The Nursery

This is a very picture intensive post, just a warning!

First of all, Happy Halloween!{tshirt from Cafepress.com}
@ 34 Weeks

Yesterday was our Nursery shower. While I am thankful and happy about all the showers, this is the one I was most anticipating! This one we got to finally unload all the loot and make the room ready for baby Logan!

We had the Living Room Crew:
The Nursery Crew (a.k.a put together the furniture!):
And the girls stopped to paint Onesies:
I think this one will be really fun to see him wear:See the beer mug? HA!
Then it was time to start putting away all the stuff:We still need a changing pad, but we have one more shower on Thursday and the registry shows it is purchased so.... We are still organizing and adjusting, and I am sure I will be in there every day fiddling around.

Here is a shot of the crib and chair:The thing on the back of the crib will be framed and hung on the wall above:Donald took a photo of some wooden blocks to make the name. Now... when do I find the time to hit up Hobby Lobby?

This week we will have the crown molding and ceiling fan installed, which will make a huge difference.

I need to find a simple rug for the room as well. I don't really want to do white, but I think that will look the best.

The car seat base is installed, and I just need to add a battery to the mirror to hang on the head rest so I can see him in the car seat (it has a light and plays music).

We have one baby class this week and one next Monday and then we are just going to be sitting around waiting on him to come on along, or for Dec 8, when I will be induced.

Does this seem to be going by fast for anyone else?

College Days

Saturday we attended the SFA (Stephen F Austin State University) vs. Sam Houston State Tailgate. The only reason we were there this year is because it was held here at Reliant Stadium. Almost every year since we graduated, we have planned on going back up to Nacogdoches for Homecoming - but never went. This made it nice and easy for us to go, since we live 20 minutes from the stadium.

We were one of the first groups there but stuff was already being set up, at 10:30am:

Eventually others started showing up, including someone with DJ equipment, and the party started to get under way.

Lee is a Sigma Chi (the 5th in his family), if you can't tell by now...

There were some interesting shirts - this one I took offense to:

I wanted to think up something clever to say to this guy, but not sure what Joe College would have thought of a 30 year old uber pregnant chick telling him how pretty SFA girls are.

But there were also shirts I totally identified with:

Otherwise, the people watching was phenomenal. Outfit choices for a hot sunny tailgate were interesting. Dresses with cowboy boots, knee boots with jeans and a t-shirt... and then this:

Look to the right of Sarah (creating a diversion). The minute this chick walked up, every girl there speculated about her outfit.

Who wears shoes like that to stand in all day?

Did she just get off work?

Walk of shame from last night?

I know, it's terrible, but when you dress like that for a sports event, you are going to be talked about - it's just life honey.

Someone did take a photo of all of us together, but I don't have the picture. I left at 2:30 and took a nap at home in my A/C with the dogs.

It was a fun day and a fun weekend, with Bret and Sarah staying with us from Thursday night to Monday afternoon.

They brought sweatshirts as instructed.

As far as I know, they still have all their toes.

Hopes, Prayers, and Anything that Works...

Please everyone, keep my dear friends in your thoughts and prayers:

Pineapples N Pickles.

All by myself...in a REALLY clean house.

I am pathetic when Lee travels.

I watch trash tv and cry at barely sentimental parts.
I go to bed early only to lay there and watch tv until 2am because I can't sleep without him.
I eat cereal for dinner.
I get mad that he is gone because then I can't watch half the stuff on the DVR.

Tonight I decided a good way to occupy my time was to clean the house. I mean CLEAN IT. Like I was being paid to do so.

The bathroom was the main area I concentrated on. Usually, when I clean the bathroom, it's a little better than a wipe down with various products. Tonight...

• Took everything off the glass shelves and used a soapy sponge to clean them. Then I put everything back.
  
• Wiped the small ledge of the bead board down.
• Cleaned the mirrors
• Used a soapy sponge to clean the sinks (not just a Clorox wipe)
• Soapy sponge on the outside of the toilet, sprayed something inside the toilet and let it sit awhile.
  
• Sprayed the shower with something and let it sit. Then hit it with a soapy sponge.
  
• Mopped the floor with a little bleach in the soapy water.
  
• Cleaned out the drawers and threw away lots of almost used-but moved onto the next thing bottles of lotion or hair products. Never in my life have I finished a bottle of lotion, hair something, or shampoo.
  
• Washed the bathmats
• Put out fresh soap I got at Target today
• Hung a fresh shower curtain liner
• Dusted the light fixtures
• Restocked the glass containers with cotton balls and Qtips.
  

This took me almost an hour. Then I cleaned the kitchen to the point where there is nothing on the counter that doesn't need to be there, the counter is as shiny as a mirror, mopped it with the same soap/bleach/water concoction, and took out all the trash in the house.

Halfway through the kitchen I realized - my nose burns. I think I added too much bleach to that bucket. Whoops.

I have lit candles, started laundry, and swept the rest of the house.

Nesting much?

Now my back hurts from my bottom to my neck, I can't smell the candles - only the bleach, and my feet hurt!

In other news the doctor told me, after measuring my massive belly, that I am still measuring ahead of schedule. I asked him if he thought I would make it to my due date of December 15. He looked at the calendar and said he is comfortable with inducing me on December 8th! He doesn't like to let his patients go past the due date and prefers to induce a little before.

In my mind he was thinking "Holy crap, giant baby. Better get him out early.."

I am happy with the 8th because that is a pretty good distance from Christmas. Hopefully he still gets classroom birthday parties with that date.

That means... 7 more weeks until I meet this little man.

Whoah.

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

Yesterday was our NFL Themed party for baby Logan. It was so so so so much fun!

I will let the pictures do the talking:

The Cake

The food!

The presents! Mr. Logan has some fans for sure!

There were 2 tv's, but the one in the garage (next to the Kegs) got the most people surrounding it. Everyone in their Texans Gear!

Us by the cake. I am so excited that I have a husband that is so ready to be daddy!

And speaking of baby boys - this is Tyler, he is 6 months old - and I wanted to steal him! I even saw Lee holding him!! Lee can't stop talking about how happy and funny Tyler was. Between that and the ever growing bump, Lee is seeing his future!

8 more weeks to go!

Guest Room: Complete

Now that the guest room is complete, I wanted to take a photo.
Normally, only the one bed will be set up, but since we have guests coming later this week, I wanted to go ahead and set up the trundle so that it would be welcoming when they walked in. I am sad we no longer had a nice cushy Queen size bed to offer guests, but this still beats making someone couch it for 4 nights!

I hope they don't mind the stuffed fish on the wall.

Donald took an old nightstand and painted it, and we picked out a few new knobs for it. Looks perfect!
He also took a book case and did the same thing, but that is in Logan's room which is not picture ready as of yet...

Now I have to find a home for the box's under the bed so we can stow the trundle after the guests leave. I think a closet re-do is in order for the hall closet - and soon.

If Container Store reports higher than usual earnings at the end of this month, you will know why!

Blogoholic

This week alone, I have added no fewer than 6 blogs to my list that I follow. This is on top of at least 6 or so I read already. I am one of those people that checks every single day (sometimes twice) to see if anyone has updated.

This also made me realize I need to be more diligent on my own blog to find interesting things to add in case there is even one person out there who likes my blog enough to check it frequently.

So I wanted to give a shout out to the blogs I am obsessed with, and maybe you will like them too!

(oh and most of them are Mommy blogs, I noticed... in time mine will surely turn that way...)

Blogs I have followed a long time:

Adventures In Life, Love, and Motherhood (my good friend Sabrina!)

Meanest Mom

Okie Rednecks (I met her through Dogster actually, we both have a love of schnauzers and she lives like 10 miles from my mom in Oklahoma. Small world much?)

Nienie (I didn't hear about her until right after her plane crash, but I sat for a whole weekend and read her archives. makes me want to be a better wife (and mom) for sure.)

I would like to give honorable mention to the next blog I obsess over, not only because she is a good friend of mine, my husband went to middle school/high school/college with her husband, and they live 1 mile away - but because of her story.
Meet Tiffanie over at Pineapples and Pickles. And give her some hugs through your computer screen please. She is just fabulous.

Of course I follow Pioneer Woman as well. Who doesn't?

Over the past few months I have been obsessed with Marriage Confessions, Our Front Door, and I'm Gonna Kill Him (this one, man her Twitter and Posts make me laugh until I pee, which is easy with a giant baby head on my bladder).
I also love the Morris Family, who recently added a baby boy to their home. Her honest to goodness posts on being a new mom make me tear up.
This week, a new person commented on one of my posts - and I was elated! Jenni @ Story of My Life.

The one blog I read that is NOTHING like the rest is Hyperbole and a Half. Pee before you read this. And you will never spell "A lot" wrong again. Ever.

Now, last week I joined SITS, in my attempt to be a better blogger and to find more blogs with my interests. I am anxiously awaiting the day I may be featured!

Through this I have found the following blogs (and more):

Mommy's Sippy Cup

Dooce (awesome blog BTW)

Mabels House (another schnauzer lover!)

Mommy Boots

Not Quite Susie Homemaker

The Glamorous Life of a Housewife (I wanna be one too!)

Last but not least at all, Scary Mommy. Something I LOVE about this blog is all her advice on how to be a great blogger and attract readers. Plus her up front blogging style is genius.

Soon, after I find my vibe and Logan is here, I would love to try and join Blogher. But that step seems overwhelming at the moment...

As you can see, I am becoming obsessed. But all these people's stories have made me smile, laugh, cry, pee, etc... and I wanted to give each and everyone a shout out.

Happy weekend everyone!

Thinking Ahead

I am one of those that carries a large purse with everything in the whole world inside it. Ask anyone, you reach in there and you can get everything from a tape measure to a camera to a huge wallet (and about a million things of chapstick!)

As I think about Mr. Logan coming our way in a few weeks, I realize I will now have a diaper bag to lug around. I don't think carrying that plus my big ass purse is a good idea.

While reading through Pregnancy and Newborn magazine this month, I saw an ad for these little floral wrist-lets from a place called "Gussy." Pretty darn cheap @ $26 and really really cute! The idea is you throw your phone and keys and wallet (I need to downsize I suppose) into this clutch and then the clutch is thrown into the diaper bag - so you still have your things and they don't get lost in the sea of stuff in the bag. Also, then I can just throw it in my huge purse when I am going to work.
Maybe I am over thinking this?

Anyway - this is the one I got.If you like, you can look at one for yourself here: Gussy
They have phone cases, diaper bags, laptop cases, etc. Lots of super super cute stuff! I am trying to use self control and not order this right now:As I just said, I need to downsize...
but the black and white and orange... ooooooooohhh.....

Froggie

{excuse the bad quality of the photos in this post. They were taken with my phone with only one lamp on in the room..}

This is Lola:She likes one thing in the world. Only one thing. And it's this:

Froggie.

He rules the world to her. He is the moon and the stars.

And, this is the best part, he smells terrible.

What's not to like, right?

Every night, Lola wants us to throw Froggie for her, about 150 times in a row.

Teddy likes Froggie a little bit:Mainly just to take him from Lola to make her mad.

That's what little brothers are for I suppose.

Since he is such an important part of our household, I just wanted to introduce Froggie to you.Because best friends are a dime a dozen.

(what does that even mean?)

Oh yeah, my job...

I work on many many many projects at a time. The problem is, once they are done, it's hard to get out and take photos.

However, one I just finished is in the same building and only a few floors above us so I got photos pretty quickly on this one!

This company is run by youngins who started it in an apartment. It tracks all of Continental's flights and the people are super fun to work with.

I am only putting up a few photos, to give you an idea of what I do.

First is the reception area:

The company colors are 2 shades of blue with an accent of orange. You can see a little orange in the conference room over the frost on the glass. The pendants are also orange above the desk here. While I am not a huge fan of orange, we used it sparingly to make an impact.

This is the best breakroom EVER. Look at that fridge of drinks! Look at all the snacks (there are more in the little bins). They let me steal some snacks while I was up there. :)

Just a standard little cube-farm with a sitting area (where more cubes will go as this company grows).

Another seating group where future workstations will go. I love this carpet...

Yes, there is a TON of blue. I hadn't planned this much but they kept adding more - and what the client wants, the client gets.

So that's one glimpse into what I do all day. We take a space, change it up to fit the client, then document it for the contractor to build it (a.k.a blueprints). We choose all the finishes (carpet, paint, etc) and coordinate with furniture as needed. I work on both contemporary (as shown obviously) and traditional as well as medical. There is not one day that is like the last around here, which is really fun and challenging.

Speaking of youngins, I am only one for the rest of today. Tomorrow... I will be....

30.

Wow.

What have I done?

Many blogs I read, women refer to their husbands as something other than thier name. Maybe it's the first initial, or a name like Marlboro Man or Hubby.

I would like to move forward from this point and call mine Caveman.

It could be the Mama Bear in me these days, but I have began to notice how little Caveman (previously known as Lee) helps around the house. Don't get me wrong, it isn't because he doesn't want to (um...) but more that I don't ask for help. I do almost all the laundry, most of the dishes, all the basic house cleaning. When I need help I ask and he does a great job (he has taken over cat box duty with gusto!).

But as the pregnancy progresses, I am noticing more and more things he CAN'T do because I have spoiled him.

This morning, for example, I was moving rather slow and didn't get into the kitchen to make his travel mug of coffee, something I do since I am usually ready before him (thank you blackberry). We have a Keurig machine and I have figured out that you need (2) small cups of coffee to fill the mug up to the right amount. Basically the travel size setting isn't enough... Last time I missed his coffee, he didn't really know this and ended up getting hot coffee everywhere, including his hand. This time he remembered but somewhere in between small cup one and small cup two, his ADD took over and he started to wash some of his special beer glasses that were next to the sink.

At this point, it's 8am. We are running 15 minutes behind.

I stood and watched as he then turned to make the second cup and just started mashing buttons and saying "oh fuck" over and over again.

Yes, I was laughing at the kitchen table while I watched.

Finally, because I was so anxious to get out the door, I walked over and told him to move, and I finished his mug, added the cream, and put the lid on.

In the time it took me to do that, he wandered off to gather the dry cleaning.

He also admitted he doesn't know how to work our dishwasher.

The one we have had for 2 years.

So when this baby comes and I am down for the count for a few weeks at least, what is going to happen? There is only so much we can put upon poor Donald before he throws his hands up. I realize now that I have only 8 weeks left to try and show him how to:

Vacuum

Run the Dishwasher (and put away the dishes)

Finish Laundry (you know, fold and put away?)

Pay Bills

Clean the bathroom (WHY are men incapable of this?)

Grocery Shop (without me)

PLUS all the baby stuff we have to learn together so that he can help me at 3am.

Poor Caveman. The "charmed life" is about to dramatically change for him.

Stage II Complete

Stage II of the nursery is complete. We painted this weekend!

Stage I was getting everything out of that room (queen bed, etc) to make room for the baby stuff and then converting the office into a guest room.

Stage II is getting the nursery painted and ready for furniture and decor.

Stage III is on the 30th - decorate and organize!!

Again, I am frustrated with my camera. And you know, after 2 or 3 cameras, I am starting to think it's me. Whatever.

The Color: Benjamin Moore Mozart Blue (but we had them match it at Sherwin Williams in the low-VOC paint)

To me these photos almost make it look green, but it's NOT. It is a nice dark blue.

So in about 2 weeks it will be DONE. Maybe we are adding crown molding, we just need to find someone who knows how to do that on the cheap...

Stage II Complete

Stage II of the nursery is complete. We painted this weekend!

Stage I was getting everything out of that room (queen bed, etc) to make room for the baby stuff and then converting the office into a guest room.

Stage II is getting the nursery painted and ready for furniture and de

cor.

Stage III is on the 30th - decorate and organize!!

Again, I am frustrated with my camera. And you know, after 2 or 3 cameras, I am starting to think it's me. Whatever.

The Color: Benjamin Moore Mozart Blue (but we had them match it at Sherwin Williams in the low-VOC paint)

To me these photos almost make it look green, but it's NOT. It is a nice dark blue.

So in about 2 weeks it will be DONE. Maybe we are adding crown molding, we just need to find someone who knows how to do that on the cheap...

Would You Like Some Help?

Usually, I am the sole person actually doing anything in the kitchen. When I make dinner I rarely ask for help.

Now, at 31 weeks, I am slow and clumsy and just plain worn out. So when the often asked question was asked:
"Would you like some help?"
I decided to go for it.

Poor Donald - the person asking the question - is not a cook. Maybe hot dogs and toast, but much more than that and it gets scary.
All i had him do was stir the cookie ingredients together.
That's all.

I return to the bowl and the dough looks like this:
Sand? Well it certainly looks that way but it should have been peanut butter cookie dough.
Apparently, Donald lost the spoon and opted for his hands... which pulled all the moisture from the cookies.
I tried to salvage them and mushed the cookies together and added a few chocolate chips on top..


They were like little sand dunes. At least I got lots of calcium from chugging milk!

When you marry a warm natured person...

When you marry a warm natured person, you grow accustomed to the extra A/C that is pumped into the house, even in the winter. The lack of heat stops bothering you and you just put on a sweatshirt when you are cold.

But when this warm natured person gets pregnant... all bets are off.

Last night Lee finally proclaimed "It's SO COLD IN HERE! I can't get warm!"

This he says while bundled under a blanket with a dog on his lap. You look over at me with my belly totally exposed, think cropped yoga pants on, and no blanket - blissfully unaware that it's cold.

He then looks at the thermostat and says "It's 68!! 68 degrees in here!!"

Again - i had no sympathy.

I am incubating a tiny human. I'm hot.

Deal..

And for the first night in 6 months, I didn't kick the covers off while I was sleeping.

Success!

30 Weeks

I feel like I am the Great Pumpkin!And if we don't get a new camera soon (i.e. I really want the new Olympus PEN, it takes video as well!) - I am going to be angry. Every single photo that Lee has tried to take is fuzzy or dark or something.

Today's craving - Broccoli Rice casserole - so that is what I am making for dinner.
With Velveeta.

So when they weigh me on Wednesday I am just going to shut my eyes. I don't even think I have hit 20 pounds yet and I only have 10 weeks left (or less, giant baby...)

I am trying not to panic. I love everyone's generosity, but all we have recieved thus far from showers is blanket and clothes! I need bottles, diapers, wipes warmer, swing, pack n play, stroller...
PANIC!