New (To Us) Car!

Today Daniel and I made a very exciting purchase! My parents are getting a new car and so after much thought and deliberation, we decided to buy their car from them! I have been wanting an SUV so bad, more for convenience reasons than anything else. Since we got it from my parents, we got a really really good deal on it and I could not be more excited!! It is a Nissan Murano and I have LOVED these ever since they came out. Here are a few pictures I took of it in the driveway...

Probably one of the things I am the most excited about is having something bigger to travel in. When we go to Nashville we always take Chloe with us and we decided that driving my car was not going to work with Maddox and Chloe. Leaving Chloe at home was an option, but we really like to take her with us. The only other option was taking Daniel's truck. This would have worked alright, but all of our luggage and such would have to go in the back of the truck and we'd have to worry about the weather.

Needless to say, I am super excited and I think this is going to work out great when Maddox gets here (any day now!)

Loving Spring Break!

This week is Spring Break for me and I am totally loving it! When I left work on Friday, I tried to get everything prepared as if I was not going back afterwards, even though I have every intention of being there that last week if Maddox has not made his grand arrival yet. The weekend was spent mainly running errands and doing some last-minute things that needed to be done so that was very productive!

I had a doctor's appontment today and everything is looking good! I am 38 1/2 weeks now. I made significant progress at my last appointment but there was no change from last week to this week. I am trying really hard to be patient, and I feel like overall I am doing pretty well! I am finding things this week to keep me occupied and am constantly discovering things that I need to do. I have to admit, there are some naps being thrown in the mix, but I feel like that's much deserved! :) I have finally been having some contractions, but nothing regular or painful yet. I can feel my belly get really tight, but I figure when it's the real deal I will know. I am taking walks with Daniel and Chloe and am just trying to enjoy the last little bit of time Daniel and I have left just the two of us.

I bought a new book today that I began reading and so far I love it. It's "On Becoming Baby Wise" and I had heard about it, but had not read it yet. I am really into it so far. It's all about how to get your baby to sleep through the night so we will see how well it works when Maddox gets here. The book makes some really good points though. Have any of you moms read it? What's your opinion?

Well, I go back to the doctor on Monday, with only 4 days left until my due date, so I will be sure to update you all then. I also need to post a belly picture so that will come soon as well. I hope all my teacher friends are enjoying their Spring Break as much as I am!

36 weeks and Showers!

Well, today I am officially in my last month. I am 36 weeks and things are still going so well! I admit, I have my days, but overall this pregnancy has been a great one and I hope it continues to be in these last few weeks. I am in my weekly appointments now and went on Wednesday. Maddox is head-down, which is great news. I have not dilated any, but in a way I think I am glad b/c if he told me that I had, I am afraid I would have it stuck in my head that I will deliver early. And I know better than to start thinking that! So many friends have told me not to get that in my head, and sometimes it is so hard! But I think I am doing pretty good with it. I have 3 more weeks of work (thankfully Spring Break is thrown in there) so there's really not too much time left. My last day of work is on his due date, the 26th. We got his car seat in the car this week and we also started washing some of his clothes. I am working on packing my bag, but the thing is, I am still wearing a lot of the things I want to pack, so that part is hard! But we are making progress! Here is my 36 week belly picture...

So many people have asked me if I am having any contractions, but I don't think I am. At the doctor about a week and a half ago, the doc said that I most likely am, they just are not painful enough for me to notice yet. So who knows. I do get some strange feelings every now and then but nothing that I have thought was a contraction. But what do I know? I am a first-timer.

Last weekend, our showers began and boy was it so much fun! Our sweet share group from church threw us a baby shower and we got so many neat and thoughtful gifts! I am so thankful we have such a great group of friends to celebrate this with. It means so much to both of us! Here are a few pictures from the Share Group shower...

The last picture is me with my lovely hostesses. Thank y'all so much for making this shower so special! I appreciate it so much!!


Then on Sunday, the ladies from the church where I grew up and where my parents still attend gave me a shower. This was so thoughtful of them! They showered us with so many great things! We even got our jogging stroller at this shower! Daniel put it together the other night and we can't wait to use this! Here are a few pictures from the 10th Street shower...




Posting pictures takes me so long! I am thinking there has to be an easier way to do this. Anyway, I am spending a lot of the day at school tomorrow getting all of my maternity lesson plans out and organized. I have already written them, but I just need to get everything in its place just in case I have to go out early for some reason. Also tomorrow we get to spend some time with Tucker so I am looking forward to that. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Tucker Turns 2!!

This blog post is way overdue, but better late than never, right? On February 1st, our precious nephew, Tucker, turned 2 years old! I can not believe how fast the time has flown by and how much he has changed/grown over the past 2 years! It makes it very real for me just how fast little Maddox will grow up, and it makes me a little sad! Tucker had a Handy Manny themed party and it was a blast! I have never seen so many presents for a 2 year old in my life! I am so thankful that so many people love and care about this sweet little boy! He truly is amazing! Here are a few pictures from the party to enjoy...

30 and 32 weeks

Here are my 30 and 32 week belly pictures...

Only about 7 1/2 more weeks to go!

Gone Already?

I can't believe that January has almost come and gone. My how the time is flying by! This month has seemed rather busy, even though most times I can't even remember what it's been busy with. Daniel and I started and completed our childbirth class this month. I have to say that I really enjoyed the class. We got to take a tour of the mother-baby ward at the hospital and we learned some really good things that I can't wait to put into practice! I really enjoyed our teacher and I hope we are now "prepared" for what lies ahead.

Also this month, I have started having some pretty vivid dreams regarding the birth of Maddox. All of them have involved him being breech and me requiring a c-section. :( I am beginning to get a little nervous and am wondering if these dreams are trying to prepare me for that. I have no idea when the doctor starts to take note of his position, but I am thinking I am going to ask about it at my next appointment. I go back on Monday and will be a little over 32 weeks by then, so I would think he will be getting into his birth position fairly soon. I am going to the doc. every 2 weeks now, until 36 when I will go every week. The time is ticking! :)

I am still feeling really good and I hope that continues to be the case. My goal is to be able to work right up until he is born since I am taking so much time off after the birth, so I am praying that that works out. The days are going by pretty fast and I stay so busy at work I really don't have time to be tired (until I get home). I am also loving my sleep these days. I was in the bed the other night by 8:15, yes that's right... 8:15. I did not even feel guilty either, and did I mention that it was the weekend?? It's so strange because I used to be quite the napper, but since I have been pregnant, I don't have the desire anymore to take a nap. I do, however, want to go to bed unusually early. I had been known in the past to sleep on Sundays basically from morning church until evening church, but I have somehow gotten past that. I guess it is my body's way of preparing me to be awake all day and try to get everything done.

Well, sorry this post was pretty uneventful and pictureless, but it's all I've got for now. I will catch up later with some belly pictures. A group of teachers that I work with get together every month and we make dinner at someone's house, so that's where I am headed tonight! Yay for yummy food! :)

Christmas, Nursery, and Belly

I feel like it has been forever since I have done a blog post, so I have a little catching up to do. Daniel and I got to spend a week in Nashville for Christmas which was a lot of fun! We had Christmas with my family on the 19th, and then headed up to Nashville on the 21st and stayed until the 27th. We got to relax and enjoy spending time with family so that was a blast. While we were there we went to this place in Franklin where you can paint pottery. It was soooooo much fun. I had been wanting to do this since we were there a while back, so we went this time and I think we are going to make it a tradition! Here is a decorative plate that I painted for Maddox. I think it turned out pretty cute if I say so myself. This is before it was glazed and all nice and shiny, but I still love it.

I think the stencil is the exact same font as the one on m&m's b/c that's kind-of what it reminds me of, but oh well. After you paint, you have to leave it for a week for them to glaze it so I don't have the final product yet. I can't wait to get it! I looked up places like that around here and the closest one is in Prattville. I think I am going to have to make the drive and go sometime soon!

I did not take many pictures for some reason while we were in Nashville, but I did get one of me and Daniel...

When we got back from TN, we got to work full force on the nursery. We were so excited to get started and I am so glad that we did! We got so much accomplished and now all we will have left are small finishing touches. Daniel put in LOTS of time and hard work sanding and restaining the furniture and it turned out great! We bought the fabric for the valances and got those done in one day... and the color could not have been any better. I was very worried that we were not going to be able to find fabric the right shade, but it matched perfectly. We also found a bookcase at Angel's Antiques for $18.00 that was the perfect color. I am so happy with it all. I painted the polka-dot letters and Daniel hung them with ribbon. And a good friend of mine painted the canvas with his initials (thank you so much Jamie!). Here is the final product (so far). I am sure there will be little changes here and there. But this is it in a nutshell...

I think all we are missing in the nursery now is little Maddox. Only about 2 1/2 more months to go!! The time has flown by and I already get a little sad thinking about how fast he will grow! And lastly, here is my 28 1/2 week belly. It sure is growing!!



I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!! :)