Haynes' Home Tour: Before

Since I'm always posting about our projects on Facebook, I thought I'd consolidate and add those updates to this blog. We'll still update on Ethan each week, since he is a priority over our house anyway! Remodeling has been a huge part of our pregnancy (I wouldn't be surprised if my son came out with a hammer in hand), so we might as well add those posts.

That said, we've done so much to our house since February 8th that it's almost unrecognizable. Almost.

I love looking back at what it was, and basking in the gem that it is. We still have issues to address, but we have put in more man-hours than I'd like to count/admit (mostly Austin) and learned more than a few valuable lessons at the hands of my father. We find that often the reason we are struggling with a project is because we don't have the right tools. Then in comes dad to the rescue! If he doesn't have it, he knows where to rent it!

On to the tour: several of these pictures came from the HAR site, because we are terrible at remembering to take "before" pictures... but also because we immediately started making changes. If you know me, you know this is typical!

Blue trim! This was gone before we bought the house.
Also, that's the front door! Right there! On the LEFT side of the house!

Can you see the front door now?
That garden is going to be removed very, very soon!

And that's the driveway... on the RIGHT side of the house!
From this angle, if there wasn't a sidewalk, I'm not sure anyone would know where to go.

Jacuzzi tub in the Master. It's really not all it's cracked up to be!
Gorgeous wallpaper (they kindly painted over it before we moved in).

Don't you love that tile? I call this the picture of broken things. Why? Well, with cell
phone pictures (yes, they posted those online) it's hard to tell, but lots of things are broken.

Muuuuch better. Now you can see all the broken things.

Close-up of the cheap cabinet hardware (the hinges were painted over) and the awesome
crookedness. They tried... 

Hey, neighbor! Don't you want to look right into our master bedroom through this
rickety door?

Crowning glory of this house: everything about this living room.
(Notice that there are no air return vent covers in the entire house).

It's enormous! The carpet is brand-new (though a super weird color that grows on you).
And that gold ceiling fan.... yes.

I'm so thankful the former owners took this picture, otherwise we would have no
evidence of the gorgeous floral border that once was.

Ooooh, granite! Wait, why is a seemingly new sink not under-mounted? Ugh

1) yes, the tub is surrounded by 3 walls. This used to be a hallway.
2) yes, there is a mirror there. It's huge, but I am too pregnant to help remove it.
3) no, we have never, ever used this tub.

Doesn't this mauve beauty just draw you in?
We seriously struggled with showering here for a while.
The grout is now white (the original color was gray, but it looked disgusting).
There's a perma-layer of soap scum/residue on the glass and walls.
This bathroom is the bane of our existence.

I like to make fun of our house, obviously, and there have been times (more than one time) that I have cried and wondered what the heck we got ourselves into. However, having recently completely remodeled our kitchen made a few simple, time-consuming updates, I now LOVE our house. We still have quite a list of to-dos, but they feel so much less burdensome. Aside from that master bathroom...

That's it for the "before" pictures (AKA a trip down memory lane). Come back later for some "after" pictures (or progress/during pictures)!

love,

30 weeks!

Alright, Ethan! We are 3/4 of the way done! At our last doctor's appointment, the doctor said I should gain 1 pound per week for the rest of the pregnancy (yikes, that seems like a lot!), and that Ethan is perfect. He's getting so big that we can now hear him moving around when we listen for his heartbeat. I love that the doctor's visits are getting more frequent, and that we get updates on Ethan more often.  Since I'm getting a little overwhelmed by baby advice, I like being reassured that he is perfect and exactly where he should be! It's a reminder that the Lord is in control and that things will be fine! I was also prescribed heartburn medicine this week, which has made a huge difference. I had salsa for the first time in months last week!

If you read this blog, I'm guessing you're interested in our little guy, so I ask that you join us in praying for two things for Ethan over these next 10 weeks whenever you think of us or Ethan, or whenever you find yourself reading this blog!

1. The first thing is that Ethan would be healthy, happy, and growing strong. I think this one is fairly obvious, because every parent wants these things for their baby!
2. The second is much more important: we want to see Ethan grow in knowing the Lord intimately. Our hope is that he would surrender his life to the Lord and follow Him even to the ends of the earth.

I know the next ten weeks will go by quickly (give or take a week or so) and that our little man will be here before we know it, but I am still grateful for the time we have to get ready for him physically, mentally, and spiritually. Pray also for us, that our primary role as parents would always be to set an example for our son in godliness, service, and in pursuing a relationship with Christ.

This week, Austin and I are resting from working on our house. If the mood strikes us, we might, but yesterday we enjoyed an afternoon with family, watching Tyson & Bear play at my parents' house, sitting outside with our pup on our patio, (and Austin enjoyed playing Call of Duty for a couple of hours...). I love that we've done the bulk of the work we need to do on our house - it is a huge relief. I'm looking forward to some time at home with Austin and relaxing!

Mommy, play with my milk carton!

Look how fun it is!

Did you get any good pictures?
(Bear does not care about pictures)

Hey bump!

How far along? 30 weeks!! 3/4 of the way done!
Maternity clothes? Not today, but they are forgiving...
Stretch marks? Not yet - I put on special lotion every night in trying to avoid them.
Sleep: Most nights are fine; Sundays in particular are awful.
Miss anything? a flat stomach, my clothes... 
Movement: Very often!
Food cravings: Nothing special, a bit of an aversion to sweets though (probably from excessive amounts on Saturday!)
Anything making you queasy or sick: not with my new medicine :)
Have you started to show yet: yes
Gender: bouncing baby boy!
Labor Signs: Zero
Belly Button in or out? In... but it may actually become an outie by the time this is through!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: A mixture of both?
Looking forward to: baby showers! All FOUR of them!

love,

week 29 + 1 day

I realize that I'm not posting on Mondays... but it just so happens that my partner-in-crime has been unavailable, and I decided that these posts really need a bump picture. That said, here's hoping we actually see a decrease in hubby's travel, and more time together in the 3rd trimester than we had in the 2nd! Unfortunately, he still is not home, so until next week....

Ethan is moving around more than ever, and things are getting real - he is due in 11 weeks (I really hope he comes in September!) and I can no longer pretend that this birth-thing isn't going to happen. Yikes. Ethan, we're excited that you're coming, but mommy is not excited about that little part. Never have been! It is a means to an end, however.

Right now, we're working on a packing list and a phone tree to get the word out to the family when I go into labor (if I don't end up late/induced). Things are going to feel much more "real" when when showers are over and the bag is actually packed in a few weeks!

Austin and I still have quite a bit on our house to-do list that we want to knock out in the next couple of months, but as my ability to help becomes limited, we're prioritizing that list! We also realize that Ethan could come early, so we're trying to get the "necessary" stuff done early.

My parents (Grandma & Grandpa to Ethan) came over last night to see the completed work on our tile in the kitchen, and said they really liked how our house was coming together (yay! Our hard work is paying off!). The best part was when my dad started inspecting Ethan's room. My mom asked cosmetic questions, like whether I'd paint those stupid closet doors (yes, ugh.....). Dad, on the other hand, asked if I was going to secure the items on the floating shelves because, "if any of those fall on my grandson's head, I'm going to be angry." I guess you never stop being a dad! He also asked about other safety concerns, such as the outlets, but we all know that's on "the list." Needless to say, I'm excited to see my parents as Ethan's grandparents. My mom is what I call a "baby-snatcher" (meaning that she will take your baby and hold it all day if you let her) and my dad is a sucker for kids. I also can't wait to see Ethan play (someday) with his cousin Jackson... and hopefully many more cousins one day. Ahem...

How far along? 29 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: gained more than I wanted to!
Maternity clothes? always
Stretch marks? nope
Sleep: I try to...
Miss anything? not having heartburn/reflux/sleeping flat
Movement: lots - especially during church on Sunday. That was cute, son :)
Food cravings: Tex-Mex (when am I not craving that?)
Anything making you queasy or sick: bending, trying to bend, thinking about bending, sleeping flat
Have you started to show yet: yes
Gender: bouncing baby boy!
Labor Signs: Zero, don't even have Braxton-Hicks contractions.
Belly Button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: I think this question is better for Austin to answer...
Looking forward to: meeting this little guy!

love,

week 28 + 1 day

I'm starting to think we should have opted to name our baby "Wiggle Worm" instead of "Ethan." This last week, he's been moving so much that it's distracting when I'm trying to get work done! Or sleep, or watch TV... I'm always wondering what he's doing in there.

These are officially bogus.
Last week, it said up to 2.5 lb.
How is he shrinking?

I haven't made much more progress on the nursery this week, but all that's left are the closet doors (sigh... I'm afraid that may have to happen) and the tamper-proof plugs. We're almost ready for you, Ethan! We've been working hard to get the other "big" house stuff done before Ethan comes. This week, we're replacing our tile floors in the kitchen and entryway, because some of our tiles in the kitchen (which were cracked when we bought the house) shattered... and we can't have a baby around that. By the time it's done, it'll be like we're in a whole new house! We'd hoped to replace our carpets and windows before Ethan comes, but decided we were being a little over-ambitious. We really just want to wrap up projects we've already started, which includes our master bathroom. The more Ethan grows, the less helpful I am, so the less work we can do! Our house is going to be a complete mess starting on Friday, but this time next week, we will have new floors that cover about 25% of our house. Yay!!

It hit me like a ton of bricks this weekend that we are having a baby soon. This pregnancy has zoomed past us, and I know Ethan will be in our arms before we know it. Weren't we just in Hawaii last month? Next month we have the baby showers, and then it's September - when Ethan comes! (Hopefully September - we have too many October birthdays in our family already!) We made another trip to Babies R Us this weekend and I think we have the registry done. I mean, we've never done this "baby" thing before, so who knows...?

The lighting is a little off, but look at our cute furbaby!
Oh, and that big ol' bump. Hey there, giant baby!

How far along? 28 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: not sure
Maternity clothes? yep - and I have lots of new ones, thanks to my mother-in-law, Laura! (thanks Laura!)
Stretch marks? doing my best to avoid them with cocoa butter.
Sleep: What sleep? I don't think I slept last night.
Miss anything? more caffeine, not having heartburn (rather, not having to take heartburn meds daily)
Movement: Lots right now!
Food cravings: Salty food!
Anything making you queasy or sick: just heartburn...
Have you started to show yet: Yes!
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: Zero
Belly Button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Is tired an option??
Looking forward to: having new floors :)

love,

week 27 - third trimester

I am hungry this morning! I went to the doctor for my gestational diabetes screening, and I was not excited. It's a long, slow appointment, and I don't like being poked and prodded! I guess it's just prep for labor though. Joy!

Baby Ethan is getting bigger! I'm finally admitting to myself that I am at the point where people can really tell that I'm pregnant without knowing me, but it still surprises me when they ask when I'm due and they don't know me! When I was waiting for the elevator this morning, a lady asked me if I was having a boy. I've heard I carry like I'm having a boy but... really?!

How many of you have
actually seen a rutabaga?

Hey there, Ethan!

How far along? 27 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: still just 16 lbs
Maternity clothes? none today!
Stretch marks? none yet! Starting to see the Linea Nigra, though
Sleep: Better since Austin is here, except when he hits me in the face 3 times in one night... thanks.
Miss anything? Multiple cups of caffeine in a day
Movement: So much!
Food cravings: Peach cobbler this morning, though it doesn't sound good now that I've had breakfast.
Anything making you queasy or sick: No, and apparently my lack of appetite is totally normal
Have you started to show yet: Yes!
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: Zero
Belly Button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!! Austin is HOME and won't leave again for at least a week; even then it'll only be a few days.
Looking forward to: REALLY finishing this nursery!

Love,

UPDATE: Austin & I finished the chair rail!! We also hung the floating shelves, as well as a print we got when we were on Maui. The book on the shelf is also the one we got in Paia, Maui!

nursery phase II: finishing the bottom

I am unable to procrastinate on things, and knowing that I have things to get done makes me crazy. So on Wednesday night, I wrapped up as much of Ethan's nursery as I could do alone. Needless to say, I was in bed by 9, and slept very well that night.

I have to say that the white looks awesome against the blue... and that his nursery wouldn't look half as good without it. It brightens up the blue in a way I really didn't expect. Was it worth all that time (and money)? Maybe...

The original color of the entire room house.

I'll also say that I am sick of painting, so I think I'm taking those closet doors down and leaving them off. I don't care right now whether they ever go back on. They need to be trimmed anyway, because the carpet is too thick. Yes, curtains sound more appealing by the day. Or new closet doors, but I am not interested in installing more doors.

Austin has been gone a lot, so fortunately I had a lot of help from other people on this nursery. One of my best friends, Lindsey, helped me paint his nursery blue. When that dried, Leslie, Meredith, and Danielle from our small group came and helped me with the wallpaper (which is the highlight of the room, is it not?). I painted the chair rail, Austin cut it, and I nail-gunned it up while Austin held it. I really love that nail gun! It freaks me out when I use it and Bear is in the room. I don't think I'd nail him accidentally - I don't think that's possible - but it still scares me!

What's left, then? Austin's job! Changing all the beige, old, gross outlets and light switches to new, white, tamper-resistant plugs and switches. Hopefully, that won't take too long. I bought them in bulk because half our house had white plugs when we moved in, and we need to replace the beige ones anyway. Might as well make them tamper-resistant, while we're at it.

Austin also needs to add one 2-3 foot section of chair rail that he didn't get to do last Sunday because he was already late in leaving for Laredo. I may use a nail gun, but I am not putting my hands on a saw! After that (and DAP-ing the holes and caulking it...) I think the room itself will be done... I think.

Without further ado, the very handsome, partly-decorated nursery:

I'm obsessed with that whale and that net. Best part
of the room so far!

I decided I hate the white curtains, so they've already come down.
They look pretty bad in person.
Isn't that lantern the best?

The pieces on the bed are going up on the wall to the
right (there are shelves for them to sit on but they
are hard to see in this picture).

This is the section of the wall (on the left) that needs to
be finished, along with that tiny piece on the right.
Directly to the left of this picture is the closet; the door
faces Ethan's crib.

I just did the math on the nursery, and it  blew me away. The cost is huge compared to what I anticipated. We're talking a few hundred dollars! Considering that real beadboard would have cost this much on it's own, I want to feel like this is a good deal.

Was it way more expensive and time-consuming than I imagined? Yes. Am I ever going to repaint this room again, ever in my life? NO. If you'd told me it'd cost this much time and money to make this room..... I probably would have skipped it all. When I told Austin what the cost was, he said, "that's nothing for my little man." Awwwwwww. I can't wait for Austin to come home and see how awesome this looks in person. Overall, the way the room looks today has totally exceeded my expectations, and I know we aren't done yet.

The dresser/changing table was a gift from Grammie Cindy, the crib was a gift from my parents, and my mom is working on Ethan's quilt, bumpers, and crib skirt (though right now, Grandma is in San Francisco enjoying time with Grandpa. Am I jealous that they're in California Wine Country without me? No.....). Grammie C also gave us that twin bed. The headboard was $25 on clearance at Target. We still need to actually put the bed together.

My friend Sarah Blome (who makes fabulous paper flowers) has volunteered to make the mobile for Ethan, which is super sweet, and I am really excited about - her work is always awesome! It'll hang through the net above Ethan's crib.

That's all for now... more to come when it is FINISHED!

love,

25 weeks, 6 days

This post is a day early, because I wisened up and realized that no one will be here tomorrow to take my week 26 picture! Honestly, I'm having a hard time even remembering which week it is. I'm fortunate to remember that they start on Mondays!

Next week starts my third trimester and my bi-weekly doctor appointments. My doctor will be measuring my belly externally to make sure that Ethan is as big as he needs to be. If you're wondering, yes, I feel huge. Austin made the comment today that he thought I wouldn't get much bigger, but he doesn't understand how pregnancy works. I get bigger because Ethan gets bigger - not because it's just a fun thing to do! :) He is in for a surprise.

{courtesy of theBump.com}

I don't get these size comparisons sometimes. Last week he was the size of a head of cauliflower, which I tend to think of as larger than a head of lettuce... I guess I'm wrong?

I also felt Ethan hiccup this week. I don't think it was the first time, because I've felt this kind of rhythmic movement before, but it occurred to me that it probably wasn't him kicking - it was hiccups (thanks to a little research on Google!). Austin was very disappointed he couldn't feel that!

This weekend, my mom and I went shopping for fabric for Ethan's bedding. The above swatches will go into his quilt, which will have a soft white backing (my mom is nervous about the white!) and white trim. The material for the bumpers and skirt had to be ordered, so that will come later... but it going to look awesome.

Nursery update! 85% of the trim is up, but the rest of it needs to be painted white... and I need wood filler. Almost there!

I painted the window sill today!

For bump pictures, I opted to wear a tighter shirt (I really should come up with a standard shirt...) because I think the shirt from last week was a tiny bit big/misleading. Whoops!

I have to say, it's hard to manage a smile when you know your husband is leaving in a few hours!

How far along? almost 26 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I'm not sure
Maternity clothes? 90%
Stretch marks? none yet!
Sleep: Good! I can't make it through the night without a bathroom trip anymore.
Miss anything? My husband!
Movement: So much!
Food cravings: Nothing unusual this week!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope! I finally bought some heartburn meds that my doctor approved and seem to work!
Have you started to show yet: Look at those pictures!
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: Zero
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, mostly! Sad that Austin is leaving :(
Looking forward to: My husband coming home! And decorating the nursery in the meantime :)

Love,

week 25

I can't believe I only have 14 days left in my second trimester. I feel like the third trimester is when it's time to get down to business, so I'm a little intimidated! This pregnancy has flown by. So much for all the plans I had! Fortunately, the heartburn has subsided (somewhat).. either that, or I've gotten really smart about what I eat. I just miss Tex-Mex so much...

We still haven't finished the nursery, but we hope to this week. We just need to go get the trim and a few useful tools from Ethan's super-Grandpa (seriously, I have no idea what Austin & I would do without my daddy!).

That's me, at about 1 1/2 years old, playing with my dad!
Don't you love his jeans?

We've decided to slow down on home improvements, which is a really hard commitment for me to make! Austin is traveling to Laredo so often (and with such little time at home in-between) that we don't want our time to revolve around our house - or our money, for that matter! So we're whittling down our list to affordable things and things that we have to do (like fix that ugly, broken window!). It's just as well, because I'm starting my third trimester and need to chill out a little for Ethan's good :) Let's just get this nursery done!

And now, without further ado, a photo of the mondo-belly! I'm sorry if you don't think it's huge, but it feels huge.

I'd like you all to know I was going to take this picture in a very cute outfit that I wore to work today, however, I managed to spill all the oil from my sun dried tomatoes all over my pants when I was plating dinner. Awesome. It's also in a different room because we're waiting on an electrician to fix the light in our living room!

How far along? 25 weeks.. and it's getting harder to remember which week it is.
Total weight gain/loss: 15 lbs
Maternity clothes? None today! Just a belly band - the rest are "my" clothes :)
Stretch marks? Avoiding them with cocoa butter
Sleep: It's not bad, but now when I roll over, Ethan moves around and wakes me up
Miss anything? A cold beer/glass of wine on a hot summer day.
Movement: Lots! You can SEE it! I wish I could tell where he was by the way he was moving.
Food cravings: Mexican, which is unfortunate because it gives me heartburn. One of these days I'm going to do it anyway.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Bear's breath. It is terrible, and nothing is making it better.
Have you started to show yet: Obviously
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: Zero
Belly Button in or out? Shallower by the minute, but in.
Wedding rings on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, mostly. A little mood mixed in. I have the best husband...
Looking forward to: Finishing this nursery!

week 24

Oh little Ethan... you sure are getting big! TheBump.com says you're about the size of a cantaloupe... but who are we kidding, you're clearly larger than that! All you wanted to do yesterday was prove that you're a big boy and taking over my body. You pushed something into my right rib - hard. I had a sharp pain for about an hour. And you wiggled all afternoon, which is new because I usually only feel you in the mornings before 11 am and at night after 8. I also felt you roll over for the first time, which was a very weird feeling. "Big" feels like an understatement, and we still have 16 weeks to go! I'm thankful for that extra time, because I know you need the time to grow, and your dad and I need that time to get ready for your arrival.

This Saturday, some of the women from our small group helped me wallpaper your nursery while your dad was traveling.

Beadboard wallpaper! The darker white lines are where
the seams are. I did an extra coat of paint on those to
make sure that they didn't show any blue paint through
the seam. This nursery is coming together!

Sunday, I painted the wallpaper and a little of the trim in the room. Your dad is going to come home and install tamper-resistant (babyproof) plugs in your room this week, along with the chair rail.

This is the dresser your Great Grammie gave us (thank you Grammie C!):

I put this together all by myself! It is SO TALL - taller than our kitchen
counter tops! I know Austin will be so glad he doesn't have to stoop over
to change Ethan!

I couldn't lift the package (even if I wasn't pregnant), so the people at IKEA and your Grandpa had to help me get it home. This is where we are going to change all your (cloth) diapers. :)

I also went this weekend to Nurtured Family to check out cloth diapers! Though Grandma still isn't on board (and will probably choose to use disposables at her/Grandpa's house) we both liked BestBottom the most. We will have to go check out a class sometime before we get them, but they seemed like the most reasonable option... Either those, or bumGenius!

So here it is... the weekly update!

How far along? 24 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: I really try not to weigh myself. But my doctor says I'm perfect!
Maternity clothes? Lots!
Stretch marks? None yet, and I've been applying a special Cocoa butter I got on Maui.
Sleep: Last night was TERRIBLE - I had what Austin called "lava" (horrible heartburn) all night. Thanks, son!
Miss anything? Not having heartburn!
Movement: So much more than he was doing before! Rolling, kicking, pushing....
Food cravings: Sweets!
Anything making you queasy or sick: EVERYTHING gives me heartburn except milk/cereal.
Have you started to show yet: Definitely!
Gender: Boy... rambunctious little boy.
Labor Signs: Zero
Belly Button in or out? In!
Wedding rings on or off? On! Though I keep forgetting them and hope no one thinks I'm single!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Oh goodness. It's been a moody week (poor Austin).
Looking forward to: putting up trim in Ethan's nursery, and hanging things on the walls!

I'm definitely looking forward to meeting our mondo-cantaloupe, but I am NOT looking forward to the third trimester! My prayer is (and will be) that he is a healthy and happy baby boy. 16 more weeks....

Love,

PS - I was waiting to post this so I could take a bump picture, but I'm not a fan of selfies so... maybe we'll get one tomorrow when the hubby is home!

week 23

We have had an insane weekend! We went to visit our old small group in Clarksville, TN, and enjoyed some wonderful weather and some great time catching up with out friends. We left Clarksville this morning at 3:45 AM and landed in Houston at 8 AM... the furloughs are that bad, and I'm 100% signing up for whatever that line is that just jumps through security. My pregnant, tired self (and my grumpy husband) envied those people this morning. Unfortunately for me, I can't just take a RedBull (like Austin can) to get over how tired I am!

Even more craziness will ensue: between Austin's trips to a border town (not awesome) weddings, and fixing our house up, Ethan is going to be here before we know it! (Anyone down for a beadboard wallpapering party??) We now have fewer than four months left. In the beginning, it seemed like this was going to take forever. After all, we found out on January 22nd. September 30th seemed like a long time to wait. So, sweet Ethan, you seem to have turned your mother into some kind of procrastinator; please do slow down time for me, as we have much to do before you arrive!

Hey little grapefruit-cantaloupe.

How do we make these pictures
NOT awkward?

How far along? 23 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: Plenty of gain :) but in a healthy range, according to my doctor!
Maternity clothes? Daily!
Stretch marks? Not yet!
Sleep: It's been pretty good! If I get up for the restroom, it hardly disturbs my sleep. Think of it as being slightly more conscious than a sleep-walker.
Miss anything? Caffeine.. more so each day.
Movement: His arm/leg flinging is getting harder every day!
Food cravings: Yogurt. Right now. Cookies (which would never have been true pre-pregnancy). Fro Yo. Sweet things!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Spicy foods seem to bring on the heartburn!
Have you started to show yet: Yes, and I can't really hide it anymore!
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: Nada
Belly Button in or out? Innie!
Wedding rings on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! And tired!
Looking forward to: finishing the paint in the nursery, and putting up beadboard wallpaper (eeeek)!

This weekend, a good friend asked what we were nervous about as parents, and what our parenting style is. Austin and I haven't had a serious conversation laying down the law on how we will be parents, because we feel that will largely be reflected in who/how our child(ren) is/are. I hope that we will address discipline and rules from a standpoint that they understand personally, not in a "because I said so" way. I think the Lord does that for us (sometimes we still can't understand, but I think He likes to grow us in those "teachable moments").

May my heart, eyes, and ears always be open to hearing and doing the Word of the Lord; especially with regard to raising our son (and any other kid(s)).

love,