10 Things

1. I have 11 new voicemails on my cell phone. I guess I should check them ... later.

2. This is what happens when your co-worker brings her 4 year old to the office over the weekend and the 4 year old finds the Zen garden in my office ... not so Zen. This same little mischeif maker broke the big pink diamond paperweight on my desk last month. I'm not so happy about it.

3. After my Hillbilly post on Monday, I got a text from a friend who had found matching adult boots online. I can't even imagine a grown woman wearing those. I take that back, there are probably girls from my husband's high school who are rocking those boots at this very moment.

4. On Saturday I realized my driver's license was no where to be found. After searching everywhere and stressing out about this for several days, I finally found it in my camera bag. It's a long story as to why it was in there but I'm sooo thankful to have found it. I'm assuming it's important to have a photo id when you check into the hospital (and also important for driving!!)

5. We are almost ready for baby #2. I need to order a few more necessities on Amazon, get some stuff out of storage at Betty's, wash baby clothes, and have the carpet & tile cleaned and we'll be set. 

6. Amazon Mom is my new best friend - good prices, free shipping, no shopping with a 21 month old who's trying to break out of the stroller = happy me.

7. I bought some new books at the Border's going out of business sale yesterday. Now if I can just find time to relax and read!

8. I am bummed that the Water for Elephants movie is coming out right around my due date. I loved that book and would love to go see the movie before the baby comes. Depending on how things go - I may or may not make it.

9. I realize that from all of my recent posts, it sounds like I am a shopaholic with all of the online shopping I've been linking to. I'm actually not, I just prefer online shopping these days over shopping in stores (due to the above mentioned antsy toddler and the fact that I'm not buying any new clothes until I'm not pregnant anymore).

10. I am so proud of myself for resisting the temptation to go get a milkshake today mid-afternoon. Now I think I'll reward that good behavior with some ice cream ;)

Bunco!

This weekend my favorite girls and I hosted a bunco party as a Junior League Fundraiser. We had a Hawaiian theme and everything was fabulous! From the cupcakes, to the key lime pie, to the aloha punch (which I could only long for), it all came together (which felt miraculous with how busy the four of us have been for the past few weeks). Everyone seemed to have a great time and I think we definitely recruited some new fans of the game!

Hostesses

My favorite part of the evening - dessert!

Just two more weekends of events and activities and then I'm home free to relax! I am sooo ready to have nothing to do but rest (and then snuggle my babies!)

Hillbilly

This weekend we went to Crazy Betty's for lunch and to pick up tables for the Bunco party I co-hosted with friends on Saturday night. While we were there, Addison was entertaining us with her vocabulary - she talks constantly these days. At one point she was pointing to a bird while laughing and saying "scared!" (we recently went to a zoo where the squawking parrots scared her). It came out "gaaarred". Crazy Betty looked alarmed, leaned down close to her and said "Addison, can you say SCARED?" Then she looked at us and said "I won't have her talking like a hillbilly, we don't say "skeered" in this family." My husband replied by looking at Addison and saying "Can you tell her 'we ain't goin to'?" I had to laugh, he's starting to pick up on my tactics for dealing with her comments. I mean honestly, neither one of us talks like a hillbilly ... ever. Yes, my husband grew up in a tiny and very country little town in North Florida, but he lost his accent long ago and we both speak using proper grammar. Living in Southwest Florida, we're more likely to pick up a Jersey or Michigan accent than we are to sound "hillbilly". I think toddlers should get a break on their enunciation of words until they've at least reach 2 years old (probably much later but we're not there yet so I don't know the rules).

Speaking of hillbilly though, maybe Crazy Betty had heard about these boots ...

One of my husband's clients gave them to Addison as a hand-me-down. When he pulled them out, I literally laughed so hard that he thought there was some joke he'd missed. I hope I don't offend anyone but there's no way my little girl is wearing cowboy boots with glitter and fringe on them. At least not while she's young enough for me to decide! I am not into the country western look. I don't like country music, I'm not outdoorsy, I don't rock the cowboy boots (although my sister can make them look super adorable with dresses). I realize Addison is her own person and might turn out to love these things but for now, we'll stick with dresses and the preppy stuff. Anyone who knows me well would laugh out loud if they saw my child in those boots. Uncommon husband told me I was not allowed to blog about these (in case his client sees this, which she won't!) and tried to hide them from me. FYI - putting them in a bag under the ironing board is not a very secret hiding place.

Have You Ever Heard of A Uni-butt?

I had not until today. I was checking out the sale on Spanx on Rue La La today and they listed on of the benefits as "Back seam ensures no uni-butt". I thought this was quite hilarious! I've heard of a uni-boob but never a butt. I don't know that I would even notice if someone had one but I'll be on the look out from now on! (kidding!)

In un-related Crazy Betty news, apparently she has given herself full license to touch my stomach this pregnancy (I hate the word belly). She likes to come up to me and rub my stomach and start cooing hello to the baby. I'm not a fan of the whole uninvited touching, but to make matters worse, she then decides she wants her to move and starts pushing and poking my stomach and then saying "Oh! I felt her" Nope, that was your imagination and just an FYI - that's not super comfortable for me when you push on an already crowded area of my abdomen. I do love Betty so very much, she just does too many crazy things not to blog about them!

BTW - since I started this post talking about shopping, Zulily has adorable dresses and John Johns from Princess Linens today. I've had two photo shoots in the past month with kids who wore these (1 boy, 1 girl) and they are so cute and look great for photos. I have had them in two sizes in my cart all day, debating on whether or not to buy them for my little ones summer wardrobes. Decisions, decisions ...

Tuesday 10

1. I want to blog more often, I really do! I just can't seem to catch up lately. My schedule has been hectic already and that, combined with having a family member in the hospital for the past several days, has made it nearly impossible to get to everything on my list.

2. I went to a great luncheon at the Ritz today for a wonderful organization. The desserts were so much fun (yes, dessert makes me very happy)! The theme of the day was all about empowering girls to be innovative and excel in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) so the toppings to our ice cream were presented in little test tubes. It was adorable!

3. My child is a genius. I know everyone thinks this but mine really is ;) She does things every day that surprise us. She's counting to 10, saying so many new phrases, and generally just amazing.

4. Only 5 weeks until we meet our new miracle! I am getting very excited and wondering what she will look like, what her temperment will be like ...

5. People have very different opinions about what is cute regarding children's wardrobe options. Have you heard of squeakers? In my opinion, they are the most annoying invention ever (unless you need them to assist with a disability of course). Someone I talked to today was just raving about them though! She said I should combine them with matching giant flower headbands and put them on Addison when we go out to restaurants. Restaurants!?!? I had a hard time keeping a straight face on that one. Those shoes would make me leave a restaurant in a second.

6. I am tired of being pregnant. My doctor's office can't make up their mind. Last Friday they said I need to drink Carnation Instant Breakfast (um, yuck!!) and start gaining more weight. The appt before that made me all paranoid (apparently that nurse wasn't looking at my overall weight gain). I know I shouldn't complain because I am very lucky but I am tired, achy, and ready to be back to myself.

7. I saw a quote the other day that I LOVE - "You can do anything, but you can't do everything." If only I could remember that on a regular basis. Another longer post to come on that topic ...

8. I think the show Yo Gabba Gabba was created to torture parents. It is also the equivalent of children's crack. Addison saw it ONCE, and asked about it nonstop after that. I prefer the educational aspects of Sesame Street but apparently DJ Lance has some kind of hypnotic power.

9. My photo a day project is definitely on hiatus. I'm planning to resume it but right now, I'm just taking it one day at a time and those days haven't had opportunity for photos lately.

10. I've been terrible about keeping in touch with a few very special friends lately. You know who you are and I am sorry. I blame pregnancy (I'm using that card a lot lately!)

Comic Relief

Much to blog, about nothing

Over the past week I have thought about blogging several things but it never actually makes it on here. Since posting random thoughts seems to be the only way I can express myself these days, here we go again.

1. I think I need to be careful about posting how tired I am because last week several people called me to ask if I was okay - they'd been reading my blog and thought I sounded tired.

2. The truth is that I am tired. I have had SO many photo shoots lately. Thank the Lord I am finished for awhile. Now I just have to get caught up on editing and get the galleries online and I can relax.

3. Wait, I can't relax. Then I have to do my taxes, finish baby preparations, and a bunch of other stuff. Not to mention I have a job and a toddler.

4. I went out on Friday night for a friend's birthday dinner. I really did not want to go (I love her but I was tired and have a huge to-do list) but I made myself anyway. I decided that if I don't do social stuff, people will forget about me and I won't be invited anymore. No matter how much I wanted to stay on the couch and watch a movie - I have to keep going! Especially since I'll be on lockdown soon enough with a newborn.

5. My grandmother called me yesterday and told me that she thought the baby was starting to fatten up and that she was going to be bigger than Addison. I took that as her way of telling me I looked like I was getting bigger. I am 34 weeks pregnant so obviously this is true. No matter how many people tell me I look tiny, it takes one comment like that to send me into a worried panic that I am going to be huge and not able to lose the weight as quickly as before. I already had a RUDE nurse tell me at my 32 week appt that I had gained too much in a 2 week span (4 lbs) even though I was told to drink Ensure and gain more weight the month before because I wasn't gaining enough. It's enough to make me crazy. (Mom, if you're reading this do not call Betty and tell her not to comment on my gain or lack of gain - that will just set off a whole new frenzy of phone calls and whispers to people when she thinks I can't hear)

6. This post would be better with pictures but my photo project is on hiatus. I've been taking some random pictures but usually with my point & shoot and they're pretty bad.

7. Sometimes I forget how many people from my "real life" read this blog. The other day someone said "remember when you posted about the hangers you liked so much you could lick them?" Did I really say that? Yes I did, lol. It made me realize that people do read (and remember) this thing! My only hope is that I don't post things I'll later regret. So far I've been okay but you never know what could get you in trouble.

8. I realize this blog has become a random stream of nonsense. I blame pregnancy.

9. If I could eat the same thing every day I would. Cheerios & blueberries, a smoothie & toasted wheat thin chips, chicken fajitas. And of course, chocolate ice cream.

10. Maybe tomorrow I'll have something fun and witty to say. Here's hoping...

Ten Things

1. Sometimes I wish we could put a filter on our TV news. My TV would be set to filter out anything relating to Charlie Sheen. I mean really, who cares?!?!

2. I am so tired and achy this week. People keep telling me I look great which I truly appreciate but also have a hard time believing because I SO don't feel great.

3. One of my favorite people told me on Monday that if I was a Facebook page, she'd hit the "like" button. That made me smile. I love her :)

4. I have more photo editing to do than I can handle at the moment. Desperately trying to get caught up so I don't drown after two more shoots this weekend (and then only 1 more until the baby comes!!!)

5. For the first time in my life yesterday, I wondered if anyone would notice if I closed my door and crawled under my desk for a quick nap. I didn't do it but I REALLY wanted to ...

6. When I was pregnant with Addison I had some Lilly Pulitzer thank you notes that were perfect for baby gifts. I have not been able to find them since - online, in stores, anywhere! I wish I could, I like to match my stationary with the occasion and generic notes from Target just aren't going to cut it.

7. We have been trying to figure out what we need to buy before this baby comes. I've decided on which double stroller to get but do I need a video monitor? When we had Addison, those were just gaining in popularity and none of my friends had them. Now, it seems like everyone has them. The husband seems to think it would be a good thing to buy but I'm not sure, we've been fine without one so far.

8. One of the funny things that Betty did on our road trip was get all shocked and appalled over a billboard advertising vasectomies. She told me that in her day, there were things that were just not talked about. Then she proceeded to tell me she didn't even know what "gay" meant until she went to college, but that she did know what a slut was! The way she said it was hilarious.

9. I just bought something else baby-related - somebody stop me! This time I have the excuse that I could use it for photo shoots ... or for my baby ... we'll see. One King's Lane has beautiful baby blankets for sale today (plus they have awesome sales on home decor) - if you sign up, use my refferral link!

10. I'm all out of things to say so I guess it's technically 9 things for today.

Driving Miss Betty

We are back from our whirlwind weekend trip to meet the newest baby in my family. He's amazing, adorable, and delightful - I would have loved to bring him home with me except that I need as much sleep as I can get in preparation for baby #2 who is coming next month!

Crazy Betty and I spent a lot of quality time together this weekend. About 16 hours in the car to be exact. If you're new to my blog, let me introduce you to Crazy Betty, she's my lovely grandmother who always provides LOTS of entertainment and good blog material. I once did a recap post with links to all the best stories but I can't seem to find the link to it. Anyway, she was surprisingly tame this weekend but did provide plenty of funny stories for the blog. It was fun to spend a lot of time with her and I actually learned some new family history and other special stories I don't want to forget. I think I'll recap over the next couple of days - if for no other reason, to record it for myself. Here are some highlights until I can actually compose a coherent post for tomorrow (I had no idea I would be so tired but woah, I am exhausted today)

1. Crazy Betty now knows how to text. I taught her how to read me texts and respond while we were on the road. She was very happy that I don't text and drive and even more excited to be able to say she knows how to text now!

2. I impressed my mother with how I handle some of Betty's "crazy" comments. When she says something absurd, I reply with something equally absurd. For instance, she likes to ask questions that she already knows the answer to, such as "Does your husband curse?" (no) to which I reply "only around Addison" (our 20 month old). When she asks "Do you need money?" I reply "Yes, $1,000 would be wonderful". It stops that line of questioning every time!

3. Crazy Betty has really good stories. My mom called and suggested a "safe" topic of conversation would be asking her to tell me stories about her growing up and our family history. Brilliant! It kept her going for at least 2 hours. BTW - safe topics are needed, as evidenced by the fact that on the way home she tried to lock me into discussions on my sister's current boyfriend and whether or not she's going to marry him (they've been dating for 2 months), politics, and other danger zones that could definitely be used against me in the future.

I'll leave you with a couple of pics (for those who have seen these on FB I apologize, I don't want to show anything they haven't already posted because they might use for an announcement, or might not want it shared yet)