My Nest

I SOOOOOO wish I had traditional nesting urges. I wish I was compulsively cleaning and that my house was spotless and that, like my mother, I felt like cleaning the window frames with a toothbrush. Um, yeah but that's not how I roll :P

My nesting involves more money and does nothing to make my house more presentable. That's right my friends, instead of cleaning, I craft.... obsessively....unceasingly.... sometimes even unconsciously. So last Thursday, I spent several hours cranking out these babies and I have to say... LOVE THEM!

I decided to go a more colorful route than I had originally planned and I'm so glad I did! Something I really, really realized during this project is that Elizabeth has a LONG name.... seriously, it's long :P

Anyhoo, that was the last thing I had on my crafting agenda and now I'm a little worried.... what am I going to do this week?! I'm thinking about maybe getting some felt at Hobby Lobby and start trying to make some really cute hair clips for Lizzie.... Ooooo, speaking of which, she'll need a bow holder... SWEET! Project!! I know I'm sad, but I need SOMETHING to keep me busy until she gets here and what better way to fill Micah's nap time than by producing mounds of crafty goodness? Um yeah, don't answer that ;-)

35 Weeks

Almost full term now! As of today, I am now seeing my doctor every week until Elizabeth comes... I'm not sure, but she may even start checking me for dilation today :) Lizzie has been really active the past week and it's fun to feel her swishing around. She pulled a break dancing move yesterday morning and turned a 360 on her head.... pretty impressive for someone who hasn't even been born yet.

I'm getting excited about meeting her and also a little freaked out that in a month or less I'm going to have TWO kids... whoa baby. Anyhoo, as of today Lizzie is about 18 inches long and weighs between 5.5 and 6 pounds. That's about all I've got! I'll let you know if I get checked today :)

The Reason I'm Freezin

Ok, here's the deal.... I'm cheap. Well, selectively cheap.. but I won't get into that :P Point is, I knew at the beginning of this pregnancy that I would have to invest in a few more maternity items since Micah was born in July (I miss my maternity sun dresses.... they were awesome) and Lizzie is due in February. Trying not to overdo it, I bought two very thin sweaters, a heavier sweater "coat" and a long sleeved shirt from the Gap figuring between those and cardigans / zip up sweater I already owned, I could layer and be just fine... WRONG!

It has been a very atypical winter for Houston this year in that it got cold in November and it has stayed cold.... totally unheard of! Well, during November and December I figured the weather was a fluke and would soon warm up. I made due with adding scarves and wearing coats open (since they wouldn't button) and always being a little bit to moderately cold. As I sit here, looking back on my stupidity, I am dreading the 21 degrees it will be in Houston tomorrow. Of course, it took me so long to believe the weather was going to stay, that now I am only a month or so from my due date and it would be a waste to buy cold weather clothes now! Hmmm, maybe I just won't go outside for the next month ;-)

Couldn't Wait Another Day

The holidays are a great time of year, and I enjoy alot of the things that come along with them... what I don't enjoy is the utter lack of spare time! I have been chipping away at Micah's room decor recently and I have to say, it's looking good! It isn't done, but I love the direction it's going. I've been DYING to paint some canvases to hang on Micah's walls and due to the holidays and then Bunco, I just didn't have the time. Well, I finally got to do them this afternoon and I am a huge fan! It turns out waiting so long to make them helped me come up with a new concept for them.. they are so different than what I originally imagined~

This is my incredible amateur way of paying homage to Andy Warhol, who I doubt ever used ric-rac in his art :P The canvases are each about 14 inches square and these babies are going to hang over Micah's bed where he will no doubt remove them from the wall daily :) Once I get them up, I'll be fairly close to finishing Micah's room at which time I can post a picture of it's awesomeness for all to enjoy :) It is seriously my favorite room in the house now... I can't help but smile every time I go in!

Bunco... Abby Style

Yesterday was my day to host Bunco and I gotta tell you, I'm so happy with how it came out! I did a New Year's theme with all of the prizes having a corresponding resolution (Go on more date nights, cook more... etc.) and all the decor in black and white. Even the food was black and white only... I was so happy with how everything turned out and people seemed to have a good time! I didn't get any pics after people showed up, but here was some of my set up :)

34 Weeks!

No pic... I've been too busy getting ready to host Bunco tomorrow! I'm excited about it and will also be glad when it's over and I have nothing being hosted at my house until March :) Elizabeth, aka little toot, is continuing to fatten up and develop those lungs of hers.... she is now the size of a bigger pineapple at around 17.5 inches long and between 5 and 5.5 pounds.

We had an ultrasound last week to check on Elizabeth's growth and everything is looking good! The tech estimated she was between 4.5 and 5 pounds (exactly right for last Monday) and said that she was measuring at exactly 33 weeks which is great! The reason I called her little toot above is because during the ultrasound, she would be very still until the tech was about to freeze the screen for a measurement and then she would start moving like crazy before the screen could be frozen... the tech was a bit annoyed... I was trying not to laugh. Anyhoo, according to the tech, Lizzie has a big ol' belly and a whole bunch of hair.... that particular description reminds me of a troll doll, but I am weird :P That's about all for now!

A Good Visit

We had such a busy week! Nate's parents came to stay for a couple of days along with his sister and her new fiance (congrats Ray!). We mostly hung out at the house on first day that they were here and had a little belated Christmas. The second day, we went downtown and took a tour of Minute Maid Park.... SO COOL! I've never been there when it's empty, it was the weirdest feeling. The tour was great except that it was raining, so we didn't get to walk around the field or go in the dugout. I am planning on going back on a very dry day and taking the tour again :) We had lunch at Chuy's and the whole thing was great! Thanks for coming down guys!

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas :)

Not hard to do when you are surrounded by family :) Micah woke up on Christmas morning in a fantastic mood and we started our day with the Christmas story from his bible ~


Micah's new kitchen! He opened, closed, twisted and pulled on every single thing possible in the first 5 minutes he played with it... it's been a hit ever since :)

Micah's "I LOVE it!" face~

Running back to his kitchen with his new backpack on board~

Stockings for our family of 4 :)

Ben and Amy hauled their three kiddos to Katy and Micah and Evan bonded while coming down the stairs to check out their booty~

Micah's wicked sweet Astros hat... thanks Ben and Amy!

The newest member of our strange family, Asher Martin, looking concerned even in his sleep :P

3 years ago today....

And 31 years ago today this guy was born (sans Micah :)

Happy Birthday Nate!! And Happy Anniversary to us!

Best Christmas Present..... EVER!

On Christmas morning, my mom, Amy and I stuffed stockings and then ushered kiddos upstairs so that all the stockings could all be laid out for the start of gifts. My mom brought the stockings out and set them around the room while Ben and I took pictures before half of the stockings were ravaged by toddlers :) When I got to the chair with my family's stockings, I saw Micah's and Nate's and mine and after about 15 seconds of staring, I realized that there was a fourth. That's when I locked eyes with this little beauty~

OH MY GOSH! Ok, here's the deal, my mom made my stocking 26 yrs ago along with my brother's. She has made Amy, Nate, Micah, Elena, Evan, Asher, my dad and finally herself one too. They are awesome and mean so much to me. Well, this year she was making her own stocking, making a new stocking for Elena and altering Laney's old stocking for Asher. ( and these take a LOT of man hours, so she was BUSY) We had discussed it and I didn't expect her to make Lizzie's this year... there was no time and it wasn't necessary since she wasn't going to be here before Christmas.

Well, as I hung up our three stockings this year, I began to really wish that I had one for Elizabeth. We had picked out the kit already and I just couldn't wait until next year when I could add it to the mantle. Anyways, I think you get the point :P So on Christmas morning when my mom surprised with a completed stocking for Elizabeth, I about cried... three times.... and then every time I thought about it afterwards. I can't believe she got it done! Mom, I LOVE it and I know I have told you this several times in the past couple of days, but that was the best gift I can ever remember receiving... thank you!!!

33 Weeks

Only 4 weeks until full term! It's hard to believe we are already there, but it's time to start packing the hospital bag and getting ready to meet little Elizabeth. My mom and I are suspicious that she may come on or close to January 30th which is only a month away! Of course we could be TOTALLY wrong, but we both have a weird feeling about that full moon after Micah came on the full moon. I had never heard of the moon affecting women going into labor, but the L&D nurse we had with Micah told us that the maternity ward is ALWAYS busier at the full moon... crazy.

Anyhoo, Lizzie is currently around 16.5 inches long and weighs between 4.5 and 5 pounds. Not only that, she is roughly the size of a pineapple! What a fantastic fruit to be compared to!

Merry Christmas!!

For those of you who were fans of the Yo Mama post a few days back, I have found something that I believe surpasses the Yo Mama in every way and comes in the same stunning color. That's right folks, your ability to look like a giant smurf doesn't end with your delivery as the Yo Mama would imply.... who can resist the all over blueness of the baby Snuggie?

Yikes. And this is NOT a doctored photo... this is a REAL product called the Peekaru. Wow, I really have nothing more to say :)

Kids KRAZY Christmas Show!

I love big churches. Seriously. They put on the COOLEST events! The best thing is that I get to go to my little church and still enjoy all of the cool things that the big churches do :) Lindy tipped us off this year to an annual show put on at the Second Baptist West Campus that is basically a Christmas puppet show with Muppet style puppets..... it ROCKS! We went with some families from my play group and the kids absolutely loved it! I've never seen so many children sit still and pay perfect attention to something for an hour straight before... craziness. The pics are blurry, but I couldn't help including a few :)

Micah was engrossed :)

And yes, when we went back tonight for our second time, I sat my pregnant self on the floor so that I could see Micah's reactions (they have chairs behind the floor seating that I utilized the first time). I'm glad I did it and there is NO WAY I would sit down there again... ouch!