96 Days!

According to the slightly creepy floating baby widget, I only have 96 days to go before Ally Grace gets here! 96 DAYS! That feels like such a short amount of time, and we have a lot left to do. For example, unless Ally wants to sleep on top of a dresser (kidding, don't call DFACS!), or in her little "soothing center" (a gift from her awesome Aunt Steph), then we'd better get moving and get her a crib! Although the dresser IS seriously awesome, and was a great find at a junk store. Sanding and painting this took hours of slaving away in the hot garage on a 100 degree day for John.....because, that heat would've been dangerous for a pregnant girl! : ) So far, it's my favorite thing in her room, despite being the only thing in her room....what do you think?

And, anyway, who wouldn't love sleeping in a soothing center? Seriously, I'd do it in a heartbeat if I wasn't about 120lbs. past the weight limit.

Yesterday, my friend Jenny came over to help me arrange the bookshelves in my house. I know, this sounds like an easy thing to do, but trust me....it takes some serious design talent. I mean, my idea of arranging would have been to throw all of my thousands of (mostly paperback) books up there and call it a day, but here's what Jenny came up with:

Awesome, right? She is super talented with interior design, and I am SO thankful that she took the time to help me.....I tried to offer her one of my many crystal bowls as a thank-you gift, but she wouldn't take it. Oh well, she loves fake greenery, so I'll just be sure to send her some of that instead!

Last night, John and I went to Veni Vidi Vici with our friends Rod and Kristin. We had a blast! I seriously think I consumed at least 5,000 calories, but I totally rocked the "I'm eating for two" excuse....the food was amazing! We took a ton of pictures, and had fun embarrassing John and Rod, who said we looked like tourists... but if I didn't take pictures, what would I post on the blog?? I almost started snapping photos with the waitress and various other random people, just to embarrass them more, but I refrained. Here are John and Rod, probably pretending they don't know us....

This was right after John told me to quit being a tourist....hmmm, doesn't look too upset, now does he?

Kristin and I, outside the restaurant....this dress is so comfy, and it's not even maternity! Love the stretchy, flowy styles out there!

Me and the boys, who were trying to look as pregnant as I am....v. sad when you are bigger than boys who are TRYING to look pregnant!

I think John told us to "look sexy." Okaaayyyyy.........clearly, I've had runway experience, because if this look doesn't say sexy, then I don't know what does!

We love our friends, and are truly trying to take advantage of this time before baby makes things a little more interesting! So, if you're doing something fun this summer, invite us! Did I mention we have 96 DAYS?

In case you were wondering.....

We have approximately 950 crystal vases, bowls, pitchers, and various other crystal items, none of which I've seen since our wedding....which I guess is what happens when you have been living in a house smaller than most apartments out there. I've seriously been unpacking things I haven't seen in almost 5 years. It's kinda like getting married all over again! So far, my best "find" is a gorgeous brie baker, which I pretty much want to test right this minute! If you're nice to me, I might even let you participate in the brie baking.....or at least borrow one of my crystal bowls.

Cupcakes, Plastic Bugs, and Pregnancy Fun

I am procrastinating. I have countless boxes to unpack, even though we have been in our new house now for almost 2 months, but somehow I have decided that writing a new post is more important....priorities, right?



This is going to be a random, because I keep thinking of different things to write about...bear with me, okay? Maybe my title should be "A Peek into Sherri's Disorganized Mind."



Anyway, this weekend we went to a shower for our good friend Ryan. He's marrying a great girl named Victoria, who I'm looking forward to getting to know better! Unfortunately, I (along with Jenny and Kristin, yes I'm calling you out) embarrassed myself during the present opening, because A) I had too many cupcakes, and therefore too much sugar, leading me to be....B) way too fascinated with the big plastic bugs that were part of the "Summer Picnic" theme. Then, C) was seen holding a beer (FOR MY HUSBAND, don't worry!) by everyone at the shower, and therefore became the pregnant girl drinking a beer. And finally, D) managed to look like I do nothing but eat bon-bons all day in every picture Jenny took.



Regardless, we had a great time, and I laughed so hard that I almost fell victim to one of the little dangers of pregnancy--peeing in my pants. (I said, ALMOST, people, don't worry!)



On a different note, this week I've experienced some new joys of pregnancy....and yes, "joys" might be a tad of an overstatement. On top of the list is the constant feeling of pressure underneath my ribcage. I'm not totally sure what Ally Grace is up to in there, but she's definitely making her presence known! I've been looking up those torture stretching machines on the internet, because I really think I need one. Any ideas?



The second-most fun thing I've been experiencing is the feeling of suffocating....because my ability to breathe is suddenly pretty limited. I know I still have a ways to go in the growth department, so I'm sure this only gets better....good times.



Finally, my favorite of all the pregnancy side effects is the constant heartburn. Nothing makes you feel more like a 95-year old than this one! This is an oldie but a goodie for me....I've had it most of the pregnancy, but let me just say, it is a really odd thing to get used to when you haven't experienced it a day in your non-pregnant life. Pepcid A/C is my friend, and we hang out almost every night.



Now, let me (really) tell you the good part about right now....feeling her move around in there all the time! She's gotten to be a strong little kicker, and it really is so fun....I get excited every time she starts thumping away. I personally think she starts flipping around when she's happiest--like during the praise and worship at church, or when I've given her something sweet (like mother, like daughter). John can feel it almost every time too, which is great. Last night, he asked me what it feels like for me when she's moving, and honestly, I don't even know how to describe it. But it's very cool.


Okay, enough procrastinating....time to get to those boxes!

Happy Father's Day!

With today being Father's Day, I thought a lot about what an amazing dad John is going to make! I can't wait to see him with Ally Grace, and I know their bond will be special....it usually is between daddies and their little girls! I got him a little something from her....here it is:



So true, Ally G, so true!





John and I are both HUGELY blessed to have amazing, godly fathers! We are super thankful for them, especially today. We've learned a lot about being good parents from both of them.

Here's a shot of me with my mom and dad this Christmas. They are really the best parents a girl could hope for!






And one of John and his dad....who is basically his 30-year older twin. Aren't they so handsome? : )





We hope we'll be able to be the kind of parents that we have been so blessed to have. We love you all!

Much-Needed Mommy Advice

Today I got to spend a little time with my friend, Kristy....even though we don't get to hang out super often, I always feel like I take away little pearls of wisdom from her! She has a precious one-year old daughter, and she shared some advice with me that was given to her by another mom. Basically, don't try to do things for your child that your child can do for herself. Now, I know there are mommies out there who may disagree with this, but I felt like it is definitely something to remember. I struggle with a "do it myself, just to get it done" mentality sometimes, and I want to make sure I'm letting Ally Grace learn some things on her own. Wow, even writing that overwhelms me, as I realize how little I know about teaching and shaping a little person.



Regardless, it was time well spent, and I loved getting to hear about Kristy's favorite baby items....i.e. Hot Slings, the Bob running stroller, Crib-It, etc. I need all the advice I can get, so feel free to send me some of your own "mommy must-haves!"

Also, on a side note, Jackson did GREAT hanging with little Josie while Kristy and I chatted. I was worried that his 95lb self would come running at her and knock her down, but he was pretty gentle...It was so cute to see him following her around, while trying to steal her goldfish snacks. I think he's definitely ready for a little sister, although I wonder if he realizes that his days of being pampered are numbered?

Beach Trip, Cookouts, & The Glucose Test That Didn't Happen

I can't believe it's already Monday! Last week and weekend were so fun, but really busy....I had the chance to go to the beach for a girls trip with my friends Kerie and Brooke, and we had a great time! Like me, they both have really flexible work schedules, and were able to randomly get away for a few days in the middle of the week. It was awesome! We ate tons of fried seafood, got sunburned in various weird places (knees, etc.), and ate Haagen-Daas in bed while watching tv....something I know John would never go for!

I also got to experience the joy of wearing a bathing suit while 6 mos. pregnant.....good times. Now, I've been really blessed to be able to stay active and continue working out through this pregnancy, but I don't even love to be in a bathing suit when I'm NOT pregnant....much less, when I've put on 15 pounds and have more cellulite than I ever thought possible. Regardless, we still had a blast, and I loved enjoying the beach for a couple of days! Here's a photo of me around 20 weeks....I don't have a newer one that I can upload just yet, so just imagine this, but bigger....and side note, these green Victoria's Secret sweatpants are the best ones on the planet! I think they miraculously just keep getting bigger, because I got them before I was pregnant, and they are still so comfy!

On Saturday, as soon as I got back, we went to Jon and Jenny's for a cookout with our small group. Jenny is like a modern-day Martha Stewart for our age group....I seriously wanted to take everything she did in her house and copy it in mine!

On Sunday, my brother-in-law, Jamey, preached to our ENTIRE church, and did an amazing job! We had a whole row of people there to support him for the 11am service....my only regret is that we didn't make t-shirts, signs, or something equally embarrassing. Seriously, though, he's a super-talented speaker, and I am so proud of him! Sunday afternoon, I had to work, and then Sunday night, John and I had the 11th grade students from our church over for yet another cookout...it was great! These kids are seriously so fun, and I love hanging out with them! Jackson got lots of tug and fetch action, so he was a happy dog.

So, on an Ally Grace note....last week I was supposed to have my glucose test....you know, the one where you drink the nasty sugar drink, and get checked for gestational diabetes. (I don't know if I've ever paired the words "nasty" and "sugar" in the same sentence before....I'm thinking there's something really wrong with that.) Anyway, I was kinda nervous about it, and although I don't know if it helps or not, I didn't have any sugar all morning prior to the test. I felt like I was cramming for an exam or something. So, I get to the doctor's office, and am taken back to an exam room....where I'm told that I am 3 DAYS too early to take the test! Now, this may be overly trusting of me, but I assumed that when I told the appointment schedulers that I needed to come in for a glucose test, that they would schedule me for when I could actually TAKE THE TEST. Hmmmmm.....my mistake, clearly.

The good news, is that I at least got to hear Ally G's cute little heartbeat, which is one of my favorite sounds in the world! I go back in a couple of weeks for the actual test, so cross your fingers!

Otherwise, we're all good over here! Just trying (still) to get moved in to our new house, which is taking an embarrassingly long time. Looking forward to a great week!

You Asked For It....

Okay, most of you didn't ask for it, but some of you did! At any rate, here's my first attempt at blogging...I'm totally giving in to the peer pressure to do a baby blog, show my belly photos (maybe), and keep you updated as our family grows from a family of 3 to a family of 4. (Yes, we are THOSE people who include our dog in that number).









Let me be the first to say, I'm not super creative or original, but I AM lazy, and when my friend Jenny told me that you could do a blog and have it printed out into a scrapbook later, I thought, "sign me up for that!" I always have the best of intentions when it comes to scrapbooking, but just can never quite motivate myself to use the cute little picture corners and funky scissors that make the cool borders....let's just say, I know how to type, so this should work for me.


At the moment, I'm six months pregnant, and I've been putting this off for a while....in the beginning, it was because I was literally so nauseated that I couldn't think straight, and then it was because I just couldn't really think of a blog name....so, I sat down today and made myself make a list of potential name options-and let me preface by saying, I'm a realtor and not creatively wordy by nature....anyway, here were some of the runners-up:


Little Sugar Monster (According to my husband, I'm the ultimate sugar monster, and apparently, Miss Ally is too)
Ally Grace’s Punching Bag
A Day in the Life of Pregzilla
I Miss Fitting Into My Skinny Jeans
Skinny Girls Make Me Angry
Pregnancy Hormones are Fun….oh Wait. No, they’re not.
Have You Ever Eaten A Crate of Clementines in Less Than 3 Days? Because I Have.
Don’t Offer Me Your Fat Pants or I Will Not be Held Responsible For My Actions


I finally settled on Baby D's Debut...simple, self-explanatory, and alot easier to type.


I definitely want to keep you updated on our little Baby D....aka Ally Grace. John and I are so excited about having a daughter, although when we found out, he immediately started thinking about all the boys he'll have to fend off one day! I think he's going to be so cute with a little girl.....he will, of course, have to learn how to braid hair, play with Barbies, and sit still while she puts makeup on him, but I think he's up for all that! Here she is at 14 weeks...and for those of you who are grossed out by this, I apologize:


Pretty cute....maybe a little alien-like, but definitely on her way to being a precious little baby!