Our First Week

At 12:58pm today our little Baby Olivia turned one week old! It is amazing how quickly the first week has gone. It has been an adjustment but the three of us are doing great! We have had some late nights but overall she is eating and sleeping quite well. It has been so much fun getting to know this little person. We just love watching her little personality bloom and seeing all of her little quirks! Here is what we have learned about our little Livie in the few short days we have known her...

1.) She is fascinated with her hands. When I was pregnant I had three ultrasounds. In each one we would always see that she had at least one of her hands covering her face. And when she was born she came out with one hand covering her face. Well she must be very used to that because by now because most of the time she has her hands in front of her face, or her fingers in her mouth.


2.) She is Daddy's Little Girl through and through. Not only does she look just like Todd as a baby...she enjoys some of the same activities as her daddy...such as a nice long afternoon nap. Here they are taking a nap together...completely dead to the world!


3.) She loves to be wrapped up tight. One thing Livie does not like right now is being exposed. The toughest times are the diaper changes and the sponge baths. She is not a happy camper when she is being messed with. But once she is wrapped up like a sausage, she is a happy little girl!


Each day we are discovering more and more little things about our baby girl. And we are finding that we are falling more and more in love with her each and every day.

Todd must return to work next week so I will be on my own. It sure has been nice having him here. Things are much easier with a pair of extra hands. But I am sure we will be fine. We are going to the pediatrician for the first time on Monday. Hopefully we will find that she is gaining weight and getting enough to eat. Check back for updates on Olivia as it is going to be hard for me to resist bragging about my Little Livie!

Happy One Week Birthday Olivia!

Welcome Baby O!

Baby Menor is finally here!!!

Olivia Liana Menor entered the world on Saturday, November 4th at 12:58pm. She weighed in at 6 lbs. 10 oz. and was 20 in. long. She has a head full of black hair and looks just like her daddy!
Labor wasn't too bad...well now that I look back on it. At the time I did not think I would make it through. But once we got to the hospital and I got my epidural, the world became a happy place. I was in active labor from about 3am to the time I delivered at 1pm. So that is not too bad. And after about 50 minutes of active pushing Olivia decided to make an appearance.

The biggest surprise of all is that we had a baby girl! From day one everyone told me I was having a boy. And the odds were not in our favor for a girl either. With only grandboys on the Menor side we figured it was just not in the DNA for a Menor to produce a baby girl. Everyone thought that I was having a boy by the way I was carrying the baby. But the only person who thought from the beginning that we were having a girl was my Grandpa George who passed away a few weeks ago. Every time I would talk to him he would say, "I just know you are going to have a girl." I would ask him why and he would say that he just knew. So the moment the doctor told us that we had a baby girl was probably one of the most happiest moments of our lives!

So Grandpa George was right...and I think he knew it all along. It was a very fitting end to a very sad week. I was able to attend my Grandpa's funeral in Michigan only a few days before going into labor. The funeral was on Thursday and I went into labor very early Saturday morning. I think Grandpa knew the plan all along and he made sure I got home safe and sound before the baby decided to arrive. So as one life ends...another begins. And it has allowed my family to focus on something good during this difficult time.

So for now the three of us are adjusting to our new life at home. It is a difficult time but also a very happy and exciting time. I never thought I could feel such love for another human being. Olivia is so precious and there are not words to express how much Todd and I love her.

Here are some other pictures of Olivia and our stay in the hospital. More to come...

And Baby Makes Three!

The Proud Papa

Livie & Her Nana

Grandpa...You Will Be Missed

With all of the fun and exciting news surrounding the baby, we were faced with some sad news this weekend. My Grandpa...George Sculley, passed away. He had been suffering from a form of lung cancer and he ended his fight on Friday evening. In all actuality it was a blessing. From the time he found out he had cancer he chose not to fight it. At his age it would not have done him much good, and the treatment would have only made his final days miserable. Instead he chose to live out the last months of his life in the comfort of his own home, surrounded by those he loved, and the ones that loved him.

He was never in any pain and that makes all of this so much easier for everyone. Right up until the end he still had his sense of humor and that twinkle in his eye when he would speak to anyone in his family. Todd and I had chance to see Grandpa a few months ago. He was still doing pretty well then, but was definitely weak and not the same upbeat Grandpa I had always known. But most importantly he had the chance to see me pregnant. He was fascinated by it and he called it "My Pointy Belly!" He just thought it was the neatest thing. From day one and right up until the end he would always tell me that he was convinced we were having a girl.

I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with him once last time...last week. And although he was not able to say much more than whisper...I love you...I knew what he was thinking. I told him how much we all loved him and how much the baby loved him also. I told him that we would make sure that the baby knew all about his Great Grandpa George. If I could have asked for one more thing it would have been for Grandpa to have had the chance to meet his great grandchild. But knowing that Grandpa is now in a much better place, gives us all peace. I am grateful for the time I had with him and for the chance to have him walk me down the aisle when I was married.

He had a long and fulfilling life. He had an amazing family. You really cannot ask for more than that! And although he will be missed tremendously...he will always be loved!

If there was one last thing I could say to my Grandpa, that I know would bring a smile to his face, I would tell him...

"Grandpa...I kinda like ya!"

Third Time is a Charm

I am days away from my November 6th due date, and more than ready to have this baby! I am still feeling pretty good, but I am not sleeping very well...just can't get comfortable. The excitement just keeps building so we are definitely looking forward to the future!

I was at the doctor this week and have dilated to 1cm. That really means nothing at this point. It could happen at anytime but it could also be another 2 weeks before this baby decides to make an appearance. The doctor did notice that I am measuring a little small for this point in the pregnancy. She thought it was a good idea to do one final ultrasound to make sure that the baby was not too tiny. Base on my measurements she said it was a possibility that I could be carrying a 4 - 4 1/2 lb baby! I was totally surprised to hear this because to this point everything was progressing just as it should. But she wanted to be on the safe side so she asked that I come back later in the day for my THIRD ultrasound!

Now when all of this began I was very excited about being able to have one ultrasound so that we could get a good look at our baby. Never did I imagine that by the time all was said and done we would have the chance to see the baby three different times! Fortunately, everything is good and my doctor's fears were incorrect. Based on the baby's measurements inside the womb he/she should weight approx 6 1/2 lbs. at this point. Needless to say I was very relieved. According to the ultrasound everything looks good and baby should be in excellent health. Now, for why I am measuring small...it is hard to say. But as long as baby is at the weight it should be there is no reason for concern. And based on what I weigh at this point I cannot imagine that I have a small baby in there!

But the good part about all of this is that I got to see Baby Menor one last time before he/she joins us. Baby is quite squished right now and there is not much room to move around. But they were able to get a few good pictures for me...

As with all of our other pictures Baby has his/her hand in front of their face!

That is quite a nose! But the ultrasound tech said that all babies noses look huge at this point because they are so squished inside the womb.

So it is back to the doctor next Tuesday. They will check to see if I have dilated anymore. To this point I have not experienced any contractions so I have no reason to believe that this baby is planning on coming any earlier than it has to! Stay tuned...as things could change at any moment!

Two Years and Counting

This week Todd and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary. Since this is the last anniversary we will spend alone my Mom decided to treat us to a special night out. So last Saturday she took us to Eddie Merlot's for a very fancy dinner. It was delicious and nice to just relax and enjoy our anniversary. We talked a great deal about how drastically things are about to change for us. But we are also grateful for the many years we have had together prior to deciding to start a family. We did it up right at dinner too. We had the works! Appetizers, main course, drinks (well not for me...but Mom and Todd sure indulged!) and finally an amazing dessert! Mom thought we deserved to be pampered one last time I guess!

And this past Monday...on our actual anniversary, Todd and I enjoyed a quite dinner alone. It seems all we can talk about these days is how excited we are for this baby to arrive! And in a little over two weeks our wish will finally come true! My November 6th due date seems to be getting closer and closer. I am now visiting the doctor on a weekly basis. This week the heart rate was at 166 and the doctor informed me that the baby's head is downward, which is just where it should be as it starts it's decent into the birth canal!

But as far as contractions go I still do not think I have had any. I was told that I could be experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions at any time but to my knowledge I have not. I think to myself...am I having them and just not knowing it? But everyone has told me that I will definitely know when I am having a contraction. So based on that, I guess I have to say that I have not had any yet.

Thank you to my hubby for two wonderful years of marriage! I am so excited to start our family!

Here are a few more pictures from our anniversary...

The soon-to-be granny!

Me and my hubby!

Ready To Pop!

Ok, so we are down to the final four weeks! Starting this week I am going to be visiting the doctor on a weekly basis until the baby is born. This was my 36 week visit and everything is moving along great. The heart rate sounds good and baby is still kicking up a storm! The kicks have become quite uncomfortable at times, but I still love feeling the baby move. They will begin to watch to see if I am starting to dilate in my upcoming visits. But so far I have not experienced any signs of labor...at least to my knowledge. I was told that contractions can start as early as two weeks prior to going into active labor so I am just waiting to feel my first one. I am starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, but I think that is to be expected. I find it exhausting just to get through the day. But I am still teaching my aerobics class, which has surprised even myself! I thought I would have to stop by now, but I am still feeling good so I am going to keep going. I monitor myself very closely to make sure I do not over-do it...and it is a challenge to get through my class, but I am proud of myself for keeping up with my exercise throughout the entire pregnancy. I think it will really pay off as I recover from the whole birth experience. At least that is what I am told!

Todd and I are getting more and more excited everyday for the arrival of this baby! Right now we are just trying to get all of our last minute projects done around the house before our time is consumed strictly with the little one! I am still working and plan on doing so up until the last minute. But working from home definitely has it advantages. Todd is on high alert, knowing that he could get a call from me at anytime saying..."It's time!"

But overall things are going great. Now we just sit and wait for everything to start! I can't believe how quickly these 9 months have gone! Mommy and daddy cannot wait to meet you...Baby Menor!!!

Here I am at 36 weeks...

Final Month of Freedom

Well as I get ready to enter the last four weeks of this pregnancy it has occurred to Todd and I that this is our last month of freedom! With this realization, comes mixed emotions. We are obviously very excited about the arrival of Baby Menor but we are also a little nervous about what lies ahead. We know our lives will be changing, but to what extent we cannot predict nor fully prepare for.

We have been rushing to get some last minute things done, while time still permits. Last weekend we took our final little roadtrip before the due date...to Chicago. We attended the wedding of a close friend I went to school with. It was important for us to be there as so many of my friends we going as well. It is not often that I get to see some of them so we definitely wanted to go and have fun. And we did just that. Even though I could not dance as much as I would have liked to...or drink, at all for that matter...it was still a fun weekend. Here is a picture of Todd and I from the wedding. Can you believe he let me sit on his lap? Considering I am as big as a house at this point, I was quite surprised!

And this weekend we attended our all-day baby class at Dupont Hospital. Yes...I said ALL DAY! We opted to take the class for a full day instead of going four weeks in a row. That meant that we were going to jam all of the information into a one day blitz...and a blitz it was! The class started at 8:30 am and finally concluded around 6pm. It was extremely informative and helpful in getting us prepared for the big day, but it was also very exhausting! But I think we are still glad that we chose to knock it out in one day instead of four weeks. We learned everything from the four stages of labor to natural childbirth and medicinal options. We watched some very interesting, sometimes graphic movies of the different types of birth. But all in all I must say I feel a little more confident about what lies ahead. But I am still pretty confident that I am going to turn to the drugs...I just can't imagine what it must be like without them! And I am not quite sure I want to find out!

So the clock is ticking. I guess at anytime I could be posting news of the birth of our baby. Hopefully it will not be too early, but hopefully not much later than November 6th...the actual due date. Stay tuned...

Another Superb Shower

Last weekend one of my closest friends...Korrie Wilhelm...threw me my second and final baby shower. I got the chance to celebrate the soon-to-be arrival of Baby Menor with some of my dearest friends. It was such fun...being able to share this experience with all of them. It gave me the opportunity to catch up with some friends that I have not seen in awhile and it gave them the chance to see my ever expanding belly! We had good food, drink and of course...yummy cake, designed and baked by Korrie...so talented!

And of course there were more amazing presents for the baby! Everyone was so generous and I received some adorable things. As many of you know, frogs are a major part of our nursery. Well Korrie found the most adorable thing to go with our theme. It is an inflatable frog that can be used as an ottoman, or as a cuddle toy for the baby when he/she is a little older. The neat thing is that the frog looks just like the frogs on the nursery bedding, complete with the gold crown on it's head. I know this is for the baby, but I have been propping my feet up on it almost nightly!

I was fortunate enough to have quite a few of my friends there, two of which are pregnant as well. That is Julie on the left. She is due to have her second baby at the end of November, a few short weeks after me. And Natalie is on the right. Her due date is right after the first of the year. They both looked great and it was fun to be able to share this day with my fellow pregnant ladies!

But overall it was a wonderful shower. Thank you to everyone who came and made the day so special for me. Each one of you is so important to me. Our baby is so lucky to be surrounded by so many generous and loving people! Also, thanks Mom for making your tasty sugar cookies as shower favors once again. They were as just adorable as they were for the first shower and just as yummy!

And most of all, thanks to Korrie! You made this a day I will always remember. Everything you did, from designing the beautiful invitations to making the equally beautiful and delicious cake, made it a baby shower that I will not soon forget!

Here I am with the host...

And finally, a quick update...I am in the middle of my 36th week. I had another visit to the doctor on Tuesday. It was pretty uneventful but things look good. The heartbeat is a steady 156 and I will be going back again in two weeks. After that visit I start making weekly trips to the doctor until this baby decides to make his/her entrance into the world. The clock is really ticking away now...not long to go!

Our Last Hoorah!

With the baby due in just 7 short weeks, our time as a care free, young married couple is limited. Awhile back Todd and I discussed taking a trip before the baby was born. We talked about visiting some place we had never been before...taking a nice vacation, just the two of us. Well time sort of got away from us and we failed to plan anything. By that time I did not exactly feel like getting on a plane and traveling a far distance, nor did I feel like sitting in the car for hours on end, just to get to our destination. So we agreed that we would stay close to home but do it up right!

We packed up and decided to spend a long weekend in Indianapolis. We stayed in two very nice hotels in downtown Indy and ate at some wonderful restaurants. We shopped, took a night-time carriage ride and slept in! But primarily we just enjoyed spending some care-free time together...time that we know will soon be hard to come by.

And in other news...I am about to move into my 34 week! The time just seems to be flying by now. Hope baby does not plan on coming too early, as there is still lots to get done before November 6th!

Baby's Last Photo Shoot

Baby Menor had a final chance to show us what he/she looks like this week. I had a second ultrasound at my 32-week doctor's appointment, to check on baby's progress. The doctor wanted to make sure that no additional water had accumulated around the kidneys. Good news...everything looks great! Baby is right on target and falls into the 51 percentile as far as growth. Awesome...our baby is above average and it hasn't even been born yet! Baby has also turned...and is now facing head down, just like he/she should. I was a little concerned as the baby was sitting breach when I had my first ultrasound. And since I am really not that interested in having a C-section I was hoping that the baby would get to movin'! Well considering all of the kicking that has been going on in there lately I am not surprised to hear that he/she has completely switched positions! The heartbeat is also looking good. It is a strong 144!

But most of all I got the chance to get another look at our baby before the big day comes. Unfortunately Todd was not able to attend this ultrasound because of work, but my Mom came along instead. It gave her the opportunity to get a firsthand look at her soon-to-be grandbaby! And just like before the baby was not being very cooperative. The first time around it had it's hands and feet in it's face the entire time. Well it seems that the baby likes it that way. Although it was not attempting to put it's foot into it's mouth this time it did have one of it's hands covering the face. But we were still able to get a few good face shots...


We are still keeping the gender of the baby a mystery. Everyone seems to have their own opinion as to what we are having. I think it is about 50% boy and 50% girl at this point, so one does not seem to be favored over the other. But after studying these pictures my Mom and I agree that we think this looks like a boy face. Not that it is really that easy to tell what you are looking at in the first place, but it is just a feeling we have. And we would not be surprised if we were correct, considering the long line of boys that run in the Menor family. With 8 nephews in the family already and not one girl in sight, the odds are definitely not in our favor! But we could be wrong...

So now the countdown begins! With about 8 weeks to go things are starting to become more real. We are starting to think about what our lives will be like once this little person joins us. We are so very excited, but also a little scared at the same time. Since we only have a few weeks of total freedom left Todd and I have decided to take a little getaway to spend some time together...just the two of us. We aren't going very far...just Indianapolis, but we have some fun, romantic things planned. Mainly we are just looking to relax and enjoy the time away with no worries about work or household chores.

Not much else to report at this time. I am continuing to feel very good. I am not uncomfortable yet, but I am sure I will be soon. I cannot complain about anything considering what a wonderful pregnancy I have had up to this point. I now start visiting the doctor every two weeks until the final month when I will be making weekly visits. Here I am in all of my glory at 32 weeks...

Stay tuned...

Showered With Generousity

This is one lucky baby! Having not even entered the world yet, Baby Menor has been blessed with the most amazing gifts from some very important friends and family members.

Last Saturday my Aunt Susan and Aunt Delia threw me THE baby shower of all baby showers! Not only did they both fly into Fort Wayne from out of town; California and Florida respectively...but they succeeded in making the shower a day I will always remember. It was a beautiful day, and I was surrounded with those that mean the most to me. There was great food, drink and conversation...and let's not forget the gifts! Here are some pictures of me with my aunts and mom...

Both of my aunts, along with my Mom put a great deal of time and effort into the shower. My Aunt Delia put her crochet talents to use and made bookmark favors for all of the guests...

My Mom and Aunt Susan spent quite a bit of time making the most adorable baby cookies as another favor for the guests. Not only were they very yummy..they were just too cute for words...

On top of that they also channeled Martha Stewart and created a baby carriage fruit salad for the guests to enjoy! Now this takes talent...

So between these wonderful creations, the most amazing Baby Shower cake (thanks to Hall's and their delicious cakes), and all of the other wonderful food...we had quite the spread!

Since this is the first baby for Todd and myself there were obviously many things we needed to get ready to handle our little one. Between diaper genies, crib sheets and pack-n-plays, we created quite the registry list at Babies R Us! Well we were very lucky to receive so many wonderful, generous gifts from our friends and family. Here's all the loot and me opening a few of my amazing gifts...

The shower had a literary theme, (Hello...my mother is an English Teacher!) So each guest was asked to bring along their favorite children's book to help create a library for Baby Menor! Needless to say we received a ton of great books and we are on our way to having a pretty awesome selection of stories to read to our little one! Each book meant something different to each person at the shower, which made it even more special, knowing that Todd and I will be able to share these stories with our baby very soon!

So it was an amazing day that I will always remember...and a day I look forward to telling my child about in the future. I want my baby to know how lucky he/she is to be surrounded by so many wonderful, caring people. Thank you to everyone who came to the shower and gave us so many nice things! We are so lucky! I have one more baby shower to look forward to. My close friend Korrie is throwing me a shower with a bunch of my close friends. A few of them are quite pregnant as well...so I am really looking forward to seeing them and everyone else!

Quick update...I am nearing the end of my 31st week. I will be going back to the doctor on Tuesday for my second ultrasound. Hopefully all will look well. We are nearing the final stretch! Only 8 weeks to go! I am still feeling great but I think I am starting to get a little nervous...

Fashion Emergency

As those of you who have been pregnant before know, it is not easy finding things to wear over the course of 9 months. You tell yourself that you are going to try to fit into your regular clothes as long as you can. You put off buying maternity clothes until have no choice. But that day comes when nothing in your closet fits and you resort to adding a few new items to your wardrobe. Being about 7 months pregnant at this point, that moment came awhile back for me. My mom and I went shopping for maternity clothes quite early... just to get an idea of what was out there. I think we all have the idea in our heads that all maternity clothes are frumpy and unattractive. Luckily things have changed. There are actually some very cute things out there. But it is difficult to spend money on clothes that you know you are only going to wear for a few months. So I told myself that I would only buy a few things at first and see how long I could go before I needed to get more. For the most part I have done a pretty good job on not spending too much money on maternity clothes, but that also means that I have been wearing the same 6-8 pieces of clothing for the past 3-4 months. One of my favorite things to wear during this pregnancy has been my gaucho pants. Those are the wide legged pants that almost look like skirt when you put your legs together. Well I have about 5 pairs of those and I really do not know what I would have done without them. They are not maternity pants, but since they are made out of the most stretchy, comfortable material... I find myself wearing them almost everyday. Mix those with about half a dozen maternity tops and I am good to go. Needless to say I am starting to get a bit sick of wearing the same few things over and over again!

I have my first baby shower this Saturday and I am struggling with what to wear. I can wear one of the same outfits that I have worn about 100 times now, or I can try and pull off one of my nicer dresses that fits my huge belly! Well during the week as I struggling with my dilemma I came across these pictures of Britney Spears. As some of you may know, I have commented on Britney in my blog before. She has provided me with some great tips on how to prepare for motherhood. So since she is already a mother, and is expecting her second child in less than two years... I figured why not turn to her for fashion advice also. If only I would have seen these pictures earlier, I could have tried to find similar outfits which would be perfect for the occasion...

What do you think???

I will be going to a fancy wedding at the end of September so maybe if I look hard enough I can find a dress just like Britney's! Nah...I think I will stick to my gaucho pants and hope that they will see me through my final two months of being pregnant! I am pretty sure I would never be caught dead in either of these outfits!

Anyways...like mentioned, I have my first baby shower this weekend. My two aunts have flown in from California and Florida to throw it for me. Not only am I looking forward to seeing both of them, but I am looking forward to sharing the day with some of the people who mean so much to me.

Not much else to report. This is week 30 for me and I just realized that I have less than 10 weeks to go! Holy Cow!

Two Down...One To Go!

...trimesters, that is! Yep, as of last week I officially crossed over into the third and final trimester of this amazing journey. I cannot believe how quickly the weeks have passed. I know the toughest part still lies ahead, as I will only get bigger and more uncomfortable, but this whole experience has been truly delightful to this point. In some ways I think I am going to miss being pregnant. I have enjoyed watching my belly grow, and feeling the little one kick. I have been so lucky to not have had any complications, which has allowed me to share this exciting time with Todd and our families without worry.

I went for my 28 week doctor check up, last week. Nothing special really...just some lab work and a visit with the doctor. I had to drink this carbonated soda that was super high in sugar. It wasn't too awful, but they force you to drink it very quickly, which does nothing but cause you to burp excessively. After an hour they drew a ton of blood to test for the presence of diabetes as well as some other things. Luckily I found out today that all tests came back normal. The doctor also checked the heartbeat which is at a solid 155! I am told that is high, which could mean it is a girl. Hmmmmmm...interesting!

I will be going back at 32 weeks for a second ultrasound. The doctor has ordered me to have another one done as she wants to check on a few things...specifically some water they found around the kidneys during the first ultrasound. It is nothing to be concerned about, as it is very typical for there to be the presence of water around the kidneys, but she wants to make sure that it has not increased. So hopefully all will signs will be positive! If anything it gives us another chance to get a good look at Baby Menor...the last look before he/she comes into the world!

Here is a picture (not a very good one!), of me at 28 weeks. I seem to be growing more rapidly these days. I am just looking to enjoy these final weeks, and hope that all goes as planned! It is going to be a busy time as I have a couple of baby showers coming up and Todd and I are planning one final getaway before the baby comes. We thought it would be nice to spend some alone time together before we no longer have that option! We have been so busy up to this point that we thought we both deserved a few days away, to relax and enjoy each others company. It sure is a relief to have that nursery done!

Froggies and Duckies and Turtles...Oh My!

We have been in full baby preparation mode lately! As of this past weekend, the nursery is now completed...and it is AMAZING! It was a day long project that was made possible thanks to two of my wonderful and talented "sisters" Kim and Korrie. Korrie lended her artistic abilities and created beautiful scenery on the walls, while Kim offered up her handyman skills and put together some shelves and hung curtain rods. While they slaved away, my duties included fetching anything that they needed and lending an extra hand whenever necessary. Other than that, I can take absolutely no credit for the fantasy land you see below...

Man, is our kid lucky or what? We could all be so lucky to have such a beautiful place to rest our heads! We could not be more pleased with the way everything turned out. I think Todd and I walk into the nursery at least 10 times a day just to look at it. We truly are blessed to have such talented and generous people in our lives! And on top of that Todd and I can rest easy now, knowing that the nursery is done. No rushing at the last minute to get things in place. I was determine to have things ready early, with the chance that Baby Menor decides to make a premature arrival! You just never know! There are a few finishing touches we want to make and of course there are many things we still need in order to take care of Baby Menor, but we still have about 2 1/2 months to get things in order...hopefully! I have been a little nervous lately, having heard stories about people who have had their babies 5 weeks early! 5 weeks??? I have too many things to do before November 6th...I can't have a baby 5 weeks early! Well unfortunately I do not have control over that. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed and hope that baby keeps cookin'.

Well I hope you all like the nursery as much as we do. Kim and Korrie put a great deal of thought and hard work into their efforts...and the finished product is more than we could have ever asked for!

P.S. Thank you to everyone who helped us get our nursery ready...
Mom - for your help with painting the walls...lots of help!
VJ & Chris - for your help getting the crib to the house
Heather - for offering an extra set of hands on "Nursery Day"
Kim - for taking time out of your busy schedule to build shelves
Korrie - for your wonderfully, creative murals
We love you all!

Making Room for Baby

With just about three months to go before Baby Menor joins us there is still so much to do! Lately our entire focus has been on getting the nursery in order. This has involved transforming the space from a spare room with a queen size bed, into a kid friendly room with all of the necessities. We quickly learned that this is not an easy task. First step...paint. We chose a gender neutral color that matched the bedding that we bought for our little one. It is a pale yellow and very pretty. For some odd reason the paint did not want to cover the walls very well, so it required three coats! Next...paint the woodwork and trim white. This required a coat of primer and two coats of white enamel. All together this took us about three weekends to complete. Here is what we have accomplished thus far...

That box that you see in the middle of the room is the crib. There is a reason it is still in the box and not put together. I refer to that reason as the "Crib Catastrophe". To make a long story short...the crib was not the color we thought it was when we picked it out in the store. I blame it on store lighting. But since it does not match the other furniture that we already have for the nursery it just won't work. So...we picked out a completely different crib and we are waiting for it to arrive. Once it does the task of trying to return this crib and pick up the new crib will have to be figured out. Getting the first crib to the house was a difficult task so we are not looking forward to having to go through the entire process once again!

In the meantime my living room is the holding area for all things baby. Until the nursery is completed I have had to store the other pieces of furniture, as well as the baby things we have accumulated so far in my very nice, hardly ever used living room. But since we never use this room anyway I guess it is serving a purpose for the time being. I refer to it as the temporary disaster area...

There are a few final steps to complete before Baby Menor will have his or her own peaceful, private oasis. We are going to build some shelves in the closet to make space for the many, many things our baby will need. Luckily I have a few friends who have offered their time and talents to help us with this. Needless to say carpentry does not come natural to me. And finally, my very talented friend Korrie is offering up her artistic skills and is going to paint a mural on some of the walls. I have no doubt that it will look amazing!

Once those things have been completed we will be very close to having our nursery finished! That is when the fun part starts...putting all of the cute little things in their places.
I am going to hold off on showing any more pictures of the nursery until we have a finished product. But to give you an idea of the theme we have decided to go with, here is a picture of the quilt from the bedding we picked out. It is too precious for words!

If only our little one was aware of the sweat, time and hard work that has gone into the preparations for his or her arrival!

And finally for a few quick updates...the baby is continuing to be very active. I occasionally get a few good kicks in the bladder, which is quite interesting. I am also finding it increasing more difficult to do the daily tasks I am used to. Just getting up out of bed seems to be harder than ever before. But I guess I should hold off on the complaining as I know this is only going to get worse! I am in my 26th week and about to finish my second trimester. Man...time is flying by!