Home Sweet Home...before and after!!

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Polka Dot Craze

There is going to come a point in my daughter's life when she is going to be able to shout from the rooftops..."no more polka dots, Mom!" But, for now, she lives in fields of dots, and she loves it, or I mean, will love it!!

Dropping in...

I have been the biggest slacker on the blog lately! As if anyone out there is looking for an update, I will give one anyway!
The house you ask...it kind of brings me to tears to talk about it!! I LOVE, LOVE having a HOME to come home to. We have everything finished (except we all know about those tedious little things). Everything came together just like we had planned. I love it. That is not bragging right? I just mean it is cozy and comfortable. After not having anywhere to actually sit for the last four months, it makes it really difficult to ignore that new comfy couch in the living room when there are other things to do in the house.
Bentley, you ask...she is still resting comfortably inside the incubator! She continues to grow like crazy! Every week I go to the doctor begging him to just take her C-Section. Stick a fork in me, I am done!! Her bags are packed her room is ready now let's get this show on the road!!
I was going to post some pics of the house, but I think I will wait until I have some decent quality shots from the digital camera, rather the grainy, yellow tinged beauties from my phone. I need to take a cue from Natalie and keep that thing tethered to me at all times!!
Anyhow, stay tuned, if you are interested, for a new home post!!

My hero...Jodi

My sister, Maima, posted a picture and a very emotional post today. I have been wanting to post about my cousin Jodi and what an amazing person she is, but did not know quite how to do it. After reading Amy's post, I figured she said it best.
Jodi is an inspiration to me daily and such a strong person for perservering everyday! I love her and I just can not stop thinking about her! Take a look here.

You've got a friend in me!

"I get by with a little help from my friends."

-John Lennon

There is definitely a reason I got pregnant when I did. I know I am preaching to the choir when I say pregnancy is not the easiest thing to go through, but I have the most amazing friends! There is a bonus to being one of the last of my close friends to by a mom. My best friend from growing up, Stac, just so happened to get pregnant right before me (I am talking weeks before me) and my other friend, Libby, just after me (totally planned to the day, I might add). What a relief. I can call Stac for everything about what to expect. She is "what to expect when you are expecting". Libby is the next best thing to an OB since she basically runs the office at her dad's OB/GYN clinic!

I just have to say a HUGE thank you to all my friends. Kelly and Libs threw me a baby shower last night and I get giddy just thinking about it. We, of course, had a great time, shared some good laughs and shared GREAT motherly advice! They are absolutely wonderful!

Of course, the greatest friend anyone could ask for is great sisters and a great mom. Maima, you are the best. Her friend said it perfectly, "Amy is the most well adjusted mom I have ever seen." No pressure being mom after Maim! Emma, is an amazing live in nanny to three year old twins! They are absolutely darling and she really is so patient as so good with them! My sister-in-law, Jenn, is one of those people you watch and wish you got her maternal instincts. She just knows what to do. Where can I pick that up. Please let me know if you any of you have the secret!

A huge shout out to all my friends for being so wonderful and so great to go for advice!

Just like her mother!!

Let's see...some people may describe me as:

Impatient

Tend to jump the gun

Determined when I get something in my head

A"Good Eater"

Spontaneous

Usually don't keep to a schedule

Just to name a few

So when I went to the doctor yesterday and my little ray of sunshine, Bentley, was measured I was not so surprised. You could say she shares some of my same personality traits. She measures a full two weeks ahead of schedule!! Yah, I know this could change, but it is not looking so. She is growing at a rapid rate and my doctor is pretty sure she will be making her grand debut a little earlier than planned. I knew she had it in her. She did not want her mom to wait and she already knows how I can get a little impatient at times! Gotta love her. She is going to be a keeper, I can already tell.

She has freaked her dad out a bit, but he will get over it, just like he has so many times when I push things ahead of schedule!! I have actually never seen Brade so excited for anything! He is going to be the most AMAZING father to our little Bee. She definitely lucked out with getting him! She must have pulled some strings up there to get to have Brade as her papa!!

Blogger's Choice Awards

Well we are now into the year 2008...great, great, great!! Blogger's Choice Award Party was a blast and I am glad so many of you came. I could not have asked for a better night. It went off just how I wanted it. Congratulations to all the winners.

OK...JK, we did not have the award party and no one was invited, let alone, made an appearance. I have to apologize for the delay. Our house was scheduled to be complete by Christmas, but we hit a bump in the road. Or should I say we chose to put a huge obstacle in our path. Brade and I decided we could not do the remodel and not change our very dated, white, dingy brick fireplace. Therefore, we set ourselves back three weeks to rock the entire thing!!

Let me give you a little background. Reference EXHIBIT A for a reference as you read this story. Our fireplace is actually quite large. We have a large wall in the entryway, then a wrap around in the hall, and then the traditional fireplace facade in the family room. I am sure it was quite lovely and inviting in it's day, but it has become outdated.

Being seven months pregnant, I could not think of a better way to spend the eighth month than doing manual labor as a rock layer. I know, you wish you would have thought of this when you were nearing your due date. All that energy and bundles of ambition you have about this time of your incubation process.

Let's just say after several trips to Harristone (by myself) to pick out rock, order it, pick it up in two different vehicles and then finally delivering it to my house, I could put a lot of grown men to shame!!

Don't get me wrong, Brade is an amazingly hard worker, but unable to get off during "bankers hours" to handle the rock situation.

And so we began our adventure...

Worked tirelessly nights and weekends...

... Jerry Rigged some contraptions...

...replaced the door ...

...and made a place holder for the mantle...

...after three long weeks Brade placed the final stone in the masterpeice!!

,,. TA-DA!!

...and we are finished with the ROCK!!

Brade and I worked out a great system of me placing and him doing the mortar! He seriously worked so hard on this and did an amazing job. Thank you again to Jen and Ror, Tyler, Jeff, Trev, my dad and of course mom (bringing the food) for all your help!!

We are still waiting for our mantle and the new seat, but all in all, we are very happy!! The moral of this story...the Bloggers Choice Awards are still going to happen. We will have carpet laid next week and then I will be sending out the invite. I truly apologize for the delay!!