THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS...

today marks THIRTY WEEKS PREGNANT!!!!!!! the countdown has officially begun. it's hard to believe that amanda, brian's sister, was born at 30 weeks. i'm starting to panic, thinking everything has to be completely ready for her!! it's a strange feeling how fast time is flying, yet how LOOOOONG it seems to be taking...

i have my next appt. this next thursday, and i don't even want to know how much i've gained! i've officially entered the "can't-bend-over-without-grunting" stage. this is also sometimes known as the "i-know-i'm-grumpy-and-it's-because-i-have-a-basketball-in-my-stomach-that's-constantly-using-my-organs-as-punching-bags" stage. occasionally i'll also call it the "i-can't-sleep-because-i'm-so-@#()*$%&#ing-uncomfortable" stage. :) it depends on the time of day which stage i'll be in. :) it is very uncomfortable, but at the same time, i still get a kick out of watching my belly move around like an alien's inside, and i still can't help but giggle when she gets the hiccups- even if it does wake me up at 5:30 in the morning and i can't go back to sleep. these are small hints that even when she's a holy terror at 2 years old, i'll still like her... :) good to know.

her nursery is pretty much finished, it just has to be "put together." i still need a rug, a bedspread for the twin bed, and some curtains. other than that we're good to go. my mom is being so nice and painting nonnie's nightstand for me, and that should be done this weekend, and we just have to make the crib bedding and cushions for the rocking chair and ottoman after that. i posted a picture of our latest piece for the room- a personalized canvas painting that goes so well with the theme! nonnie (brian's mom's mom) gave that to us. it was so sweet of her- i love it!

brian is steadily working on his bmw to get it ready to be able to drive violet around. he spends approximately 96.4% of his free time banging around tinkering on it, and he's done quite a bit so far. he's going to take it up to conway soon to get the AC fixed, because regardless of how "smooth" the ride, violet's not getting in that car in august with no AC! i've posted a picture of brian's "man garage."

so because brian and i didn't get to celebrate our anniversary the weekend of the 9th, we're spending the night at mom and dad's lakehouse sunday. i can't wait! i just need to get away from any possibility of being productive for at least a day. and water, for some reason, clears my head, so i'm very very much looking forward to spending sunday and monday relaxing on the lake, spending some much needed quality time with my hubby. :) although we work together everyday, it's easy to get into "work mode" and not feel connected, so i'm glad we get to have this time to be together outside of normal "work>home>work>home>work" routine we've had the past few months. we're starting interviews for my replacement the first week of june. hopefully we get someone good! it's going to mean either brian having daily panic attacks, begging me to come back 3 hours after giving birth, and being able to not worry about the office and spend time getting to know my new little girl and focusing on being the "narcoleptic cow" as my fellow-new-mom friend so eloquently put it. :) we're both pretty nervous about finding the right person- i hope it works out!! everyone cross your fingers for us.

emma had surgery a few weeks ago, and i completely forgot to take pictures of her frankenstein neck! i got a picture tonight, but the stitches are out and it's starting to heal and her hair is growing back. you can imagine how gruesome it looked with bare skin and bloody stitches, though! poor girl. :) she did so well, and it's healing nicely.

what else is going on- kris allen won american idol, as i'm sure you're all too well aware. :) i was very excited for him, but i'm relieved it's over! 2 nights a week were planned around watching tv! that's just not healthy!! :) i'm so glad that eleise got to go to LA to be in the audience and watch her cousin win though! she had a blast.

well, here is a new picture of my ever-expanding waistline- my bellybutton is officially a "half outtie," with just the top poking out. it's pretty funny looking. i'll spare you having to see a picture of that... hahah! i also posted 2 pictures i got of my girls tonight. they're so cute. i love my first born children. :) i'm slightly worried about how they'll be as big sisters, but not for violet's sake. speckles will be fine, but i'm afraid our "special" daughter emma will have some issues with becoming #2... we'll see how it goes... i heard you should have someone take a blanket from the hospital that the newborn was wrapped in and take it home to the dogs so they can smell it and get used to the smell before they meet her. i'll have to ask someone to be on "baby meets dogs" patrol and try that out. :)