Countdown...

So I am officially on the countdown to meeting my precious baby, I truly am so excited to meet her and get to know her, bond even more with her, introduce her to the rest of her family, and just settle in as a family of four.  But I have to say the best part is going to be not being pregnant anymore, I didn't love being pregnant with Jolie and it showed, ask my husband, there were days I didn't think we would ever have a second child because he hated me being pregnant so much the first time.  The good news for all involved is this pregnancy in many ways has been easier and better, even my husband will tell you I have not been on the emotional roller-coaster I was on the first time.  All that being said once you get to being 37 weeks pregnant you are just totally uncomfortable and folks that is where I am, totally uncomfortable, it is hard to move, impossible to pick up my three year old and just getting a little harder everyday to do regular activities.  So with all that in mind I am on a countdown and since I am having a scheduled c-section it is an accurate countdown so here we are with the countdown....I am down to just 9 days, that's right, single digit countdown!  I am so excited, I still have a few things to finish but I am so close I can feel it!!

Random Pictures

On Thanksgiving Day my Aunt and my Grandma gave Rich and I a new camera, an early Christmas present so we could use it and get use to it before using it in welcoming Baby Avery.  So we have been use it but I have yet to post any of its pictures so here are some random pictures from the last several weeks.

Thanksgiving Day:

Okay, I haven't put up like any pictures of me pregnant so consider this a pure treat, I told you I was big!  and just think this was several weeks ago, I think I was like 34 weeks then and look at that BIG baby!!!

This is the centerpiece I made but I have a feeling I am never going to get around to a "how to" so at least I am showing off the final product!!!

Day After Thanksgiving, Dinner with the College Roommates:

Remember that three of the four of us are pregnant and I think I mentioned it before there are a total of 5 babies in the oven!!  The good news is I am the furtherest along and will be welcoming my bundle first but that means I will be able to pass down maternity clothes and baby clothes as I am finished after this one!

Family Dinner, Sunday after Thanksgiving:

My Aunt, my Mom, and my Grandma.

Me and Jolie, and yes her hair is almost always that crazy!!

And of course the whole gang, minus Rich, he wasn't in a good mood, the Redskins lost just hours before this dinner so he didn't make it with us!

Jolie's Visit to Santa:

Okay, as you can see I am still learning the camera, sometimes the lighting is right and sometimes it isn't but I am getting there.  Hope we do well with pictures of Avery!!

Updated Pre-Baby To Do List and Santa Photo

So I have checked off one more major thing on the Pre-Baby To Do List...and that is taking Jolie to see Santa, it took awhile but we got it done yesterday, Jolie waited very patiently in line and was super excited to see Santa, she made sure to ask him for a Lady Bug Pillow Pet which is at the VERY TOP of her wish list, in fact it is the only thing on her wish list, hope Santa brings it with him.  In other news ever since Elfie, the Elf on the Shelf appeared Jolie has been behaving quite well, wonder if we could use him all year long??  Here is Jolie and Santa and the updated list....

Okay, so I decided that I need a add a few things to the do list, I think they were always kind of on the list but I just didn't write them down but my memory is getting so bad that I need to have them written down.



Here is the key, anything bold and red is complete, black is still to be done.
1. Decorate the House for Christmas, inside and out.
2. Finish hanging all wall hangings in the house, including in Avery's Nursery.
3. Finish up all Christmas shopping and get it wrapped.
4. Buy new baby monitor, somehow we lost part of the one we had.
5. Get Jolie's picture taken with Santa.
6. Set up swing and pack and play for Avery. Get out the bouncy seat and put batteries in all items.
7. Do LARGE grocery store run to stock up for the 2 weeks I won't be driving.
8. Make Jolie's teacher's gifts.
9. Finish packing Avery's hospital bag, throw last minute things in my hospital bag.
10. Line up all of Jolie's gifts from Elfie (that is her elf on the shelf) with the date for each item so that either my Mom or Rich can handle it without me.
11.  Finish painting shelf for Avery's room.
12.  Put together Avery's crib mobile.
13.  Deep clean Master Bathroom.
14.  Clean back porch.
15.  Make Christmas Cookies with Jolie.
16.  Put car seat bases for Avery's car seat in both cars.  Also clean out Rich and Jen's car, vacuumed and washed.

My Week in Pictures: Week of Nov. 29th

Monday, November 29th:

I had ordered a picture to canvas from Canvas People, they were running a special where all you had to pay was $14.99 for shipping and you got an 8x10 canvas, I decided to go for it and this is a picture of the canvas, not great quality picture though, I took it on the Blackberry.  But I have to say the canvas itself is super cute and everyone that has come to the house since we got it loves it!!

Tuesday, November 30th:

So in honor of the upcoming holiday I saw this car with a large, light up at night menorah on it and just couldn't resist taking a picture.  I thought it was so fun and festive!!

Wednesday, December 1st:

So Avery's Nursery is done super girlie and all in cupcakes, I really love it!!  So like I did for Jolie's Nursery I set out to make some artwork for the walls, there are a total of 3 canvases with painted cupcakes, this is the first one I did.  They are all slightly different in colors but the same in design and Rich is going to hang them up for me this week, I really love the way they turned out!!

Thursday, December 2nd:

This is what $25 at the Dollar Store will get you!  And I LOVE it!!  I got like 8 gifts for the Elf on the Shelf to bring Jolie, one thing for Rich's stocking, and a few little Christmas Decorations.  I won't even explain the decoration stuff as I am sure they will be a part of future pictures, I will give you a hint, tomorrow's picture is going to be 4 of the items in this picture turned into a Christmas Wreath on our front door!

Friday, December 3rd:

Okay, so this may not be the best and nicest wreath I have ever made but it is by far the cheapest!  As a part of my Dollar Store trip I bought 4 $1 things that I turned into this wreath...there are 2 flower picks that I cut up and hot glued on, there is a wreath form, and 9ft of Pine Garland.  I might add something to the middle but I haven't decided yet but for $4, I love it!!!

Saturday, Dec. 4th:

We got all the Christmas decorations out and up today.  Of course my favorite is our Christmas tree, Jolie and my Mom hung most of the ornaments and I think it turned out super cute!!  Now all I have to do is finish cleaning the house but at least Rich and I got all the bins that I keep Christmas in back in the garage and put away.  The cleaning will have to wait til tomorrow!!

Sunday, December 5th:

Okay, so I know it is suppose to be one picture a day but today I couldn't choose which thing I wanted to talk about so it is a bonus day full of two pictures!!  The top one is of our stockings hung and waiting for Santa!  This year I had to hang them differently as we have added one for Avery and went from 3 stockings to 4 stockings to hang, I have to say I love the way they turned out, I think they look so cute and I have to say I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my most precious Christmas gift ever!!

The second photo is of the ceramic Christmas Tree I have always wanted...you see before I was ever born my Mom was huge into ceramics and made TONS of cute stuff and most especially for Christmas, she made these beautiful trees for everyone, my grandparents (both sets) and herself.  As a child it was always my job to put the "ornaments" in the ceramic tree and I have always loved these trees and wanted one for my own house.  Well this year my Grandmother (my Mom's Mom) decided not to put this year up as she has one big tree, one little tree, and a light up one my Mom bought for her last year, so I got to borrow the special ceramic tree!!  I have to say I was thrilled when I found out it was coming my way.  And I think it was even more special watching Jolie's face light up while putting the "ornaments" on it!!  I really do just love the Christmas Season!

Updated Pre-Baby To Do List

So today several things got crossed off the Pre-Baby To Do List, so here is the update.....

Here is the key, anything bold and red is complete, black is still to be done.

1. Decorate the House for Christmas, inside and out.

2. Finish hanging all wall hangings in the house, including in Avery's Nursery.
3. Finish up all Christmas shopping and get it wrapped.
4. Buy new baby monitor, somehow we lost part of the one we had.
5. Get Jolie's picture taken with Santa.
6. Set up swing and pack and play for Avery. Get out the bouncy seat and put batteries in all items.
7. Do LARGE grocery store run to stock up for the 2 weeks I won't be driving.
8. Make Jolie's teacher's gifts.
9. Finish packing Avery's hospital bag, throw last minute things in my hospital bag.
10. Line up all of Jolie's gifts from Elfie (that is her elf on the shelf) with the date for each item so that either my Mom or Rich can handle it without me.

I feel like we were super productive....I love it!!  We are so close now, less than two weeks and I feel like it is manageable.  What a relief to feel almost ready to have another child, although I will say Jolie has been testing both Rich and I and is become increasingly defiant and that isn't working for me but hopefully as we continue to work with her it will get better!

Pre-Baby To Do List

As previously mentioned the Pre-Baby To Do List was quite long but over the last few months it has gotten much smaller so I figured now that it is much more manageable I will post what is left and will keep you posted on what gets done as it gets done.

1.  Decorate the House for Christmas, inside and out.
2.  Finish hanging all wall hangings in the house, including in Avery's Nursery.
3.  Finish up all Christmas shopping and get it wrapped.
4.  Buy new baby monitor, somehow we lost part of the one we had.
5.  Get Jolie's picture taken with Santa.
6.  Set up swing and pack and play for Avery.  Get out the bouncy seat and put batteries in all items.
7.  Do LARGE grocery store run to stock up for the 2 weeks I won't be driving.
8.  Make Jolie's teacher's gifts.
9.  Finish packing Avery's hospital bag, throw last minute things in my hospital bag.
10.  Line up all of Jolie's gifts from Elfie (that is her elf on the shelf) with the date for each item so that either my Mom or Rich can handle it without me.

Okay, maybe it looks like a lot of stuff but it is way better than it was.  I have gotten so much done recently.  I swear I will have it done!!

30 Days of Thanks: Days 25-30

Okay, so I was on a roll there for a few days updating regularly but with a busy week of work and so much still on the pre-baby to do list I fell off the wagon, the good news is it is December and I am done with the 30 Days of Thanks and can stop beating myself up when I don't post everyday, at this point I am thinking once a week might just be good enough.  Although I am starting a new little series, it is going to be called my week in pictures and will begin on Sunday when I post a picture for each day with a one or two line explanation of the picture and the day, I am excited about it to say the least!  I also have several post to catch up on this week, including a how to on the Thanksgiving Centerpiece I made and took to my Mom's house for Thanksgiving as well as a little how to on the paintings I did for Avery's nursery and soon I will be ready to post pictures of our completed house and then I am sure there will be a few post about Christmas decorations and a few little crafts.  And then on the 17th will be Avery's Birthday and I am sure pictures of a cute baby and her big sister will take over the blog, can't wait for that.  But without further ado here are the final days of 30 Days of Thanks!

November 25th, Day 25:
With it being Thanksgiving Day, I am so thankful for the time with my family and a great feast of food.  We had such a great time hanging out as a family, everyone was there including my Mom's sister from Chicago that flew in earlier in the week.  It is going to be great to add another family member just in time for Christmas.  I know that I am really getting excited to meet her and Jolie can't wait to have her new sister so the month of December is going to be such an exciting time!!

November 26th, Day 26:
I am thankful for the help of my Mom, Grandmother, and Aunt who helped me get ALL my Christmas gifts wrapped, they are done!!  With the exception of the few things I have left to buy but they are DONE!!  Super excited about that, was so worried that I wouldn't be ready this year with Avery arriving but it looks like it is going to workout, finally.

November 27th, Day 27:
I am thankful for GREAT friends, Friday night I got to get together with my college roommates, we have sort of made a tradition of getting together for dinner around the holidays (sometimes even both Christmas and Thanksgiving) and again we were able to do it this year.  The best part is of the four of us, three of us are all pregnant at the same time!!  We were able to compare baby bumps and think of the 5 babies we are carry collectively, 2 of us are just having 1 baby each, you can do the math on the rest!  But everyone so far is healthy and happy and is feeling truly blessed for our children.  I have to say though that I am grateful to be leading the pack and that I will be delivering my baby first, I am really starting to feel the fatigue of pregnancy and will be ready to be holding my baby in my arms not in my stomach!!

November 28th, Day 28:
I am happy to announce that with the help of my wonderful husband we finished the last of the BIG items on the pre-baby to do list.  That included finishing the kid's bathroom, pretty much finishing Avery's nursery, re-doing our bathroom, deep cleaning upstairs, and setting up the bassinet in our bedroom.  I even found time to take Jolie to the Stride Rite to get new shoes....wow we did a lot.  Although I will say that my back sure feels the pain of all we did.  But at least it is done.

November 29th, Day 29:
Today was my 36 week doctor's appointment, I did my GBS test, don't have the results yet but last time I was negative so we will see.  But I did have a great appointment with Avery having a good heartbeat and measuring perfect plus the reassurance of Dr, Greenberg telling us if we go into labor now they won't be stopping it and we should be having a happy, healthy baby.  I am just so ready to be having this baby!!  I can't wait to meet her, I want to know if she looks just like her big sister (she sure did in our last ultrasound) and if her personality is like her big sister or if she is a little more easy going.  Jolie for sure is much like me personality wise, outgoing, demanding, and full of attitude, I am kind of hoping for Avery to be a little more like her Dad and be a little more laid back, I don't know if Rich and I can take another personality like me and Jolie, ha ha!!

November 30th, Day 30:
I am thankful for December starting tomorrow, first off in my opinion it is truly the Christmas season once December starts plus it is the month that Avery will arrive.  Today also marks the end of the best month I have had at work in a long time which translates to a GREAT mid-month pay check, just days before Avery arrives.  I look forward to even more things to be thankful for and will continue to remember that I am so blessed, it was really nice to look at all the blessings in my life this month.  I may have gotten behind several times over the month but at least I finished!!!