The Perfect Summer Evening

We decided to have a early birthday party for Daphne this year for obvious reasons. We rented an outdoor community pool near us for an hour. It turned out just perfect. We asked that parents accompany their kids to this one so that I would feel like everyone was super safe. Because of that it turned into more of a family affair for all.

Daphne was in heaven! So many friends....smurf cake....and lots of water wonder.

Catching Up...(Parade Day)

I have 5 days until D-Day...and chores left unfinished. One is to finish journaling about our Summer '11 on my blog.

Don't be surprised if you see one per day until the birth:) I'm super anal about my to-do lists when I am nesting. Yes...organizing the spice cupboard IS on my master list. Call me whacky or just hormonal.

These pictures are some of the best taken back at the end of July when we went to my hometown's parade. It was so HOT...it was both fun and very uncomfortable for me.
















The behind story of that day was that we bug bombed (for those pesty fleas) while I took the girls to the parade and Mike went golfing. After the parade, my sister and mom and I took all seven cousins to McDonalds for lunch. I still wasn't sure it was safe to go back into house, so then I took the girls swimming. (thanks mom for your help opening the house up for me) Then we came home, got Daphne packed for a slumber party. Finally we ended the night at some friends' house for a bbq. Let's just say I was ready for bed after the parade....so this goes down as one of the most tiring days of the entire summer FOR SURE!!!

My Baby Shower

I had the most beautiful double shower 2 weeks ago, hosted by my very talented and sweet sister in law!

She did the cutest theme with nests. Our invites had two little eggs in the nest and the decor included flowers, branches, bird cages, bird pictures, and of course nests! We sat on her very shaded and quaint back porch. Jill and I side by side in a double bench. It was the perfect setting....like a "Pollyanna"sort of afternoon if you've seen and love that movie like me.

It was a family shower and since we are cousins (in law) there were guests for me, guests for her, and guests whom we shared. But we all know each other fairly well anyways so the conversation was intimate and the mood was very very celebratory and for me and Jill, I think it was a bit emotional. We had our first babies just 3 weeks apart, and now to be wrapping up our families side by side...well, let's just say it's a God Thing! We know it and we feel blessed...throw some pregnancy hormones in there and I think her and I could have cried a few times that day:)

I should have posted this before the nursery reveal, because I referenced it a couple times, but my ducks are always in a gaggle of chaos and never in that row that some people are always striving for (me included).

So here you will see the lot of shoes from Kathi, and me receiving Jill's quilt too. Daphne was in attendance, which was special. You will see her eating the blueberry cobbler that Becca creatively presented in canning jars. Also notice the names of our babies, written in chalk on the siding of Becca's house.... Henry and Amelia...don't they sound straight out of a Jane Eyre novel?

I have had a lot of showers through my pregnancies, and I've loved them all. I think it's because this is for sure my last baby, but it took me by surprise how much this particular moment in time touched me and how I'm beginning to be sad that this pregnancy is coming to a close. I'll write more on those thoughts later...

To Becca - thank you! And to all the ladies who came and "showered us" - what can I say...I'm blessed to have each one of you in my life!

My first baby boy nursery...

After lots of hard work, it's such a fun reward for me to show you the nursery! Who knew that switching Ruby's gender neutral room, with the same bedding, and a few tweaks here and there would take so many hours to put together? But like I said...it was all worth it. Until he is old enough to begin destroying his room like kids eventually do...I shall walk past it and stop and stare and smile..because it is for sure the cutest room in the house!

Can you tell how tiny that little onesie is??

We'll be calling him Henry at first most likely...
but this is a four post hanger...perfect for Ruby and Hank too:)

Isn't it only fitting that his bedroom is the only one in the house with a view of our neighborhood cows? :)

My grandma rocked her five babies in this exact chair! When I had Daphne she had the wicker re-caned (sp?) and gave it to me as a gift. What a joy it will be for me to say I rocked all four of mine in it too!!

At my shower my cousin Jill's mom, Kathi blessed us with I think five pairs of the cutest baby boy shoes ever! With a few hand me down pairs and a couple other gifts, I think this son of mine has more shoes than his sisters did as an infant. Don't tell the girls!

I like to stare at this too...it probably won't stay so organized.

Jill, who is having her baby girl the very day before our baby is set to arrive...made this cute quilt for him and I!!! Can you believe my surprise that she was able to summon up the energy for such a labor of love?? Love you Jill!

The girls are already arranging his toys...Maisie was tickled that the horse was riding the duck!

Be still my heart....