The LOVE of our LIVES has arrived...

Hello World!  On Monday, June 21st at 5:12am we welcomed the LOVE of our LIVES into this world!  He is absolutely perfect, precious and more than we EVER could have dreamed of. 

To make things even better... our friend Whitney (who is also the world's most amazing photographer) came and took pics of the whole thing just about 4 hours after he was born!  How amazing!  We have the beginning of life as we know it captured... perfection.

We have loved every minute with our new little bundle... he's just the best.  People say you can't explain it... the INSTANT LOVE you feel... and I must say, words aren't enough... it shouldn't even be allowed to be explained, that's why it's a feeling - the most wonderful, overwhelming feeling.

If you want to see more pics, go to Whitney's blog at www.blissstudio.net/blog

My Niece

Josh and I are blessed with a new little niece.... she's furry and has some really sharp teeth, but MAN O MAN is she cute!!!  We babysat for a few hours yesterday and for a 10 week old, she sure did keep us all on our toes.  By "all", I mean myself, Josh and our 3 dogs....

It was my goal to wipe out out little Bella and have her be completely pooped by the time her mommy came to get her.  I think I accomplished my goal....  here's a recap of the evening.

 First of all... Bella is a toy whore.  She went around and gathered (stole) all the toys (no matter if they were hers or not) and then kept them in her "area".  Note: not all toys are visible as she is laying on a few them as well.

 After our walk, Bella was pooped and instead of napping somewhere convenient, she decided to lay in the middle of wherever I was... in this case, the kitchen, right below where I was prepping for dinner.

 Our "real" nieces and nephew came over to play with Bella as well, and this did her in!  She was so passed out that Josh got down on the floor, and put his nose to hers.... she didn't budge.  

Night Night Bella!!

I am proud to say we survived and I believe Bella's mama may have actually gotten some sleep last night too!  I'm so glad that babies don't come out as mobile as puppies or we'd be in a world of hurt!! 

Who knew studying could be so good looking....

So as we're on the final countdown to the arrival of the little guy (he's due tomorrow), my fabulous husband is in the midst of another huge transition in his life.  He's studying for yet another test because he's getting into solar.  Don't ask the details... just know that he's stoked and I'm thrilled for him. 

Anyhow... he's been studying the past week and this weekend was his "big" study time.  He ventured back and forth from the couch, to the table, and in the afternoon he meandered out to the backyard.  After gazing at him for a moment or ten, I tiptoed over to the window and snapped this photo with my phone (because the camera is packed in the hospital bag) and I thought it was just delicious.  I never knew studying could be so yummy...

Do you have the urge to go study now?  I do... well, not really, I have the urge to watch that lovely hunk of man study and I would like to give birth... but neither one of those things is happening right now - grrr.

I've swallowed a watermelon....

Sorry it's been so long!  So much has been happening, but it's all kind of been a blurrrrrrrrr.

Anyhow, I thought I should update you on my most recent happenings....
I've swallowed a HUGE watermelon:

There you have it folks.  Watermelon belly.  It's a new thing.  Oh, and per my husband, I'm also part Smurf (note: blue pajamas).  So, does that actually make me a Smurf that swallowed a watermelon?  Hmmm... definitely something to ponder. 

We're at the 37 week mark, I see the doc again today and then we'll keep plugging along!  Can't wait to meet you little buddy! 

34 weeks, 1 certified letter...

I don't know how many of you have been to the post office lately (main branch), but it *sucks.  Today, as I waddled into the post office with my little "you must come and sign your life away" notification in hand, I found myself in a line.

This wasn't any line, this was a line at the post office.  The post office where apparently NO ONE works.  I was lucky.  I was only the 7th person in line, after me came a slew of people that accounted for 32 total standing in line (yes, I counted).  The best part... there was one.... ONE..... ONE person working to help ALL OF US!  Seriously?  Can you imagine going anywhere else, having a line of 30+ people waiting around to be helped and only one person is there to help?  The best part is that when I first arrived, there were three people helping, but as the line got longer, they left.  REALLY!?!?!  The line gets longer and you leave?  I don't care if it was break time... or pee pee time.  Had I been at the end of the line, my child could have matured fully by the time I was finally helped by someone.  I'm pretty sure the person at the end of the line when I left is still standing there.

What is wrong with this picture?  SO MUCH.  I don't even know if I have the strength or patience to go into it all, but I ask LoUdLy and boistrously..... DEAR POST OFFICE, WHY ARE YOU SO UNHELPFUL? Have you stood in your line?

Oh, and here's a great kicker.  So, I finally get up to talk to a human and as she's helping me, she makes a mark on a tally sheet.  I thought it was odd, but I looked to see what it was and it was a sheet they were keeping track of the time, number of people helped and what they needed help with.  Can I make a suggestion?  Your sheet doesn't work!  Or how about this... put a surveillance camera up and check out how dang long your line is throughout the day!  How about simply having MORE THAN ONE person available to help your customers!

It's not the like post office has a niche clientele, they serve the PUBLIC!  Note: that is EVERYONE!  Last I checked, they aren't a boutique or specialty shop.  For crying in the night, they're the POST OFFICE!!

Heavy Sigh.... and they wonder why no one sends mail anymore, and why people prefer UPS or FedEx.  I don't think it has anything to with convenience of email or other forms of communication, I believe it's because the post office believes they are working with a population of 50.

PS - Dear my postal delivery person, I like you.  I actually like you a lot.   You're very kind and you do a great job.  Thank you for your work.  Can you please help the people in the main branch figure things out?


*Please note, I do not like this word, but sometimes it is necessary.

Photo Shoot

For a long time now (ok, so only 8 months) people keep telling me to do a pregnancy photo shoot or I'll regret it.  I know I'll have Whitney (the most fabulous photographer) take pics of the little guy when he arrives, but I wasn't too keen on someone taking pictures of my belly and me... I'm the size of a house.

Needless to say, I did it!  I trust Whitney very much and she had some fun ideas, so we went with it.  We almost went away in the wind while we were shooting, but that's another story!

If you want to see the sneak peek... go to www.blissstudio.net/blog.   OR  Take a look HERE!

By the way... isn't my child's father HOT!  (insert whistle noise)  Such a hot piece of man.

Anyhow... on to the pics!

It was a disaster...

People... it was a dinner time disaster last night.  Ugh, I get exhausted just thinking about it.  I got home from work, the gym and running errands, then started on dinner.  I was kind of excited to make this particular dinner because it was new.  Main course - stuffed shells.   See photo below (courtesy of Real Simple).

Let me digress for a moment and say  how much I LOVE Real Simple Magazine.  I L-O-V-E it.  My heart goes into a tizzy of excitement when it arrives each month.  It's so loved in our house that even Josh sneaks it away to find the recipes for the month.  We always try a few, if not ALL of the recipes they include.  I just love it.... LOVE it.  I hope you get the picture because I would hate for you to not understand my LOVE of Real Simple.  We clear yet?

Anyhow... all was going well.  Shells were made, stuffed and ready to go into the oven.  Here's where it all started.  I set the heavy dish filled with the dinner deliciousness into the oven (top rack), and AHHH the rack collapses on the right side.  Thank goodness I still had a hand on the dish or it would have been "bye bye".  Josh comes over, helps me get things back in order, places the dish on the rack himself (just to be sure), we close the oven, set the timer, and for approximately 17 minutes... life was good.  Dinner was in the oven, the house smelled delicious, and I was one step closer to heartburn for the night.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!  Timer goes off - DINNER IS READY!  I remove myself from the couch where I had been slumped, and waddle into the kitchen.  I grab my hot mitts and go in for the kill.  Open the oven, reach in....grab the bubbling deliciousness which I am about to devour... and then..... SLAM, sLiP, WHAM... "AHHH"... "SON OF A".... deep breath....."JOOOOOOOOSHHHHHHH"!!!!   The oven rack bailed on the left side, sending my entire dish on the slippery slope to spillage and slopping all over the oven, the floor, my left hot mitt.  You get the picture. 

In my haste to save some of the dish, I grabbed it and slapped it onto the stove top to sit while I assessed the damage (it also gave it time to cool before we ate the remains).   As I gazed at the mess in front of me, I could do nothing more than stare.  Have you had that moment?  Please say yes.  It's the moment where you just can't figure out the best way to tackle the mess ahead.  I sat and stared at the wreckage, this wasn't helping, but what was I going to do?  Not exactly easy to clean up a 400 degree oven!  Meanwhile, Josh comes bee-bopping in from the garage.  "What the...." he exclaimed as he saw me and the wreckage.  "I heard something, but figured you were OK", he said.  "Um, did you hear the crash and the battle cry for help" I asked.  He started laughing, he had only heard the crash.  We both laughed ... what else is there to do!  Laugh or cry... those are the options.  We laughed. 

Josh immediately dives in and starts cleaning up.  What a man.  What a MAN!  He's cleaning and I'm kind of helping, kind of pouting.  Then I exclaim loudly, as if it's the best idea EVER - "Let's just eat, and then we'll clean up".  So, we did.  We ate.  It was good.  Then we started cleaning up again.  It wasn't so good.

I tackled the dishes while Josh continued tackling the oven.  He had paper towels, toothpicks, Q-tips, Clorox wipes... you name it, he had it and he was determined to clean everything out.  GO JOSH!.  In the mean time, I get the leftovers packed up and ready for the fridge.  Josh decided his hard work deserved a beer, especially if he was going to finish the job.  So, he kneels down, reaches into the fridge to grab a beer and I ask nicely, "can you put this in there somewhere" (referring to the glass dish of leftovers).  As I so swiftly hand him the dish, I also WHACK him upside the head!  OH MY!  I start laughing hysterically... really, what a way to end things.

But the end is still not near.  Josh gets his beer, and goes back to cleaning the crevices of the deep dark abyss.  Suddenly... BLOOD!  The man somehow cut his finger right under the fingernail... YOWZA!!!  It was bleeding everywhere.  NEW MESS!  WAHOO!  I hand him a paper towel and although I felt awful, I started laughing again.  Let me explain... I get this from my mother.  Whenever there is an emergency, danger, injury, etc... LAUGH.... just burst out in LAUGHTER.  Preferably uncontrollable laughter.

Anyhow... after that, I told Josh we were DONE with the kitchen for the night.  I think you'd all agree, it was in the best interest of all parties involved.  We're just lucky a dog didn't hop in the oven or slip on the mess or something.

I'm tired and hungry now....