A hodge-podge of sorts...

Tonight I went with Al to Seal Beach as he scoped out how he's going to set up the tables for this Saturday's Wag 'n Walk. I decided to take my camera and just shoot whatever while we were down there. We have two weddings next month and a few portrait sessions, so I won't be shooting for "me" that much. I thought I'd take advantage of it tonight.

Here are a few I liked...










On another note, I ordered some prints for Riley's room. I bought them off Etsy so I know they will be originals or very limited prints! As most of you know, we're having a "country / western" theme. I ordered the following prints and plan on hanging them in frames and attaching either cow-print fabric or bandana-print fabric to the top of each corner of the frame, tie it in a bow, and hang them up. I think it's going to be soooo cute!

Look at this little guy - how can you not love this face??


I love these little two - so cute!


And what about this little one...I just want to kiss his/her little nose!!

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Baby Q's name revealed...

:)

If she is a girl, it will be Riley Grace.

If he is a boy, it will be Riley Joseph (after Al's best friend who passed from cancer).

We are happy to finally share this and am glad it won't be a secret anymore! Only two of our friends guessed it! Amy and Sarah! You go, girls! ;)

Also, Al painted the nursery yesterday. It went from the regular white walls to "Timothy Tan" (probably named after the guy who mixed it!). LOL

And let's hope that Daddy's 'crystal blue eyes' gene wins. ;)

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11 years...

Today was my 11 year anniversary at work. Wow! I can't believe it's been 11 years!! I was a baby when I started! I've held four different positions and three under the same manager. I'm so thankful that I have a job in this market and I'm so thankful for everything my company has done for me. I have a great boss who is also a friend. I know I have a lot to be thankful for.

I'm also thankful for my sweet husband. He sent me these flowers today to celebrate my 11 years. No one has ever done anything like that before. Sure, I've received flowers, but not for anything like this. It was almost sweeter than we he sends flowers for no reason. It just was a very nice gesture and I really appreciate it. He wrote me a nice card and said that Baby Q would be proud of me too. I love him. :)

Happy 11 years to me! I really can't believe it.

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The poking and prodding is about to begin...

Posting here and on Baby Q's blog.

Dear Baby Q,

Today must have been the craziest of all appointments that we’ve had so far! So much information today!

Mommy only gained 3 pounds which is so exciting since I gained 10 lbs last appointment. Tomorrow will be 6 months and I’ve only gained 15 lbs total. I can deal with that. :)-

The Dr. asked me if I’ve felt you anymore and I told her “Oh, yes!” You are a kicking machine! I asked her when Daddy will be able to feel you and she said probably not for another 4 weeks. She said she thinks some dads like to “think” they feel it before then, but probably not since you have to kick at my uterus and then hit the abdominal wall pretty hard for anyone to feel anything from the outside. She said that pretty soon you will be “kicking Daddy out of bed”! LOL

I guess that we will have one more ultrasound too. I was told that I have a “low lying placenta” so the Dr. wants to make sure everything looks good at the next visit. I’m so excited to see how big you are then, but again, I don’t want your sex to be told to us. I didn’t think it’d be that big of a deal waiting to see if you are a boy or a girl, but the closer we get to having you, I’m soooo excited to find out. I can’t wait until you are born and they say, “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” That seems so old school nowadays and it makes me so excited to go that route. I’m hoping labor will be that much easier too – it will at least give me something to look forward to.

I go for glucose testing in the next two weeks and at the next follow up appt I have to get a Rhogam shot. Not every Mommy has to get this. Mommy’s blood and Daddy’s blood are different and we don’t know what yours is yet, so just in case your blood and Mommy’s blood gets “mixed”, the shot will help everything be OK. I’ll explain more about this when you’re older. :)

Pretty soon the appointments are going to be every two weeks and then every week – it’s getting so close to when you are here! Anyway, with that and the very personal appointments that will be starting in a month or so (especially around the weekly visits), I'm going to get poked and prodded a lot. Time to get prepared. I remember when we found out about you at 5 ½ weeks! It seems like yesterday!! I was sooooo scared at the time – I couldn’t believe my life was going to change dramatically. I feel totally different now. Now it’s exciting and scary at the same time – scary with all the things we still have to do! When we first found out we were pregnant, I couldn’t imagine life with a baby. Now I can’t imagine life without you.

Not much else is new. As you know, Daddy talks to you every morning and sometimes throughout the day. Grandma Pierce (we’ll have to decide what she wants you to call her when you arrive) wants us to start reading to you even now so I think I’m going to get some of my and Daddy’s favorite childhood books this weekend and start that. It’ll be exciting to pick out your first books!

Our maternity photo session is either next month or the month after, we are waiting to hear the final date. I think I'm going to bring two changes of clothes but not sure. I think I'd like to get this shirt and wear it in a couple of fun shots.

That’s it for now. I’ll have to print out these little letters soon and make you a book so we can have it put together by the time you arrive!

I love you,

Mommy

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First purchase for Baby Q...

Around $20. Not too bad, right?

That's one of the nice things about not knowing the sex of your unborn child - you don't go crazy spending money on clothes. You may spend money on paint for the room, bedding or decorations, but the apparel is pretty much off limits until the baby is born. Unless you're into buying tons of green and yellow, which I'm not.

So...I spent some money in a different way - in the form of some wood, some paint, some paint brushes and a paint tray.

Here is the before:


And here is hopefully what will be after:


Except for the painting in the third letter (I'm only doing the cow and the bandana design). And except for the name Cody. Cody is NOT the name.

But now you know the name has an "E" in it. Where it falls - only three people know...me, hubby, and this good little secret keeper. We told her and she promised she's not telling anyone. ;)

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This is what a weekend in Mammoth looks like...

Al and I spent Friday, Saturday, Sunday and part of today in Mammoth and had a great time. It was beautiful, relaxing, and fun. We found the BEST coffee shop I've ever been to. The locals would come out on Friday and Saturday nights when live music was played and bring cases of beer and bottles of wine to drink! It was the funniest thing ever! I think Al and I were one of the few actually partaking in the COFFEE! LOL Decaf for me, of course! ;) They brought their dogs too and the dogs just played with each other while people sat and listened to music, drank their beverage of choice, or played on the internet like we did. It was just such a fun experience. I will really miss that place.

One of the other great memories that I'll take away from the weekend is being about 25-30 feet away from deer in Yosemite. I spotted them when we were driving and Al pulled over and got some great shots. I left my camera in the truck and just took in the experience of them watching us and then going back to eating. They were so close, it was such a beautiful experience.

I'm sure you'll find a lot of GREAT landscape photos on Al's blog in the next couple of days, but I'm more of a "detail shots" girl myself, so I captured the little things that caught my eye.

Outside the road to the hot springs and fish hatchery:


Walking to Devil's Postpile:


Devil's Postpile - amazing!




We visited an old ghost town, Bodie, and the remnants of what is left was amazing.






This was taken through glass. These are items that were in the general store. Look at the telephone on the right!


This typewriter was in an old hotel. I looked up the brand on the internet (Smith Premiere) and this typewriter was made in 1889!

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