We’re baaaaaaa-aaaaack!

 

We’ve been gone all week on a fabulous “baby-moon” to bright and sparkly Las Vegas…. and we’ve had a blast.

{Don’t you love the sneakiness with the few “scheduled” posts I had pop up….. ahhhh, tricky tricky!}

 

We got home last night around 10:30, haven’t unpacked the first thing and are about to embark on a crazy {but exciting} weekend. Besides the normal cleaning and laundry that needs to be done before Monday rolls around and I drag myself back to work again… we’re REGISTERING for BABY this weekend!

I am currently feeling clueless as to what we will need.

It can’t be that hard..

 

 

{Did I ever mention that I had a near nervous breakdown registering for our wedding? I wish I was joking…}

 

 

Yes, registering for gifts people will buy you – apparently is terrifying to me… or possibly it was the fact that I was in the hardest block of pharmacy school at that moment and our wedding was quickly approaching and my life felt completely out of my control and I was being asked to make decisions that included bath towel colors and different types of salt and pepper shakers.

How dare someone ask me to choose the gift I would like them to spend their hard earned money on for my enjoyment?!!?!

{You’re sensing the sarcasm here, right?}

 

 

So at least that stress and hectic moment in life is not the case this time around while we attempt to register for baby…

 

 

Oh, WAIT!

This time around, work is driving me crazy to the point of mental exhaustion and my baby’s due date {and baby shower!} is quickly approaching.

Isn’t life funny like that?

 

Life completely out of my control again – CHECK!

Grown-up realization that life will never be in my control and still trying to learn to go with the flow – CHECK!

Attempting to eliminate the word stressed from my vocabulary and remember how ridiculously blessed I am at all times and that life IS unfair, as in, life seems to always be UNFAIRLY tipped in my favor and everything I have that is good I will never deserve – CHECK!

Fantastic! Now that my mental priorities are in check for the moment, {blogging is most definitely my therapy}, I will skip off into the sunset, hand in hand with my hubby, picking out diaper pales and bumbo seats.

 

And should you have any recommendations for me on the baby registering front, I will EAT THEM UP!

 

Hello, my name is Stephanie and I am a clueless mother-to-be!

{Though I’m slowly feeling better about my cluelessness as I simultaneously catch up on the “Pregnant in Heels” episode I missed this week and watch a woman who has never ever EVER held a baby before prepare for hers in less than a week. I ♥ TV for making me feel better about myself!}

 

My biggest concerns that I meant to research long ago and would love to hear your opinions on… car seats and strollers. I hear they’re pretty important, no?

 

A full Vegas vacation review in the works as well as one AWESOME giveaway coming on Monday.

 

Happy weekend, all!

He has a name!!! …and we need your vote =)

 

22 weeks and he finally has a name!

 

Did you happen to catch that?

 

♥Houston Michael Roberts♥, you are immensely loved by your entire family already and we haven’t even met you!

 

 

I had 2 of these frames engraved for both of our parents’ to open this weekend and learn their grandson’s name for the first time - it was a hit! How could you not love that sweet little profile of Houston sucking his thumb?!

 

Houston is the name we came up with at dinner for our 6 year dating anniversary and it stuck! We already knew whatever we named him, the middle name would be Michael, after my sweet dad. If you ask me, well… it’s perfect.♥

 

 

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Now, if you don’t mind too terribly, we have a favor to ask you!

If you or your friends are on Facebook, you have a chance to help us win some mighty nice prizes for our little one as well as helping the March of Dimes!

 

If you have a minute, just search for “Baby Belly Spa” on Facebook or click the link here. All we ask you to do: 1.) First, “Like” the Baby Belly Spa’s page  2.) click “photos” on their left sidebar and click on the album named “Beautiful Baby Belly Contest”   3.) find the picture above of Houston and I and “Like” our picture. That’s it!

 

For every vote or “Like”, Baby Belly Spa will donate $1 to the March of Dimes. We appreciate your support and think it would be sweet to win, but that it would be even greater to rack up the donations for the March of Dimes - no matter who you vote for!

It’s a win-win if you ask me =)

 

The voting ends on Saturday, May 7th. You only have to vote once and we’d appreciate it if you could!

 

xoxo,

♥♥♥ Houston’s Momma ♥♥♥

the happiest of Easters

 

 

It really was the best Easter I can remember!

 

We got to visit with both of our families, had a scrumptious dinner with Nick’s gourmet chef parents on Friday night, Easter dinner on Saturday with my extended family and a fantastic steak dinner with my parents after Sunday morning church. Perfection!

 

{Yes, my happiness revolves around family and food.}

 

 

Our baby boy even got his first Easter basket this year, complete with the biggest, softest stuffed bunny I’ve ever had my hands on… I hope I don’t have a problem sharing it with him when he gets here, I love it!

 

 

Saturday night we kept with tradition and made these ordinary eggs…

 

…into Easter masterpieces ;)

 

We are no Martha Stewart when it comes to decorating our eggs, but I think you can see from the following pictures that we’re pretty darned serious about it:

 

I never realized what concentration egg decorating must take:

 

My dad’s humor:

 

and one of Nick’s eggs, Baby’s 1st Easter:

 

and this is what my first baby thought of all the egg decorating:

 

I did try to warn everyone that next year would actually be the baby’s first Easter, his first real Easter basket, etc., so that they don’t get confused when we’re celebrating it again next year =) It’s going to be much more fun when he’s here and is definitely something to look forward to!

 

The real kicker for the weekend: just before leaving my parents’ house, we were all sitting around the family room with my mom and I on the same couch. I felt the baby kick a couple of times so I told mom to put her hand where I felt him. Just when we thought it was a loss, he kicked a mighty kick and mom got to feel him!!!! I can’t believe Nick still hasn’t, but we’re trying to rectify that ASAP! It’s all too real when others can feel him too, he is truly a miracle.

 

*******************

 

P.S. Our baby boy’s name was actually pictured somewhere in this post. Don’t worry if you didn’t catch it, just a couple more days until the reveal!♥♥♥

these are a few of my favorite things…

 

I’ve been meaning to share a few of these little lovelies with you forever now, so I decided to put them all together in one post, just for your enjoyment ;)

{If I had a show like “Oprah’s Favorite Things” where she gives out the most luxurious gifts to everyone in her studio audience, but instead I gave out some of these items… I’m sure it would be the lowest rated television show EVER to air. But I’m simple – and POOR compared to Oprah – so here’s my list anyway!!}

 

Tresseme FreshStart Dry Shampoo – I LOOOOOOOOOOVE this stuff. Anything that can help me wash my hair only every other day is my best friend. My routine: lift the hair at the roots wherever I feel need some cleanliness, spray this magic can, let it dry a couple minutes, then comb it out. I also flat iron/curl my hair for the day before I spray this – I’ve found my hair doesn’t respond well to the heat after spraying. I’ve even thought my hair looked BETTER on some of the days I’ve used this than when it was clean!!!

Sanitas – much like Danskos… they’re ugly, they’re even kind of expensive?!, but they are so WORTH IT. If you stand all day for a living, or work in the health profession, you’ve probably already heard of these… maybe even sport a pair daily to work like me. Forget fashion at work, for my 12 hour days, I need comfort!

 

Loreal Voluminous - I’ve been using this mascara since high school! I’ve tried many others in between, but always run back to my first love. It’s the bomb, y’all ;)

 

Maternity pants – why would I ever go back?! I love the full paneled ones too… it’s like built in spanx with never a possibility of muffin top or plumber’s crack! I’m just sayin’, don’t be surprised when I’m still wearing these things 2 years later with no bun in the oven…

 

McDonald’s Sweet Tea – it’s big, it’s delicious, it’s $1… ‘nuff said.

 

I don’t remember a time in my life before chapstick. It is my addiction. I kid you not when I estimate there are probably 20+ tubes in different spots around my house and in my car, not to mention in almost every coat pocket. Ask Nick about the panic if I find I’m out without a single tube!

 

VersaSpa – some you sweet folks email from time to time asking what I do for a tan. Since I’m of the pale persuasion and uninterested in skin cancer – I spray tan and love it =) {Secret side note: I’ve even got Nick in there a few times and even he doesn’t mind it.} When I can’t get out to Versa, I sometimes rub on a little Banana Boat self tanner and of course, my daily make-up routine always includes bronzer… which I will admit I can go a little overboard with at times!

 

Fruit Pizza – morning, noon, and night!

 

Traveling with my love – which is thankfully, coming up again soon♥

 

This little guy, who looks to be chilaxin’ just like his pops is above. He is really starting to pump up the volume on his movements and I am L.O.V.I.N.G. it!!!! It’s even more amazing to feel him from the outside, letting me know it’s not just my tummy grumbling for food again ;) We’re still trying to get him to move for his daddy – the day he feels our little one too will be such a happy one!

 

Last but not least and especially not as special as these others just because I don’t have pictures: finally a weekend away from work {hallelujah!}, off for the holiday, and spending some quality time with those crazy family members we love so dearly.

 

Let the weekend begin – with a massage in 1 hour!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….

sweet friends and 21 weeks of belly love

 

Our son went to his first Reds’ game last Friday at 21 weeks. With the cold and rain we endured before deciding to pack up and leave before the game was over, I gotta’ say the little guy probably had the best seat in the stadium!

 

On Monday I FINALLY got to see these to sweet friends of mine after more than a year apart. Brittney, on the left was my roommate through 4 years of college. Danielle, on the right, lived across the hall from us Freshman and Sophomore year. We were TIGHT in college and even though we’re all pretty far apart across the state these days, we can still pick up right where we left off. I truly love these girls!

 

Danielle has little Harrison in the picture above and will soon have a “complete set” with a sweet little girl, Harper, on the way in May.

 

I have the feeling Harrison has many more pictures in his future with only girls by his side – he’s A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!

 

I had so much fun with these girls and even more playing with Harrison!! He got me so excited for my future as a boy’s momma, he was a hoot =) and such a joy all the entire time. I’ll probably end up just like Danielle, a little blue-eyed, blonde haired boy who looks exactly like his daddy and people will ask ME if I’m the nanny- true story of hers! See for yourself…

 

I found out Hendrix has a lot of learning to do about sharing his toys…

“No, Dog!” as Harrison said so sweetly pointing his little finger several times that day. Looks like he knows a little more about disciplining our dog then we do ;)

 

Thank God for sunny days and wonderful friends!

 

the nursery diaries, Chapter 1

 

I can’t believe I’m almost 22 weeks pregnant and just got around to buying the very first thing for the nursery, the crib bedding, last week. I love decorating and I love nurseries, I previously would have thought I’d be knee deep in changing tables and crib sets by now.

Nurseries have been an obsession of mine for a looooong time. I would probably have to say it started the second I saw the nursery in “Father of the Bride Part II”.

 

It oozes preciousness.

 

As Franck {Martin Short} says in the movie to Steve Martin’s character:

“Welcome to baby land…”

 

Sadly, I don’t have a room this large for our child to rest his precious head in, nor will our nursery have room for two area rugs, French doors, a fire place, TWO gliders with matching ottomans… seriously? I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about how unrealistic this room was untill I started analyzing it for this post.

However, I did think I could replicate the colors and soft feel of “Baby Land” in my own nursery, much like these other rooms I’ve drooled over in the past:

 

 

 

But now I’m having second thoughts on that soft, creamy color pallet I’d been dreaming of for so long…. has anyone been watching “Pregnant in Heels” on Bravo? I’ve been waiting for this show to premier and I’m loving it! Lots of helpful tidbits for this mother to be, as well as lots of laughs at the spoiled rotten rich preggos featured =)

One important factoid I took away from the first episode was that color stimulates a child and their growing brain. Duh, right? But I hadn’t been thinking of creating a stimulating room, only a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere instead.

Somehow, I’ve got to find a happy medium between the above and below:

 

This room is gorgeous but I don’t have plans to take the color to quite this level. I have completely changed my take on the nursery from “Baby Land” to more of “Kid Land”. Forget too many pastels, I’m looking for COLOR ---- in splashes. It will be a balancing act, a hodge podge that I hope comes together sweetly in the end.

For now, I’ve got the bedding and a rug – it’s a start. After HOURS, seriously, probably 10 hours of searching through every website that offers crib bedding, I finally found the one. I wanted to start with the bedding and have the colors for the rest of the room go from there. I had a blast custom designing it with their program at Carousel Designs. Sounds fancy schmancy, but it’s actually going to be much less expensive than the favorites I had picked out online and it’s going to be EXACTLY what I want since I put it all together myself. Win-win!

The company sends the fabric swatches in the mail and lets you confirm it’s what you want before beginning the job. I just received mine today:

 

Sorry, I could only take a picture of the computer screen with my iPhone to try to show you the proposed finished project:

I ♥ chevrons!

What do YOU think? I haven’t confirmed the order yet and I adore all of your opinions. Let ‘em rip!

 

I just ordered the rug today from Overstock.com – this will be my SEVENTH rug purchase from them and I haven’t regretted one yet! This one had almost a hundred positive reviews for it being so plush, and just like your opinions, I shop based on reviews. The customers sold me on it. I can’t wait for it to come in so I can sink my piggies into it!

I wanted the rug to feel like walking on a cloud and to look like one too. We’ll see… a lot of the reviews said it looked much better in person as well:

We have a jumping off point – FINALLY.

 

It’s baby time in the Roberts’ Love Nest!!!

xoxo

in love with a boy

 

I am so in love with this little 3-D profile picture of our son.

It may be blurry and grainy, but that’s my sweetie and he is ADORABLE to me♥

 

We loved seeing our squirmy little boy for a few minutes today at our 20 week appointment. He is quite the mover and shaker and made his parents extremely happy to see him healthy and wiggling like crazy in there!

 

Everything went well and he passed the anatomy scan with flying colors, helping this momma’s anxiety quiet down for a few days.

 

Further good news – confirmation he really IS a boy!

 

The boy still is without a name, but we’re working on it. Believe me, when we know, you’ll know. I would love to start calling him by name, but until then, there’s at least 1,001 cute nicknames to call him by.

 

Like my favorite, Love-bug.

 

{I’ll try to stop calling him that before he goes off to school and gets ragged on by his friends for his mother’s nickname for him. I’ll try, no promises…}