Home Sweet Home

It is with both great excitement and great apprehension that I come to announce that K and I have purchased a new home! Excitement over the fact that we'll have BIG CLOSETS (his and hers!!), a laundry room, and ability to park in the garage!!!!!! Apprehension over the stress related to moving and remodeling with a brand new baby. Although - I liken this experience to K's decision to tear our only full bathroom down to the studs the week before our wedding. No, we could not take a shower the night we got home from our honeymoon - but if we can make it through that surely we can make it through this.

We weren't really looking for a new home, although it's been on our wish list for a while. We knew we'd have to move sooner or later, and had pretty much settled on the latter of the 2 options. There are very few houses that come up for sale in our neighborhood, and when they do, a) they've either been redone to the 9's and are ridiculously expensive, or b) they're only 1,800 sf and haven't been remodeled since their origination in the 50's or 60's and are STILL ridiculously expensive. In the back of our mind I think we both realized that while we'd hate to leave the area, really the only way to get more for our money would be to move to the burbs up north.

Well. During one of my many internet breaks at work on Tuesday, I went to realtor.com and entered in my regular search for our zip code - 4+ bedrooms, 2,000 sf minimum, 2 car garage, and max price range. To my surprise, I came across a new listing that had been posted 22 minutes prior. It's in our same neighborhood, maybe 1/2 a mile away, and is nearly twice the size as our current home. So I sent the link to K and we spontaneously decided to go look at it that night...

We were impressed not with the house itself as it is a dump that needs to be completely gutted, but with the potential end product. I don't really have a vision for any type of interior design whatsoever, but felt good about what it "might" look like should we add our dream touches and completely redo the layout.

Enter Eddie - a friend of a friend who happens to be an architect and has his own design firm. I called him the following morning to discuss the potential and he encouraged us to place an offer to hold the house should we be truly serious about buying. So we did. And we won. There were 11 showings the day the seller accepted our offer, and there is a full cash offer that's been formally submitted as a back-up should ours fall through. Here's where K and I praise God for His timing and provision and the way things have all seemed to fall into place thus far.

Many pending items remain - financing, design, etc. We plan to stay in our current home until the new one is move-in ready, then hope to rent it out. In theory we could fix up the new home and live in it while we tear down and rebuild on our current lot like we've always planned, but we'll probably save something like that for when baby #2 comes around to maintain our track record of embarking on insanely stressful situations in the midst of big life changes.

Here are a few pictures of our new diamond in the rough....

For the Expectant (or Existing) Mama

So even though I'm not technically a mom quite yet, I have made some amazing finds over the past few months through random internet research that I'd like to share with other expectant or existing Moms. As if there aren't 30,000 other blogs or websites that outline similar opinions, these are MY personal favorites. Take them for what it's worth.

1) Baby Bargains - a must-have book that will save your life when it comes to registering and researching baby gear.


Let's face it. There are thousands of options out there when it comes strollers, high chairs, cribs, bedding, etc. This book is written by a couple who has compiled tons of reviews and displayed their results with honesty and a sense of humor. Is entertaining to read - not like a text book - and ranks products with an A through F based on price, functionality, quality, etc. Got mine from walmart.com shipped straight to the house for around $12. Love it.

2) Petunia Pickle Bottom outlet - Offers 30-50% off way cute and stylish PPB diaper bags - items are either discontinued or certified seconds. They only have sales semi-annually and you have to pre-register to receive notification of when the sales will be. Came home yesterday to this on my front door step. Can't wait to use it! For what it's worth I also hear that JuJuBe Packabes are amazingly practical as well.


3) Baby Steals and Kid Steals - Offer 1 deal a day beginning at 10:00 am CST. If you don't get there fast then whatever is for sale that morning will likely be gone. They mostly offer higher end boutique type products, but at half price. Got my Hooter Hider from here, and have also seen BabyLegs, BuggyBaggs, Aden + Anais blankets, etc. Again - GET THERE FAST.

4) The Little Elephant Company - Brought me great relief!!! I've been struggling for months to find a way to hang the quilt that came with our bedding on the wall in baby's room. Of course there's sewing a ribbon, or loops then threading through a rod, etc. - but let's face it. I do not know how to sew, plus I wasn't excited about putting holes in the quilt itself. Solution: quilt clips!!! I'm thinking 3 of these to hang baby's quilt (will go along with the safari theme - think sun rising in the Lion King) and 1 of these to hold the ribbon that all of baby's clips are attached to. Another idea for bows (credit goes to Em for this one) - clip them to the ribbons of a memory board and hang on wall as decor.


5) Posies Accessories - My newest fave thanks to Leah. She tells me these are the BEST stretchy headbands out there - they stay on and don't dig into baby's head. Today they're having 45% off everything AND if you use the coupon code THANKS it will save you another hunk of change.

Other money-saving faves:

-Check retailmenot.com for coupon codes every time you order something online. Really I just go to google and type "coupon code (insert store name you're buying from)." Retailmenot typically has the most accurate info. Have gotten free shipping from Land of Nod, Lands End, aforementioned coupon code for Posies, etc. from here. Never hurts to look!
-Woot.com - Similar to Baby and Kid Steals, they have 1 deal a day beginning at midnight CST. Also always check Kids Woot and Wine Woot.
-Dealnews.com - Daily specials and discounts from random stores all across the board. They tell you where to find bargains on everything from computers to mp3 players to health and beauty products to home goods to kids' toys. Worth checking once a day or especially around Black Friday / holiday weekends to get a good idea of sales that are going on.

Happy Shopping!!!!!!!!!

Showered with Love

Over the past few months, 2 things have been very evident to me: 1) Pregnancy and the miracle of birth and how God created a woman's body to bear life in general all continue to absolutely AMAZE me, and 2) I have been blessed with some seriously awesome family and friends. Baby girl (BG) Bowen (who honestly remains nameless at this point) has had some pretty stellar celebrations in her honor recently. Each of these outlined below have brought so much joy and happiness to my heart. Relationships with these people - our closest friends and family - are what fulfill me as a person, and words cannot express how much I appreciate all of their love and generosity!

Celebration #1: Dallas shower for mostly Bowen family relatives and Bible study girls hosted by these beautiful ladies - Aunt Susan, Debbie, Aunt Kathy, Gan (holding Eli), Liz and Mary:


The shower began at 11:30 and we had a sit-down lunch - sour cream chicken enchiladas, salad, and rice followed by Lake Highlands Rock Cake from Sweet Temptations (to DIE for!!!). The tables were decorated with adorable centerpieces made of items from my registry: sippy cups, receiving blankets, cute toys, etc. all arranged in baskets decorated with animals corresponding to our safari-themed nursery decor. The hostesses also hand made these bows and headbands for baby Bowen to wear when she gets here - so stylish!!


Baby got lots of great gifts, including her bedding, a precious lamb rocker, and "vintage clothing" - 2 dresses and my baptism gown that my Mom saved from when I was a baby. Oh how I love such sentimental things!!!




There were also baby pictures of both K and I donning the coffee table. I wonder who she will look like and what her little personality is going to be. Such curiosity and many unknowns yet to come!

Celebration #2: Houston shower for mostly my family relatives and H-town girlfriends thrown by these beautiful ladies - Erin, Susan, Meg and Cath:


The shower began at noon on a Sunday, and we had brunch consisting of quiches, fruit, veggies, salad, muffins, etc. followed by Erin's version of Sprinkles cupcakes (also to die for, ESPECIALLY the icing!! - can you tell BG Bowen likes sweets?). These girls are way creative and the decor was perfect - from the handwritten messages on diapers for BG, to the clothesline of onesies, to the diaper cake with hand painted animals that exactly match our bedding, I was in awe!!


Unfortunately I was rather delinquent about taking pictures, but thankfully Erin was wonderful about capturing the moments and posted more about the shower, along with the delicious cupcake recipe, on her blog here. Another fave of mine - Meg asked K 21 questions about the baby over the phone earlier in the week (i.e. how did you know S was pregnant, how many kids will you have in the future, what has been K's favorite part about the pregnancy so far, etc.), and after she read the question I had to guess his response. I have to say I did pretty well overall and got 17 out of the 21 right. Go team!

Celebration #3: Dallas shower for "the group" in addition to other friends of mine that live in the Big D hosted by these beautiful ladies - Katie, Jen and Leah:


The shower started at 2, and we ate tasty afternoon h'ordeauvres including stuffed mushrooms, my favorite corn dip, spinach dip, orzo salad, fruit, and cupcakes (mmmmmmm - again, lovin' the sweets). The hostesses also arranged a basket of books from each guest to start BG's library along with a cute frame displaying maternity pics from the beach, a clothesline of dresses and outfits, and a beautiful diaper wreath that we'll take to the hospital with us to put on the door of our room once BG is born.

There were 3 sweet babies there, Davis, Nolan and Grace, all 3 of which provided great entertainment. Davis and Grace hit it off and have the potential to one day date in my opinion. He was absolutely mesmerized with her and she was flirting away like crazy!


As far as gifts go, baby Bowen stocked up on LOTS of cute outfits (she's going to be a little miss fashionista), fun toys, and this WONDERFUL quilt. I have to brag on my friend Mandy - she MADE it!!! Talk about some serious talent - I told her she should quit her day job and sell on etsy. I wish I were this crafty!


Unfortunately I was also somewhat negligent at taking photos at this shower as well; however, Leah was on camera duty and took a lot of great pictures. More to come...

To make an already long post even longer, I have to keep it real and admit that in spite of all of these celebrations and excitement revolving around baby, I still have fears about being a mom. I was reading through a friend's blog - one of my closest friends - who has always been a few steps ahead of me in life. I always say that she's my guardian angel and God placed her in my path to help guide me with her wisdom - i.e. she goes through college heartbreak, I follow 3 months later; she meets amazing new man and gets engaged, I get engaged 6 months later; she gets pregnant and her baby is born on my EXACT due date 1 year earlier. The parallels in our friendship are so strong that she often seems to take what I'm feeling right out of my heart and put it into words. Specifically this, which I found on her blog a little over a year ago:

"i go to the doctor monday for my first of my final 4-5 prenatal appointments every two weeks. kind of crazy. scratch that - it is crazy. the days are flying and although i'm so excited to begin this new chapter, i won't lie and say that i haven't had a few moments of either freak-out, sadness, or denial. freaking out because of the insane amount of unknowns heading my way, sadness over the loss of "just the two of us", and denial over how much my life is really going to change. sometimes i actually think i make the "life is about to change part" too big of a deal and [my hubby] has to remind me to think positive, remember it will be an adventure and a JOY. i recently heard a woman talk about how sleepless nights are draining, yes, but when it's your kid you don't have any regrets about doing it - it's just natural. it's comforting to remember that this won't be just anyone, but OUR little one."

OUR little one indeed...

Sometimes...

...I like to eat standing up in the kitchen. Like tonight. I had a PB&J sandwich, blackberries, Greek yogurt, a tall glass of skim milk, and brussel sprouts. I made myself eat the brussel sprouts. They were pretty gross, but I'm attempting to eat 1 vegetable per week minimum given baby. You'd think I could hold myself to higher standards seeing as how our unborn child's health is at stake, but I'm banking on the fact that my prenatal vitamins (which I take religiously) contain sufficient nutrients.

Sometimes I iron my clothes with my Chi when I'm in a hurry in the morning. Not like a full-on iron, but just if I see a wrinkle or 2. It's hot, easily accessible, and way more efficient than whipping out the ironing board and iron when I'm already running late. Is that bad?

And sometimes I am still in disbelief that I'm about to become a mom!!!!!!!! I'm around 31 weeks (gasp!!) and am now going to the doctor every 2 weeks. Baby's head has been down the past 2 visits, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she stays that way. Instead of sharp jabs, her movement is now more like an entire arm or leg scraping against the wall of my stomach as she twists and turns. She's gotten the hiccups a few times which is the most amazing thing ever. I still can't begin to imagine what it will be like once she's here, and in the meantime am making the most of each precious moment that K and I have together with each other, family, and friends before this monumental change occurs.

Below is the most recent belly shot. Thanks to my insanely short torso, she has nowhere to go but out. Contrary to popular belief, my doctor specifically said at my last appointment that baby is "not huge," rather she is average size and measuring right on track. Breathing is becoming somewhat of a challenge at night when I lay down and I'm on the verge of adopting a full-out waddle, but otherwise all remains well...

A Work in Progress...

The designing begins!!!!! I think my handy hubby looks manly and handsome in this staged photo of him painting what is to become baby Bowen's room. He disagrees. Regardless, I have to give him major praise for working so hard in taking the first steps to fully convert "Cody's room" into the nursery these past couple weekends!

For the paint, we decided on a pale, "soothing" green that at first turned out to be seemingly disastrous. The prior color in the room was a dark royalish blue, and I think the drastic contrast is what initially caused us to freak out once the first coat of cucumber green had been layered on. Once everything dried, we breathed a huge sigh of relief as I think it will ultimately look great upon getting everything put together and arranged...

Our chair came in this week. We didn't sit in it before we ordered it online (GASP!) but I have to say it's one of the most comfortable recliners I've ever relaxed in. Will be perfect for late night feedings and rocking screaming baby to sleep.


K also assembled baby's crib. Since her room is so close to ours, we decided against a bassinet in our room. From day one she'll be sleeping soundly here on her Colgate Classica 1 foam mattress - one can only hope for a peaceful night here and there, right?


More to come...

Beachy Bliss

Oh how wonderful it was to depart from the aforementioned Winter Wonderland and fly away to Beachy Bliss. By the grace of God, K and I were able to make it out of the snow laden city on a mostly on-time flight and escape to this for the weekend:



Beautiful Orange County!!!!!!

We decided to make a last minute trip given my upcoming travel restrictions as I enter into my 3rd trimester. We went with K's bro Daniel and his wife Mary, and stayed at a house in Dana Point right off the beach. Words can't describe how incredible it was to experience the ocean smell, heat from the sun, views from the Hills...

Most of our mornings were spent sleeping in, having my new favorite - Greek yogurt - for breakfast, sitting outside in our pj's. In the afternoon we'd venture down the Pacific Coast Hwy for lunch and shopping or a walk on the beach. On Valentines Day we ate dinner in Laguna off PCH at an Asian Fusion restaurant by the name of Five Feet. I had duck and K had sushi. I was the only one who didn't have a problem finishing their entire meal.


One of my agenda items while on the beach was to take maternity pictures. While my cute belly bump is ever increasing to the size of an un-cute ginormous basketball day by day, I still wanted to document my pregnancy in a way that's impossible to accomplish here in Big D's concrete jungle. So we went to the ocean and ended up with these. As a fair warning, you might need to whip out a pair of sunglasses to minimize the glare from my white belly.






And last - I couldn't resist purchasing this for baby so she can go to the beach with us next year. How adorable!!!!!!

Winter Wonderland....

...in Dallas, Texas?? Yes - a white, white winter wonderland!!!



On the way to work this morning, the radio announcer said, and I quote, "Tomorrow's forecast - a high of 30 and jacked up." How do Northerners survive like this????