stunt stitch

So… I have this stuffed Stitch doll. I wasn't really planning on handing it down to my children, it was a purchase I'd made for myself years ago but as this pregnancy has progressed, I've been using him as a stunt baby/stand-in for testing out baby products and such and it's kind of become this funny series.

Here's Stitch testing a cloth diaper:

Checking if the wonderland diaper looks good with the white crib sheet:

Testing the Puj tub:

Testing the Ergo Carrier:

The breastfeeding pillow and glider:

The infant insert for the Ergo:

And the new changing pad cover:

 

I guess once Alice is born Stitch will be hers but, he'll kind of always be mine.

I do owe you all a final nursery tour before she's born. I'm waiting for the ottoman and rug to feel mostly complete but I think when she's born I'll see what re-arranging needs to happen and what art suits her personality and what I can add to the room.

live every day like it could be labor day

Well I'm a ticking time bomb of baby over here and could go at any moment!

On Thursday we had our birthing class in which I realized I am full of knowledge in labor and delivery and can learn no more, now it's time to just do it. Which is just the feeling I was going for when approaching labor. Jodie Foster tells a story during the filming of "Taxi Driver" where Robert De Niro had her learn her lines so well and went over their scenes backwards and forwards that she was bored and they could improvise easily. I know it's sort of a weird analogy but that was sort of my goal with childbirth, the more I knew the better. It was a nice class though, the instructor gave the dads in the class a lot of attention and taught them massage techniques for mom and it was special watching the couples going through it together, a nice reminder that it takes two people to bring a baby into the world and how much of a help they are going to be to mom during labor and with baby afterwards.

So, we're enjoying things we can do while we wait since I've read all I can and prepped as much as I can. The nursery is pretty much done, I've washed baby clothes, packed a hospital bag… I'm done.

Matt went on a hike today, tomorrow night we have another screening at Paramount, and we're trying to make it to a Dodger game on Monday. Just trying to enjoy it being us two before it becomes us three.

Have a great weekend everybody. Hope you spend some time with your best friend.

our baby shower sprinkle

Us lucky brats, Matt and myself got two baby showers for this little girl and this one was just as lovely and fun as the first. Like the first one, it was suited to our personalities, with mostly mingle time and no games. This one had a pool so there was a big activity you could partake in and it was definitely warm enough for pool time. The theme was a sprinkle and the deserts were all kind of cute sprinkly things.

We had it at my in-law's pool area where we've had many a pool party and this is now our second baby shower. We've had Liz's, Angie's 1st Birthday, Savannah's 1st Birthday, and now our shower.

My mother in-law had a cute idea to have everyone sign a book. The winning book was "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake" which is apropos since we have/love cats, had cupcakes at our wedding and cupcakes have sprinkles.

Here's us. What a handsome man I married.

Our wonderful in-laws, the hosts. I'm such a lucky lady for having them nearby.

I had planned a more casual shorts kinda outfit but I knew my mom would want me to wear a dress for all the pictures we'd be in so I was obedient. Can I brag about how that dress is not maternity? I actually wore it last year to Miri's wedding rehearsal. Yay for being cheap.

The place was quickly filled with family.

Lookat this happy scene here.

Once Lyla arrived, she and Angie were inseparable. It was as if nobody else really mattered, they were each other's whole world. They really are the best of friends those two.

And would you look at this miracle here. A photograph of everybody in my immediate family with the exception of the two babies currently in their momma's bellies.

Did I mention my brother and his wife are having a baby? She's due December 7. Three babies in one year, separated by 5 months each. 

Belly to belly.

We got a lot of great presents. Lots of clothes and lots of diapers in various sizes. Well done family, you know what we really need.

Two presents made me cry, which should surprise no one. The first one was from Angie, she chose a pair of little shoes for baby Alice and was very excited to present them to me with all the little love in her sweet heart. I thought about how she was our first baby and thanked the Lord for such a special young lady she is turning out to be. 

The other present was from Matt's aunt Michelle. Matt's grandma Rosemary after whom our daughter is being named is in a home with very advanced Alzheimer's. Before she started getting worse, Michelle had the foresight to have grandma knit as much stuff as she could for the grandkids and great grandkids and one of those items was a blanket in all these pretty pastel colors. I stared crying right away and had wanted so much for something special like that we could pass onto our kids and now we have it. There's a label on it that says it was made by Rosemary and our Rosemary will be wrapped in it. *SOB* *UGLY CRY* *SOB*

I love these faces.

Thanks for the loot gang, can't wait to organize it in our girl's room.

And now our girl has permission from us to come whenever she wants. Ideally in July but really, whenever is good. Oh and I promised her an iPhone for her 18th birthday if she waited until after the shower so now I've gotta pay up on that. A deal is a deal.

the summery front yard

Not to be completely overshadowed by the backyard, the front yard is looking very nice lately thanks to the blooming of this here awesome pink tree.

I steal clippings from it for the house and its right outside my office window so I get to enjoy it while sitting on the couch. It changes a lot season by season, I love it.

Right on the floor next to it I'd love to plant some hydrangeas or other bushy flowers.

Over here is our paltry attempt at starting an herb garden. It'll get bigger in time.

And to the left, the orange tree is dropping some fruits and the rosemary bush is growing and growing. I guess a little trimming is in order.

The garden planting is taking a backseat to other projects but soon I hope to get serious about it.

just as i imagined

On Sunday we had our family come up to our house to watch Team USA play since my uncle Rey was in town from Reno, NV; my aunt Carmen was in town from Mexicali, MX; and my sister was in town from Phoenix, AZ. We roll deep. There was about 30 people total in our house and tiny living room.

I felt bad but our family is used to tight quarters. When we're at my nana's house, the living room is teeny tiny and somehow nobody ever complains and there's always plenty of food. And there's oddly never a big line for the bathroom. I think in a big family you learn to go quickly.

Watching a sporting event with a big group is like 10,000 times more fun than watching it alone on your iPad. The two US goals were a big whopping celebration.

When it was over and it was getting a little cooler outside, we all headed to the backyard and then aided by the bucket of summer supplies which included some water balloons, the kids had a great time wetting their fathers and grandmothers and each other. I had imagined such days with my family when planning the backyard and it filled my heart with so much joy to see it coming true. Matt was especially proud for coming up with a game that whoever made the biggest pile of water balloon pieces would win a Pez dispenser. The backyard was cleaned up in a jiffy!

Even having a little sandbox set was used by Lyla. Just wait 'til there's actually a sandbox kid! 

I had moved the old benches by the tree and they were quickly filled since it was the shadiest spot in the backyard. The moms sat and watched their kids and made faces at new babies.

The babies were quite enthralled. One of my aunts said the pressure was on since we seem to make babies cuter and cuter in my family. I mean… look at this boy!

In addition to the testing of the backyard we tested the mamaroo on Vincent and he loved it. We thought he'd start crying and wiggling at some point but nope, he just chilled. My sister nursed him in the glider chair so comfortably it was a nice validation like yup, good idea on that chair.

In the summer bucket there was also a kite and some sidewalk chalk that the kids took advantage of.

It became a fun crime scene.

Every part of the backyard was used and enjoyed. And the front yard too, I didn't get a picture of it but Lyla was running around on the grass eating her plate of chips and pretending to be Princess Jasmine and we did a little sing along of "A Whole New World".

The family thanked us for having them over and they really enjoyed the space.

It was better than I imagined in the end. I mean I imagine all the things I can buy to fill the place up but what really completes this place is friends and family.