy 2012 y'all!

Christmas recap

2011-12-28T20:34:00.000-06:00

It still boggles my mind that Christmas has come and gone and it's almost 2012. I cannot wait to see what all is in store for us in 2012...oh and to meet this little occupier!!

Anyways, Christmas 2011 was wonderful as usual! Ben was able to get off for 4 days, so that made it even better.

Christmas Eve:

Our family friend hosts an annual Christmas Eve brunch/open house every year. My mom wanted me to come too (whole family is invited) to show me off (or something). How could I turn down awesome food and a nice time?

After brunch, we were able to rest for a couple hours before 4 o'clock Mass. It is the children's mass and packed. My brother and his family joined us and it was a sweet service.

We then all went to my parents house for supper and gifts.

B and Me after mass (& Jack too!)

Brother and his sweet family

After we stuffed our selves with yummy chicken and fixin's (not your usual Christmas eve dinner I know), we decided to settle in for the night. Of course, we couldn't wait too long to open the gifts because the boys had to be in bed for Santa.

Christmas Day:

We woke up, had a yummy traditional southern breakfast and opened our stockings. Santa came for the boys, so they were occupied with their new rocket, guns and other toys.

my crazy family!!

After breakfast, B and I headed to his parents house (I forgot to get any pictures). We exchanged gifts with his parents and spent the rest of the afternoon resting and catching up with them.

Jack was officially spoiled this Christmas! He received the cutest sock monkey ornament with his name and a cute bear cap from my brother/sil. B gave him the original sock mokey (he apparently researched it and was determined to only get the original one!) and also gave us a Moby Wrap!! B's mom graciously gave us J's crib too! So blessed to be only 2 pounds! :)

J's onament, moby wrap and new sock monkey!!

For supper, we headed back to my parents to eat. My Aunt Erin, her husband and cousin all came over and we had a lovely time. My mom made the best apricot pork tenderloin. It was de-licious!!!

christmas night supper

I think it took all day Monday to recover from our Christmas! We are blessed way more than we deserve.

Hope y'all had a nice one too!

From our family to yours..

2011-12-23T16:18:00.000-06:00

We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2012!

i confess....

2011-12-21T13:00:00.000-06:00

E is having her "midweek confessions".

1. I have 98% of my gifts wrapped. They do not however have bows, ribbons or even name tags (just wrote the name tiny on the back) on them. I may or may not leave all that off this year. Less to remove, right?

2. I am trying to eat healthier. I made the decision to cut out a lot of processed sugars, white bread, cokes and other non-healthy things. I'm also trying to increase my fruit/veggies in take. Yesterday was pretty good and today started off great. Then.....my bright self decided to treat my staff to Which Wich? for lunch. I had to get a turkey sub for myself, naturally. Oh and I couldn't not eat the chips and dip my assistant brought. Ugh. I have the self control of a 3 year old. At least I haven't scarfed down the 9 million cookies and desserts parents have given us. Yet!

3. I still have several cards I have yet to mail. I did horribly this year with the whole Christmas card thing. I really don't have an excuse either.

4. I really want, no need, a get-away. I just want to go somewhere, by myself (I may allow B to join if he behaves...ha!) and just do NOTHING. I don't want to think, work, worry, or have contact with the outside world for a couple of days. I'll keep dreamin'!

oh what fun it is to...

2011-12-18T14:00:00.002-06:00

Last week we decided we would start our baby registry. I asked around and scoped out a few of my friends registeries for items we "needed". I know next to nothing about car seats, strollers etc so it was nice having opinions on the matter.

We arrived at BRU and it was show time. The nice lady at the desk gave us a booklet with a list of "must" register for items. I think I wrote papers in college with less words! Seriously.

B and I agreed that we'd just do the "important" items together, since lets be honest here...he really can care less about bottles and butt paste!! He was in charge of the gun (& reading the reviews) and surprisingly got way more into it this time than for our wedding registry.

We were doing well picking out high chairs, bouncy seats and I thought the rest would be a walk in the park. Then, we hit the car seat section. I was told by several friends about the Chicco car seat and we found it on the endcap. A friend suggested that I carry it around etc and get a feel for the different car seats (weight etc). The one I wanted to try still had the base attached. I thought I could just pop it off no problem. Well.....it wouldn't come off. I tried and tried and then gave up. Ben then decided to try and try and try! We stood there for at least 10 minutes trying to figure out how to take the damn (excuse my french, but thats what it was) car seat off the base. I finally gave up and asked for help. The nice man came over, took 2 seconds and popped the thing right out. Uh. Thankfully, it was really easy once you knew what to do.

We finished up our mission in the video monitor section. Several friends said it was a life saver, so I knew I wanted to check into one. We found one that should do a good job (and had good reviews), but I commented "I'm pretty sure our parents didn't even have a regular monitor for us and we turned out just fine." I guess that statement is now up for debate! ha!

We still have a few odds and ends (namely bottles etc) but I think Jack should be set!

It's amazing how much stuff a little one "requires".

Jack Attack: 24 weeks

2011-12-13T15:20:00.000-06:00

Peace, love, Christmas!!

(My cute custom made shirt is by my uber talented friend Aimee!! I love it!)

How big is he?: Some sites say he's 1.5 llbs and as big as an ear of Corn!

Gender: BOY oh boy!!

Maternity clothes?: Pants- yes. Shirts- most of my regular tops still work with a long tank under.

My sweet SIL gave me a ton of her (and her friends') maternity clothes! I'm now fully stocked on pants (jeans, khakies, dress pants) and tops! Christmas came early!! :-)

Weight Gain: I don't weigh myself, but I'm guessing 10llbs or so. I'll find out at the doctor next week.

Symptoms: All day heart burn. I'm now on 175mg of Zantac twice daily. It's helping a bit, for now. Also, the charley horses have return in full force. Boo.

Sleep: Pretty good, surprisingly! I'm usually worn out by the time I get to sleep, so I think that helps.

Cravings: nothing really this week.

Movement: He moves a ton (esp at night) and is kicking harder every day. I'm hoping Ben can feel him in a week or two.

Best moment this week: I've finally picked the bedding and crib I like and Ben agrees! We'll be ordering after Christmas! I realized that it's okay if my son doesn't have the custom bedding of my dreams, and I'm pretty sure he wont be in therapy because of it!

And non-pregnancy related: receiving the cutest Christmas shirt (see above) from my friend! I totally wish I had half of her talent!

Rockin' w/ the Rockettes!

2011-12-12T13:58:00.000-06:00

Last night my mom, SIL and I had a girls only night and we went to see the Radio City Rockettes here in Nashville! It was the 10th anniversary of the show in Nashville and my mom thought it would be fun. This was our 3rd time seeing the Rockettes (2x Nashville and 1x in NYC), but they never disappoint. My mom actually realllllly wants to be one of the Rockettes. It's never too late, right?!

Not to give away the show, but I love that they still do the Nativity scene at the end. It's so refreshing in this politically correct world that they still acknowledge the birth of Jesus and the real reason of the season!

We had a rockin' good time!

Christmas confessions

2011-12-07T18:50:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite blogs I read, E Myself and I, is hosting a "mid week confessions" post. I thought I'd play along!

1. I have never seen A Christmas Story movie in its entirety. Every year I promise myself that I'm going to watch it when it comes on TBS, but every year I get too busy and uninterested. Maybe 2011 will be the year. Maybe.

2. I just had to double check the spelling of the word entirety. I hate when I type/write a word and it looks wrong. It's usually the simplist of words too. Hopefully I'm not the only one who does this.

3. I'm not a fan of multi-colored and white Christmas lights mixed together. I'm strange, but I like it either all white or all multi-colored.

4. I'm overly critical of complete stranger's decorations. My mom and I jokingly refer to ourselves as the decoration police. I don't actually tell anyone that I think their decor is tacky, so I'm not completely awful!!

5. I love receiving Christmas cards! I'm like a kid in the candy store when I see 'em in the mailbox.

tuesday tidbits

2011-12-06T21:02:00.000-06:00

Ben did really well on his first (of two) interviews today! I knew he'd do great, but it was so nice knowing for sure! He said his Investigator (aka Recruiter) told him he has a 99.999% chance of getting hired and he should hopefully be in the March class. The great thing about Nashville is they offer a pre-academy assignment for 2 months before the class, so if all goes well he can be up here in January!! Any and all prayers are welcome!!

I have discovered the yummy sandwich chain, Which Wich. B and I went a month or so ago and I've been hooked since. I actually joined their "club" and received a FREE sandwich! Total score. I usually don't like toasted sandwiches, but theirs are delish!

It has rained on and off, but mostly on, for almost 2 weeks. I'm over it. I honestly thought we were going to flood again yesterday because the rain never stopped. Days like today makes me realllly want to be in the Caribbean or somewhere warm. Oh to dream...

st. maarten 2010

I haven't even made or order our Christmas cards yet. I'm usually on the ball way before now. I just hope my friends and family get them before next year! ha!

one of my faves