It's A-Coming

Whoa! I haven't blogged in so long I just had to sit and think about my password when signing in! Or maybe it's the old age....HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me today! I've been telling my friends that I am well into my 30's now. Well - 31. Yes, I'm sporting the new "mom" hair-do (or is that cut and color your hair at the very last of your pregnancy hair-do?) Yes, that me, 35 weeks prego on a ladder. I just am trying to get this baby's room done...and it needed my touch on the walls as far as painting. I will show off my Mom's touch when I take a pic of the finished room later.....just what I imagined for my little Amelia.

And of course some pics of my shower. It was great...thank you Julie! Julie and I actually have the same due date, but she is like 3 feet taller than me, so sometimes she looks bigger! It was weird this time, not to have my old friends at my shower, but it was great to have some of my new SA friends there.

Avery knew it was a party for Baby Amelia, so she insisted on both of us unwrapping the gifts! (Cherie, we look like sisters again)

Well, Christmas Time's a coming, and so is this baby....4 weeks from today! We'll see!

Not-So-Scary Scarecrow

I can't believe I'm posting Halloween pics so late! But seems like other things besides blogging have been on my to-d0 list. Anyway, here is the cutest little scarecrow in San Antonio!

Thanks Grandma for sewing on the patches and the "hay"! Avery was so proud all 5 times she wore her costume! The proudest when she wore it on Halloween evening, with scarecrow makeup, up to Daddy's firestation!

Family Reunion

I'm just getting around to posting some pics of our annual family reunion. This reunion was different and special because instead of driving several hours to the meeting place and spending several hours then driving several hours back home, this time it was an all weekend thing. We stayed at Three Mountain Ranch near Clifton, sleeping in "cabins", eating and playing all day. The weather was perfect and we will definitely do again this way next year! This is the bunch

of us getting ready to go on the hay ride (with no hay!)

We also got to go horseback riding (well I didn't because of my "condition"....still haven't ever ridden a horse yet.)

Little Rhett (my nephew) had a great time too. All Avery could talk about on the drive up was seeing her favorite cousin Ryan!

G-ma's New Boyfriend

Just wanted to post the sweetest thing and the cutest little pic.....no not of my Avery, but of my grandma and her new boyfriend, James. I haven't met him yet but will this weekend b/c grandma is bringing him to our family reunion. Everyone that has met James, says that he is so kind. It's been 6 years since my Popee passed away and G-ma has always talked like there would never be anyone else out there for her. Well God still has amazing plans for my grandma's life b/c the wedding date has been set for James and G-ma for Feb.14th, 2009. What an exciting Valetine's Day!

Little "Luby"

Thanks for all the votes on the baby's name...it was fun to see what everyone liked out of the list. Here are the results:

• 1 vote for Bryce
• 2 votes for Winter
• 2 votes for Reese
• 3 votes for Joy
• 4 votes for Camille
• 9 votes for Amelia

Everyone did great! Because the name we choose for her isn't Luby...it will be Amelia! We still haven't decided on a middle but Avery insists that her name be Amelia Luby! Everyday she expresses how excited she is about becoming a big sister!

Baby Name Poll

For fun, I'm listing all the names in alphabetical order, that I have considered for this baby girl. I'm curious to see what every one's opinion for which name is their favorite out of the list (even though David and I have actually decided on her name as of this week!) So, no, your vote this time doesn't count, but like I said ...thought it would be fun. I'll post the "results" of the poll next week! To vote for your favorite name, scroll to the end of this post and click on "comments" which will send you to another page. Type in your vote and be sure to leave your name too!! Then, just choose "Anonymous" to post your vote. Here's the list:

• Amelia
• Bryce
• Camille
• Farrah
• Heidi
• Joy
• Reese
• Winter (Yes people, cause she will be born in January!)

A Missed Celebration

I know I haven't blogged in forever....but I need to go back to Sept. 11th for, actually, a happy celebration! My nephew, Rhett, turned 1! We couldn't make it to East Texas so we missed his party and all that good stuff. Luckily Mom sent me some pics of the birthday boy.....

First John Deere on the first birthday!

Dessert with Grandpa! We love and miss you Rhett...happy 1st Birthday!

Pre-Pre-School

Despite my procrastination in finding Avery a new Mother's Day Out program since we've moved ...God led me to a (what seems to be) perfect Pre-pre school for Avery at just the last minute. First day of class was Wednesday. She will go every Monday and Wednesday ...I'm looking forward to decorating her and the baby's room during this free time. I think it'll be a great opportunity to be creative, schedule appointments and get things done around the house before this baby arrives. I mean, it's not like I sat around all day while Avery was at school watching "Days"... (I watched that later)... I cleaned like a maid finally, even scrubbed the bathtubs (which is not too often for me). It's amazing how much you can get done if you don't have a 3 year old on your leg. But I did miss her on her first day and much prayer sent on her behalf through-out the day while she was gone. Even amidst her excitement Avery wasn't too thrilled that I'd be leaving her there by herself...

Don't worry, I didn't leave her in this state. She felt much better after finding the puzzles.

She requested that Daddy pick her up, so we both came. Her teacher said she had a great first day and Avery even said that she was ready to go back to school real soon! "Daddy got me a Boot's Cookie, cause I'm a big girl!"

Sea World & Company

We have had alot of company lately. It has all been fun, but we are pretty tired and ready to get back into a routine (at least I am). First was a fun, family weekend with Grammy and Papa who brought Grandaddy and Granny. Thanks for the good food and all the house-warming presents! Glad Samantha (Granddaddy's little dog) didn't leave us a "house-warming present"!

Then our friends from Palestine (Cherie and Dwayne) came for a visit and brought Jake (Avery's 1st best friend). We went to Sea World for the first time....it was ridiculously hot....kids were tired...and the stroller wheel busted off, but we DID manage to have a great time. It was so worth it!

In the big net pic, Cherie is helping Avery up the net and Jake is helping himself! Actually, Avery got this far up and decided it was too hot so she came and sat down. Jake played till we thought he was about to pass out!

As we left, after 7 hours in the heat with no nap (yes, I'm talking about me with no nap) the double stroller's wheel came off. My camera's battery was dead and Cherie dropped her camera in the pool at the water park, so no pic of our mishap. Anyway, the kid's were exhausted and had no stroller, so I carried Avery thru the heat, thru the park and thru the parking lot....prego! But I laugh when I picture Cherie carrying Jake in front of me, struggling. And Dwayne trying to balance a 3-wheeled stroller ...how embarrassing!

The day that they left my parents came in and brought Ryan (Avery's favorite cousin). What a wild weekend! I thought my blood pressure was going to burst. That's all I have to say about them two together! HA!

After the company's gone....Avery and I have been doing some bonding time together. Got to before January! We purchased season passes at Sea World and we have gone a total of 3 times in 8 days! This last time, we went to see the Backyardigans....but it was lame, b/c they came out for 5 minutes and then showed the CARTOON! But Avery thought it was neat anyway.....

Then we went to the Shamu's kiddie park area....

Poor thing, didn't have anyone to play with on the pirate ship....You can't see her, but then she got stuck in this net tube and some man had to help her out...

So my child, is the only one that decided to play in the sand area and forgot about the play ground thing that she said was "too crowded with too many kids." She was right!

Sugar and Spice...

...and everything nice... that's what must be inside this baby... b/c we are having another GIRL! I couldn't be more thrilled! God sure knows my heart's desire and during the sonogram today, he surprised me again by going above and beyond my expectations. Really. We ALL expected it to be a boy after my last sonogram, except little Avery, who has been saying it's a girl named Luby since the beginning. Well, I don't know about the name Luby, but I guess Avery had some kind of instinct that we didn't have... she is so excited that she will be a big sister as well as have a little sister!

Pool Hoppin'

We don't really hop from pool to pool in one day. Although... we have been visiting different pools in the last 2 months. A total of 7 actually, since our community pool has STILL not even been started on. I'm going to take that sign down and give it back to them that says "Community Pool" when you enter Laura Heights. Who's them??

I've given up, this summer, on the luxury of our own neighborhood pool that we can walk to at our own convenience and not feel like I am breaking the law by taking my child swimming. So, we have to go elsewhere...it's the only other option. Yes, we sneak in. Well, it's really not a sneak, it's a walk in unnoticed. But I think we finally found a pool to stay at... a nearby apartment complex with a huge pool and a shallow end that looks like a beach so that Avery can play while I relax... that nobody is ever at... with very easy access since the gate locks are broken. Here it is...

As the song playing says " You would do it too", especially if you were a stay at home mom, in 100 degree temps, with a 3 year old that LOVES the water. I can see me now, being arrested in my blue maternity swimsuit, slippery from sunscreen ...as my little fish watches and keeps on floatin'.

Wiggly Concert

It was like over 100 degrees outside and the concert started at 3:00(nap time), so I actually debated even going ...for like 2 seconds! Miss the Wiggles in concert? Are you kidding? The Wiggles are Avery's all time favorites! It was just me, Avery and a few other thousand people at the AT&T Center (where the Spurs play) and it was something I'll remember forever. The look on her face when the Wiggles actually came out was sooo worth the drive across SA, the heat, and crowd. I guess she thought that we were going to see a Wiggles movie or something and not actually see the real thing, because when they drove out on stage in their "big red car", Avery was like in disbelief. I actually held back tears when I saw them come on stage b/c I knew how exciting it was for my little 3 year old to be looking at Murray, Jeff, Anthony, and Sam LIVE! She looked in amazement and then gave me the biggest hug as if to say "thank you, thank you, thank you"! Thank you Eric, for the amazing tickets and GREAT seats!

Anthony, Jeff, Sam, and Murray. Captain Feather Sword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, and Henry the Octopus. (Just missed Wags)!

More Changes

We're doing a little changing to our new house to make it look more our living place instead of a rent house! So sick of plain walls!

This is in our kitchen "Brown Clay" which is like UT orange really.

This is in our living room "Tender Twig"....Avery loved her big A on the wall!

A friend from church just gave Avery her daughter's play vanity. She is on this thing ALL the time "getting ready". It has lights and sounds when she uses the hair dryer, lipsticks, comb, and nail polish. This is my little girl's ideal playset. Avery is soooo girly! Thanks Connie!

How do you like the quilt hung on the window as a curtain ... (HA! It's gonna be the baby's room so we are waiting to decorate it!) By the way...we find out what the baby is when I have my sonogram on Aug. 25th!

Oh, had to take a pic of the socks and shoes she was wearing...she said she was going to play basketball!

Bring it On

You know when you just feel like a change.... last Friday, I already had a hair appointment, so I made myself a appt. for a pedicure too! This guy "Steven", was the first person to just look at me and ask if I was having a baby. So glad I'm starting to appear pregnant to strangers instead if just really bloated!

Then I scooted on over to the other side of SA and had highlights put in and six inches of my hair cut off by Dennis. He's been doing my hair since 1998! Dennis is the most "fabulous" stylist in SA! I totally trust him, but he did try twice to convince me to wait and cut my hair closer to when the baby comes. What was his deal? Maybe he was just really hungry and was trying to get rid of me ...but I told him I needed a trim anyway, so he might as well work through lunch! Not only did I make some changes, but David finally did too. As a new firefighter, he had to rotate each shift to different stations. He has finally been assigned to Station 41 (Tezel & Dover Ridge) actually not such a bad drive from the house.

We went to visit Daddy on his first shift at his new fire station!

Guess who not only wanted to take control of the fire truck but also wanted to take control of the camera... this is a great shot for a 3 year old, don't you think?!