Gearing Up for Baby...

Well, Baby 3 will be here in a matter of days. DAYS. NOT WEEKS OR MONTHS. DAYS. I cannot wait. I love a baby and a swaddled one at that! I have actually been geared and ready for about a month now so now I am just pining away at if it’s a boy or if it’s a girl wish lists!

What’s on my lists? Well easy - 2 things: diapers and a blanket. As B was getting bigger I fell more and more back on disposable diapers. We had been using them as she slept and on vacations or trips or ventures out of the house. Still not too often but often enough. Getting the cloth diapers all out and stripping them and getting them all snapped up for a baby has gotten me all cloth crazy! I wonder if it is because I know the system I have now and want to try new or different one… but what has got me is not stuffing inserts. Moving away from inserts is opening quite a few doors for me, pricey , but luckily I will be reselling to rebuy! But any way that’s one obsession.

My second is the blanket. So with H & B my cousin made blankets we used and still use for them, then my friend and I had a tradition of getting these specific Dwell from Target baby blankets for each other as we had kids… the cousin no longer knits and Target stopped the line. What am I gonna do? Well as of today I will spend 50 dollars on a blanket. Don’t worry, a nice one. One I will LOVE - another one for me to snatch from the kids while they sleep in the car on the way to the beach or Maryland, or my better trick of getting under it when I nap with them. It’s true I steal my kids’ blankets. (they are so soft!) Right now I am all about the Aden + Anais Dream blanket. I have longed for A+A things since H was born but never jumped in and got things. Obviously my love of a swaddle had me all about swaddle blankets. But again I am very, very, very, pattern picky. I have 2 that I want - a boy option and a girl option. Last week I wanted a Goodmama Cuddles Blanket, I moved away from her because I couldn’t determine patterns.

But anyways, Adam is done with his big project at school, my sister-in-law is back from a wedding, all I need is my mom to be back in town and we can have labor… or I can be a good girl wait for my scheduled C-Section.

Men

I am one of the lucky people in the world. I have had inspirational men in my life at all times. They have been huge role players in the person I have become. And I am not a man. I think that the benefit of a good, strong man in anyone’s life is so important. They teach us how to be treated, how to work, how to build and how to think in a way most women do not. I know personally that people thought I’d marry a man like my father, but when they saw my husband’s stature they were shocked. But my mom said it best. Adam is like her father. And he is. Strong and silent. He is my rock.

My grandfathers have taught me about lifelong love and it does exist. They taught me no matter what the job and how unglamorous it is you do it. You do it for your family and for yourself. They taught me that even if someone is not blood related they are your family and you take them in and take care of them.

They taught me to dance, laugh at sadness, joke, and to stand up for myself. Not to say that the women in my life haven’t taught me these things too, but the men in my life have taught me different skills. Women are emotional creatures, and that is ok, but the men I have been around have been solid. Yes they have emotions and yes I have seen them upset, but that’s the thing they taught me - it is ok to feel. They taught me what to expect from a husband and how to “catch” one. They have helped forge the way we will raise our son and how I teach him, you open the door for people.

When it comes to loss and losing, or seeing them very sick and weak, it hits me in a harder deeper place. Daddy’s girl by far, grandpa’s at that. The men in my life have been friends. Best friends, brothers and sons to each other. When my father’s dad died, my mom’s dad was a wreck, and he immediately told my dad, you are my son now.

I don’t know how I could be any other person without them. I truly believe that they didn’t teach me to be a princess and expect diamonds. They taught me to be respected, loved, and cherished. They taught me love will last forever.

The Nest that is a mess

From the minute Adam and I walked into our house that one fateful Sunday house shopping, I knew 2 things. 1. I loved the view from my bathroom. It was cool and relaxing. (We had had a late night celebrating 2 friends.)

hfuifiuffffffuffu - love B.

2. The walk up area off the garage could/would one day be finished off. That was about 6 years ago and after decding Law school was a better cost, and now being pregnant with a 3rd baby the time is come!

Now I am know to have a little OCD so this whole different stuff in different rooms, and closets and little slots is not my strong point. Not to mention waiting to get it cleaned up. Well they will be done this week and I can officially tackle the 500 little lists laying around the house.

 This is my explaination of what we will put where. It is important that they know I have plan.

 Yes I am excited about stairs. Its our first set. :)

Check out that molding.

It's in my bag.

Literally I think every woman has said that 1 million times to her husband or to her children. I used to say it's in one of my bags. BUT now it is all in one. When I first discovered Thirty-One, I wanted the Metro Retro Bag. Well I got it and I quickly hated it. I know isn’t that mean?

Well after a brief trip to Maryland and seeing my cousin, a numero uno supporter of me, using it as her work bag I though, hmm. So I came home, broke mine out, threw it in the wash (yes WASHABLE), and loaded it for work. Does this thing hold it all? I thought I was the bag lady coming into work. Purse, lunchbox, tote with various work items, i.e. laptop, charger, notebook, files. SO now… my one bag that I used to hate carries my lunchbox (full), umbrella, cardigan, laptop, charger, file and a notebook. I now breeze in with my purse of the moment and the Metro Retro. Although if I were to get a new one, I am in love with the herringbone spot pattern. It’s my new Thirty- One Crush.

Ok, product placement over.

My Retro Mertro Ready to go!

May.

I hold a special place in y heart for the month of May. At one point in my life I had dreamt of getting married in May. only to have a job that made May the craziest time of year for me ad that moved the wedding plans to December. But! May, I know it's spring it's beautiful everything gets warmer and ad a kid you can taste summer vacation.

This May has probably been my most favorite month in a VERY long time. Adam finished his first year of law school, I survived it, and our family has fallen into the groove of more time together. Church this month has had a strong focus in the modern family and how a family was meant to be shaped which in turn has truly blessed Adam and I and put commitment to each other. (gagging over the love feast?)

We have go e to the beach, had dates, worked through temper tantrums, had Adam be a stay at home dad, and now move to his internship.

Outsiders may look at some of our weekends and think we are insane. I work at the Y a few weekends a moth, sell Thirty-One And work full time. In turn Adam has a full time summer internship and also works weekends. We do this while juggling the kids and squeezing in family time/alone time/mom & dad time. To be honest this is my American dream. I couldn't be happier and next time I'm feeling burnt out (like this past Wednesday) all need I need to reflect on this month. Mostly because this month is why I do what I do.

Check out my beauty enjoying the kick start of May 2012.

How many miles makes a...

Running has been my “hobby” for 3 years now. I was never a runner before H was born, and to this day I sometimes battle with even calling myself a runner. I think I hold “runners” on some pedestal. But what makes a person a runner? Someone who has done it since high school? I don’t know, but I feel weird saying I am one. I do not think I look like a runner. I don’t have the defined legs and the lack of body fat, nor those amazing arms. I’m embarrassed in a swimsuit and shorts - but I can go run 15 miles in a morning. See my inner struggle?
I began running because I wanted to lose baby weight. It worked. I ran a full marathon and from that one until I was pregnant with B I did a half every other month because I didn’t want to lose my ability. After B I ran a half. I was not prepared as she was only born 6 months prior; I was not training as needed so I was angry at my time. I did a full after she was 1 then I started my every-other-month half marathon plan.
This past weekend I finished a half at a time that was surprising since I did more walking. Up until this weekend, getting a good time never really crossed my mind. I can only run if I have a race. Something about spending the money makes me do it. I have only not ran once I paid for it, but that was because the doctor told me to.

Finding myself reaching a new goal is hard: I have to admit I don’t really want to. I don’t really love running. But I do love the after-the-run. I do love the distance I accomplished on my feet. I love that H wants to run races, and he finishes mine with me if he is allowed.
I think the question still remains - am I a runner yet? Because as far I am concerned this little boy is.

Bags fo' sale.

While I was busy not eating meat, celebrating small things and getting over my Starbucks addiction, I dove face first into earning more dollars. Mostly so I can get Starbucks and not feel guilty. You know with the budget to consider.

Adam had gotten great opportunity this summer for an internship with the Attorney General, but with every great opportunity you go unpaid. We are excited, I used to say that with gritted teeth, but celebrating small things lets me see how happy he is and how much better this is for us in the long run, (2 years to be exact) But anyways… I will now be selling Thirty-One products. Now I know why?? When will you have time, aren’t you supposed to be saying no to things? Well, yes I am, but this is a way I can get little things for myself, make money, and organize! And you know I love organizing.

I don’t plan on driving the Thirty-One Cadillac—oh wait wrong one, but I do hope to do at least 2 parties a month, either in YOUR home or online. I hope to get my Pin Board all linked up and to make thing FABULOUS. It is really fun for me because I can get out and be social which meeting people and sharing stories is a pretty big part of who I am.

So if once a month you see a post on my little BIZ its ok, I’m just showing off, and hoping to brainwash you into ordering or having your own party. But if not here is my site, you can shop there anytime you wish. Go one you know you want to-- especially now when the outlet sale is going on.