Baby Shower Time!

My dearest friends Allison, Courtney, Jamie and Meghan hosted a baby shower for me and Miss Genevieve last Sunday.  They had it at one of my favorite brunch spots, Petite Chou.  

My friends all thrilled me by dressing in vibrant colors.  There was a lot of hot pink, orange and jade.

I do love color, and they didn't disappoint.  

My girls are very detail oriented, so there were pink napkins, roses and lavender and pomegranate champagne cocktails.  I had a strawberry-ginger ale concoction served in a champagne flute.  

 Marinda, Whitney, Jodi and hostess Allison.

Allison folded the napkins according to a technique she learned in a napkin folding book that she just happens to own.

That's the way she rolls.  

 Meghan, Jamie, Karen and Lindsay.  You can see those fancy napkins in that shot.  

 Check out the color!!!

 Karen got me my pagoda changing pad cover.  I was clearly touched and mesmerized by this gift.  

 Prior to bringing out a glorious cake, they presented me with this flaming cup of whipped cream.  Cinda found it to be especially exciting.  Thanks to Cinda, I now have even more clothes for my daughter.  One-half of her twin combo, Miss Quinn, has quite the wardrobe.  

Look at that glowing pregnant woman.

Is it the beautiful life growing inside her womb?

Hells to the no, friends.

It be that cake!

Ah, the buttercream.  

Heaven.  

I had to loosen my sash.

That is happening more frequently.  

I guess I'm eating more, plus wearing sashes with great regularity.  

It was such a great day.

Thanks, girls!

Anniversary

Hello friends.

This week we celebrated both 32 weeks of cook time and our 2nd anniversary. 

Here I am in all of my glory with 8 weeks left.  

Those pants look ridiculous.

Comfort is well overriding style at this point.

Here's a couple of photos where I don't look ridiculous. 

I really never tire of looking at these.

These past two years have passed by so quickly and a lot has changed.

We bought a new house.

We became landlords by renting our old dollhouse.

We became parents.  

I had to show T how I felt with a special anniversary card.

As you can see, I'm as sentimental as ever.

I promise I wrote some sweet nothings inside.

We rocked the occasion with a trip to our local Hibachi grill.

Nothing says anniversary like a man flinging eggs into his chef hat and setting onions on fire.

I didn't get a picture of us at the restaurant.

Like I said, the man was a little too busy entertaining and was unable to snap photos with knives flying everywhere.

We concluded our raucous night with a trip to Target to buy toilet paper.

Such is reality.

The romance can be astounding at times.  

I kid.

I love that man to pieces and we laughed the evening away.

We ended our anniversary with our recent nightly tradition.

We get into bed, call the kitty and I read a book aloud to my husband, my cat, and my ninja like child.  I'm finally realizing that my elementary teaching career has given me an endless supply of children's literature and perhaps I should indeed start reading regularly to my child.  

Trinity then  comments on how he has all he needs in life with a sarcastic wife, a kicking daughter, and a biting cat.  

It's truly beautiful.

I leave you with this funny that my friend Corrie send me for my iPhone.

What?

Ryan Gosling is calling?

I must answer or answer?

Declining is not an option when it comes to Ryan. 

Weekend Scenes

There was a lot of socializing during this two shower weekend.  I already shared some photos of Meghan's bridal shower, but I left out the desserts.  We had mini cupcakes, kahlua bars and raspberry bars, and the left overs have been making their way down my pie hole.

Katie snapped this picture of shower preparations after we completed our neighborhood hot laps.  

My mom kept screaming for a large spoon, while I did my best Cousin Vicki impression from National Lampoon's Vacation.  

You remember Cousin Vicki.  She stirred the Koolaid with her hand and taught Audrey how to french kiss.

I did not actually use my hand.  No concerns, dear shower guests.  

On Saturday evening my family went to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory to wish Robby luck on his bar exam this week.

I mentioned that it was the first time in years that the 5 of us had been together, minus significant others.  

Mom asked the waiter to take our picture.  He claimed he didn't mind, since he did it all of the time.

Clearly, you don't, Stuart.  

This picture is horrible.

Following our typical family dynamics, Mother started to tear up over being with her original family.  She even started to refer to us as The FAB FIVE, which has been said, like never.

I was quick to mention that we weren't that thuggish basketball team from Michigan in the mid 90s, and Robby furthered ruined the moment by mentioning that there were technically 6 of us at the table, as I was carrying a "passenger."

Mother quickly recovered.  

I went to sleep in my bedroom at my parents' house and marveled over my closet transformation.  The space that once was overrun with oversized flannel shirts and Birkenstocks has now been transformed into a small nursery for my daughter.  

On Sunday morning I attended my first of two baby showers hosted by my mother's friends Leslie, Gail, Dee and Nancy.

They all have been friends for like 40 years.

They don't host showers with paper products.

It was beautiful.  

Here is our great looking crew.

Skanky BFF Nicole drove 3 hours one way to watch me stuff my face, rub my belly, and open gifts.  

She's in the back row with two tiny eyes peeking out.  

As usual, my chest came to the party.  

It was almost surpassed by my new stomach nose.  I may start to ace bandage that belly button, as I am having great trouble looking at it. 

Here's a better picture of Nicole.

I came home and organized and washed baby loot.  

I will be in school one week from today!

I Hosted an Event!!!!

Yes, yes I did!

Now that I am 33 years old and own a house that accommodates more than my bed and a litter box, I have now hosted a couple of events.  Katie and I had a small bridal shower for Meghan, as she is soon to be married to brother Robby.  

Jane was there with her Canon Rebel several mortgage payments camera, so I asked her to photo my kitty prior to the shower, all professional style.

She was resting in our bedroom, and she is furry and precious.

Now if you are sitting there thinking that I am crazy and you've seen enough pictures of my cat to last a lifetime or several lifetimes, then I say "move on!  This isn't the blog for you! You're not my friend."  So there, don't think that.  Let's be friends and agree that she is remarkable.

She is furring up my new rug, which I love. It is gray and wonderful.  How do you spell gray?  Grey?  Either way is acceptable. I only use grey when referring to Grey Poupon or Earl Grey tea, neither of which is necessary in my life, since I don't live in England or have a butler.   I think I committed to gray when I taught first grade and we studied -ay and it was just easier to go in that direction.  

Meghan with her mother and my mother

Meg's parents bought her the KitchenAid cover,which must then cover that giant mixer that everyone wants.  They bought it for her, in sassy yellow, but Carol decided to save her own back and not lug it to my house. Smart move, as I may have discreetly placed it in my own cabinet. I didn't get one. I registered for it, but no one deemed me worthy.  

I dabble in floral arranging when I'm not eating cupcakes.  

Kirby and Amanda came.  Amanda aka Tiny, is really tiny.  Kirby isn't much larger, but she wore some serious heels.  She looked amaze balls, but I don't think my wooden floors want to see her again.  Ha!

Katie resisted the statement necklace.  I persisted.  I won, as usual.  

The whole gang in my living room.  

Note the chain gang of convicts across the back row.  Horizontal stripes on skinny people are amazing.  Someone intervene and get that horizontal stripe dress out of my closet, stat.  A Pea in the Pod has led me astray.  I think it looks so cute, but it doesn't photograph so well.  My mother was encouraging,   "I love it because it makes you look SO pregnant." 

My baby shower is the next event, which I won't be hosting at my own house because I have friends, I really do.  And they love my cat.      

Why I love my friends...

Allison, Courtney, Jamie and Meghan are throwing me a baby shower and sent out this invitation-

and not this one.

They know me well.

I feel sorry for Karolynn Crawford.

Thanks for not sending an invitation that showed my unborn fetus.  

31 Week Updates

My friend Jen took this photo at 6:15 before our yoga class on Wednesday morning to commemorate 31 weeks.

Notice I said BEFORE yoga.

I'm still all shiny face.

That is one thing I have noticed about pregnancy.

I'm shiny all of the time.

I wish my Clinique pressed powder came in body size.

Big girl body size.

Please take note of the ever morphing belly button.

It is no longer an innie, but not quite an outie.

The top part is an outie, making it look like it has a hood or canopy.

From the side it appears that my stomach has grown a nose.

Horrifying.

Speaking of horrifying, I start school a week from Monday.

Summer went by fairly quickly.

I am feeling a bit excited to see the darlings and start a new job for approximately 6-8 weeks, depending on Genevieve's cook time.  

Then 12 weeks of freedom, and by freedom I mean flipping the frick out over trying to keep a newborn alive.

My new job can't be any harder than that.

Meg's Bachelorette Weekend

Meghan's bachelorette weekend in Nashville was a rip roaring success.  She picked me up on Friday morning and we headed straight for the Music City.  We met sister Katie at Opryland to check in, where everyone and their brother was hanging out.  I have never seen that hotel so crowded.  People were everywhere, snapping pictures of Koi fish.  As Allison so famously said, "what are they going to do with a  picture of one of those fish?"  I nodded in agreement and then took this picture later in the evening.

A darling outfit for my soon to be here child. The three of us went to the shops behind the Mall at Green Hills and did some shopping, and I found this cute getup at a darling children's store called Snap.        

 We ate our way through the Whole Foods store, which is always a must when in Nashville.  Katie and I figured we went to the Whole Foods 4 times during the weekend.  We are officially old and mesmerized by that store.  That evening we had drinks at The Patterson House where I had a sugary mocktail, and dinner at the hotel.  

On Saturday we returned to the Mall and also to Whole Foods.  We attended the free yoga class at Lululemon and purchases were made by all attendees.  That stuff is ridiculously priced, yet equally comfortable.    We went to Las Paletas, one of my favorite spots in Nashville.  They have the most glorious popsicles.  

Katie may have had to clean raspberry lime off of my face with her licked finger.  Gross.  Again, we're old, or maybe she just is.  

Lingerie soiree cupcakes were procured from The Painted Cupcake.

They had me at pink striped walls and cupcake.

Allison prepped the treat table, since she has vast experience in food service.  Everyone else was terrified of removing an eye with the champagne bottles.  

Meghan was pleased with her pink sparkly cupcakes,  

and her loot.  

We had a great dinner at The Silly Goose, a cool farm to table restaurant.  They seated us at a long picnic table and then added two hipster guys at the end for the final two seats.  Communal seating isn't really my thing.

I'm guessing sitting with a bunch of girls at a bachelorette party wasn't their thing either.

Broadway was no match for us, and we started at our beloved Robert's Western World.

I learned that honky tonk bars aren't quite as fun when one isn't drinking, but rather rubbing one's swollen midsection.  

We quickly determined we were the classiest bachelorette party in town, since we simply didn't identify ourselves as such.

You can imagine.

Lots of veils, sashes and unsightly accessories.

I lasted until midnight, which I deemed medal worthy.

As we were leaving a couple of drunk girls passed me and one exclaimed, "oh my god, she's pregnant!"

Yes, skank, that be true.

Now get out of my face before I kick you with a seriously swollen Tory Burched foot.  

I arrived home on Sunday to my husband, who had traveled for a quick weekend in Pennsylvania to see his grandmother.  His parents came too.  Wellie has been busy crocheting up a storm for the baby.  

She sent home this beautiful baby blanket.  

She also sent him home with a cooler full of her traditional Cuban cooking.  We'll be living large for a while, and last night we had chicken and rice.  T recorded her talking about coming to this country, meeting his grandfather and her family in Cuba.  He also recorded her talking to Vivi, mostly in Spanish.  She is such a gem.

30 Weeks

My summer is quickly winding down.  I have nothing fun to report at this point, so I will share odd tidbits, which I suppose isn't out of the ordinary.

Tuesday morning Trinity got up at his usual 6 a.m. to get in the shower and discovered a fluffy Himalayan chilling in there.  Senility is truly setting in, I fear.

So now we have a fluff who appears to be suffering from dementia.

He plucked her out and she went about her regular 12,000+hour nap routine the rest of the day.   

I didn't bother Trinity with my weekly picture, and decided to take it myself all cheesy style, in my bedroom mirror.

The bathroom light showed more of my rounded profile.

These weekly pictures are so bad I might submit them to a crappy maternity photo website, if one exists.

I have been preparing for Meghan's bachelorette party.  I am normally such an awesome bachelorette party guest, since I go to sleep at 9:00.  It seems I can get worse, now that I'm somewhat swollen and terribly hot at all times.  I'm going to do my best and I will be an awesome designated driver.  

I went to Target tonight to pick up pink champagne to accompany pink glittery cupcakes that I am serving to the ladies at Meg's lingerie shower.  I like a theme.

As I waddled to the check out with several bottles of champagne, I felt that people were looking at me and judging me as a Fetal Alcohol Syndrome spreader.  

I actually made eye contact with about 3 different women and announced, "This isn't for me, I'm not drinking this."  

Oh, for shame.

I can't handle the thought of someone judging me, clearly.

I arrived home to discover this picture text on my phone.  

Katie sends about one text per week that features Ronald McDonald, Grimace, or if I'm really lucky, The Hamburgler.  Caroline is so accustomed to this clown, which I find to be a hoot.

Big Weekend Happenings

Robby and Meghan had their first wedding shower this weekend.  It was a couples shower, which I love because then it's more like a party.  

Meg's parents came over to Mom and Dad's prior to the soiree. 

Allison and Teri really have the same face. 

Tim and Jamie joined the party.  

Robeghan was very enthusiastic about gift opening.  Lots of oohs and aaahs.  Here is one of their gifts, a deck lantern.  Steve quipped that it was perfect for romantic nighttime hikes.  

Back at the ranch I had Mom take a photo before I started to wilt.  In my current state, I look put together for all of 15 minutes.  

More enthusiasm!  

This time over a waffle maker and waffle mix.  

Look at those faces of pure joy!

Mom and Dad rejoicing over how close they are to marrying off all 3 of their children.  

"How did we do it, Bob?"  I'm sure that's what mother is saying, "especially Betsy?"

As the hours wore on, I wilted a bit, despite the air conditioning.  I think the  sash on my dress got smaller too.  Maybe I ate two raspberry bars and a brownie.  I don't know.  

I've lately gone back to eating desserts and really not so much regular food.  That's how I maintain my killer physique that is looking more like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.  

The male folk congregated in the kitchen.  

It was a great party.

On Sunday morning Dad took us all to the Cracker Barrel.  I adore the Cracker Barrel, I shan't deny it.  I like that hash brown casserole.  After breakfast Mom and I went to Nana's to pick up Caroline and Nolan.

Caroline and Nolan are two peas in a pod.  He is perfectly agreeable and she loves to be in control.  This works out splendidly.  He is a sport about playing with her dollhouses and dolls, as that's all we have at my parents' house.  

Here he loaded up the doll mini van and announced that we were headed to Target.  I loved that.  

We got home and decided to start on the crib construction.  I spotted Miss Priss in her new napping spot, on my sequined leather weekender bag in my closet.  

That crib was a serious bish, and it took Rob and Trinity to get it together.

Genevieve will be no match for me, as it took only my set of hands to wrestle Kashmir into a sleep sack and bonnet to try out the crib.  

We still have to get a mattress, but I wanted to try it out.  

Trinity didn't want to be party to my kitty abuse, as he called it.  I screamed, "hold that cat!"  

G's closet is filling up rapidly with Caroline's castoffs.  She will look snazzy and all of that money will be left for me to buy clothes for myself.  Win win for everyone, I say.

Selfishness is still a problem for me, as you can see.  

Coyote man and the constructed baby bed.  

I must nap now, as I am exhausted.  As I mentioned before, I ate a lot of raspberry bars last night.  I also very helpfully held the flashlight as my stealth like future sister in law crawled around on the floor and used her tiny lady mitts to screw in screws as the boys held the big parts together.  She was all Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment where she has to go under laser beams, only Meg worked around a very difficult iron mattress frame. 

I didn't get a picture because it was a lot of rear in the air, which I don't think she would have appreciated.

Thanks, family!