Bye 2012.

I knew going into 2012 that it was going to be a wonderful year, and that I was going to be experiencing one of the biggest changes of my whole life (and I'm not talking about turning 30 haha)! If you know me, change is not my thing. I'm just not a fan. But this change I was ready for. This year I got MARRIED! I had my dream wedding. Actually, it was better than I could've ever dreamed for. It was perfect. Not to mention that I finally got to see Hawaii. Ah! Being a wife has been nothing short of amazing. I've always heard that the first year is the hardest. Well, I hope the first year is the hardest because there has been nothing hard about it. :) We just go together, it just works, and I thank God every day for him. Josh is so care free,easy going, thoughtful, playful, loving. All of the things I knew about him the day I married him, and I knew he'd be a great husband (there was no doubt about that). But I had no idea just how truly great he is. You learn a lot when you live with someone, and he has been such a nice surprise. I had prepared myself for the worst. haha! And now, I can't believe I ever thought my sweet man would be hard to live with. ;) Of course, the biggest surprise of 2012 has been our sweet Ella Jane. Josh and I knew we didn't want to wait long before having kids (since either of us are spring chickens haha), but we weren't exactly planning on having her so soon. Not that I'm complaining, it was the best surprise of my entire life. There's no other feeling greater than finding out that you're going to be a mommy, and experiencing pregnancy. I guess when I went into 2012 knowing it was going to be wonderful (I had no idea just how wonderful it really was going to be)! I had no idea that 2012 would also be bringing me a baby girl. Wow! I'm so blessed. I know that's clache, I hate even saying it like that actually. But I am. So so blessed. This has been the best year of my whole life, and I can't even imagine 2013 toping it, but then again...Ella Jane will be born in 2013, and I will officially become a mom. So I guess you could say that 2013 will be bringing me the BIGGEST change of my whole life. Am I ready for this one? Absolutely. I've wanted her for as long as I can remember. My prayers and hopes for 2013: 1. I pray for Ella Jane to be healthy. 2. I pray that I'm a wonderful mommy to her. 3. I pray for a continued growing relationship with Josh. 4. I pray for Justin and Traci to have their dream wedding and a marriage that will have them asking, "What's so hard about the first year?" 5. And I also pray for my families health and safety in this upcoming year. I know this year is going to be a doozy, and one that I absolutely can not wait for!!

10 things I learnt this weekend

1. Taking down Christmas decor is never fun! It's always a little depressing at first cause everything looks so bare.
2. I took down all our christmas stuff, except the tree. That stays up til after the new year. :)
3. I found a few really good baby blogs that gave me a list of must haves for newborns. Happy to say that I had most of it.
4. Josh and I made a trip to babies r us to get a few essentials we didn't have yet. I love the little playmat/gym we bought. So precious!
5. I'm just about finished with baby shower thank you cards. Even though they've been a pain, I'm so thankful we have so many thoughtful friends and family members that have kept the presents coming.
6. Finally ate at Soccer Taco...not bad.
7. Even though Josh isn't wild about the idea (he thinks newborn pics arent real cute lol)...I've been working on getting Ella Jane's scheduled.
8. I think we've decided to get Southern Charm Portraits to take them. She is amazing with newborns and she offers a really good baby plan package.
9. My mom has her bags packed and is ready for Ella Jane. I hope that girl comes soon!!
10. Josh and I have really been sleeping in over break. I'm loving every minute.

Pregnancy updates/questions

How far a long? 37 weeks
Total weight gain? About 30 pounds!
Stretch marks? Nope. I hope I can make it without getting them too. :)
Miss anything? Sitting through a movie comfortably (Josh and I just saw the Hobbet, a 3 hour movie. Oh wow). Talk about being uncomfortable. I also miss my pre-pregnancy clothes.
Movement? Tons of movement. This week she likes kicking under my ribs. Ha!
Labor signs: she has dropped a lot and faces downward, and the doc told me I had a contraction (even though I didn't feel it)!
Belly button in or out? Out. You can see it through my clothes. Haha.
Wedding ring on or off? Still on. I'm not swollen that bad yet.
Food cravings: none really, I just love sweets (even more so than I did pre pregnancy)!
Happy or moody most of the time? Happy for the most part, I do get a little moody at night (when I get the most uncomfortable).
Looking forward to: having Ella Jane here. Even though, I am getting very nervous about the whole labor thing.

Ultrasound

So today has been a great day! Mom and I did a little bit of shopping...and eating (haha)... then headed to the doctor (after picking up Josh) for an ultrasound! This was the first time mom had seen Ella Jane, so it was a little emotional. :) you couldn't see her as well as we have in the past, mainly because she is head down and facing towards my spine haha, and she is also bigger. But nonetheless, we could still see that little heartbeat just go to town at 127 bpm. The nurse said she is weighing a little over 5 pounds (22nd percentile), so by the time she gets here she should be around 7 (if she doesn't come early). She also has a head full of thick hair. :) hehe! the doc didn't seem to think that she will come much sooner than the 17th, but we'll see. I'm just counting the days. We all are! Assuming she comes on her due date, we have 20 days. :))))

Painting With A Twist

Happy 60th bday, Denise!! :) ps. This painting was hard!

MacBook

Happy!

Christmas

It seems like I say this every year, but this Christmas has been the best one yet!! I guess the older I get, the more I appreciate all the things Christmas really has to offer. One of the biggest things, being my family.

Favorite part...watching everyone open up their presents. I don't know if I've ever really paid as much attention to it before as I did this year. If you've never done this, you should. :)
My most special gift...Josh surprised me with a gorgeous mother/child necklace. I love how thoughtful he is! I'll cherish it always.
Some more awesome gifts: mom and dad got me a flash for my camera (for all those pics I'll be taking of Ella Jane), grandmother got Josh and I a MacBook (amazing), Justin got Josh (and Ella Jane) some Georgia bulldog booties! I also got an "e" necklace from traci, gift card from matt (to get my hair colored after Ella Jane gets here). Oh and we got a Kurig (?) coffee maker...
I love how...my family included Ella Jane in Christmas this year even though she isn't quite here yet. Mom had her stocking full. :) traci got her the cutest Adidas outfits. Mamaw and papaw got her some toys. :)
Josh....loved the grill I got him!!
Looking so forward to...Ella Jane's first Christmas next year! That's all I could think about this year. We've all talked about how different it's going to be and we just can't wait!
Josh...put together his first stocking (which was mine)!! He did great! it included a Yankee candle and some bath and body. :)
Tonight...I've laid around and watched Christmas movies, played with the MacBook, while josh has been playing on his xbox. :) we're happy over here. :)

10 things I learnt this weekend

1. I am on Christmas vacation...for 2 whole weeks!! Yeah! Unless Ella Jane comes early, then I'm on vacation for even longer. ;)
2. Christmas up at nanny and papaws was fun. They decided to have it early this year (usually we don't go up there til Christmas eve).
3. Josh scored an iTunes gift card, and I got 2 movie passes. We're gonna go see the Hobbet this week.
4. Nanny made everyone toboggans. They are so adorable. Too bad I'm not a hat person. Ha! My man sure looks cute in his though.
5. There were so many fun Christmas things I wanted and planned to do this year, but didn't. Pregnancy has made me lazy.
6. I've been living on the sweets my mom made me and Josh: sugar cookies, haystacks, fudge...!!!
7. Randy came over and brought Ella Jane some cute pottery barn kids things. Aw!
8. Josh really takes care of me when I don't feel good. As my Mamaw says, "he is the sweetest thing that ever lived". Lol!
9. I realize more and more how blessed I am to have him. During church this morning I got a little choked up thinking about how blessed I am with him...and now Ella Jane. I just don't deserve all of this.
10. I love Edy's peppermint icecream! I could eat the whole carton. Josh hates it. Haha.

Travel System!

Ella Jane's travel system came today!! Josh has worked hard putting that (and our glider together) this evening. We are officially packed and ready to go! Shew! Come anytime sweet girl.

Weekly doctor appt.

Currently...im watching Home Alone (cleaning the condo during commercials) and josh is playing on the xbox.
Current obsession...cleaning and organizing. The condo just can't get clean enough. My pregnancy app calls this nesting. Even though I've always been like this to a certain point, yeah it's worse since I've been pregnant.
Today...I had a doctors appt. I am now going to the doctor every week now. Crazy, because this means that Ella Jane is really close (basically she could come any day now). We are sooo ready! I have never been so anxious about anything in my entire life! But of course I haven't. This is my sweet baby girl I'm talking about! (the person I've been dreaming about forever)! She is on her way!!! Wow! Sometimes it still takes a second to sink in, and when it does...Bam! The best feeling in the world! But anyway, back to the appt. Happy to report that Ella Jane is making progress!! Yeah!
More baby news... I am still waking up several times through out the night (basically every time I have to roll over), I know this sounds dreadful...but I seriously am sleeping sooooo much better. I figured out some tricks with my head pillow! Ah! Josh on the other hand, bless it. I don't think he likes sleeping with me right now (not that I blame him)! :)

10 things I learnt this weekend

1. There was a terrible shooting in an elementary school in CT Friday morning, killing 20 little 1st graders and 6 staff members (including the principal, teachers, and counselor). It's a crazy sick world we live in today. I was already thinking like a parent, and if something like that happened to Ella Jane. Unthinkable! I was also thinking about how scary that would be, as a teacher. What would I do in a situation like that?
2. I've been glued to the tv this weekend, watching all the news coverage. Just terrible!
3. Minus some things I've ordered for Ella Jane on Etsy, and a few travel things I have to buy for myself--our bags are packed for the hospital. If she came today, we would be ready to go. :)
4. Stephanie and her boys came over and brought us a bath tub and a bassinet to use until her little bundle of joy comes. Have I mentioned that Stephanie is also pregnant!? So exciting. She's hoping for a girl this time around. Haha.
5. Her boys gave me a little glimpse of what it's going to be like having a kid around who is into everything. I know there's a lot of things I'll just have to get over. My OCD will have to chill out...a lot.
6. So I only thought sleeping was uncomfortable before. That was until now where I've learned just how unpleasant it really can be. Waking up every hour is horrible. There's no getting comfortable anymore. Last night I tried sleeping on the couch...friends have told me that it worked good for them. Not so much for me. :( even changing sides is exhausting. Luckily I only have about 4-5 more weeks to go. Of course, my sleeping pattern probably won't get any better. Haha.
7. I've always heard the last month of pregnancy is the hardest. It really is.
8. Grandmothers christmas dinner was fun! So much food!
9. I love the cute little bows and monthly stickers I bought for Ella Jane on Etsy!
10. Extremely happy I Christmas shopped early this year because I really don't feel like it these days! Swollen ankles, no good!

Nursery Pics

It's taken a while, but the nursery is finally all done! :)

10 things I learnt this weekend

1. Sometimes Motherhood Maternity does have cute things.
2. I should have maternity pics done, but I really don't feel like it (that's horrible I know)!
3. Justin and Matt turned 29!
4. Mom cooked a great bday dinner for them. And had the house and deck decorated so cute for Christmas.
5. I really want a fire pit.
6. Shower #3, our big shower, was perfect! We had it at the cove lake pavilion. Everything was so cozy and adorable! My mom and Melissa really worked hard! I'll post pics as soon as I get a minute this week.
7. Josh was such a trooper and stayed for the entire shower...he even helped me open presents! I am truly blessed with him.
8. Our family and friends are the greatest! They showered us and Ella Jane with so much love! We got almost everything we would possibly need.
10. I couldn't sleep until her things were all washed and put away. I even got her bedding on finally! Now all we have to do is pack our bags! We are ready for our sweet girl!

Shower 2

So Thursday night, my sweet little Bunco group had me a surprise baby shower! Well actually I kinda knew about it before I walked in because Stephanie had told me about it that morning. Mine and joshs sweet friend Denise (a really close friend of the Kerrs) mom passed away Tuesday night and her celebration of life was Thursday night. So when I called Stephanie to tell her I wouldn't be at bunco...she had to tell me about the surprise shower that was at her house. Josh understood, and as much as I hated not going with him to the funeral, I went to the shower. I really love my bunco group. That was so sweet of them. Ella Jane got a book, shampoo, body wash, outfits, bows, diapers and wipes, and swaddles. :) thank you girls so much!! That was too thoughtful! I hate I missed the funeral, but I'm glad I went to the shower. :)

Shower 1

So yesterday I had my first shower. My co-workers at work got Ella Jane all kinds of cute stuff. She got blankets, sleepers, bibs, booties, tons of hairbows, books, and super adorable outfits! I can't wait to see Ella Jane in some of this stuff! Adorable! :) I do work with some awesome people!

Christmas Books

I just had to get these for Ella Jane. Cant wait to read them to her next year. They are the sweetest books. :)

I was going to get real creative (or find some inspiration on pinterest haha) for mine and Josh's Christmas card this year. Our first year as a married couple, and the last Christmas with just us two...but...these days, getting a picture made of myself is the last thing I want to do. But I still ordered a cute card, I just used a picture of us that we already had. :)

Tomorrow I have my first baby shower. My co-workers ate throwing me a shower after school tomorrow! I can not wait!!

10 things I learnt this weekend

1. Third trimester in pregnancy is seriously no fun! I don't care what anyone says. Haha! This week really, but especially this weekend, I've started getting extremely uncomfortable. My walk has become a wobble. Bending down is near impossible. Shopping is torture!
2. So glad I actually started Christmas shopping early! It's Dec. 2 and I'm already done! That's never happened before. Well we still have Justin and matt and Larry to buy for, but Josh is shopping for them. :) my part is done!
3. I know I've said it, but so happy mom gave us lots of ornaments. It made a big difference with our tree.
4. I have the best husband in the world. He is buying me a MacBook for Christmas! Love him!!
5. Nerds on a Rope are now out in holiday colors! Yeah!
6. Janie and Larry came home from Florida early. They love the nursery.
7. I need to find an outfit for the shower! But maternity clothes are so blah! I found some cute blazers at forever21 though, that actually fit.
8. I am loving all the coupon savings lately! Josh just knows to get a Sunday paper at Weigel's every week now. Haha! Have I mentioned how great he is?!
9. I like unsweetened hot chocolate just as good as the regular kind.
10. I found the cutest plush animals for Ella Jane at target...in the dollar aisle! Love that aisle!