Project Nursery!

The furniture arrived on Friday!  Well, the crib was delivered in the morning, and the delivery guys brought the boxes up into the nursery.  This changing table/ dresser, however, was left in a 84 lb box on our door step in the snow, and PJ is out of town.  I was able to shimmy it inside, and then got all the wood pieces out and carried them upstairs, and that was my project today, put 20+ pieces of wood and screws together to make this.  Madi was such a good girl, playing and keeping me company.  It took a while, but I got it all done and here is a picture(yes that is Madi's tail in the corner-ha)!  I took the crib parts out of the box, but will need PJ's help with that one--definately a two person job, but seems way easier!  So when we have that complete, I will put a before and after picture of the nursery.

Happy New Year to everyone!  PJ and I made it to midnight, but not much after--it is hard to stay up that late(I'm so old!)!  Then had a relaxing day on New Year's Day--we took Madi to the dog park, watched the Rose Parade, and the football games, too bad the Rose Bowl was not more exciting.  We had a wedding on Sunday the 4th--did I ever mention how much I love weddings!  They are so powerful, and when we got home, we looked through our weddings pictures--reminiscing about our wedding day-what beloved memories.  

We have had two classes now, and we have learned some valuable information.  We do relaxation exercises and visualization techniques.  She the women hold ice in their hand for 15, 30, and 60 seconds and had us direct our focus onto something else.  This was to help us feel how long contractions are--now I DOUBT contractions will feel like holding ice, but I liked the concept.  We also had  different labor stations of positions, tools, etc for labor.  It was neat.  We watched an all natural labor video that was very empowering.  It made me so excited for the second we get to meet bebe!

PJ is in sunny Florida enjoying some golf before his National Sales Meetings start.  It is pretty quiet around here with just Madi and I but it certainly forces me to relax and live in this moment. Hope all is well with all of you. 

Merry Christmas!

We sure had a White Christmas!  Thank goodness we left on Tuesday night the 23rd, for it snowed another 3 inches Christmas Eve.  I am not sure what the totals are, but

 the snow banks are taller than me!  We had a wonderful time in Racine with the family!  Ellen sure is growing  quickly, and is a beautiful baby!  It was a real treat to have a baby around for Christmas.  They are so peaceful, and it is hard to imagine that Christ came as a humble, helpless babe.  His Father, full well knowing that he loved Him much more, gave him into the arms of humans to take care of Him.  God loves us that much that he gave us that kind of gift--it is truly hard for me to fathom.

While at the Noelke's, it was nice to relax, eat too much, have great conversations, watch ND beat Hawaii, and play games!  Madi got a special gift, which you can see here, right after she opened it!  It didn't take long for her to unform the candy cane and chew through the ends.  

We saw the Benjamin Button movie and Marely and Me over the break.  I don't know if I have ever cried as hard as I did watching Marley and Me.  If you are a dog lover, you HAVE to see the movie!  

Now, PJ and I are setting up the nursery!  Once it is completed I will post some pictures!  We also start our classes on Tuesday.  A 6 week class through the Hospital, and then I will take a cloth diapering 101 class.  Hope you are all refreshed from the break, overfed, and wishing you a very Happy New Year!  

Baby Butts

How could I forget about Friday!  OOps!  Well, from Thurday night to Friday morning we got about 7 inches on snow in Madison.  I was supposed to have a doctor's appt in the am., but they rescheduled it to the afternoon.  I went to the appt., and this was my glucose test.  You drink a really sweet orange glucose drink, and then get your blood drawn 1 hr. from the completion of the drink-fun!  Baby kicked as soon as the needle went it--baby really cares about me and doesn't like it when I get pricked!  

Then I finally got into the doctor about an hour and a half after my appt. time!  Baby's heartbeat is about 140 and she could feel baby now, and the head is toward my pelvis, and I told her that baby gets into these positions where a protrusion comes out of my belly and she says that is where the baby's butt is and envisons that it is stretching out!  Oh how cute--baby's butts are so adorable! eheh.  So we are 30 weeks today, and the books say that baby is 17 inches and about 3 lbs!

Advent

This was a pretty big weekend in baby's world--we bought the crib mattress, a wool mattress pad and a cotton mattress pad, and crib sheets.  We bought all organic products for the crib from Satara--and are really excited about them!  I also sewed the bed skirt this weekend--I love weekend projects.  

We are 30 weeks tomorrow, which means 10 to go--I honestly can't believe it is almost here.  PJ asked me last night what color eyes and hair I think baby will have--my obvious guess??  Blue and Blonde!  We shall see though.  

This time of year makes me so giddy.  At Sunday school the first day of Advent, we made a chain link to count down the days of Advent.  I loved it so much that I took one home to make too.  I have been reading them to baby and Madi each morning, and each day has either a new bible  verse, a Christmas song, or an activity to do.  It has really gotten me into the Christmas spirit in such a new refreshing way.  Last year I got an Advent Calendar for Madi and behind each door was a bone, but this was no where to be found at Target this year:(  We get to spend  Christmas in Racine this year, and it will be so fun with baby Ellen there making the Christmas magic alive.  Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas with your loved ones!  And stay warm, it is -30 today here in Madison, happy 1st day of winter!heheh

Baby's Shower!

Saturday was Baby's shower in MN.  Laura Olin and Katie Mooty outdid themselves and threw an amazing shower--they thought of everything!  I am so richly blessed with amazing friends and family.  It started with some catching up, then we had a great brunch, and then played games galore!  Oh I LOVE games!  Then we opened gifts and were able to talk, and then it was wrapped up with everyone getting to choose an ornament from the tree!  I have many cherished memories with all the special people that were able to attend, we missed those who couldn't be there!  We got so many wonderful gifts-everyone is so generous.  Baby, you have a LOT of people that love you.  When I got home last night, PJ was shocked by all the gifts!  It was so fun putting everything away, I stood in front of the closet almost in disbelief that a baby will be here soon wearing those adorable outfits (they are SO small!)--now we just need to set up the crib.

Baby is getting quite big in there!  It is really moving now and does some serious shifting--I know I am going to miss these times feeling baby move in there--so I 

ponder on the moments thinking what baby is doing in there, and what it looks like--and hope it is having fun!  

It was so nice to be home though.  I hadn't been home since August.  My Mom and I got to spend a lot of quality time together, looking through my baby book, and comparing how I look now to how my mom looked pregnant wih me!  The next time I see her will more than likely be when baby is here!  I also learned the basics of knitting from a very patient teacher--thank you Laura!

It is hard to belive that Christmas is just around the corner--March will be here before we know it!

Thanksgiving

We are back from California visiting family for Thanksgiving.  Trips like this are so hard because you look so forward to seeing everyone, and before you know it the trip is over.  On Tuesday, we got into L.A. and were able to spend time with Emily and prepare for an "Open House" of sorts where much of my Dad's family came over for dinner, family time and games.  Apples to Apples is my favorite, and gets pretty interesting with a group that big!  But Ally and I proved that no matter how far apart we are, we still know each other as well as ever and have the same sense of humor--we guessed each others cards instinctively!  Wednesday the rain held up long enough for the boys to get 10 holes in while the girls got to take a look at the Wedding site '09.  Oh how lovely it is!  Everything is perfect for Emily--just her style.  We also got to take a look at the Flower Market:beautiful!  Then we were all off to Laguna to our hotel.  Here we met up with my mom, Pepper, and then my my mothers' side of the family.  Uncle Mel and his wife treated us to a lovely dinner!  PJ and I, not really adjusted to the time change woke up very early each morning.  Thanksgiving Day was a bit overcast, and we took a walk to the beach--there is something about the Ocean, makes you feel that you are at the edge of the world as PJ puts it!  We got back just as the down pour started, but by the time the tee times came around, it was clear and sunny; perfect as much of the crowds stayed away.  There we 20 some of us for dinner in a private room, and my mom had planned a surprise impromtu baby shower with the family, which was very neat as I hardly get to see them all.  Dinner was great and then was wrapped up with family VHS videos...oh boy!  Friday the boys golfed again, and the rest of us grabbed brunch on the ocean, it was spectacular.  Then we all walked to the beach and watched the tide come in and the waves pick up--humbling beauty.  We had more family games, and then were headed back to Pasadena where PJ and I were able to eat dinner on our own on Colorado Blvd (where the Rose Parade goes) and window shop!  Baby's first trip to California was great.  Everyone got to feel much movement and it was all of their first time seeing me pregnant; what a joy!  We sure did miss our little Madi!

First Visit

On Saturday, PJ and I were able to meet our niece Ellen!  She was laying on the couch when we arrived, and we instantly were in love.  Having this precious, innocent, miracle in our arms was an incredibly humbling experience.  Nothing else mattered--and it seemed that time stopped while we were there-not a care in the world for me.  Lynne and Todd are so good with her, and was great to be able to see.  She is so tiny, so dependent on her parents and I was in owe that all of us enter the world this way.  It made us so excited to meet our little angel baby!  Sunday, PJ and I embarked on the task of consolidating to one closet so the baby has a closet, and it is really nice to have that done!  We have a set of onesies, and a ducky robe and slippers hanging in the closet so far.  We also have 2 handmade blankets made for PJ and his sister as well as the outfit that PJ and Lynne came home from the hospital in, so tiny!  Today was our 25 weeks Dr. appt, and everything is normal!  Baby's heartbeat was 150, and I just love hearing it.  They gave me a copy of all my medical records so that we will have everything we may need while on our trip to California.  We leave a week from yesterday, and I honestly can't wait!