Pyles of Fun!

Happy Birthday, Little Man!

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:32:00 +0000

Wow - I am so behind on my blogging, but I could not miss the opportunity to relive my son's amazing Little Man birthday party. I still cannot believe I have a one-year-old. It's been such a great year, but I'll leave the gushing for another post.

Today, I'm reliving his wonderful party. We had the best time, and thanks to the ever so talented Elyse Fair (www.elyfairphotos.com), we have some great pictures to remind us of the day. Here are the highlights:

The decore: ties, everywhere - around lamps, hanging from chandeliers, tied nicely on a coat rack, and of course, on every guest.

The food: Big Man Brisket, Macin'-on-some-Cheese, Little Man Crackers (aka Goldfish), and Root Brewskies.

The cake: Mustache cupcakes

The activities: Paper tie decorating, reading of The Book of Nash, and best tie contest

And last, but certainly not least, the man himself: my wonderful, funny, sweet, shy, silly, little man Nash

Gosh I love him! :)

Like Mother, Like Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:21:00 +0000

Since I've moved back to Edmond, I have noticed more and more how alike my mother and I are. But Friday night was eerie. Hubs and I had been prepping all week for Little Man's birthday party (it was amazing - more on that later this week). So when Friday night came, I was pooped and was not going to be cooking! We decided to hit up our favorite restaurant down the street. Just as we got situated in our booth (not an easy task with a 1 year old) who should walk in but my parents! We had to laugh that when we both decide not to cook, Interurban is the restaurant of choice. We enjoyed a nice meal and parted ways. There's a grocery store down the street which reminded me of a few last minute prep items I needed for the party. As I was walking through to the back of the store, cutting through some random aisle, I ran smack into my parents once again buying their last minute prep items as well!

I really am my mother's daughter...and proud of it! :)

Recipe: Balsamic Baked Tilapia

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:56:00 +0000

I made a fabulous tilapia recipe tonight that I thought I would take a moment to share. I meant to take a picture of how it turned out, but it smelled so good that we devoured it before I remembered to snap a shot! Woops. :/

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (or 1 cup frozen onion)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tilapia filets

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add onion and bell pepper. Saute until vegetables are soft (about 10 minutes).
3. Add salt & pepper to taste as well as balsamic vinegar. Heat another 1-2 minutes.
4. Place fish filets in 9x13 baking dish and poor vegetable mixture over. Bake for 30 minutes.

Super easy and super yummy! For those on Weight Watchers, this is about 3-4 points depending upon how big your filets are. Enjoy!

Family Photo Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:42:00 +0000

During the Thanksgiving holiday, we took advantage of the fact that we had everyone in one place for some family pictures by the wonderful Elyse Fair. Below are some of our favorites that I thought I would share:

This is my Mom's family. Great lookin' bunch.

Just our smaller family unit, which as you can see is continuing to grow!

My sweet grandparents...love this shot!

Love this man.

And this little man!

Be still my heart! This was our favorite from the day. Love!

And you may now return to your previously scheduled activities. Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Approaching

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:29:00 +0000

With Christmas just weeks away, Nathan and I have been discussing what Christmas will be for our family - what traditions do we want to start and what do we want to carry over from our families. It's amazing how little you talk about these things until you have children. I look back at my childhood and Christmas was always such a fun and special time. There are so many of my experiences that I want to give to Nash. But there are also new ones that we want him to have. I want Nash to know that we don't celebrate Santa and that Christmas is not about "me". It's about the birth of our Lord and celebrating the sacrifice he gave to us. While a big fat man coming down your chimney with presents may sound more magical to Nash, the true wonder is how our Lord came into this world and that he defeated death that we might live. But how do you teach that? How do we learn that and model that for our son? That is definitely my prayer this Christmas - that God would change Nathan's and my mindset so we could teach that to our son. I so desperately want him to be a better person than me!

Parenthood

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:40:00 +0000

Today has been one of those memorable days that Nathan and I have many exchanged looks that say, "Yes, this is parenthood." Here's what we have experienced in the past day:

Baby waking multiple times through the night to babel, cry, and cough. (breaks my heart to hear that pitiful cough!)
Diaper explosion that had poop up to the armpits, complete with Daddy accidentally flinging said poop onto my face. (Yes, that was disgusting.)
Quickly running over to whatever Nash is getting into and yelling "No, Nash!" about 50 times.
Baby almost pulling a bottle of red wine off the end table
Baby almost pulling a glass of Scotch off the end table
Pulling a dog bone out of Nash's mouth as he peeks up between your legs as you sit on the couch trying to enjoy that glass of Scotch
Baby licking an outlet (yes, it had protective plugs in PTL!)

Whew...and we're loving every minute!

Change is good for the soul, right?

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 02:44:00 +0000

Once again, a lot has changed since my last blog post. I definitely have to mark 2011 down as the year I have seen the most change in my life - and there are still 3 more months to go! Since my last post, I have left my job at ONEsite, returned to Rockfish working remote from OKC, and our baby boy has started moving and grooving. When I stop and think about everything we've been through this year, it's no wonder I'm exhausted!

We had our first baby.
I returned to work.
We moved to OKC.
We sold our beloved custom-built house in Arkansas
I took a new job.
We bought a new house that we love even more, despite its quirks. ;)
I put Nash into a new school, that lasted 3 days.
I put Nash in a new in-home school.
I left the new job.
I returned to an old job, working remotely.

Whew. It has already been a year of change, of life lessons, and immense blessings. Now that my work life has leveled out a bit, we finally feel like we can focus on establishing our life here in OKC. I'm so anxious to build relationships here - we truly miss our friends from Arkansas.

Nash continues to change every day, it seems. He brings us so much joy. He is crawling and babbling now which makes him so much fun. He is such a blessing to our lives. Don't these pictures just make you want to squish him? :)

A Baby Changes Everything

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:21:00 +0000

Having a baby changes your life. We knew this, but the reality is so different, so much better than anything we could have ever imagined. Nash is almost 8 months old and by now, it feels like he has always been a part of our family and that our routine isn't a burden any more but just our lovely life. He has been doing so well - learning all sorts of new and exciting things. He wants to crawl so badly right now. As I watch him struggle to learn this new skill, I just want to help show him exactly how to do it but know that he must learn it on his own and in his own time. I know this is just the first of many times where I will want to jump in and show him exactly how to do it, but doing so would deprive him of the triumph he will feel once he accomplishes something himself. I'm sure I will learn this lesson again and again as a mother.

We are facing new challenges in this phase of his development, though. We are trying to get him onto table food, which he is less than happy about. You put a spoonful of mashed potatoes in his mouth and you'd think the boy had been fed poison. He gags and acts like he is just going to throw up! I'm hopeful that we will get over this hump soon so he can begin enjoying the flavors of the world...and so mommy and daddy's bank account can hopefully be a little less burdened by baby food! Whew - that stuff is expensive! I've been getting lots of tips from other moms that have been so helpful. I even got to be the "experience mom" in the grocery store the other day. A mom was there with her 7 week old and was looking at formula while I was grabbing some more for Nash. She stopped me to ask questions about what we used, if it seemed to be OK on Nash's tummy, etc. It was great to share my experience with her, and at the same time, realize how much Nash has grown since he was 7 weeks old. I remember being so frustrated when someone would tell me "They just grow out of it." But it is so true! I was glad to lend her a little comfort, though, knowing how much it meant to me to have another mom share their insights when Nash was first born. It was so overwhelming and I often felt so helpless. I finally get why moms need a network of other moms to offer support. I am anxious to find that here in Edmond as well.

I'll leave you with a few of our favorite shots from Nash's 6 month photo session. I might be biased, but I think he might be the most handsome baby I've ever seen. :)

Update from the Heart Land

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 02:13:00 +0000

I was driving this past week and had a sudden realization - we moved. I mean, I knew we moved to Oklahoma but the weight of that finally hit me. Everything we once knew has changed. Even though I grew up in Edmond, it is a totally different town now and different things are important to me today than 10 years ago! It will take us time for this to feel like home.

We also bought a "used home" (as we lovingly refer to it) for the first time. It's been strange moving into a house that requires a bit of work (ok, maybe more than a bit) but we are also excited to live in it for awhile and really plan out what we want to do. The yard needs a ton of work as well but who wants to do that in the 100+ degree heat. I had forgotten how unbearably hot Oklahoma can get! Whew!

Our house has sold in Arkansas and closed today. Our NWA chapter of our lives has officially come to a close. It's bittersweet - we loved our time there but are so happy to be here close to our families. It has been nice to see them so frequently and for Nash to get to spend quality time with them as well. He's a very loved little boy.

Speaking of Nash - he is now 6 months old! Can't believe he's changed so much and how quickly time has flown by. He is now rolling over, eating lots of baby food (his favorites are sweet potatoes and pears), cooing and squealing ALL the time, sleeping through the night, and overall one of the most chill babies I have ever seen. I can't express how much we love him and how lucky we feel to be his parents.

Our family on Father's Day

Nash and Meme Grape

Tummy Time at School

Overall, life is good but hectic. We are anxious to feel settled and have everything put away in its perfect place and get back into a groove. Hoping it comes soon!

O----klahoma!

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Fri, 06 May 2011 22:04:00 +0000

Well, the NWA Pyles are officially Oklahoma bound...for good! We are moving back to Edmond so we can be close to our families and have Nash grow up close to his grandparents. I have accepted a job with ONEsite as their VP of Client Services & Nathan will continue to work for ThinkPen. It's a bittersweet decision for us. We have loved our years in Arkansas - we've considered these past 5 years our extended honeymoon. It has been so great to spend this time together just us. But Nash has truly made our life sweeter, and we want to share that with our families. So while it's sad to say goodbye to our home & friends, we are looking forward to the new chapter of our life!

In the words of Carrie Underwood, "There's nothing like Oklahoma."

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work I go.

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:09:00 +0000

Nash is now 3 months old, I have returned to work, and our household is finally taking on a new rhythm. It's been an interesting adjustment back to the professional world after 12 weeks of being a stay-at-home mom. I am so grateful for my time home with Nash - it was the toughest and the most wonderful 12 weeks of my life. We were blessed that Nathan was able to work from home during those 12 weeks. That was truly God's provision. I'm not sure I could have handled being alone for that long or had the stamina to keep up with a colicky baby. Praise the Lord those issues have passed!

My last post was 7 weeks ago - Nash has changed a lot! Here's what's new:

Nash has just started sleeping 10 - 11 hours at night, waking only once to eat quickly and go right back down. It's wonderful to be getting 8 hours of sleep again - not looking forward to teething when that might get disrupted again!
Nash weighs 14 pounds, 12 ounces as of last Monday. He's a big boy now!
He laughs and smiles and interacts with you now. It melts my heart every time I tickle him and he gets his big toothless grin on his face. Priceless!
Nash still isn't interested in toys but he's watching them. I can just see those little wheels turning & thinking, "How can I get these arms to reach those toys?"
Nash has been adjusting great to school. His teachers love him and he seems to like them as well. They have webcams so I get to peek in on him throughout the day, which helps me make it through the day! The first day was the hardest, but we're all adjusting and getting our new routine down.

I'm still amazed at how much I love him - I didn't know it was possible! We can't wait for the next new thing he'll do - and at the same time, we miss things he has already stopped doing. That's the life of a parent, I guess!

That's the latest and greatest in the Pyles Household. Good times and lots of love!

7 weeks!!

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:46:00 +0000

It's been about a month since I have posted here. Hard to believe Nash is already 7 weeks old. He has become much more alert and aware of the world around him. It's so fun to watch him experience something new - a new sound, texture, object. He is starting to sleep better at night as well, which makes for a very happy mommy and daddy. We're down to 2 feedings a night - whew! He's growing by leaps and bounds - already 10 pounds, 8 ounces and 22 inches long. We just boxed up his newborn clothes and moved up to 3 months clothes. Big boy!

Here are some of Nash's favorite things right now :)

Being clean (hates the bath, but loves the after effect!)

His new best friend, LB

Colic Calm (ok, this may be more mommy and daddy's favorite - works wonders)

And of course, Nana!

Overall, life is good. Being a full time mom is hard and has its challenging days where I feel completely inadequate and have no idea what I'm doing. But it's all worth it during those sweet moments when my son locks his eyes on mine and I feel like all is right in the world. :)

Enough

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 01:26:00 +0000

Nash is 3 weeks old today. During these first few weeks together, I have been overwhelmed by the realization of how not enough I am for him. I know that I cannot teach him everything he will need to know. I cannot provide him enough love and security to make him complete. I cannot provide for his every need. I am just not enough. But I am comforted by the fact that our Heavenly Father is enough for him - that all of my shortcomings will be filled by his complete goodness. When I am not enough, He always will be. What a powerful truth for a mom!

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

What I have learned in 11 days

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:30:00 +0000

Nash is 11 days old today. It's hard to believe he's already been with us that long. He is so sweet and overall a wonderful baby. Motherhood thus far is pretty surreal. I still feel like I am just in survival mode, and am guessing that will continue for a few more weeks as we adjust. There is so much I have left to learn about him and about caring for a baby, but I have learned quite a bit in just the past 11 days. Here are a few snippets:

1. Postpartum recovery is a lot more difficult that I imagined.
I had assumed I would have Nash one day and feel the sudden relief of not being pregnant any more coupled with overall physical rejuvenation once I gave birth. Nobody really prepped me for how my body would feel after having a baby. The pain and physical fatigue were unexpected and made me extremely thankful that my mom was able to stay for a week to help care for Nash while I recovered. Luckily, I am feeling loads better and have kicked the pain meds by now.

2. I can do more than I ever imagined possible on just 3 hours of sleep.
Every parent warned us that the first few months are absolutely exhausting. They didn't lie. It's truly amazing how much you can really do on just a few hours of sleep. I have also learned the joys of a well-positioned power nap. Luckily, Nathan is an early morning person while I am a late night gal. It's 6:36pm right now, and Nathan has already gone off to bed to get some solid sleep before he takes the 1:00 - 7:00am shifts.

3. You have to do what is right for your family.
Everyone has a lot of opinions when it comes to parenting - particularly parenting a newborn. From breastfeeding to co-sleeping to soothing techniques. I have learned that you have to do what is right for your family and not worry so much about what "they" say. A baby needs unconditional love and care, and you can't give that if you are trying to fit into a mold that only frustrates your family. If you do what is right for your family dynamic, everyone - including baby - will be happier.

4. I now believe in love at first sight.
I cannot express how much I truly love this little boy. I wish my arms and back could stand to hold him more - I would never put him down. The first major "Mom moment" I had was in the hospital right after Nash was circumcised. They brought him back to us and the scream he let out when he got shifted the wrong way was one that brought tears to my eyes so fast and made me want to do anything in my power to make him not be in pain any more. I'm sure I will have many more moments of wanting to save my baby from pain, heart ache, and loss over the coming years. I just pray I have the strength!

I know there are millions of lessons left to come over the course of the next 18+ years. We're so excited to have him in our life and begin building a family.

December 26, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:25:00 +0000

Nash made his debut at 2:43a.m. on December 26, 2010!! Nathan and I still cannot believe that he is here - and at the same time, it feels like he always should have been. He is so amazing and I cannot put into words how much love I already feel for this little boy. God is so good to give us this gift!

I've had a few people ask about the story of his delivery, so I thought it would be easier to just post it here. To sum it up in one word, it was FAST. Both of our parents were in town for Christmas. We had a great day with them, and Nathan's folks left around 2:00 to head back home, since Nash did not seem to want to make an appearance. My parents were scheduled to leave the next day. After dinner, though, I felt what I thought was my water breaking. I was scared to have a false call, so I took about an hour to do some at home assessment (I'll spare you the details.) Around 8:30, though, I decided to call the hospital and talk through my symptoms. They said for us to go ahead and come on down to be assessed. We made it to the hospital around 9:15, where they confirmed that my water had indeed broken, although I was still only dilated to 2.5 cm. They admitted me by about 9:45, where they got me hooked up to all the machines and started giving me Patocin to get things moving. By about 10:45, I was in labor with an epidural administered. Praise the Lord I didn't have to feel hardly any contractions, and definitely not the hard ones. We all settled in for a long night of contractions. Nash had a different plan, though. Around 1:30am they upped my Patocin. Luckily, Nathan's folks made it back to Arkansas by 1:45 am, just in time! By 2:00, I was paging the nurse, telling her I thought it was time. Sure enough, Nash was ready! The doctor rushed back to the hospital, but was sure I'd have about an hour of pushing to do. I started pushing at 2:30 and by 2:43, we had a Nash. :) I couldn't have asked for a smoother delivery - it was a wonderful, life changing experience. The staff at Willow Creek Women's Hospital were amazing and took great care of us. Nash came out healthy and screaming!

We came home yesterday just after lunch and have slowly but surely been getting used to each other. I am exhausted, emotional, and dealing with all the joys of recovery, but Nash makes it all worth while. I am so in love with him and grateful for a healthy baby, smooth delivery, and the gift of parenthood. I'll leave you with a few of our favorite shots thus far.

Just after he arrived.

Gramps and Nana meeting Nash for the first time.

Grandma Doris and Nash

So handsome!

Headed home!

Full Term

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 02:12:00 +0000

I am officially full term - we've made it!! And I am ready for Nash to make his appearance. We're hoping for an early arrival. I keep feeling odd pains and cramps and wondering, "Is this it?!" I wish there was a firm date and time when he would arrive. This not knowing is driving me nuts! This is when the planner side of me is a bit of a nuisance. :/

My next post will most likely be an introduction to our son! Can't wait! :)

5 Weeks to Go!

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:16:00 +0000

We officially only have 5 weeks left until our precious son arrives. We are getting so anxious to meet him. He is moving so much these days - I can just feel him wanting to say "Get me out of here!"

What I'm most looking forward to after Nash's arrival:

1. Seeing his face.
2. Finally "getting it" and being a part of the parents' club.
3. Drinking wine - just bought a bottle of Cakebread Chardonnay for postpartum celebration.

The nesting bug is definitely full force these days as well. Today's tasks were window cleaning and sliver polishing. Just trying to get all those pesky tasks completed before our attention is turned elsewhere. :) Christmas prep is also keeping us plenty busy. We'll be hosting our family here since Nash's debut could be around that time. I'm looking forward to making my first Christmas meal and having it in our new house. The big unknown is how Nash will attend. We shall see!

AROMA

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 01:33:00 +0000

I had the great privilege of having lunch with our new COO at work this past week, and he shared some advice on raising a family. It resonated so much with Nathan and I that I thought I would post it here as well. He told me that his family philosophy is to create a good AROMA in their household. AROMA stands for:

Affection - Between Mom & Dad, towards the kids and between the kids
Respect - Everyone has a level of respect for each other
Order - There are family rules and obligations that govern the household
Merriment - Laughter, joy, and fun!
Affirmation - Everyone is accepted and celebrated just as they are

Great stuff and very inspiring as we begin to build our family. This is one of those concepts that I know will stay with Nathan and me the same way that Love & Respect has guided our marriage to date.

Quick baby update: Nash is now 32 weeks old and the size of a honeydew, weigh approximately 4.5 pounds. We are getting so anxious to meet him. He could be here as soon as 5 weeks! We decorated the house for Christmas in preparation for his arrival this past weekend. I know it's early, but we wanted to be able to enjoy it and have it ready just in case Nash makes an early arrival. :)

Count Down Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 03:01:00 +0000

We've officially entered the phase of the pregnancy where we are counting down the weeks instead of up. In just 10 weeks, we will be bringing home baby Pyles. With each passing day, the excitement is building. Everything is still going smoothly. My back, legs, and feet ache all of the time, but that's to be expected! I had a wonderful pregnancy massage at Wellquest today - it was wonderful!

It has been so neat to watch Nash get more active. His movements are much more controlled and strong, making my belly move in ways that seem very unnatural. :) Nathan has finally been able to feel - and see - him moving.

Last weekend, we had our first shower here in NWA. We felt so blessed to have great friends, co-workers, and family who showered Nash will all sorts of goodies! My sister flew in from Florida to throw the shindig. Below are some of the pictures from the day.

Awesome petit fours from Chuck's Cake Shoppe!

Me with Mom & Meghan, my sister.

The great spread Meghan pulled together.

The amazing quilt my mother-in-law made.

27 Weeks: The Beginning of the End

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 21:44:00 +0000

I have officially entered the 3rd trimester. It gets more real every day, particularly when a co-worker pointed out that Nash could come as early as 10 weeks and still be full term. I don't know if we're ready for that! Nash has now grown to the size of a head of cauliflower and weighs in at 2.5 pounds.

No other updates - all is well. Mom and baby are healthy and growing rapidly (both of us!). I never thought I would look forward to a Jillian Michaels work out...can't wait to get my body back, although it hasn't been too bad sharing it with something so sweet. :)

24 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:07:00 +0000

We are now at 24 weeks and Nash has graduated to the size of an eggplant. Hard to believe this is fitting inside me:

Everything is going smoothly, though. I'm able to feel him move every day, which is bizarre and wonderful all at the same time. It's especially interesting when he decides my bladder is his own personal punching bag.

We've been full-steam ahead on the nursery and it is turning out better than we could have imagined. Last weekend we embarked on installing chair railing on our own. Let me begin by first saying that Nathan and I really aren't DIY-ers. But after getting the quote from a handy man, we decided to give it a shot. Nathan was sure that it would only take an hour - maybe two - to measure, cut, and install... 8 hours later, we finally put the finishing touches on it. :) The hardest part was the angles and math involved - it's been awhile since we've used those rusty Geometry skills. But nonetheless, we got it installed and it looks pretty good, if I do say so myself. Here's Nathan + Jackson enjoying his morning cup of joe the next day.

The furniture is set to arrive by late October. Our crib is in, but the rest is on back-order. We attempted to pick it up this weekend, but discovered the box was much too big for our 4Runner, so we'll have to wait to have it delivered with the rest of the furniture. Makes us really wish we had a truck.

On a non-baby note, who else is ready for fall?! I'm ready for crisp days, changing leaves, decorating with gords, and pumpkin-flavored everything! It's my favorite time of the year and it is so close I can taste it (or maybe it's just the yummy pumpkin spice lattes I have been enjoying). I hope it comes soon!

It's a boy!!

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 01:08:00 +0000

We found out on Tuesday that Nugget is indeed a healthy baby boy. We are so happy to be able to call him by name now - Nash Douglas Pyles. He was very active during the ultrasound, doing all sorts of dance moves and showing off his stuff. It was precious. We've enjoyed re-watching the DVD with our parents - they are very proud Grandmas and Grandpas.

Once I finally knew what the gender was, the Nesting bug hit in full force! I have been looking at bedding, paint colors, nursery themes, and everything in between. Today we bought some of Nash's first outfits - and he is going to be so cute. We also purchased his bedding today from Pottery Barn Kids.

We're not sure about colors or theme yet, but know we want to do something simple and timeless that he can grow into. It's been so fun to look at all the different options and pretty overwhelming. We'll have to keep ourselves in check because there is so much you can buy but not necessarily things he actually needs. I'm sure that is something we will be reminding ourselves of many times throughout the coming years. :)

20 weeks down - 20 more to go!

Mango Mania

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:05:00 +0000

We are officially to the Mango phase. That's right, Nugget is the size of a mango now. I feel like he/she should be so much bigger considering the size of my stomach...and well, really, the rest of me. We find out on Tuesday (yes, 2 days away!) whether Nugget is a boy or a girl. I cannot wait! We shopped the web for baby bedding and decorations this weekend. While either gender would be wonderful, I have to admit that girls' stuff is way more fun and cute. Look at this amazing bedding we found on Target.com:

Lizzie by Cotton Tale

Everyone asks if I have a hunch or intuition about whether it's a boy or a girl. The truth is, I really don't. I'm not sure that I have allowed myself to really get attached to either one since we don't know what God has in store. I have been afraid to think, "Oh, yes, it's definitely a girl" for fear that I might be disappointed if it is really a boy (or vice versa). I really think either would be wonderful. And at the end of the day, what I want really doesn't matter, does it?

In 48 hours, we will know!

A little flutter...

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:45:00 +0000

Tonight I felt my first little flutter from Nugget. What a neat feeling! It's nice to know he/she is really in there. I cannot wait to call them by name - just 11 more days to go until we find out. We started registering 2 weekends ago in Oklahoma with my parents. It was fun to see all the different products out there - for like 2 minutes and then it was just overwhelming! There are so many things to see and think about. It's hard to know what is essential and what is just really good shopper marketing. Thus far, we have only started our Babys R Us registry. We also made our first function-over-fashion furniture purchase at Mathis Brothers (love that store!) while we were in Oklahoma. We got this amazing recliner:

Beautiful? Not at all. But amazingly comfortable. It hugs you and reclines almost completely to 180 degrees. There will be many nights spent in this comfy chair rocking a precious baby.

Nugget is currently the size of a sweet potato. I decided to compare this to my belly at the grocery store this week.

(sorry - lookin' a little rough in the pic but you get the idea)

To end this post, I will leave you with a group opinion poll. Is Nugget a boy or a girl? :)

Week 16

noreply@blogger.com (Hi, I'm Amy.) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:45:00 +0000

Yesterday, Nathan and I ordered Nugget's nursery furniture. We cannot wait to find out if it's a he or she so we can really start setting up the nursery. We got the set below in an espresso wood color. We got the crib, the double dresser, and the hutch. Can't wait!

Baby's Dream - Legendary Collection

Everything is going smoothly with the pregnancy - I felt the first little flutter in my belly last night, which was just amazing. I know that I will be able to feel it more strongly in the coming weeks which is exciting to think about. I seem to be getting bigger each day!

Last week we had some dear friends to our house who just moved back to the area. They brought with them their precious little 9 month old girl. It was the first time we've had a baby in our house and it was so fun to watch and experience a glimpse of what it will be like when our baby arrives. Of course, we won't have a little one who is crawling and exploring right from day one. :) The dogs were a whole nother story, though. They were so interested in her and wanted to make friends quickly. Unfortunately, they were a little over eager. We'll have to work on them getting used to a new family member in a more calm way! I'll leave you with a picture of my precious pups - our babies for now. :)