A Series of Unrelated Things

1. How come laundry is never ending? It's like the fish and the loaves, man. It just continuously multiplies and it is never, ever done. Laundry is the boss of me. In the last year or so I have stayed on top of it more than I ever have as far as how frequently I throw something in the wash... and yet I am still folding big piles of laundry every, single day.

On a more positive note, I have been washing all of Jack's clothes and blankets and folding them and putting them in his little drawers. It's all just the most precious thing ever. Plus, I'm washing it all in Dreft so I'm basically needing to smell each individual piece as I fold it. The little onesies. Oh. I can't take it. I will squish him and he will be my squishy.

2. Speaking of Jack, I just got back from the doctor and it looks like he will be coming the first week of November. (We are having a scheduled c-section, so we get to more or less pick the date, unless he were to come on his own.) If we have him the first week of November, that means that we will be meeting him in about 40 days, give or take a few. FORTY DAYS, Y'ALL. How is it possible to be SO joyously excited and SO panicked all at the same time?! It's pretty much 90% joy and happiness and like 10% anxiety attack. I go back to the doctor in 2 weeks to check his position, and then after that I start going once a week. This trimester has flown by. Goodness gracious.

3. THE SHOWS ARE BACK, Y'ALL. We watched Nashville last night and I'm so glad that Deacon is okay. I mean, I never really doubted it, but I was able to take a big sigh of relief once I knew for certain. And I am going to need Juliette to pull herself together and put on her big girl panties and stop being such a brat. There, I said it, I feel better. And tonight is a very big night on ABC for all the big Shonda shows and I am suckered in, hook, line and sinker. I've been watching Grey's Anatomy since the very first night it ever aired. Honestly, I am ready for that show to move on but I can't stop watching now. I've got to see it through to the end, whenever that might be. I'll probably have grandchildren and we'll all be watching Zola Shepherd-Grey become Chief Resident as she deals with her childhood trauma and scars from her daddy dying and her mother being so dark and twisty.

4. Ellie has "Pet & Vet Day" today at school. A veterinarian is coming to talk to them about taking care of animals, and several people are bringing their pets up to school for the children to pet and look at. We had the option of bringing Moxie, but I chose not to as he is not especially drawn to children and also I don't want all his dog hair in my car. I asked Ellie on the way to school this morning what animals she thought she would be seeing today. "Oh, I gonna see puppies and kitties. And giraffes and hippos and a lion."

I sure hope not. But, perhaps a hamster?

5. We have officially entered the season of Fall as far as the calendar is concerned, but the weather has not taken note. It is still very, very hot. I was telling a friend of mine yesterday (who is even more pregnant than me) that when I found out I was due in November, I envisioned all the cute Fall clothes I would wear as I neared the end of my pregnancy. "A November baby!", I thought to myself. "It'll be so different from the end of my pregnancy with Ellie. No tank tops and flip flops, this time. I'll be wearing scarves and boots and it won't be so hot. What a nice change!"

Um, no. It is remaining hot. I am in capris and short sleeves every day and I sweat all the time. There are no scarves or boots in my life. No cute maternity sweaters. I am continuing with the tank tops.

I feel like if you look back at the 8 or so years that I've had this blog, probably 50% of the content is just me complaining about the heat. Forgive me.

Happy Thursday, y'all. I hope wherever you are, it's cooler than it is here!

Getting Ready for Jack

In case you missed it, over the weekend I announced our sweet son's name.

My dad's name is Jack, which is a name I've always loved. And he's a man I've always loved and greatly admired. Grant's dad's name is Charlie, which is another awesome name and wonderful man. When we were picking a name for our son, we knew we didn't have to look much farther than our two dads. To quote my husband, "I just can't think of two better men."

Our son's name will be Jackson Charles.

This weekend, my sweet sister threw me a darling shower in her home to help us switch from girl mode to boy mode over here. I love the attention to detail - she did such a great job, as she always does!

This sweet teddy bear and balloons welcomed us in.

Blue punch (with a swimming rubber ducky!), perfect letter blocks for the nursery from Etsy, THE YUMMIEST MINI CHEESECAKES OH MY GOODNESS, and delicious cookies!

There was also a big spread with muffins and breakfast casseroles and lots of yummy things that I had second and third helpings of. No shame, y'all, no shame.

More cookies!

The theme of the nursery is a madras plaid in primary colors, so the cookies were made to look like plaid. More to come on the cookies a little further down in the post.... seriously they are amazing.

I squealed a little when I saw this on the mantle.... I can't believe this is happening so soon!

Grant's parents were so kind to drive all the way in from New Orleans to celebrate with us this weekend. I wish I had gotten a few more pics of all of us at the shower, but this picture right here is a treasure to me. My mother-in-law said a prayer over me and Jack, and the whole time she was praying, she had her hand on one side of my belly while my mom had her hand on the other side. 

Sweet Jack, you are loved by your grandmothers - and that is the understatement of the century.

Grace and Ellie wore matching dresses because they are so very darling. Those girls have such a sweet little bond.

Ellie was really excited about the "Baby Jack Party!" and couldn't figure out whose birthday it was. She had a blast nevertheless!

More on those cookies - Debbie from Honeypie Sweets is beyond talented and made all the cookies and treats for the party. She even made this amazing mobile! The stars say "Pops", "PaPa", "Daddy" and "Baby Jack" - I love that little homage to his name and his grandfathers! You can see these photos and photos on the Honeypie Sweets Facebook page.

The whole shower was just so special and intimate and I'm so thankful for this new life that will be joining us soon. Today, while Ellie is at school, I plan on starting to wash Jack's clothes and put some things together in the nursery. We're getting into the final countdown, people!

Have a very Happy Tuesday!

Red Carpet Recap: Emmy Awards 2015

Welcome to the Red Carpet Recap! I've missed this so much - it's been way too long since I've done one of these so I'm thrilled to be back at it. The red carpet looks tonight did not disappoint. Let's start off with a doozy, shall we?

Heidi. There is about 7 different things going on right now. And the color isn't helping. WHAT IS THIS.

Sarah Hyland is on point, per usual.

If you're competing for most beautiful couple, WE GET IT. YOU WIN. STOP.

I don't like that third strap, but she is absolutely darling.

I like the dress. I like the shoulder thing. I don't like them together. 

I'm not sure who this is, but I like that she decided that her hand pose should be a heart. 

Well just give her a pointy hat and she's got herself a Halloween costume!

Who is this beautiful girl? Oh! It's Lady Gaga! And she's not wearing a dress made of meat! What a marvelous improvement this is! She looks beautiful. LET'S STICK WITH THIS LOOK, SHALL WE?!?

No. No. A thousand times, no.

At first I got angry when I saw this pic cause I wanted to know who that home wrecker is walking the red carpet with William H. Macy. And then I realized that it's Felicity Huffman with brown hair and she is unrecognizable. But also kinda fabulous!

I'm not sure why, but the colors and pattern of this dress reminds me of that old store in the mall, Gadzooks.

OLIVIA POPE I MISS YOU PLEASE HURRY BACK TO ME I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND I AM ANXIOUS FOR THURSDAY NIGHT TELEVISION AND ALSO YOU LOOK AMAZING OKAY THANKS BYE.

Sweet honey child - those pants do not belong with that little top you have going on there. I'm not sure who advised you that all of this was okay. Pick a direction and stick to it. You can't do two things at once. 

LOVE this look on Maggie!

Regina King is one of my favorite actresses. And if this gown went all the way to the ground, it would be one of my favorite dresses.

When she was slouching in her chair wearing a hoodie.... oh heavens she makes me laugh!

HE'S WEARING A NAHVY BLUE TUXAHDO.

She is quickly becoming one of my favorite people. So ridiculously funny and talented - and she looks beautiful!

And the textured jacket award goes to Mr. Andy Samberg!

For the record, I thought his opening song and dance number was hilarious but the rest of the show felt awkward. He couldn't get the jokes to land right. I could tell that he knew it wasn't going well. Not sure what happened there......

But look! Fred Armisen came with a Wolverine hand which totally makes sense!

Is he about to burst into a song and dance number? Perhaps with tap shoes?

Can we just revisit this for a moment? I AM SO CONFUSED.

This is Andy Samberg's beautiful wife and she may be wearing one of the oddest things I've ever seen. What is happening on her chest?  Why is it there?  Is it a picture frame?

And the winner of the best earrings of the night goes to Julia Louis-Dreyfus!

I don't know who this is but I've named her Peppermint Patty.

The top of this dress is very mother-of-the-bride and the bottom of this dress is very flower girl. But Retta is hilarious so I don't really care what she wears!

THERE IS A STRUCTURAL ISSUE HERE. One side of this dress has fallen down entirely. This bothers me more than I can fully explain.

Mindy really doesn't want anyone to take her purse so she labeled it with a very big font.

She also matches the wallpaper which is an added plus. 

Who was your favorite look for the night? Can anyone tell me what is going on with Heidi's dress? Did you also feel like Andy's jokes fell flat? Let's discuss!

31 Weeks Pregnant - An Update!

Well, we've officially entered the third trimester and I am rapidly approaching the birth of this sweet little boy. I had a doctor's appointment this morning and I thought I'd share a little update on where we are with the little mister!

At my last appointment I was told that I gained 10 pounds in one month. Oops. However, I've reined myself back in and in the last 2 weeks I've only gained 1 pound. Hooray! My doctor says I am now right on track as far as weight gain is concerned. Let's hope I keep that under control and I don't go crazy in the next few weeks! I do love carbs so much. So, so much.

Sweet Boy is kicking and stretching and doing about 3 hours of karate every day. He is so much more active than his sister was. I actually went to the hospital about 2 weeks ago for monitoring since he went about 3 days without much movement at all. Thankfully everything was okay and he had just changed positions and I just wasn't feeling his usual soccer player moves. It ended up just being a nice, quiet afternoon in Labor & Delivery.

I'm feeling pretty good. I'm sore a lot and my back hurts. I am going to try and schedule a prenatal massage in the next 2 weeks or so to get some relief. I sleep well most of the time, aside from my nightly trip to the bathroom. I try to take a nap when Ellie naps and by the end of the day I am so, so tired and start falling asleep on the couch. I realized the other day that as tired as I am right now in this season, there really isn't much relief in sight. I'm about to enter into about 2 years of being tired! I'm just taking a deep breath and facing it... the sooner we get through it the sooner it's over :)

While my due date is 9 weeks away, I am preparing myself for delivery about 8 weeks from now. We will have a scheduled c-section and that often happens in the 39th week. Technically, it could be even earlier. Ellie was 11 days early. We'll see what happens... oh my goodness we are getting close.

All in all, it's been a really good pregnancy and I am so thankful for the privilege of carrying this buddy boy. He does have a name, but Grant isn't ready to share it just yet with the world wide web, but you'll all know it soon enough.

Here's a pic we took this last Sunday. I was about 30.5 weeks.

I ordered a dresser for him so I can start working on putting clothes away. I've gotten some hand-me-downs from my sister and I need to sort through them and start washing things and getting his room set up. I never thought the concept of nesting was a real thing until I've gone through these 2 pregnancies. I can not explain the strength of the urge that I have to get everything ready. I am cleaning out closets and tackling projects. There is a looming deadline and I am going to make it! Thankfully, Grant realizes that this is just part of how I prepare for our babies, and he is quite the trooper when it comes to helping me get everything ready. I'm so thankful for him.

Ellie is getting more and more excited about becoming a big sister. I feel like she is "getting it" more and more and she talks about her brother a lot. She asks to say good morning to him and she hugs and kisses my belly before bedtime as well. She says "Goodnight baby bruddah! I love you!" She knows he is going to be born at a hospital. She knows she is going to get to hold him and she knows she can help give him a bottle. She knows he is going to ride in the back seat with her. She knows that we are getting his room ready and that he is going to sleep in her old crib. She tells random strangers that she's gonna have a baby brother. She felt him move for the first time the other day and she laughed really hard. It's so sweet! I do think she will have a big adjustment period but all in all I think she's excited about the new adventure!

Oh, what an adventure this will be.....

What I Did During Ellie's First Day of Preschool

Yesterday was a day that had been on the calendar for a long, long time. It was Ellie's first day of preschool.

She'll be going 2 days a week. We are at a new school this year and so there is lots of new adventures ahead of her. I know she's been ready for a more structured environment after a long, hot summer with a big, pregnant mama. While I miss her while she is at school, I could really use a few hours a week to get everything ready for this little boy that will be arriving in just 2 short months. I've really not done much of anything to get ready for him and it's time to get my rear in gear, so to speak.

We had already gone to "Meet the Teacher" day at school last week, so she was familiar with her classroom and had met her two darling teachers. Yesterday we walked into the classroom. She walked in confidently, yet holding my hand. The school was so smart in their decision to make the first day of school "Teddy Bear Day", so every child brought a little lovey with them to ease any fears or anxiety. Ellie brought a teddy and I could tell it really did add an extra level of comfort. So sweet.

I stayed in the room with her for about 5 minutes. She hung her backpack up on her little hook that had her name, and got right to playing. I was so proud of her. It's a little intimidating to go into a new school, a new classroom, and not know anyone. But, she jumped right in. I gave her a kiss and headed out. Here's a few pictures from our morning:

So, the question quickly became "what am I going to do with my day?!"

Well, for starters, I had to go to Parent Orientation, so I spent the first hour getting the low down on the procedures, policies, and protocol for all things preschool. (This blog has been brought to you by the Letter P!) On my way back out to my car, I quietly peaked into Ellie's room to make sure she was adjusting okay. She was quietly sitting on the floor, tightly holding her teddy, while playing with a dollhouse. Sweetness.

After that, I decided to go get a good, solid car wash with an intense interior vacuum situation. Basically, I needed the summer washed out of my vehicle. It smells so good and there are no more crumbs or trash or assorted fast food wrappers all over the floors of my car. I'm beyond thankful.

Next, I headed to Dish Society where I had a long, leisurely lunch with two of my mama friends, Rachael and Courtney. It was so very lovely. I had a chicken salad sandwich with sweet potato chips and an iced tea. It was amazing.

I caught up on some phone calls, people I hadn't talked to in a few weeks. I went to Target for a few key items and then I literally strolled the aisles. One of my favorite parts of being in Target by myself is going through the cosmetic section. I actually didn't buy any makeup, but I sure did take my time pulling out various products and reading about them. I WAS READING MAKE UP PACKAGING, Y'ALL. This does not happen when you have a 3 year old in the cart with you.

On my way out of Starbucks, I stopped and grabbed a Decaf Grande Cinnamon Dolce Latte from the Starbucks and then drove in silence for quite some time. Coffee and silence.... I just haven't experienced that since May.

Lastly, I experienced something I have never experienced before but I know that I will experience for the next 15-20 years of my life: CARPOOL LINE.

Yep. I sat in my very first carpool line to pick up the Ellie girl. I had her name on a sign in the windshield and everything. Oh, moments like that make me feel like SUCH A MOM. But she hopped right in while her teacher buckled her in. She was thrilled to see me and said she had a good day and then she said "MOM DID YOU GO TO TARGET?!" after she saw the bags. Oh, yes honey, I did. And it was glorious.

She told me all about her day and her teachers and that she wants to go back. Makes my heart so happy!

In the future, I'll be making a better use of my time as we get ready for her baby brother's arrival, but for Day 1.... it was a pretty spectacular day!

Ellie's First Dance Class

Look, I wasn't expecting to take ten thousand photos. I wasn't expecting to totally freak out and tear up. But y'all, something happened when I put her in those pink tights, that black leotard, and the tiny little ballet shoes. And then I put her hair up in a bun. And I LOST MY EVER LOVING MIND WITH THE PICTURE TAKING.

Before we even left the house, I went a little nuts. I was literally squealing as I took these:

To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure how the actual dance class was going to go down. Ellie loves to dance and has been talking about this for months and months, but sometimes when she is faced with some kind of forced participation activity, my girl shuts down. I totally would not have been surprised if she got to the dance studio and decided that she'd rather play a game on my iPhone.

Thankfully, we got there, walked into the studio, and she saw all the mirrors. And this pleased her very much.

Checking herself out in the mirrors....

I took more pictures and then showed her where I would be sitting. I could see her through a window, and she could see me. Class began, and she sat with the other girls and alternated between listening to her teacher and making faces at herself in the mirror.

Sidenote:

Please note that there are probably 85 pictures from this blessed event. I have majorly sorted through them for the purpose of simplicity while blogging and for the sheer fact that I understand a little thing called overkill. There is a line and I have crossed it. 

Also, I don't know these other little girls or their mamas very well yet and I suspect they wouldn't be too thrilled to find 35 pictures of their precious angels on some stranger's blog. 

End of sidenote. 

She's the one jumping....

 Hi, Mom!

Throughout the class, she would look for me in the window and give me a thumbs up. She was super into it. Her teacher was great with them and I was seriously shocked at how much the teacher was able to get these 3 year olds to do on their first day. I'm not saying they were dancing well, but they were following basic instructions and that was just more than I could have imagined.

They played this little hula hoop game. Each girl was given a hula hoop. While the music was playing, they would dance around the outside of the hoop. When the music stopped, they jumped in and stood still. It was a big hit. (Follow me on Instagram to see a video of this little game!)

They jumped across the floor, one at a time. Ellie didn't exactly stay along the line, but she did it. Then, the door flew open and all the little girls came running to their mamas, screaming for their tap shoes. I couldn't get them on her fast enough. I hardly had the left shoe on before she was off my lap, stomping her way back into the studio.

Each girl was given a pink sticker for her right shoe and a blue sticker for her left. I watched her look at herself in the mirror, making funny faces as she stomp, stomp, stomped her little tiny feet.

I could not handle this entire experience. I was seriously emotional. I have no idea why.

After the 45 minute class was over, she got a sticker on her hand from her teacher and came running out, loudly exclaiming to me, "I WANNA DO THAT AGAIN!"

It could not have been a bigger hit.

I'm very excited that dance class will be a part of our lives!