Should I......?

I haven't decided if we are going to send out announcements for Oliver. I love announcements and cards in general...and I am definitely the type to keep them up on my 'fridge for months and save them...with Briggy's fast and unexpected birthday we never ended up sending proper announcement cards....so with Oliver coming in a few weeks I haven't totally decided If I should or not. Because I didn't with Briggy I didnt want to seem "unfair" to him (like he would really care) but I found some "Big Brother" announcement cards that are super super cute. Of course they're from tinyprints.com my favorite online card store!!!

The cartoon one is SOOOO cute but it doesn't show a picture of Ollie--so I would just include a photo in the envelope.....


or I could just go the photocard option....which is nice....but I am so in love with the cartoon brother card....although this one is a little more practical (but of course more expensive.)


I'm also considering my sister making one up on the computer because she makes some really awesome ones using photo software.....which would be cheaper, I suppose.

What do you think? Do people expect/like receiving announcements or do they usually just end up in the trash?

Father's Day Fun

Today Briggy and Tom ate breakfast together...their favorite--eggs and bacon!
Tom gave a talk at church and also is the gospel doctrine teacher...so he went to church while Brigs and I stayed behind....Church with Briggy really stresses me out..especially when I have to rangle him myself, I just knew I wasnt going to be up for it today...I've been having a lot of unpleasant pains and braxton and hicks contractions...so we napped, ate lunch and made daddy a cake while he was gone.

Briggy helped mommy crumble cookies for the cookies n cream cake--needless to say he got pretty messy...daddy came home just in time for briggy's bath--so the two of them played and splashed together while I finished up the cake and dinner preparations. On the menu? Tom's request of a huge steak and loaded potato salad--no onions (my favorite) and extra cheese and bacon, Tom's favorite "blue" mountain dew and of course the cookie cake. (with a layer of chewy brownie in the center--yum yum)

After the bath we hung out in the playroom together and I was able to get a few pictures of them coloring together!

We just put briggy to sleep...but he's screaming at the moment...he does not like to go to bed when he knows daddy is home...honestly, I've never seen or knew of such a daddy's boy in all my life. I was just telling tom how it kind of hurts my feelings when I see other babies call out to they're moms "MAMA!!" she they walk away or the dad picks them up....Briggy always goes to Tom no matter what!!! I feel like chopped liver!! But I am glad they have such a special connection. They are just two peas in a pod....maybe Oliver will be a mama's boy!

I hope Granddad Tillotson and Grandpa Urso have a Happy Fathers Day...wish we could spend it with you both...love you and miss you!

How about a new haircut?

As much as I love long hair (I have spent the past 5 years growing mine out!!) I stink at styling it (All I ever do is either straighten it or throw it in a messy bun) I'm thinking I just might have to "give in" and get a "mom" cut. A hip mom-cut if at all possible. I want a style that will look polished and nice after only washing, (maybe drying) and spending a few minutes on styling and product. Does a style like that exist...and if so....will it work on a chubby face? Even when I'm 'thinner'(pre-briggy weight) I have a chubby round face...and I know some shorter cuts may not look great with it, but I think if the edges of the hair and either flipped out or straight (and not curled in) won't empasize the roundness....

I've been having trouble finding what I want online. I caught a second of some morning show yesterday that had a girl with my face shape getting her hair cut...it was shorter (chin-ish level) with longer side-swooped bangs. Jagged edges and layers....but I can't find exactly what she had...her are some close contenders...what do you think? I really want to get this done in a week or two before the baby comes...unless you all think its a big no-no in which case I might hold off and wait....

I know I haven't posted any recent pictures of me (I refuse to have my picture taken at this monsterous weight) but my hair is at "mid-boob" length. It is a little layered--but its growing out...

Which one do you like best? Please comment and let me know---or if you are SUPER BORED and looking online--and can send me a link to another picture I'd appreciate it :P

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Thanks everybody...I need HELP!

New hair color?

After Oliver is born, I want to get my hair did.

I have been debating on what to do...brown would be the most practical and most inexpensive because....my natural hair color is the boring shade of brown which I am sporting now with some WAY grown out icky highlights.

Even though this one is not as practical, I think its so pretty, and I prefer a lighter color in my hair because I feel with darker hair (and my pasty skin color) that I look mean and harsh with dark brown....

I found this picture randomly when looking up baby items on walmart.com and fell in love with this lady's hair. I love the color and I love how she styles it...my hair is that length so I know I could pull it off....I just have to figure out how to actually use hot rollers (why am I the only woman in the world who is clueless when it comes to styling my hair!?!?)

What do you think? I do want to get it professionally done because I am afraid of it coming out orangey or brassy....but am hoping I can touch up my roots with an at-home kit after the initial process is done.....

Yes, No, any better suggestions? let me know....

Briggy's favorite new place!

Today Briggy took a super long nap (11-2:30 pm) so I knew he wouldnt be up for his later-afternoon nap....and wanted to do something fun (and tiring) for him so he could play, eat and zonk out. Tom was able to get home before 6 so we headed over to the community park that is AWESOME! and has this really fun splash-park area. From the second his little toes touched the ground he was off running! I have never seen him smile and laugh and scream (in a good way) so much...ever....and hes a real smiley laughy kind of kid....this is the ultimate hanging place for Brigs--I know that we'll be spending a lot of time here...the only bad part was taking him away from it...he screamed and cried...poor guy! It was really hard for me to get any good pictures of him because he was on the move so fast...but I was able to get a copule shots that captured just how much fun he was having! I am so happy he loves the water and isn't afraid of it!! He is one fun, tough little guy!

A few Mommy questions.....

I have a few questions that I need some advice on.....

1. "Baby-proofing": We havent done much of anything as far as that goes. I just bought an extra tall gate to go on the top of the stairs, so Briggy can roam free from his room, the playroom and the open-craft room area, without me worrying that he will tumble down the stairs and land on the tile floor below....other than that, nothing else is in the works.
I am thinking of putting some lock system on the kitchen cabinets but haven't really found anything online that isnt ugly and works with cabinets with no knobs--any of you know or use anything that could work?
Do the outlet covers really work? I seem to remember my little brother and sister always able to pull them out when they were toddlers....and if there is a way to break or disrupt anything--Briggy is the toddler to do it!

2. I had Briggy in chilly chilly weather. He was so tiny I kept him extra bundled and swaddled with those swaddle-me wraps...love those things. Oliver is going to be born in 100 degree weather....Briggy slept so well being swaddled, I'm nervous that Oliver is not going to sleep as well because it will be too hot to swaddle....or will he be okay swaddled if the ac is on and the house temp is between 70-75?

3. I faced this problem with Briggy, but never really thought of it as a problem at the time. I fed him so often (every 2 hours for monnnnnnnnnthhhhhhs) that his diaper would need to be changed at every waking during the night....and I would be nervous that if I didnt change him before I fed him, his diaper would overfill...so I would change him first when he woke up, then feed him....but that was usually pretty loud and miserable because he would be crying so loud and hungry....what is the right approach to those nighttime feedings? Change first then feed, or feed, change....sleep for two hours....feed then change? Am I making sense? I feel like I'm not...but I don't know how else to explain it. I'd just rather not have Oliver screaming up a storm because he'll be in the room with Tom and I and I want Tom to be able to sleep!

3. When should Oliver be put in his own room? With Briggy I had him in his own crib a few days after we came home...but his room was right across the hall from me, so I felt a lot better about it. In our new house, Tom and I are on the opposite side of the house, and on the first floor--where as the boys rooms are upstairs. I'm a nervous wreck as it is now with Briggy being so far from me, I am convinced that with a brand new Oliver, there is no way I could handle that...especially because I'm waking and feeding him so frequently the first few months.....also, we decided against buying another crib--because we plan on transitioning Briggy from crib to twin bed at 2 years old...which will put Oliver at 6-7 months. In the mean time we planned on Ollie sleeping in the pack-n-play....do you all think thats a good or bad idea? I just didnt want to end up with two cribs in 6 months....

4. Baby monitoring: We have a Graco monitor that we use for Briggy so we can hear if he's breathing okay and not crying...(yes, I still check on him and poke at him at least 3 times once I put him up for bed to hear if hes breathing....you think I would have gotten over that by now....and no, to those of you who tease me, he still does not have any pillows or blankets in the crib with him...but I do let him have Monkers in there with him!) When I have Ollie upstairs in his own room (age yet to be decided) should I get another monitor system for Ollie, or have him use Briggy's? I just worry about not being able to hear whats going on in Briggy's room--especially when he starts using the twin bed....

I think thats all the questions I have for now...I feel all nervous now that Ollie is really REALLY on his way. Everytime I tell someone im 33 weeks--they're like...oh gosh! do you have everything ready!!? thats so soon!!! and it is soon...and everything (for the most part) has been ready for the past couple months....but I still have a few kinks to work out!
Thanks for your advice in advance!!

Gymboree steals!

Those of you who know me and have seen Brigham's closet know that I went a little over board buying clothes for him (before he was born)...and have continued to....I can't help myself. When you can get these ridiculously cute 30 dollar shirts for 2 or 3 dollars....I mean, who could resist? The prices are better than Walmarts and the quality is ten times better....most all of Brigham's outfits will work for Oliver, but the 3-6 month age was summer for Briggy and will be chilly here during november and december...I also was hoping to pick up some matching outfits for pictures with my two boys....I am a dork, but I took a picture just to show off my cute new finds. My favorite is the red, blue, yellow and brown striped sweater with the matching hat with the brown tassles on either side...seriously...can you even imagine how CUTE Ollie is going to look in that?!!? that sweater was less than 2 dollars--I had my eye on it last season for Briggy but it was wayyyyyy expensive. I'm pretty sure this will be national--but the sales lady said that they are going to really try to get rid of all the out of season (fall-winter 08) stuff by the end of the month, so they are going to slash the clearance prices again during the week of the 15th...so try to get to a Gymboree soon! If I get an email with any coupons or info I'll post it...
It was so weird buying those big boy sweaters for Briggy...they seem huge compared to the 3-6 month ones! My little monkey is growing fast!

PS--We had our first appointment at the Baylor Dallas office which is where I will actually be having the baby (I can guarantee I will NOT be out of state this time around!) I have two main midwives and I met the second one for the first time today. She moved here from Idaho, has 6 kids...so naturally I ask her if she was LDS---she is! I just get so excited when I meet other Latter Day Saints! I really lucked out with my midwives here, they are really nice--just as nice as my Mass midwives...I have nothing against doctors...love them, but I think midwives are the way to go when having a baby!!!


(I even got $25 in gymbucks today...score!)

Baby Mania!

This past week I found out that four girlfriends were expecting! So many babies!!! I haven't been able to sleep much at night because Oliver is quite the night owl--kicking, punching, etc...and I have been having so very unpleasant pains....needless to say I have been spending hours online at night looking up random things. Last night I was looking at all the cute diaper cake designs and came across some favorites that go beyond the average diaper cake! so cute, so fun.
these pictures are from doodlebabybug on etsy...her prices seem fairly reasonable considering all the items you have to purchase...but they look fun to make...hopefully I can recreate one for a soon-to-be babe







I love the jumbo cupcakes. The girl colors definitely look better than the boy--but blue and brown and green and brown could work.

I think they are mostly made from recieving blankets, layette clothing, burp cloths and washcloths!