Baby Shower

Today, I think I will blog about Suzy's baby shower. Two of my good friends, Vicky and Jen gave me the best shower ever a few weeks ago. I loved it b/c it involved lots of friends, good food, too many presents, and no cheesy shower games! I do not want you staring at my tummy while you figure out how big it is in yarn! Thank you!
I hope my friends who were at the shower will have fun finding themselves in the pictures below.
Only 3 more (long) weeks left until Suzy makes her appearance. I had a Dr's visit today and she is doing great. One more ultrasound next week to measure growth...she is measuring pretty small. I'll give you an update on that next week- the Dr. thought she might have IUGR (same as what Noah had) but she's responding well on her non-stress tests and Doctor P. thinks my kids just might be really small. That's OK by me!

Summer Reading

Flashback 20 years and let me describe myself.

Tall for my age, super skinny, purple circle glasses, and poofy bangs. I didn't have tons of friends, but I didn't realize it. I loved to write, play school, the piano, and read. I LOVED to read. That's all I ever did.

Now, flash forward. I'm now average height and weight (well, if I weren't pregnant), the glasses were replaced with contacts, my bangs are grown out. I try to compensate for years of having no friends by always wanting to be around people. I still like to write, but not as much, as school kind of stifled the creative factor out of writing for me. I still love school and also teach piano (very passionate about both). And as for my love of books as a little girl, it's never gone away. I am still always reading.

I thought it would be fun to list some of the books I read this summer, along with recommendations. I would also like to put a huge plug in for my favorite site, GOODREADS.COM. If you are not on goodreads and like to read, you need to join. It's a site that helps you find new books to read, allows you to record and review books that you do read, and see what your friends are reading and recommending. I use it all the time, especially on the days I go to the library. If you ARE on goodreads- let me encourage you to use it! I love to see the books that my friends are recommending.

Anyways, here is my list:

The Short 2nd Life of Bree Tanner (Stephanie Meyer)
The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Committment to Your Mate (Gary Chapman)
The Uglies (Scott Westerfield)
My Sister's Keeper (Jodi Picoult)
The Giver (Lois Lowry)
The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)
Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins)
The Pilots Wife (Anita Shreve)
The Christmas Train (David Baldacci)
The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)

almost finished with: Born to Run (Christopher McDougall)
Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Jacobs)
Emma (Jane Austen)

If you want to read any of my reviews on that list, join goodreads! :) I recommend almost the whole list with the exception of: The Christmas Train (too slow) and The Pilots Wife (also slow, and anti-climatic). Uglies was also hard for me to get through, but not because the story wasn't good. The author just focused on things I wasn't interested in half the time.

Anyways, if you have any recommendations for me of MUST reads, please tell me! I am going to have LOTS of reading time coming up when little Suzy is born and I want some good books.

Ok...here it is!

Alright everyone. Today is the big name reveal for my little girl! I've also posted pictures of the nursery, which we finished at 1 in the morning last Thursday. We are soooo excited about how it turned out. You first have to know what the room looked like before, which in a word was horrible. There was no style whatsoever and we just threw extra stuff together to make a guest room. See!


Here is one more before shot that will make you appreciate the after. We got this crib for free from someone who didn't want it anymore. It was probably made before I was born. Not a pretty color, but it had lots of potential.


Here begins the "After" shots.
You also should know that I did the entire nursery, furniture and all, for $100!!! Can you believe it? I almost couldn't myself. It helps to get stuff for free and have I mentioned how much I love consignment shops and garage sales???


And here is the name, ladies and gentleman.
Our little girl will be SUZY KAYE.
Suzy comes from my mother in law's name: Susie. Kaye comes from my mom's middle name: Kay. We took both of their names, changed the spelling a bit and made it our own. Little Suzy is being named after 2 of the most spectacular people I have ever known.


We are so excited to welcome her to this little room.

Here's a couple shots of the finished crib. We painted it white and wow, doesn't it look so much better?!

Thanks April for letting us borrow crib bedding and that cute butterfly hanging on the wall. It adds a great touch!

Close up of the crib.

This cubeicle is the most expensive thing in the entire nursery! I bought it from Target, along with the fabric bins for $70. I've already washed all of Suzy's new clothes and put them in their labeled bins...had to do the labels so I could remember where everything goes. As you can see, Suzy got a couple tutus at her baby shower. I plan on replacing the pink ballet shoes with a ballerina Build-A-Bear soon.

And that's it!

Now that the nursery is finished, I am soooo ready to be done being pregnant and to have her here. I have about a month left. Not too much longer...but don't say that to a pregnant lady with one month left. Especially when that month is hot, summer-y August.