Final Thoughts of a Pregnant Woman

I have often wondered if people think before they speak.  It has become very clear to me in recent weeks that I need not wonder any longer.  Needing a little comic relief, as I am quite weary of being super-sized, I began recanting a few of my favorite episodes during my final weeks of pregnancy to my husband.  I'll share:

First, I wonder how much thought goes into a complete stranger's greeting of, "You look like you're about to pop."  Well, funny that you bring that up, I feel like I could pop any minute.  Thanks for noticing.  I've only heard this countless times lately.

Secondly, as I walked up to the register at McDonalds last week, the cashier stared at me wide-eyed and simply blurted out, "Whoa!" Are you for real?  You couldn't muster up a friendly, "Hi, welcome to McDonalds, can I take your order?" I must admit, it couldn't have helped my case that I proceeded to order ice cream cones for everyone in the car.  Oh well.

Lastly, yesterday, as I was out shopping with my mom, a little old lady came along in my aisle and asked me if I could move out of her way.  She was polite about it and all, but the problem was, I had knelt down to look at something.  I wanted to say, "do I really look like I am in any position to just crab walk out of your way?  I have to find my balance and slowly attempt to get this massive body out of my semi-comfortable squat, which will likely include a few grunts." She then awkwardly went on to state, "You got down there and I wasn't sure you were gonna be able to get back up." Um, you could've thought about that BEFORE you made me move.

If I wore glasses, this would be me.

On a less grouchy note, my sweet mama came over earlier this week to do a little cleaning which is nearly impossible in this state.  She vacuumed and cleaned the bathroom floors and mirrors I can't really reach.  Thanks, Mom, you rock!

I tried to find a super cute cleaning lady to represent you.  This is the best I could do!

Hopefully the next time I am on here, I'll have adorable pictures of my sweet newborn.  Alright, Kyle, you've got 2 days to figure the way out.  I'll give you a hint.  Try heading down.

~ Abby

Homemade Double Doozies

Earlier this week I asked my husband if he had ever had a Double Doozie from the Great American Cookie Company.  Much to my surprise, he replied negatively.  So, when I was at the mall yesterday, I stopped by the GACC to purchase a couple mini ones for our Valentine's dessert.  After hearing the woman in front of me ask for the price of a plain old cookie and nearly gulping out loud, I stepped out of the line.  I decided there was no possible way I would pay upwards of astronomical for a cookie.  Instead, I would recreate them at home and have extras to share.

Here is what I was aiming for:

I am aware that mine are not quite as beautiful, but I would contend that they are equally as delicious!

I made some miniatures and some full size.  All I did was follow the cookie recipe on a bag of Nestle chocolate chips and substituted M&Ms for the chocolate chips.  For the icing I followed this recipe:

1/3 C softened butter

3 C confectioners sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

2 T milk

Beat the butter and sugar together. Add the vanilla and milk and beat until smooth.

Gonna be amazing.  Hope my Valentine loves them as much as I love him.

~Abby

Lollipops

We decided a while back that Kyle would be calling my parents Lollee and Pops.  You see, my mom's name is Laura Lee.  And growing up, we were not allowed to call my dad "pops", as he thought it sounded disrespectful.  So, it only seems fitting that I get my kids to call him that for me.  He has agreed to it, probably because he is tired of arguing with me about it.  Plus, it is just too adorable to pass up - Lollee and Pops.

The fabric line we picked out for Kyle's nursery is called Lollipops.  Unfortunately, Mom and I didn't pick up on it 'cause we're not that observant.  But, once it was pointed out to us, it just made the theme all the more endearing.  I couldn't be happier with how unique and fun everything in his nursery is.

This crib we borrowed from a friend.  After a fresh coat of off-white paint, it looks as good as new.  The bumper pads were designed by me and made by Lollee.  I know it is against "code" at the moment to put a blanket in the crib with a baby, but we all survived it so, I figure he will, too.  Lollee spent too much time hand-stitching this special quilt to leave it folded on the side of the crib.  

(The back)

Above the crib hang these adorable "peek-a-boo" canvases which my sister, Holly, painted.  The animals are taken from the panel wall hanging, which is the overall theme of the room.  

We borrowed someone else's creation of the giraffe and monkey.  But, being determined to have an alligator, we were forced to dream him up on our own.  Thanks to our friend Google and some scratch paper, we think he turned out quite well.

Peek-a-boo

The curtains were also made by Lollee, from the Lollipop line.  From day one, I knew I wanted tab curtains for his room, and she did a great job capturing what I'd hoped for.

Next we have the swing.  This isn't handmade, I'm sorry to say.  But, it was given to us indirectly by Jonathan's sister, Tiffany, and her husband, Josh.  I absolutely love the colors and it's so soft I feel sure he won't want out.

On the night stand beside the rocker is a lamp I found at the Goodwill and gave a coat of spray paint.  The shade I found at Target on clearance and the monkey friend is from Hannah and her mama.  You've already met the K, but now you see where he goes.  I already have my iPod ready to go, I only need to throw some lullabies on it.  In the rocker is a pillow from Lollee for my aching back and a blanket from Lacy for chilly late nights.

An alligator. How perfect. We didn't plan that.

This is a sweet little wall hanging that our dear friends in Mexico brought to us right before we left.  The wife made it.  It says, "God bless you, baby."  I love it.  And I am so glad it was flat so we could get it back to the States easily and carry it around with me until we finally got settled in somewhere.  

Now you see the squiggly mirrors between which that nifty craft I made hangs.  

Can you see me?  I'm not quite narrow enough these days to fit in between things.

The diaper bag was created and assembled by Lollee and monogramed by a friend.  I can't wait to carry this around everywhere I go.  

There's the hospital bag in the works and the super cheap trash can I found in the dollar section at Target.

The dresser we borrowed from my parents and I painted the knobs to add a little personality.  The changing pad Lollee made (are you seeing a pattern yet?).  Above the dresser are watercolor paintings which my sister, Maggie, painted and Lollee matted and framed.

Do notice the coordinating butt paste. (It's really called that.)

Last but not least is an adorable stuffed animal my sister, Lacy crocheted for him.  It is a frog on one side and turns inside out to make a turtle on the other.  Every little boy needs a little double sided animal to play with, don't you think?  Lacy is also working on crocheting a hanger for all of his stuffed animals to go in.

Alright.  Now that the nursery is finished and ready for use, Kyle can come..... Any day now.  The Doc told me today that everything looks good and I am free to go into labor at any time.  Like I have any control over it.  I hope Kyle heard that.  I feel like a kid before Christmas.  No, I am way more excited about this than I ever was about Christmas presents.

~Abby

Bits and Pieces

Piece by piece Kyle's nursery has come together.  I am now waiting on the last piece to be delivered before I can take pictures for the big reveal.  I feel certain that no one is as excited as I am to see the final product, but feel free to humor me and drop by to tell me what you think.  Hoping to have that final piece early next week, you can pop on over sometime next weekend for a nursery update.

Until then, I just couldn't wait to show these couple little crafts Mom and I conjured up this week during a trip to Hobby Lobby.  It seems like we go in phases with that store, and we are certainly smack dab in the middle of an "in" phase as we prepare for Kyle's and Caleb's arrival.  We spent copious amounts of time in there preparing for my wedding, so it only seems fitting that we frequent the store during this exciting time as well.  Plus, you just can't find cuter materials anywhere else.

Excluding the furniture itself, I can't think of anything in Kyle's nursery that isn't handmade or something scavenged from my parents' attic which I've modified to fit the occasion.  Thus, each piece is special because it has that personal touch.

So, we stumbled across these adorable wooden animals, pre-painted and everything for .67 cents a piece.  After pondering for a minute on what we could do with them, I decided to go look at the wooden letters.  I found the perfect size for $1 each (that's why we like short names, it makes the crafts cheaper) and picked out the K, Y, L and E.  I also found this charming giraffe which set me back 2 bucks, but I couldn't pass him up.  He is a good bit larger than the other animals, so I decided to have him as the "hanger." Plus, Kyle's name only has 4 letters and I found 5 adorable wooden animals so, it solved that little problem.

Unfortunately, I can't post a picture of the whole view, because they hang between mirrors and that would give away the rest of the unfinished nursery.  But, obviously, they are hanging by giant brown ric rac.  I painted the letters off-white with some left over paint from the crib, and added the edge details using the acrylics we bought for the paintings Holly did for his room.  The colors and animals were inspired by this panel which we purchased and Mom quilted:

While we were moseying through Hobby Lobby, Mom picked up the pieces she needed to do this "K" she had dreamed up for him a few days before.  It is a large 3D letter with patterned paper on the front and orangey-brown paint on the sides.  We couldn't pass up these darling sticker monkeys with googly eyes.  Don't they look so unassuming hanging around with their bananas?  They are just perfect.

Needless to say, I am pleased with the way things have come together.  I can hardly believe we're just 4 weeks out from his due date.  It seems like forever ago that Jonathan and I were still trying to read the Spanish instructions on the pregnancy test when the double lines showed up.

Me: "What do the double lines mean?!"

Jonathan: "Uhhhhh, positiva!"

I cried a tear of joy.  Little did I know it would feel like a decade before we'd get to meet the little miracle.  It truly feels like a dream still and I'm waiting for reality to hit.  I can hardly wait to quit waddling and sleep on my back again.  But, I get the feeling that I'm gonna miss having him in there all the time.  Regardless, I'm ready to hold him and these next 4 weeks can't go by fast enough.

~Abby

Simple Stromboli

This is a St.Clair favorite which I thought must be shared.  It is so quick and easy, you can't imagine that it tastes as good as it does!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Start with a loaf (or 5, depending on how large your crew is) of frozen bread dough, thawed.  You can find this stuff with the frozen biscuits in the grocery store.   On a floured surface, stretch and yank the dough until you get it to about 14X5in.  Then, sprinkle cheese down the middle of the dough.

The next step requires much practice.  I have perfected it in a very short amount of time.  But, never fear, I have no doubt you'll catch on equally as fast.  Arrange pepperonis on top of the cheese while eating one for every three you put in the stromboli.  I am convinced this is the secret step, so do not omit it.  Of course, if you fancy italian sausage over pepperonis, you can substitute that (or just add to the calories by using both) but I find that it's not nearly as much fun to eat plain sausage as it is pepperonis.

Top with mas queso.  For all of you non-Spanish students that means, well, Google it.  You should know this one.

Tuck in the short ends like so.

Then stretch over the long sides and seal using a dab of water.  I like to add a little (ok, a lot) flour to the top for that delightful floury crust.  On a lightly greased cookie sheet, bake seem side down for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly brown.

Serve with warmed pizza and alfredo sauces. Enjoy!

(I didn't stop to take a picture before we dug in.  We were in a hurry tonight, hence the easy meal.  So this is the inside shot.  Also, don't mind the plastic tie, I took the picture in haste.)

Sentimental Moment...

Maybe this post is better suited for Father's Day.  But, that would be cheesier than I like to be, so January 9th it is.

The older I get, the less I take for granted.  My dad is no exception.  The countless things my dad has done for me during my life are coming into a new light as I prepare to be a parent myself.  I can only begin to scratch the surface in telling what kind of a father I have.

While Jonathan and I are settling in to have a baby and pursue our options with a mission board, we are living somewhat temporarily in an apartment not far from my parents' house.  While we were able to get a great deal on some used furniture, as well as some borrowed from dear friends, we have not purchased a washer and dryer.  Although it would be nice, we have no intentions of making that purchase while we are here.  Instead, once a week I take the laundry over to my parents and wash a few loads.  They are very gracious to let us use their machines and some water and soap.

Yesterday, when I went to the house with three loads needing to be washed, I promptly put the first load in the washer and started it.  I left and quickly forgot about the laundry all together.  Let's chalk that up to pregnancy brain and not poor wifey skills, shall we?  In any case, a couple hours later I came back down stairs only to find the first load done and in a basket by the door, another load in the dryer and the last load washing.  I don't know many men who would voluntarily do their own laundry, let alone their married daughter's and her husband's.  However, my dad doesn't fall into the normal men category.  He is an extraordinary man.

Never before have I met someone who more accurately defines the word "servant."  He is constantly doing things that may never be noticed or spoken of, and he does them with a cheerful heart.  All my life I have watched my dad give and do things and hardly ever did I stop to think about how incredible he is.  He did not have to spend his Saturday doing my laundry; I never asked him to nor would I have expected it of him.  But, he did.  And you know, he probably never thought twice of it.

He is a constant challenge and example for me and the rest of my siblings.  He is a great husband and father.  I told him the other day that I didn't deserve him.  I know I don't.  I couldn't be happier that God saw fit to bless me with such a fantastic father.

On countless occasions my dad has cried with me and laughed with me.  He has been a great friend to me my entire life and I hope I can show him, now that I am beginning to realize the many things he has done for me, how thankful I am for him.

Summer, 2007

Just before walking down the aisle, 2009

Daddy/Daughter dance

Daddy/Daughter dance

I love you, Dad. 

~Abby

Dinner at Home

I am my mother's daughter;  I love to cook.  There isn't a part of cooking I don't like, except maybe cleaning the burners if something spills over.  As we finish putting the final touches on our new semi-temporary quarters, I figured I'd share a few photos from our first dinner on our new (borrowed) kitchen table.

All set and ready.  We are so grateful to our generous friends for loaning us their table while we are here.  Eating from a table sure beats eating on the floor.

One serving of fresh broccoli steaming, naturally, since I'm the only one of the two of us who will touch the stuff.  I just can't convince Jono that it really IS yummy!  

Four servings of smashed potatoes cooking in another pot.  No, that's not two for J, one for Mom, one for Kyle.  It's one for Mom and Kyle and the rest for J. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu in the pretty green baking dish my Grandmama gave me for Christmas.  Before you get too impressed, I must admit to buying the chicken ready-made.  My favorite grocery (Aldi) sells these little packages of yumminess for 99 cents a piece.  Can't beat that.

As usual, I have lots of help in the kitchen.  And eating my food.

Can you guess who's plate this is?

After cooking for 9 months in Mexico using a toaster oven, two electric burners, a microwave, and about 3.5 feet of counter work space, I feel like my tiny apartment kitchen competes with Paula Dean's. Basically, I'm in housewife heaven with four burners, a full size oven and enough space to cut potatoes without knocking half of them on the floor.   

We demolished this meal. 

~Abby