Meet the Cat

This is our cat Zelda. As you can see she has no idea of the mayhem to come her way. She believes that our lives revolve around her comfort and needs. Little news flash for Zelda she has mere weeks to enjoy the air conditioning and constant pampering she has grown so accustomed to. As soon as our new little munchkin arrives she will find herself coping with life outdoors. Poor widdle puddy tat. If she's lucky she may be re-entering the house after the baby is older, but I may just decide that I like not having to lint roll the sofa and sweep up fur balls constantly. She looks sooooo innocent but I tell you looks can be deceiving. She has about as many personalities as lives.
Today I was out garage sale-ing(how do you spell that??) (it happens to be one of my favorite forms of entertainment) and a lady asked me if I was going to the baby fair in town so I decided what the heck. It was actually really fun even though I didn't win the $250 breast pump or the 4D ultrasound package or any thing else for that matter. I did get lots of coupons, samples, and info for baby stuff in general and there were lots of pediatricians there to ask questions and all that. It was so cute to see so many pregnant women in one room.
Recently my spelling on the blog has been called into question. I have to admit spell check hasn't worked since I started and most of the time I don't even read my posts over so if this is offensive to anyone...well...I don't know what to tell you. I'll try to do better and if I don't I bet if you think hard enough you'll figure out what I meant, even if it is annoying.

The Dr. Has Spoken

We just got back from the Dr. All is well. She says yes indeed the baby is lower, but he has also flipped into the breech position. So, she did everything it is that doctors do and decided that he doesn't seem to be coming any time soon. So family reunion is a go. We have decided to fly though, so we will actually miss all of the vacation except for the family reunion. We'll hate to miss out, but it will give Tim a lot mure time to work on the stairs and all that.
Kryna is coming to help me paint the crib and the changing table and then we are off to Fayettville with Aaron.
I'm sorry I just don't really have any news today, its sad isn't it. Ok well maybe I'll have more later.

Baby Shower

Sat. night marked the first baby shower I've ever been to and it also happened to be in my honor. It was so much fun. Sonja and Kelsie did so much to make it a beautful evening which they accomplished with style and class to spare. I wish I had a picture of the table because the cake and snacks were amazing. Way to go girls! Thanks to everyone, you were all so generous.
Seeing all these tiny baby things has made me so sentimental and maternal. (not like I wasn't already having these tendencies) Its not odd to catch me sitting on the floor cuddling some baby related item rocking back and forth with a tear running down my cheek. Mom gave me a wooden sign for the baby that says "Always kiss me goodnight" and I just sit there promising my belly I will and begging him to let me every night till he moves out. Mom always came into our rooms one by one at night on her way to bed to say good night and offer a kiss, I'd alway scoot over in bed and beg her to sit down for a second. It just didn't feel

if she didn't tuck us in. I think I'll just die if my little Peanut won't let me. (I must have just gotten a fresh batch of pregnancy hormones)

Last Tues. or so Tim decided that the baby had dropped. Not long after I started to agree and the next time Mom and Kryna saw me they agreed. I hope we are all crazy. Most people I've talked to have said that from the time the baby drops he'll be here in no more than two weeks. One person said maybe up to four weeks. This all scares me to death because two weeks puts me in the middle of the west coast. Call me crazy but I was kind of set on having it here. So any way, I
have an appointment with my Dr. this Thurs. four days before we hope to leave for two weeks to the west coast. I just have to make sure that she is as sure as humanly possible that this boy isn't comming a second before I step foot back on home soil. Thats just a little more fun than I care to have. So if it looks like he'll be making his appearance early I'll just have to stay here, reunion or no reunion.

Ok, well I'm off to go stare in wonderment at a tiny sock

Bras, Oprah, and Diapers

Last night I was waiting up for Tim to get home (he doesn't get home from work till about midnight on Mon. and Tues.) and I was flipping through the channels to pass the time. A rerun of Oprah was on and while I am usually not impressed by her it caught my eye. The Brit girls of What Not to Wear were on and to me it was absolutly fascinating. They were talking about how probably 99% of us women are wearing the wrong bra size and as they talked and took women off the street to demonstrate thier point it was amazing. So now I just have to throw out every bra in my closet and start over. :) Well at least in due time.



I've told lots of you already how I am not going to use disposable diapers on TJ. Most of you have gasped in horror and wondered slightly if I am a cave-woman, but I assure you that there is no need for horror. I am really excited about it and I had no idea that this was even an option until I was looking at a diaper pail online and a mommy who used these diapers wrote a review and mentioned them. These are not the diapers our mothers used with the pins and the covers and all the confusing folding. I wouldn't use those either. (too much hassle) These are different and oh so cool. Lots of reasons to use....

1. Total cost is about the same as what it cost for six months of sposie diapers
2. Saves lots of enviromental resourses (I only hug trees occasionaly, don't freak out yet)
3. Cloth is much better for Baby's bottom than synthentic materials
4. Except for extra laundry created, just as easy to use and leak free as sposies (so I am told on the leaks, no actual experience in that area yet)
5. So very very cute :)


So that's my mini advertisement for them. I just wanted everyone to see them and explain why I'm so excited about using them. :) I also bought some that have applix (velcro like) tabs instead of snaps. They are neat too but I wanted to try some of each.

As for my day today it was pretty typical for me. Folded some laundry, baked cookies, crocheted wash clothes, etc. The best part was when Mom and Dad came into town on business and I got to play chauffeur for Mom while Dad took care of the business. We do this more often and I love it. It makes for the perfect visit while totaly multi-tasking. I am all for multi-tasking, although in my life now (since I stay at home in wait for baby) I seldom have to practice it. I'm sure that will all change when Jr. actually gets here. Ok, I'm off to make myself some supper.

Happy Birthday Lin

Hey Lin here's a little something for your birthday, the next one is really just for me. :)

Isn't that almost better than cake? I hope you have a great birthday and actually do something You want to do.

Its really hot here again today the high is supposed to be around a 100 again. I know thats not as bad as some of the rest of you but I think it is bad enough. Oh well rejoice in ALL things right, so halleluiah its not 110. Also I am very excited I don't have to be working outside.

Its come to my attention that if it wasn't for my Momma we would get pretty much no e-mail what-so-ever. So, Thanks Mom. I never realized this till she left for this past week and since she left I think we've gotten two forwards and an internet newsletter.

Tim hasn't done any more work on our staircase yet. He works 16 hr. shifts today and tomorrow at the nursing home so maybe on Wed. I'll be sure to take lots of pics when progress picks up. I'm really excited about the whole thing. Its going to add so much room to our house. Its really a mess now though because everything that was stored in the closet that is no more is piled high on the spare bed. There is also plaster dust and bits of wall scattered around. I could clean it up but there is no where to go with most of it and this is just the begining of the plaster dust. All a small price to pay for the end result.

Aaron came into Harrison for his annual visit to the Dentist, Dr. Millburn DDS. A very nice guy ( the dentist, although Aaron is als0 very agreeable.) Since he was in town we met for lunch at Neighbor's Mill. If you are ever passing through Harrison (or staying awhile) I highly recomend that you dine there. Its my favorite (overall) resturant in Harrison. If its Itaian food you are looking for and its dinner time I recomend you visit The Hotel Seville. Don will whip you up some of the finest italian cuisine I've found. Back to my lunch with ADR, it was lots of fun and made me wish even more that he and I lived in such close proxcimity all year round. Its been a blast to be able to see him so casually all summer. I will miss this opportunity next summer more than I can describe. This summer is as near to perfect as they come. It seems families as close as ours should never be far apart. While they never will be in spirit its a shame they have to be physically.

Anyway that is about it for today. Kelsie, when are you comming into town? Take care everyone

Killer Lawn Mower and Proof of Demolition

Have you ever met a riding lawn mower that wanted to kill you? I have yet had the privilege of finding one that DIDN'T want to kill me. It all started when I was about 5 or 6 years old most of you know the story. It was time for me to learn to mow the lawn. Sounded easy enough, really how hard could it be? Well one asks these kinds of questions before one realizes that one can not actually reach the clutch/brake or any other control for that matter and that special wooden blocks will have to be fashioned just to make it semi-possible to mow the lawn. So as you can see I really didn't start out on the right foot with riding lawn mowers to begin with. Since that time I've yet to sit on a mower that has brakes. You would think that of all the vehicles out there the ones with whirring blades flailing about would have brakes. Yesterday was the first time in years I decided to give another rider a chance (I’ve been playing it safe with a push mower for a while now). I made two rounds without incident and started to wonder what I had made such a fuss about. This was actually kind of fun, no strain and a nice tan. Although its brakes weren't perfect everything seemed ok. Little did I know it was plotting against me. Mid round I pushed in the brake to slow down and raise my blade, very little happened and the next thing I know there is an awful noise and what do you know I turn it around and there lays one of the blades and a bolt. I have to say in my defense I am innocent. I don't know why it decided to throw a blade (I've had horses throw shoes before but really that seems like an entirely different situation, but then maybe its not) but it did. So I finished the front lawn chopping patches here and there and in the end it looked similar to a bad shave. After that I pulled out the trusty push mower and finished off the rest.

Demolition of the closet/wall is going very well, its kind of nice having an opening between the dining room and the office. Zelda thinks that it is a special kitty door to save her energy.

This afternoon I am going out for coffee and groceries (it’s like coffee and cookies, but with more variety) with Aaron. It’s hard to tear him away from work and Latin study but oh so worth it when you do. :) I really do mean it.

Yesterday on the Today Show I saw a two faced kitten. You see why I like the Today Show? They really do have it all: real news, weird news, fashion tips, cooking tips, party tips, the weather, and the list goes on and on. I really don't even miss Katie Couric. I really don't watch a lot but I'm always glad when I do. (pretty much)

Do you realize that if TJ is born as early as Kryna was he'd be here next week? I'm not encouraging him to be six weeks early, but its really neat to think that he's all ready to go just putting on a few finishing touches and lots of fat. Its amazing how much weight they gain in the last few weeks, I guess that’s because pretty much everything else is done.

Ok, I'll go now. Till next time....

Deconstruction and a cake

So last night I was making potato salad and a cake and I realized that I had already returned the cake pans I had borrowed from Mom. I would ask Tim to run and get some for me but he's banging away at our closet which will soon be stairs to the attic. (see pic for progress) So I drain the potatoes and inform Tim that I'll be back shortly because I am off to buy 3 9in round cake pans. Tim says hmmm "I'll go with you I need a crow bar." Ok, Wonderfull you go and get the crow bar and the pans and I'll stay here and cook. Not two minutes later I walk into the spare room to see the progess on closet destruction only to see two crow bars laying on the floor. I had no idea that a man needed three crow bars to tear one closet down, but I suppose most men have no idea you need three cake pans to make one cake. :)
Zelda's eye is doing much better. For those of you wondering Castro is her alias she used to ward off unwanted media attention. I don't think she must have had pink eye because we never took her to the vet and she got better very quickly.
Do any of the rest of you love running errands when that is your sole (is that the right sole to use there or am I now refering to my foot? Who can know these things? Silly me Aaron can know these things.) purpose for leaving the house. I know its kind of silly but I get almost giddy when I have a whole list of little odd things to do (library, bank, and the list goes on...) and one by one I check them off. We have the best dry cleaner. His name is Chris and he's always happy except when a spider runs accross the counter then he's just nervous. Its good to have a good dry cleaner.
We went to the Dr. yesterday. TJ has made it into the birthing position. ( I knew he was a smart kid) So all is still going well. Just one more two week appointment then we go every week. Ony 7 weeks to go. I hope he is as eager to see me as I am to see him because I'd rather he wasn't late, but I'm not planning on it.
I need to go, I only have half of my mountain of laundry folded and heaven knows I should get something else done today.

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Trip to Grand Rapids

We're back home from GR. We were there from Thurs-Sun and left early Mon morning. Tim's class reunion was good. Lots of people, Tim seemed to really enjoy catching up with his old buddies. We also got to spend time with all of his family while we were there. It was really nice to see everyone again, all the little ones had grown and changed so much. TJ seemed to do well on the trip, we thought it would be good practice for vacation. (Which by the way mom, I am researching dillegently) Lin....when you get your camera fixed e-mail me some pics. All of the ones we took of you and I, you either look like you are sleeping on or my face is the size of the sun.
On the way home we stopped and visited Kelsie (why didn't I take pics while we were there??) Also we stopped at a cloth diapering store in St. Louis. We had great traveling other than that we hit bad rain from about Lebenon Mo till we got home. I kept slowing down but I was still hydroplaining. Yikes. Oh well we made it and we got rain here too. Praise the Lord.
I should go and take the seperaters out from inbetween my toes (I just painted them, wich if I might add is getting extremly difficult). :)