Today's Post is Brought to you by the Letter E.

It's such a strange feeling to sit here and type this at 10pm on a Monday night while watching my sweet newborn swinging away just feet from me. She is a week and a half old and came in like a lion.

As most of you know, I work an hour from home, in Dallas. So, last Wednesday I began working from home so I would be closer to the hospital in the event Evie arrived. I was also so uncomfortable and the commute made my Braxton Hicks worse, so work from home it was. Wednesday went well and the pups sure enjoyed the frequent walks they got as mommy tried to relieve discomfort and get Evelyn to come down.

Thursday  I woke up with the sun and began doing some tasks at work, ya know normal lawyer stuff like drafting discovery, returning client calls, etc... I also talked with one of the associated in our Philly office for a while on drafting jury instructions in Texas. She joked with me about things not to do so jump start labor (she is preggo with her 4th) and I told her I would be sure to send pics. It's funny, I googled signs or labor, and even googled whats is like for your water to brake.

I ate some lunch at noon and then took the pups out for a walk. I had just used the bathroom, so when I walked outside and felt a small trickle, I was embarrassed. I brushed it ff and started on our walk. However, my belly starting feeling heavy. We rounded the corner and were back in front of our steps when bam. The flood gates opened and right there on the steps my water broke.

I quickly got up inside and waddled to the bathroom. I called J and told him the news. He dropped everything and was on his way home. Meanwhile, I panicked. I was home alone and not sure what to do. I finally got upstairs to the master bath and waited for J. Meanwhile, I called my brother just to calm me down. I then let my office know and J arrived. We finished packing our bags, I brushed my teeth, put my hair up and called the dog sitter.

We arrived at the hospital at 1:30 and were immediately admitted. It hit me. There I was, blue gown, hospital bed, heartbeat monitor, contraction monitor and husband. Our sweet nurse Lindsey started a pitocin drip since I was barely dilated. We called our parents and my godparents and settled in ready to have a baby. We thought, April 9th sounds like a good day for a baby.

To be continued...

Timehop Thursday

Low and behold the sun came out and shined upon us! Spring is near and I am ecstatic! Today I bring you a #tbt, timehope thursday, well just a good ole' now and then.

Love the time lapse shown in these two pictures. And my oh, my how little baby girl has grown.

Then: 23 weeks
Now: 34 1/2 weeks
Then: marrying my best friend
Now: more in love than ever
Then: nay a bump in sight
Now: whoa bump

Time

4 little letters that carry so much weight and meaning. Its precious, limited and often taken for granted. Time. its wasted, used,  cherished and treasured. Its seems I can't find enough of it lately. I have so many things to do and so little time to do them in.

Finding time to grocery shop, sleep, work, put baby things together. Sleep, eat, spend time with my husband and friends. I lose over 2 hours each day driving and at least 2 more at work just trying to get organized.

I intended to get so much done yesterday between work and home and ended up feeling like crap and crashing into a Benadryl-induced coma for about an hour and a half. I went in circles for 3 hours trying to find the answer to a question at work that I am still pondering. I needed to get some baby laundry done, I halfway put together the pack 'n play. I still need to get some baskets for the nursery and organize things and decide what we still need to buy. We need to make room in the kitchen for bottles. We have baby stuff everywhere and just not enough room. I am overwhelmed and yet so unscathed by that fact that its not done.

Time. I just need a little more time. Time to get work done, home done and baby-prep done. Time to cook and clean our home, time to prepare our pups. Time to shop. Time to sleep and sleep well.

In other news, I had a wonderful baby shower over the weekend. Baby Evie is so loved and so blessed to have so many people who care for her. And I am so  grateful to my wonderful friends both home and away who came to celebrate her impending arrival. I will post some more pics but here are just a few.

If Only

Hello friends. Its another week, another day, another day closer to baby. Another  weekend come and gone and a lists of "if only."

Friday hubs and I went out for a fancy dinner to the place we had our rehearsal dinner. We had a gift card and so we indulged. Ok, so he indulged. I ate a few bites here and there and attempted to avoid heartburn. He, on the other hand, ate his steak, and more than half of mine, accompanied by shrimp, scallops, potatoes and brocollini. I'm pretty sure he did not eat again until dinner the next night.

Saturday we both worked. He did an 8 hour stint and I did about 5. At least I could work from the comfort of my living room in my pjs. I did however, manage to make it out of the house and over to DSW to grab some new black heels and navy heels. I am pretty hard on my heels with work and I am always in a constant state of trying to find the perfect navy heels, so these were much-needed purchases. I also got in some much needed puppy cuddle time with this one. She was so content with her head on my belly feeling Evie do the rumba on my bladder. When the baby would do a big one, she would look up wide-eyed at me. So cute.

Saturday we did an early dinner at Max's Wine Dive (no wine for me), but had this delish cheese board.

Ya'll it was so good. And since we were already out and about, we met some friends at the bar next door for some good old fashioned catch-up.  The boys chatted, while Catherine and I planned a shower for our other friends who are due in March with a little boy. It was just nice to be out and feel normal for once, despite my lack of a cocktail.

Sunday morning we were up for early church at 8:15. But man I am glad we were. Our church is currently journeying through Genesis and yesterday's topic was abortion. Yeah, heavy I know and the potential for fire and brimstone. But it was so uplifting and just reinforces for me why I love my church family so much.

As most of you know, hubs and I were married when we found out about Evie. I remember feeling scared to tell my church family, which we love and are so close too, but they again amazed me at their love and support. Instead of feeling ostracized, we were loved and open arms embraced us as we began to deal with this new chapter. It reminded me of what the Christian way of life is truly about.

So, despite all the wonderful if only moments of this weekend, like if only I could have that glass of wine or if only I could party all night or be on the beach, I realized, if only I had never met this wonderful man I am now married to, and if only I had never been blessed with this growing life inside me, then my life would never be complete.

Here's to a wonderful week of never saying "if only."

Baby Its Cold Outside

Literally, its freezing in Texas. Yes I know this is normal for most people around the country this year, but not in Texas. Its 20 degrees and my booty is freezing. The puppies are adorned in sweaters and well they are none too happy to head outside these days. The only plus side? The 25 1/2 week baby bump I am sporting these days.

Please ignore the vast amount of pillows accumulating in our room that do nothing to help me sleep.

So, at 25 1/2 weeks I am not sleeping, still working out 3 times a week, beginning to have a lovely waddle, and just want to have this baby (I know not for another 15 weeks....).

Its not that I haven't loved carrying little Evelyn, but man what's a woman gotta do to get some sleep that is comfortable and not interrupted by  a "break" in the middle of the night?

I can feel her move now more than ever, but hubs has yet to be around when he is squirming. We have a crib and bedding, but waiting on the glider and dresser/changing table. Our first shower is planned and we have a stroller just waiting for walks!

I'm still trying to eat healthy, but sometimes if all there is to eat is pizza, I am eating the pizza!

At this point I have gotten more advice then I know what to do with and I am going into full on planning mode.

Next week I will give you a sneak peak of her nursery/office... yeah we live in  small townhome people!

Back to the New Normal

As 2014 came to a close and le hubs and I were snuggled in bed at 12:04 am, it dawned on me. This was the last NYE with no baby, the last Christmas where the gifts are mostly for us and the last few months of our only babies being covered in fur.

I went shopping with my mom Friday and she pointed out the great sales on baby clothes for next winter and I oh'd and ah'd over tiny baby jeans and Christmas dresses and as le husband and I hung those tiny things in the closet we had a strange realization that our new normal was closer than it seemed.

We have put together the crib and baby bedding is arriving. We assembled the stroller and let Sophie be the "test" baby.

We have talked daycare and diapers, and have begun planning for a move to a bigger house with more room for Evie. It seems so strange, yet so good at the same time. Yet, a year ago, my mind was far from babies and houses and closer to just falling madly in love with le guy.

Yes, le guy. The man of my dreams. For now, I will cherish the moments we have together, just the two of us. Because soon, the new normal will include tiny hands and tiny feet and nights spent watching Homeland will be replaced with fairytales and falling exhausted into bed. But for now, I will continue to just be head over heels for my love. And prepare for the Ohio state fan invasion that is happening in our house this weekend. Yes the bro and sis in law and the BOFF will be in town to cheer on the Buckeyes as they take on Oregon! Party in the Fort!

Monday Musings

Well, its the Monday before Christmas and all through the office, not a creature was stirring... Haha Umm no. I am at work, just today and tomorrow, but there is tons to do! I hope all of you have a wonderful Holiday where you may go. And I would love to give you a picture-filled look at my weekend, but my phone will not hold anymore photos and so the verbage will have to suffice.

I can however, tell you that there was lots of this....

Yup, those pups and mommy napped a lot this weekend. Its tough growing a baby. But for real, Friday night I finally made it to Cheesecake Factor, which reminds me I have about 1/8 of my slice left in the fridge! And, we ordered a stroller. Hello 20% coupon to BuyBuyBaby!

Saturday I got up for a workout and running errands. I had to get last minute stocking stuffers and such. I also made a dash to the store for some soup ingredients. I decided a cold, rainy Saturday called for chicken enchilada soup a la crockpot! Its so good!!

Sunday was full of baby prep. After church, Hubs and I set to moving and rearranging furniture for Evie prep. We are not doing a full on nursery since 1. we  plan to move this summer' and 2. we live in a three-story condo with the only guest room on floor 1 and our room on floor 3. So, we are converting the alcove/office at the end of our bedroom hallway into office/nursery. So, we had to move several bookcases and one filing cabinet to make room for baby. This was the first "big" baby prep thing we have done besides register. I could tell it was a lot for hubs to handle but he did it like a champ.

We have had so much change in our lives as of late, so poor man went from bachelor to husband and father pretty quickly. I know he is excited and loves me and the baby, but for his planning, engineer brain, this has been a lot to process since August.

So, we are ready for crib! Just two more weeks of this 2nd trimester and then we are in the home stretch.

Enjoy Christmas this week everyone!