Updated nursery pictures

Wow, this is quite the impatient group! I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but my mom & I were working on the nursery up until we left for Christmas- and we just got home on Saturday evening! So here goes:

Close up picture of crib fabric & letters

Close up of paint & new chair moulding (khaki on top, chocolate brown on bottom, white rail.)

Coming in the door- changing table with chocolate brown baskets, khaki glider, new drapes, lamp (still need a white table next to glider.)

Close up of lamp (we were still making it- hence the pins to hold the glue until it dried)

Close up of drapes (chocolate brown with turquoise blue polka dots)

Changing table & shelf that I painted. I also made the cute ABC blocks on top that match! The pillow is from our guest bedroom, but my mom is going to make the same shape out of the paisley & stripe fabrics.

Moving over a little- showing the redone armoire (sanded, painted, new hardware) Those are picture frames on top of the armoire right now.

More of the armoire & the crib (my mom still has to make the ties for the bumper- to hold on to the railings.) She is also making more crib sheets in different patterns & hopefully a blanket out of the polka dot fabric & a soft minky fabric! The mobile is little white & cream lambs with turquoise & brown bows around their necks.

Close up of bumpers- made of paisley fabric with polka dot fabric on top, bottom and sides. There are also small brown/white sheer polka dot bows on the inside of the bumper. The ties will be a solid brown fabric matching the bottom of the crib skirt. The crib sheet also has a small pattern to it, but is hard to see in the pics!

Obviously we need a few more things on the wall & to sit around, but I'll work on that as time goes on. :) I can't wait for people to come and see it in person! I'll be posting later this week about our Christmas with more belly pics- I'm getting HUGE!

Week 26

I'm sure this isn't the type of update that everyone was wanting, but it's all you're going to get! You can't see the nursery yet! My parents are here this week & we are working on getting a few things done- so I'll post pics at the END of the week.... be patient! :)

Here's the most recent belly pic of me- Shane took it tonight. It was taken just after dinner, so I'm sure the reason I look so big is because I was REALLY full (at least that's what I'm telling myself!) I'm feeling good though- just starting to feel heavy in the front & having some backaches.

My Keller & Dallas showers have been rescheduled to March 1-2 weekend due to some conflicts, so I'm having to re-do parts of the scrapbook/baby book. My good friend, Kristen, tells me that this is just preparing me for parenthood- you can't plan things. I'm a big planner, so this makes me feel quite uneasy.

In other news, we signed up for some parenting classes today! We're taking Childbirth, Infant CPR, Breastfeeding, and Baby Basics (this is a class for idiots like me that have never changed a diaper & have NO clue how to care for a baby.) You think I'm kidding, but I'm not! Anyway, all of the classes are in January, so I'm looking forward to it.... I can't tell if Shane is or not....

I'm off to take a nap- I've been up since 4:30am because I couldn't sleep. Another way that Austin is preparing me for his arrival I guess!

The name....

It's official! Here's the first page of his baby album/scrapbook!

Christmas Q&A

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Definitely wrapping paper! I love to wrap gifts and have big bows on top!

2. Real tree or artificial? I grew up with real trees, but Shane and I have opted for artificial- mostly because of cost. Our tree is pre-lit, which is another favorite of mine!

3. When do you put up the tree? Almost always the weekend after Thanksgiving! This year I put it up the day before Thanksgiving because I knew we'd be busy afterwards!

4. When do you take the tree down? After New Years because we are traveling until then.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but in small quantities- it's rich! My Uncle Jim got me started on it when I was little!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Anything Barbie or Cabbage Patch Kids!

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No

8. Hardest person to buy for? My parents because they will buy for themselves whatever they don't already have.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My sister-in-law, Shanna. She gives me a very long detailed list of options in mid-November! Talk about being on the ball!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? That's a horrible question! I honestly can't think of anything!

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail! But this year we are not sending out Christmas cards since we'll be sending out baby announcements a few months later!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Vacation or Elf.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually before Thanksgiving, but don't finish up until a few weeks before Christmas! I can't stand waiting until the last minute and then braving the crowds at the mall!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Desserts- especially pumpkin & pecan pie! And any type of holiday baked goods/candy!

16. Clear lights or colored? Clear (for both inside and out)

17. Favorite Christmas song? I like them all, but I do love the new Josh Groban "Noel" CD!

18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? We go to Shane's family for Christmas Eve (when they celebrate Christmas), then drive back to Dallas on Christmas morning to celebrate with my Dad's family. After Christmas we celebrate with my Mom's family either in Ft Worth or Amarillo (this year it's Amarillo.) We do Christmas with my parents whenever we can fit it in! But when we have kids, I want to spend more time at home!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes, if I sing the song.

20. Angel on the tree top or star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? It's always been Christmas morning for me, but with Shane's family we open everything on Christmas Eve– which took a while for me to get adjusted to!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? When people are greedy & don't appreciate the true meaning of Christmas- it's not about the gifts.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Spending time with family & friends, visiting, & EATING!

A busy baby weekend

Saturday morning Shane's dad & brother-in-law came over to the house to help put up chair rail moulding in the nursery! I am very pleased with how everything turned out- of course we still need to figure out what colors to paint the room! Meanwhile my mom is busy on the nursery bedding! She's finished the curtains & has started on the crib skirt- whoo hoo! She's bringing it with her for Christmas! Here are a few pics of the nursery- just keep in mind there is a LOT of white since we don't have paint or fabric yet! We also still need to re-finish the armoire- I'm not happy with it right now. Oh, and the glider chair will go in the corner near the window- with a little side table next to it! The last picture is the main fabrics that we're going to use in the nursery. I won't tell you the specifics on where everything goes YET!

Sunday we headed to the mall for one more Christmas gift & then went to Babies R Us to work on the registry. There is still a lot of editing to do, but we got a lot done in the two hours we were there! The ladies in the store were quite impressed with my "list" and "research" beforehand- hey, I knew I needed to minimize the time Shane spent in there! I let him be in charge of the scanning gun, so he was happy! We still need to register at Target as well, but I'm not in a hurry because my showers aren't until February. DFW showers are the weekend of Feb 9-10 & Austin is Feb 23!

Today I went to Hobby Lobby & got scrapbook paper for the baby's album- I want to make a cute one to take to my showers for everyone to sign & write messages to our little boy! And then when he arrives I'll add pictures, etc. I'm still in search for a cute album, and then I'll get to work! Here's some of the paper I bought!

Finally, Shane took an updated belly pics for you all- so enjoy the sight of me getting bigger & BIGGER!

And it's a..........

BOY! Yes, the majority of you were wrong! We had the sonogram done today, and there was absolutely no doubt that we're having a baby boy! He was moving a lot! We even got to see him yawn- which was so cute! My doctor said everything looked perfect & all the measurements were on track.

Here are a few of the pics that they took! Well I'm off to the grocery store & then home to start finalizing my fabric options for the nursery! We are both so happy to finally know what we are having, and that he's as healthy as can be! Shane is beyond excited that it's a boy, and I'm thinking "a boy... this is going to be an adventure... but a great one!"

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful trip to Victoria, TX to visit Shane's family for Thanksgiving! I didn't get many pictures- but wanted to post these two. Sorry for the red-eyes... I don't know what is going on with our camera!

The drive down on Wednesday was typical- very frustrating because of the traffic. Have I said how much I hate driving on I35? We arrived in time to eat dinner with Shane's sister & mom (his dad was working & our brother-in-law couldn't make the trip because of work.) On Thursday we headed over to Maw Maw & Paw Paw's house (Shane's grandparents) for our annual grazing. I was beyond stuffed! On Friday we ventured out to brave the crowds at a few stores, but thankfully made it back in time to watch the Longhorns get beat. I was so disappointed- but at least we didn't have to watch them get beat in person like we did last year!

We headed home yesterday- in traffic yet again. The only thing that made it better was that I knew the crib had been delivered & was waiting for us at home! We took it out of the box & will probably put it together today- I love it!

Today we'll be watching football & moving some stuff up into the attic. Anything to make this day go by quickly because tomorrow can not come soon enough! My sono appt is at 1pm followed by my dr appt at 1:45! I will be making a few calls & then posted the big news online when we get home! Any final guesses? :)

Successful weekend & busy upcoming weeks

First of all, thanks to all of you who commented on my last post- it definitely helped! We went to Babies R Us on Friday night for several hours and picked out a lot of the big ticket items that we are going to register- I feel so much weight lifted off my shoulders now! On Saturday we went Christmas shopping (since the Longhorns weren't playing.) I'd say I'm about 70% done with my shopping- and I even wrapped all of my gifts yesterday! Oh, and I ordered the crib and changing table yesterday... I can't wait to see them in person! I'm still on the search for a cute neutral color rocker/glider for the nursery because the one I like has shipping of over $100!!

Well, the official countdown in on- only 1 more week until we find out if our little one is a boy or girl! I'm so excited and nervous about it! We have a lot to get done in the 5 days after finding out! I will be ordering the nursery fabrics & having it shipped to my mom (she will be making some of the bedding- and wants to get a few things done before Christmas.) We also have to get the chair rail moulding purchased and painted because Shane's dad will be here that weekend to help put it up. Immediately after that we need to pick out paint colors & Shane has to paint before my parents get here for Christmas.

And in addition to all of that....we have to finish Christmas shopping, clearing out the nursery (put stuff in the attic), decorating the house for Christmas (inside & out), registering at Babies R Us & Target...... my head in spinning! I literally cannot sleep at night for the fact that I have so much running through my head (plus the fact that I'm starting to get a bit uncomfortable!)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving & safe travel! We will be heading down to Victoria, TX to see Shane's family- it is the first time for them to see me since I've been pregnant! I'll post pics from Thanksgiving this weekend, and then the "big news" next Monday!!!

Needing some advice

I wanted to let everyone know that the results came back on the quad screen test- no problems at all! So thanks to everyone who was praying for us!

I also decided to post a new picture- with clothes on my belly this time! In the last few days, several people have mentioned that I look more pregnant than in the belly pics- which is what I've thought all along! So here is a picture that I just took in my pajamas! So was I right?

Finally, I need some advice from the mothers out there (esp moms that have had babies recently and know what products are currently on the market since they change so often!) I am starting to research and pick out everything that I will need to register- and I am beyond stressed about it! For example, do you get a travel system stroller with a carrier that fits into a base (and then later buy a larger carseat), or do you get a conversion carseat that is good from birth- 60lbs? And then what about when you have a 2nd child? Do you switch to a double stroller? So feel free to leave comments about your favorite strollers, carseats, pack and plays, monitors, bottles, and the list goes on and on! I've been reading the Baby Bargains book and researching tons online, but I think that has just got me more confused and overwhelmed! I thought this was supposed to be fun? HELP!?!??!

Homecoming at Harding

This past weekend, Kristen & I jumped a Southwest flight to Little Rock to meet up with 3 of our dearest friends from college- Brooke, Karie, & Jean! We also got to meet Brooke's little girl, Sophie, and Jean's little girl, Lauren! Both are so precious!

After arriving, we settled the babies into the hotel & then stayed up late talking- of course! The only thing that would have made the night better is if we had all been sitting around with bowls of Blue Bell Light & mini chocolate chips (one of our favorite treats.) After staying up late, we had an early start to the day. Now 7am seemed early to me because I don't have children yet, AND I sleep in every day because this pregnancy thing is wearing me out! But to the mom's, it was like sleeping in! We headed to Searcy for Homecoming festivities! While I wasn't very impressed with the number of alumni from our years that decided to return, I was impressed by how much the campus had changed! It had been since 1999 when I last returned- and a lot can happen in 8 years! It was great to walk around campus and check out all of the new buildings and improvements that had been made! We walked on the front lawn and I found our brick- the one that Shane used to propose to me with! That's a much longer story that I'll tell at another time! But it is very special to me that our engagement will be "memorialized" there forever! FYI- Shane was the first person to ever do that on campus.. he's so creative!

We ate lunch at an old favorite (Dixie Cafe), and then headed to the football game. We obviously didn't watch much of it- just visited! After that we headed to Frozen D's for milkshakes- goodness those were good! How did I NOT gain the freshman 15??

We headed back to Little Rock for dinner & then returned to the hotel to put the babies down so we could continue chatting! Kristen & I left Sunday afternoon to head back to life here in DFW!

Being around those girls made me realize what a wonderful time I had in college! It makes me excited for my future child to experience that! I hope that he/she experiences wonderful friendship like I did- people that know you better than you know yourself. People that you can pick up with after a few years of not seeing one another in person! I love you girls and can't wait until our next get together (when we will have at least 2 more babies in the group!)

Week 20 Update

I'm sure you've all been on the edge of your seat waiting for the next belly pic- so here you go! I feel like I'm actually starting to get an obvious bump- especially when I wear maternity clothes! Still, people never ask unless I'm wearing my "Mom To Be" necklace! Most of the time I forget I'm wearing it & get all excited because I think they can tell that I'm pregnant- evidently that's NOT the case... yet!

I actually felt the baby move for the first time today. I'm sure I've felt it before, but wasn't sure until today. I was watching my stomach at the same time and saw it move! It was SO weird!

Everything went well at my last appointment (this past Thursday.) I had a blood test for the quad screen testing, and will hopefully get the results back soon. Please pray that everything comes back okay and that the baby is healthy! In addition, the sonogram is scheduled for Monday 11/26! I can't wait to find out if it's a boy or girl!

My 100

Since everyone else has done the 100 Things About Yourself list, I thought I'd give it a whirl. Hope you actually learn something about me & don't get too bored.

1. I was born in TX (where I now live), but have moved 12 times in my life

2. I don't really like kids that much, but wanted to be a teacher when I grew up (I think it was having summers off that was so appealing)

3. I don't enjoy being an accountant, it just comes easily to me

4. I love being a Pampered Chef Consultant

5. I like cooking and LOVE eating

6. My favorite food is Mexican

7. I also love anything sweet- especially chocolate

8. I'm an only child

9. I love being an only child

10. I grew up with two Chihuahuas & disliked cats

11. I now own a cat & love him like a child

12. Shane & I dated for 3 1/2 years before he proposed

13. Shane's proposal is forever engraved on a brick on the front lawn at Harding University- so everyone can see it

14. I love to travel

15. I don't mind flying on an airplane- but taking off always scares me a little (but never landing)

16. I once got carded at an R-rated movie, when I was 25

17. Sometimes I snort when something is really funny

18. I don't pay the bills, balance our checkbook, or do our taxes

19. My favorite fast food place in Chick-Fil-A

20. I always get the grilled chicken sandwich, but really want the fried chicken nuggets or strips

21. I was born with a birth defect in my right leg- I now have a steel rod in it.

22. I've broken my right leg 3 times & had surgery twice

23. My right leg is over 1" shorter than the left

24. I wore a brace on my leg from the time I was a baby until I went to college

25. My dad was very mad that I quit wearing it in college

26. I didn't drink in high school or college

27. I don't drink now (well, an occasionally fun drink on vacation or something)

28. I like to organize

29. Shane thinks I'm OCD

30. I get fever blisters on my lip when I'm stressed

31. Yes, that's a form of herpes

32. I get embarrassed when I have to get medicine for it at the pharmacy- I feel the need to let them know it's for fever blisters, not the "other kind" of herpes

33. I do not like animated movies- esp Disney

34. I like Disney World

35. I love the winter

36. But I prefer summer clothes
37. Not having a tan drives me crazy

38. I love to take hot baths

39. The idea of labor scares me BIG time

40. I hate dryer sheets in the laundry

41. I like to read, but don't make time for it

42. I love being pampered- pedicures, manicures, massages

43. I've always liked fruit, but I crave it constantly now that I'm pregnant- esp pineapple

44. I enjoy exercising

45. I didn't take naps until I got pregnant (and when I was studying for the CPA exam)

46. I had braces in jr high

47. I've never had my hair colored, highlighted, anything

48. I prefer eating at home over eating out

49. I watch reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 daily

50. I sing while I drive, but not in the shower

51. I drive fast, but have never gotten a ticket

52. I'm a backseat driver

53. Seeing the animals in cages at Petco makes me tear up

54. I cry every week when they yell "MOVE THAT BUS" on Extreme Home Makeover

55. I don't like coffee

56. But I like the experience of Starbucks & usually get hot chocolate or caramel apple cider

57. I love the rain

58. Storms scare me

59. Snow storms do not scare me

60. One year I opened all of my presents under the Christmas tree a few weeks before Christmas & then tried to re-wrap them

61. My mom figured it out
62. Once in jr high my friend & I ordered pizza and paid for the entire bill with pennies

63. The delivery guy was NOT happy

64. I loved to toilet paper friend's houses when I was younger

65. The police caught us once

66. The police caught me & my boyfriend making out behind a school one time

67. I wasn't the dating type- I was always in long term relationships in high school/college

68. I wouldn't change anything about my wedding- there were not mishaps & it was perfect

69. We lived with my parents for 2 weeks after our honeymoon- before we moved to Connecticut
70. I go back to visit my friends in CT at least once a year

71. Buying Christmas gifts stresses me out

72. I like to make "To Do" lists

73. I made my Christmas gift list yesterday & now feel stressed about it

74. I didn't enjoy watching football until I married Shane

75. I've always wanted to go to Europe

76. I check email & read blogs everyday

77. Even when I'm out of town

78. I'm very impatient

79. 75% of the time I'm wearing the color black

80. Some of my favorite stores: Target, Restoration Hardware, Ann Taylor Loft, Banana Republic, Central Market

81. I've almost been out of college for 10 years

82. I lived with the same person all through college- and now we live less than a mile apart

83. I get very scared at night

84. I'm afraid someone will break in or that there will be a fire

85. I've never had either of those things happen

86. I lived in Australia when I was in 4th/5th grade

87. My brother in law is from Australia

88. I'm a clean freak, but hate to clean the bathroom

89. I do not like bugs & make Shane kill them

90. I do not like snakes

91. Shane had a snake in college up until we got married

92. I had to feed him live mice several times when Shane was out of town

93. I'm not daring

94. I do not like change

95. I like the smell of rain, freshly mowed grass, and gasoline

96. Once when I was little, a bird pooped in my hair when I was riding my bike

97. It made me cry

98. I still have a fear of that happening again

99. My favorite computer program is Excel- I love it!

100. I have no idea how I want to decorate our nursery

"Are we finding out if it's a boy or girl?"

I cannot tell you how often I'm asked this question! So to clear the air- YES, we are. It's funny to me that people even ask (especially if they know me at all.) I'm such a planner & I hate surprises!

So the next question is... "WHEN?" Well, that's up in the air. At my last appointment I asked the doctor when my next sono would be. I wasn't very happy with her response. I thought she's say at the next appointment (which is actually next week.) I will be almost 19 weeks at that point. But her office doesn't do the sono until at least 20 weeks, and evidently they are NOT flexible on this. So we have to wait until the next appointment, which will put me at 23 weeks (end of Nov.) Uh... this is killing me!

Another favorite question surrounding this topic, "What do you think you're having?" Honestly, I have no idea! At first I thought boy, then girl. Then I had a dream it was a girl, then a dream it was a boy- so I'm clueless. Shane's hoping for a boy & I'm hoping for a girl, but obviously we are both going to be thrilled with a healthy baby no matter what!

I hope this has answered your questions! So what do you think we're having???

Lazy weekend & pictures of Max

Things are about to get super busy around our house with lots of trips, holidays, Pampered Chef parties etc.- so we decided to take it easy this weekend. This is literally one of the last weekends before Christmas where we aren't completely booked!

On Saturday we went out and bought some beautiful mums & pumpkins for the front porch! I'd already put out my fall wreath, but it has been so warm here that we didn't want to buy mums that would die! Anyway, I'm super excited because the porch is all festive now! Of course we spent the rest of the day watching football.. Hook 'Em Horns! We went to church Saturday night & then out with friends for dinner afterwards! Shane & I are so blessed by the friends that we've started making at church!

Sunday was another day of football! I did actually venture out of the house for a Pampered Chef party that afternoon, but then retired to the couch for Sunday Night Football after dinner! Okay, I told you it was a boring weekend! But it seemed that people were getting irritated that I hadn't posted in a few days- so there!

I've also had people ask me about our cat, Max, so I'm posting a few pictures of him today! He is our baby- spoiled rotten. He's seriously one of the sweetest cats you will ever meet! He is very social & always has to be in the same room as us (he even sleeps at my head EVERY night.) He never meets a stranger either- so beware of coming to our house if you don't like cats! Anyway, that's our Max!

Our Christmas kitty!
















What a sweet little face!













Isn't it funny that he lays this way?

















Oh, and here is a belly pic that Shane took of me today! Did I mention that it was 50 degrees here today? I'm so excited- I love winter weather!

What TV shows are you addicted to?

So every year I tell myself that I will NOT let TV shows consume me, but they always do. It really is embarrassing to see how many shows my DVR records each week- here are just a few!

Dancing With The Stars (ABC- Mon 7pm/Tues 8pm)

Now I cannot stand any other dancing/singing reality shows! I mean, I loathe American Idol (don't hate me.) But I'm totally into DWTS- especially this season! I'll admit that I even vote! For those of you who didn't know me in college- I was the biggest 90210 fan EVER. Yes, it's quite embarrassing now when I think about it. Even so, I'm really wanting Jennie Garth to win this season! Go Kelly Taylor!! Honestly I think Sabrina Bryan has the best chance of winning- how is it possible that she's already received a perfect score in week 4??? And as for Cameron Mathison- I don't care how he dances, he's just nice to look at!

The Bachelor (ABC- Mon 9pm)

Brad Womack- he's from Austin, TX... enough said. Seriously though, this is one of my favorite bachelors so far, and I've watched EVERY season through good & bad. I love Brad's southern accent, that he's a gentleman, and most importantly that he cannot control his laughter when one of the ladies does something stupid! Now this season's ladies are pretty typical- the psychos, the blubbering idiots who cry after being cut after 2 dates ("I could imagine him as the father of my children" WHAT???), and the ladies that aren't afraid to show some skin. I personally like Jenni the best, and can't wait to see Hillary & Deanna get kicked to the curb!

The Hills (MTV- Mon 9pm)

Either this season isn't as good as the past seasons, or I'm just getting really tired of Lauren. Is it just me, or is she intentionally trying to lose all of her friends? I mean, I don't like Justin-Bobby anymore than the rest of you.... but just leave Audrina alone about it already. She'll figure it out... eventually. As for Whitney, she needs a good storyline because all she ever does is have conversations at work with Lauren about what she did the night before- BORING. Now Heidi & Spencer- that's some funny stuff. I love that she is finally going to call him out on not working! Seriously, all he ever does is sit around the apartment & spend money. Sounds nice to me!

Grey's Anatomy (ABC- Thurs 8pm)

Another show that doesn't seem as fantastic as past seasons- but I'm still glued to the TV every time it comes on! I'm so anxious for George & Izzy to get together already! I know it's wrong, but they are just so right together! As for Derek & Meredith- I'm so over that. I just wish they would both move on. Derek hooking up with her sister would actually make the show a bit more exciting, don't you think? Does anyone miss Addison? I'm watching Private Practice, but can't decide if I like it or not. I think she needs to return to Seattle Grace.

The Office (NBC- Thurs 8pm)

The Office is one of the few shows that actually makes me laugh out loud while I'm watching it! I think it's especially funny to people that have worked in an office environment before- am I right? I'm so happy that Jim & Pam are finally a couple... I'm just wondering how long it will last. I also think it was a smart move for the producers to bring in Andy- he & Dwight together are hilarious! If you don't watch this show, give it a try.

Friday Night Lights (NBC- Fri 8pm)

This show along with The Office are the only two shows that Shane & I watch together- so we never miss them! Being that I LOVE football and all, it was inevitable that I'd love this show. The fact that it's about high school drama makes it that much more appealing to me. (90210, Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill) I still don't like the fact that Eric isn't the head football coach anymore, but I'm hoping they resolve that storyline in the next few weeks & bring him home!

Desperate Housewives (ABC- Sun 8pm)

Who loves this new Katherine character? She's awesome! I'm dying to know more about this secret that she's keeping, and I love the fact that she drives Bree crazy! I'm getting a little tired of the Lynette/cancer storyline & I think the Susan/Pregnancy thing is going to get old too! But I've heard that the too cute gardener, John, is coming back into the picture in a few weeks. So will Gaby cheat on Carlos (who she's cheating on Victor with)? What a wholesome show this is!

My Man

1. Who is your man? Shane Lee Lumpkins

2. How long have you been together? Over 11 years

3. How long dated? Over 3 years

4. How old is your man? Shane turned 31 this past March

5.Who eats more? These days we eat the same! :)

6. Who said "I love you" first? Shane- and in French!

7. Who is taller? Shane- I'm only 5'2"

8. Who sings better? Neither of us are very good to be honest.

9. Who is smarter? This is not a fair question! We are equally smart in different ways!

10. Whose temper is worse? Mine

11. Who does the laundry? Me

12. Who takes out the garbage? Shane

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me- it's further away from the door!

14. Who pays the bills? I did for most of our marriage (being an accountant and all), but now Shane does!

15. Who is better with the computer? Shane

16. Who mows the lawn? Shane

17. Who cooks dinner? Me

18. Who drives when you are together? Usually Shane

19. Who pays when you go out? Shane

20. Who is most stubborn? Definitely me

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Shane

22. Whose parents do you see the most? We've seen my parents a lot recently, but overall we see Shane's parents more because they live closer.

23. Who kissed who first? Shane kissed me first.

24. Who asked who out? Shane asked me out. Although our first date was a double date & we were set up!

25. Who proposed? Shane- it's such a romantic story!

26. Who is more sensitive? ME!!!

27. Who has more friends? Me

28. Who has more siblings? Shane (1 sister). I'm an only child!

29. Who wears the pants in the family? Most people would probably say me :)

Finding out the BIG news

Go back 12 weeks ago- mid July. I was at the neighborhood swimming pool working on my summer tan. I noticed our neighbors across the way & decided to swing by and chat for a few minutes before leaving. What a blessing that turned out to be! About 5 minutes into the conversation I started feeling very sick. I thought to myself, "I have to get our of here soon because I'm about to throw up right here in front of everyone." But don't worry, I didn't. Instead I passed out in front of everyone.

Thankfully my neighbor & her boyfriend caught me before I hit the ground at full force! It took about 10-15 minutes of getting me cooled down before they could take me home. I remember my neighbor asking "Are you pregnant?" I QUICKLY & with much resentment replied "NO!". Well, two days later I found out that I'd lied to her..... on accident! Not until the next day (after several more people had asked that same question & had also received the firm "NO!") did I start to realize that I did indeed have some of the classic symptoms. So I took a pregnancy test of Tues morning & it was positive before I even finished peeing on that silly stick. Can you say SURPRISE?

Granted this was our 2nd month of trying. But after 8 years of marriage, the thought of our lives changing so dramatically was almost more than I could handle! I felt like the sheriff had locked me behind bars & taken my freedom away! Ok, so maybe I'm being a tad bit dramatic- but we were very surprised! But a HAPPY surprised!

We shared the exciting news with our parents- who were all thrilled! This will be the first grandchild on both sides, & the first great-grandchild on Shane's maternal side. My first appointment was in August, and we found out that we were not as far along as we originally thought. Our due date is April 1st, although I personally believe it's more like the end of March. What does my dr know afterall?

How have I been feeling? I'll be honest- I can't complain. I was drained of all energy, and felt sick to my stomach all the time. Thankfully I have not once thrown up- whoo hoo! I changed my prenatal vitamins (props to my mother-in-law for suggesting that), and that made a huge difference! Now that I'm about to start my 17th week, I'm feeling great!

Here are a few pics we've taken along the way- 9 week, 11 weeks, & 16 weeks!

9 weeks

11 weeks

16 weeks

Introductions please...

Well, I'm sure plenty of you are thinking.. "It's about time she started a blog." Yes, I know. I feel like I'm the last person on this earth to jump on the blogging bandwagon. So here goes...

As for why I started a blog? Not because I feel like it will be super entertaining & full of laughs. I actually want to document this new adventure of parenthood that we are about to begin! Plus I thought this would be an excellent way for everyone who doesn't live near us to keep in touch. Yeah, I'll probably be posting frequent pictures of my growing belly- so be prepared!

This is a picture of Shane & I taken at a Texas Longhorn game last season- we are huge fans! We both love college football, but will frequently be found watching NFL all day on Sunday. Shane is doing fantasy football for the first time this year, so that's the excuse we're going with for now.