Miss Lou- Where are you?

Lola, you are all your momma' thinks about. I just can't wait for you to arrive. Your room is pretty much ready and all your clothes have been washed and hung! Your room just doesn't feel complete without you in it!

Who knew you would need more drawers and a bigger closet! My goodness girl!




I change my mind constantly on everything, but I will always love your name. Lola. And I already have a great name for your sister, Lord allowing. My mom said I would always end up having all girls and I have a feeling Clay is a girl maker. We will have to wait and see. You need at least one brother!


Just a few of the sweet, sweet notes you have gotten already. A few of my favorite people love to write the notes to you instead of me. My favorite has to be GM Stacy's were she called you Miss. Lou and Aunt Kebby always addresses them to you! They love you so much!


Your mom is still proud of that rocker in your room. I got off cheap on that rocker... too bad I talked your daddy into getting one for the living room. He didn't get off as cheap on that one! LOL!


My doll and a funny little doll I made for you. Clay loves that doll with a heart patch.


You have one comfy mattress thanks to a solid mattress and super soft mattress pad. I wish I fit in that crib! I think you'll love it!



Pretty soon this blog will be full of pictures of Lola in her room! YAYAYAYAYA! Can't believe it... well maybe after nine full months of pregnancy I can!

DID I MENTION I AM OFFICIALLY IN MY TENTH MONTH OF PREGNANCY??? I am in my 37th week- about to be full-term! WOOOHOOOOO!!!

Off to dinner- :)

Just for Jill :)

God is Faithful and Cookies are Good

Do these cookies look familiar? Come on... you know you love them all... and you know it is that time of year, don't ya? I have already bought a few boxes of my absolute favorite- THIN MINTS! Refrigerated!

I am actually tied into these cookies now because... BIG NEWS... Clay was offered a position as a Publication Specialist this week with the Marketing and Communications Department for Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX). We are both really excited and feel God has answered our prayers. I am always so proud of Clay for working so hard to support us and soon our family of three! Way to go to my sweet hubby and I look forward to all the new and exciting changes!!!

By the way, does this mean free Thin Mints for us?? :) Probably not, but they are well worth the $3.50 and it all goes to a great organization. This would be another good poll- which Girl Scout Cookie is your favorite.

And in regards to my latest poll- so many people have sent me their opinions about the sling vs. wrap and I really appreciate it! I haven't made a decision yet, but I am starting to like the idea of both! :) The wrap is winning (only 3 to 0...hahaha) but based on what people say it seems to be tied still!

AND TOMORROW COMPLETES MY NINTH MONTH OF PREGNANCY- headed into the dreaded tenth month now- but that just means I am super, duper close! Yayayaya!

Signing off as a proud wife and anxious mother-to-be. Love you Clay!

Oh the decisions-

There are so many new, innovative baby products to consider and granted most of them are definitely not a must-have, yet they seem so fun and practical.

Clay and I decided that we wanted a car seat that would hold a baby for a long time and we liked the safety reviews on a car seat that held an infant up to 40 lbs or so. So with that meant we were not going to have the infant car seat that would snap in and out to carry Lola to and from places. So it has sparked our interest (particularly mine) in different baby carriers. We have an amazing stroller so we don't need it to take the place of a stroller! We thought a carrier would be good for grocery store trips, running errands, and being more mobile and hands free around the house. I also thought it would be nice at the lake house and on trips. There is a lot of research that backs these wraps and slings up.

No making fun mom, but, yes, I have read all about them and I think I have narrowed it down to these two. :) (My mom loves to make fun of how I read about everything! I always have been a questioner and like to know the why's of life.)


Here is the Moby Wrap. It's obviously a wrap which takes a little more time to put on, but it doesn't really seem tricky and I am sure it doesn't take too long to fiddle with once you get the hang of it. I didn't think I would love this one, but based off reviews I think it is one of the most popularly liked one. I do like that it comes in several colors and you can carry the baby in several positions. I also like that the baby's weight is distributed evenly across your back, shoulders, and hips because with my scoliosis, I tend to have back pain. I like the turquoise color which shocks me! I wanted black, but wearing that during the summer seems to hot. The turquoise one has a UV protection in the fabric which I like. What turns me off about this carrier is all the fabric. It seems like a lot of fabric on your body and from the back looks almost like a shirt. I bet it's pretty cute on someone tall, but being so short I feel like I may look like a bundle of fabric. The good thing about all the fabric is one size fits all. I can always adjust it to fit me.



Second option is a Reversible Hotslings Baby Carrier. It's a sling or pouch and seems easy to wear. I have tried this one on and it seems comfortable. I liked the feel of the fabric and I liked this particular pattern. I wonder if I will like the baby laying in it though? They say this one is great for babies and toddlers. The picture shows a toddler, but I have seen several pictures of the wrap with a baby in it as well. Of course the baby is laying down. Also, the wrap adjust and fits every body style and the pouch does not. It is by size and I was surprised that I needed such a big one. I am a size 4 (different than clothing sizes!) or large in the pouch, which I thought I would be a small, but the small was really small on! I can't decide if that is good or bad that it doesn't adjust.

I have read several reviews and they seem very positive on both. A lot of websites picked the Moby Wrap as their favorites, yet the Hotslings carrier was picked quite a bit too. I think it may just come down to liking a wrap or a pouch and I guess I won't know which one I like more unless I have tried them both. I might just cross my fingers and choose one. And just to let ya know, the prices are almost the same... five dollar difference, the Moby Wrap being the least expensive. I want to put a poll on my blog and see what everyone else thinks. All four of my readers probably! LOL!

Dallas Aquarium! Spring Break '09!

I decided that it would be a bore for Kebby to go with Mom and Dad to the great Dallas Aquarium by herself, so I invited Clay and me along! (I'm sure anyone would have fun here no matter who or how many went! I just used it as a lame excuse to get us in on the fun!) Thanks Dad! We missed you Bub... Nick would have been in on it too, but he had a meeting he couldn't get out of!

Here are some pictures! This was my first time using the camera and it is easy to use, but has a lot of features since it is a DSLR. I need to learn them so I can take the best photos for our money! :)



I love flamingos! They make me think of all the trips I took to the zoo with my mom... oh wait! My mom hates the zoo! LOL!!!


Clay likes flamingos too!


Kebby just looks pretty next to the flamingos!


Still obsessing over the flamingos!


Clay- you are so goofy! And I'll always need your goofiness in my life. What would I have done marrying someone with no sense of humor! Lola is gonna be crazy about her daddy! Hey mom- looking good! :)


Just thought this was a cool picture of this little green lizard reptile. Hello buddy!


Scary- Mom brought up a good point- these sharks were named by God after tools, BUT before the tools were invented... did you consider this before?


I don't like to have this image when I think of the beach! Natalie think "Tropical Drinks, Sun Tan Oil, and Pretty Pools!!"


Where's Nemo?


I enjoyed the fish more than I thought I would and liked how they had everything separated by where in the World they would be found.


Octopus- Gross but oddly fascinating!


How colorful! It seems so cool in the aquarium but I wouldn't want to run into this entourage of creatures if I were snorkeling!


Kebby said this looks like a green vagina! Hahaha! We all agreed.


Clay is trying to find the hidden fish! These weird seahorse type things looked like the plants growing around it!


This was cool because it went all the way around and had tons of different sea friends in it!


Me and Dad- towards the end of the outing- don't I look tired?? Lola, where are you? Not much longer!


Mom did pretty good on this trip- these funny fish kept her ADHD attention span pretty good!


"Turtle, turtle?"


God loves polka dots!


Which winged creature is Kebby being? A BAT!!


Awe- mom and dad.


This bird was looking at my prego belly and saying "hello lolaaaa." I read it's mind.


Mom said this log was the big fish's poop. Gross.


Dad trying to feed the toucan.


Clay feeding the toucan.


Why do I like this bird? I don't know but I do.


Kebby, me, and little lou (she's hidden).

Me tired, but happy during my 36th week of pregnancy!

Doctor Visit

This week is the start of seeing my doctor every week! I am excited and anxious, which made for an antsy doctor's visit today. Right after getting my weight and blood pressure taken I head to the room and I hear the nurses telling my doctor, "You must leave now, it's time!" So I knew what that meant for me- reschedule appointment or another doctor and I hesitantly decided to see the other doctor. I already knew my doctor had a baby to deliver because this morning I woke up to the doctor office calling to see if I could come in an hour early. It ended up being perfectly fine, but I was just a little bundle of nerves. And not to mention these third trimester tears can come at any moment, especially if I am already full of emotions! I did everything in my power to hold back because I thought it would look pretty silly me crying over seeing another doctor, especially since I would want my doctor to rush out the door if it was my baby being born! I completely understood- just those hormones I guess. ???

Everything went good. My blood pressure was higher than my normal BP, but still low. I am always 110/60. Never higher... and normally exactly those numbers, or lower... AND no weight gain over the last two weeks! Finally! I definitely have gained more weight than I would have liked, but I didn't realize how much I would gain during my second trimester. That's the one that killed me! This trimester has not been so bad and I was super pleased to see the scale hadn't moved over the last two weeks! I don't think I'll gain much more at this point, except for her weight. Despite gaining more weight than I wished for, I still feel good about my body naked! Haha, sure there are more flaws that there use to be, but I feel like I look smaller naked than I do clothed. Clothes just make me look shorter and rounder, yet naked I feel good! The last thing everyone wants to picture is a nine month pregnant girl walking around naked! Back to the doctor visit- The doctor that saw me was very kind and she seemed surprised at how low Lola is! I knew she was low. My cervix is thinning already (maybe it should be??) and she could actually feel her head. I asked her what I could do to speed things up and she said no walking until I am through my 37th week. She didn't want this baby coming too soon, so maybe that means if I start walking during my 37th week I can get this show on the road! I think it's good for me that she is already so low! So all good news!

Stacy and I have some strict, yet very doable goals for this summer. With plans on being at the beach and of course the lake, I definitely have some motivation to get this baby weight off. I feel confident that I am capable of losing the weight and my goals line up well with Stacy's, which will make us good work-out friends. We will both have to start on our own during May then work together through the rest of the summer! I am looking forward to being more disciplined with my body and mind. I know I'll feel better!

Clay has had positive feedback with this company he is currently talking with and we should hear something definite tomorrow. Hopefully. He has also been studying for the civil test for the Dallas and Mesquite Fire Department. He has done excellent on the practice exams and we hope we have a few eggs in this basket as well.

I am on my laptop so I can't post pictures of all the great things we saw at the Dallas Aquarium last week, but I want to soon! There are some neat pictures! I'll have to wait till I am on my desktop!

I am getting so pregnant that even laying out is hard! This weekend at the lake I didn't even layout! After a ten minute attempt, I was too hot and too tired. Isn't that sad? I ended up coming home early with Kebby. It ended up being nice I came home early because Clay and I had a date night Saturday night. First in awhile. I wasn't too tired! We had a good time and saw I Love You, Man. It was funny and I really like Paul Rudd, but it seemed really long. I thought maybe it seemed long, because I feel so pregnant, but Clay thought it felt like a long movie too. It was a fun, relaxing evening. We may not have one like that for a little while! :)

I mailed thank-you cards today after writing them this weekend. And I also put fifty or so addresses in my address book. It was something I wanted to do before Lola was born, so I am glad I got around to it! I have been cleaning a lot too! Not normal cleaning either. I also walked around the house and tried to wipe things down that I normally don't see, because I am on the shorter side... like the top of the vent-a-hood over the stove and weird ledges. I cleaned all the baseboards and shelves. Maw-Maw said this behavior is called nesting. She also said next week she'll come and help me with my "nesting" urges. We are giving my mom the boot since we know she needs to not use her broken wrist. She would come help clean regardless of the cast- but she needs to let that wrist heal!

I know a couple of younger moms who clean homes one or two days out of the week for some extra money. I was thinking that I may really enjoy that. I love to clean and that would only take me away from Lola one day a week and my mom said she would watch her that day for me. Towards late summer I think I will look into that option for sure. Depending on what Clay is doing will obviously depend on how important my income will be. Hopefully not too important, because I love having a little rat hole to spend! But it is what it is and it will be what it will be.

This Wednesday is the big day! SPA DAY! I am finally using my spa certificate my husband got me for Christmas and can't wait for my day of pampering! I am looking forward to it tremendously! Thanks Clay! :)

Now I'm off to finish the laundry! :)

I'm soooo pregnant!

Clay and I at the Dallas Aquarium! It was great fun and many more pictures to come!



I am officially into my 36th week of pregnancy and feel ready at any moment to push! Come on Lola- I can't carry you much longer. Our doctor appointment is Monday and I am anxious to see what he says! Now I am seeing him every week! It's so close, yet feels so far away! :)

Seriously?

I haven't posted in forever! I have been wanting to put pictures up and post for awhile, but I have a good reason for not. Last week, on one really sad day, my camera finally died. I knew the day was coming and I was hoping to get another year out of it, but it just couldn't hold up anymore. Clay and I know with the big day coming we must have a camera, so we shopped around and got one I am really pleased with... so pictures will be up soon! My mom just got a camera too for her birthday (Happy Birthday Mom!) so she'll be ready to take pictures too! Not that anything HUGE is about to happen! LOL! So my next post should have some pictures!

Clay and I were blessed to have a couples shower last week and it was fabulous. So much thanks to those who helped and were there. We really felt loved and enjoyed the time with family and friends. Shout out to Jill- thanks for making it to the shower via airplane! We were thrilled you were there! At the shower we received so many great things we really needed and then some super cute things Lola will love. Gotta' have a good mixture of both! Clay has already put together the swing, bouncer, and pack-n-play (which we will use as a bassinet, because it has a newborn napper built in). I have already washed anything and everything that is Lola related and put it away. You would seriously think she was due last week, but my mom was 4-5 weeks early with all of us and I feel ready everyday, so I just want to have everything clean and ready. I think it will make me feel better when we bring Lola home for the first time. I finally was able to put Lola's bed completely together with the mattress pad and sheet saver and it feels so comfortable. I wanted to crawl in it! I rearranged my den and love it! And I rearranged it so that the baby swing could fit in the mix. I will have to get use to having baby things out. My cleaner side wants everything to have a place so these baby items seem so odd to have out. I'm sure they'll just blend right in once Little Lou arrives.

Well if you're reading this say a little prayer for my family tomorrow, especially Clayton. (my family as in Clay, me, and Lola- hehe) Clay has a second interview tomorrow with a company we feel good about so we hope to hear good news tomorrow! I'll let everyone know if so, because it will definitely be an answer to prayers and pretty good timing on God's part... not that we ever doubted Him...haha.

I have been laying out over the last two days and I am quite a bit darker. The belly bump seems to tan the most... I think it's hilarious seeing such a dark pregnant belly. I have a feeling my doctor may be a little surprised next week that my stomach is so brown! LOL! It makes that line that goes down the middle of your belly (I think most pregnant women get it??) blend in more. I read that it will make it darker, but that's nonsense. It hasn't.

After I lay out my mom and I have been walking a nice little distance. I feel bad because I slow her down so much, but she helps me walk further because we chat. Today we had to pause, because waddling that far isn't easy on this belly of mine. I want to definitely be walking now so when Lola is born I can easily jump into a routine of walking and light workouts. Looks like we are going to be able to take Lola on her first beach vacation this summer, but only six weeks after she is born, which works well for me, because it's huge motivation to slim down, way down. Hopefully I will! Clay and my mom seem to have faith that I will! Clay was joking that Lola has more bathing suits than he does! Which may be true! She'll need them, that's for sure! I bought baby sunscreen yesterday knowing she would need that asap as well!

Well she has the hiccups right now and I need to go blow-dry my hair and get dinner ready for Clay!

I'll post soon and put some pictures up! I need to figure out the new camera!

Much love-
Nat

Am I dreaming?

I love looking at older pictures of when my parents were expecting or right after they had us and I always think they look so cute and young! I love this picture bc I feel like I will one day look at this same picture and I won't be able to believe how young Clay and I were. Clay looks so cute and gets super excited over the baby stuff we get. He likes to put it together as soon as we get it! What a stud of a husband!

Say Cheese!

My Momma' and me! She looks pretty cute to be a grandmother! :)

Debbie and me at the shower! Thanks for coming Deb!

Lola's Godmother showed up! I had no idea she was even in town! What a great surprise... thanks for the diapers too Stace! Much love~

I am a sucker for all baby shoes!

My favorite cupcakes ever- from Lakeview Bakery!

Thank you to Tamra and Joy for throwing the CFA shower!


My mom and I raced to see who could dress the baby the fastest! I took the title! Sorry mom! Must be all that reading I'm doing on how to dress your baby faster than your mom! ;)


Cute party favors!

I had a great time! It meant a lot to me that my Chick-fil-A friends showed up to support and love on me and Lola! A big thank you to everyone!