An Eggs-cellent Time!

Dear Baby,

Easter is almost here!  As I may have mentioned....I love all holidays!!  I love decorating for  holidays and any excuse to create memories and follow through on traditions. Your dad and I have been decorating eggs together for a couple of years and last night we continued the tradition with help from your Grams too.  She was instrumental in providing the hard boiled eggs (due to bowling, birth class, and general tiredness happening around here...I sort of dropped the ball).  The only flaw in this otherwise perfect plan, was the egg dying kits we were using were about a year old...and I think that might have affected some of the coloration a bit.  Things to note:  your dad is really creative when it comes to egg dying and I'm obsessed with "ombre eggs" (where the color goes from light to dark). Either way, it was so much fun and we can't wait for you to participate next year!  (Of course we did include you this year though too ;)

The egg dying cups are all ready to go! 

 

Naked eggs...just waiting to be colored!

I'm the queen of egg dying!

 

Should we be professional egg dyers?  Probably!

 

Our egg family...and I had a moment of baby brain and instead of

writing "mom" or "momma" - I wrote "momm"!  what?? 

So I had to following up with "dadd" - whatever...our egg family is still adorable!

 

The finished products :)

 



Sunday Funday!

Sterilizing the baby bottles has been on our to-do list for quite some time - and after a restful morning and afternoon this past Sunday (due to some dizziness and possible high blood pressure on my part), we decided to get going on it.  First,we cleaned out some space in our kitchen cabinets to make room for all the bottles and various parts.  Next, we busted out the biggest pot we had, filled it up with water, and waited almost an hour for the water to boil!  (No worries, there was basketball to watch!)  Once the bubbles were bubbling - in went all the parts. It took us about 6 different "loads" before all the parts, bottles, etc. done.  We chose Dr. Brown's bottles and while initially they seemed like they had a lot of parts, I would dare say we sort of have the hang of it. 

 

I think the reason we were so excited to do this is because we finally bought "the Lawn".  The "Lawn" is drying rack made by Boon.  Lots of people recommended it, so we put it on our registry at Babies R' Us. Unfortunately, you can only by it online there...so no one purchased it. No big deal - I have been saving my 20% off coupons to Buy Buy Baby for quite some time.  Rob and I headed out Saturday night and made a bee line for the "meal time" row.  All of the Boon products are awesome! 

The "Lawn" looks (as you might imagine) just like a pretty green lawn.  We thought about getting it's cousin "Grass"...but thought bigger might be better down the line.

 

The fun part too - is that you can buy accessories for it!  So, we also bought "Twig" and "Flower".  These pieces stick right in the lawn and help to dry out the smaller parts like nipples and collars. 

It's pretty adorable if I do say so myself!  The best part is that Rob loves it too :)  Hopefully this will make washing all those bottles a wee bit more fun!

34 Weeks

 

 

 

How far along? 34 Weeks
Total weight gain: 28 lbs - and can I just say that my doctor is very pleased with my weight gain and said I was doing just perfectly!  Gold star for me!
Maternity clothes? maternity & comfy clothes... so ready for spring dresses! It's crazy to think I only have about 5-6 more weeks of wearing maternity clothes...so I'm trying not to buy anything new too.  Saving that money for when I get my bangin body back :)
Stretch marks? yes - and like I said last week, I'm sick of obsessing over them.  I got a little embarassed at the doctor's office this past Tuesday because I knew that Rob could really see them when they were doing the fetal heartrate check.  Then I decided, you know what, I'm MAKING A BABY.  I'm growing brain cells, arms, legs, and a penis for the love - each one of those stretch marks tells a story of my journey to motherhood.  Also, I never wore a true two piece before - so I'm not quite sure what I'm embarrassed about - for the most part even after baby boy is born - I won't be wearing any belly baring shirts and no one will be the wiser.
Sleep: sleep is still just okay...I really miss sleeping on my back and sleeping through the night.
Best moment this week: while I was napping on Saturday, Rob got the car seat assembled, the stroller frame out, and all the bottle stuff ready to be sterilized.  He is a champ!  I spent a lot of Saturday and Sunday feeling under the weather and just plain tired - and he really stepped it up. Also - we toured Riverside Hospital this week during birth class - and it was awesome!  The birthing rooms look spacious and comfy - and nurses nice, and we saw two of the cutest little baby boys in the nursery too :) 
Miss Anything? sleeping on my back, diet coke, lunch meat, hot dogs, and my energy.
Movement: still love the reassuring feeling of baby boy wiggling around in there.
Food cravings: strawberries and whipped cream, iced decaf coffee, and anything sour!!
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope!
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: No
Symptoms: some dizziness and faintness, a bit of swelling my right foot, heartburn, and hip pain
Belly Button in or out? half and half
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: baby's arrival! And, Easter!  I love holidays - and we are hosting Easter here (everyone said for me not to stress about it - so we'll keep it low key). Also, week four of birth class (turns out it's not so bad). 

Things to Know about your Mom

Dear Baby,

I should have known this was going to happen...but after your dad caught wind of my post on his little quirks and crazies...he decided that there were a few things you should know about me.  I told him I would type them up and try not to get mad.  Hmmmm...this is probably for your benefit though...so here goes! All thoughts in paranthesis are mine.  I had to defend myself :)

-Your mom is very creative.  She loves a good pinterest activity and isn't afraid to try new hobbies like painting, knitting, scrapbooking, and embroidery.  (This is true...you should have seen when I cleaned out my "craft armoire" - it looked like a JoAnn Fabrics exploded for awhile. Also, he might have compared me to Martha Stewart (or was that me??)
-Your mom never puts the cap back securely on anything.  Case in point - the toothpaste, the peanut butter jar, the mayo jar in the fridge, etc.  It should be noted that this is something that she working on.  (It should also be noted that who really cares if the cap goes back on the toothpaste?? Apparently Rob, as he now buys the tubes with the cap attached).
-Your mom likes orderly piles of clothes at the top of the closet that nobody ever sees.  So, as your dad, I would recommend learning fast how to fold and organize clothes or you might never hear the end of it from your mom.  (Can I just say that I have to see the clothes and it's annoying and you just never know when people might stop by and want a tour of your house).
-She (Carrie) is very reluctant to come around to my ideas (even though they are the best).  Some of these ideas include ripping out the three thorny bushes blocking our front door when we moved in, rebuilding the deck, the custom lattice on the deck, and low flo toilet handles to name a few. (He's humble isn't he?)
-Your mom is always on the move and always has a project to keep her busy.  (I can't deny this - it's true - while your dad might consider weekends "relaxation time" - I consider them "get shit done time".)
-Your mom is a fabulous cook - everything she makes is wonderful! (Who am I to deny this?)
-Carrie might be a vampire. (What?!)  She likes everything dark.  The more shades pulled the better.  (In my defense - the reasons for this are two fold 1.) I'm saving electricity becuase I also don't turn on the lights if I don't have to and 2.) Most of our windows could stand to be replaced and I hate looking them knowing this...so I just keep the shades down).
-Your mom has an aversion to good literature like Gold Digest, This Old House, and Bicycle magazines.  (First off - let me know if your dad ever gets into bicycling serioulsy enough to need a magazine and second your dad would like to hold onto every issue of every magazine we ever received..that's probably the part that's weird).
-She loves to take pictures...every moment is a Kodak moment (It's true!  I love snapping pictures -probably I get this from my mom and it doesn't hurt that Grandpa Jim does too)
-Your mom is addicted to March Madness - it's non stop basketball for about two weeks.  (Again, sadly this might be true.  Usually I could care less about sports but I turn into crazy basketball lady come mid March.  Watch out baby boy - your dad will be single parent for about two weeks while I go into basketball watching mode).  

Again, now that your dad and I have been together for about four years we can joke about this kind of stuff and move on.  I'm learning to not only give criticism helpful advice, but take it as well.  While I can't promise that we'll have everything worked out by the time you get here sweet baby boy - we are certainly trying, growing, and loving every day. 

Auntie Stacy!

Dear Baby,



This post has been a long time in the making - rattling around in my brain - and finally it seemed the perfect time to write about someone that I know will be very important in your life baby boy.. it's your auntie Stacy. 

(keepin it real in her flapper costume - 2008)

 

She is currently in South Korea (making me very nervous I might add) for her job (as a real, legit boss lady at Abercrombie and Fitch).  When I think about her traveling around South Korea (with her 70 pound bag, I might add) I think...when did she get so big?  So mature?  So independent?  But, the truth is - she has always been pretty independent and the opposite of me in a lot of ways.  In high school, I usually had a boyfriend, was in the marching band, and though hard to admit at the time...was kind of nerdy.  Stacy on the other hand, always had lots of guy friends, was a cheerleader, and was, what I would consider "popular".  She always seemed to be perfectly comfortable hanging out with her friends (most of which she still talks to today) went to lots of dances, and never had a problem fitting in.  

(I think this picture is high school for Stacy - but to be honest, I just found it in a folder labeled "Stacy's pictures" on my computer!)

 

Fast forward to college - again, I sort of followed a boy that was special to me at the time - while Stacy wound up at the University of Cincinnati.  She quickly joined a sorority and made lots of friends.  She knew right away she would major in fashion design and spent the next five years, sewing, learning concept designs, and computer programs and even co-oping every other quarter to get more hands on experience. She even went all the way to New York and worked in the Empire State Building!  When my mom and I visited her - she was already practically a native - making her way around the subway, telling us about all the hot spots, and even teaching us how to negiotiate for coach purses and illegal DVD's :)

 

Post college - we wound up as roommates in Columbus!  Our apartment was in Chestnut Hill - and it was probably one of the most hysterical times of my life.  We adopted a cat...the Notorious DOT, threw popcorn out the window when it burned (so the smell would not infiltrate our clothing), made lots of trips to the gym to meet our workout group (and then the group promptly went to Bellacino's for cheesy garlic bread), stayed up way too late watching season after season of One Tree Hill, got snowed in and discovered the poor man's snack (pretzels topped with peanut butter, and one m&m), and grew closer then I ever thought possible. Even though she tripped me as I had to cut through her bathroom to get to her closet where I was keeping my purses (I generously gave her the larger bathroom and closet) - I have to say that she always made me laugh, knew just the right thing to say, and I literally cried when we were no longer roommates. 

 

(DOT - cute then, cute now)

 

(the Halloween party we almost didn't recover from)

 

(Hitting up the Abercrombie holiday party back when it was still cool :)

 

(Kat and Mike's wedding)

 

(Stacy makes an excellent travel partner - we have been roomies

 on cruise ships all the way to tents in Africa!)

 

After out stint at Chestnut Hill, we moved into the house that Stacy purchased in Westerville.  We lived together for about another six months until I bought the house your dad and I live in now.  Even though we only moved to Powell - it did put a good 25 minutes between us.  I was so worried that we would drift apart and I would never see her - but alas that has not happened.  We still see each other about once a week.  She is my go to gal for fashion advice (though I'm still not sure about the embroidered jeans she took to Korea), we see lots of movies together (we're not afraid of midnight showings - hello Hunger Games premiere), and quite honestly - she understands me in a way that not a lot of other people do (and isn't afraid to keep it real - even if that means being real honest). 

(who doesn't love this face?!)

 

The best part about all this is - when your dad and I got married - not a lot changed between Stacy and I.  Sure, we didn't live together anymore - but your dad loves Stacy too!  I mean, who else would fish out a dead, chopped up mouse from her air conditioner (so the vultures didn't get it...obviously) install her new front door window, encourage hanging out together on new year's eve (just the three of us) and is always up for Jason's Deli.  We would both literally do anything for her and truly want the best things for her!

 

(she cleans up good!)

 

(cheesin for the camera in Sanibel!)

 

(literally have no idea what I do without these two!!)

 

As I mentioned before, she was the first person (other than Rob) that I told when I found out we were pregant.  She was ecstatic then and continues to be now!  She helped throw us an amazing shower for your arrival, continues to buy things for you baby "just because" and would drop anything if we needed her to.  I often lament about the fact that none of your grandparents live what I would consider "super" close to us - but the upside of that is that Auntie Stacy does!  And, while growing up she claimed not to like children that much, I certainly think that her attitude has shifted quite a bit.  Either way, I know she loves you very much already and cannot wait to meet you.  Please come back from Korea safe Auntie Stacy!!! 

(had to include this picture because I thought it would make you laugh...

thanks to Rob for not telling me that my hair was literally taking over your face)!

 



33 Weeks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How far along? 33 Weeks

Total weight gain: Probably about 28 pounds - though my scale at home indicated that maybe I had lost some weight?  If that's true I'm not complaining :)
Maternity clothes? maternity & comfy clothes... jeans are becoming a rare thing.  We've had a few days of warmer weather and it's making me want to break out the maxi dresses.  
Stretch marks? yes.  I really try not to obsess over them - but I do hope they shrink back or change color in the future. 
Sleep: sleeping is still just in two hour increments and while I used to love sleeping in, I just don't do it very much anymore.  That said, I do love naps :)  Took a two hour one yesterday afternoon (because of my busy morning taking Stacy to the airport and the St. Patty's parade).
Best moment this week: learning that the baby is the size of a pineapple and roughly between 4.5 and 5.2 pounds!  That seems huge for some reason - and baby boy will continue to gain about a 1/2 pound a week.  Crazy!  Also, Rob and I did awesome at our second birth class - learned lots of birthing "positions" and ways to work through contrations together. 
Miss Anything? lunch meat, hot dogs, beer (it is St. Patty's day after all), and being able to to take medicine for the stupid cold I caught this week. 
Movement: still love feeling all of his random wiggles and rolls.
Food cravings: Sweets - my co-worker literally stopped to get me some break and bake cookies on the way back from lunch because I kept asking people I worked with "do you have any homemade treats"....  thankfully everyone enjoyed this treat, not just me! 
Anything making you queasy or sick: still no desire to eat meat (though I need to) and the ravioli that Rob keeps suggesting just never sounds good.
Gender: boy
Labor Signs: No true signs. ..but each time we go to birthing class I think about how it ould be any day now!  And then I worry that my water will break at work or at home when I'm sleeping and then I'll ruin the mattress.  
Symptoms: heartburn, sore hips, and lower back pain
Belly Button in or out? Sort of half in and half out
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!  Multiple people this week told me how calm I seem about everything (this makes me happy too)!
Looking forward to: our hospital tour this week!!  Possibly packing our hospital bags, cleaning out the kitchen shelves to make room for bottles and sterilizing the bottles, more organizing.  Nesting is no joke...

Holiday Happenings with the O'Haucks

It's the first weekend we haven't had a lot of plans around here...so of course since it's St. Patrick's day, I had to figure out a way to celebrate in style.  Then, I remembered that the city of Powell is practically neighbors with the city of Dublin!  Perfect!  Dublin has a St. Patrick's day parade among other fun festivities to partake in...and I was game (so, therefore was Rob :)  I was a little worried about parking and such, but we found a great spot and were able to quickly walk over to the parade route.  People were about four deep on the street...but me and the bump managed to fight the crowds for premium viewing. 

(Bring on the parade ~ you can't tell from this picture but I'm decked out in green and of clearly Rob needed no encouragement to wear his green flannel.)

 

 

(The best part of the morning was scoring a green bagel from Brueggers and then the kind people from Jeni's ice cream gave me a free macaroon ice cream sandwih - score!)

 

There were lots of great parts about the parade...

3 marching bands (and I literally teared up watching them)...check out all those flutes.  I've decided it would be completely okay with me if our child decides to play an instrument.  All of the school districts around here seem to have great marching band programs. 

 

lots of irish doggies (Irish Setters, Irish Terriers, and my FAVORITE the Irish Wolf Hounds)!  I may have pleaded with Rob that if anything ever happens to Miss Pecan Sandy that we get an Irish Wolf Hound.  We were pretty much in agreement until we calculated how much dog food we would need to buy.

 

leprachauns...

 

bag pipes...and kilts

 

 shamrocks, Saint Patrick (x3), stilt walkers, Irish Dancers, horses with glittery green hooves, vintage cars, fire trucks, honor guards, and even a fencing club!  The best part is that this is a tradition that we can totally continue next year.  We saw lots of families with kids in strollers, backpacks, carriers, and just plain old sitting on the curb - count on us to bring our party of 3 in 2014!   

 





Things to Know about your Dad

Dear Baby,

Last week at our first birthing class (there will be a recap, I promise), the instructor had us introduce ourselves to the other couples by answering particular questions.  The ladies were supposed to share "what trait we hope our child gets from our husband" and the men were to pick a "feeling face" from the sheet in our folder to describe their emotion about being there.  I knew immediately what trait I would share because your dad has the most patience of any person I know.  While I can blow up like a volcano (possibly a trait I got from my dad??) - your dad never seems flustered.  Traffic jam - no problem, more time to listen to the radio or chat.  Flight is delayed - completely non-plussed - he is happy as a clam to sit in the middle seat for what seems like hours.  Our deck takes three months to build - can't rush perfection - no biggie for him.  You see what I mean?  This is sometimes frustrating but mostly I wish he could pass the patience.  So while there are certain character traits I hope you get from your dad...loyalty, patience, easy going-ness etc - I was also reflecting on some other things I think are completely funny/quirky/make me crazy about your dad.  So without further ado...some things I know about Robert Hauck (aka - your dad):

-The more pillows the merrier - literally your dad would use every pillow on our bed (including mine) if he could.  He likes very little light to be hitting his eyes - so he makes what I like to refer to as a "fort of pillows" around his head every night.
-Before we leave for any type of extended trip, I like to build in what I call Rob's "lock down time" to our timeline.  This means that while I stand around and do essentially nothing - your dad is rushing around checking every window, door, lock etc. of our house, checking and then double checking to make sure they are locked.  Even when we leave for the casual errand, he checks the front door to insure it's locked (usually twice).
-This man is the most cautious driver I know.  This may have something to do with having two accidents in a short period time a couple years ago.  But, it's maddening sometimes....we joke that he's still in "Carrie Hauck driving school" because every time we drive together I'm nagging giving him some pointers.  On a recent trip to IKEA in Mason, Ohio (about two hours away) he dubbed my driving as "nascar style" and I dubbed his "snail style".
-I was skeptical about his combination of an everything bagel, cream cheese, mustard, and ham - but I have to say, it's delicious!
-The man is handy - he has transformed our house - built a new deck, dug out two new flowerbeds, replaced all the baseboards and doors, changed light fixtures, ripped out three thorny bushes, and painted every room but one.  Bascially there is not a project he is afraid of.  Maybe it's because we're cheap frugal?  Maybe it's because he wants excuses to buy more tools?  Or, he just likes Lowes that much?  Either way, I've been thankful for his resourcefulness on many occasions.
-Your dad would wear the same ten items of clothing (and about 3/4 of them would sport Oregon colors or logos and the other 1/4 would be flannels) if I would let him.  Thankfully, he has me as a fashion consultatnt to mix up his wardrobe. 
-When it comes to the TV, your dad has a hard time committing to a channel.  He is a serial channel surfer - always wanting to make sure he's watching the best thing.  The best things are usually DIY shows, HGTV, SyFy Network, or football games.  Though, I do have to admit, he's introduced me to several shows that I do enjoy - "Eureka", "Fringe", and "Ducky Dynasty".  He has yet to convince me on "Holmes on Homes". 
-You would never know this from looking at him - but your dad has his pulse on pop culture.  Literally if you want to know something about a celebrity - ask your dad. From Justin Bieber to Chris Brown - I have no idea how he knows all this...but he does and it's amazing!
-He is reliable - meaning if you ask him to take care of something, he does.  He is also reliable in his routines - I can count on the "rumble" of his truck every morning at 6:40 AM - literally on the dot.  If we are riding together to work (which almost never happens because I cannot get my act together that early) - he is usually hustling me along to make sure we are in the truck by 6:40.

I love your dad so very much - and I'm so grateful for his patience, sense of humor, and attitude every day.  The above list is just a reflection of all the things that make him so silly and lovable...won't be long until you experience it too :)

32 Weeks

 

How far along? 32 Weeks
Total weight gain: 27 pounds

Maternity clothes? of course!  I got new leggings this week that actually fit over the bump and they are so comfortable.  I'm tired of wearing the same old pants to work and starting to feel like ten pounds of crap in a five pound bag.  I also purchased a new top to wear for our maternity photos...but ended up hating the way it looked...blah!  Taking it back.
Stretch marks? unfortunately yes - I'm keeping an eye on them to see if any new ones are happening - which I think they probably will because how will my skin keep on stretching for 7 more weeks! 
Sleep: sleep is still crap. I probably just sleep for about two hours at a time because I'm going to the bathroom so much.  It also takes a long time for me to get comfortable and then my hips start to hurt so I switch sides.  I may start sleeping in the guest room because I feel like Rob isn't sleeping too well either. 
Best moment this week: went to the doctor this week - baby boy's heartbeat was 149 this time.  I never get sick of hearing that sound - so very reassuring. I was a bit surprised that the doctor said I was measuring a little big/early.  When I asked her what that meant she said it could be one of two things...either they calculated my due date wrong or I'm having a big, healthy baby.  hmm....
Miss Anything? all my energy - I'm tired and out of breath ALL.THE.TIME.  We started our morning and afternoon classes this week and holy moly I think I could fall asleep on the couch every night when I get home at 5:30.  All of the ups and downs and bending over and sitting in the littlest chairs, tying shoes, walking around etc is tiring!  Rob has me convinced that I should maybe talk to my boss about how I'm feeling and being able to take it a little bit slow.
Movement: still lots of movement & rolls.
Food cravings: sugar....as in Girl Scout Cookies and Jelly Beans! ha! Also - I actually asked Rob for a hamburger this week...I realized I hadn't eaten any red meat in over a week (my doctor said I have low iron) - and it tasted SO good!  Still lots of chocolate milk and eggs too.
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope.
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: No
Symptoms: Heartburn at night, hip pain and just a little swelling in my fingers from time to time.
Belly Button in or out? still in - it sort of looks like it's winking at me. 
Wedding rings on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: HAPPY!
Looking forward to:  Seeing the pictures from our maternity shoot (which was so much fun on Saturday - we started at our house, then went to downtown Powell, and the Scioto Mile). I've also decided I will compose a "Labor Mix" to take to the hospital and a "Baby Boy Nursery" mix for playing once we get home.  Rob got a cool little speaker that you can plug into your I-pod and listen too that we plan on keeping in the nursery.

**It's also worth mentioning that we started our Birthing Class this week.  The class takes place in our doctor's office and there are ten couples total.  We are all within a couple weeks of each other as far as due dates.  I was DREADING going...like dragging my feet the whole time - but I have to say despite our over zealous instructor (she was literally wearing a "Team Kegel" bright pink t-shirt and button that said "10 centimeters or bust") it was pretty good.  I will do a full recap after the 5 (yes 5) classes - but Rob and I are learning a lot.  I think I will appreciate having all this knowledge once it's actually time.  And, we did some massage and relaxation techniques for the last 45 minutes...it was pretty great.  Only four more classes to go! 

Showered with Love - Part 2

Dear Baby,

I'm back with Part 2 of such a an amazing weekend.  After an action packed Saturday...there was still more fun to be had...the very next day!  Sunday was our "work" baby shower (yes, we're so spoiled that I have to refer to our showers by type...what a great problem to have!)  Almost immediately after I shared that I was pregant with my co-teacher Amanda, she and her mom graciously offered to throw us a shower. 

(Amanda, me, and Melissa)



I was so thankful...but a little worried about overwhelming her with all my ideas.  I looooooove to plan a party (hello, I'm the social chair at work), so it was hard to imagine not being involved with any of the details.  And, I think Amanda was a bit stressed that I had crazy expectations that she wouldn't be able to live up to.  She was pretty firm from the beginning though - that I stay out and she (nor I) should have worried about because the shower was all around perfect.  And, I was super proud of myself for staying out of it.  Turns out being surprised is kind of fun after all!

The "Welcome Little Sunshine" shower started in the afternoon - 1:00 and was at Amanda's mom's house.  It was a great place for a party because of the open floor plan.  When I arrived...the guests that were already there were working on a scrapbook.  How totally perfect!!  While I imagined my  co-workers might be a little intimidated by all the scrapbooking goodies....they dove right in.  They were punching, cutting, and stickering up a storm.  I took this opportunity to check out the food! 

 

 



In sticking with the theme of sunshine, everything from the silverware, napkins, and cups to the food took on a yellow theme to support this. It was if Amanda crawled into head and pulled out a list of all my favorite foods...Egg Salad on croissants, fruit salad, deviled eggs, and her mom's panzenilla salad.  All of it was over the top AMAZING!  If that spread wasn't enough - my boss, Melissa, who is known for her desserts, baked delicious lemon bars and red velvet cupcakes with shortbread sunshine cookies stuck in the icing.  Once everyone's bellies were full - we moved onto games.  And holy moly did Amanda out do herself.  She knows my love of children's books very well - so the first test  game was 2 pages of questions about famous children's books.  Literally it was 10 multiple choice questions, then fill in the blanks, and it ended with a posterboard of famous children's lit characters.  Everything from "fancy nancy" to "little critter" and "curious george".  There were also 4 bonus questions...sadly I only got one of them! But, I did get a 42 out of 50 - high score!  So, I guess I do know my books :)  We played one final game - this time testing our music skills.  Amanda's husband Torrey fancies himself a bit of a DJ...and he came up with 16 songs that have the word "baby" in the title or throughout the song.  With a CD player in the middle our our circle, we listened to each song clip for about 20 seconds and had to come up with the title and artist.  Sadly, I was not as good at this game - only getting 17 out of 32 points.  The winners of all these games - got to take home some sunshiney daffodil plants~ adorable!

After all that (I would have been content with just the food and fun) - Amanda had planned more surprises...and presents too! 

(Truly surprised that some of my co-workers got together and purchased the car seat base!)

 

(My old boss, Becky crocheted this beautiful blanket)

 

(Since I can't seem to eat anything lately without spilling it - the bibs seem appropriate!)

 

We got tons of baby gear...but even more fun- everyone brought their favorite children's book to build a library for Baby H.  I got acquainted with some old favorites and was introduced to a few new titles too! (And...just wait till you see them all displayed in the nursery...cute, cute CUTE!)

 

Everyone was sent home with a sunshine cookie, CD of baby songs, and a "thyme" plant!  How thoughtful (who gets three things to take home??!)

 

 

 And, that wraps up the details of our "work shower" - what an amazing day...filled with lots of sunshiney smiles, scrapbooking, and supportive/generous co-workers. 

 

 

 

I'm beyond blessed and excited to introduce you baby to this amazing group of ladies (as well as two men!). 

Showered with Love - Part 1

Dear Baby,

Last weekend was busy for us!  We were so fortunate that we had not one but two showers in our honor.  Lots of friends and family were so generous with both their time, talents, and gifts.  The first shower (on Saturday) was hosted by your Aunt Stacy, and our two friends Lynn Dotson and Liz Matola.  I knew this shower was going to be fantastic based on the adorable invitation (complete with elephants and stripes!) but the cuteness factor was over the top!  The shower was held at Biddies Tea Room in old Dublin.  Although Aunt Stacy and I had previously visited this spot to check out the inside and the food...I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I arrived promptly at 11:00 and was ushered to our party room.  The inside of the restaurant is very shabby chic (just my style!) with quilt like tableclothes, baskets of tea, lace edged menus, flowers, teapots, and wicker baskets!  On top of all this - the hosts had decorated the tables with elephant tea pots filled with white tulips.  And, each table had cake plates with cupcakes and elephant cake toppers. 

After some visiting with our guests (17 total) - we all sat down to enjoy some hot tea and brunch.  The food was absolutely delicous.  Each guest was served half an egg salad sandwich, chicken salad croissant, and broccoli cheddar soup in a wicker basket with a little side of lemon loaf.  I had no problems cleaning my plate! We did not play an "games" but a calendar of sorts was sent around.  Each friend stamped (with an elephant stamp) on the calendar page in which they thought I would deliver.  I tried not to be mad that almost everyone chose a date beyond my true due date!  (The jokes going to be on them when I deliver a week early..ha!)  My sister also had the most adorable scratch off cards printed with elephants.  If you scratched and it said "winner" you got to take an elephant tea pot home with you...and I won! I thought this was a really fun alternative to traditional games.  Once the eating wrapped up - "wish" cards were sent around.  Each card had prompts such as "I hope you aren't afriad of _____" and "I hope you're not scared of" etc. The guests were all very creative with their answers and they are so fun to look through.  I'm still thinking of the perfect way to display them! 

(Mom, Mamaw, and mom-to-be..me!)

Lastly, it was time for presents!  I sat at the end of the two rows of tables and we joked that Lynn and Stacy had to walk the presents down the "runway" between tables.  Liz was at my side helping to write down each present and who it was from.  As I mentioned - all of my girlfriends and family members were so, SO generous with gifts!  Even the friends from near and far that could not make it - sent gifts...I was just blown away! 



We received everything from sleepers, to the Boppy pillow and covers, breastfeeding supplies, diapers, wipes, toys, baby monitors, three handmade blankets, and an elephant hamper to boot! 

 

(I mean...seriously..an elephant hamper...yes, please!)

 

I was just smiling like crazy - thinking about how much love and excitement was in the room for you, baby!  I am just beyond thankful for all these ladies (present or not) and cannot wait for them to meet you!  I'm also so grateful for the millions of details (and probably hours) that went into planning a shower that was fabulous in every way! 

(My favorite cookies from Dorothy Lane Market were the take home favor!)



Meet your Memaw

Dear Baby,

We were very fortunate to have a lovely visitor all the way from Arizona stay with us and spoil us over a period of days last week and this weekend!. It's your Memaw!  And, even though she lives in Arizona (where I would love to be right now....avoiding all this snow) we know she and Pops are super excited about your arrival!  Pop's is her husband John :)

 



When your dad and I first started dating, I thought it was so cute how he always made time to talk to both his parents on the weekends.  I thought, "any man who doesn't need reminded to call his parents is a winner in my book" ;) It's so cute to hear your dad talking to his mom - they fill each other in on the weather (it's always better in Arizona), our latest house projects, you, and other goings on in our lives.  And, I'm sure once you arrive we will be "Facetiming" a lot more too, as who can resist their grandbaby's face :) 

You may be wondering about the name Memaw - it's the name your cousin Charlotte came up with and we think it's pretty adorable ...so I hope you adopt it too! We decided to tell Memaw about your arrival on her birthday back in October.  I thought I was going to burst with excitement and it was so hard to wait all day to call.  I think we genuinely surprised her and since that point she always makes a point to ask about you, our doctor appointments, and other preparations we are making.



I met Suzi (Memaw) in December of 2009 - and I liked her very much right away.  You are so lucky to have two sets of grandparents on your dad's side who are amazing hosts!  Memaw and Pops opened up their house to me and have made me feel right at home ever since.  While I shy away from hosting big get togethers (unless I get bamboozled into it) - Memaw and Pops love a good party and always host big family dinners.  New Year's Eve, Chili Cook Off, Clam Bakes, American Idol betting...they sure do know how to have a good time! I love the way Memaw goes about preparing for these dinners and parties- wine flowing, and a more the merrier attitude. With the music on, she bustles around in the kitchen, steaming the vegetables, prepping the salad, getting out the good dishes and generally making everything delightful.  I learned to really love steamed vegetables from her.  (I didn't even know they made vegetable steamers!)  You should also know that Memaw is serious about recycling.  She takes saving the Earth seriously - even cleans out all her recylables before putting them in the bin.  Amazing, considering we didn't even recycle until about a year ago!  She is the only person I know who bought the reusable cup at Starbucks...ha!

 

 

We try to visit Memaw and Pops at least once a year in Arizona and these visits don't disappoint.  From the shopping to the eating, and everything in between (Sedona, J.W. Marriott, hiking, Scottsdale etc.) - there is never a dull moment. Memaw introduced me to one of the greatest shops - hello Nordstrom's Rack! (why aren't you in Ohio???)  She knows how to get a good deal and has already agreed to be your personal shopper because the outlet malls are so close to where she and Pops live.

 

Your dad and I were so grateful that she was able to make it out for a couple days last week.  Not only did she do our laundry, iron your dad's shirts, vacum the house, and wash all the sheets on her bed before she left - but she has the best attitude about everything!  Your dad and I were unable to take a lot of time off from work while she was here -but she was happy as a clam entertaining herself at our house (when Pecan was being nice).  She can go with the flow and never makes us feel pressured to "entertain" - she is happy just to sit and chat with us...catching up on our lives (and watching American Idol or talking about the Bachelor). She and Pops are very excited about your arrival and I predict not only a few visits this summer...but a possible move to Columbus (or maybe a second house?) sometime down the line.  "Should have never sold the German Village house"....(this is something she and Pops say nearly every time they visit)! ha!