I'm Putting In My Order

I am putting in my order for my first meal after Nathan's arrival. Baby, I want...

Roast beef & swiss cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, onion, tomato, jalapeno & banana peppers, salt & pepper, mayo & mustard, and oil & vinegar! I don't care where it comes from, but that's what I want. It can look like this (minus the olives)...

I haven't had a real deli sandwich since early-September, and I am in desperate need of one! Having said that, my wonderful grandmother has been wonderful enough to roast a few turkey breasts for me, serve me homemade chicken salad sandwiches, and send me home with enough pimento & cheese spread (homemade with love as well) to last for days because she knows I can't eat deli meat these days. Thankfully I work very close by her home, so I've spent many lunch hours with her enjoying this fine food.

Thank you, Grandmother. From the bottom of my heart, my belly, & my wooden leg!

At Last

For weeks now, we would lay on the sofa and I would place Todd's hand on my belly in the exact spot where I had felt a kick only moments earlier. Each & every time we did this, Nathan would get still and stop kicking... until Daddy removed his hand. Once Todd's hand was off the belly, Nathan would start kicking again! All that changed last night.

Todd finally felt Nathan kick last night! He felt him twice actually.

And of course I've felt him five or six times just while posting this. He's an active little boy!

Made with Love

One of my Valentine's Day gifts from Todd was moving the remainder of Nathan's furniture into the nursery. The dresser/changing table & night stand were pieces from Todd's grandmother, and all they needed were two coats of enamel white paint to make them perfectly precious. As always, Todd did a beautiful job painting them. It was definitely a labor of love.

Once they dried, he & J.J. moved them to the nursery, where I added the drawer hardware. I bought plain white ceramic knobs & two paint pens from Michael's (baby blue & chocolate) and hand-painted the cutest designs on them. Made with love.. Puppy paws, polka dots, bulls eyes, plaid & tic-tac-toe. Too precious!

A Valentine for Nathan

Nathan's daddy bought him the sweetest Valentine's Day gifts.

&

I am going to start reading Curious George to him later this week. I know he knows my voice already, but I want to make sure he loves reading as well.

Happy <3 Day

For Valentine's Day, Todd & I had a sweet "date night." Our evening started with dinner at Johnny's Pizza. We ordered a Mexican Pizza because I wanted pizza but he wanted Mexican food... so we compromised. Afterwards, I had the wonderful idea of going downtown to Krispy Kreme on Ponce. I ordered a glazed donut covered with chocolate & red & pink sprinkles with a large milk (baby needs his dairy), and Todd delighted in a heart-shaped custard filled treat with a large milk as well. After dessert, Todd suggested going to the movies since we haven't been to the theater in almost a year. My first choice, Revolution Road (a romantic drama), wasn't playing, so we went with the next choice.... Gran Torino (a funny drama). Although it was a bit slow to start, it was definitely worth the ticket price. But then again, anything with Clint Eastwood is worth the ticket price.

I must say, that was one of my most favorite dates with my husband!

PS... My apologies for the silly hair. I am still trying to get used to bangs. I also apologize for the photo quality. This was taken with my camera phone.

PSS... Jennifer, thank you for my beautiful pink scarf. I enjoyed wearing it last night.

We've got a crib!!!

The crib is here! YEAH!!! I picked out a traditional Jenny Lind crib, in white. I hemmed & hawed over the color selection, but in the end decided to go with white. Blue walls, chocolate bedding (for the most part) & white furniture just seemed like a lovely color combination. And I was right! I am in love with my choices.

Dad & I put together Nathan's crib tonight. It didn't take too long. It took longer to put together the adorable puppy mobile than it did to assemble the crib. Dad's gift to us was the crib, mattress & mattress pad. He wanted to spend more money than he did, but this is what made me happy, so he's happy.

And speaking of the mobile... yes, we know it is in backwards, but that's how all the pieces fit together. Don't ask. Both Dad & I read over the instructions after Todd finished, and despite the fact that the instructions say one thing, the pieces say another. So unless Nathan has hands of steel, we're not too worried about him unscrewing the "bolt" that now finds itself inside the crib instead of the outside.

As you can also see, the bedding is in. I still have to wash the sheet, but I at least wanted to see everything put together tonight. I'll wash the sheet tomorrow. Oh, I am still trying to figure out the bumper. What will happen when I raise & lower the side? Will the bumper go up & down with the side? And how & where do I tie the ties? Dad & Todd seemed to know more than me, so if you can give me any pointers, I'd be greatly appreciative.

We've got BIG & BUSY plans for this weekend. Read on...

Our weekend begins at 5:00, at which time Todd & I head to North Carolina for an overnight trip. And while it's a trip, it's not a vacation. His best friend (& Best Man) & his wife will be packing up his parents' house and moving them to Virginia, so we are there to lend a hand & an ear. It's a sad trip, but we hope to at least enjoy it as much as we can. I am looking forward to meeting them (again).

Saturday we will enjoy lunch with Pop, my grandfather who lives in North Georgia. I haven't seen him in almost a year & a half, and I can't wait for him to see me & my pregnant belly. I told him I was pregnant on his 79th birthday, and he said that was the best gift he had ever gotten & then he started to cry. Awww. I miss him sooooo much!

Late on Saturday afternoon, my dad & I are going to Babies R Us to shop for Nathan's crib. We plan on putting it together later that evening as Todd & BJ grill us some steaks. I've even bought shrimp cocktail, so you know it's a special occasion! There may even be a peach cobbler. Yum!

Sunday will be spent with my grandmother shopping at the North Georgia Outlets for some goodies to hang in Nathan's closet! She is planning on serving BBQ pork sandwiches for lunch before we make the trek, and I'm sure she'll try to stuff my belly again before she sends me home. Grandmothers are good for that... stuffing your belly (or the hollow leg she always insisted I had)!!

Check back next week for a recount of our adventures & photos!

Beautified

Maize & Hershey went to Ms. Roxanne's today to get beautified. They came back smelling good and looking adorable with hot pink (Maize) & orange (Hershey) pompoms on their collars.

Burp Clothes

Joan & I made burp clothes a few weeks ago. We spent an entire Sunday talking, designing & sewing. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday.

I made some burp clothes for Nathan. Two of then still need some embroidery work done, but they are still cute nonetheless. Tell me what you think...

This one is 100% finished!

Want to have either "Nathan" or "Nate" embroidered above the fabric swatch.

Thinking it will read "Momma's Little Lamb" or "I'm a Little Lamb".

I am really happy with the finished results
& I am proud of myself for making something for my sweet baby,
even if it is just for him to spit up on.

First Belly Shot

Here's a belly shot of me at 20 weeks and 2 days.
We found out two days earlier that The Grit was a boy.

Daddy's got new wheels

Two weeks ago Todd's parents gave us an awesome gift... stroller and car seat system. Here are some photos...

These are the stuffed animals Todd picked out at Macy's earlier that day.
One is Maize,one is Hershey & the other is Camper. Too precious!

Little Boy Blue

My TA DA moment happened at 1:20 Sunday morning. I think I shed a tear. You may too when you see how sweet it is.

Here are the "before" photos...

What's up with that hair? (hehe)

Soon-to-be-Crib wall

Nathan's closet

It's all in the prep work.
(And yes, he really was happy to do this,
so I'm not sure what's up with the scowl on his face.)

Here are the "after" photos...

Todd admiring his work.

Soon-to-be-Crib Wall

Nathan's Closet

See, I told you it was sweet.

Hopefully we'll have the crib next Saturday. We still have to paint a few pieces of furniture, so now we just need the weather to cooperate.