Limbo

I always enjoy getting past the "100 Days to go" mark - I think we're right around 93 days now.  Something about double digits makes it seem like it's going to go quick from here on out.

Saw my OB today and everything looked good.  I'm having contractions so we're going to wait and see where that leads...  In other news, I'm up another 3 pounds.  Food is my jam these days, what can I say?

We have some decisions to make to prepare for this sweet Baby -- and since I'm so indecisive, I feel like everything is in limbo.

First up:  The nursery.  We've decided to use the guest room and turn it into a nursery.  My vision right now includes leaving the boring beige walls and going totally neutral with a black/white/beige color scheme.  I may throw in pops of color.  I don't want it to look too "grown up" though.  I've already purchased several items in this scheme, so I guess....here we go!  (Also I kinda love the queen size bed mattress that's currently in there, so if there's a way to keep it so Mama can nap close to baby, it stays.  I seriously go into comasleep when I nap/sleep up there!)

VIA Danielle Oakley blog

chair from IKEA

Link VIA

Via Natasha over at Schue Love - who has great style!  I told her she read my mind.  She actually designed the guest room for me, which I never did get around to decorating because we found out we were expecting another baby. 

Speaking of nursery...I'm really resistant to buying a THIRD crib, and a THIRD rocking chair.  Would you believe neither of my children are ready yet to give up their rocking chairs?  We still use them every day and night for reading books so I do love that.   But we did buy all convertible cribs with the intent that the kids would have them just short of forever.

Next up:  The family vehicle.  I'm still completely in love and having a hard time parting with my Toyota Highlander.  But 3 car seats is just not going to work easily.  I've been looking and just can't make a decision.  The obvious choice is the Toyota Sienna minivan.  (Although I've silently kicked/screamed/tantrum-ed the whole time because I just don't want a minivan.  There.  I said it.)  I have to have AWD to get up our mountain of a driveway and the Sienna is the only van that has it.  Also, friends who have one (and it seems everyone's got one!) LOVE LOVE LOVE them.  So that's comforting.  I do think it would make life with littles easier.

But I was also lured in by the Toyota Sequoia and the GMC Yukon Denali.  More space.  The car seat configuration issue isn't as bad as my Highlander since it's easier to get to the 3rd row.  I wouldn't be looking to ditch the vehicle as soon as kids were out of car seats.  I can see myself committing long-term to this.

Name:  Well we all know by now, in true Tammy & Joe fashion we are nowhere with that!

I also had a mini freakout this week about preschool.  Morgan & Joey will both be going this fall and where I currently have them registered is going to have me running around like crazy, not to mention a terrible parking situation AND lots of downtime while waiting for them (their start times and end times are staggered 30 minutes apart).  Throw in a newborn and I'm not sure I'm up to the challenge.  Of course, the other choices for preschool are already full and they start in 2 weeks.  So there's that.

Summer Play Time

We've been keeping busy this summer.  I truly LOVE summer, LOVE being out in the sun/at the pool/etc.  But I have to confess due to the pregnancy slowing me down, I'm counting down the days til Autumn arrives.

In the meantime, I'm full-speed ahead with operation #wearthemout:

We had a playdate with our friends Ellery & Willis & Mama Mica at OZO Play Cafe a couple weeks ago:

 We've been playing in the back yard a LOT:

 We went up to Ikea for a few things:

 We've become regulars at the Y Pool:

Her "smile" cracks me up here...such a little Ham!

 We've probably watched too much Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, specifically Minnie's Bowtique, which is the obsession of my firstborn:

We wave goodbye to Daddy every morning (if we're up in time before he leaves):

Don't mind the bare bum; we're potty trained!  Woo Hoo!

And spent lots of time exploring outside...there are always new flowers to see/smell, new wildlife to spot and the kids are getting better at climbing the mountain of a yard.

And speaking of new wildlife to discover, this guy sunbathed on our front sidewalk alllllll morning a few days ago.  He was nearly 4 feet long.  The kids were fascinated and after we watched him outside, I convinced them to get back in the house and watch from the front door glass side panels.  I may or may not have lied to them and told them he would bite us.  Haha.  Mean mommy!

Joey woke up from his nap that day (long after our "friend" was gone), ran straight to the door and said "Mom, yook!  It's a snake!  He's comin' up the driveway!" I couldn't stop laughing!!!!!

As stated on instagram....I told the Hubs we're moving.  I'm not cut out for this country livin'!  Nope. Nope. Nope.

A lil' Recap of the 4th

The 4th of July weekend was going to be SO FUN this year.  I was really looking forward to it because the Hubs had FOUR days off and we had something FUN! planned every day.  A pool party, a concert, a parade, a Reds Game, friends coming into town...aahhhh!  It was going to be epic.  We would all be so exhausted from having so much fun!  Plus I had cute themed outfits for the kids to wear and there was bound to be lots of great food.

I whipped up this little cake for Joe's aunt & uncle's annual 4th of July pool party:

I got my mani/pedi done in festive colors:

 We let the kids swim (even though I seem to have misplaced their puddle jumpers I just bought last year and used one time) and feast on cake in their themed little outfits:

And then I went to the ER.  After which they promptly admitted me to the hospital for a bladder infection that spread to my kidneys and dehydration.  I also had a drug reaction to the antibiotics causing a rash on my torso & legs.  They pumped me full of fluids and IV antibiotics.  So our fun came to a screeching halt and my husband was left home alone with the kids for the rest of the weekend.  Womp womp.  I got out later on Saturday and spent the rest of the weekend resting and recovering, feeling awful.

I got to watch fireworks from my hospital room

An IV in the AC (right where your arm bends)?  Equals NO SLEEPING.  And fluids pumping in equals constant trips to the bathroom with your buddy the IV pole.

I just wanted to get home to these little cuties as fast as possible.  Luckily they had fun with Daddy and I think I wasn't missed all that much, haha.  Here's hoping next year is better and they can actually see some fireworks for the first time in their lives!

Joey's 2nd Birthday Party

On Saturday we threw a little party for Joey to celebrate turning 2!  Because of Daddy's call schedule and then the 4th of July holiday, we had to push it 3 weeks past his actual birthday, but he didn't seem to mind.  We kept it smaller and more low-key since I haven't been feeling the greatest and summer is just super jam-packed for everyone.  (Despite it being low-key, my FitBit Flex said I walked over 10,000 steps that day and I never left the house!)

We decided to grill burgers and have a bunch of side dishes....except our grill broke and we didn't realize this till noon on the day of the party.  Plan B?  Order a bunch of Beef Brisket from our favorite vendor at Findlay Market and pray they had enough to feed our party.  They totally came through and that brisket was amazing.  (Food is REALLY my jam these days!)

I'm getting more efficient at throwing these little shindigs and just didn't have the time or energy to get all Pinterest-y or crafty.  I ordered everything online, most of the stuff from Party City and it couldn't have been easier!  I didn't even go crazy with decorations this year; a couple of balloons, a banner, some hangy-swirly things and called it good.

The cake was once again left up to Daddy and he did an amazing job coming up with the design.  The top layer was lemon with raspberry filling (I was having a pregnancy craving when he ordered it about 2 months ago; I begged him several times to Please! Change! Flavors! thinking nobody would like it.  Well we didn't have a crumb left! It was delicious!)  The bottom layer was chocolate with cookies & cream filling.  Those boulders on the top?  Are cupcakes.  Genius I tell you.

The kids were thrilled to have their cousins to play with them.

Joey was pretty shy when we all sang Happy Birthday to him.  He kept his fingers in his mouth and kept looking around at everyone.

He needed a little help from Daddy to blow out that candle!

Call Guiness.  We're all looking at the camera and (almost) smiling.

These cookies tasted every bit as good as they looked.  They were a last-minute decision that was a huge hit.

The customized t-shirt was a Zulilly purchase from a month or two ago.

Joey sat so patiently waiting for me to get a good pic with his cousin/buddy Reid.  It was so cute!

He got a bunch of new toys and clothes and books, but his favorites were the new trains he got.  Kid loves trains right now.  It was the perfect little family party for our sweet little boy.  I still can't believe he's two years old!  If you ask him, he'll tell you "I'm four."  Little stinker ;-)