Renters, Miss America & Turning 32

Our house got a rental contract yesterday!  Yippee!  We're waiting to hear when the renters officially want to move in.  If they can wait until the first full weekend of February, that'll give our flooring guys time to finish in the new house.  If they want to be in by the beginning of February, we'll move all of our stuff into the garage of the new house and crash at someone's house for a week until the wood floors are done.  Either way, we're excited!  You'd think all of the excitement would spur me to pack more boxes... I've been laying on the couch or the floor most of the day, watching the kids play and reading them books.  I feel like I'm splitting in two 'down below,' and that's not exactly a box-packing state of being.  Part of me (okay, all of me) secretly hopes Hayden decides to arrive this week or next so that I'll feel good enough to actually be helpful during the move.

I finished watching Miss America a little while ago.  Did anyone else watch it this weekend?  I was surprised that ABC carried it... for so many years it struggled to even make it to TV, let alone a major network.  It's good to see the 90th anniversary was televised and hopefully highly-watched.  I'm a big fan of the 'ole pageant.  Having proudly competed in Miss OK while I was in college, I have the behind-the-scenes knowledge that makes watching it much more fun.  Take for instance the interviews that Brooke Burke was trying to do while the finalists were racing backstage to get changed.  I think I would've knocked the girl down and told her to shut up, that I had a swimsuit to get into (complete with butt spray to get the thing to stay in place).  You've never seen nudity like you see nudity backstage at a pageant.  Toplessness is everywhere, and there's actually a 'boob taper' (ours was a little elderly woman... bless her heart) who helps you duct tape your boobs into upright and 'locked & loaded' position.  I'll never forget when Jason and I first started dating, he was looking at some of my Miss OK pictures, and there was an evening gown picture where my 'girls' were particularly large and perky, and he looked at me with questioning eyes, and I simply said, "No, they don't really look like that" and went into detail of the proper technique of boob taping.  I think he was scarred for life.  Anyway, enough about the nakedness... it was a really cool experience, and I enjoy watching the pageant each year, much to my husband's eye-rolling.  He loves to tease me about my pageant days and asks me often what my platform is.  He doesn't ever watch Miss America with me, which is perfectly fine.  Who really wants their husband viewing great bikini bodies while 36 weeks pregnant?

A couple of things I found odd/interesting this year:

1) The contestant who talked about her wig a little too much.  At one point she even addressed 'throwing it on the kitchen table' while hanging out with friends and family.  TMI, sweetheart.  And don't you know her friends and family LOVE when she does that... "Sis, will you move your wig and pass me the gravy?"

2) The fact that I couldn't place Miss California but knew I had seen her before.  I googled her and realized she competed on American Idol Season 8.

3) The contestant whose random little factoids during evening gown highlighted that she was a princess in a remote village in somewhere like Cambodia.  What???

Jax is hollering from his crib, so I'm off to rescue the boy.  I'll try not to do too many pageant stances or waves the rest of the day.

Oh yes, I almost forgot.  Yesterday I turned 32 and it was a fantastic day!  Hubby made me breakfast in bed, the kids went to the in-laws' at 1 p.m., and the two of us came back to the house and watched a movie and lounged the rest of the afternoon.  That night we went out to eat and back to the in-laws' for cake.  It was so much fun!  And here's a picture of the darling cake Uncle Trav had made... it was delicious chocolate with raspberry filling. 

Jax's First Prayer

It's funny that I've never thought to ask Jax if he wanted to pray before.  I guess I just figured he wouldn't quite get it.  Daddy was on an appointment with one of his agents tonight, so it was just the three of us at the table.  I asked Emerson if it would be okay if Jax prayed.  She relented, and I said, "Jaxi, do you wanna pray tonight?"  He thought for a minute, said, "Ummmm, YES," and then got really excited. What came out next cracked me up:

"God's Good... Love... AMEN!"

He's obviously been listening to Emerson's 'God is Great, God is Good' prayer, but the addition of 'love' in the middle was so sweet. 

Also at the table tonight, Emerson picked her nose and said, "That was so brave that I got a boogie out!  It was just a cheese-booger!"  Such a lady. 

BooMama linked to a great post today about the infamous CheckWriter at the grocery store.  We've all been in line behind her... this is a good read.  And the comments are hilarious, too.

http://suburbanturmoil.blogspot.com/2011/01/open-letter-to-check-writer-at.html#

Miley's having a boy!

My sister shared the good news yesterday... Avery's gonna have a little brother in May!

Here's the beautiful family over Christmas.  Anyone else jealous of my sister's gorgeous, flawless skin without a stitch of makeup?!  It's so unfair!!!

 

Riley & Hayden

Our friends the Bolingers came over last night, and Jason snapped this picture of the babies-to-be.  Lorenda is 21 weeks pregnant, and I'm 35 weeks as of Saturday.  Riley will be their first, and I can't wait to meet the little man!  The four of us all lived on the same floor in a dorm at NSU and have remained friends ever since.  Which is saying a lot, considering the shenanigans that went on during our college tenure.  Makes me laugh to think back on those days.  It also makes me want to keep my children home from college! 

House update: the trim throughout the first floor has all been glazed and looks amazing!  Our bedroom is painted, the entryway/living/dining wall texture, paint, and glaze are scheduled to be completed this week, and the office and nursery will be finished, too.  We ran into our painter at church this morning, and I couldn't help but give him a big hug... he's fantastic.  If you or anyone you know is looking for a paint company, use Victory Painting.  You won't be sorry.

I'm having a really hard time picking the color for the nursery, and I need to decide by tomorrow.  The designer I worked with suggested a light cream to keep the room light, airy, and spa-like, especially since it will be a guest room in 2 years. The only problem is that I totally failed to mention that Hayden's furniture is all going to be cream as well, and the color we chose isn't quite enough of a contrast.  So now I'm looking at a huge color sample wheel, pulling my hair out trying to come up with the perfect cream... one that's not too fleshy or too beige or too yellow.  Ahhh!!!

I started packing the bag for the hospital tonight.  We learned our lesson after Emerson came a little over a month early.  It was so much fun getting my 0-3 month plastic bin out and going through the teeny-tiny clothes!  I can't believe I'm going to have a newborn soon.

I made it...

Okay, so I dropped Emerson off first yesterday.  She, of course, ran right into class, tickling her teacher's leg on the way in, saying 'tickle, tickle' and yelling greetings to all of her friends.  I actually had to call to her to get her to come back and give me hugs and kisses.  Then it was off to Jax's room.  His teachers are precious older ladies with very calming personalities, so I instantly felt at ease.  He was pretty clingy, but when I kneeled down, gave him a hug and kiss, and told him I was leaving but would be coming back to get him, he instantly let out this howling cry, complete with an almost gasping sound, like he couldn't believe I was actually going to leave.  I made it out the door, walked to put his bag in his cubby, then the waterworks started.  I seriously started crying.  An older woman caught me in the hallway and gave me a 'bless your heart... it'll get easier' peptalk, which of course made it worse.  I went into the nearest bathroom, pulled myself together, then walked back to the edge of his classroom door to listen.  He had already stopped crying. 

I spent the next 4 1/2 hours running errands in somewhat of a daze.  It was like I wasn't quite sure how to act by myself, not having to keep small children in check.  Checking off my to-do list for the day was a breeze, and getting to do it at a leisurely pace was unbelievable.  Given that I'm not moving quickly PERIOD at this point in the pregnancy, I was in much less pain because I could stop when I needed to and just rest.  I think Hayden has dropped significantly in the last week because I'm feeling some severe and intense pressure down there, almost like the 'ole 'undercarriage' is trying to split apart.  Lovely, isn't it?  I'm curious to find out at my next checkup if I'm dilated at all.  I wouldn't be surprised if I am.

I stopped by the new house first thing this morning (kids stayed with a babysitter) and met a friend-of-a-friend designer so she could help me with paint colors, fabric swatch choices for drapes, etc.  So helpful!!!  Worth every dime and really helped me narrow my ideas to create a beautiful flow from room to room.  One of the biggest challenges in my brain is how to combine Jason's love of old-world style with my recent discovery and love of softer hues mixed in with more contemporary and classic fabrics and pops of color.  I'm going to run get some paint pints later this afternoon after naptime, and hopefully the hubby will like what I've narrowed down to!  This is the fun part!

Heading to Cheesecake Factory tonight with my MOPS table from last semester.  Can't wait for some girly conversation and yummy food.

Jax's Big Day

I'm having a hard time this morning... my baby is going to pre-school with his sister!  I'm praying I don't lose it when I walk away from dropping him off.  I know he's going to be fine, it's just a big milestone.  Emerson started her preschool class right before she was two, but she's a little more independent than he is.  I keep reminding myself that it's only two days a week, 5 hours each day, and that it'll be good for both of us.  Plus, I technically need to be working for Daddy one of those days, and the other I'll be running errands, grocery shopping, and getting things done at the house.  And when Hayden gets here, she will get Mommy's undivided attention for those two days.  So it's a blessing that his class had an opening mid-year. 

It's just hard looking at that little backpack and lunchbox.  They're so cute.  Plus Daddy's in Wisconsin right now doing training for his teams there, so I'm missing him. 

Hormones, be gone!