Abby's Room Update

Welcome to the evolving nursery of Abby Reese. Once again your tour will be guided by Nekkid Will... Here's what you see when you come in. It all looks a little monochrome right now, but the color punch is on the way. That big empty wall is going to be home to Abby's photo gallery and her newborn shots will include plenty of color. We're also going to be adding some funky pillows to that couch this week.

Here was the project of the week. The couch and canopy. I adore the canopy, and so do Anne and Will.

Here's the view from the couch. The curtains will get hung this week. The bumper is being returned tomorrow. That will throw some color over onto this side of the room. Will could use some color too, come to think of it.

Does This Baby Make Me Look Fat?

This cracks me up! On the plus side (no, not the plus size!...), I think my giant belly makes my butt look relatively small. Don't you guys think so? Oh, and sadly enough, that adorable prego is NOT me. I wish, but no. Alas, I won't get in front of a camera until I have a better sense of humor about the whole thing. Abby is weighing close to six pounds now and I'm ready to meet the little stinker!

What's Dad up to these Days?

Well, he's mostly working. I know everyone is asking, so here's the scoop on that. Brandon is in "Start up School" this week and next week. They have to be retrained on the unit at within 3 months of Start-Up, so there is something of a deadline. It looks like he might be back on shift by the end of the year. He's getting to sleep in til 6:30ish this week and said today that he's starting to feel rested, like he hasn't been waking up at 3:45 for the past two years. So that's the story on work. When he comes home he has a few beers in the pub. Will is learning the ropes in there. He'll be taking tips by Christmas time.

After a pint or two, he's no good. He crashes out around 7ish and that's when Will takes advantage of Poor Dad. There is a Dr. Suess book that we read around here called Hop on Pop. It also one of our favorite games. Well, mine and Will's anyway. It's hard to say how Pop really feels about it. You'd have to see his face. I do have to apologize for the junky pictures. Will was moving so fast that he's just a blur, but that's what it looks like in reality too, so...

To Do List

I have a list a mile long of stuff that needs to get done. Stuff that needs to be taken care of before the baby comes. Before I can relax. Hopefully I'll get it all done and get to do that relax thing before she comes. But the list is pretty long. Some things are more important than others. And the list is daunting. I just stare at it. Rewrite it. Look for some motivation. But what do I DO? Nothing from this list. I mostly lounge around the house. I wear very little and stay away from mirrors (Poor Will). I eat something. I drift off. Will makes sure that I don't stay asleep for longer than one second. Just long enough to scare the beegees out of me. Anyway, here's my list. I'm looking for a concierge of sorts that can just take care of it for me.

TO DO LIST

• Design 6 Budoir Albums
• Edit 2 Weddings
• Attack the laundry pile, ours and the baby's
• Trim out the floor in Abby's room
• Hang the chandelier in Abby's room
• Finish painting Abby's room
• Hang the giant mirror in Abby's room
• Reupholster the couch in Abby's room (Is it me or does she seem high maintenance? I'm just noticing a recurring theme here...)
• My eyebrows - I can't get close enough to a mirror to even pluck them. There's this giant bump that keeps me a few feet from a mirror and that's probably good.
• My hair. It's doing a giant mushroom type formation.
• My feet. They just hurt. I really have always wanted to do one of those mommy to be pedicures. I'm not seeing that one getting crossed off my list, though.
• Pack for the Hospital. I thought I was maybe jumping the gun on this one, but apparently everyone else at my stage of the game has been packed for weeks. Now I'm just panicking.

Dr.'s Appointment - Update

Not much of an update, really. Just that I went.

The doctor dished out his usual string of fat jokes. "Are you trying to float home?!" (It was raining.) He sure has alot of fat jokes. I've yet to hear the same one twice, and that's remarkable in his line of work. He said, "I'm just giving you a hard time cause your husband can't". He did say that I am cute as a button and to not diet on behalf of everyone else. In his words, "There is nothing crankier than a dieting pregnant woman. Please eat something."

I was really excited to ask him about the baby dropping. I know I'm a few weeks early, but you know how it is at the end...you just really love some sign that it is actually going to end. So I go in with my newly lazy belly and say, "Check it out. I think the baby dropped." And he said, "Well, look at that. It looks like it sure did." And I spazzily ask..."SO...what does that mean?!"

And he grins and says, "Nothing!"

:(

I go back in two weeks and start the REALLY personal exams. Now that is a sign that it's almost over. Who ever gets excited about "one of those" exams? I woman in her last month of pregnancy, that's who.

Deja Vu

Ever feel like you've done something like this before? Feels familiar. So yesterday the baby dropped and I find out that there is a surprise tropical storm, possibly a hurricane, on the way to ME. I'm not worried. But I bet Grandma and Grandpa are.

:)

Boring Sunday

We did a whole lotta nothing today. We sat around being lazy. We went to Wal-Mart and bought playdough. We watched a movie and ate fruit loops. And apparently the baby dropped. Who in the world knows what that means? I don't. I think it mostly means that I look goofy and my balance is off and the threat of my belly hanging out the bottom of my shirt is now very real. So if you love me...tell me when that happens.

My New Favorite Movie

I know I already told everyone I know about this movie, but in case you missed it, it's Penelope. Just rent it. Just buy it. You can even watch it with your grandpa without blushing. Love it.

Hands On

Today was a very hands-on day for us. We started the day with a trip to Home Depot for the Kids' Workshop. Today we made a flag holder. Kind of random, but it has something to do with the Olympics, but it's free and the kids like to hammer stuff, so we were all about it. It's pretty cute to see them in their aprons and safety glasses and all.

Next stop was the hospital for the Sibling Class. That was all over the place. The kids learned how to swaddle babies (holy moly, i hope Will never attempts that!), and YIKES, surprise cartoon birth that was super graphic and freaky. Then we toured the hospital room. That was cool. Will is going to have a ball harassing me with all the buttons on the bed. They actually taught him how to do that. Nice. And then they brought out the big guns. A real newborn. Which apparently scared the poo out of Will. He had a mini panic attack, reaching for me saying "Hold you. Hold you. Hold you, Mommy". When I told him that it wasn't our baby he calmed right down. Wouldn't that be nice. Go to the hospital. Watch the video. Get qualified with the swaddling and place your order. They simply wheel the kiddo out. Ha. Anyway, the real intro to Baby Abby is going to be interesting. He definately did get the idea that we are going to the hospital, seeing a doctor, and coming home with a baby.

Anne's story is funny. We are basically coaching her on how to lie so she can come onto the floor. They only allow siblings. Since she attended the sibling class we assumed they would make an exception, but the teacher obnoxiously pointed out that that was not the case. But it was too late. She had already handed out the goody bags which contained Big Brother and Big Sister badges. She's been instructed to guard that badge and pretend to be mute.

Here are the kids wrapping their baby sister into a baby burrito. I was hoping that Abby might look a little more like me than blondie Will who is Brandon's little clone. But by the look of Will's baby Abby I've got some explaining to do.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly...Wednesday Edition

Well, today....

Let's start with the good. I am eating the best thing ever. I saw it in the store and I completely randomly bought it for bizarre reasons. After the funky morning we had I just really wanted a sweet treat. I need sugar if I can't have wine. It's the consolation prize for being prego. So I go to the ice cream section and I'm thinking maybe sorbet is a better choice calorically. So I find something weird I've never seen based on the name. I'm a little homesick for the Burg lately and I hate that I can't go til fall, so when I saw this I became a marketing sucker. Talenti Italian Ice Cream in Hill Country Peach Champagne. Oh my gosh it's so good and fat free too. I'm in Heaven.

Now the Bad...That would be Will at Moody Gardens today. We got as far as the lobby and had to go home.

Now are you ready for the Ugly?... Will is sort of famous for his love of naked time. Well, it's time to get dressed. We were kind of thinking that as he's approaching 3 years old, but our little nudist is happiest playing buck nekkid on the floor with some trucks. Well, he got a little wild playing today and managed to get his weenie stuck in his Home Depot birdhouse. Talk about new pain. It instantly bruised. An ice pack and some Tylenol later we decide that when naked time is actually hazardous, it's time to get dressed. So and era has passed. Ouch.

Stephen's Bday Party

We went to Stephen's third birthday party yesterday...and I can't even tell the story...you just have to see it. Watch the video on Amy's blog.

http://www.acupitt.blogspot.com/

Our Thursday.

I do know that I have the most boring blog in the world, but it's mostly my grandparents reading this (hey guys!) and they just eat this stuff up. So, ready grandma? Will was appalling today. He whacked anyone who would come near him, and today that happened to be Cara and Preston, Jen's littles. I know it's confusing with all the Jens, so here's a visual and an explanation.

Jen is a children's photographer, and her business name is Photojenic http://www.photojenicinc.com/ . So that's how you know who's who. Will generally loves Cara, who is a mini Anne Marie to him, and Preston is only a few days older than Will. He was even a Hurricane Baby born in College Station. Anyhoo, Will whacked both of them several times just mainly for being in reaching distance. And as you all know, Will hasn't taken a nap since Monday, and he's becoming more of a brute with each passing day. Not great as we have a huge social weekend coming up with Stephen's party and Joshua's baptism. Yikes. Cross your fingers. Anyway, HE'S SLEEPING RIGHT NOW!!! Thank the Lord. He got tired enough to actually take a nap today. Well, anyway, maybe this is a phase, right? Moving right along, Jen took a few pics while she was here today. And now I just feel sorry for all of you because it's quite horrible being on the other side of that lens. Turns out I'm one of those freaky people that makes crazy deer in the headlight faces. So I'm a little camera shy right now, but here's one of just Will and Abby.

And since we are talking about Jens, Classic Jen of the Katy variety came out this Monday and we just hung out Will-free and gabbed too much and ate too much. The norm. But anyway, Jenn and her mom, Kandi and crazy grandma Jean Jean are throwing a baby shower brunch for me with a bunch of the Katy gang coming. It'll be a gourmet and classy event and the menu already contains things I cannot even say, but you know I'd eat anything Kandi Steen makes. Now, if you are not a Katy debutante, don't worry. We actually opted out of a super dooper baby shower this time in leau of a cool new trend where we basically do it after she's born. The guys hate going to baby showers and have made themselves heard, but for some reason don't mind doing a little BBQ in the backyard if we don't call it that. And anyway, I'll have more fun if someone else can hold her (she is getting a bit heavy), and I can have a mimosa!

Well, we painted.

That was a fast update. But that's it. Mom woke up with a urge to nest yesterday, so we put the first coat of paint on in Abby's room. What a difference that makes! The room seems much smaller now, which in most rooms is a bad thing, but not in this case. It just makes it feel so cozy. I'll do some pics over the weekend when the bedding gets in there too.

Abby's Room

I guess I should go ahead and get on with showing you all the start of the nursery. This is so the START and I've been slacking at getting it done, but it'll happen. So without further adeu...

This is the crib with a few of her artwork pieces in it. They all have birds on them. The sheet is on there, but the bedding is still being made. It should be ready on Friday, but you can use your imagination. The bumper is a sweet grayish blue with ivory and chocolate colored antiquey looking flowers. So the whole color scheme in the room is going to be plum, blue, ivory and chocolate. It's really a soothing feel.

This is Will demonstrating the stability of the dresser/changing table. We're just going to smack a changing pad on top, and voila. The paint color we are going with is the plum above Will's head. And that's the extent of the nursery right this second. Still filling it in, and it's sort of a huge space. I think we'll end up addding a bookshelf and a standing lamp. Maybe a rocking chair. I have no idea. Any suggestions?

Then I just have to share a few of my faves of her clothes. I got her this cause it was just the first thing that I just HAD to have for her to wear. It's a teeny little dress. And AnneMarie has a coordinating shirt, so we'll have to do their pics in them. I can't wait.

And then this is a necessity for paying tribute to her Fredericksburg roots. It says "I'm Peachy". How cute is that?!

So that's it for now. I think next week we'll spend some time figuring out this whole nursery thing. A few more weeks and she'll be here!

That Little Punk!

Will gave me all kinds of grief for hours today trying to stay up at naptime. I was so freaking tired and I needed a nap SOOOO bad, but it didn't happen. So finally I give up, put some music on, throw some popcorn on the table, and next thing I know he's out cold. He looks so peaceful and angelic here that it is actually saving his life!