The Top 30 for Your Next 30!

Happy Birthday Andrea!

Great minds think alike...I woke up this morning after I have been working on your top thirty list, only to find that you beat me to a top 20 list. So, while some of our highlights may overlap-it just means that they are REALLY TRUE. I love you, and I hope that you have a wonderful day.

The TOP 30 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FABULOUS ANDREA:

1. You accept me as your friend unconditionally despite my weird quirks.

2. The time you have with your daughters is your priority. I have never had a conversation with you where you are telling your girls to go away because you are on the phone. Well done!

3. Every letter or package you have ever sent me is a beautiful presentation. You are very thoughtful.

4. Who else would walk around in the middle of the night to collect snails with me when a few girls in our dorm needed to taught a lesson. You are not afraid to get you hands dirty!

5. Baking. You baked Annie's wedding cookies during the hottest week of the summer with no AC in your home without complaining. Only a true friend would do that!

6. I love how you love to reinvent yourself. Whether it be through a new hair cut, hair color, fun shoes, colorful accessory, or a new paint color in your home-you are always looking for ways to keep things exciting.

7. You cry with me. You don't feel the need to stop my tears when I call, but rather, you help me cry out whatever issue is weighing me down.

8. Car dancing. I never danced in my car before meeting you, and now I am not afraid. Rock on!

9. No one else would ever consider sending me a Mothers Day card because I have dogs. However weird it is, you understand how important my two little dogs are in my life-and you celebraet my version of Mother's Day. Thank you!

10. While I still don't have the knack for finding great music, you have always introduced the next up and coming artist before they are big. Example: John Mayer. You introduced him to me long before he made so many women around the world want their bodies to "be his wonderland!"

11. I don't know anyone else that can make "red beans and rice" exciting.

12. Top Ramen will always hold a special place in my heart after making countless servings of it in your hot pot.

13. You will ask the hard questions to me, even if it is hard for you to ask them.

14. You love my parents. You know how hard things were for my family for so long, and I can not put into words how much it means that you love my parents. Both of them. Not just one...both of them. Thank you.

15. Rob and I want to parent like you and Q do with your girls. You two really seem to have fun with it, and I hope we will too.

16. You were/are known as our "social coordinator." You are still the connector piece to so many people. Without you, I would have no idea what is going on in the lives of old friends.

17. Creativity is something you do not lack! If only I could have a small sliver of your talents. My favorite talent of yours...the ability to come up with clever names for things.

18. I have never heard you complain about your parents-EVER. Most people have a bone to pick with their parents at some point in their lives, and I can honestly say that I can not recall you ever having something negative to say.

19. You celebrate the Texan in me. You recognize that I take pride in where I live, and you celebrate that small thing with me. Yeehaw!

20. Your daughters have inherited your sense of humor. I love your sense of humor, and I am thrilled that your daughters have picked up your whit.

21. You have owned more cars than anyone else that I know in the 12 years I have known you, and for some reason-I love it! (I think I can recall you owning 6 so far...I am thinking that I am missing one though.)

22. Leading the way...You fearlessly lead the way in making major life changes. (Getting engaged, buying a house, having kids, and now...turning 30.) Onward and Upward!

23. N'SYNC. You had the courage to jump on the JT bandwagon with Annie when I did not. I watched from the sidelines wishing I had the courage to love a boy band as much as you two did. (I love Lance! I love Lance! I love Lance!)

24. I can say things to you without fear of being judged.

25. You make me more excited to become a mom after watching you the past 2.5 years.

26. You love my sister and Annie's siblings as your own. You really are apart of our families.

27. Accepting people. You love people for who they are at that moment. You have watched a lot of friends go through a lot of different phases (myself especially included), and while you may not have always understood their choices-you made the choice to continue to love them.

28. You inspire me to cook. Not to sound cliche, but you put love into everything you make and it tastes great.

29. While we live far away, you do not feel that far. You make it a priority to know what is going on in my life. With as many times as I have moved over the past 8 years, it is so nice to have a friend that is always there-despite the distance between us. Thank you.

30. This list was incredibly easy to come up with. Thank you for having so many things that are easy to love about you.

You are SIMPLY THE BEST! I look forward to celebrating so many more birthdays with you in the future. I love you!

Allison

(Thanks for all the tips on how to change my background! The cupcakes are for Andrea's special day.)

Getting Ready for the Baby!

We have had a few long weeks of projects, classes, and a "honey do" list a mile long. We officially graduated from Lamaze last weekend, and yesterday we graduated from parenting class.

Lamaze was actually pretty fun. It helped me feel a little less nervous about having this baby. I was surrounded by 15 other women in the same boat as me-which was comforting. It taught Rob the right and wrong way to massage a woman in labor, and boy did I love the practice the instructor made all the husbands do! We shall see if I actually use anything that I learned, but never the less-I wanted to experience of going through it.

Yesterdays class was actually a huge learning experience for us. We learned how to properly install a car seat, infant CPR, infant Heimlich maneuver, etc. Rob also changed his first diaper successfully. He also learned how to swaddle, which he is way better at it than I am! The class was full of other couples just like us. Most of the dad's were absolutely darling with their honest questions! All of the mom-to-be's were smiling while looking around the room at all the soon-to-be dad's with their pen's and pad's of paper taking notes frantically. It was really sweet. There was even a dad in the class that ran out and bought a mini-van the instant he learned his wife was pregnant. The poor woman has been driving a mini-van the last 8 months with no kids to tote around, but she seemed to be a good sport about the whole thing.

We also had maternity pictures taken last weekend. I didn't know how I felt about having them done before, but I am now thrilled with them. As I mentioned before, I have been missing my pre-belly body, and after taking these pictures-I am not feeling as desparate. It is amazing what air brushing and editing can do! I only wanted one or two for the baby's memory book, and the photographer gave us plenty to choose from. This same photographer will also do our baby's newborn pictures as well. She did not make me do any cheesy poses I was not into. She got some great shots of the nursery as well!

The Bump.

Here is our Pre-Baby Family Photo. How could I not include our first "babies?"

San Francisco

This past weekend we traveled to San Francisco to celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary and our baby moon. We only had 3 full days to pack in all of the activities, but we did it all! We shopped at Union Square, rode the trolley to Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39, ate the best sundae ever at Ghirdelli's Square (sp?), saw Wicked, went to the USA vs. Ireland rugby game, went to Berkley to have dinner with Rob's childhood best friend Austin, ate dinner at the Cliff House, saw the Golden Gate Bridge, and had breakfast with Rob's Aunt Marty! So needless to say, we are exhausted. I am thrilled that we were able to do it.

Wicked was the highlight of the trip for me. I read the book a few months back, and I have to say that the musical is far better than the book. It amazes me how talented the broadway stars really are. Patty Duke was one of the lead characters which was pretty neat to see. I used to watch her show when I was a kid, so to see her live was definitely a highlight of mine.

Here we are enjoying the the foggy view of the GG Bridge.

I forgot how crazy this sport is! At one point one of the USA players had his shorts torn off while he was evading a tackle, and he was running down the field in his underwear. Now that is commitment to your game!

I couldn't help but have the Rice A Roni theme song stuck in my head as we rode through the streets on the trolley. (Rice A Roni, the San Francisco treat, Ding-Ding!)

Wanted: My Body Back

For some women, being pregnant is all about glowing, looking fabulous, and feeling fantastic. I can honestly say that I am not one of those. While I can say that I like feeling the baby move and knowing that the baby is healthy, I don't necessarily enjoy everything that pregnancy has offered me. I am thankful for the fact that I did not have horrible morning sickness, but I also don't feel like this is the best I have ever felt physically either.

For example, my face is round again. I feel like I am a freshman in college all over again. I gained the freshman fifteen in my face, and that face is back. I also got the crazy thought in my head that if I trimmed my hair to my shoulders it would make my life easier....WRONG! I now have a football helmut for hair. My hair is neither straight nor wavy-I have a lions mane. Roar!

My butt has grown to an astronomical size (no pun intended). It is shocking to me where my body has put on cellulite. I have not just put on girth, but actually put on cellulite in places I have never seen before. I work in OR's all day long, and I have seen a lot of naked people-but I have never seen fat on people where I now have fat! What is the deal?

Kankles, oh to see my ankles again. My poor toes have turned into sausages, and my wedding rings no longer fit! Boo-hoo! Poor me!

I keep telling my husband that this baby better be a good one or I am going to be pissed. I think that the first thing that I will think when the baby is born is how fantastic our baby is and how much in love I am with him/her. Then I will be so very thankful that I am no longer pregnant! Now that is a thought that makes me happy.

Dear Baby

Dear Baby,

Every week when my email reminder from the BabyCenter sends me an update as to what you are up to, I normally go to Youtube and look up what an Ultrasound picture looks like of someone your "age." Well this week instead of seeing 32 week ultrasound results, it pulled up results for 32 week old BABIES. Not inside my body 32 week old babies, 32 week old inside their mothers arms-babies. I sat there speechless as I marveled over the fact that what is going on inside of me really is a miracle. You are amazing, and I hope that I have given you a happy home these last few months.

I found myself amazed and then whelmed by the great responsibility that is about to placed in our hands. Hospitals and doctors are great about giving me lessons on how to take care of myself during this pregnancy as well as during labor-but then what? They will send you home with us, and then we are supposed to figure it out!?! Your Aunt Nana then reminded me that I actually have been learning how to be a parent the last 29 years of my life from my parents and those that I look up to around me.

Let me introduce you to the people that I love the most in this world that have taught me so much, and will no doubt teach you a few things in your lifetime.

I don't know where to start with your Dad! We just celebrated 6 years of marriage together, and I can honestly say that each year gets better and better. When we first started dating we went to a new church together and the message was on "gifts." God will bring gifts into your life, and many times they are not even ones that you ask for. Your dad was one of those gifts. His honesty, humor, and smile were what melted my heart. When our paths crossed I had the feeling of-"Oh there you are! I have been waiting for you!" Your father is the most loyal person that has ever come into my life. He will no doubt make you laugh, and I hope that you receive his gift of honesty. What I look forward to the most in raising you, is doing this together with your dad. So many kids are raised in homes where they do not see their parents actually love each other, and I will do my best to show you what that is all about. I love your dad with everything that is inside of me, and I want you to know what that is all about-so one day when you then go on to get married-you will have a strong foundation to build upon. My prayer is that we can model for you what love and respect between a husband and a wife is all about. We may not be perfect at it all the time, but we will do our best.

Your Papa T and GaGa B are my mom and dad, and you will find that they will love you unconditionally. Your GaGa will teach you how to laugh and how to be silly, and most of all I hope that you inherit her amazing ability to be the best listener. As much as your GaGa talks, she actually listens so much more. It is a gift that I unfortunately have to work very hard at. It just comes naturally to her. Your Papa T is a gardener and not just the kind that grows stuff in the dirt. While you will spend many hours helping him in his amazing "healing garden" planting things, he will plant little seeds in you too. What I mean is that he will plant those little life lessons that he has learned over time into you, and he will quietly remind you of those things as you grow up. He will watch, encourage, and help you grow into the beautiful person you will become.

Grandpa and Tutu are your Dad's mom and dad. At our wedding your Dad described your Tutu as the voice of fun growing up, and your Grandpa as the voice of reason-which I have found to be so true! Your Tutu is a free spirit, and she will teach you how to be creative and how to live outside of the box in a good way. You will find that I am too structured for my own good, and your Tutu is always gently reminding me to pay attention to that little voice in the back of my brain telling me to have fun and relax. I hope that you will learn how to find the balance of being responsible but with the ability to cut loose as your Tutu does. Your Grandpa is one of the most service oriented people I have ever come across. So many of your dad's memories that include your Grandpa are those of the two of them doing projects together. No, your Grandpa was not about free child labor, but rather-he wanted to teach your dad the value of a good work ethic and how to do things the right way. He serves/loves others by doing things for them or with them. He built your nursery with your Dad, which is why I will NEVER let you change that room. He was showing you how much he loves you even from the time you were only 15 weeks old inside of me. Oh the things you will learn from your Grandpa!

I am leaving out your Aunt Nana, Uncle J, Aunt Sassy, Uncle Cap, and of course-my A team. I will introduce you to them in the weeks to come. I want to make sure that I am able to accurately portray them for who they are.

I can't wait to meet you. I am terrified at the same time. I don't take this responsibility lightly, but we have the right people in our lives to make sure we do it the right way. Even as I am typing you are kicking me letting me know that are growing and getting ready to make your appearance soon.

I love you,

Mom

(That felt weird to type that last word...MOM!)

I'm Going Through the Big "D" and Don't Mean Dallas-Mark Chestnutt

Get ready for me to over share.

I had the best Saturday EVER.  Up to this point in my life, bra shopping was not such an exciting event.  I knew I needed to buy some new undergarments to accommodate my growing body, but boy was I shocked when I went to the bra store!  I had them officially measure me (which was a little embarrassing-but heck-I am sure that there are many more to come in the months ahead), and I was so shocked and excited the whole dressing room was celebrating with me by the end.  

The woman in the room next to me was in her 60's and was getting fitted, and by the end of the experience she too had the whole dressing room howling at her commentary of the experience.  I was celebrating my new found "girls," and she was mourning the direction hers were heading!  I was only planning on buy the bare minimum number of bras to last me the coming months, but in all of my excitement I bought more bras than I currently own.  You see, I was the girl in Jr. High that was still wearing a training bra and was made fun of because it did not fit.  And the sad thing is, they were right.  

So I am going to enjoy this while it lasts.  Even if this baby means that one day the girls will head south like the woman at the store.  I am enjoying my new found friends!

Please Don't Have Any Fun With Out Me!

So I had to laugh at the picture Andrea posted of us from Halloween from 3 years ago.  We were living in Las Vegas, and everyone there thought we were LDS members.  No joke, we were asked weekly if we were Mormon missionaries.  When we would tell them no, they would just say that we struck them as being so "innocent."  It was kind of annoying at the time, but looking back it was probably a good thing to be perceived as innocent in "sin city."  Right?  So for Halloween we went to a party, and we ended up winning the costume contest that night.  Everyone there already thought we were Mormon's so when they figured out that we were not, the joke was on them.

I am incredibly jealous that I will not be in on the fun visiting the Rantz family, but unfortunately a road trip for us would take a little longer than a couple of hours to make it up to the Pacific Northwest.  I am thinking it would take us 4 days...Don't have any fun with out me!

Well, today I am officially 20 weeks-half way there.  I feel like I have been pregnant forever.  It is not as if I am uncomfortable or anything, but when thinking back about when we found out in November-that seems like a lifetime ago!  So the baby is the size of cantaloupe, and I am finding that I don't enjoy the produce section at the store anymore.  Looking at a cantaloupe makes me cringe.  The baby is beyond the size of anything that doesn't make me say "ouch!"  I know that I am certainly not the first woman to go through this, and I am sure I will work this out one way or another-but ignorance is bliss sometimes!!!

So I am about to confess something that will make me an even bigger nerd than I already am...tomorrow is the big garden show here in FW, and I can hardly wait.  I feel like it is Christmas Eve.  I am meeting my dad there in the morning, and we can geek out about all the seminars and plant things they will have there.  I am most excited about the rose seminar.  I planted 4 new rose bushes (two of which are yellow in honor of my state), and I can't wait for growing season to officially begin.  I am making Rob "scalp" the yard this weekend.  Poor guy.  He puts up with my yard/flower obsession, and even more so now because I can't lift half of the things I used to be able to.  Scalping is an incredibly dirty and time consuming job, but it makes for a beautiful green lawn all summer long.  Yeah!!!!  Warm weather is around the corner.

By the way Andrea, I am perusing my pictures to find a great one to share...I don't know what it will be, but it will be a good one!

Tuesday Tip on Thursday

So my new favorite dish is anything with Bison.  (That is right...I love buffalo meat.)  I have never been adventurous with meat, but I have struck up a friendship with our butcher at our grocery store- and he swears by it.  I had been toying with the idea of trying it because it is actually leaner than chicken breast, and my husband actually has a mild allergy to red meat-so I am always looking for a meat he can eat that has plenty of iron for me.  (By the way, I don't eat other gamey meats.  I can't touch venison, elk, etc.)

The first time I prepared it, I made it in our crock pot with celery/carrots/onions and one of those lipton onion packs-cooked it on high for 6 hours, and it was amazing.  I am not great in the kitchen, so for me to produce something that is fantastic is amazing in itself.  I am making another dish with it as we speak in the crock pot.  Since work has picked up again, I don't have the time to cook these days....so the crock pot does all the cooking these days.

So next time you are in the grocery store and are feeling adventurous-try bison.  It really tastes just like beef, but is healthier than chicken!

So this blogging this is proving to be a challenge for me!  So to my blogging friends, I applogize.  I started back to work right back after Christmas, and I spend all my time on my work computer which I can't use to blog...Big Brother is watching!

So I think I only have 5 Tuesday Tips to come up with, and then my blogging will be caught up.  Let's see...where do I begin?

So this whole pregnancy thing is pretty funny to me.  I feel at times as if I am taking crazy pills!  I never thought I would love elastic waist pants in the way that I do.  I actually said out loud that I never wanted to go back to pants that have zippers and buttons.  (I was then informed that the elastic does get old.)  I then had to remind myself that I want my husband to think that I am sexy after all is said and done, and full elastic pants are not the way to do it!  

The other surprising thing for me is how much men in general love pregnant women.  I have been spending my time with a bunch of orthopaedic surgeons these days, and they have never been nicer to me.  Normally they ignore my presence until they need something from me, but now I feel like I walk around with a halo over my head.  I LOVE IT!  Poor Rob did not make it to the door of a restaurant the other day fast enough to open it up for me, and he was actually scolded by an elderly gentleman.  He said something about looking out for his wife and unborn child...Rob looked like a deer in the headlights!  Poor guy, had I only not been in such a hurry to sit down and eat-he would have made it to the door before me.  

We have decided to wait on finding out the gender of the baby, and I am really starting to get curious.  While I know that I am only 17 weeks, another 23 weeks is a long time to wait!  Even still, I will hold strong, because I want that experience at least once.

So here is my Tuesday Tip #1 on Thursday:  Wear Elastic Pants...they are a great form of Birth Control.