We have a name...we think

We JP kept putting off the name discussion.  We finally sat down last week to talk it over.  I had a list of about 20 names that I've written down over the last 5 or so years.  Yes, us girls are crazy like that.  I had narrowed the list down to my top 5 and asked JP to pick out his tops names too.  He narrowed his to 3 names that were all also in my top 5.  Talk about good team work!  We talked over the final 3 and semi-officially decided on Parker.  JP wasn't sure about this at first.  He doesn't really get the whole boy name for a girl.  But I've been calling her Parker since we found out it was a girl and I think it has grown on him.  He doesn't want to make it official in case we change our mind.  Putting it on the blog doesn't make it official, right? I also just ordered a large P from RH...oops.  Hopefully Peyton or Presley will work if Parker is a no.

Nursery

I got started thinking about the nursery last week.  This was so hard for me at first.  The more I looked online, the more ideas/styles I liked.  Thanks to Ashley for helping me settle on something.  I don't know how many pictures and links I sent her for another opinion.

Anyway, I decided on mostly neutral stuff with pops of teal/mint and coral/salmon.  I ordered a dresser and changing table yesterday.  It could be in next week so I have a lot to get done.  Her room still has junk in it and I need to pick a paint color and schedule the painter.  I really hope it all comes together as I picture it in my head.  I think Parker will love it.

Pregnancy Updates

Parker's little flutters have graduated to punches and kicks.  I wish I could see what she was doing in there.  Hopefully she's already practicing for the 2028 Olympics.  I plan to teach her a front roll before she's walking.  The Olympic individual all around championship title is ours.  JK!  I'm not going to be one of those moms that live vicariously through their children.  (However, I am still a little bitter that mom wouldn't let me go train with Bela Karolyi after the 1996 Olympics)

I digress.  Back to updates.  I really can't believe how easy this pregnancy thing has been.  I don't want to jinx myself, but I have felt great.  I have a feeling this might change after I'm pregnant through the hot summer.

This weekend

JP and I have our to do list ready to go for Saturday.  We haven't been home many weekends so we need to take advantage of the weekends we are in town.  We are also having a much needed date night Saturday.  Love me a good steak.

JP (and Mark) then fly out to Boston early Sunday morning for work.  They will be there until Wednesday.  I've already made lots of plans for me and Ash.  Sunday - church, Garden Ridge, Brunch, and ...wait for it...Register.  Yes, Diaz agreed to go register with me and Sara.  I recruited her by convincing her that I needed someone to push Sara around while she told me what to scan.  Plus, I figure it will make registering more interesting with Ashley there.  She already asked if we would be pushing Sara around in a shopping cart.  For those who don't know, Sara has a broken leg and we will be using a wheel chair (if she still has it) not a shopping cart.  Should be interesting!  Stay tuned for pics.  Happy Friday!

Reveal Party

We had a party to reveal the sex to our friends and family.  A huge thank you to my mom and Debbie for all their help.  They are super stars.

Since JP and I already knew, I wanted someone else to be the one to actually reveal the sex.  We decided to go with cake balls.  All of them had white centers except one had a pink center.  I knew that "the one" had sprinkles, but I made JP mix them up so I didn't know which one it was.  I wanted to be surprised too.

I should preface this story by explaining how bad Diaz wanted "the one."  She has been talking about it for weeks.  Not to mention, she is the most competitive person I know.  I told her it was a long shot and she had less than a 3% chance.  Basically not happening.  When she left work on Friday, she called and said she was coming straight over to help finish setting up.  I knew her true motive was hoping I would tell her which cake ball it was.  Once again, not happening.

Well, it did happen.  Diaz somehow got "the one."  She went nuts.  You would have thought she won a million dollar jack pot.  It totally looked rigged, but it wasn't!  See Whit's blog for her take on the story and some more pics.  KahntGetEnough

The party was so much fun.  JP and I loved sharing the good news!  Thanks to everyone who came.  God is good.

It's a girl

I still cannot believe we are having a baby girl!  We have thought it was a boy the whole time.  Calling it Henry and "he" for the first 18 weeks really threw us off.

I did have a couple premonitions before out appointment though.  Two nights before, I dreamed that we were calling the babe "Daddy's Little Girl."  The night before, I had a very strong feeling it was a girl.  I kept telling JP that I was positive it was gonna be a girl.  I also had a nightmare that we overslept our alarms and missed our appointment.  I woke up at 5:00 am in a panic and double checked both of our alarms.  I was NOT going to miss this appointment.

On the way there, we stopped and grabbed some OJ.  My nurse friend Debbie said this could help the babe get to moving.  I wanted to do all that I could to make sure it was cooperating.

Sonograms may be the coolest thing ever.  I wish I had one at home where I could check on the babe all the time.  Maybe I should invent that.  Patent pending.  The sono tech said the baby was moving around a lot and asked me if I could feel it, but I couldn't.  I am hoping that I can start to feel it moving soon.  They say between 16 and 20 weeks is when you can start to feel them.

Anyway, we got to see it's heart, brain, stomach, and little hands and feet.  It even had little baby hiccups and we could see the little stomach going up and down.  Cutest. thing. ever.  Cue tears.

When it was time for the reveal, Baby Mack had it's legs together.  I had this horrible feeling that we weren't going to be abel to find out.  My bladder was full so the babe didn't have much room to move.  I went to the bathroom and then we tried again.  She was shaking the wand on my stomach basically squishing the baby, but it worked.  She moved and revealed herself.  It's a girl!

Let the new to do list begin!

1. NAME HER! I want to be able to call her something.  Plus I want her name and initials on everything.  (love monogramming)  But coming up with a name is so hard and so important.  We have a list that we are working from, but we haven't had much time to discuss.  Hopefully soon though.

2. Get started on nursery:  I am having a hard time with this one.  If you have read previous posts, you know decorating is so not my thing. A lot of what I have seen is very girly, foofooey, and pink.  I'm leaning towards more rustic/shabby/neutral or maybe blacks, white and greys with a pop of color.  

3. Go shopping!  For baby and me.  I'm quickly running out of work clothes and I can't wait to get some outfits for her (see, she needs a name)  Although, I don't think I will need to buy this child one thing.  She is the first grandchild on both sides.

4.  Register:  Another pain point.  I asked Sara if she would go with me.  She had a little one not too long ago.  I hope she wasn't just agreeing to be nice.  However, it may be a little difficult to do with her broken leg.  I figure I could wheel her around and she can point things out.  I still think this would be much more enjoyable than my mom and I walking aimlessly through Buy Buy Baby.  Seriously, have you ever been in that place?  I have...once.  I have avoided it ever since.  I felt an anxiety attack coming on the second I walked in.  Way overwhelming.

Finding out that Baby Mack is a girl has made it so real.  This was probably the coolest day of my life.  I told JP I'm already ready to do it again.  He of course told me to slow down and that we need to make it through the rest of this year.  Thank God one of us is level headed.

I also started feeling her move too a couple days after our appointment!  So cool.  She moves at night when I am still.  I LOVE it.  I cannot wait to meet her and see what she looks like.  God is good!

First Lake Weekend

Lake season is hands down my favorite time of year.  JP's parents have a house on LBJ and we go as much as we can.  I'm slightly bummed that my lake activities will be greatly limited this summer.  No jet skis, tubing, wakeboarding, or sipping Santa Margarita by the lita.  It even crossed my mind to plan the pregnancy around lake season.  However, I wanted Baby Mack to have a summer or fall bday so I really didn't have a choice.

Anyway, we planned a lake trip with JP's parents and mine.  It was so nice and relaxing.

Saturday night we had dinner at the Marriot on our own private balcony.  Heaven.  We also crashed a wedding.  Not really, but practically.  There was a wedding going on that we could see from the one of the patios.  They had a phenomenal  band so we sat there watching everyone dance and enjoying the music.  Creepy?  Probably.

We also got a few rounds of golf in.  It was gorgeous, but extremely hard.  I lost count of how many balls I lost.  I'm used to playing in P town where it's flat, there are no sand traps, and where there should be water, there isn't.

Yes, the green is across the lake and I somehow made it over...

I also think I felt the baby move for the first time while we were there.  I was laying out on my stomach (maybe I shouldn't do that at this point?) and I felt three little moves.  Still not sure if it was the baby or not.  

I can't wait until our next lake trip.  I'm still trying to convince JP that we should just move down there.

I have a green thumb

A couple weeks ago, (yes, I'm behind on the blog) I decided I wanted to get all domesticated and add some flowers in our front yard.

I know NOTHING about plants, flowers, or yard work.  You could say I have a brown thumb.  Lucky for me, my MIL, Debbie is a BA when it comes to these things.  Debbie came out a couple days and helped me.  I learned a lot and experienced many firsts.  Lets see, I bought a plant and I planted.  I also helped JP mulch.  Shout out to Debbie for her help!

Before pic...

After pics.... my marigolds and vinca

Zinnias...

And Moss Rose, or Ross Mose as I always call them.

I forgot that flowers need love and water after you plant them.  Gosh, they are a lot of work.  But I like them!  And my thumb officially changed from brown to green.  For now anyway.  We will see how long I can keep these alive.