Snow!

I have been stuck in the house for the last two days because of all the snow we got Sunday night. I think we got about four whooping inches! I realistically could leave the house but I need new tires on my car and am not going to take the chance of getting in a wreck. Brett is taking my car in on Thursday for some new sneakers so then I won't be such a nervous nancy when it comes to driving! Here are some snow pictures from our backyard. 

What is this stuff?

Thanks for the super cute and super warm rain/snow boots dad!!

Brett and I had a very nice weekend. We ordered pizza Friday night and watched LSU beat Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl (thank goodness!). On Saturday we got up and headed out to Bass Pro ( I am such a good wife, huh?). After a thrilling trip out there we headed to the Loveless Cafe to meet our friends Will and Heather for lunch. Heather is expecting a little girl in April, Madison Ann. Madison and Ellie are going to be such great friends! Will and Heather are a lot like Brett and I and we love hanging out with them and look forward to going through this new life stage with them!

After a great lunch we went to Brett's parents house to watch the Saints game and eat some more. Sadly the Saints lost but we had fun hanging out with the family and eating some yummy shrimp Mrs. Elrod brought home after visiting Mr. Elrod in Louisiana. We pretty much take our new camera with us everywhere we go so we can get lots of practice in before the arrival on Ellie. Here are some pictures we took.

Anna Claire (6) and Ava (2).

Ava and Miles. Ava loves dogs!

Me and baby Luke. He is 4 months and such a cutie!

Brett was still in good spirits even after the Saints lost. 

We have our second birthing class on Thursday night. Hopefully there are no more videos! We will be learning about relaxation techniques so I am looking forward to it. Ellie is the size of a pineapple this week! Our next doctors appointment is on Tuesday and I think we go every week after that which is exciting. I love going to the doctor and hearing Ellie's heartbeat! The doctor said they will not stop labor after 35 weeks...only two weeks away!! Hopefully she will stay in and bake for at least 37 weeks. I want her to be as healthy as possible although we are so anxious to meet her!!!!!!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Baby!!!

I have been super busy this week getting all of Ellie's goodies organized and her nursery ready. Even though she won' be sleeping in there for a while it is still important for me to get it done! We got our chair and ottoman and hung curtains on Saturday. I was having a hard time deciding on curtains but finally made a decision and I am very happy with it. We also got five out of six of the signs that go over the changing table. The last one should be here by the end of the month. Of course I could not wait so my wonderful hubby hung them for me the other night. I also ordered small canvas paintings that will spell out Ellie. They will match her bedding and I am so excited for them! Hopefully they will be done by the end of the month too. There is also a small side table that will go next to the chair. We just wanted to make sure there was going to be enough room. Let me know what you think of her nursery so far.

Signs over her dresser/changing table. "Dream" will go next to "Fly".

A closer look.

Her chair, ottoman, and curtains. You can't really tell but they are polka dot .

The view from the door.

We also got our stroller delivered yesterday. It took us a little bit to put it together and figure out all the bells and whistles but we are very happy with it. It is a Bumbleride Indie and it's great. It is pretty lightweight and easy to fold and open. It came with a rain shield, pump, an extra large canopy for sunny days, and an adjustable cup holder. We cannot wait to take Ellie and the dogs for long walks this Spring!

My best stroller model pose.

I have pink accents to add to make it a little more feminine. 

If you are wondering where that belly came from you are not alone! She is getting big! So big that I can't sleep through the night because I can't stay comfortable and she likes to lay on my bladder. I heard this was going to happen, I just thought I had some time. I just keep reminding myself that it is preparing me for not sleeping when she gets here or for eighteen years after!! So if you see me in the near future please disregard the fact that I look like poop!

We started our birthing class last night. It went well and yes, we did have to watch a video. At one point I looked at Brett and his face was priceless! It was a mix of disgust and pure terror! Needless to say I don't think he will be assisting with delivering Ellie and that is fine with me! The video is intimidating but of course they show women who are having natural births. I am proud to say I am not one of those women! I just know I am cranky when tired and in pain and I want this to be as pleasant of an experience as possible so I will be getting an epidural. I applaud the ladies who are doing it natural but am not ashamed to admit that I'm not one of them! I am looking forward to the next four classes because I think they are going to be really helpful. We will cover relaxation techniques, epidurals, take a tour of the hospital, and learn about caring for a newborn. We are signed up for a breast feeding class scheduled for February 10th so hopefully she will come out after that. We will be delivering at Williamson Medical Center and I am happy we are. It is only fifteen minutes from our house and relatively small, which I like. 

I have been playing around with our new camera and had a little doggy photo shoot. I will leave you with some pictures of our furry babies. 

Miss. Cristal 

Mr. Miles. This is his face when he isn't getting any attention.

The look intimidating don't they? : )

Miles has been gaining pregnancy weight too!

This picture makes me giggle. Miles looks so funny!

Hamming it up for the camera.

She is such a great dog!

I'm Back (for real this time)!!!

Happy 2011! Well, it has been a while. This last month has been crazy between finishing up classes and preparing for the holidays. Since it has been so long I don't even know where to begin with updates!

I guess I will start with school. This semester was a tough one. Not necessarily because of the work but because I could never fully concentrate. My mind always wandered to something baby related. I was very excited that I still pulled off straight A's. Yup, another 4.0!!! For someone who never cared about grades, it feels pretty darn good!! You can just call me Einstein! I am taking an online class this semester. It is just a history class so hopefully it won't give me too much trouble. Good thing I have a smart hubby who is willing to help me out when Ellie gets here!!

As soon as I finished up with school I headed to New York for the holidays. I was nonstop when I was there and am still recovering. My mom and fabulous sister-in-laws threw me an amazing baby shower. It was at the Publick House in Southampton and it was perfect. The food was delish and most importantly the company was great! It was so nice to celebrate this special time with so many great friends and family. Ellie got a TON of stuff and she (as well as Brett and I) are so grateful! I am waiting on a friend to send me some pictures from the shower and as soon as I get them I will post more about it. It was that awesome it deserves its own post!

The day after the shower my friend Meg and I headed into NYC to see Elf on Broadway. After a fabulous lunch at the melting pot with Meg's college roomies in the home of Eli Manning, Hoboken NJ, we headed into NYC. We hit up Gap where I got some cute maternity clothes on major sale (very exciting). We saw Macy's and Rockefeller Center. Both were packed but we had to see them while we were there. The show was great. It was actually my first Broadway show (I know right?!) and I loved it!

The next week was filled with running errands and wrapping presents. We went to see the Turza side of the family on Christmas eve like always and of course I stuffed my face with all the yummy food! On Christmas morning I woke up first and when I went downstairs I noticed Santa didn't come! For the first time in my 26 years there were no gifts under my parents tree. I held back tears because it really hit me that I really was an adult now! I helped Santa and Mrs. Santa (who were still in bed) and carried all the gifts down and put them under the tree. I guess I was just getting in practice for the many years to come. My brother Stephen came over and we opened gifts with my parents. Brett, Ellie, and I definitely got spoiled! Ellie got some super cute outfits and little toys. Brett and I got a new camera. It is a Canon digital rebel and we LOVE it! We really wanted to get a good camera for when Ellie comes to capture all of her sweet moments and Santa did a great job. Not only did we get the camera but Santa also hooked us up with another lense, case, and large memory card. We also got an iPad which is one of the coolest things ever! We still have a lot to learn about it but so far I am obsessed!! My parents also gave us a special gift for Ellie. They gave her silver spoons with her initials. I teared up when I opened it. My parents are very thoughtful and are so excited for Ellie to get here (as are we!!). Santa wasn't the only one was good to us. Ellie got some super cute outfits from her Aunt Kate, Uncle Brian, and cousin Brady. And some generous gift cards from her Uncle Stephen and Michael. My brother GT and sister-in-law Amy got us a Sony bloggie touch which is super cool. It takes HD videos and pictures and you can upload it right to your blog. I am so excited to use it when Ellie gets here. This blog just got a heck of a lot cooler!!! We had such a blessed Christmas and we are so lucky to have such generous, loving family members!!

Brett gave me a very special, beautiful Christmas gift too. He got me another band to match my wedding band and engagement ring. We are going to get our wedding date engraved on my wedding band and when Ellie is born get her birthdate engraved on the new band. And as we have more kids, add their birthdays. Brett actually ordered the wrong one (bless his heart!) but the right one should be here tomorrow and I am very excited. He is such a thoughtful husband and I am so lucky I have him! I just know he is going to be such a great dad. He always tells me one of the most important things he can do for his daughter is to show her how much he loves her mom. I want to cry every time he says that. He is amazing!!

There was a snowstorm when we were in NY and we got stuck there for an extra two days. It was nice to see snow but not when it messes up my plans! It was a nice visit but it was great getting to our own home and seeing our dogs who we missed terribly!!

We went to the doctor yesterday for a check up and everything looks good. My belly is measuring perfect for 32 weeks (wow, I cannot believe it has been 32 weeks!!!). My weight gain is right on target and most importantly Ellie's heartbeat is perfect. I know the next 8 weeks are going to fly by but is it OK to want them too?! We are so ready to meet our little lady. We have been working on decorating her nursery and organizing all the goodies she got from the shower since we've been back and it makes us want her here NOW!! I know we need to enjoy this time together and we are but we can't help but be anxious! We start our birthing class on Thursday night and we're looking forward to it. We are just hoping we don't have to watch a video, we are not visual people!!  Let's just hope we don't pass out!!

Well time to get to the laundry that has been pilling up since we got home. I will leave you with some pictures we took in NY with the new camera.

Brady hamming it up for the camera!

Grace playing in the snow.

Beach Lane, Wainscott.

It was a beautiful day.

The duck pond in East Hampton.

Brett's new friend!

I'm Back!!!

Hi there! I am sure you all missed my blog posts tremendously! Well, I am sure you are all wondering what the heck I have been up to and the answer is, everything!!

Let me start with Ellie's room. We got our furniture delivered earlier this month and we are so excited about it! Please excuse the grainy pictures but they were taken with my phone.

Her changing table/ dresser

Isn't this clock precious? 

Her BEAUTIFUL crib!!

We are really excited about how things are coming along. Her chair should be here right after Christmas and then it is time to decorate those bare walls. I really enjoy doing her room and can't wait until she is here to enjoy it!

Next, I spruced up our living room with a new couch, loveseat, side table, and other decorations. I am still on the quest for the perfect decorative pillows to add to the couch and loveseat but so far, I am happy with how it turned out. Not to mention, the couches are super comfy! 

We moved the old old ones upstairs to the playroom. I found some cute wall decals that we are going to put up and we are on the hunt for a bookshelf. This will be my January project.

My parents were just down here visiting for turkey day. We had a lot of fun. My mom and I went shopping ALL DAY Wednesday. She got me and Ellie some really cute stuff. Here is a little bodysuit she got Ellie, I love it!

Not sure if you can tell but it has little penguins on it!

It is so hard not to go crazy in baby gap for her, especially with my mom. Overall, it was a great day and I really enjoyed spending time with my mom.

We spent turkey day at the Elrod's house, which was very nice. The turkey got a little burnt but there were so many other delicious things it didn't even matter. 

We lounged around most of the weekend. My dad, Brett, and I went to the Predators/Rangers hockey game on Saturday night. We had AWESOME seats and it was a great game. We ate some great food and had some laughs. It was a nice week.

Last week Brett and I got our maternity/family pictures taken by Chris and Adrienne Scott. They are GREAT!! If you need pictures for anything, use them. We go tomorrow to look at them and order and I am so excited. They put a sneak peak for us on their blog so check it out! 

http://www.chrisandadrienneblog.com/

Looks like it is time to get studying. Classes are over next week and finals start the week after, eek! I am really looking forward to the end of this semester and going to NY to see everyone!! I will leave you with this picture of my little guy, Miles. He loves to get in the bed when Brett leaves and the other morning he wiggled his way in between my snuggle (pregnancy pillow). He looks so cute and innocent, don't let him fool you!!

Nesting

This week has been a LONG one! We started it off right by going out to dinner with our friends to the Cajun Steamer (really good cajun food). We finally got to meet our friends, Justin and Tiffany's, baby boy Colton. Seriously how cute is he??

Colton and Audrey (Evan and Jessie's little lady) are the most well behaved babies I have ever seen. We had a great time oh-ing and aww-ing at both of them. Brett and I are SOOO ready for February. It was funny to all of us how much dinner conversation changed since they had babies and I got pregnant. No more wine talk, it's all about breast feeding. And forget about weekend plans, it's more like "how many diapers do you change a day". I LOVE it but now I realize why our non pregnant and child-less friends stopped calling, ha-ha! We were really getting together to celebrate the upcoming launch of the boys' new business venture, fantasynews.com. It is going to be the go-to site for all fantasy sports. Brett, Evan, and Justin have all been working hard on it and we are really praying all the hard work pays off. No need to check the site everyday to see if it went live, I will keep you guys posted!!

I was quite the study bug the first part of the week since I had two pretty tough exams on Wednesday and me being a hermit paid off, I got A's on both!! I never cared about my grades before but since I started back I make sure I do the best I can! That is the difference between going to school when you are ready and going to school just to go. 

So the title of this post is "Nesting" because that is exactly what I am doing!! After staying with Jane and Matthew in their beautifully decorated home, I have been driving Brett crazy about what I want done to our house. I would love to just build a house tomorrow and start from scratch but that obviously isn't going to happen. We had a serious conversation and decided that we will start seriously saving so we can build a new house in the next couple of years which makes me really excited!! But until then I need to get this house in tip top shape before Ellie gets here. My parents are coming to town for Thanksgiving. Even though they could care less what my house looks like, I decided today I was going to get the most done in this house that I could before they get here! I few posts back I posted a picture of the couches I found and really wanted. Well, I went a different route. I went to buy the original couches at American Signature today but I couldn't commit. I went across the interstate to Haverty's and as soon as I walked in, fell in love. Forty-five minutes later I walked out the proud owner of this couch and love seat set:

 I could barely contain my excitement when I called Brett to inform him that he too, was a proud owner of these couches. I think he was just shocked that I finally bought something and I know he is happy he won't have to listen to me complain about our current couches! I am going to get some smaller, blue, accent pillows to tie the room together since we have blue and green decor. I am very much looking forward to the delivery man to get here on Tuesday!!

Speaking of furniture, Ellie's furniture is getting delivered tomorrow!!! We are going to wake up early and head to USA Baby for their one day sale to order the rocker and ottoman for her nursery then come home to clean the carpets (I rented the "carpet doctor" from Publix) and wait for Pottery Barn Kids to knock on the door! Here is the chair we decided on (we are going to order it in an oatmeal color with the matching ottoman):

We picked it because it was smaller than most of the other chairs and her nursery isn't that big. I don't want the room to feel too cramped so I think this will be perfect. Not to mention it is pretty comfy, I already practiced sleeping in it! 

Something really neat started this week, I can see my stomach move when Ellie moves! It used to be I could just feel her but now I can actually see her, crazy!! I also can feel my belly and tell where her head and her tush are (not sure which is which though!). This is honestly the coolest thing ever!! She is almost 1.5 pounds and the length of an ear of corn. I will be 25 weeks Monday and according to my super cute pregnancy calender (thanks Jessie!), she will be the size of a rutabaga (if only I knew what that was!). Overall, she is getting big and so am I! I will leave you with a picture of me I took on Monday at exactly 24 weeks. Hello belly (and booty!)!!!

Painted

I hope you all had a happy Halloween!! We had a TON of trick or treaters and ran out of candy, I felt terrible!! We had some adorable kids come but nobody as cute as these little ones (I bet my friends and family are really going to enjoy when I stop having to steal pictures of their kids for my blog. I can't help it, they make beautiful babies!!!):

Grace as the most precious flower I have ever seen!

Audrey is such a sweet pea!!!

Eli is so darn cute as a giraffe!!!

Aunt Missy's precious little pumpkin!!!!

Brett and his mom spent the afternoon painting Ellie's nursery and they did a fabulous job!! The room is definitely pink but I think with her furniture and green and blue accents the pink will be toned down. We should be getting her furniture in the next week or so and her bedding next week. I am so excited to start decorating!!!

Room before paint (so boring!)

Room after paint (hello pink!!!)

Ellie has been moving around a lot and I love it! Brett can finally feel her, like really feel her, and I LOVE how excited he gets!! Well I really need to get back to writing my paper on Gwendolyn Brooks (exciting, I know) so I can make it to yoga tonight. I am in major need of a workout especially after the weekend of unhealthy eating I had!