Bennett's Nursery (the start of it anyway)

So, people keep asking about the nursery and might be surprised to find out that we have not done much with it yet.  This is very much out of character for my super planner husband and myself, however, that bathroom and the holidays have just kept us from it.

However, having said that we have registered for everything we need (as far as someone who does not have a baby knows anyway), and we have 60% of the baby furniture in the room.  I am ordering a chair tomorrow and we are hopefully picking up the bookcase within the next two weeks.  In the meantime, the color is picked out for the room - yes, orange it is - don't worry, not UT orange, though there is nothing wrong with that, but it is orange nonetheless.  Here are pictures of the crib and the dresser/changing table - like anything else in life - pictures don't do it justice, but this is a start.  Baby at least has a place to sleep (we also have a mattress for him too). Hopefully the chair, bookcase and room will be painted no later than the end of January!

Here is the changing table/dresser unit:

Big as a House!

So, we are in the middle of the holiday season, and I feel as big as a house!  I still have several weeks to go, and I know that I am going to get huge, but I already feel that way.

Just to sum up our past few weeks - Preds game with the Grahams, dinner with some of my British friends who stopped over for a night, cocktail parties, hanging out with some old college friends at Opryland Hotel and Garth Brooks benefit concert.  We have already had one family Christmas, and are scheduled to do the remaining ones this weekend - three to be exact.

Right now we are looking into mattresses and pediatricians - all very exciting stuff.  I want to go ahead and apologize to all my friends who have children because I will blow up your emails the next several weeks with questions as things fly into my head - most of you have already experienced it, but if you haven't, don't worry - questions will be forthcoming about random, but important baby items!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday.  Some of you I will see before 2011 and others I won't, so Happy Holidays!  Bennett is growing like a weed so new pictures of my massive belly will soon follow.  Hopefully a new update on the bathroom as well!

Bathroom update

So, I am sure many of you are wondering about the nursery.  Well, the nursery is on the back burner until the bathroom is finished.  The bathoom is about 40 square feet, but may as well be 5,000 considering the amount of problems we have come across.  See the laundry list below:

• The space for the bathtub is not suited for a standard five foot tub, it is just a couple of inches short, meaning I had to order a 4 1/2 tub - which gave us a little too much space.  Easy fix, Eric's dad can build a shelf!  Problem solved.
• Lets order tile - after walking around the tile store and looking at varying versions of essentially the same thing, Eric and I picked out floor and wall tile!  Yayyy-tile ordered.  Tile comes up one box short, re-order box, box is broken, re-order again, broken again!  Now we are just at their mercy and no idea when tile will arrive.  They really suck!
• Plumbing - we just need to set a tub, ,add a shut off valve and get new sink fittings - couple of hours of labor, right?  Four plumbers later and a couple of astronomical quotes $1300 being one of them, we finally found a good/dependable/reasonable plumber who took care of our needs!  Finally something goes right!
• Just looking for a small pedastal sink, I have seen tons of them - ohhhhh- I found the perfect one - it is at Lowes and it is a perfect size!!!!  What, it is only a display and you don't carry them and haven't for six months!  Thanks for nothing! So, we have settled on a basic sink that we don't love, but will do.  Another item checked off.
• Fixtures for the sink and tub - copper, stainless steel, brass????  Lets go with copper - great, let's do it.  Purchase made - get home, open sealed box - pieces are bent!  Crap, let's return it - ok - picked up a new box, all set for the plumber - what - the second box is missing two pieces.  Another trip to Lowes!  Thanks Delta - teach your people how to box an item properly - especially if you are going to charge $200 for it.
• Now, we have almost all the tile, the tub is in, and the sink is ready to go in after the floor.  Let's get to work.  Eric, bust up the tile!  Honey - we have a slight problem - this tile is not busting up.  What do you mean?  Well - it is not breaking up!  What does that mean?  I don't know! 
• First, check out a pic of the tile below.  It's pretty right, why don't we just keep it?
• Well, can we put tile on top of tile - in a word, no!  I will  keep you posted on the bathroom saga.  Hopefully these hiccups will begin to prepare us for parenthood.



Latest Belly Pic

For those of you who don't see me often, here is the latest picture of the belly!  Three more months to go!

What's in a Name

As everyone knows, picking a name for your car, pet, or another person is a big responsibility, and a very personal choice.  Eric and I poured over countless names online, in books and magazines and finally decided on a name. 

Before I share this with you, I will go ahead and say that Eric was much more picky throughout this process, I think he was probably harder on the boy names that the girl names, and to his credit boy names are more difficult to pick out.  Boy names have to take them from boyhood to manhood, so you want to make sure they have a name that can span a lifetime. 

After hundreds of names, we decided on Bennett!  We love it!  Several people have told us they love it too, others are a little less enthusiastic, but then they come around.  I have noticed that some people instantly give you good feedback, and others just need to warm up to the idea.  Either way, no one means to come across negatively, so don't take offense if someone does not jump up and down at the idea of your name.

Allergies/Sickness during Pregnancy

Let's just say that I have had a very easy pregnancy thus far compared to some.  Don't worry, I am knocking on wood right now that it will remain that way.  However, I can report that each year, I usually get a sinus infection/allergies due to this crazy cold/hot weather we have in Tennessee this time of year.  This year is no exception, but it seems so much worse.  I am not sure if this is because I am supporting other life inside me, and I am fully confident that this little nugget is stealing my immunities and living the high life in there while I am under the weather, or if it is just because we have had such a dry spell.

Either way, I am not a happy camper right now because I feel like I  have had  a sinus infection for over a month!  I am not taking anything, but may have to breakdown and request some medicine from the doctor.  Don't get me started on all the articles out there designed to scare you about what medications are/aren't safe during pregnancy!

San Francisco/Napa/Menlo Park

It was exhausting just typing the title.  This baby and I recently returned from a quick trip out to the west coast.  I believe this will be our last flight until after birth, but you never know. 

We had a wedding in beautiful Menlo Park, so we decided to make a full weekend of it with some of Eric's Owen buddies and so we were in San Francisco for Game 2 of the World Series on Thursday (no, we did not go), then on Friday we were shuttled to Napa to visit three wineries, and then Saturday we had the wedding at a beautiful church and Mountain Terrace in Menlo Park! 

Fun times were had by all, I was incredibly excited to have another pregnant lady along for the drunken ride!  It was great to see everyone, and I wish that I could have enjoyed the wine, but we bought a bottle that will be opened after March.

Us at Mumm:

Rutherford Hill

Wedding

Ultrasound pics!

So here are some pics from the ultrasound a few weeks ago.  We had one on October 19th - he is doing great!

4-D shot of his face

Another 4-D shot of his face!

A profile shot!

We have another visit on November 16th, so will get more pics up then.  Another post to come about Wine Country fun while pregnant!

It's A Boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who don't yet know, we are having a boy!  We are very excited, though it is incredibly weird knowing that the opposite sex is growing inside me!?!?!

I promise to upload the sweet photos from the ultrasound soon, we have a ton going on right now and I am not sure I have the patience for my scanner, but I am happy to show them to anyone who asks.  I promise I will get them up soon.

That is all of our news for now.  We are getting ready for a trip to San Francisco and Napa with some friends for a wedding.  Should be an amazing time.

Baby Bathroom

So anyone who has visited our house knows we have one incredibly outdated bathroom, and that room happens to be the bathroom that the baby will use.  Well today we got Eric's dad over here to help us formulate a plan and in the meantime, they did some demo - check out the pics to see the tub/shower unit ripped out. 

We are going to put in a porcelain tub and then tile the wall and the floor, and install a much smaller sink.  I cannot wait for the finished result, but it will be at least a month or two because our tub does not come in until November 16th. Boo!!!!

Thanks Daddy Anderson!

Demolished Tub:

Empty Space where tub/shower unit used to be - that is open insulation on the wall!

This is the awful sink and floor that we will be getting rid of!

Latest Belly Pic - Almost Week 19

For those of you who know me, you know I cannot "let it all hang out," so therefore I am usually still sucking my stomach in and it keeps people from realizing that I am pregnant unless a certain outfit prevents it.  Anyway, here is the latest picture where Eric insisted I let the baby have some room to move around.

What will it be????????

So Eric and I are finding out on Tuesday what we are having, fingers crossed we are anyway.  Last night at Target, we both picked out an outfit - I picked out a little girl onesie and he picked out a little boy onesie.  Everyone is betting that I am right and we are having a little girl - but maybe Eric knows something we don't. We shall see.

Cleveland

So the baby and I got to experience Cleveland thanks to a few friends who got married there last weekend!  It was the most beautiful weather you could ever imagine, sunny, with a slight breeze and 75 degrees!  Perfect for a wedding day, and that wedding was perfect.  We ate, some drank, and we were all incredibly merry!

I did get to wear my cheap dress for the wedding which nicely accentuated my larger than usual stomach!  It was a great time all around, and I even got to play mom while driving a minivan!  We followed up the great wedding, with a wonderful brunch where I had waffles, an omelette and macaroni & cheese!  Then we hopped on our plane bound to Nashville where the baby kicked me on the way home!

More to come.

Sweet people....

So, Eric works with the sweetest lady ever.  He came home the other day with a present for our baby - the first official present from someone not us or family.  Here is a picture of the homemade baby blanket that she made for us.  Isn't it precious?  Amazing how thoughtful and sweet people are. Eric is still in awe of how small the blanket is, the funny thing will be when we bring home baby and the baby is incredibly tiny as well!

The Skinny on Maternity Clothes......

They are for the birds! I know that at some point I am going to have to break down and buy some, but it is not going to be this month.  I just cannot get excited about elastic waist bands, and cheap looking tops that are more expensive because they are maternity!  I will leave all of that alone for as long as I can. 

Instead, yesterday I got a bigger size pair of jeans, and a few pairs of leggings and some bella bands should be on their way to me this week.  Hopefully these items will keep me out of maternity clothes for a little while longer.  I also invested in some larger tops, because a wise mom has told me, "if you think you can still fit in your tops, don't, just don't, because once you are no longer pregnant, they will be stretched out and you will wish you had not squeezed into them." So, I am following her advice, and purchased some tops that should work for the next several weeks. 

It really sucks buying clothes that you know will only fit for a limited amount of time.  I think I just hate wasting the money.  Many of you will see me in my maternity fashions soon enough.  I have two weddings this month, so the dress situation should be interesting as my boobs are too big to fit into any of my regular dresses without stretching them out!

Don't judge me for wearing jeans/leggings and boots for the next five months, because likely that is all you will see me in.  Off to get a massage!

Tummy Growth

So here are some pictures of my tummy growth so far, it may not seem like much, but it feels like a lot to me.  Here is my 5 week stomach:

Here is my 10 week tummy:

Here is my 15 week tummy:



Doctor said that I am growing perfectly, my clothes will probably fit for another two weeks and then I am on the lookout for materinity clothes.  Hopefully this long waist will do me some good.  Til next time.

Dr. Visit & Childcare Visits

So, we got to visit the doctor again, and we heard the baby's heartbeat (160) - crazy fast, but very good and normal.  In four weeks we head for our ultrasound and we get to find out what the sex of the baby is.  I also got to get a flu shot thanks to the baby.  Don't worry Eric and the grandparents get to get them too! 

As part of our day, we visited three different childcare places.  It does not sound like a lot, but I have realized that crazy people (or smart people, depending on how you look at it), put themselves on a waiting list for childcare facilities even before they are pregnant, and therefore there are not a lot of available options even though our baby is not due until March.

Having said all that, I believe we found the perfect facility for our little one.  It is right near my office, and it is a brand new facility with several great attributes.  So, the application has been completed and we will be committing to them this week.

Week 14

Not much to report - no real belly quite yet!  Basically I start out the day normal, and finish up the day pregnant with a slight bump on my tummy.  Mom says it is gravity.  Luckily I am still wearing all of my same clothes thus far.

I am having a little bit of back pain, but this is something that I have had before, so I am not blaming the baby.  Hopefully it subsides because it is actually really annoying. 

Eric and I are checking in with the doctor on Tuesday, and hopefully we will get another ultrasound, but if nothing else we get to hear the baby's heartbeat again!  So exciting.  We are also visiting three different child care facilities on Tuesday.  Hopefully one of the them suits us, they are close by and have received good marks from the state.

We get to find out the sex in October, and cannot wait.  In the meantime, this baby has been to Portland for a wedding, was caught in a lightning storm at Neyland Stadium, and is heading to Cleveland in three weeks for another wedding.  Very active baby. 

Will post belly pictures soon once I start showing.

Book It - First Trimester in the books

So, my first trimester is in the books and was relatively uneventful, no complaints here.  I have read a couple of books, learned about carseats, strollers, etc. and booked some childcare facility visits.  All in all, EA and I are taking the upcoming changes in stride.  I can't wait for my emotions to be out of whack as much as my body.  We shall see how calm and collected I am then.

Not much to report, hitting up the doctor in two weeks and maybe we will have another ultrasound, but in the meantime, the baby bean is about two and a half inches big and still wonderfully hidden.  I love still being able to wear my clothes for just a little while longer.

On a side note, watching my husband hear our child's heartbeat for the first time was the most priceless moment I have had in my life thus far.  He is so amazing and I can't wait for the next several milestones we have coming our way.

Today, August 11th

Now that everyone is up to speed, I am currently nine weeks pregnant!  I understand that this is still incredibly early, and I always promised I would be one of those people who never said anything til after the first trimester was over, but let's just be honest, it is hard to hide.  First of all, my friends and I indulge in wine on our weekends, and thus if I abstain - someone yells bingo because my cover is blown. 

So, I hid out for a few weeks, drank decaf and pretended that nothing was different when people obviously began to figure out I was pregnant.  Now, I do not quite look pregnant yet, but am starting to get a slight roundness to my belly.  One of my favorite features of my body is my long and lean torso, we will see if this baby allows me to retain that lean torso after delivery or if I will stick to one piece bathing suits for the rest of my life.  Time will tell and in the end a baby is worth it.

First Doctor Visit

Luckily I have been going to the same doctor for years in preparation for this very moment.  A day after finding out, I call and schedule an appointment!  I guess after mine, and countless others years of service, my doctor has decided she no longer wants to deliver babies - she simply wants to do gynecological exams????? Really, I waited all this time to be handed over to someone else?  Guess so, picked one of the names the receptionists rattled off, and that is who will be delivering our baby!

All very standard, lots of information, questions, poking and prodding.  Then we get to the good stuff - the ultrasound - I swear, tiniest thing you have ever seen.  In and out and waiting for all the results.

Telling EA

Seems easy enough to share the most wonderful news with your husband, right?  Well, no matter how clever you try to be, it will just come out a mess.  So, my advice for any future moms, just blurt it out - that way you don't have a weird look on your face. 

Broke the news to EA in a very quick fashion and he was ecstatic!  Now, let my first sober summer in ten years begin along with the planning for my first child.

Finding Out

It was a regular Thursday afternoon, I finished up with work around 5pm and was looking for something to do.  I had been to the gym three times already during the week, and I just was not in the mood.  A glass of wine seems in order, wait a second, I do not want a glass of wine...that has never happened before.  Wait a minute, what day is it?  According to my trusty BlackBerry, my monthly friend should have arrived yesterday.  Luckily, we have been trying for a child, so pregnancy tests are in full supply at the Anderson household.  Let's trot home and take one. 

Pee and wait two minutes.  Luckily when you are married and trying for a child that two minutes goes by much faster than if you are not planning for a baby.  Two minutes are up....and we have a love connection.

Now, how do I break the news to EA?