Resolving in 2014

This is my 4th year to resolve on the blog. I know I’m a little late this year, but I think that my tardiness makes these goals even more genuine. Stay with me here. Ok, I care enough about these goals that I will still try to keep them even though they aren’t necessarily starting on Jan 1. Anyone ever use that excuse not to keep/start a resolution? Show of hands? Just me? Whatever.

So on with the show! I have real clients to write for:) But I totally love you for reading!

1. Find a Work-Life-Baby-Husband-Friend Balance

Milestone Alert: Look mom, I’m grasping. Totally exciting, no?

Major life upheavals sometimes come in cute little packages. With my sweet little upheaval, I’ve already quit my office job and gotten a work-from-home gig. Whew. That’s not to mention my full-time role of baby entertainer/protector/feeder AND my keep-the-house clean goals. Are you tired from reading all that? ME TOO!  All this “look how busy I am” listing (sorry!) brings me to my first resolution: find balance. And being me, I have a multi-step plan to face this one head on.

Learn to say no: That’s right. I love my friends, and I want to make an effort to still go to Bunko and girls nights and small group and Wednesday night church as often as possible. But if, every once in a while, I’m overwhelmed with baby, work, house etc, I need to be ok with missing a few gatherings here and there. I think this attitude will help me deal with the sting of regret when I really do need to be at home with my family instead of out.

Learn to deal with deadlines: I’m a stickler for deadlines. I never miss them. But they keep me in a constant state of tension. I need to remind myself that I WILL get the work done, and letting deadlines nag at my much-needed down time is against the rules. Don’t be weirded out, but I’m about to write a little message to myself. Alexis: deadlines are the nature of your work, embrace it!!

Build in Down Time: I love working from home. I can workout at 10:00, eat a non-PB&J lunch and hang out with other moms during the day. But there is a downside: there are no official hours. So the tendency is to work in some form or fashion around the clock. As I am adjusting to this new job, I need to build in a “no work zone.” Like a couple hours just hanging out with Ike when he gets home and times during the day for baby boy and I to play. Because in the end, me working from home is all about spending time with my boys.

2. Record the Moments

Overalls for baby dedication? Why not.

I give credit to my friend Amber for this one. She told me about this app called Memento where she records just a little something her sweet baby boy does everyday. I’m trying to do this with Elliott. Even after 2 months, I’m struggling to remember when he did certain things. This is my electronic version of a baby book!

3. Dinner with Friends

Trying to make tummy time less horrific, one mirror at a time.

This ties in with my first resolution. With a new baby, it is sometimes easier to have people over than be out and about in the evenings. Baby boy’s bedtime is around 8-9, and I still don’t like to mess with the nighttime schedule too much. I want sleep people! So sue me if I’d rather be home by 8-ish 99% of the time. So, if E’s schedule means I sometimes won’t be able to just jump and the car and do stuff, I have a plan for this too:

Have friends over for dinner on a regular basis. Not sure what my “assignment” will be yet, but I at least want to host a monthly dinner party of some sort.

4. Get Dressed

He loves bath time?

Another one that ties into the first, sensing a trend here? My new coworkers and my long-distance editors don’t care what I wear. And somedays it is really indulgent to just stay in the yoga pants zone. But I really feel more focused and more like myself if I do get dressed, fix my hair and wear a touch of makeup, even if nothing is on the agenda. So yeah, at least 4 out of 5 days, I command that I GET DRESSED.

The Usual Suspects

Super-cute, yes. But in all fairness, he started screaming moments after this photo was taken.

And here’s the perpetual spot for my lifetime goals, but they bear repeating:

1. Daily time with God: right now I’m doing a New Testament/Psalms reading plan. It is low-key but just what I need. I would, however like to spend a little more time meditating on what I’m reading. So yeah, I need to find a way to do that.

2. Workout regularly: Right now I’m on operation wear my pre-pregnancy-pants-again. To aid me on my journey, I’m doing Jillian Michaels’ 90-Day Revolution. I’m about to get to the point I had to stop b/c I was going to have you-know-who. So that’ exciting! Another something exciting? I wore my less-skinny skinny jeans this week! They were tight, but they zipped. VICTORY!

3. Keep up with the blog: Guys, this was seriously like a therapy session just now. Sorry about that. But I do enjoy writing for me and you. So I’ll stick with my once a week goal.

That’s it!! Gotta GO. Deadlines to keep! Until next week!

Alexis Peters: Work-from-HOME Mom :)

It’s officially official. I’ve taken the plunge. Gone all in. Called it quits…from office-bound work, that is. If you can’t tell from my title and (drawn out) intro, I decided to quit my eCommerce copywriting job at Dillard’s and set off on a freelancing adventure. This, my friend, is your official invitation to come along. Hold on to your butts.

Christmas Morning Smile:)

Even before baby boy, freelancing was always something I’ve always wanted to try. Why?

A) I have a freakish devotion to checking things off lists, thus I rarely (if ever) miss a deadline (even with a Netflix full of tempting reality TV)

B) I’ve always wondered what people who can go to Target at 2pm on a Tuesday do for a living…this may be it!

C) I will miss my wonderful co-workers, but I also don’t mind the solitary life of the freelancer. No one to judge when I crunch my apples or play my music out loud. True freedom, y’all!

My work station!

Quick sidenote: I’m very thankful for my time at Dillard’s. Before my job there I had no hard and fast writing experience. Just good faith assurances to offer potential employers — “Hey! I KNOW I can do a good job, you just have to take a chance on me…PLEASE!”  And thankfully they did. Two and a half years later I leave with bonafide copywriting and blogging experience under my belt — and the confidence that comes with it. Confidence that I can finally channel into pitching for new clients.

Or sometimes this is my work station…

And now the other half of my dream: I’ve always wanted to be a mom, and I’ve always wanted to spend at least the first years of my kiddos’ lives at home with them. It’s hard to really express how thankful I am that my mom was always (and continues to be) there for me when I need her. With her wonderful example, I’ve always hoped to be able to do the same for my family.

My other (attention-deprived) co-worker.

When I was pregnant, I decided to test the freelancing waters to see if this dream was feasible. I started working on my portfolio and Elance profile to see what business I could drum up. The response was literally overwhelming. Want to be crazy tired? Just try working full-time, coming home and then working on freelance projects until midnight (when you’re a million weeks pregnant). Yes, I dug myself into a scary too-much-work hole, but there was a silver lining: there was work to be had!

Staying Stylish and Warm.

One of my first gigs I scored was Social Media manager for Express Writers, an online copywriting agency. They were easy to work with, encouraging, great with communication and they even let me take a maternity break. When I decided to take my Social responsibilities back after the New Year, I asked if I could take on any more roles.

Next thing I knew, I was signing a contract as their newest part time web content and press release writer. Woo hoo! As promised, they are keeping me busy. I’ve already written 3 press releases, a web page and a blog. I’m well on my way to building our savings that we can put toward retirement, college, cars and other grown-up stuff.

Can’t get enough of these two.

And the final shout out of the day: I’m very thankful for Ike. Not only did he work to find a new job that would cover all of our day-to-day expenses, but he has always been very supportive of my dream to stay home.

Even when I doubted if we could afford it or when I worried feminists would judge me, he gently reminded me that this is really what I’ve always wanted. He’s the best and I literally could not have made this major transition without him.

That’s quite enough for the announcement post, right? I’ll be back with more tantalizing day-in-the-life details for the work-from-home mom. Stay tuned!

New Baby FAQ: Your all-access pass to life after a newborn.

Hey there! If you haven’t been lucky enough to meet Elliott since his grand entrance 6 weeks ago (you’re totally missing out, btw), here’s the 4-1-1, the low-down, the nitty gritty about living with a tiny person, specifically, our little person. Side note: Do people still say 4-1-1? Or am I already an outdated mom?

Thanks again to Restless Photography for a wonderful newborn session!!

Ok, here are the most frequently-asked questions I’ve fielded since joining the (super-cool) parents club:

1. How are you feeling?

This is a 2-parter, really:

A) Physically: I’m doing surprisingly well! I, of course, read every description of the recovery process and ended up pretty freaked out. Without saying too much (sorry for a brief stint into possible TMI land), childbirth causes some scary wounds to some scary places.

But it wasn’t nearly as bad as I feared (which is pretty much the theme for my reaction to childbearing), and after my 6-week postpartum appointment on Tuesday, I actually started working out again. Woo hoo!

For all my GG fans out there, this doesn’t mean I want 4 in 4, but I am willing to entertain the idea of more…eventually.

B) Emotionally: One of my mom friends warned me that “you will cry as hard as you ever have after you have a baby.”

Yikes.

And, yes, I will admit I’ve had my moments, esp in the first few weeks. But the bouts of “I’m totally overwhelmed” desperation are getting more and more rare. Thankfully the “baby blues,” (the inevitable hormone-fueled slump most moms face when they are already tired, kinda fat and dealing with a whole bunch of new responsibilities) was a short-lived, quite mild visitor. I think I have the plethora of fam and friend support to thank for that one!

Overall, I’m so thankful that expanding our family has been such a pleasant experience. My only “anxiety”? Incorporating him into my “social” sphere. Basically I get nervous if he’s with me (will he be fussy? will he have a “blowout” at the worst possible moment?) and worried about him if I’m away (will anyone else be able to comfort him?). Basically, I’m getting used to having a whole other person with his own little schedule to take into account, aka parenthood.

2. How is he sleeping?

Without humblebragging, he’s doing great! Through no real actions by us (I’d love to take credit!), he’s suddenly jumped from 4 hour sleeping stints to about 7 every night. Of course the first night he did that I was up googling “Should I wake up my 4 week old baby if…” and so on. I didn’t, and here we are, much less sleep deprived than expected.

3. How is he eating?

I think we’re going to be in trouble during his teenage years, because from day one to now he’s gained almost 4 pounds, weighing in at 10 pounds 9 ounces at his most recent appointment. I’m also thankful that the whole providing a human with sustenance thing has gone without a hitch. He’s just so great, I don’t deserve him.

4. Are you bored yet?

Of the 6 weeks I’ve been home, I’ve gotten a little stir crazy on 2 days. Not so bad, I’d say. How do I fill my new 9 to 5? Other than, you know, KEEPING A HUMAN ALIVE, fed and happy? I’ve enjoyed maintaining the house (weird, I know), hanging out with other moms, reading, blogging, running errands and catching up on What Not to Wear (guilty pleasure, deal with it).

Overall, I feel so happy and content spending time with this little guy. Like I’m on vacation, with a little laundry sprinkled in.

5. How’s Buster doing?

Buster and Elliott are basically oblivious of each other, although I’ve noticed Buster will come sniff Elliott during rage, I mean, tummy time. (Thanks, Amber for so aptly naming that exercise). Maybe Buster likes E?

With their mutual ambivalence, Buster is really adjusting to me being home all the time (yay!) and getting less exercise (boo!). The result: he’s a little needy, hyper and grumpy. He’s growled at 3 people since the baby!

I promise I tried to walk Buster and the baby simultaneously! But after an unfortunate incident, I decided I can’t wrangle both boys at once (e.g., while trying to rein in Buster as he went crazy at the trash truck, I may have let go of the stroller and it may have rolled toward a huge drainage ditch…).  Not my proudest mom or dog-owner moment!

I don’t know what I’m going to do with that furry little mess.

Odds & Ends

Milestones: Other than being awesome, the boy has mastered cooing, smiling and making intense eye contact.

A few of his favorite things: his mobile (thanks KK!), the passed-down Happy Apple & his rattle snake from IKEA. He’s also fond of the basket in his changing area. A man of refined tastes and pleasures.

Is it becoming obvious that I just wrote this post so I could (over)share pictures of this little doll? Oops, sorry for being so transparent! Hope you enjoyed it despite the cute pictures.

Have a very Merry Christmas! I will be back next year!

Elliott’s B-Day

I’m back! Will you excuse my month-long absence? I was busy birthing (gross verb, yes) a human. If you’re not into “birth stories” I welcome you to read some of your favorite posts from times past (hard to choose your fave, right??) or just come back next time when I do the actual 1 month report on Elliott Edward (spoiler alert: he’s pretty cute).

Exhibit A: Adorable from hour #1. See? Not lying about the cuteness.

For those of you marching onward, I promise to keep words like placenta, tearing and after birth to a minimum. Sorry, that was just cruel. Zero gruesome details, I promise. And, no, there is NOT a video.

So rewind to the rainy morning of Monday, November 4th. If you recall, I was pretty bummed/nervous about Elliott’s lack of dropping and the dr’s concern about his size. After celebrating Ike’s b-day the day before (by making Pioneer Woman chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes, no less), I honestly expected a business-as-usual pregnant day.

Meeting cousin Moriah and Pete!

That was not Elliott’s plan.

I was greeted with (TMI alert) “bloody show” first thing in the morning. If you don’t know what that is, look it up or maintain your ignorance and move on. Just take the word of this pregnancy (Google) expert, it means baby is coming…at least within the next few days.

Even with that sign, Ike and I still took Buster on our ritual pre-appointment walk around the neighborhood, and I proceeded to get ready for work. That’s about when I started to feel contractions, or at least what I thought were contractions.

Uncle Jay!

When you’ve never had a baby, things are really confusing. You don’t want to be the person who goes to Labor & Delivery with indigestion issues or an active imagination. So even though my contractions were about 4-7 minutes apart on the way to work, I was still in a “this isn’t going down today” mode.

We made it all the way to the Dillard’s parking lot before deciding that maybe we should stick around home until our appointment later that morning. This is the best decision I’ve ever made, because about 10 minutes after we got home, my water broke.

Confession time: I wish I could have  been cool as my friend Amber who finished her Cracker Barrel French toast after her water broke,  but I, instead, started bawling (hysterically). Case in point: Ike thought I was laughing until he saw my face.

Boy cousins!

I think it was my last bit of “labor totally freaks me out” fear oozing out. Plus, everything seemed to be happening so fast, becoming so real. Worrier that I am, I had prepared myself to wait until November 16th and a possible C-section. So a week-early baby was throwing me for a loop.

After stuffing some extra gear in my and Elliott’s bags, we went straight to the hospital. Of course we forgot the little guy’s bag, but (Santa) Pete came to the rescue and brought it later that day.

Fresh baby.

Other than that, we really lucked out on our timing:

A) I saw my dr. in the hall, she was on call all day!

B) We nabbed the last available room.

Then we entered the part usually not in movies…the waiting.

Aunt Katie!

After I got the DRUGS (yes, I immediately decided I was over contractions), Ike and I settled in for a day-long TLC marathon: What Not to Wear, Say Yes to the Dress and The Duggers kept us company as Elliott made his slow descent into the world.

With my spinal fusion, I was able to get an epidural, but it took longer to work and I had a “hot spot” on my right side where I could still feel the worst part of each contraction. I’m not complaining, though, it was nice to take the edge off.

Ike was very supportive, even when I made him skip bathroom breaks and lunch to hold my hand during the worst parts. He even tried to only text concerned friends and family when I wasn’t looking so he’d always seem engaged and supportive (or maybe he was scared I’d rip the phone out of his hands?). Either way, he was great.

Aunt Tyler:)

We kept it just Ike, me, the lovely anesthesiologist and super sweet nurse in the room. But I really appreciate Ike’s family waiting patiently in the waiting room and my mom and sister for dutifully jumping in the car and heading to LR from Houston.

By a little after lunch-ish time, the nurse told me I was “complete,” and congratulated me on “fast labors.” Yay, my body! She told me to let her know when I felt the urge to push, and then we entered a period of more waiting.

I guess I never knew what I was looking for, as far as the pushing urge, so when the dr. came to check on me around 4:00 we decided to try a few practice pushes.

Meeting cousin Molly.

As weird as it sounds, this was my favorite part. It relieved all contraction pain, and everyone was really encouraging. I was even more surprised when I heard myself saying “yes” to a mirror: labor is a strange time. All modesty and inhibitions are off. And it was so interesting, exciting, MIND-BLOWING to see that little bald head. Somehow that (cute) black and white skeleton I kept seeing in ultrasound form was a real, pink little person. Ike even got in on the action by holding one of my super numb legs.

After we really got started, little Elliott was introduced to the world in about 15 minutes (4:32 is his birth moment). And all the sudden, a 6 pound 13 ounce, 20 inch-long baby (with a perfectly-shaped head and adorable face), was here. The nurse said he was a good baby, only crying a little bit right after he was born and when she washed his feet.

Day old baby.

All I could say for the next few minutes was “Don’t you just love him?” because I did. Of course, by the time Ike’s family wanted to come in to meet him and take pictures, I found the strength to say “How does my hair look”?

First Fam picture. How does my hair look?

After we got a chance to get to know Elliott a little bit, we were moved into the recovery room where we’d spend the next two nights (and where we were greeted by my ultimate pregnancy food, Chick fil a, from my mom and sis).

The next 2 days are a blur of recovery, sweet visitors and NEW BABY (so, overwhelming, but worth it).

And that is where my narrative stops for now. Satisfied? If not, come back (hopefully) next week for a Baby Elliott rundown. And sorry for the details, I wanted to record as many of them as I could!

Tired hospital times.

Nursery Collaging (Halloween & More AWESOME Stuff you don’t wanna miss)

So here we are. (Nearly) 39 weeks and still pregnant. In fact, at our appointment it seemed like Elliott may have some Buster Bluth tendencies (who spent 11 months in the womb) with absolutely no dropping at all! Let’s hope he comes out on his own will (without any claw marks on my poor stretched out uterus). And yes, I’m sorry for saying the word uterus (and for saying it again, just then.)

Also, if you have a moment, think of us on Monday morning. The doc ordered a dating/sizing ultrasound. Seems like baby E is on the small side and she wants to make sure everything is a-ok. As a pre-parent, I’m a little nervous, but mostly thankful to have a doctor who is on top of our care and willing to put extra time into our (officially) little guy.

Ike and I used last weekend to put a fun finishing touch on the nursery…making the collage! Here are pictures of our process in case you, too, want to hang up frames in an artfully eclectic way (or at least I hope that’s how it came off).

Step 1: Get Framed

We ended up buying our frames at Hobby Lobby, where they are always 40% the marked price. We bought 6 for just under $40, not too shabby. Or if it is shabby, just don’t tell me, K??

Step 2: Plot Your Placement

We knew we wanted the collage over the dresser. So we arranged (and rearranged) the frames on the floor in front of the dresser. This was the final selection.

Step 3: Cut it Out

It was my (brilliant) idea to cut out a piece of paper to represent each frame. That way we could tape (and rearrange if need be) the paper frames on the wall before getting out the hammer and nails.

Step 4: Arrange, Step Back and Repeat

We translated our plotted placement from the floor to the space above the dresser. Once we put the lamp and changing table back on, we realized that we needed to move a few of our frames.

Step 5: Stay Level Headed*

*Or in my case, make someone who is visually neat like Ike do the work! We just tackled hanging the frames one by one until…

Step 6:  Be Happy! You’re Awesome Collage is Done!

Step 7: Pick & Print

We are actually not done with this step. But we have plans to print out an engagement, wedding, maternity, newborn and new fam pic for the wall. Currently we also have my shower invite, ultrasound pic, custom Elliott art and EEP monogram already up. I’m really happy with how it turned out and I’m excited to finish the project!

Things to think about:

• When hanging frames, you may need some cardboard to replace the back it came with.

• Remember to have your level handy! We didn’t really measure, but having a level will keep things looking neat!

Halloween:

We celebrated our first Halloween as homeowners! The weather was perfect (and we may have forgotten to replace our porch light) so we sat out on the driveway and handed out candy. So fun!

And finally, here I am 1 day shy of 39 weeks!

Stay tuned for whatever Baby E has in store! You’ll either get pictures of a tiny baby next week OR a disgruntled pregnant lady:) Either way, see ya soon!

Possible project for this weekend: using our extra fabric to cover some canvases…We’ll see!

Shameless Plug: The Coasts on Grimm (and other cool stuff of late, like our nearly-finished nursery)

I’ve never so related to Father of the Bride Part II as I do now. The scene where the daughter finds the word “Ouch!” in Scrabble (and George gets concerned before he understands) keeps repeating in my head whenever I need to catch my breath, turn over in bed or generally move. Ike’s go-to response — “Do we need to go to the hospital?” — is actually adorable, but my answer has always been no…so far.

So as I close in on week 38, I feel kind of like a ticking time bomb. Unfortunately, no one knows how long I have to go, other than a baby who doesn’t even know the world exists yet. Elliott, the ball is in your court!

Here’s another what’s-gone-down-lately update. Enjoy!

The Coasts on Grimm

What are you doing tonight? I’m sorry, but the ONLY correct answer is watching the season 3 premiere of Grimm. The Coasts (Ike’s band with the talented Eric Mount) scored another placement. If you haven’t heard of them, do you live under a rock?… I mean check out their bandcamp here (lowers glasses, arches eyebrows and waits).

I don’t know if I’m allowed to give details, so I’ll sum it up in as few words as possible: The Coasts song “Tonight” (buy it, so you’ll be cool and know all the words). Roadhouse. Zombies. One minute of TV magic.

Enjoy your Grimm watching parties! I’m going to make a pumpkin cake for ours.

The Nearly-Finished Nursery

So, I can give you a bit more than teaser pictures this week.

Here’s some in-progress pics. We tried our best to keep Buster out, but to no avail! We finally caved when he had an accident on the blanket I put right outside the door for him to lay on. He’s our special little fur-brained fur ball. Yay!

I finally got over my mental block and decided to wash some baby clothes. Maybe, somewhere deep down in my change-wary psyche, I thought “If I don’t wash these clothes, the tiny body that’s supposed to fit in said onesie may never appear.” Crazy, I know. For some reason, taking off those tags was another step in the acceptance process.

Yet, with the piles gone, and all baby clothes, gear, blankets and diapers stowed, I actually feel SO much better, and even ready.

We are just waiting to put on some finishing touches. We still need to:

• Make final decisions on where to hang stuff.
• Buy some frames to create the newborn/maternity/wedding picture collage that currently only exists in my head.
• Throw the pillows my mom made on the couch when she gets here.

Not too bad! I’d say overall, we achieved the “Happy Baby” theme I was going for. Right now, the room is very inviting and fun to hang out in.

Thanks to:

• Erica and Amber for helping me better sort the piles.
• Ike’s mom for the beautiful quilt.
• Ike’s sister for the custom art.
• My rents for the dresser, rug, wall art, throw, changing pad and forth-coming pillows & rocker.
• I’m also very excited to use the book shelves, my Papa made them:)
• To everyone for all the bath stuff, clothes, toys and more. We’ve really not had to spend very much of our own money (really, almost $0) to prepare for this boy. We are blessed!

Just Us Two

Trying out Mugs Cafe. Yum.

The last couple weekends, Ike and I have been going on dates! I’m notoriously cheap, but as the end of the “Just us Two” era approaches I think we both feel the need to hang out and celebrate our relationship. I know we’ll always have each other, and we are both excited to meet our new addition, but after 5 years of just us (and the Bust) little E will bring a lot change to our world.

So as we wait for our new (much-anticipated and loved) family member to arrive, we’ve decided to keep going on dates and enjoying each other. Where should we go to breakfast on Saturday, LR people?

We’ll soon be joined by a handsome little man wearing this.

It’s the Final Countdown! Baby Elliott Watch is ON!

With all* the requests for a new post, I couldn’t resist making my public happy. So here’s the short and sweet update: I’m nearly 36 weeks pregnant, and I have no idea how I got here. Yes, I know where babies come from, but I mean, who gave August and September permission to fly by? The past two weeks have especially been a whirlwind of family visits, showers and lots of trips to Babies R Us.

I won’t try to figure out time and it’s tricky ways (today, at least), so all you get is a plain, old-fashioned recap as we enter THE FINAL COUNTDOWN to Baby Elliott (throws pennies in the air).

Maternity Pictures

Seems like I’ve become a trend follower in the “these are the steps you must take when you’re pregnant” department. I’m weak! So yes, I had a gender reveal party. And yes, I broke down and scheduled maternity and newborn pictures (with the amazing Restless Photography, check them out!).

When I asked Ike if he wanted to do park setting or an urban setting for the shoot, he was like “Neither, that’s not us.” Sigh. He wanted a non-cheesy, day-in-the-life type session sans floating baby heads or excessive belly touching (and I, of course, outlawed belly exposure/painting/whatever else people do that makes me feel uncomfortable).

We landed on meeting at Community Bakery (I am nothing, if not a coffee and cookie lover), and I think that our photographer, Adam, really gave us that “hey, we’re a happy couple who also happens to be pregnant and excited about it” vibe that we were looking for. We’ll see how he deals with our “no naked baby, umbilical cord stubs or silly hats” rule for the newborn shots. Yes, we may be a little high maintenance…

Shower

As we were smiling for the camera at the maternity shoot,  my mom, sister, Nana and brother drove into Little Rock to hang out, help with the nursery and attend my shower at Chenal Valley Church. At church on Sunday we had a full pew with 10 family members there to celebrate Elliott with us. I was so touched and thankful they made the effort to come. And that doesn’t count my aunt, cousin, mother-in-law, sister-in-law and nieces who also attended the shower. It’s so wonderful and comforting to see how much love Elliott already has in his scrunched up little life.

Beyond family, I loved how many people from Little Rock Church (where Ike grew up) also attended. They are wonderful ladies! And of course, I really appreciate my sweet hostesses and ladies from Chenal who braved a rainy Sunday afternoon to watch me open presents. (Hey, there was amazing cake, at least!).

Between the 2 showers and other kind gifts, I’ve written over 80 thank you notes! Wowza, I guess a large stamp bill in my future is a good problem to have. We are blessed. (And now have a ton of baby swag).

Nursery Updates

So I may or may not have had a breakdown on the way to buy a mattress in the days following the shower. It was something about the boxes that literally filled our living room, the mound of tiny (monkey-themed) clothes and the hodge-podge of baby everything that put me over the edge as we drove to pick up yet another baby essential (that I hadn’t fully researched).

I was happy, thankful, excited, OVERWHELMED (welcome to pregnancy, right?), and I just didn’t know if we’d get our life back in order before the big D-day.

I have since recovered, but I still don’t have any “completed” nursery pictures yet…maybe next week? Right now, here’s the breakdown.

The good news:

Sorry, these are teaser pictures…I will update as soon as things look less like a baby blanket barfed in the room and more like I actually tried to prepare a space for my baby…Stay tuned!

• The Ikea dresser is put together!
• We have curtains, a rug and wall art for the room!
• We were able to buy a fancy video monitor (which Ike uses to spy on Buster) and mattress with our shower gift cards!
• We have a car seat, already installed in the Rav, to bring him home in and a pack and play for him to sleep in!
• AND the crib is finally painted. I love it white, by the way.

The still-gotta-do this list:

• Wash some newborn clothes, maybe a few 3 month selections and his sheets. I’m buying Dreft this weekend and getting to it.
• Organize the rest of the clothes mound for later.
• Hang up said wall art.
• Put together said crib.
• WARNING possible TMI: Decide what to do about a breast pump.
• And, last but not least, stop losing my iPhone at every turn. (not nursery related, but it is getting OLD).

Update on the bump! Currently stretching the fibers of knit and decency! You can wear a short dress with tights, right?

As my days of being pregnant are limited, I’ll try to post more often (but no promises!). This weekend Ike and I plan to go on a date! I’m so excited. And, as mentioned above, we will also tackle the nursery along with other “nesting? maybe?” chores like perfecting the yard and generally organizing the house.

See you soon!

*ok, just 1, thanks Brittney for making me feel loved!

28 Candles

Like (self-involved? silly? smart?) high-school girls, I usually commemorate my b-day with a week-long celebration. And this year I especially feel very lucky to be so thoroughly honored by my friends and fam. (I’m talking a wonderful b-day date, surprise party, flowers, amazing chocolate baked goods…the list goes on) So I thought I’d “give back” (sorry, no monetary value) and call out the people worthy of celebration in my life.

Ike

Ike gets top billing because he’s the BEST.

Confession: I always feel a little bad around b-day (and V-day and Christmas) time because I’m a celebration person and thus prone to grand dreams and inevitable disappointments, aka a man’s worst nightmare. Somehow Ike has stuck with me through 7 years of special events, and for that I’m truly grateful. This year he went above and beyond with a surprise party (the 3rd he’s planned for me:)!

Lately, he’s been putting me to shame by nesting more than me! He’s hard at work painting the crib (and ALL the spindles.) I’ll share the final look soon!

Our Families

I’m really excited for Elliott to meet his eager grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins! I feel like they are constantly showering him with furniture, clothes, toys, books, quilts and custom art. He’s a lucky little man!

Plus, they like me, too! The Peters treated me to a wonderful dinner last night, and my mom, sister and Nana are currently on their way to town (yay!!) to help me with my nursery and attend my church shower.

Small Group

Formed shortly before the grand crash of ‘12, this supportive group of friends has been crucial through my recovery (thanks for trying to teach me how to knit, Amber!), career ups and downs, moving into our house and, now, hosting my shower to celebrate Elliott. I don’t deserve you!

Is this post getting too mushy? I’m sorry! I just have to say that I’m so happy to have you all in my life. Done.

Silver City

Warning: Shameless Plug Ahead.

Being involved in Silver City has been a rewarding/challenging experience. It takes me out of myself and my (ever-changing, but constant) list of worries, and helps me focus on building a relationship with a very special little girl, Aubryanna.

Although it is yet another thing to add to our weekly to-do list, I think that being involved in a regular service is a great way to keep perspective on what’s important. I really missed that guidance over the summer, and I’m so thankful that it has started up again!

Sorry for all the gushing! There are even more people that I could write pages and pages on (sweet co-workers, awesome college friends), but I’ll just have to save that for another day (lucky you!!)

Have a great weekend! I’ll be back soon with maternity pictures, nursery and church shower updates! Be excited.

 

Lessons Learned: 30 Weeks Pregnant + The Beach

Elliott and I spent Labor Day weekend at the beautiful Siesta Key beach in Sarasota, FL. What brought us there? My perpetual college BF/roomie (the lovely Kristin Kelley or KK)  is tying the knot on 11.9.13. And for those of you up on Alexis trivia, that momentous date is also when Elliott is set to make his arrival. So I sadly had to turn down a bridesmaid gig and even the chance to see this girl get hitched.

To make it up to her, I decided to plan a girls’ getaway! Three other girls from Harding (my alma mater) plus KK’s cousin were able to come, and the 6 of us had a fab-u-lous time. Here are the hard-earned lessons I learned. Ladies in the 3rd trimester who are also planning a beach vacation/bachelorette party, take notes! (you know you’re out there, I’m here to help).

1. Chivalry is (not quite) dead

The gift (plus some much-needed aloe) waiting for me at the end of my journey. At least I MARRIED a gentleman. I’m a lucky girl.

I decided to do a social experiment in the airport. I did not check my bag because I’m cheap, but I secretly hoped that some kind person would offer to safely stow my suitcase in the overhead compartment. I’m just not big on lifting stuff over my head right now (or ever).

Here are the results, so read and weep, humanity:

• Out of 4 flights, 1 lady (probably in her late 50s) offered to help. She looked just as weak as me, so I said “No thanks” and continued huffing and puffing and hoisting.

• The silver lining: at baggage claim (I finally just checked my bag on the final leg), a college-age girl stayed even after she grabbed her bag to grab mine. I was really impressed! Kindness is not dead (!), but classic Southern gentleman chivalry just may be…at least in an airport setting.

2. Where’d You Go Bernadette is really funny

I was between downloading Where’d You Go Bernadette and Gone Girl for a little light beach reading. I went with the former because it was a few bucks cheaper (sensing a theme here?). After 2 trusted recommendations for it (thanks Sarah and Brooklynne!), I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed — and I wasn’t! I have less than 100 pages to go, and I’ll be sad when it’s over. Sign of a great read!

If you like humor about artistic genius, fear of human interaction and the city of Seattle, get your copy today!

3. I like the beach not the sun

I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but after one day in the sun I was done (like medium well). Don’t get me wrong, I love the feel of sand between my toes and the amazing aimlessness of sitting under an umbrella while listening to the rhythmic roar of the ocean. But the ocean made me dizzy and my chest is currently peeling. Am I a fuddy duddy? Yes. But at least that doesn’t come as a surprise.

4. When in doubt, raise the roof!

Everyone had silly buttons for the night. This was mine, placed right above Elliott’s head:)

We hit the nightlife scene on Saturday, and I was determined to be a good sport. So while the other girls hit the dance floor, I just sat at a table people watching and doing random “raise the roof” motions for good measure. Although I was exhausted, I still cherish the memory! I’m so glad I was able to “participate” with the girls!

5. I have wonderful friends

I’m so happy that we were able to make this happen! Even though I’ve been out of school for 5 years (wowza), I still instantly reconnect with the girls I lived with, “studied” with and helped through boy problems. There’s something magical about a college connection, and I hope to stay in touch with these girls for many more years!

In other news, we’re down to appointments every 2 weeks for Elliott. Where did the time go?

Work Shower: Hostess Gifts & Elliott’s New Ride

This Tuesday, Baby Elliott was showered with lots of “we care about you” vibes from my generous co-workers at Dillards.com. I’ve been lucky enough to work at Dillard’s for over 2 years, and I’m so thankful for the relationships I’ve built there.

Elliott got a diaper motorcycle, how cool is that?

There are writers who have challenged me to tighten my style for stronger, better copy, shoe team leaders who have guided me in how to seamlessly link copy and art and of course, a talkative lunch bunch who have let me vent, share life stuff and just be me every day.

My co-workers stayed true to form when they honored my boys (love saying that!) and me this week. With a bottle drying rack, steamer, penguin baby tub and full line of Johnson & Johnson products, I think I can safely say that Elliott will have clean bottles AND a clean body (whew).

There was even one group who pooled their hard-earned cash and bought us the fancy stroller that I got it into my head to register for – the B-Agile from Britax. It’s just so cool. You can drive it with one hand, fold it up in seconds and carry it without breaking a sweat (even if you have spaghetti arms like me).

Ike on Dad duty!

The only creature who didn’t seem to approve was (you guessed it) Buster. Hater of bikes, scooters and skateboards, Buster showed consistent disdain for the sporty B-Agile. But we took him and it out on a spin Thursday morning and he didn’t growl or try to attack it once, success!

And final thanks go out to my sister-in-law Katie, who came to my rescue with super-cute tags for the hostess gifts. I love how after a text from me, she was willing to dive into Pinterest and her scrapbooking supplies to produce such a great product!

Baking is my love language: so my hostesses got some sugar cookies!

My hostesses also get a big thanks. I really appreciate all the work (and cookies) they put into the event. I’m lucky to have such great friends!

That’s it for this week. Don’t be jealous, but I’m spending the Labor Day weekend at the BEACH!! Let’s hope it is just not a literal “labor day” for my 30-week pregnant self:) I’ll be back with stories and pictures soon.