Decision Making at its Finest

Over the weekend I thought I was going to be ambitious and bold by painting Little B's room.
FAIL.
Friday night the paint "expert" at Lowe's and I went round and round for about an hour searching for the perfect color. Apparently my color palette is not as keen as I thought it was. I mean hello, I have designers in my family, isn't that kind of stuff just in my blood? What do you mean that yellow has too much green in it? Which would you pick? Sir, that's not yellow...it's khaki. Are you sure this is your department? I'm getting the sense that you might be a little color-blind.

I started with yellow, went to a more golden-yellow and then moved on to grays.  The walls in Little B's room are beginning to look like a really bad kaleidoscope.

~yes those are pictures of the sonograms on the door~

I really want Little B's room to be warm and inviting and yet I was getting comments like, "too bright", "jaundice", "lets not make it too dreary either though".  I finally forced the party (my littlest sister and Tim) on a field trip to Lowe's to look for themselves. I think they enjoyed laughing at the names of paint more though. Sister said when she grows up she either wants to name nail polish or paint colors. Talk about big dreams!

Favorite names included:  Rock. Gelato in the Park. Midnight in Miami. Money Matters. (and so many more)

So needless to say, there was painting this weekend, but the lack of decision making didn't lead us in the right direction.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this weekend goes better.

Recent Highlights:

* bawling my eyes out watching Dolphin Tale. Loved it!

* falling asleep in the movie theatre seeing Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

* you already saw my Yoga experience - still laughing

* Tim demanding to know when my "nesting phase" is going to start because he's ready for some organization and cleanliness! :) Maybe that's something that skips a generation?

* a MUCH needed trip to get my feet rubbed and my toes painted - they were looking atrocious!

* I started reading The Hunger Games. Sisters both talked me into it...I'll let you know how it goes.

* Tim and I going to start our baby registry instead of watching the State of the Union. Let's just say that's a post for another day.

* talking to my father-in-law about when Little B will be old enough to go for an annual "Benton Summer Camp" at his house. (by the way for those of you that were wondering, I didn't win the college football bowl picks, but I did beat Tim so that's good!)

Can you see my baby bump in the shadows? The morning light was just right and I thought it was a fun trick...looking at it now though, I kind of fit right in with the tree trunk. Hmm. :)

The Yoga Om & Inner Chanting

We interrupt this weekend to tell a funny story:

Let's be real, I'm no ultra-hippie. There are spirited tendencies that I have, yes, and sure I'm from California, but in modern-day society I would not be described as a hippie. I don't keep up with the latest organic products, and I'm not in-tune with my inner chant.  I do however, like fields of sunflowers, find spirit in nature and dig braids & bell-bottom pants. This could all be because I loved the story of Pocahontas & my Grandfather always said we were part Native American.
Sometimes I feel a little silly at the gym, so last week I decided I should try a pre-natal yoga class.  I've tried yoga a handful of times and typically I'm not into it because it doesn't give me the workout that I'm hoping for. However I love the feeling of a nice lengthening stretch. Being a bit off-balance with a belly and not sleeping in my usual positions, I thought that pre-natal yoga might be just the stretch I could use.

I talked my good friend into coming along with me for a little moral support, she's a bit more organic than me (even though she doesn't like to always admit it) so I knew she would be fun to go with. Walking in the yoga studio, I gave the guy my name to sign up and he asked if I was related to the founders. Um...right off the bat I'm biting my tongue trying not to giggle, responding with a "not that I know of".  Side note: I don't believe anyone in my family (husbands side) could be that in touch with their inner chant.  We removed our shoes, grabbed a mat and went to the class.  There had to have been 30+ people in that small yoga studio! It was packed with women and all different shapes and sizes of bellies!  Sadly, I had to wiggle in between two other Mama's in the first row, directly in front of the instructor. Eeeek!

She began by introducing herself and I began by wondering if people were given yoga names, because there was no way this woman's mother named her that.  Then she asked if we would go around the room, introduce ourselves, say how far along we were and how we were feeling. Um. What. Really? I'm so in the wrong class. On the spot, friend went first, followed by two women and then me. The woman that went before me mentioned her name, how far along she was and then proceeded to say she was feeling very hormonal. (Later this would become my partner for certain exercises and I wasn't about to look at her the wrong way.)  I shared my name and unlike everyone else (except for friend), gave a general calculation of how far along I was.  I mean what's the deal with all this "weeks" talk really? I just don't get  the obsession with that? Anyway, it continued with women sharing that they were feeling indigestion, allergies, having trouble sleeping, too much movement -- I could go on an on.

Finally the class started and there were discussions of my pelvic floor dancing. Excuse me? We dance in my house, but we don't discuss my pelvic floor.  There was chanting and "om-ing" where I refused to participate and instead just opened one eye to look around the room to make sure i was still safe.  There was heavy breathing and lots of discussion about a balloon rising in our hearts.  There was talking to the baby and connecting our two heartbeats as one. We carried our bellies like a basket when we squatted and she had descriptions of what we should be feeling that went way beyond my inner hippie.



Let's just say that Friend and I practically ran out of the room afterwards, grabbed our shoes and ran to the car so we could finally let our laughter go. I don't mind the yoga itself, I quite like the stretches and even the quiet-relaxation, but the rest of the hoak-y stuff is just not for me. As Tim told me when I mentioned what I was up to, "Nicole, you don't take that stuff seriously, so why are you going?"... he's got a point, and he knows me so well. I think I'll skip the chanting and pelvic floor dancing and instead just do some stretches off of YouTube or get a video next time I need to feel a good stretch. Until then, you'll find me back at the gym. Unless of course, someone knows of a class that doesn't have all the extra chanting?  I'm beginning to wonder what I'm going to think after we take our birthing class!

So...for all of our inner hippies & yogi's out there -- Namaste.

Life Is...

Like An Ice Cream Cart? with a palm tree?

((I stole this picture from Kelle Hampton over at Enjoying the Small Things.))

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live an island life of minimal style and maximum scenery. The grass is always greener they say, but doesn't this picture make you day dream about how truly inviting a tiki hut and a palm tree can be. Then lets say a year after you moved into said tiki hut, how do you feel? Would you be tired of the sand?

So, let's celebrate that we're half way through the week with a little Red Light, Green Light Shall we?

Green Light

a movie night with friends

Red Light

someone asking me if I feel a soul inside of me. (excuse me? what was that?)

Green Light

a package of yummy sweet treats sent with love from my Aunt & Uncle in California!

Brownies, Chocolate Chip Cookies & Snickerdoodles -- oy vey! I hope that the melted goodness melts the pounds away come June!

Red Light

having a couple horrible nightmares and losing my sound-sense-of-sleep...is this what pregnancy does to you?

Green Light

cheering on a 5th grade basketball game and going for dinner afterwards, only to receive all the leftovers at the table, because I'm the pregnant one.

Red Light

being asked to show off my belly at a party

Green Light

NOT showing off my belly at a party

Life really is more like a game of red light, green light...

we don't all get to play life as an ice cream truck with a palm tree.

May You Stay Forever Young

The weekend was great. Productive, relaxing and lovely. Sadly, I took zero pictures.
I know you're disappointed. I'm sorry.

To make it up, let's try something different...

Ten Things I'm Loving Right Now! (in no particular order)
1.  The way Tim and I respond and react to people's questions regarding baby stuff.  Somewhere between the magic of getting pregnant and realizing that you're a parent once the baby comes, there's something that happens to peoples brains. Where did all this trendy junk come from? I mean who says words like "babymoon" or "push present". That's not us people. If we go on a trip or a vacation it's because we want to go on a trip, not because we're taking a flippin' babymoon. Who came up with that?

Babymoonguide.com

Relaxing Babymoon Vacations for Parents-to-be

2.  Little B is the size of a spaghetti squash!

Tim and I wouldn't even know what a spaghetti squash was if it wasn't for the family that I used to nanny for. We've still yet to eat one, and now it feels kinda weird if we were to try one, but some day I will.

3.  My new boots, leggings and a cute top! If you see me in something that has any resemblance to these items, just know that I'm comfy and stylish.  I promise I'm not just trying to look like I might or might not belong on a Harley, but either way I love the three magical items!

4.  Reading The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks before the movie comes out.  My sisters have both read The Hunger Games and say that I need to start on that trilogy next, but I'm not sure that it's my style. Until then, I'll be soaking in the wonderful story of The Lucky One.

5.  One Tree Hill will be airing the season premier of their final season Wednesday night. I already know it's one of the top things I'm loving right now because I love this show. I'll be sad to see it end, it's had a really good run. You know you're a fan when you realize that you've seen every episode and then on top of it you notice that the show has been around for 9 years! I mean who wouldn't want to live in a town like Tree Hill?

6.  Sweets! If you know me very well, my sweet tooth isn't very big at all...I don't typically crave desert and I'm usually the one at the table that continues to pass the sweets to the next person. However, that has changed. I'm trying not to over-indulge, but I'll tell ya, a ROCKIN' Chocolate Chip Cookie or a fabulous yogurt with some lovely toppings goes a long way with me these days. However, I did get a little dose of reality when the Victoria Secret swimsuit catalog came in the mail yesterday though.

7. Lotion. Lots and lots of different kinds of lotion. Tim thinks it's kinda gross and says it makes me all clammy, but between the dryness in Austin and my skin stretching, it's a must! I love this stuff by Aveeno!                                                 

8.  Right now I am loving that everyone, especially family, is getting so excited about Little B's debut. Excited, antsy and sometimes a little impatient because they want to know so badly if Little B will be a girl or a boy. Hooray for surprises!

9.  Sundays. I love the warmth in the morning, the relaxing tone that they set and rounding it out with a family trip to church and a Sunday night dinner.

10.  This man and his magic way of always getting me to laugh! Who are we kidding though, that's one I'm always loving, not just right now.

Twenty Eleven

  

It's not surprising when I say that twenty-twelve is going to be a very exciting, surreal, life-changing year for us!  We're both looking forward to the journey ahead and to meeting Little B, but before I say goodbye to all that was in 2011, I thought I'd do a little recap of what was, before what will be...will Little B! :)

*The importance of family moments.

*Love. pure & simple.

*Live a youthful life, no matter how old you are: Dress Up, Twister, Pet Rocks & New Toys!

* When opportunity knocks, life hands you lemons, or you get the chance to do something different...why not take it?!

 

* Dive into the bigger picture & Find time for life.

* Laugh, Giggle, Chuckle, Cackle...just whatever you do laugh!

* Never stop surprising yourself!

Here's to what's in store for 2012! We're ready for the adventure, the lessons & the happiness!

Weekend Review

I love long weekends! Better yet, I love - LOVE - long weekends with fabulous, sunshine-y weather!

We put the Green Egg together and we grilled!

We sunbathed and relaxed in the shining afternoon warmth!

Tim brought Little B a San Diego Chargers hoodie from his fast trip to the Holiday Bowl to watch Texas beat Cal!

Our bucket of Little B goodies is filling up!

The toy chest is back together with a fresh coat of paint and looking good in Little B's room!

Oh yea, did I mention that I baked? When the weather has even a hint of California in it, I turn the music up, open the doors & windows and find things to do while I sing and dance with the fresh air pouring in.

Sometimes that means CUPCAKES!

What's better than funfetti & confetti? Yummy!

These would be our bowl game picks! Tim's Dad does college football picks through his company every week during the College Football Season. I'm not very good at those, but I love the Bowl Game Picks! I enjoy seeing two teams that normally wouldn't play each other fight for the win, and it's fun to see what typically becomes some really good games! So far I'm doing well - keep your fingers crossed for me. I like it when my Father-in-Law can tell his friends at work that his Daughter-in-Law won!

Oh and finally, what you've all been waiting for...THE BELLY BUMP!

Saturday, we learned that Little B is the size of a banana. I'm not sure how that works into the size of this bump, but we'll work with it and do our best to make it the cutest banana bump you ever saw, well at least for the next week!

This weekend there was a lot of football, food & fun! New Year's Eve is one of my favorite holidays by far and typically we're celebrating big with my Grandfather because he shares the fireworks with the day he was born. One thing is for certain, no matter where we are and what we're doing, there's big smiles and lots of laughs as we create our yearly fireworks! This weekend (although there was only one sip of sparkling champagne) was no different.   Hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and some sunshine too! Happy New Year!