Not Your Average Baby Shower

This Saturday we were in Cary for our last baby shower. Our college friends threw us a couples shower. It was SO much fun. It was more of a get-together than a shower. Justin cooked the meal (I think he should become a professional chef), it was extremely delicious. After dinner we were entertained by William Troutman dancing for us, he is the 3 year old in the pictures. Then all the rest of the guys started to try and dance like him. We then opened a few gifts and in true LSOB fashion we sat around with a guitar and sang. It was such a fun night. Thanks Kevin for taking all the photos!! Also a special thank you to Lindsey and Melanie for hosting the party.

Earlier in the day Michael and I went shopping to return a few items and to finish out our registries. Also we went to Chapel Hill to buy a coming home outfit for Zack and Maddie. After Target, Babies R Us and Johnny T Shirt, I dropped Michael off to play some golf while I shopped until our shower. I was told in Babies R Us there was a Carter's outlet off the Morrisville exit, so for an 1 and 1/2 I drove around like an idiot looking for this mysterious outlet. Finally I gave up and went over to Briar Creek to shop a little a Khol's. They had an awesome sale, but only ended up buying me some slippers for the hospital. After that it was party time.

Saturday had it's toll on me. I know I was ordered to stay off my feet, now I know why. Saturday night when we got home I was completely swollen and exhausted. I slept all morning and early afternoon on Sunday. Then Claire and Gregory came over around 2:30. Michael and Gregory went to play golf while Claire helped me sterilize some bottles and things. Around 3pm my mom and dad came up to deliver our meat. Then they helped make a special area for me to be able to scrapbook. SO SWEET!! Mom also brought some things that she got from Ikea. After some pizza everyone left and Michael and I headed to bed. All in all it was a terrific weekend!!

Happy Father's Day!!

First, let me apologize for no pictures. My camera is dead and I didn't know it until this morning. Sorry!

Comments by ZingerBug.com


Saturday Michael and I had our parenthood class. It was GREAT!! We ended up being the only couple that showed up, so the instructor changed the lesson to whatever we wanted to learn (which was a lot). Her name was Donna and if you are preggo in RR we HIGHLY recommend taking her class. We received a ton of information and Michael got to learn how to diaper a girl and a boy and then he also got to learn how to swaddle. Poor thing also got to hear and see (via video) all the disgusting parts of labor. (If anyone has ever seen the Valentine's episode of Friends where they watch the birthing video, I felt exactly like Rachel...especially where she tells her friends to "Shut up you don't have to do it".) But like I said, the class was great. It was an all day class instead of doing several 1 hr classes, we were there from 9am-3pm.

We got home and Michael's dad and step mom came up and put up our other crib. We are now DONE with the nursery. I will post pics later once my camera is charged. I'm absolutely in love with it and wouldn't change a thing. After we put the bedding on and the men showered we headed out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants here in Eastern NC. It is on Lake Gaston, Watersview Restaurant. It was wonderful as always!! This morning Michael had to sing at church with an ensemble so we had to go to the early service. Before we left we said goodbye to Mike and Pam and gave out Father's day gifts. After lunch with the Merkel's at Logan's we headed home and have had a VERY lazy and relaxing day.

A big shout out to my dad.... HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!! Also to my Daddy-to-be, hubby, LOVE YOU!!

Updates...

We are SOOO close to finishing the nursery! This past weekend my mom came up and brought the rest of the shower gifts from Asheboro that we couldn't fit into our car. Once she was here we put up all the gifts. We then washed all the newborn clothes, towels, washcloths, bibs, burp clothes, and blankets. After that we went to take back duplicates at Belk and Walmart. We then put up the curtains (they look so good) and put the bedding on Maddie's bed. The only thing left is Zack's crib, which should be coming in this weekend. After putting up the curtains we had Chinese food and relaxed a little bit. Poor mom had to get up and leave at 5am so she could get back and get ready for her new Sunday class in Asheboro.
Meanwhile, we were up early at 6:30am because I had to sing at our church for both services. Once we got home, I tried to take it easy. I started having some contractions (don't worry, it was just from probably going all out on Saturday and Sunday). After getting plenty of water and relaxing, they stopped. Monday I rested all day, just working on thank you notes.

Today was my 30 week appointment. The babies are doing great! We heard both heartbeats and they are beating very strong. The only thing is... the doctor asked what my activity level was and I told him most of the time I'm off my feet, but will be active every now and then. He then said "well from now on...stay off your feet." I'm taking that as a semi-bed rest. I'm going to try and stay off my feet as much as possible, but I'm still planning on attending my parenting class this weekend and our last baby shower next Saturday. After that I will stay off my feet completely. Please no one worry...it is just precautionary. They are still having me come in every 2 weeks and I don't have to do non-stress tests yet either.

Please keep us in your prayers!

"SURPRISE"d

Every Thursday night Mike and I go to small groups. It is a group of young adults that get together from our church and have a Bible lesson. It is like Sunday school, but at night and better because there is food before the lesson and fellowship after the lesson. We are usually there from 7pm-10pm. Last night we went as usual, I walked in and everyone yelled "SURPRISE". That is when I noticed all the baby decorations and was completely caught off guard. I immediately turned to Michael and asked him if he knew about it. He said yes and said that is why he worked a little later so we wouldn't be too early. It was wonderful!! I don't have any pictures, but that would be b/c I didn't know anything about it.

We started off the night with food. While I ate they made me wear an apron that had all kinds of baby things attached to it by safety pins. After we ate I had to take it off. Then we played a couple of games. The first game we played was Baby Bingo. Everyone got a blank Bingo card and was asked to fill it in with things they think I might receive in the gifts I would open. While everyone was filling those out we also played "Find the Safety Pins". There was a very big bowl filled with 10lbs of rice and 45 safety pins. Everyone took turns being blindfolded and tried to find as many safety pins as they could in 1 min. using only your hands. It sounds easy, but let me tell you...it was HARD!! The pins felt just like the rice or then there was a couple of times you had some harder rice and thought they were pins. The winners ended up finding 3 pins each (Donna and Hope). I found 2, so I didn't feel too bad. The next game everyone played was a memory game. They then asked everyone to try and name all the baby things that were attached to the apron that I was wearing earlier in the night. The winner was Brandi, but I think she might have cheated b/c she knew we were going to play, so she studied the apron while I was eating. Then came the fun part, opening gifts. Within the first 6 gifts opened someone had Bingo, way to go Diane. After the gifts, we sat around and talked. A couple of people took turns touching my belly and feeling Maddie kick. It was such a wonderful night and I can't think Anna-Lisa, Kirsten, and Brandi enough!

THANK YOU!!!

It's raining baby gifts

This weekend was our 2nd baby shower. It was held in Asheboro, at High Pine Wesleyan (my hometown church). Michael and I are TRULY blessed. We received so many wonderful things. We couldn't believe the amount of gifts that we had received. Our family came out, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings and parents. Not only did family come, but friends and church members. We were just truly amazed in how many people were there and the amount of love there is for us. We can't say THANK YOU enough!

So the weekend started (and ended) great. Michael, Trapper and I all headed out on Friday night. Once we got to Asheboro, we were pretty tired, so we went straight to bed. Saturday, us ladies (Crystal, Stacy, mom, and I) and Aaden spent the morning working on shower favors. We made colored (pink and blue) chocolate lollipops that were in the shape of Noah's ark with the animals on it. My theme for the shower was Two by Two. Then we tied them to a pack of "double"ment gum. Mom thought of it so I can't take the credit. Once we were done, we then watched He's Just Not That In To You. It was good. After the movie the family met up with Michael's mom and Aunt Madelin to have dinner. We ate at American Roadhouse in Asheboro. After dinner we then met back up with Crystal and Dean to play games. (The guys one the first round, us gals one the second, but then the guys cheated to win the third, so us girls claim the victory.) After the games we then headed off to bed. I won't share how early it was because it makes us look really old, but I will say it was before my parents went to bed. Sunday after church, dad made us lunch. We invited Debbie, Aunt Madelin and Amy over. It was DELISH!! Dad had made grilled chicken, steamed veggies, new potatoes, and garlic bread. For dessert mom had made this strawberry thingy. I was quite impressed with it all! After lunch we got ready for the shower.

Again the shower was truly amazing. The church ladies, my aunts, Crystal and her mom, my mom and sister all helped with the decorations. They were so cute. The shower was from 3-5. By the time we had opened all the gifts...there were three BIG church tables filled with gifts. They actually had to set up the third table while we were opening gifts because there were so many. I can't say it enough, we are BLESSED!! It was a LOT of fun. I loved getting so see everyone, because a lot of times I only get to see family once a year at either Christmas or Thanksgiving. I even saw some GREAT friends whom I haven't seen in years. It was just wonderful.

After the shower we tried packing the car. I wish I had a picture to show just how packed it was. (We didn't get everything in there, but my parents are going to be bringing the rest.) The car was so packed that on the way back home, Trapper had to sit at my feet on the passenger's side of the car. We had to put a plate of cake on the dashboard and everytime Michael would take a curve or take off after a stop I would have to try and catch it before it fell. We got home around 9:15pm and we were so pooped that we didn't unload the car. (Not that I could do any unloading, it would have to be hubby.) We just found our luggage, which was strategically placed so we could get it easily, and then went upstairs and went to bed, well I went to bed, Michael stayed up and watched the Lakers/Magic basketball game. It really was an awesome weekend! I want to say to everyone that came to the shower and those that sent gifts that couldn't make it....THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I wish there was a better word to express our gratitude.

Check out some of the pics from the shower below.

Showered with Love

Saturday was my first baby shower. It was in Jacksonville and Michael's mom, sister and step-mom were my hostesses. It was really fun! The shower was from 1pm-3pm and boy did I get a load of things. The decorations were wonderful! The first thing I saw was a diaper wreath hanging on the front door. It was covered in diapers and had half covered in girl toys and clothes while the other side had boy toys and clothes. There were balloons and all kinds of baby decor. After I sat down I got my first surprise...my mom came. Once all the guests arrived we then started out the shower with food and then played a couple of games. The first came was famous couples/duos. There was a list of 20 names that had a famous partner. For example there was Mickey and _______ (answer is Minnie). I didn't do too bad on this one, I got 16 out of 20 correct. I think the winner got 18 correct, which was Aunt Debbie. The next game was Mom and baby. There were a list of adult animals and you had to come up with the name of the baby like Cow and calf. I did terrible on this one. I only had 6 correct. I think the winners were Carolyn and my mom. The next thing we did was open gifts. I got so many things. It was such a wonderful shower. Towards the end Michael came in and he had a gift as well. He received a diaper changing tool belt. It was so cute! It had the essentials like safety glasses, face mask, and gloves.

After the shower we got to spend time with our favorite niece, Callie. We had a such a wonderful weekend.