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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Is there anymore room for me in those jeans?

Remember that Ginuwine song?  Takes on a whoooole new meaning when you have a big ole' belly.  This is gonna be another quick one - sorry if I've bored you all this week, I am really ready to start feeling better!

So, I can't remember whether I mentioned this in one of my "shopping for maternity clothes" posts, but right before we went to Chicago I invested in my first pair of maternity jeans.  I wasn't too sure about them at first - if you've never tried any on and have only seen them on other people, they look silly, and therefore look like they'd feel silly.  Boy, was I wrong (I know, I can't believe I am admitting it either).  They are seriously SO comfortable for a growing belly, and as much as I love the belly band, I'm sad I didn't get maternity pants any sooner than I did.  I found a pair at Old Navy that I have worn slap out, and I'm waiting for the Gap to have another denim sale so I can stock up on more.  :-)

For those of you who are new to the game, behold:


Look like a totally normal pair of jeans, right?
Closeup of the crotchal area.

What prompted me to write this post is that when I was in the bathroom today, I was thinking about how many times per day I have to go now and the real reason that maternity jeans are so much better than normal jeans.  Ready for it?  They don't have a button and zipper (see crotchal closeup above). Yup, it's true.  They literally are just one piece with an elastic band at the top, and although they look normal, they aren't - no zipper.  I know it doesn't seem like it saves you a lot of time, but multiply the 10 seconds it saves you each bathroom trip times the approximately 20 bathroom trips you make per day while pregnant, and you're talking precious minutes (around three and a half, to be exact).  Even more, imagine how much time it saves you compared to when you're wearing normal jeans + the belly band: it's not a matter of just pulling up the pants, it's rearranging them so they're not sticking out weird under the belly band, and then rearranging the belly band to ensure that the pants are secure and you won't be flashing the world by way of your pants falling down.

So, there you have it.  Maternity jeans (and pants in general) are awesome.  In addition to the bathroom time-saving enablement (not a word, I know), they are super stretchy so I'll be able to wear them for the rest of my pregnancy, I hope.

Almost Friday!

Sarah

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Presents Galore! Part Deux.

Have I mentioned how loving, supportive, caring, and downright wonderful our friends and family are?!  Baby Geronimina is already so loved - I have said it before, and will say it again - it absolutely overwhelms me.  I can't wait for her to meet all of you. 

We have been showered with gifts ever since we found out we were expecting - we honestly have the greatest friends and family ever.  Since I am still sick (and therefore exhausted), I am going to do a (mostly) picture post to show you what we've gotten since the last "presents update!" 

Right after we found out that Geronimina is a "she," we had dinner with our neighbor besties Bo & Meagan.  Dan works with Bo, and I've gotten to know them both well since we moved.  We LOVE having them as neighbors, because they are so much fun, and we have really enjoyed getting to know them better.  I think (hope!) we will be friends for years to come!  Not to mention that Layla and their dog, Fender, have total crushes on each other.  We can't walk by their house (and vice versa) without Layla stopping at their gate to whine for Fender.  Anyway, they gave us the following:


Sweet little Cabbage Patch cow

"daddy says NO DATING until i'm 25!"
Cutest ever, right?  I had a cabbage patch doll, Dottie, growing up and wouldn't go anywhere without her - isn't the cow adorable?  And the onesie is hilarious - and so fitting.

The same day, Dan brought home the sweetest gift from another work friend, Daniel.  I've gotten to know Daniel and his wife, Mary-Peyton, through my Dan.  They just had the sweetest little baby boy named Whitaker, and I can't wait to meet him!  Here was our "YAY IT'S A GIRL!" gift from the three of them:


MY WORD the cuteness.  Can't be contained!  Thanks guys!

Next up is my girl Leah, who you may remember not too long ago sent me the Burt's Bees Mama Bee gifts.  LC (I guess you are LL now?!?!?!), you are spoiling this baby and I rotten!  Anyway, I came home Friday to this little gem of adorableness (not a word, I know), and I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven:


BABY GLITTER TOM'S!  IN MY FAVORITE COLOR!  Seriously.  I die.  And the pictures can't even do them justice.  If you have never heard of Toms, you should check them out - I am a big fan of their one for one program.  For every pair of shoes or eye wear purchased, they donate a pair to a child in need.  Pretty nifty, right?  There is a hilarious story behind said Toms that I will have to tell you another time - it's kind of long-winded.  Maybe tomorrow?  Auntie Leah, thank you SO MUCH for the adorable gift.  We LOVE it, and Geronimina told me she can't wait to rock them to match Mommy's pink glitters!

Probably one of the greatest gifts from this past week was that I got see my best girlfriends from college over the weekend.  We live close to one another, relatively speaking, but far enough away that we don't see each other every day or week (like I would love to), so when we do get together it's a real treat.  Allison, April, April's daughter Ava, Megan and I met in Durham at Mad Hatter Bakeshop and Cafe (we missed you Amanda and Sheila!) for breakfast, and I had such a great time catching up.  Girls, if you're reading, can we PLEASE make a conscious effort to meet more often?  Anyway, no offense to the rest of you, but the best part was hanging out with Ava:

...even when she showed me her mad face:

Cute, ain't she?  As well as smart, hilarious, and very well-behaved.  Love all of you girls, let's PLEASE do it again soon!

In closing, this has nothing to do with being showered with gifts by our amazing friends and family, but look where I got to park today when I went to Babies R Us to pick up some gifts for Carrie's work baby shower tomorrow:


It's the little things, I guess.  Off to bed for me, still trying to sleep off this sickness!

Sarah

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Name Game

Hiya, folks!  Tonight's post is going to be quick, because I feel worse today than I did when I first started feeling bad on Friday.  How is that even possible?  Aren't you supposed to get better, not worse?  Joke's on me, guess it's opposite day.

Anyway, down to business.  Many of you have expressed your disbelief at the fact that we haven't talked about names yet.  I 100% swear to you that I am not lying and just saying that we haven't discussed it when we really have.  We literally have not talked about it.  The only time it's come up is when we were in Chicago, and Dan told me he likes the name Abigail.  Chill your pants, that's not a hint, when I said we're not going to tell the name, I meant it - I like Abigail, too, but considering my first dog's legal name was Sarah's Sweet Abigail (Abby for short), I had to veto.

Anyway, so we've been trying to think of creative ways to be loving to one another while having this discussion talk about names without things being crazy, and someone gave us a REALLY good suggestion.  Due to a severe case of pregnancy brain, I can't remember off the top of my head who came up with this (I think it was Uncle Mike and Aunt Shelley, but I'm not positive), so sorry if you're reading.  Anyway, the idea is this: any time one of us comes up with a name we like, we write it down on a slip of paper and put it in some kind of container that we keep in the house.  Just one name - not a name combo.  So for example, Dan would write "Abigail" on his and put it in the jar, and so on and so forth.  And then, sometime before the baby comes - let's say end of December to give us plenty of time - we sit down and go through them together.  The philosophy behind it is, we may like something now that we look back at in 3 months and hate, or we may just think a name is okay but when we pair it with something else from the jar, we love it.  It will be kind of like the cookie jar, but with no cookies - names instead.  Get it?  SO, I think we're going to give it a try.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Comments?  Leave me some love.

With that, I'm calling it a night.  May have broken a new record this week - shortest post?  Nah.  Until next time!

Sarah

Monday, September 26, 2011

Whoooahhh, We're Halfway There...!!! 20 Week Update

It's true, you read it correctly.  I can hardly believe it myself: 20 weeks = halfway there!  I am partially excited to be reaching this milestone, and have partially started freaking out because we have so much to do.  Some of you may have read yesterday's post about the stroller debate.  In addition to that, we've started thinking about some nursery ideas, and my wonderful husband called our top four daycares today to set up appointments for tours (I'll report back on those as we have them).  So we've at least gotten started at this point, but I am impatient and like for everything to be done (PS - babies are expensive.  Who knew?).  The one area we still haven't broached is the name game.  I know, those of you who know me have hit the floor with shock, but we honestly haven't discussed it.  I should go ahead and warn you all that when we do agree on a name, we've decided not to share it until Baby Geronimina is born - y'all KNOW that will be hard for me considering my love of monograms - but a deal is a deal!  Anyway, let's get down to the business of the 20 week stats!

Size of Geronimina: A cantaloupe!  I can hardly believe it.  She's getting so big already (sniffle, sniffle)!  Her taste buds have actually started to work this week, and she's started gulping down amniotic fluid - both for nutrition and to practice swallowing/digesting.  Nifty.

Weight Gain So Far: I weighed in yesterday morning and I am somewhere in the +4/+5 lbs range according to my home scale.  I have been sick for several days now and have noticed a decreased appetite, so that could be part of it.  It's pretty typical to gain about 0.5 lbs/week, or so they say, so as long as I haven't gained more than 10-11 total when I go back to the doctor I'll be happy.  I have to admit that so far I've fared much better than I anticipated, so I'm not complaining.

Cravings: I still don't really have anything consistent.  I want ice cream more than usual, but it's not a daily occurrence.  In the past week, all I've been able to think about is chicken chili, but I'm not sure if that's a craving or if it's just because I'm ready for fall.  Also, today I've really been wanting kale chips.

Aversions: Nada, woohoo!

Symptoms: Still fatigue, some headaches (which may be attributed to the cold I've been fighting off), and a little dizziness.  I have to admit that I've been very lucky!  No swelling or stretch marks to speak of (yet). 

Movement:  LOADS.  They were not kidding when they told us that our little girl is a wiggle worm.  She either loves or hates the following (based on heavy movement around that particular time period): the pants I wore today, Mexican food, church, and bed time. Today she did not sit still all day - it's such a wonderful and indescribable feeling (Did that make anyone else sing the Alladin song in their head?).  Also, she is real stubborn (wonder who she gets that from?).  Every time she's moving a lot, and I try to get Dan to feel, it's like she can sense that she's being watched and she always stops.  He has gotten to feel her kicking me a few times, though, and he loves it.

What I Miss: Nothing this week, just happy for our healthy baby girl!

Things I am Thankful For: Buy Buy Baby and their amazing coupons.  Fall TV shows - particularly Modern Family and The Singoff.  Afrin nasal spray (gross, I know).  Chick Fil A chicken minis.  A wonderful husband who calls daycares without being nagged for the 283944238th time asked.  

What I'm looking forward to:  New category this week!  Our upcoming vacay to Cali and Bryan & Andrea's wedding this weekend.  Registering and getting started on the nursery.  The start of my new role at work.

Signs of a Bump: There is no hiding it now, for sure - I am struggling to find things that fit me.  Today, I went to get a dress taken in (I know that sounds weird, shouldn't I be getting it let out?).  Anyway I bought it for a wedding this weekend and went to get it altered today, and my wonderful tailor said, "Now we want you to look pregnant, not fat."  Um yes ma'am, that is the plan.  Should I be offended?  Evidence:
Sorry that my boobs look OOC (out of control) in that pic, I always have trouble finding an angle that won't show my arm fat I like.

Next Doctor Appointment: Next Friday, October 7.  We don't get any more ultrasounds that I'm aware of, which I'm bummed about (currently trying to talk Dan into the fact that we need a 3D/4D one and that although we have to pay for it, it's totally worth it), but at least we'll get to hear her heartbeat.  This one shouldn't be anything too crazy, just a weigh in and pee in a cup and talking to the doctor.  Oh, and a flu shot.  I called today to tell them I want to get one while I'm there in hopes that since they know I want one they'll make sure to hold one for me in the case of running out, but I didn't get very lucky - they basically were like, sure you can have one as long as we haven't run out.  Thanks a lot.
On this week's to-do list? Visit 2 of our 4 daycares, register at the hospital, sign up for some classes at the hospital.  Oh, and order some pictures for the gallery wall (it's true, I still haven't done that, oy).  Whew, I'm tired just thinking about it! 
Stay tuned, more gifts on the blog at some point, and if you're lucky...the diaper debate.
Peace out!
Sarah

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Pimp my...pram?

I have always wanted to call a stroller a pram, like the Brits do.  It sounds so much cooler, right?  So yesterday we ventured out into the world of baby stores so that we could do some browsing before we register (I'm 100% sure this is not how Dan wanted to spend a Saturday afternoon when there was plenty of college football to watch, but whatevs).  We mainly wanted to look at strollers and test some of them out (i.e. fold them, take the car seats in and out, etc.).  I just have one thing to say: there are SO. MANY. STROLLERS. to choose from.  It was a little overwhelming, honestly.

We went to Buy Buy baby, because we'd done some research and knew that they carried the ones we wanted to look at.  It was a little far from our house (in Durham), but we learned from several of the very friendly (and super helpful) employees that a new one is opening in Morrisville in 2 weeks, and we're REALLY excited about that because I think that's where we'll register.

So, now down to business.  We have narrowed strollers down to 2, and we now need help deciding.  Ever since we went to church this morning, I've spent the afternoon doing research on both.  The two that we are looking at are the UPPAbaby VISTA and the Britax B-READY strollers.  In case you don't feel like clicking on the links, behold:

Britax B-READY

UPPAbaby VISTA
I think we would get the stroller in either black or gray, so that we could use for all babies.  Before discussing each of these and the pros and cons, what we liked and didn't like, etc. I will tell you what was important to us in a stroller:
  • Weight - I don't want a 100lb stroller that would be really hard for me to maneuver in and out of the car, etc. by myself.
  • Ease of use - I also don't want a stroller that is impossible to figure out how to fold it, unfold it, attach and detach car seats, etc.
  • Safety ratings - need I say more?
  • Quality - We want something we can use for as many children as we have.  We don't want to have to buy a new stroller for each child.
  • Dual child capability - The reality is, we want our children to be fairly close together in age, so it may not be a long time before we think about baby #2.  It's important to us to find a stroller that both children could easily and comfortably fit into, so that we don't have to tote around two strollers eventually.
Disclaimer: if you are a Mommy or Mommy-to-be who is reading this and either has or has registered for or owns either one of the strollers or any of the products I am discussing in this post, please note that everything discussed is a direct result of my personal research, shopping experience, and opinions.  I am obviously not an expert - both are great choices and I honestly don't think there is a wrong choice.

With all of that said, both of these strollers have all of the qualities we want and then some.  In reality, the salespeople were actually selling the Britax pretty hard over the UPPABaby.  According to them, the UPPABaby is more of a "designer stroller" (no wonder it melted my heart at first sight), which is why they can get away charging more for it.  They told us that Britax came out with an alternative to the UPPABaby that had many of the same features but without quite as expensive a price tag.  Also according to the salespeople, the strollers are almost the exact same except the Britax is a little bigger because they made more room for the toddler seat.  Additionally, the UPPABaby is made in Sweden (or somewhere foreign), and the Britax is made in Charlotte (y'all know how I like to support the locals). 

Now, to price.  The UPPABaby costs $679 and includes the stroller itself, a toddler seat, a toddler rain shield, a toddler bug shield, a bassinet, and a bassinet bug shield (all of the rain and bug sheilds made me LOL).  So, for that amount of money, you still have to purchase a car seat and base as well as a converter so that the car seat can attach to the stroller.  Luckily, we were both able to agree on a Britax car seat, which has the best child safety ratings (again, according to the salespeople that we talked to and the research I've done), so with a little rounding for the whole system we are looking at around $900.  This doesn't include the toddler seat, but we (a) do not need that right now and (b) it is only like $40.

The Britax comes with the stroller itself and the toddler seat, an adult cup holder (Dan was excited about this of course) a rain cover, and a built in car seat adapter for roughly $400.  I like the bassinet, which you still have to buy because it's not included (around $150), and then you also have to buy the car seat (comes with base).  All in all, for this system, we're talking around $750.  I will also add that Buy Buy Baby is running a promotion right now where if you buy the stroller/bassinet combo, you get the car seat for free (through October 31) - so you could really get the whole system for around $500.  The toddler seat, which would come later, is also around $40.

I think that I still am leaning towards the UPPABaby, but I am not exactly sure why (Is it because it's more designer?  Am I that shallow?  I don't know!).  Additionally, I am not sure if I can justify the price tag on it.  Although, if we're being honest, the Britax is not THAT much less expensive in the scheme of things (unless someone buys while they're running the special).  Dan likes the Britax better - after testing them out and playing with both for about an hour, he thinks that it has better ease of use and folds easier - and I kind of tend to agree with the folding easier part, although I will say it is not as easy to unfold.  The Britax is a little heavier than the UPPABaby, but it's because the frame is a little bigger, which allows a lot more room for the toddler seat.  It's not so heavy, though, that it would cause problems for me maneuvering it alone.  Also, with the Britax, the toddler seat can stay in when the stroller is folded, but that's not the case with the UPPABaby.

I have tried to do a ton of research on both of these and make a really informed decision, but in the end it seems like it is a matter of opinion - although both sides that I've read have brought up really good points. 

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions?  Does anyone have either one of these strollers that can give me any additional input?  Is the UPPABaby worth the extra $150-$200 for what the salespeople said was essentially the same stroller?  HELP!

We have had a busy weekend, and I still feel pretty terrible, so the rest of the aftenroon will be spent resting on the couch and doing a lot of googling on nursery ideas, baby shower ideas, product reviews, etc.  Fun, fun!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Sarah

*UPDATE:  I regret to inform you all that I lied in my post above!  Per my husband's diligent research today, UPPABaby is an American company and Britax is British.  Which means the salesperson was a total liar.  WHAT ELSE DID HE LIE ABOUT?!  NOW WHAT DO WE DO?!  Oh, the stress. ;-)

Friday, September 23, 2011

Oh, the cuteness!

Tonight's will be a quicker post than usual, because I'm feeling under the weather today.  Sadly, I think I am getting that nasty cold that everyone I know seems to have had recently.

For those of you who have been following her blog, this is going to be somewhat of a repeat of what my bestie posted about yesterday.  Hadley gave Baby Geronimina her first bff gift!  Drool over the cuteness:


PLEASE look at how sweet they are!  I was absolutely thrilled when Steph gave them to me, and we have been drooling over them ever since.  Even Dan, who could normally care less about shoes, talked about how cute they were when he saw them.  Additionally, the sizes are 0-8 months, so Baby B will get a lot of wear out of these guys.  Can't wait to find some cute outfits to match!

Not much on the agenda this weekend...tonight I'm trying to rest and relax so I'll feel better while Dan is at a concert with some friends.  Tomorrow morning, I'm meeting some besties from college for breakfast.  Not sure about our plans during the day - we've talked about either going to the baby store to look around (not register yet, just look at a few things and get our bearings) or maybe test drive some Mommy-mobiles - and then tomorrow night we have a dinner party.  Sunday, it's business as usual: no plans allowed to be made outside of church because there is football to be watched.  Although, we might try out a new place for brunch, yum.

Hope everyone has an excellent weekend!  I can't WAIT to see closeups of Baby Hadley from her photo shoot tomorrow in Concord.  :-)

Love!

Sarah

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

My kind of town, Chicago...

I am so excited to tell you all about our trip to Chicago!  It was an amazing trip, and it was so nice that Dan got to show me around "his town."  I can't wait to go back and visit!  I shall start this post off with some observations about Chicago:
  1. I am 100% sure that Michigan Avenue is what Heaven will be like.  Except the stores won't require any money.  SERIOUSLY.  Have you been to the Magnificent Mile?!  The window displays are enough to make you drool.
  2. This one is important.  WHY is all pizza not Chicago style?  This was my first experience with Chicago-style pizza, and to say that I couldn't get enough is an understatement.
I'm sure I have more words of wisdom, but I'm too excited to get to the pictures, so here we go!  Sit tight, it's gonna be a long one, folks.

Immediately after de-boarding the plane on Thursday, our first order of business was to find the pregnant woman some delicious pizza (refer to #2 above).  We checked into the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, which was absolutely incredible.  It is located on Walton Place, which is right by the Louis Vuitton store on Michigan Avenue (Holy window display filled with ostrich legs and amazing shoes!!!).  Dan got us an excellent deal via Priceline, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.  The pictures don't even do it justice - it is even more incredible in person.  I didn't think to take pictures of our room (sorry!) but if you're really curious the hotel website has photos.  After check in, we walked a few blocks to Pizano's on State Street, per Aunt Shelley's suggestion.  I am here to tell you, my friends, that it did not disappoint.  Nothing quite compares to the deliciousness of Chicago-style pizza.  Behold:


I thought about having Dan take a photo of me enjoying my pizza, but I was too busy scarfing.  Yum.

After lunch, we decided to take a boat tour of the city.  Aunt Shelley did not steer us wrong during our trip - she told us it was the best, so upon her recommendation, we decided to do the Chicago's First Lady Architecture Tour.  We had a wonderful time.  It was so neat to see all of the buildings and learn about a little of the city's history.  Chicago is truly a beautiful city.  The weather was a lot colder than we anticipated, but Dan fortified us both - me with hot chocolate, him with an adult beverage or four - and we were good to go.  I took about a bajillion pictures, but since you can google the buildings online, I'll just post a few favorites:

Dan was super excited about the beer boat tour



We finished up the boat tour in the early afternoon, and after a break to rest my feet (and get some cookies and milk at the Corner Bakery), we decided to do a little shopping.  If you read my recent post on shopping for maternity clothes, you'll know that Raleigh's store selections left a lot to be desired.  The stores on Michigan Avenue were so much bigger in general that I had higher hopes.  Long story short, H&M and Zara were disappointing, but we hit the mother load at GAP - and they were having a sale.  Double score for us.  I didn't get too awfully much - just some basic staples (short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts for layering and a few light weight sweaters), but we got a great deal on all of it.  We were actually in search of a jacket, but we didn't find one we liked.  A new store called Top Shop had just opened, and quite a few people recommended that we try there, but we didn't end up going because (1) we walked approximately 29384729374 miles that day and I didn't pack appropriate shoes, so my feet were swollen and my back was killing me, and (2) it looked a little trendy for me.  Maybe next time!  After our shopping trip, it was nap time due to aforementioned sore and swollen feet and back.  Per Ana's suggestion, we tried out Eleven City Diner for dinner, and it did not disappoint.  Finally, on our way home we dropped by the Observatory on the 96th floor of the John Hancock building to see the city all lit up at night.  To say it was beautiful would be an understatement, but next time we go I think I'll take Nina's advice and go to watch the sunset.

Friday was equally as busy as Thursday, and also a little warmer, which was a nice break.  We ate breakfast at another one of Aunt Shelley's favorites, Tempo Cafe, where I had the best french toast I think I have ever eaten.  After stuffing ourselves, we went to Millennium Park to see the bean.  I feel like you can't go to Chicago and not see the bean!  It is WAY cooler in person than pictures can show, but we had a great time goofing off:


Can you see us?!

Why hello, baby bump.  Where did you come from?

It took a few shots to get this close to perfect, but it made me laugh nonetheless!
Another cool part of Millennium Park that I'd never seen before was the Crown Fountain.  It is basically two huge glass block towers of flowing water that project the video images of different Chicagoans.  I took quite a few pictures but couldn't do it justice, so I'll leave you with just one of when the water started flowing:

Nifty, huh?

Friday afternoon, we took the L to Wrigley to catch a Cubs game (I think this is the part Dan was looking the most forward to).  I wanted to take a picture of my first experience on the L - it is interesting for sure - but it was so crowded and I didn't want to be the weirdo taking photos.  Luckily, other train riders were nice enough to give the pregnant lady a seat to rest her tired feet.  Behold, Wrigley Field:


YAY FIRST CUBS GAME!


They still fill in the scores, etc. by hand.  So cool!
We didn't eat lunch because we were saving room for ball park food (I'll admit it, I was going to eat a hot dog.  Nitrates, you say?  Surely one hot dog wouldn't hurt Geronimina.).  First on the menu: nachos.  I requested nachos and my loving husband went to get them, and this is what he returned with:


Your eyes are not, in fact, deceiving you.  That is a head sized helmet FULL of nachos.  The good news is, we made a pretty good dent (I'm undecided as to whether that fact should be embarrassing or impressive) - we for sure got our $15 worth.  The bad news is, there was no room left for a delicious hot dog.  Oh well!


Recognize the singer of the 7th inning stretch?  He threw out the first pitch, too.  #Winning.


Friday night, we met Katie for dinner at Old Jerusalem, and it was delicious.  The hummus was divine, and I thoroughly enjoyed my chicken kabob as well.  Cool little place, Old Jerusalem is.  We went to bed early again because I was pooped from all of the activity.

On Saturday, Katie took us to St. Charles to visit  Aunt Shelley and Uncle Mike for the rest of the weekend. 


We were so glad that we got to spend a few days with them to catch up, and they spoiled me rotten the entire time!  Also, their home is breathtaking.  It is straight out of Better Homes & Gardens - it is so beautiful! 

The rest of our weekend in St. Charles was very relaxing and low-key.  We ate a lot, went to church, napped, watched some football, went to a movie, ate some more, sat outside by the fire, ate even more, and just relaxed.  Here are a few pictures of us with Aunt Shelley, Uncle Mike, Katie, and sweet Logan whom Layla would have LOVED (FYI, it has been brought to my attention that I am doing the "pregnant woman pose" in all of the following pictures.  Was trying to get good shots of the bump for the Grandparents to see since I was wearing a flowy shirt!).







Side note: Geronimina really made her debut over the past two weeks - seems like the baby bump just popped out of nowhere!  Let's also not forget the sweet, sweet gift they gave Baby Baum - her first book (SO excited about this) and an adorable outfit:


Weibles, if you're reading, thank you so much for your hospitality.  We had an amazing weekend spending time with you and can't wait to see you again soon!

Well friends, I may have just broken my own record for the longest post in the history of the blog, but I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed reminiscing.  The trip to Chicago was so wonderful, and I can't wait to visit again soon.

This mama to be is exhausted - way past my bed time!  Until tomorrow...

Sarah

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Family Time

I have had several people ask me about the Chicago trip - that's coming tomorrow, I promise!  In the meantime, I wanted to blog about two weekends ago before I forget.  We went to Charlotte, NC for Hayley & Lee's wedding and for some QT with the Eaker clan.  We had a blast!  This will probably be a picture-filled post, because there were a lot of good ones to choose from and I couldn't decide!

Saturday, Hayley and Lee got married - what a beautiful day!  I have known Hayley ever since she was younger - she and my sister, Katy, grew up playing softball and then remained besties and became roommates at ASU.  It's hard to believe they are all grown up!  Anyway, I didn't get any pictures of the ceremony (we were almost late, shocker), but her reception was at the Victorian Villa on Lake Wylie and it was seriously GORGEOUS.  The views were beautiful, the staff was the most friendly I've ever encountered, the food was good, the dancing was fun...we all had a great time.  Here are a few photos of fun being had by all:

Trying to get Dan to cooperate

Isn't Katy GORGE?!

The happy couple - one of the only good photos I got.  Losing my touch!

Besties.

The first in a series of many goofy pics...

You two are next - can't wait for 6.30.12!

Showing off their pretty teeth?

Boys harassing Mom, who looked so beautiful!

Sisters.  (Why did I wear that dress?  It looks horrid.)

My bump's bigger than yours!
My sweet parents.  Not sure bout Dad's tie situation.
On Sunday, we spent the day on Lake Wylie.  You may remember that Mom rented a boat for our family staycation a few months back, but the weather was nasty and we couldn't go out.  We knew we'd all be at home for Hayley & Lee's wedding, so we picked the day after for our boating outing.  We spent Sunday morning getting together a huge picnic, which included JJ's famous fried chicken and was beyond delicious.  Dan was at first annoyed because it was the first Sunday of football, but he got a signal on the lake and was able to keep up with his Fantasy team, and we all had such a great time.  More pictures:

Seriously, why are they never straight-faced in pictures?

The whole fam damily




Loads of fun!

Captain Heavy D
 So, there you have it...a fun weekend and lots of great time with the family!  This one was short on words, but hopefully the pictures left you entertained.  I would also like to take this opportunity to wish my good girlfriend/neighbor Meagan a VERY HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY!  No tears, gf...30 is the new 18, or so I hear.  I hope you have a wonderful day and Bo spoils you with lots of awesome surprises!  :-)

That's all for now, folks. Tomorrow, I shall tell you all about the fun we had in Chicago.  Unless something more pressing comes up, like my cloth vs. disposable diapers research.  ;-)

Love!

S

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