Two days

TWO! That number is not at all large. I had my very last doctors appointment this morning...which actually turned out to be more of this afternoon after a ridiculously long wait, but since it was the last one for quite some time I didn't get overly flustered. In fact, I had great snacks which i stole from the moore's pantry (thank you dyanna) and I made some lovely new friends in the waiting room...none of which I know by name, but they cheered for me when it was my turn to go in and wished me well on my way out! How nice of them. Well, our sweet dude has dropped considerably, which I clearly knew on my own based on the added pressure to my lower organs and the excruciating bruised feeling in my pelvis region when I walk...or move at all for that matter. I am 50% effaced and still hangin in there at 1cm dilated. My doctor is pleased with the progress and we shall proceed with getting this show on the road starting Saturday morning!

I went to target this evening and put together TWO darling Easter baskets. A pink one, and a blue one. I hate the thought of missing out on a holiday and so the Easter bunny shall make a delivery to the hospital for my sweet babies to enjoy. Obviously Hudson will need help from Gregory and I when it comes to the chocolate portion of his basket, but it's no secret that I probably did that on purpose.

Off topic...I've become a borderline stage mom as of today. Greg's cousin set us up with her friend who runs a model/talent agency and wanted to meet with Emmerson. We went and learned about how the company runs, they got to meet Emmy and whatnot, and so now...we shall see. I don't know what will come of it quite yet, I will know more in a week or so.

Want to know the highlight of my days? Crushed ice in my drinking water and a hot bath with sea island cotton scent bubble bath. Off I go...

Three days

Even writing that title had me nearly peeing my pants. Sorry...it happens. Common causes include extreme excitement (taylor swift concert) uncontrollable laughter, and the small human viciously attacking my bladder. That, or a sneeze. Don't judge. This time I was overcome with slight fear and anxiety. What if round two doesn't run as smoothly as round one? That thought is terrifying.

Enough about that...

Gregory took emmerson and I out on a date tonight...not because he is sentimental and trying to make these last few days with just the little gal count, but because he had coupons for two free burgers at islands...and we all know what a sucker he is for a good deal, let alone free food. Regardless of his motivation, I thoroughly enjoyed our night out together. I consider dinner at a restaurant with our high energy child a success when we don't have to pull out the iPad for any reason. Sad, perhaps...but that device saves lives. Or maybe just sanity. It is my saving grace and I truly believe that I can get through any 2 year old mishaps if that precious gem is tucked away in my purse. Though we didn't resort to good ol modern technology this evening, I still stand firm in my belief that every human in tarnation should own an iPad.

four days.

My morning started off with Emmy spilling an entire cup full of apple juice all over me and the couch. She of course, managed to stay perfectly dry during the incident. That whole "don't cry over spilled milk" quote was definitely not applied on my part. She on the other hand, handled the situation like a champ. hugs followed by "it's okay momma." I'm blessed to have such an understanding little nugget. Not all 2.5 year olds would catch on to the fact that mommy pleads temporary insanity. I'll celebrate the day that I get my brains back in order. Hopefully this will be the case sooner than later...We have company coming next month and I'd like them to leave with the desire to return again one day.

on another note, you all remember our darling , forgetful, highly confused grandpa, yes? well feast your eyes on this photo captured by greg's uncle matthew...


that's him sitting in his trusty chair in his man cave. gloves on his lap, headphones around his neck with no music playing, going in for a close shave....with the tv remote. that's right. he is definitely rubbing his stubble with the remote control fully thinking that his face is being shaved. bless his heart.

five days.

i cannot even begin to explain how much i love these two...

and to think there is even more space in my ticker to love another little being to the same extent.
i feel so lucky.

the nursery

I don't think I've even officially told you all the name of our sweet baby boy to be...we shall call him Hudson Gregory and i'm pretty sure he will be fat. if not right away, fairly soon after. in fact, he is already measuring big which is why i will be getting induced on April 7th. that's only a week away...in case you were wondering. I finally got around to having Gregory John take pictures of the boy's now complete nursery and so here it is...

he even has his own bathroom...

all photos taken at the ocean by his dear ol dad.

i think we're as ready as we'll ever be... come on sweet Hudson Gregory! i really didn't mean for that to rhyme.

bear hugs

last week, sweet husband arrived home from work and told the little girl to get her shoes on, as he had a big surprise for her in his van...and so she excitedly followed him out.

please take note of what is sitting in the passenger seat of his van ...as if the van alone isn't creepy enough for small children

she was delighted to say the least...

bear hugs for the massive human-sized beast.

pose for momma...

hugs for daddy...

and now to get the massive beast inside...not to mention finding a place to keep it...

emmy's new bestfriend...and my worst nightmare. funny how that happens.

Almost there...

A teeny tiny crib sheet is the only thing holding me back from taking pictures of the wee dude's sleeping quarters. Aside from that one last detail, the nursery is complete and I cannot wait to reveal the results. It's not at all baby-ish when it comes to the prints/colors but it is exactly what I had in mind. I'm just glad that it's almost done! The tiny blue laundry is fresh and folded, I've started to set things aside for my hospital bag, my energy and comfort levels are at a bare minimum...i think I'm finally about ready to accept the crazy that will soon be my life with two littles. I've been considering the idea of only two kids lately. Sweet husband tells me that's just 37.5 weeks of pregnancy talking, but I really feel like it could be a nice option. Three is my max.

I'm still wondering why people say spacing your kids 2 years apart is ideal. Perhaps I need to look further ahead than the next couple of months to when the two can play together and be pals, but right now all I can focus on is my moody 2 year old, who just dipped her orange slice in ketchup and made me gag a little bit and how a newborn will only add to the chaos. I hope I'm cut out for this.

rain!

I've been overly warm recently, which is unlike me, but normal considering the circumstances. i can't remember the last time i needed socks on my feet. i like being cold every now and then...weird? maybe. well this weekend is supposed to be stormy rainy goodness and with all the sunshine i've had in my life lately, i will welcome the clouds and raindrops with open arms. literally. we as in gregory, emmerson and i plan to jump in puddles and get sopping wet...right after we eat green pancakes for st. patrick's day breakfast. tomorrow morning's festivities will then continue with a trip to babies r us to purchase all of the baby goods still needed, a shamrock shake from mcdonalds, and a bazillion loads of blue laundry so i can stock the boy's closet. at least him and emmy will always be well dressed. people have always told me you start to look like a hobo after you have kids because the littles tend to need a new wardrobe every couple of months at first, and then every season from then on. apparently growing out of your clothes takes priority over just plain wanting new clothes and so i find myself settling with what i already have. that's gonna get old real quick...i love me some new outfits. and pinterest doesn't exactly calm the shopping desires as i find myself drooling over lovely frocks on the daily. anyway. i'm looking forward to my cold stormy days ahead. i might even bust out the fireplace dvd and drink hot chocolate.

Laundry

People ask me what I crave during pregnancy. Last time around I consumed unhealthy amounts of soda and juice. Water was disgusting to my taste buds and I avoided it at all costs. I blame my chronic puker of a baby for nearly the first year of her life on my poor drinking habits. This time I've tried to up my water intake considerably in hopes that burp rags won't become a part of my wardrobe for the months to come. My new love make that addiction for crushed ice is making this task more enjoyable. Since i cant possibly blame my addiction to chocolate as a pregnancy related issue, i guess you could call crushed ice my only real out-of-the-ordinary craving this time. Unless of course you are interested in knowing about my whacked out brains need to smell anything laundry related like a crazed lunatic. I may make that definitely have been known to linger next to our laundry area taking in the fresh scent of detergent, fabric softener and dryer sheets. I also may again, definitely have rubbed fabric softener on my wrists on several occasions to sneak a sniff while the delicious aroma remained fragrant on my skin. I've also been known to request sweet husband to bring me a dryer sheet to keep close to my nostrils as I watch my beloved tv shows, gossip girl and prison break. It's becoming a problem. More of a need than simple desire. I should probably seek professional help before I pass the point of no return and start eating the stuff. And now that you are all well aware of my extreme chemical imbalance, I plead temporary insanity. I promise I will get myself together as soon as the little nugget arrives, and I should probably avoid pregnancy for the remainder of life.

e is for emmerson.

with only weeks to go until i birth another nielsen child, i find myself struggling to keep my sanity with the 2.5 year old. we call her a sour patch kid because she is sweet as can be, but she has a serious sassy side to her that comes out every now and then. come to think of it...she's always been this way. maybe i'm just getting too tired and worn out as i near the end of this pregnancy to properly deal with it. instead of addressing her with love and patience, my brains explode and i feel like i want to burst into tears. yep, i suppose we will blame this on the mood swings that come with this magical journey that has me growing larger on the daily.

basically, i'm not a fan of being pregnant like some people claim to be. i want my sane mind back...not to mention my body.

If we mention the sweet boy who will soon grace us with his presence, Emmerson conveniently changes the subject in most cases. that's right, doesn't like to talk about it.

okay fine, so we will focus on her during this time while she still has the spotlight to herself. maybe if i can muster up a few nice things to say about the sweet gal, my heart will still be smiling about her pleasant side when she lashes out at me like a monster child.

my emmy claire is definitely unique and i love that about her. she's not a follower, never has been. she has a girly side where you can find her in a fluffy dress having a tea party or playing my little ponies, and she has her tom boy side where you can find her getting dirty outside playing basketball. i find that her true colors shine when she has her guitar in one hand, and her microphone in the other singing taylor swift songs at the top of her lungs. a performer for sure. I love that she will choose mustard yellow polish for her nails, or an orange balloon over the typical little girl pink/purple shades a lot of the time. she hates vegetables of all colors and loves christmas with all of her heart. those two things obviously came directly from me. she talks in silly voices, could spend hours watching videos on youtube, and would live in the ocean if we would let her, all of which she clearly gets from Gregory. her biggest fears in life are fluffy lint that comes from cleaning the dryer vent thingy, and random pieces of hair floating in her bath water. she keeps me on my toes, uses up every ounce of my energy, and has me laughing on a regular basis. i love her more than any other little in tarnation and even though she tests my sanity, i wouldn't change things for the world.