O Christmas Tree

 

Monday night we decided was the night to get our Christmas tree.  We were going to do it over the weekend but just ran out of time.  We have a little family tradition where we go to the Christmas tree lot on Kings Dr and pick out our tree. It's a city living tradition but I used to go to the same lot with my Dad when we moved to Dilworth and Adam is now more than happy to just go pick a tree, have the guys drill the hole in the bottom for our stand and load it on to the car for us! We always stop for hot chocolate on the way.  I skipped a wreath for my door this year which shocked Adam but with all his crazy Christmas lights, no one ever notices my wreaths. 

We were literally there for 20 minutes this year.  We looked at about 5 trees and just knew this was the one! Just about loaded up! I was going for short(er) and skinny(er) this year but it ended up being taller and fat. Go figs. 



 

They have a sleigh out front and every year prior I  have agonized over getting the perfect picture of Aidan in it. This year I turned around, freaked because he was gone and then realized he was in the sleigh (five ft away)! Of course the year I don't bring my real camera!  How funny is this picture of him pretending he is holding the reigns and driving the sleigh? And that smile. 

 



 

Walking through the trees.  I love how they string the lights.  This is the night that gets me in the mood for the season every year. 

 

When we got the tree home, I was just happy to get it in the house! Last year the tree was way to big and we had to trim the top and bottom! This year we were just so sure this one was not going to give us the same problem.  Well low and behold we had to cut about 8 inches off the top.  Too funny.  I got up some energy during the Panthers game to string the lights and start my mesh ribbon.  

 

Tuesday when Aidan got home from school, we took his little tree down from the attic and for the first time EVER he decorated it all alone. I did put his green mesh ribbon on it for him but he added all of the ornaments himself.  My mom has bought him a few ornaments every Christmas and we have acquired some others along the way (Disney etc) so he loved hearing about each one.  I loved being able to sit on the floor and watch as he worked! 

 



Scout was all "take a picture of me with the tree" so I did.  This is in the nursery before we moved it to Aidan's room.  It is now serving as the world's brightest night light. 

 

By Wednesday, I had gained enough energy to get this bad boy decorated.  I didn't use all of my ornaments and at first I was OK with that but now I am debating climbing back in the attic to get them down. I like for my tree to be weighted down!  

 



 

Since we moved in to our house and had Aidan, I've started quite the collection of Christmas decor. I still have a ton of stuff I would like to do but it's all coming along.  This year I was envisioning having to take a ton of stuff down and pack it up with a newborn and that just wasn't appealing.  So with the exception of the tree, Aidan's tree, our stockings, one garland, a snowman statue in the kitchen, changing out all of our little chalkboards to Christmas sayings and buying some Christmas candles to make the house smell magical, I am not doing anything else for the season.  It's so hard for me not to go crazy for Aidan but he really doesn't know what's missing and Kellan will never remember this Christmas so what I've done is just enough.  The house still feels really cozy and the tree is wonderful.

 

Next year will be back to biz as usual. You know when I'm not trying to get a baby to make his way in to the world!

38 Weeks

38 WEEKS

It's been almost a month since I did one of these!

 

 

Weight Gain: I don't want to talk about it anymore.  I thought I was getting a single stretch mark on the bottom of my belly so I started getting crazy about applying cocoa butter again.  I use The Body Shop Cocoa Butter and it smells amazing.  I'm using so much of it when I get in the shower, water beads up on my belly. I have to scrub it off and reapply when I get out but it's working wonderfully!

Body Shop

 

Baby's size: We have reached Watermelon status.  6.5 lbs. approx.

via

Sleep: I want to sleep ALL. THE. TIME.  I don't sleep terribly at night but I wake up every hour and switch sides because my hips get sore.  Once I've sat up and rolled myself over, I go right back to sleep. I felt so bad about 3 weeks ago I overheard Aidan telling Adam all I do is sleep on the sofa when we get home from school.  That was a little bit of an exaggeration but I didn't want him to think of me that way so I've stopped napping and we are doing a lot more in the afternoons. Even if I just sit on the front stoop and throw the ball to him.

 

Maternity Clothes: I wear the same pair of maternity jeans almost every day.  I've never dried them and they still look great. Love my maternity tanks and a cardigan.

Food cravings: I was dying for Sweet Potato Casserole for Thanksgiving. I made it and ate the entire casserole over about 4 days.  Besides that I can't think of the last time I craved something.

Food aversions: The thought of all fast food. And I just want small meals.  

Symptoms:  My ankles stay swollen for the most part.  And I jinxed myself getting excited that my sciatic nerve wasn't going to bother me this pregnancy.  He's on it and it hurts!  

Doctor’s Appointment: I'm now seeing my Dr. every week.  Last week Adam joined me and we were hoping to hear I had made some {ANY} progress but no dice.  Not dilated or effaced at all. No big deal.  We did my Strep B test which is always pleasant.  Adam asked a million questions.  He has to know why they do everything they do.  My Dr. and the nurses love him for being so interested.  Baby's heartbeat was 156 and I go back this Friday. 

Gender: BOY. Sweet Kellan Adam.

Movement:  He moves.  Mostly at night when I'm just laying down trying to get to sleep.  I love it.  

Belly Button: Half outie, Half innie.  Hurts like crazy. 

Favorite Moment This Week: Finally getting to hang the fourth Christmas stocking I've had socked away with my Christmas decorations for years!  Watching Aidan decorate his Christmas tree that we put in his room was so much fun too!

What I’m looking forward to: Meeting this baby!!! Seeing Aidan with him for the first time. I get chills thinking about it!

What I miss: Holding Aidan. He still asks when he's really tired and if Adam picks him up first and hands him to me, I'm fine.  It's the whole bending over and lifting him that is not a good idea.   My girlfriend Amanda asked me today what food I am most looking forward to and hands down it's sushi. I can't wait.

38 Week Photo

I put Aidan to bed and bundled up to help supervise Adam hang some Christmas lights on the house. At this point I had come in for a minute to try and warm up.  I loved the time we got to spend together.  We joked about how useless I am (it was taking me five minutes to walk a hammer across the yard to him) and how cute I thought his bum looked from afar while he was on the roof.  Ah the glamorous life.

 



The Day My Life Felt Like It Was Falling Apart

I can be so dramatic sometimes.  What you didn't know that about me? 

When you are 8 point 5 months pregnant, and trying to just get everything done, when the smallest things go wrong, you panic and then you laugh until you are balling and then you realize you need to get it together because your husband and son are looking for other places to live until you are not pregnant anymore. 

Yesterday it was our heat.  We had our winter maintenance done and everything was looking good.  We needed a new part or two but it was easy stuff.  Then at some point yesterday while the boys were at the Panther's game, I realized the heat wasn't working.  We called the tech, he ran us through a bunch of things, nothing worked. I was having visions of us bundled up on the living room floor with a new baby surrounded by space heaters.  Today he came out and fixed the problem.  We're warm and I feel better.

I've been slaving to get the house perfect to bring a new baby home.  I saved money to hire someone to deep clean the house and she was supposed to come tomorrow to do the job.  TODAY she called to cancel.  I was all ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Who was I going to find to deep clean our house the week of Thanksgiving and once more before the baby comes home?  A nice lady named Irene who has a cleaning company. That's who.  The only thing was she could squeeze me in this afternoon.  Obviously I had to start cleaning for the cleaning lady to come.  Everyone does this right?  Let's just say I'm not moving as fast as I was just a few weeks ago and Aidan was determined to pull out everything I put away.  It felt like it took me an eternity to get the place picked up and about 15 loads of laundry folded but I did it, she came (with three girls in tow) and my house is sparkling. 

We ate dinner out at 9 o'clock and after that I had to run to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for Rice Krispie treat turkey's I had promised Aidan I would make for his class Thanksgiving Day feast in the morning.  Thank God for my husband who had Aidan in bed when I got home and saved the day when rice krispie treats were sticking to my fingers while I was trying to ball them up by suggesting I just keep my hands a little wet to do them.  He has the answer for everything I tell you.

The good news is, I made it through the day and everything that needed to be done, was.  My TO DO list is getting smaller and I'm looking forward to crossing the last few things off this weekend.  I have my 37 week Dr's appointment tomorrow and a few things to prep for Thanksgiving dinner at my parents and then all I have to do is sit and wait on this baby. 

Baby Boy's Nursery

I had no idea where the direction of this nursery was going when I started it.  I just wanted it to be SIMPLE.  The room is in the middle of our house and we can walk through to get to the kitchen so I didn't want to do a theme or make it look too much like a nursery.  We bought the dresser, I just happened upon the paint color at the store one day, my Mom suggested the Espresso crib and I went with it and the other little pieces just came together.  It just evolved and I LOVE IT!  There are a few more teeny tiny things I have to do but for the most part, it's ready for little man to move in!

{Those three frames in the corner are waiting for artwork}

{Obviously this shelf is going to have to move once little man can start pulling on it but it was the perfect solution for diapers for now}

 

 

 



Pile of Leaves

Aidan has been begging us to jump in a pile of leaves ever since they started falling.  So this week when the landscaping company came to blow the leaves, I asked them to blow the ones in the backyard in to a huge pile and next week they could bag them like usual.  Aidan and I sat in the nursery and watched them through the window blow a pile twice the height of him.  His excitement was building and even though the pile was done quickly he wanted to wait for Adam to get home. 

 

And in typical Adam and Aidan fashion, as soon as Adam walked up the driveway, to the backyard they went.  These pictures were taken with my phone and it was getting dark but I still love them.  I always say Aidan hit the Daddy jackpot.  Adam had just worked a 12 hour day but there was nothing that was going to stop him from jumping in those leaves and having some fun with Aidan.

 

 

Today once the sun came back out, Aidan was ready to go again. This time I was able to grab my camera.  Trying to get him to sit still for a picture is near impossible but these are still great shots I was able to capture.

 "There are leaves in my shiiiiiirt Mom"

He of course had to have a photo with Scout.  The only other person in this house that will literally never sit still for a photo.  Scout was running circles around Aidan while he played. 

 

 

How are you enjoying the outdoors this fall?

Aidan Cracks Me Up

My boy has a sassy side. 

I really honestly try my best to correct him but sometimes he is just so funny, all I can do is laugh. 

Some things from the past few weeks:


(While rummaging through my purse to look for a pen)

Aidan: Mom, you really need to clean this purse out.

Me: Oh yeah?

Aidan: Yeah and your room needs to be cleaned too.

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Me: Aid, can you help me stuff your comforter in the washing machine please?

Aidan: I'll stuff you in the washing machine. 

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(Being curious about my baby shower)

Aidan: So...Mommy???  Are you going to take a shower in front of all of your friends?

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(During his hair cut last week, Pigtails and Crewcuts is packed with the after school crowd)

Girl cutting his hair: I'm going to put some powder on your neck so the hair won't itch as bad.

Aidan: I put powder on my bum when it's itchy. 

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He goes to clubs two days a week after preschool and his teacher told me this story.

This session is called Santa's Workshop and runs through Christmas.

Apparently the teacher tried to get all the kids to sing a Christmas carol with her and they weren't having it so she sang alone.

After she was finished Aidan said..."That was awkward." 

Luckily, she thought it was hilarious.

5 YEARS

Adam,

This post is a few weeks late.  A month late to be exact.  This is one of my favorite posts to write every year because I love to look back at them and remember just how I felt at that point during our marriage. 

So the funny thing about this year and this being late is it's because I disliked you more than I liked you last month.  I didn't want to write you a letter that wasn't real.  I love you more than anything in this world but no one drives me as crazy as you do kid.  I laugh even typing that because truly disliking is not something I could ever imagine happening but every person that's been married or in a long relationship can relate.  Not every day is perfect.  In the mess of preparing for a new baby, trying to keep this house in one piece, working my butt off everyday to make sure Aidan is an amazing young boy and hardly getting to see you because of your work schedule this time of year, we've done our fair share of disconnecting. 

BUT as lack luster as our life can sometimes seem and as disconnected as I may feel due to pregnancy hormones I look forward to our anniversary every year.  Every year I love knowing we are making it.  Our start was so nuts and the odds were surely against us.  I want you to know I never expected it all to be perfect.  Real love, it's not like the movies.  Our love...it's in the 25 phone calls we make to each other a day. It's in selecting a paint color for the nursery.  In the smile we share across the car when Aidan makes a totally inappropriate comment from the back seat.  It's also in the disagreements and the stress I am so well known for creating around here.  There's even some love in your clothes that you leave all over the house although I've asked you to pick them up a hundred times.  HA!

I didn't worry about making big plans this year for number 5.  I didn't worry because I know there is no shortage of anniversaries in our future.  There will be plenty of years to travel and sit on a beach by ourselves.  This year was for us as a family.  We did something with Aidan to remember before becoming a family of four.  It wasn't glamorous but it was a celebration of lots of things none the less.

Even on the days you drive me absolutely bat shit crazy, I'm just so, so thankful it's you.  To a lot of people it doesn't look like much, but for me, our marriage, it's my fairytale.

Love you more everyday,
A