Los Dos Daubertos

Laughter

2012-02-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

This is a clip from about a month and a half ago. My little sister Brianna (Aunt Bri) is trying to make Carmen laugh. It's really nice to have someone as energetic as my sister play with Carmen every once in a while. I love to play with her everyday but it's also fun to watch your baby laugh at other people.

Beautiful Girl

2012-02-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

Can a baby be stunning? I think so. Carmen is picture perfect.

I have so many nicknames for her:
1. CariBelle (CAR-ee-bell)
2. CariBaby
3. Sugar Bunny
4. Doodle Doo
5. Pumpkin Doodle
6. Sweet Pea
7. Sugar Baby
8. Doll Baby

She talks SO much! Almost as much as she smiles and laughs. It's captivating. I often want to video tape it but then I think, 'no, I want to enjoy this moment fully for myself," so my memory is full of her giggles, coos and smiles. Carmen is starting to grab on to her toes (I was worried she would have my inflexibility, but I think Michael's genes pulled through.) and is almost ready to sit up by herself. Right now, she's still falling over after a few seconds. I'm working on her baby album and actually just printed the first one. It turned out to be an album of only her first week of life because I has so many pictures. Oops. But like most things the pictures get less and less through time so I should be able to squeeze a few months into the next album. She's a dream come true!

So much love

2012-02-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

One of my besties, Amanda turned 25 in January. Amanda loves red dresses and loves taking pictures so we had grand plans of dressing up, going out to dinner, doing a photoshoot and going out for drinks. A couple hours into getting ready, Amanda decided on doing take out and staying home to cuddle Carmen. (The rest of the ladies did go out for drinks later, but I stayed home with my little lady.) We at least attempted a photoshoot:

Not a single picture was taken where we all were making the same face.

And for my ultimate favorite picture of the night: what the heck was going on? And please note Carmen.

Never a dull moment.

Edit

2012-01-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

Um, ok. Somehow I misread #4 in the post below. Not only did I misread it, but I retyped it and continued to proceed with my incorrect understanding. I was going to simply edit it, but then I figured it was so stupid of me that it deserved a proper correction. Let's try this again:

4. What would I choose as my last meal? Filet Mignon cooked by my dad, mac n' cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, green beans, red velvet cake, homemade donuts and a pineapple.

Definitely NOT left overs. Who am I?!

TAG, You're it!

2012-01-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

I actually like getting to know more about people through the blogosphere and had fun reading Aubrey's (Btw, I can't believe how young we were when we met!) facts and answers to questions, so now it's my turn! Here we go:

First Things First, The Rules:

You must post the rules.
Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
Tag eleven people and link them on your post
Let them know you've tagged them!

Eleven Fun Facts About Me:

1. I love Michael Jackson. And I mean LOVE. When he sings, I cry.

2. I've lived in 14 different houses - from birth to where I am now.

3. Usually answering "I'm Australian," I'm actually just English. Not too many great great greats away, my relatives are from England and my dad got to visit our family's estate a few summer's ago.

4. I have 4 less teeth than most all people. I never got my 12 year molars. It's really easy for me to floss in the back!

5. Michael and I are coming up on celebrating 5 years of marriage! I got married my last year in college and loved it!

6. The only movie I've ever cried in was The Notebook.

7. I drive a an SUV. Gone are the days of the mustang!

8. I speak Spanish. Well, I can speak it.

9. Dancing is the most therapeutic thing for me. I love me some hip hop.

10. I love the color pink. Which is perfect because...

11. I have the cutest, most wonderful baby girl in the whole world - Carmen Isabelle! She loves to smile at people and it simply melts your heart.

Aubrey's Questions For Me to Answer:

What's your favorite color? Oops, I kind of said that already...Pink.
What's your favorite thing about your husband / significant other? His striking good looks. :)
Do you have / want children? How many? Yes, 1! See #11 above, or practically anywhere else on this blog.
What would you choose as your last meal? From my fridge, I choose leftovers. Cheese Tortellini.
What's your favorite bible verse, if you read the bible? Hmm, that's hard honestly! I would have to say I'm a fan of the whole book of Ephesians because we just went through it for over a year at our church.
Where is one place you'd like to visit before you die? Greece
Which room of your house is your favorite and why? I love them all, but the nursery!
What's your favorite day of the week and why? Friday, because Saturday is the next day and I could sleep in. That was before baby. Now all mornings are the same.
Which store can you never go in without buying something? Ah! Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Gymboree, Dunkin Donuts.
What is your favorite physical quality about yourself? Emotional quality? Physical - my hair? Emotional - I love to make people happy which therefore makes me happy.
If you could be any animal, what would you choose? A lion.

People I've tagged: (And broke the rules because I didn't do 11)

My Questions for you:

1. Where were you born?

2. What the best meal you've ever made?

3. Where did you honeymoon?

4. If you were a Disney princess who would you be?

5. What is your favorite blog to follow? Link to it.

6. Pick a fav: Thai Food or Mexican Food?

7. What's more embarrassing to have happen: walk around with toilet paper stuck to your shoe (or coming out of your shirt in my case!!!) or fly down?

8. How old were you when you got your first cell phone?

9. What is your drink of choice at Starbucks?

10. Favorite song on the radio right now?

11. What is keeping you from selling your house and moving next door to me for life???

2012-01-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

I found this picture as I was going through images from some of my past weddings. Here I am, working the wedding while nice and pregnant. I was about 5.5 months here. There aren't too many prego pictures of myself, besides the ones we took of the growing belly, so it's always funny for me to see a shot like this. I remember being really thirsty that whole day.

In other news, Baby C checked out well at her 4 month doctor's visit. She dropped back down in the 80 something percentile instead of the 97th (at 2 months) weighing in at 16lbs 11oz and 25.5 inches long. She's my sweet, growing girl. She's mostly in 6 month size clothing due to the length. Why oh why, do the brands not make sizes run bigger? It's pretty tricky to try and buy clothes ahead of time. Be careful of that new moms!

She's still blue eyed, cheerful and so pretty in pink!

Photo Shoot with MMP

2012-01-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my favorite pictures from our photo shoot with Marcy May Photography. Marcy did a fantastic job! I am so thankful for her, she is super talented. We took these photos on the morning of Michael's 27th birthday when Carmen was 2.5 months old. It was so fun to have our first "family of 3" photo shoot.

My Heart

2012-01-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends took some fabulous pictures of Carmen a few weeks ago. If you've been on facebook recently and seen my profile, they are all over the place. She put this quote under a picture and it seriously speaks to my feelings:

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~ Elizabeth Stone

Totally my heart. Except right now my heart is still kind of laying around or sitting in a Bumbo. Happy 4 Months little Sugar Bunny!

Eat More Chicken

2012-01-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

Recognize that slogan? Yes indeed, that is Chick-fil-A: Michael's new employer. We are so excited for this awesome opportunity! After lots of prayer and thinking and planning, Michael made the decision to switch jobs towards the end of this past year. Doors opened up and it has been clear that this is where he should be right now. It's kind of funny to us that we didn't think of this before. We LOVE Chick-fil-A! We love everything about the store and could eat there twice a day (which we've done before). Michael chose Chick-fil-A for his birthday dinner a couple years back - that's how much he loves it. We are happy to integrate the company into our daily life and hope that this is the beginning of something wonderful and fulfilling for Michael and our family! Eat more chicken.

A Proud Moment

2012-01-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

I've gotten a bit overwhelmed with my wedding business since I was about 9 months pregnant. Life changes, goals change, my passions change, you know how it goes. I really want to simply be home and enjoy my baby and not worry about working. I can't do that every day. At times it feels like I'm back in school with deadlines and tests hanging over my head. I'm blessed to be able to work from home, but if you give a moose a muffin...

Anyhow, you have GOT to check out this wedding video made by Aaron Watson Photography. It's one of my favorite weddings that we've done. I don't take any credit for these beautiful photos or the cool videography, but it's amazing to see over a years worth of my hard work put into an 11 minute clip. I can tell you what I was doing at every exact minute of that wedding to ensure that it was gorgeous and flawless. It was a lot of work, but this visual representation makes me so proud! It reminds me why I love doing what I do. Beauty mixing with celebrating God's design and bringing loved ones together.

Check it out:
Kyle and Regan's Wedding

Canvas Art

2012-01-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

I loooove these! I'm a little behind the band wagon, but canvas art is so cool! I got a great deal on these three from watching Good Morning America sometime ago before Christmas. They look good in so many places in our house but I decided to dress up a hallway wall until we decide what to do with the play area/office. Carmen is so stinkin' beautiful in that middle picture. Thankfully, I don't have much money to spare or else I'd be ordering canvas prints every time I take a picture I like.

Favorite Ornaments

2011-12-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

We have a ton of ornaments - those that my mom collected for me all throughout my childhood, those that Michael's mom collected for him all throughout his childhood, those that I've bought one my own to decorated with, 21 angels that my aunt gave me each year starting at birth and ending at 21, yearly White House ornaments, etc. Here are a few of my favorites that we've been given in recent years. It tells you a lot about me...

Carmen's first hand-painted ornament:
If Michael were an ornament:
If I were an ornament #1:
#2:
And #3:

One Great Compliment

2011-12-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

Someone said the nicest thing to me recently, "Motherhood suits you well, doesn't it." I loved that. And I agree with him. These past four months have been fantastic. My little love bug is the best thing in the world. Michael and I can't imagine life any other way. All I want to do is hold her, play with her, feed her, change her, show her off and admire her. She's the best.

I loved being pregnant. It was an easy and joyful time. The hardest part was the labor contractions. After pregnancy, I just assumed I'd have months and months of weight loss to work on but lo and behold it all came off. All of it! I hit pre-pregnancy weight about a month ago and it keeps on going down. The best part is that all I've done to contribute to that is eat more. It's been this weird balance of not eating enough because it's hard to eat when you have a baby and then eating so much because I'm always hungry. I love the miracle nursing. Now to keep things real, this doesn't mean I am fit and back in shape. You can totally tell that I've had a baby. I have no desire to wear a swim suit ever again. But I have a work out routine that I will begin to do soon to help out with that part....I know this "eat more food = shed more weight" won't last forever. But overall, I have loved my first experience with pregnancy!

And sleep - well, I get plenty of that! In the world's terms I get plenty - I would still like 9-10 hours of sleep but those days are over. Carmen sleeps beautifully. I cannot complain. She falls asleep sometime around 8:30 or 9pm and then wakes up at 7am. Michael and I are working on getting to bed earlier but have yet to make it a habit. We certainly need to beginning in January - more than that in a few days!!!

I can't do all the things I used to do. I can't keep a tidy house or get the laundry done, but I don't care (most of the time). Being a mommy is my joy and I am so grateful!

Photo Card

2011-12-27T14:06:00.001-08:00

Hello 2012 New Year's

holiday party invitations and thank you cards by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas In Our Home

2011-12-27T10:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

We thought that being on one of the main roads in our neighborhood that we have a responsibility to bring Christmas cheer through lights. We did a small amount this year, bigger plans for next.

Our lovely tree that won't die
Family stockings, this was so fun to have 3!
Kid tree - decorated with all our childhood ornaments and other mis-matched decor that I won't allow on the main tree.
My favorite tiny trees
Carmen's wreath handmade by Mama Simmons. It's beautiful!
Carmen's tree - given to her by Danielle! Thanks so much!
I am hoping to get a Nativity scene this year to add to our Christmas decor. I love Christmas decorating!

All smiles

2011-12-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

Loving on Daddy for his birthday (back in November)

Life with 3

2011-12-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we went on a date, well family date, to National Harbour in celebration of 4.5 years. We went to shop around, see the tree lighting, watch the fireworks show, then sit down for a fancy dinner. Michael made arrangements at a restaurant that could easily accommodate a baby carrier and made sure we were welcome to bring Carmen along. It was really delightful at first. The NH is decorated for Christmas and all the store fronts are so pretty. We spent some time sampling Christmas goodies in The Stonewall Kitchen and then walked outside when we heard the massive boom of the first firework. The tall buildings made the fireworks echo so loudly that we were a little concerned about baby. But to our amusement, the fireworks put her to sleep. We arrived at the restaurant in time and settled in to our cozy spot. 45 minutes later we got up and left without even being served our drinks. It was sad. I had timed Carmen's feeding schedule out to perfectly compliment dinner so that we wouldn't have to feed her during our date. We walked around to every other restaurant and the wait was 1.5 hours everywhere. Despite the fact that we were starving and 9pm was fast approaching, fast food was not an option. We got back to the garage, paid for parking and headed back to Fairfax Corner where a 20 minute wait absolutely delighted us! By 10pm we were eating a delicious meal and everything on the menu was nearly half the price of one entree from our NH restaurant, so we ate a lot. Carmen was perfect the whole time and, despite my urge to wake her up to remain on schedule, I let her sleep and enjoyed my wine and pasta with Michael. It turned out to be a very good outing. We recognize that it won't be this easy without a babysitter for long, so we fully enjoyed our family date night.

New Neighbors

2011-11-30T08:33:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love real neighbors that actually interact with you and do life with you??? Granted that our neighborhood is new and still growing and soon people will come out of their shell, but we have lucked out with Andrew and Heather Francis. New friends from our church just bought a home in our neighborhood and we couldn't be more thrilled!

They have a precious little boy, Colston, who is only 7 months old. He is getting a red wagon for Christmas with 2 seats - one for him and one for a friend that I'm hoping will be Carmen. We'll get to walk together, play at the pool together, borrow eggs and sugar, help each other out with kid watching/dog watching, and the list goes on. I have been waiting and am ready for some real authentic community!

Video Monitor

2011-11-22T13:21:00.000-08:00

It was brought to my attention by many of you that my previous photo of the video monitor was "creepy." Even Carmen's own daddy called her creepy. I guess it was a photo that only a mother could love. I just wanted to clear things up and let you all know that it does not normally creep anybody out. It was a bad photo and there was interference which made things look weird. The monitor is an awesome, invaluable edition to my 3 story house right now and almost always produces a sweet little view of my sleeping baby. Nothing to be scared about...

The Bakers

2011-11-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

We love them. (Not just because they love little CariBelle) But they are some of our favorites ever.

Don't you think they should have one of their own?!

Special Girl

2011-11-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

Spending come time with Uncle Brad and Aunt Amanda:

Carmen was quite content in Amanda's arms. Isn't her little UVA dress darling? Michael bought it for her.

I still cannot believe this little snuggle bug is mine! Whenever I hold her, I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness that the Lord chose HER to be OURS here on earth. I never have to give her back to anyone, she's my baby. I'm the one people give her back to. I love it! She looks at me and knows she's mine. It's so so special.

I love the way her hair gets messed up on the sides after nursing.

I love how her hair is growing and getting fuller. There are about 5 little pieces on the top of her head that are an inch longer than the rest and stick straight out.

I love her beautiful voice. She is talking to us all the time now.

I love her stretches whenever you pick her up from a nap.

Carmen has the sweetest smiles and gives them out freely to anyone who entertains her.

She's got a slight giggle going on that has yet to turn into full belly laughter, but it's precious just the same.

She loves playing with her hands and is learning to move each finger individually.

If she's propped up on her boppy pillow, she uses her stomach muscles and tries to sit up fully - she's so advanced :)

Oh yeah, she weighed in at 13 lbs 9.5 oz and 23.5 inches at two months.

Her leg and neck muscles are super strong and make me realize how fast she'll develop and grow.

Her big blue eyes love to see faces when she wakes up.

She's just the most precious girl I've ever seen!

There is something so unique and special about baby girls. I hope all of you have one someday!

Quick Post

2011-11-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

This was Carmen at a month and a half. But now she's two months old. I was suppose to post this a few weeks ago. Can you count her arm rolls?
Our sweet friend, Teddy, had this made for Carmen! I have one just like it from my childhood. Most thoughtful gift from a single guy!

Here was her birth announcement that we sent out to family. It was super cute. But now she's two months old, so again, I'm well behind on updates.

The Wilbourns

2011-11-07T08:33:00.000-08:00

Mike and Trinity Wilbourn and their sweet little ducklings lost everything in a house fire on Sunday afternoon. Praise be to God that the family was safely away at church when it happened. However, the loss that did occur is huge. Buddy, their dog, is gone along with most all their material possessions. Trinity is due in a little over a week with their 4th baby - can you even imagine what is going on in her head right now?? Her sister-in-law, Brett, has a helpful post on her blog.

I'm amazed at the army of people who want to help within our community. The body of Christ really is huge. But again, the need is great at this time and cannot to underestimated. The best way to help is prayer - pray for the Peace that passes all understanding to rest upon Mike and Trinity and their 4 little children during this time. But if you are urged to do more, gift cards or money might be the best, most tangible way to help. Michael is collecting our Portico communities' donations and working with a contact from MAG to keep tabs on what is happening on the "stuff" front. Mike and Trinity are long-time friends of ours and are a part of our weekly Community Group through our church. They are such humble people with servants' hearts - in spite of all this, Trinity already said that they "don't need much stuff since there are much needier familes," but still - there are definitely essentials that they will need to replace.

Leave a message or contact us or Brett or anyone you know who is organizing if you want to help out. We totally have an opportunity to love on them!

Hoo Baby and Sleep Talk

2011-11-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

She loved UVA. Michael took her for a stroll around grounds and then went to Mincers to buy her a little UVA outfit. Daddy said she was so happy. Uncle Preston (my younger brother) just submitted his application to UVA last night so now we're praying that he gets in to the college. Say a prayer for his acceptance too if you think about it. We're a growing Cavalier family!

Carmen is doing so, so well! She is eating perfectly and growing steadily. Each new day she begins to talk to me more and respond with lots of smiles. She did get her first cold last week. Thankfully it wasn't horrible, just a lot of snot stuck in her nose that I had to suction out regularly. It effected her sleep but didn't effect her happiness - she's such a sweet girl. Speaking of sleep, there's a lot of it happening under our roof considering how busy and mobile we've been. I almost feel ashamed for talking about how well she sleeps (similar to talking about how lovely and sickness-free my pregnancy was), like I'm going to offend the mothers who's children don't sleep solidly through the night - but I need to get over it. We've worked hard at teaching our baby good sleep habits and it's quickly paying off. Carmen is transitioning into the 10 hour sleep stretch from 9pm to 7am. Occasionally I'll feed her later in the night, especially with this cold, but for the most part she is passed out and will not wake up - no matter how much I try -after her nighttime feeding.

We've followed the principles of Babywise and it's clear that they have worked for us in this season. Our first 3 nights at home with her were hard - she had her days and nights mixed up. So for about a week we tried to teach her the difference and reverse her sleep patterns. She quickly made the switch and with the combination of feeding her every 2.5-3 hours, she fell into a regular pattern of sleep, eat, wake cycles. She learned not to stay awake after nighttime feedings and after two weeks, I was able to let her sleep for 5 hour stretches at a time during the night. That brings us up to the 7 week mark where she started to sleep longer and longer at night. Like I said, we're almost to sleeping through the night. She always wakes up happy and from her nighttime sleep and her naps. I love going in to get her! She's still in her bassinet in our room at night and during the day she's mostly in her crib. My current goal is getting her used to her crib and laying her down awake in hopes that she falls asleep on her own (Marta, I repeat your words in my head daily) She's doing really well with it. Sometimes her naps are only 25 minutes but she's learning and we're OK with that! Carmen is my joy and I just can't get over how darn precious she is!

Sometimes I catch her staring at the video camera for the monitor, like this:

Snuggle baby.

Too cute not to share

2011-10-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

Carmen was all decked out in hot pink for Rebecca's wedding. The wedding colors were Hot Pink, Platinum, Black and Sparkle so she had to match as an honorary flower girl. She was too cute!

Thoughts for the Moment

2011-10-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

My reality with a new baby is a lot different than I thought it would be. I thought things would be so drastically abnormal but they're not. And at the same time they are.

I am still me and Michael is still Michael. Our family and friends are the same. Our home is the same. My sense of humor, preferences, talents, likes and dislikes are the same. Just now there's a baby! I had this weird, un-thought out idea that somehow life as I knew it would be no more- in a twilight zone sort of way. But it's not!

What IS entirely different is what my individual hours in the day look like. Things that happen: I feed the baby, change and dress the baby, bathe the baby, hold the baby, play with the baby, put the baby to sleep, watch the baby sleep, and do it all over again. Things that rarely ever happen: shower, getting dressed, laundry, deep cleaning, washing dishes, completing an email or two, blogging (today is a lucky day), remembering what it was I walked up or downstairs to do, folding laundry, tidying up the house, getting the mail, going to the grocery store, getting wedding work done (scary one!), buying gifts for weddings, showers and birthdays, going to the bathroom (TOTAL change from 6 weeks ago when I lived on the toilet), writing thank you notes, cooking, uploading pictures on the computer. It just doesn't happen. And I think this is all part of Carmen still being so little and new. It's got to become possible to do simple tasks again right??

Though I'd like to shower and clean up the house, those things just aren't as necessary as feeding a new baby. And paying so much attention to my little darling is absolutely worth it!

This morning at 7:30am:

No title

2011-10-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

What's wrong with me??? I can't get a blog post done to save my life. Oh wait, I have a new baby and a busy October full of weddings. I cannot wait to be done with them! This weekend marks the end of my 2011 clients. It could not come fast enough. We also traveled to Rhode Island this past weekend for one of my best friend's weddings. It was gorgeous and so so fun. Road tripping took a little toll on us though. (Speaking of tolls, it cost about $75 in tolls to get there and back...says my dad. Ridiculous!) I had one bag packed for myself and 5 bags for the baby. How is that possible?! I'll post more pics of that later on. Maybe in November.

Funny pic: Carmen and Walker Campbell. Look at Walker's eyes! He looks terrified that I was taking a picture of the two of them together.

Hats and Headbands

2011-10-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

She's all girl!

We love her owl hat. Irresistible.

All dressed up for her first wedding:

It's Not September Anymore

2011-10-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

That was the fastest September I can ever remember. I miss it already. But life has been good.

As each week passes, I can sense life getting easier and more predictable again. Carmen is SUCH a good baby but she's a new baby - and that takes some time getting used to no matter how prepared you are ahead of time. We have started to venture out more. Well, more like we were forced to venture out with my client's wedding this past weekend. We packed up our bags and headed to Charlottesville for a long weekend. I found it pretty stressful to travel and move into suitcases with a 4 week old, but special things like a cozy home at the Uhls' and friends like Amanda and Brett to love on Carmen when I couldn't, made the trip easier. I would love a nap just thinking about it all.

Baby girl has a wonderful nighttime schedule for her age and our days are making a little more sense now. She still loves to be held and talked to and really doesn't like to be without her pacifier after her play time is over. She was like that from day 4, apparently I was the same way as a baby. Carmen's facial expressions and smiles are coming to life. Michael and I love it and laugh at her cute faces all the time.

I need to take bath time photos because she loves it and so incredibly cute in her little tub. If you're ever having a bad day just come over and we can give Carmen a bath together, you won't feel anything but happiness.

Birth Story From Another Perspective

2011-09-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday bloggies!

My name is Heather from

One Fisch, Two Fisch and today Megan has thoughtfully asked me to stop on by Los Dos (Tres?) Daubertos as a guest blogger. I also happen to be Megan's sister... her youngersister she often likes to add.

Today I am going to recount a short story that is near and dear to our hearts, and will be one that we will tell Little Miss over and over throughout the years to come: the birth story of sweet Carmen Isabelle from my family's perspective:

When September 6th rolled around, I could hardly believe the day had come that my sister would bring a new, precious baby into the world. All the months of dreaming about what Carmen would look like and how she would act, had finally come to an end. This was the day we would get to meet her ourselves

I could barely focus at work Tuesday morning because I was counting down the hours until noon when I would leave town and head to Fairfax hospital in Virginia. How long would Megan be in labor? Would she deliver before I got there? Would Carmen come quickly or would she make us all wait for hours in suspense? These were the questions running through my mind as I raced down I-95 in the pouring rain. Baby Carmen, here I come!

I arrived at the hospital around 3:00 and met my mom in the cafeteria so she could fill me in on Megan's progress up to that point, while Megan and Michael tried to rest. Was this really happening? It seemed like yesterday that we were all gathering at the hospital to welcome baby Brianna into the world. And now it was Megan's turn. How time flies.

Mom and I then took a quick trip up to Megan and Michael's room to see Megan and say hi one last time before the two became three. Megan looked tired and calm and seemed a bit out of it, but was still beautiful with her perfectly curled hair. It was obvious they were both so ready to meet their little one.

Around 4:00 dad arrived with Preston and Brianna still dressed in their school clothes, but too excited to care. Next Ashleigh and Amanda arrived and we all sat in excitement and anticipation, hanging onto our cell phones for any word of Carmen's arrival. Just as we were preparing to leave for dinner, we got a text from Michael saying that Megan was fully dilated and had begun pushing! We knew that Megan could be in labor for awhile and that we'd have to wait at least an hour to see Carmen ourselves, so we set out for a quick dinner at Sweet Water Tavern. The food was delicious, but we were all distracted by the thought of sweet Carmen being born. So we scarfed down our food and rushed back to the hospital.

When we arrived at the Birthing Center waiting room, we saw Bill, Lissa, Sarah, and David Daubert already there. It was a large waiting room but we all somehow made it feel small by our loud, happy chatter, the massive baby girl balloons we had ready, the several baby gift bags, and all the video camera sitting on the floor. I'm pretty sure everyone in the waiting room heard our entire conversation and knew quite well that a Carmen Isabelle was being born; we were way too excited to be considerate of the noise level.

Sometime around 7:00 we saw nurse Lynne McLoughlin who we've known for years from church, come into the waiting room with a big smile on her face. We all held our breath while she said "Well, I'm happy to announce that as of 6:34pm, Megan and Michael became the parents of a healthy, perfect, 7 lbs, 13oz baby girl!" There was a quick pause, and then "AHHHHHHHH!!!" was all you heard as well all jumped up, cheered VERY loudly and clapped our hands in-between hugging one another. The excitement was priceless; the moment was precious; and I'll remember it for the rest of my life. It was such a fun, loving moment that it left me thinking "I hope that when this day comes from me, I will be near all my family and have them right there anxiously waiting for my baby too."

We tried to wait patiently to get the message that it was time for us to see the baby and Megan and Michael. Our Worthley family all fought over the Daubert's cellphones as Michael (accidentally?) sent a picture text of baby Carmen to his side of the family and not ours. We all grabbed for the phones and within one second of looking at the little image, said "Oh my goodness, she looks just the Megan! And Preston, and Brianna!"

Holding Carmen in my arms made my heart melt. It is so incredible to hold a new baby who is so tiny yet so real and alive; it really speaks for what a miracle it truly is. Megan looked great overall, and despite the fact that her face was a bit swollen and she appeared to be out of it, her hair was still perfectly curled.

The end :)

3 Weeks Old

2011-09-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

It seems like Carmen is changing everyday. She is so adorable, we can't stop looking at her. I think I need to work on some other phrases to say to her besides, "You're so beautiful. You're so pretty." We've really missed Daddy this week. He's been on a business trip in Austin, TX and it's been so hard having him gone. We both miss him too much.

I can tell that Carmen knows full well who I am now. She calms down when I'm near and loves to for me to hold her. It's so precious. We are starting to work on falling asleep on her own for naps and it's painful for me - but I know it's best for her. I have great support and encouragement from our beloved Mallory and of course, Michael, but he's just been gone for a bit now. Here's some recent photos:

Our first time at church as a new family of 3
Carmen's first shopping trip to the mall. Had to get her some colder weather clothes. And an owl hat...pics of that to come.
First time spending the night at Grandpops and Nonni's house - with Mommy of course! Plenty of people to hold and love on her here.

Two Weeks Old

2011-09-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

(This is the only topic my brain can handle at this month, so this is what you'll get)

Carmen had a wonderful two week old doctor's appointment yesterday. To my surprise, she weighed in at 8lbs 14oz! Nearly 9 pounds, but she still looks so little. She's a growing, healthy girl. Her doctor was so impressed. She has grown .25 inches longer which puts her in the 75th percentile for weight and length. Her perfect little head is in the 25th percentile - I'm delighted! Her doctor said I could let her sleep as long as she'll go during the night since she's healthy. I still woke up to feed her last night, she was ready for a midnight meal.

Michael also gave her the first bottle yesterday evening. She did great with it. I wanted to introduce breast milk in a bottle sooner than later so that she would be sure to take it when I have the weddings in a couple weeks. I did feel pretty jealous of him while he rocked her and fed her. Feeding is still mommy's time with Carmen. She also rolled herself over from her tummy to her back while on the floor yesterday - twice. I was a bit surprised but my friend with a daughter a month older than Carmen said that was normal until she gets too heavy to push herself over. She's such a doll.

Nathan

2011-09-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

Happy First Birthday possible future son-in-law! Carmen should be more interested in you someday.

Heavenly Perfection

2011-09-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

Our little Sleeping BeautyCarmen is eating and sleeping SO well! We are very thankful. We have her two week appointment on Thursday so we'll see how much she has grown. I can already see and tell a difference in my sweet newborn.

The Stork

2011-09-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

My sweet parents had this sign waiting for us when we got home from the hospital:

It was really fun to watch all the neighbors and dog walkers stroll slowly past our house and read the sign. The stork stayed for a week but I've still gotten some "congratulations" from people when I see them outside. It's kind of fun!

First Week Photos

2011-09-15T08:22:00.001-07:00

Going home from the hospital on Thursday afternoon:Snug in her car seat about to get in the car for the first time. Finally get to use our car as a baby mobile! Michael was so sweet; he had classical music playing when we got in the volvo. It was such a nice contrast from the monsoon that we were driving through. Carmen snoozed the whole way home.
Loving tummy time and the quilt Aunt Bek made for her
Michael couldn't wait to take her on a walk - I'm pretty sure this was our second day home. He was so cute, I couldn't be selfish and ask for him to wait until I was able to join. I missed them terribly while they were gone.
One of Daddy's favorite things
Beautiful girl
After her first bath at home. My pink little worm
All fresh and clean in her ducky outfit
Opening day for the NFL. Daddy took her next door to our neighbor's house and mommy got to take a little nap.
Getting sleepy, we're working on learning to sleep at night!

Birth Story

2011-09-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

On Monday September 5^th (my due date), Michael and I made our way to Inova Fairfax to check in for our pre-induction appointment at 8pm. Dr. Wolf had decided that if Carmen did not come on her own by her due date then she would induce me. She confidently made that decision based on the healthy signs of the baby and the way my body was progressing on its own. We were thrilled! We calmly packed our bags in the car, reviewed our hospital check-list and then Michael took some time to lead us in prayer for our family and our home. It was hard to believe that this was our “going to the hospital” moment. So calm and peaceful – a theme that would play out for the rest of our birth experience.

After a quick visit to each of our parent’s homes, we finally were on the road to the hospital. We made it to registration nice and early. I thought that I was as cool as a cucumber until I started filling out the paper work. I don’t know what I would have done without Michael next to me. I couldn’t figure out the order of first and last name, couldn’t remember my social, and answered “yes” to questions such as “are you hard of hearing” and “are you deaf.” Thankfully Michael corrected everything and took care of me. We were sent up to the 3^rd floor where we were met by our nurse and taken to our labor and delivery room. Set up didn’t take long and before I knew it I was hooked up to the monitors, the medicine was on its way to preparing for a 7am induction, and I was lounging on the bed watching The Bachelor Pad. I ended up not getting much sleep because the cramping had begun, but was able to rest and think about how unknown all this was to me. Michael so sweetly slept in a less than comfy reclining chair next to me all night.

Right at 7am on Tuesday our new day shift nurse, Renee, came in and began preparations for the induction. We loved her. She was just the type of nurse I had prayed for and really seemed to care about me and the baby. Peace once again settled over me in this unfamiliar place. Not more than 15 minutes later, Dr. Wolf walked in, hugged me and then did an internal exam. She determined that my cervix was now open and was at 1cm dilated. The medicine did its job perfectly! While Dr. Wolf was checking me, she secretly broke my water. I had no idea that’s what she was doing until she said “There we go!” and I certainly felt it afterwards. No pain, no discomfort just a new experience. So blessed. Renee started me on the pitocin and contractions began within the next 10 minutes. About every 15-20 minutes Renee would up the dose of pitocin and I would notice the contractions get a little stronger. I labored this way for the next few hours. Around 10am, the contractions were pretty strong and only 1-2 minutes apart so I relied heavily on Michael to help me focus during the pain. When they were really bad, all I wanted was for him to rub my hand and fingers with a lot of pressure. I had a lot of pain in my back and lower abdomen so there was really no position that felt comfortable. Mid-morning, a family friend, youth leader and former Sunday school teacher of mine walks in to our room. Lynne has worked as a LD nurse for years and just happened to be mentoring on our floor that day! She was such a great resource and source of comfort. As the contractions got to be very painful around 12noon, Lynne popped back in I was able to express some concerns to her and get advice. I told her that I was concerned about getting an epidural too soon and that it might slow down my labor/contractions. She and Renee confidently told me that there is no possible way that would happen because I was on pitocin and that would always keep my labor progressing. She recommended that when I begin to experience pain in a way that I knew I couldn’t take it to another level, then it was time to ask for the epidural. My mom had come to see us in the room during the 12 o’clock hour which helped to pass the most painful time. By 1pm, I had taken Lynne’s advice and told Renee that I would like the epidural very soon. Again, the Lord’s blessing was upon us because it took no more than 15 minutes from the time I asked for it to the time that the anesthesiologist walked into my room. No excessive wait time! She was a beautiful and brilliant doctor who also gave me great peace about the medicine. Michael and Renee held me through the epidural and it actually wasn’t that bad. And the best part was that within 15 minutes I was no longer feeling the pain of the contractions! Our room was calm, peaceful and I was able to rest and take a nap. The epidural was incredible and I am forever grateful for it.

Renee checked me at 3pm and determined I was about 4 or 5 cm. I was a little discouraged and Michael guessed that we’d probably be having this baby close to 8 or 9pm. Dr. Wolf planned to come back in around 5 after she finished up at her office so I just waited until then to see what she would say. Right before 5pm, I began to feel an unusual pressure and thought of the women who said that they could feel when their baby’s head was ready to come out. I asked Michael to go get Renee but as he did, in walks Dr. Wolf who quickly checks me and says, “Wow, you’re at 9.5 cm. It’s time to push!” Michael got really excited and so did I, just in a more subdued way. I still could not believe that I was in labor. I couldn’t believe that it was time to push. There was no mad rushing about, just Dr. Wolf and Renee quietly and happily preparing for what was about to happen. Michael held my hand and we waited for instructions. Lynne came back in and taught me how to push and coached Michael on his role in all of this – to hold one of my legs and support my head. I began pushing and all in all it was 1 hour and 15 minutes of pushing. As crazy as it sounds, it was peaceful. In between contractions (which were about 30 secs – 1 min apart) we talked and joked a little. I could still smile and make conversation. Dr. Wolf sat on the side of my bed and coached me through each push while Renee counted to 10. There was no pain, just the natural pressure of what was happening. I clearly remember that hour of pushing. I remember the thoughts I had, the little conversations, the smiles and affirmation from my husband, doctor and nurse, and the building excitement of what was coming. Dr. Wolf did eventually bring in a mirror, which I was highly opposed to, but like everything else she told me she was completely right in that it would help me focus and use the right muscles. Whatever – I got over it and it ended up being great. As the end was in sight I began to watch my doctor’s face instead because her smiles got bigger and I knew that our baby was about to be born. At 6:34pm Carmen Isabelle was born and all the pushing, all the puffiness, all the exhaustion became worth it!

We continued to have amazing nurses who made us feel very cared for, we never felt rushed or as if we were just another number, and we got to spend so much time just holding our little baby. Overall the hospital was fantastic, my doctor was the best, and my labor and delivery was pretty flawless. I couldn’t feel more thankful. The Lord was blessing us in every little way. Now, I’m going to go hold my little baby…

Our Baby

2011-09-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

Carmen Isabelle Daubert arrived at 6:34pm on Tuesday, September 6, 2011

7 lbs 13 oz

21 inches long

She is healthy, happy and incredibly beautiful.

The Lord is so good to us.

She loves to be held and cuddled.

She found her thumb in the first couple hours after birth.

Most people say she looks just like her momma. I see it too, but I do think there's some Michael in her.

She has a beautiful complexion and skin tone.

She is very "handsy." She's always moving them and touching her face - which isn't so fun at nighttime.

She looks really cute in pink.

She's the best thing in the world! We are so so in love.

September It Is

2011-09-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

We made it to September with no birth day so a September baby she will be! If I could choose a date, I'd pick from the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, or 7th. No particular reason, just because. Although I think my favorite would be September 2nd - but babies don't listen to you yet, right?

I had a great time at the doctor's office on Tuesday. In a nutshell, they called me when I was nearly there to tell me to turn around because Dr. had to do an emergency c-section. I said Ok, then cried and cried and called back asking if I could come in to have a nurse look at me and answer some questions I've had. They let me! They did some tests that produced fabulous news that she was moving perfectly. I had the office and nurses all to myself that day so we chatted and then the Dr. comes back and wants to look at me!!! Best visit ever. Since all the appointments had been cancelled, she had so much time on her hands and took me into the sono room to check out the baby. I thought that I was going to get to see her face this time so I was shaking. But true to form, she had her entire arm sticking straight across her face. It remains a mystery until birth. All her other body parts looked so stinkin' cute though! I can't wait to see her! Dr. measured the fluid and there was tons of it. Had it been low, they would have induced me this week. I may have hoped for low fluids in that minute. But instead the number was well over the safe amount. Everything about Little Bit is just right. Great appointment, I have this weird excitement and love for my visits. That was not a nutshell story at all.....sorry.

Stay tuned for updates! Haven't figured out how to update the blog from our phones yet, but we'll try and post about her as soon as we get a chance!

39 weeks

2011-08-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

And the waiting has begun. I keep doing things around my house thinking, "please be the last time I do this before the baby comes." They are tasks like cleaning the bathroom, doing laundry, changing my sheets, cleaning the dishes. Clearly small tasks that just seem so boring right now. Then I wait a little bit and a few days pass and it's time to do it all over again! Such a tease.

Some of the bigger things that I was hoping to get done before she arrives have been completed, such as getting our recliner:
Getting her recliner:And then there are those projects that I've been wanting to do for months but just never did them. Like re-do some ugly lamps that we had sitting around. There was a green and a red lamp that a neighbor had given to us when we got married. Pretty ugly. So finally, we bought new shades for them and a can spray paint and look at how much better they are now:

Also, flowers outside. I really wanted Carmen to come home to a house with flowers on the front porch. I've been anxiously awaiting yellow mums and here they are!!!

Lowes pulled through and had them in stock already. We picked some out that are about ready to burst with bright yellow so hopefully they'll be pretty for the little girl's homecoming. Kind of like how I'm straightening my hair more often in hopes of going into labor with straight hair not curly/wavy hair. Just a little thing I am holding onto. I don't want Carmen to see her mom as a drowned rat for the first time. Save your comments. I fully anticipate being drenched in sweat but let me have straight hair. There's enough of it that the outer layers will still look dry. I'm just confessing my labor fantasies here friends.

Keeping a super clean house is exhausting. But eating ice cream is not. I think I'll go do that right now...

38 Weeks

2011-08-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

We took this picture last night so I'm really ending my 38th week here soon. I'm practicing for the hospital pictures and not wearing any make-up in the photo. Not sure I like it but I know that I'm about to be humbled in more ways than I can imagine. Also, I still don't think I look this big in real life. I'm serious. Funny camera angle perhaps?

The doctor I visited today felt me up and told me that this bump is ALL baby. I said something about hoping she's not 10 pounds and the doctor said she didn't think so. That's about the only good thing I got out of today's check-up. I could not be more thankful for my OB and her practice. I did not like where I was today. My perfect doctor is out of town but wanted a doctor to still see me this week so they made an appointment for me elsewhere. I just didn't like this lady. If you want to know her name in order to never be her patient ask me and I'll be happy to warn you. And I'll save you all the complaints because, overall , this is a happy post!

No new news. Carmen likes her temporary home. Wouldn't you though too with earthquakes and hurricanes all around? I'm remaining as patient as possible enjoying sleeping in, blow drying and curling my hair, hopping in and out of the car quickly, etc. Carmen is really curling up in a little ball and sitting very low. Her movements are still strong but are less often. She's got a wonderful, healthy heartbeat. And that's all that we know about her....which is why we're all so excited to meet her! We want details! But again, I will be patient. We love you Carmen! Your home here is ready for you!

Owls

2011-08-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

I've developed a slight preference for owls since I've been pregnant. Not real owls, just cartoon owls. I'm not sure why but, for now, I think they're kind of cute. Fortunately, it seems that they are everywhere. I spent a long time deciding which play mat I wanted for baby, until I found the perfect one from Giggle! Aunt Heather and Uncle Matt bought this for us and I'm so excited for Carmen to play on it:

See the cute owl?Next, I was shopping on an Etsy store looking for a little travel wipes case for my diaper bag and thought I was going to get a pink and white damask print one....until I saw the colorful owls! I couldn't resist! Michael thinks they are a little scary but I like them. Maybe I'm captivated by big eyes....

Carmen's Nursery

2011-08-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

August has definitely been our "get it done" month and I completely have Michael to thank for it. He worked so hard to hang all the nursery wall decor and then spent an afternoon putting up chair railing and picture molding. It looks fantastic!And now, after much waiting (all the way till 38 weeks...that's patience on my part!) our firstborn baby girl's nursery is finished:

This little Restoration Hardware ruffle lamp nightlight is one of my favorite touches!
My friend Caitlin makes maps and she made these three frames for Carmen. They are maps of where we live/where she will be born. The maps zoom into our area of northern Virginia and the bottom map is of our neighborhood. Michael had the idea to string them together with the pink ribbon. I love organization! Especially when it's for cute little girls.

Our hearts are filled with joy!

I'm getting bigger

2011-08-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

Bigger, that's my diagnosis after each doctor's appointment. It's so hard to cling to your patience in the last 17 (!!!) days. I'm not dilated at all - which seems discouraging but then I tell myself that you don't have to have dilated to go into labor. I'm sitting at 80% effaced and her head is way, way down low. So that's good news. She's been a very good girl and been in the head down position for months and months and now she's making her presence very known. My doctor told me to simply pray and tell God that I want her to come before her due date so that I have more than 3 weeks of recovery with her before the craziness begins. So I will pray. And if you're reading this pray with me too. It's doubtful that she'll come before September so I have some time to wait. And get bigger.

It's the Little Things

2011-08-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

Last night my bestest bestie took me out for a little date. She didn't tell me what we were doing but she said she'd pick me up at 5:25pm for our "activities." It was the sweetest thing I swear. I was so ready to spend time with Ashleigh and it was the perfect night to do so. She got to my house and drove us to our dinner - Chick-fil-a - just perfect. Then she revealed that she had made an appointment for us to get pedicures together!

A pedicure was one of things that I had been wanting to do most before this baby comes! I hadn't had one since June, and no that's not bad, but what's bad is that the June polish and toe nail length was still on my toes because I cannot reach them. It's impossible. I'll fall over if I try. Ash took us to a nice, newer nail salon in town and we got the most relaxing pedicure. It was so wonderful to have her sitting next to me the whole time, we just talked like normal. I got hot pink and she got hot orange. Our feet our perfect now. Minus the swelling in mine, but that will soon go away.

Then my precious Cuke took us to Moo Thru for some dairy fresh summer ice cream. She knows that I love Moo Thru and drove very much out of our way to go get some. We indulged in a Sundae with extra peanut butter sauce and a chocolate banana split with extra peanut butter sauce.

I feel so blessed by her! Not only were those 3 of my favorite activities, but I got to do them with Ash. You are so thoughtful my darling Cuke and I will never forget it! I love you!

Home Stretch

2011-08-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Crib is empty and waiting! Car seat is installed in the car and was inspected by a kind fireman. Bags are sort of packed for the hospital. Nursery is close to being ready. Things are looking good!

I've got a few odds and ends like video tapes, snacks, and certain medicines that I still need to get but for the most part we've done our jobs. I still need somewhere for the baby to sleep when we bring her home from the hospital - don't have a bassinet or pack n' play - but if it gets down to the wire, I think my parents still have Brianna's old pack n' play.

I really can't wrap my mind around being in the last month and the fact that she could come any time now. I'm not itching to get her out of me like people assume. I feel good in general, don't walk like a pregnant lady (thank you Brett!!!), and can breathe easily because she's dropped. Oh what a mentally and emotionally weird month this will be!

Kate Virginia

2011-08-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

Carolyn and me in our last month of pregnancy together: On Sunday she had their baby girl, Kate Virginia Vernon! We got to visit them in the hospital shortly afterwards. Carmen and Kate got to kick their feet around together:

She's so precious and tiny!

Our Parents

2011-08-09T11:00:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we got to spend fun times with both of our parents. On Friday night we joined my mom and dad for a trip to Old Town Warrenton to shop at our friend's furniture store and have a small wine tasting. We walked down the street and had dinner together at a little restaurant and then stopped for extremely delicious ice cream on the way back home. We really enjoyed ourselves and love getting to be with my family. Mom and Dad, you all are so good to us!

On Sunday, Michael's parents decided to come to church with us. It was so great to have family in our church and to have them meet some of our friends. They took us out to lunch afterwards where we got to catch up some more and just be together. Bill and Lissa, thank you for blessing us with lunch and family time!

Michael and I are loving having our families close to us. Not many people our age get to be around their families but we are so thankful for it. We love you parents!

House Tour

2011-08-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

We've lived in our new home for just over 4 months now. It's taken a long while to settle in. We just hung a few pictures for the first time this week and you'll see how much more needs to be done. Painting, decorating, and new furniture is still needed but as we all know that takes lots of time and money so we're doing the best we can. Here's a quick photo tour:

View from the front door
Kitchen
Kitchen/Dining
Looking back into the family room. Behind the couch is Carmen's "play area." I'll show you more on that later.
2nd level rec room/office/ whatever you call it
2nd floor hallway Guest room in progress (I'll show nursery pics once it's finished.)

Hall Bath waiting for a complete make-over

Master Suite level, to the right is our "sitting room"
Looking into the Master (notice our little wine bar on the right!)

Master Bath

We have a lot more to figure out decorating-wise. It's hard to pick colors for the walls when I don't quite have a clear vision of what I want to do with it. But it's a lot of fun and the good part is that we are settled here for a while!

Fiesta de Uhls

2011-08-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon Brad and Amanda hosted a lovely party honoring our sweet baby girl's arrival. Amanda had a delicious Mexican themed spread and colorful, fun decorations ready to celebrate. Our friends were so generous and showered us with a handmade dress (by Jenn Boggs!), Diapers, a bright yellow onesie ( I love yellow!) with a bunny blanket, and a fabulous Maclaren umbrella stroller. Can't thank you all enough! Spending time with you all was our favorite part. It felt like the old days as if we had never moved.

I love this picture because of pregnant Mich holding the baby boy on top of her belly.The stunning Mrs. Wooten
Jenn, you can play with our hair anytime!Brett, the baby lover, with the most handsome Kevin Sauer:

Little Friends

2011-08-03T09:22:00.001-07:00

The beautiful Michelle and baby Abigail:They'd be best friends if we lived closer. But hey, they can still be best friends! We love you Drago family!

Dancing not so good for the feet

2011-08-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

Proof that I was at the wedding this weekend:

The only 2 pictures I took because I was working hard and making sure everything went smoothly. And it did! Justin and Kathryn are happily married now. She looked more beautiful than ever and Justin was so handsome. Their wedding was a blast and I danced more at this reception than I have in a long time. Everyone was dancing - how could I not? Amanda said it best, "It's like church turned into a dance party." Pastors, deacons, elders dancing everywhere you looked! Too much fun.

That's probably a large part of the reason why my ankles and feet have swollen to the size of my grandfathers. When we got home on Sunday night, it took me a while to look down and see why my feet were tingling so much. They were HUGE. It freaked me out a bit and so I showed Michael and it freaked him out too. I'm nearing the end of pregnancy friends. I cannot believe it. In the next week, Michael and I have to pack our hospital bags and get the car seat installed and inspected. Oh, and finish the nursery.

See ya Monday!

2011-07-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

Oh weekend joy here we come! We're about to head out to Charlottesville for a wedding - two fold - Megan Daubert Events is working it Friday - Saturday up until the reception, then we party like the rest of 'em! I don't know how I will contain myself should a Michael Jackson song be played during the dancing. I can't not move?! BUT my ligaments are falling apart and separating and everything else scary that comes with the last month of pregnancy. It could be a total disaster on the dance floor. Michael, you're gonna have to hold me down in my seat. Or take me to the cake table.

We get to see some of our dearest and most missed friends this weekend too! We had something so good in Charlottesville when we lived there. The friends were incredible. The friends here are too, we just haven't let go of how much we love the Cville crowd.

Sunday we'll get to go to Portico and see more people we miss and worship with our old church. Then a fiesta at the Uhls aka BFFs! I'm so excited! I better calm down or I might throw myself into preterm labor. (j/k, Doc did a test on me and she's not coming in the next 1.5 weeks for sure.)

Happy Friday! (Heather I wish I could go to Costco with you guys, I'd like a hot dog too.)

Pillow

2011-07-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

I have a best friend who knows how to sew anything and everything. She saw some fabric and thought of me and Carmen so she bought it and asked what I wanted. I said maybe a little pillow for my rocker. A week later, I got this in the mail:

It's so unbelievably cute I don't even know what to do with myself! I love that people already love Carmen and make things for her. Especially Bek. We will treasure this pillow forever.

Green Thumb After All

2011-07-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe how well my basil plant is growing! Based on my past experience with greenery and basic failure with Tom and Tina, I didn't think the basil had a chance. Lo and behold I'm about to make my first batch of pesto. This is a huge step in my life and I'm hoping for many, many more years of homegrown basil. Anybody need some??

Good Company

2011-07-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like girlfriends that know exactly what you're going through! Sunday evening we had a Baby BBQ for 3 couples that are all expecting babies very soon. Our husbands got to grill, hang out, and play yard games while the pregnant ladies rested our swelling ankles in the AC and talked all about pregnancy. It was so sweet to hear Michael and another dad-to-be talk about how cute baby girls clothes are and how they plan to take walks with the baby strollers. These types of convos don't happen often because 1) most people don't care 2) if you're not going through it you have better things to talk about and 3) men don't usually go around talking about tiny pink dresses. I try hard to keep the baby topics to a minimum when I'm with other people. I totally get that it's not on other people's minds 24/7 and that's why Sunday was so refreshing!

The beautiful women in the picture are Carolyn w/baby girl, Mallory with baby Lily, and Meggie w/baby boy. This was the first time we all met! We're planning a post-delivery gathering in October.

33 Weeks

2011-07-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

Here we are, getting closer! Baby C is moving around a lot still and letting most anyone who catches her at the right time feel it too. I'm running into things with my belly left and right. I can't seem to remember that I'm a lot bigger than I used to be. Feeling great still and debating whether or not I want pregnancy portraits. Most of me says no, but then I think what if this is my one and only opportunity? I'd be sad if I missed it. We shall see.

Michael and I went to our first childbirth class on Wednesday. I thought it was a lot of fun. We're taking a small, private short course through my precious doctor's office and it's wonderful! There is only one other couple attending so it's very intimate and we can ask questions at any point without feeling like we're interrupting a class. My OB is amazing and likes to bake homemade treats for her "students" as well as provide other drinks and healthier snacks. How does she have the time?? In between the baby deliveries, doctors visits, her own life and living a state away, she has the time to bake us treats. It's just another little gesture that shows us she really cares for us and makes us feel well taken care of. The instructor has worked exclusively at our hospital for over 30 years and is able to give us the ins and outs of the place and what is normal practice and so on. Another great confirmation! The first class really gave Michael and I a sense of what is happening and how special that time will be for the two of us. It's still scary, but I'm looking forward to it more now. Plus, circumstances allowing, I can get a whole days worth of relaxation massages out of it from Michael! Bring on the hospital bed, I feel tension in my back that needs lovin' already.

Tiny Clothes

2011-07-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

Below are some of the most creative little onesies that my friends' decorated at the baby shower Jenny hosted. Aren't these so good??? I love them.

Who do you think this burp cloth is actually for, Mommy or baby? And just for fun, I was picking out what clothes I wanted to pack away for the hospital and make her "going home" outfit. It was a hard decision and I'm still not sure. I packed 4 just in case and in a little different sizes too. Here's to hoping she's a healthfully small baby!

More days like this please

2011-07-20T07:00:00.001-07:00

Sunday was such a sweet day. Michael and I did our usual church routine - left the house at 6:30am stayed at church until 1:15pm - but made a point to go out to lunch with some friends. We had a great time getting to know these new friends a little better (and are really excited to spend more time with them). We didn't have anything planned for the rest of the day which was a totally glorious feeling and so unusual for the two of us!

On the way home, Michael suggested we make a special detour for milkshakes. I loved the idea. We took our incredibly delicious shakes home and rested for a little while on the couch. I took a little nap and Michael watched the rest of the women's soccer game. As the game finished, we leisurely decided to watch 2 episodes on netflix of the TV series we're in the middle of. The day had cooled down a bit more by the time we were done watching TV so we threw on our bathing suits and headed out to our community pool. Michael suggested we walk (I think he's trying to get me to exercise more) but it was a great idea. The pool is super close by car, but on foot it's just far enough for an 8 month pregnant lady to feel like she's exercised for a week. It felt good honestly. The walk was so enjoyable because it was just the two of us and we chatted the whole way about the baby. We got to the pool and hopped right in. It was cool and refreshing and I felt as light as a feather. We stayed in for about 45 minutes then Michael ordered us a "pool special" pizza and we sat out on the lawn chairs waiting for our poolside dinner. After we finished, we walked back home as the sun was setting. More special conversation followed by a shower and a bubble bath then off to bed.

We don't do things like this normally. We don't watch TV and we certainly don't have free days like this with no structure. It was beautiful. I was so blessed by Michael's intentional choices to spend time together and enjoy ourselves. We are trying to slow down a little bit before the baby girl comes so that we can have more precious days like this.

Pillow Kingdom

2011-07-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy sleep during the night is still considered successful in my terms. Of course, I wake up twice to go to the bathroom but it's very easy to fall back asleep. I love sleep.

For Michael, the story might be different. I'm not allowed to sleep on my back anymore. Back lying is the only way I've ever slept. This "sleep on your left side" deal has been difficult to adjust to - for both of us. I started out with one large pillow between my legs to aid in keeping me there. I constantly rolled back to my back each night so I added a pillow to wrap my arms around and help counteract gravity pulling on my belly. Still not enough. Next I added our huge decorative pillow to my backside and wedged it between Michael and me. I sleep surrounded by 4 huge pillows. We have a queen bed although now it's more like I have a double mattress and Michael has a park bench to sleep on. I feel so bad for him. He doesn't complain a bit though because he knows it's for the good of our baby. Our sleeping arrangement is so different these days. Normally, we are big snugglers and sleep close together all night long. We probably could fit on a twin mattress. Not only is Michael now confined to a thin strip of the bed but he's also pushed far away from me thanks to my pillow fortress. We don't like it but we know that it's only for a little while longer. Then we can cuddle all we want for our 2 hours of sleep per night with a newborn.

I've been resisting buying those pregnancy pillows that weave around your whole body. Everyone I know swears by them and I'm sure it would be life altering. But honestly, I don't want to spend $75 on it right now. I have nearly 7 weeks left and have made it this far. My friend just told me I could use hers and I think I might need to go get it. 4 pillows is a little ridiculous.

Summer Vacation 2011

2011-07-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Doh's let us all stay at their family's beach house for the week of July 4th. It was so great to get to the beach and do nothing! Michael and I enjoyed the "freedom" of doing whatever we wanted out on the sand and not worrying about looking out for a little one's safety. My how things will change.

The house was sitting right on the beach which made bathroom and drink trips so easy.
The water was really pretty for the OBX. Some days it was a gorgeous green/blue and you could see clear down to the bottom. The night of the 4th we all feasted on crabs

Thank you Dohs and Collins for such a relaxing week away!

Recap

2011-07-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

Unintentional ignoring of the blog, so sorry.

Not too much as happened in the last couple weeks. We vacationed in the Outer Banks then I went to Dunkin' Donuts this morning. It was so good.

Baby is growing and growing!

Who's that you say? Oh, just my friend Brett. She's awesome.

We went to see Wicked at the Kennedy Center! It was fabulous.

That's us in the elevator. Everyone was glad to be there.

I got my diaper bag! Now we're ready for the baby. Actually, we're not even close. Give me some more time on that one.

Rebekah and Abby, thanks for your continued love and support. I wouldn't have done this without you.

Travis and Carolyn

2011-06-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Our good friends Travis and Carolyn Vernon had a fun shower for their baby girl a few weeks ago. We love it because they are moving closer to us and will have a baby girl just a few weeks before we do! Their sweet daughter, Sara, is so excited to have a baby sister. Can't wait to watch their family grow to 4!

Season of blessings

2011-06-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

My first baby shower ever was so amazing. I keep thinking that it felt like my wedding day where I was so happy and the time just flew by too quickly. Having so many of our friends be there to support us and shower us with love was incredible. Mama Simmons, Ash, Heather, and Bek and Manda in spirit, you all threw a perfect party! I love you dearly!

These frogs wear diapers

2011-06-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

I couldn't get over how funny this was. The backyard frog statues had on pink bows and diapers. How appropriate.

I like Italians

2011-06-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Our friend, Maria, made these delicious Cake Pops and put them in this pink can with $20 in coins at the bottom. She told me it was an Italian tradition that family members start the new baby's savings off with $20 in coins. I love it. Carmen has $20 already. She's an honorary Italian. Thanks Battista!

How cool are these?

2011-06-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

My mom's friend got these for us and I just love them. When I taught preschool, I saw a lot of personal labels like stickers or actual personalized cups but I hadn't seen these stretchy bands. They can fit around a bottle or sippy cups and they have her name on them. This will be great to have in the church nursery especially since she'll be in there with 12,000 other babies. Don't want to mix up the milk. What a fun gift!

28 Week pic

2011-06-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

I made Michael re-take this picture a few times because every time I looked at it I thought, "No that's not actually what I look like. Try it again." Welp, this is what I look like. You've all been so kind to me and not told me how much water I seemed to be retaining. Oh well, I guess I'll get my cheeks back in September. She's worth it.

I cashed in on my mommy-to-be spa day yesterday! It was amazing! I've never had a massage before but I could certainly go for one again. It was so nice to have someone (a woman) rub my back and neck and legs where there was unknown soreness. She told me I had so much tightness all along my spinal chord and then a lot in my neck. I could have told you I have tightness in my neck. That's not from pregnancy, that's from carrying around 5lbs of hair. I know nothing different. I am so grateful to Michael for treating me to that yesterday. My nails look great too. I'm all ready for tomorrow!!!!

25 week ultrasound

2011-06-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

This was taken almost a month ago at my last visit when she was being a wiggly girl. I love it and cannot even imagine what her little face is going to look like. I've been enjoying seeing all my friend's little girls be born and grow into such cutie pies. Oh my, I can even contain my excitement for this coming weekend! The days are going by so slowly.

She will have friends!

2011-06-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Our neighborhood is bursting with families and little ones! Our next door neighbors have a 5 month old daughter named Cadence , my hair stylists' bff lives a street over and has a little girl and a new baby on the way, and then I noticed a new sign in someone's yard welcoming home a new baby girl - Abigail! She's not even a month old so she will be much closer in age to Carmen. I need to meet all these people and make friendships with them. Stroller walks will help and the weather will be perfect for that once Baby C is here! I'm just super excited that she'll have playmates that are girls. Think of all the games and crafts and make-believe they can play together (the more friends to play house and barbies with her, the better. I'm still worn out from doing that not so long ago with my sissy). And the best part is that she'll have her Aunt Brianna who will be the best little role model and friend for her! So sweet.

Third Trimester

2011-06-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

- Registered at our hospital.....check!

- Found Baby C's pediatrician.....check!

- Signed up for a birthing class.....check!

- Scheduled glucose screening test.....check!

- Having difficulty picking things up off the floor....check!

- Old women in stores give you advice.....check!

Getting really excited/nervous/stressed/anxious/happy.

Preggo Thoughts

2011-06-09T06:35:00.000-07:00

You know what's fun? The thought of having a mini-me. She could very well look a lot like Michael and not favor me as much but I feel like you can always see some of mom in little girls. I'm a bridesmaid in a wedding this October and I am going to dress Carmen up to match the wedding colors. I just contacted someone yesterday to see if she could make the sparkly headband to go with her outfit. I think it's so fun to dress up little girls. I guess that's the side of me that never really grew out of playing house or barbies or paper dolls. The reality of getting to put cute clothes on this little one is slowly sinking in. Actually, given the fact that there are 88 days till my due date makes a lot of little realities sink in. Some are scary - like we don't have carseat - baby essential #1. I did finish reading Babywise yesterday, compliments of Marta, and loved it! Michael is now finishing it up and we plan on reviewing the basics together. Our personalities and goals seem to line up directly with what the authors write about baby routines. We shall see. I'll admit that I am probably more excited for baby showers than I was for bridal showers. My family friends are throwing us one June 18th and then my Jenny-Penny is throwing one on the 26th. I am so SO excited. And I keep going back to how thankful I am that she's actually here and not in heaven waiting anymore. That's what these showers mean to me. They are illustrating answered prayers and God's gracious blessings!

I'm transitioning into a more tired and hungry phase. Belly keeps growing it seems. Bending over to pick things up off the floor isn't comfortable any more. I'll be in the third trimester in a few days and doctor's appointments will pick up to every 2 weeks. It's almost the summer - and she's actually a summer baby - so we're entering into her season. I had another ultrasound last appointment and my doctor tried to get the 3D shot of her face but baby wiggled so much that it was blurry every time. I guess we'll just have to wait until birth to see your pretty face.

Charlottesville Visit

2011-06-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday we spent the day in Charlottesville with Pat and Jenny. We went to CHS's graduation in the morning, stopped for some Spudnuts and Shenandoah Joes, party hopped allll day long, then ended the night with a Parachute concert. We had a ton of fun and still cannot believe that all our sweet friends are now college students!

Cara, do you have any idea how much Jenny, Sarah and I love you???
Cara and Evie

More please...
Totally forgot to get the camera out at the other grad's parties, but we love all just the same!

Precious

2011-06-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

I thought this moment was too sweet: the two grandpa's working on Baby Carmen's changing table together. She is one loved, special baby.

Poplar Springs Inn

2011-06-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Michael treated us to a night at The Poplar Springs Inn for our 4 year anniversary. We had such an enjoyable stay. The day was beautiful and we had the best dinner at The Manor House (where my sister got engaged!). We were at dinner from 7:15pm to 10pm, but had many courses and enjoyed talking to each other in our cozy booth. Dessert was so good that we even ordered round 2 of it. As embarrassing as that was, they gave it to us free of charge because they were pleased that we liked it so much! The stay was just what we needed after a very stressful day.

Our room
We took a walk before dinner and I got my fill of nature.

Michael also had flowers and chocolate covered strawberries waiting back in our room for us. He was so precious. He thought of everything!
Our stay was shortened by having to wake up at 6:15am on Saturday in order to make it to Charlottesville for a high school graduation. We were still served breakfast in bed which was delicious and the coffee was much appreciated. Thanks for a great celebration baby!

4 Year Wedding Anniversary

2011-06-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

June 2, 2011 - Our 4 Year Anniversary!

I love this date, I love the meaning and memory of it, I love this life and I love this man. Couldn't have asked for a better husband. I know he loves me, he makes me sure of it. I walk around with that confidence and peace. I am thrilled to live my life along side him and still think the best part of everyday is when we don't have to say goodbye to each other at night but instead get to cuddle together in bed and fall asleep.

March 3, 2006 Valencia, Spain
Year 0 - June 2, 2007
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Now onto Year 5 and I am filled with blessings and thankfulness. I love you Michael!

Oh the memories

2011-06-01T08:01:00.000-07:00

This time 4 years ago, the nails had been done, the checklist was complete and the rehearsal was about to begin....

Best of friends
Most of the cousins
Sadly, that is all I have of our rehearsal. I know there are pictures out there somewhere...

Dancing

2011-06-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

So after our full bellies we turned on the Wii for some Michael Jackson dancing. I was in heaven. Can't get any better then good friends, tons of food and MJ music. Major props go out to Scott because he totally evolved into a great MJ dancer in his first round!

The soon-to-be-marrieds, dancing a duet to "The Way You Make Me Feel"

This game is just as fun to watch as it is to participate in. Old high school dance partners reuniting for "Rock With You." (Poor Baby C, she got tossed around so much while we were dancing. But I bet she's ok. In fact, I bet she loved it.) And then who knew??? Jeff and Erik took center stage. We had heard Erik could bust a move and he certainly did not disappoint. But Jeff?! He's a total closet MJ dancer!! Best show of the night to "Smooth Criminal." We demanded that Jeff go again and Mr. Fitzgerald totally stepped up to the challenge. I love them!

I wish I had gotten pictures of everyone dancing. Jenny, Pat, Joanna, Rebecca - "Thriller" was beautiful. You were all so great! But it was so fun and totally worth making everyone listen to the best of Michael Jackson!

Memorial Day Cookout

2011-05-31T08:56:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we had about 15 people over for Memorial Day. It was a hot, hot day so we mostly stayed inside but we had such a sweet time together. Everyone brought meat to grill and tons of other good food. I love all those friends and wished we all lived on the same street!

I have more pictures of dancing to the Michael Jackson Experience coming soon....had no idea there were so many talented dancers in our midst!

Rebecca's First Bridal Shower

2011-05-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon marked the beginning of Scott and Rebecca's October 15th wedding festivities. We filled her kitchen with some of the best items around. I can't wait till she makes me a delicious dinner when I come visit her new home. Her maid of honor, Lauren, hosted the party for her and many of our awesome church friends got to help celebrate! Rebecca will be such a beautiful bride!

Nursery Beginnings

2011-05-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the baby's nursery made huge progress! My parents bought us Carmen's beautiful dresser and night stand (best part is that they got an awesome deal in the store by swiping the floor model!) and Michael and my dad got to paint the room. I am so blessed to have two really good painters in the family so my walls will never have to suffer from my apparent lack of cutting-in skills.

I love this paint can - her walls are in Petal Pink:
Michael getting started on the rolling after the cutting-in was finished:
My dad was a huge help in painting her bedroom too:
Last night Michael happily put together baby's crib which was a gift from his parents! He did such a good job.
I can't believe how tan he is already. All he's done is mow the grass and played a round of golf on Sunday.
Testing out how his daughter will feel in there. He said safe and cozy.
Even though we're not quite finished with the walls, we wanted to move in the furniture to make things more real. I love it already!

So these are the nursery's bare bones but essentials. It will be so pretty when we finish the look and place the furniture where it should go. My inspiration is a gentle, soft and inviting room. A sweet little girl's room filled with pinks and whites and some brown. She is one blessed baby!

The Collins Anniversary

2011-05-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Happy 2 Years of Marriage today Pat and Jenny!

On Saturday night they invited us to join them at the National Harbor McCormick and Schmick's for dinner. We had a delicious seafood meal together and celebrated their past 2 years of marriage. We love them and look forward to so many more years together!

Don't they look good?! Yes Mom, these are the jeans you bought me. First time wearing them. On to Year 3 for them....

24 Weeks

2011-05-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

Carmen is growing fast! I love her sweet little movements inside my belly. Sometimes they're not so little. Like last night, I woke up around 3am and couldn't sleep because I was starving. All I could think about was what fast food drive through I could get to for a breakfast sandwich. I thought that surely I would fall back asleep since it was 3am but Carmen seemed to notice I was awake and started moving a ton. After an hour or so I made it back to my crazy dreams. I am despising sleeping on my left side. I feel so uncomfortable and disconnected from my normal routine of sleeping on my back. I'll do it for her though, and the fact that I don't want to pass out because an important artery or vein is getting squished.

I exercised crazy control when my sis-in-law and I went to the Carter's outlet this week. I could have bought every little girl outfit I saw but I didn't. I'm waiting to see what she'll need. Baby C's little boy cousin is due to arrive any time in the next 2 weeks so we shopped for him and got him some cute little outfits. We are hoping to pick out the dresser/changing table this weekend with my parents. Soon I'll be able to post some pictures of the nursery's progress! Looking forward to resting this weekend and staying home (imagine that!) on Saturday.

Baby Girl Has a Name!

2011-05-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

After many, many months of talking over names (let's be honest, we've played the baby name game for years), Michael and I have finally settled on our first-born daughter's name. Our sweet little girl is:

Carmen Isabelle

We love it. We love her. I never thought about having a daughter named "Carmen" but it's settling on us pretty well. We have gone back and forth between two names and been waiting for something or someone to tell us that this is it. That doesn't happen because it's simply up to us - the mom and dad. Although we do reserve the right to change it up until we sign the birth certificate, I think this name will stay. Carmen means "Beautiful Song" and Isabelle can mean "Consecrated to God." We are not huge on name meanings in general but Michael really liked the meaning of this name together. The name is undeniably feminine, not difficult to pronounce, unique but not unheard of and fits well with our last name Daubert. I also love that during our hard and long waiting time for her, this Beautiful Song by Kari Jobe got us through some nights and let us fall asleep resting on the truths that this song sings about. It quietly became our anthem and prayer when we had no other words. So now we are excitedly getting ready and waiting for Carmen to finish growing so we can all welcome her into the world! My sister immediately started calling her "Baby C" when we brought the name up - so here's to Baby C!

2011-05-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

I have no idea what happened to blogger over the weekend. It didn't display my updated posts and took away all my helpful comments on the laundry detergent. Really weird. And I'm kind of sad because I wanted to read them all again even though I think I got the take home messages. I think blogger did this to a few other people's blogs too, so hopefully you all know that it was not me deleting your comments - it was the blogger people. Again, thank you for your input and I now have a better idea of what to buy! More updates soon....

Worth the pain

2011-05-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

Thank you mommy friends on your laundry input. I totally appreciate it!

I am getting ready for another long weekend away for a wedding. Last weekend was really hard on my body and I definitely felt different doing a wedding weekend while pregnant. But at least I know how bad I can expect to feel this time around. The work is wonderful and the weddings are great, it's just my poor legs and feet that suffer. Last Saturday night I got home around 1:30am and after barely making it up 2 flights of stairs I find a Mother's Day gift on my pillow for a spa day at the Red Door Spa! One of the best gifts from Michael ever! It's complete with a prenatal massage, warm cream manicure and pedicure, an extra little gel finish add on and money towards a product. I can't even begin to tell you how much my feet ached for that massage and pedicure as I was reading it! He is so good to me and knows what I need. I've never had a massage before so this should be fantastic!

I will probably be tempted to use it next week but I might try and save it for June so I can have freshly manicured nails for my baby shower!

Baby Detergent

2011-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Calling on all moms: What's your recommended baby detergent for laundry? I've seen some on super sale and thought about buying them but I want to know what real moms say first. I want something different than what I use on our clothes since I just use Tide and Woolite. Meyer's? Dreft? Baby Magic? Don't know yet if she'll have sensitive, prone to irritation skin or not. Anyone have any thoughts? Would love your feedback...don't want to take it to a facebook poll just yet.

The beginning of getting ready

2011-05-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

I want to start putting everything together for baby girl now but clearly it's not time yet. We have a few things waiting for her and it's so exciting.

Her Quinny Buzz Stroller and bassinet complete with a hot pink ride along blanket:
Her infant bouncer seat

And the precious beginnings of her closet. Heather bought this for her and I love it, the shirt says, "Tiny & Cute"
This month's task is to get the room painted and ready for furniture placement. ...And quite possibly to finish unpacking the other rooms in the house. As long as I finish those by August, I think we'll be OK.

Chores

2011-05-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

Mowing the lawn is back in our life. Let's be honest, just in Michael's life. I will attempt to plant flowers and herbs but I'm not getting too optimistic because that's not a skill that's ever, well, blossomed for me.

Although it may be small, we have a yard that needs mowing since the grass grows rapidly during April and May. I just had to document the first lawn mowing in pictures because I want to remember as much as I can about our early years of marriage/homeownership/pre-baby. Good job Mikey!

5 Months into the year?

2011-05-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Did May sneak up on anyone else? Wow. Here we are. Megan Daubert Events has 2 weddings the next two weekends. So thankful to have the talented Rebecca Burtch to help me out with them! Other exciting things to come include the arrival of baby's crib - on it's way thanks to my in-laws - and, more importantly, the arrival of baby Reese Andrews! She will be here so soon and I already cannot wait to see pictures.

Lots of love to our military friends - just have to acknowledge this right now - Jon, Cale, Nick, Steve H, Steve C, John S, Tom, Marvin, John T, Ed and many many others. Reading news sites this morning has been interesting. Thankfulness mixed with a little apprehension is my response so far - maybe more thoughts to come but it's a lot to think about. Anyhow, I am again filled with gratitude and appreciation for your service.

And to finish out my thoughts - Here are some Easter pics:

No more tornadoes!

2011-04-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

I can hardly stand tornadoes. They might be my biggest nightmare next to sharks in the water. That's probably the real reason my parents left Oklahoma. But for real, last night there were more tornado warnings in our area than usual. Michael was at the Nats game until the wee hours of the morning so I spent some time over at my parent's house. Around 10:45pm I decided to drive back to my home and just get ready for bed. On the road I knew that something had to be up - I've only seen that type of lightening in the movie Twister. (why I would even allow myself to watch that movie is beyond me.) When I got closer to my home the rain began to pour down and my dad all of a sudden called me. He's not an alarmist and not one to lead you to fear but this was the convo: "Where are you?" "Almost home, WHY?" (I knew this couldn't be good.) He said, "Well there's severe weather headed our way in about 2 minutes." "WHAT TYPE OF SEVERE WEATHER?" calmly he said, "Like a Tornado Warning." Begin freakout mode: Megan's heart races, legs shake uncontrollably and thinks about how she has no basement, doesn't know where the flashlight is, much less a battery, there's no TV to even watch the news and I didn't want to crawl in a coat closet all alone. "What should I do???" "Well, go into your house and get a radio and..," "NO!!! I'm coming back to your house. What do I do? What do I do?" He then tells me what direction the storm is headed (in 2 mins)which puts me in an even bigger panic because I just moved and I don't know where southwest is. So like a pregnant and scared you-know-what-less maniac I race back to my parent's home driving at least 15 mph over the speed limit - knowing full well how dangerous that alone is - but at the time I had no desire to meet a twister. I made it before the storm reached their neighborhood and we all sat in the basement listening to Sue Palka say "seek immediate shelter, move to an inner room in your house" over and over and waited until the warning passed. No way I was about to do that by myself in my home. Then I tried it one more time and made it home, only to be spooked out by crazy winds and a night terror of a tornado ripping through our home that woke me up at 5am. At 5am I grabbed my phone and saw that there were more storms headed out way and at 6am mom texted me telling me that our county had yet another tornado warning. I am done. I am a big old baby. I am thankful that we don't live in tornado alley and more seriously, am praying for the families and towns in Alabama that were so terribly destroyed by the storms yesterday. I'm so so sad for them.

Last night concluded day 4 of unwanted emotions and things happening to us. Not superstitious, but hoping that today puts a stop to this trend.

In other news, BABY is doing well! I had an appointment yesterday morning. Met the PA in my doctor's office and totally love her too. I don't want to ever leave their practice. Baby girl moves around a lot, it's like my sweet little secret that reminds me that she's real and we're getting to know each other. We are so close to having her named! That'll be so fun. There's not much else to report at this point - which I am thankful for, healthy baby and healthy mom! God is good. Especially because he kept those darn twisters away from us.

Peeps Project

2011-04-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

My brother created this reconstruction of "The Battle of Bull Run" for an extra credit project at school. Those are all Peeps soldiers. I thought it was so funny. Some peeps are riding horses, some are holding guns, some are wounded, and one is even being carried away on a stretcher (in the lower right hand corner.) It's pretty entertaining if you ask me.

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T10:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone! He is Risen! I hope you all had a beautiful day yesterday. Our family did. Church was wonderful, dinner at my parents house was delicious, the egg hunt was hilarious and then ending the day at the Moore's was a treat.

For the Easter meal, my role was dessert. I have been wanting to make this Lemon-Rosemary Layer Cake for nearly a year and a half and finally decided to do it for Easter. It was a total winner.

Heather helped me bake it over the weekend and thank God she was there! I couldn't read the recipe, remember ingredients, keep from cutting myself to save my life.
Three layers! Not just two. I kept the cake a tinsy bit undercooked in the very center because I knew I was refrigerating it and I wanted to keep it moist.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Final product - never said I could decorate cakes pretty.

It was an awesome and different cake. You needed a really small slice because it was so flavorful and rich. But light from the lemon. I have nearly half a cake left in my fridge so please come over and help me eat it!!!

Grocery Store Delight

2011-04-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

I was grocery shopping by myself keeping my head down reading my list- which was the back of a purple, used mailing envelope. I could hear two rowdy children being pretty disobedient to their parents down the aisle ahead of me. They were maybe 3 and 5 years old but already knew how to talk back to their parents and kept touching everything despite mom and dad's constant warnings. Needless to say I wanted to keep my distance from them. I had no desire to weave around their parade for fear of running one of them over with my shopping cart. However, later on in my trip we unavoidably met in the egg and cheese section. The parents were taking their time picking out cheese while the kids were being rude (but truthful) and talking about everyone that passed by. I tried my best to stay out of their line of fire by picking out my egg carton from a distance then quickly running up to the fridge to grab it. I didn't make it. The little girl saw me, looked me up and down and started tugging on her mom's shirt. "Mom. Mommy. Mom. Mom.." I braced myself for what I knew would be the ugly truth because we all know that out of the mouth of babes often comes blunt honesty. Would she pick my unidentifiable baby belly or my pale skin? To my surprise, she pointed and exclaimed loudly to her mom, "Mom, that's a fancy lady! That's a fancy lady Mom." I smiled, felt better about myself and walked away wondering what in the world she was talking about.

Will she look like me?

2011-04-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

I can't help it. As soon as you know the gender of your baby, you wonder who she'll look like. Will she look like me? Will she favor Michael? Will she be a perfect blend of the two of us? We laughed because on our own we already thought through our noses and agreed that we both have normal noses - so I think she's safe there. I have tons of pictures from my childhood but close to zero of Michael. He was such a cute little boy and I wish I had pictures to show off. Here are some of my baby pictures...

Baby GIRL!!!

2011-04-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

It's a girl! We welcome the world of pink, princesses and all things beautiful. I'm at a loss for words right now because it's such a new reality learning that we will have a daughter. One of the sweetest comments yesterday was, "she's gonna be the love of your lives." I believe it.

I think Michael will be the greatest dad to a little girl. Seeing how much he loves my little sister and other little ones in his old Sunday school class at Portico, makes me so excited for him to have his own little girl. I think she will simply be in love with him. Michael made a comment talking on the phone to a friend yesterday, "I guess I will have to brace myself for an overload of pink and girly things." Then he thought for a moment and followed it up with, "Actually, I'm pretty used to that with Megan so never mind, I think I'll be just fine." It just makes sense. :) Marriage has prepared him for a little girl.

Praises because she is growing on track and looks very healthy according to the ultrasound! All the necessary organs and formations the doctors look for were present. She's a petite little thing right now - which I love! She is in the 30th percentile for babies her age weighing in at 10oz. She was a very modest little baby, kept her legs crossed the whole time. When she wasn't playing with her toes, her hands were up by her face or scratching her head.

The technician commented at how full my bladder was and even let me get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the ultrasound because it was cramping the baby out so much. She asked what my profession was and if it required me to hold my pee in for a long time because most women can't hold the amount I was holding. About five minutes after she let me go to the bathroom, the bladder filled up again on the screen - poor baby. Now after seeing what it does to baby, I will be more thoughtful of not holding it so long.

More excitement of baby girl to come!

20 Weeks - Half way there!

2011-04-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

Feeling great at 20 weeks! This is the last picture we will take before we know if it's a boy or girl. After this, it's all pink or blue and baby's name will begin to take shape. I'm feeling the baby move a lot throughout the day. The movements have definitely become more noticeable in the past 3 weeks. Things have been so easy and fast, it's hard to believe that there's only 20 weeks left of this pregnancy. I only get a little anxious when I think of all I have to prepare for in conjunction with wedding work and settling in the house. I'm learning how to stop and remind myself that the Lord will not give me more than I can handle. This time with Michael is so precious and we are being intentional about enjoying our time alone together - we always have, just now there's a clear change in sight. This summer, though hot and huge, will be great and very much enjoyed!

I have a problem

2011-04-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

I don't like buttons. I don't like to look at them and I definitely don't like to touch them. I'm not afraid of them - some people get confused and think that I am fearful of them, but that's not the case. I simply do not like them. I've never bought clothes with buttons on them. The only exceptions are winter coats and required dress shirts -such as for the National Fine Arts competition and waitressing. I never button my pea coats. I have a way of hanging Michael's dress shirts up so that I don't touch the buttons. I don't think purses with large decorative buttons on them are cute. I will never ever wear a necklace made of buttons and I'm appalled that they even exist.

I recognize that this may become quite a handicap when I have a baby. How on earth do I say, "no buttons on clothing please" ??? I just can't be that picky. Snaps are perfectly fine, any other way of fastening clothing is perfectly fine with me, just do not make me touch a button and squeeze it through a button hole. When I search a little deeper into this, I think may be fine with buttons on the back of an outfit - especially if they don't have 4 small holes in them. Like those little pearl or bead buttons, those I can handle. I can see this becoming an issue in my near future. But who knows? Maybe having a cute little baby will cure my dislike of buttons. However, you will not find my child wearing a bib or shirt that says "cute as a button." I don't think it's cute.

La Quinta

2011-04-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

The grounds of the resort were absolutely gorgeous in Palm Springs. I could've spent every single day walking the property admiring the beautiful flowers.

That was our home for a week. If only I can learn to garden this well and make my true home look this good!

Best part of my week

2011-04-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Seeing Rebekah and Nathan in Palm Springs! They live in San Diego and Bek graciously offered to drive down and spend a night at the resort to see us. It was such precious time. I need more of her in my life.

And Nathan? He is the cutest and largest 6 month old ever!
Here we are eating lunch at In-n-Out Burger (which by the way has NOTHING on Five Guys, except the milkshakes) and Nathan decides that the french fries aren't good enough, he'd rather take the cheese off and eat that. Bek stopped him in time.

See how small he makes me look? I like him for that.