30 Weeks

We had a visitor the other day!

Boo is doing well!  She has a long road ahead of her, but overall is doing way better than we anticipated!  You can see that her leg is [slowly] growing back it's hair after they shaved it for surgery... and odd duck that she is, look at how she is sitting on that leg!  Goofy dog!  But hey, if it doesn't bother her, then I don't care how (lazily) she sits!

And... my pea-brain remembered and then forgot that Eloise turned 21 months on the 23rd.  

I always try to get a picture to post... and I barely took any of her that day... let alone a decent one! 

It's hard to believe how big she is getting... and how wide her vocabulary is!  Not to mention the random things she says and does.  I'm sure every kid does their own thing--but it's fun to us since it happens to be our own flesh and blood!  Today she heard the paper boy open the front door and throw the paper in (we had it open since it was a glorious 75 degrees out today!).... and she yelled, "I get it!!!" and ran to the door... picked up the paper and called, "Thank You!!!" out the screen to the kid.  Then she brought the paper to me.  Made me chuckle!

And, of course... 

Today marks 30 weeks.

Yes, I am sporting sweatpants, a t-shirt, messy hair and no make up.

I. don't. care.

I get dressed up (aka: jeans and a decent shirt, etc) if I'm going out in public.

When I'm at home, I just want to be comfortable!

Especially when I'm on the floor a lot playing with Eloise... 

or cutting out Halloween costume patterns (finally had time!).

Honestly, I don't feel as big as I look in that picture.

I mean, I am big and mostly uncomfortable...

but even just yesterday my neighbor told me it was the first time

she'd seen me that I actually looked pregnant to her!

I literally see her at least every other day, if not more.

Of course, I'm not into the tight maternity clothes...

but still.  Weird!

So... there you have it. 

2 more months... that's what I keep telling myself.

2 more months.

I am not one of those "glowing" pregnant women...

I am ready to be un-pregnant! 

But I'm so thankful for the blessing that is and is to come!

MMmmm MMmmm Boston Creme! - improvised-

Tuesday was my neighbors 62nd Birthday.

We are very close and I always try to do special things for her (and her husband)... 

not only for birthdays and holidays... but just at random times.  

But since it was Birthday Time, I wanted to do something extra special.

She and I talk a lot about food.  

Neither one of us is a great cook, I admit... 

although I do make more of an effort than she does, 

which makes it even more special when I can share some 

type of goodie with them!

So I remembered that at one point, 

we had been oohing and aahing over how yummy Boston Creme Pie is.

Because, really, it is SO good.

I try to cook and bake healthy...

but sometimes I make exceptions...

especially for the neighbors.

I didn't want to make a plain old cake...

and a Boston Creme Pie seemed a little boring too.

So instead, I decided to come up with my own little rendition of a 

"Boston Creme Cupcake"

I'm sure this is somewhere on Pinterest or some other website...

with homemade and gourmet ingredients...

But I assure you, I didn't go Googling it to find it ahead of time.

I was too lazy!

Plus, how hard is it, REALLY?

Especially if you go the box-cake route!

So... if you're looking for a quick and easy dessert...

This is it!

And let me tell you - they are SO GOOD!

Just bake Yellow Cupcakes according to whatever the directions say on the box.

(Lazy Easy, right?)

Grab a box of instant vanilla pudding and whip it up...

Put in the fridge to chill.

After the cupcakes are cool, 

cut cones out of the top of each cupcake... 

then spoon in the pudding and replace the tops!

I threw the cupcakes in the fridge while I made the chocolate...

I had no idea what kind of chocolate to make... 

so I grabbed my cookbook and browsed until I found this recipe.

Easy and yummy!

In a small saucepan heat 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 

2 T. butter, 1 T. light colored corn syrup and 1/4 tsp. vanilla over low heat, 

stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.

Use immediately to drizzle over cupcakes!

Store in the refrigerator!

Chocolate will harden and the pudding will be chilled.

MMMmmm MMMmmm... Boston Creme!

I also made "Last Minute Rolls" (thanks to my sis for the YUMMY recipe)...

and Eloise and I went over to share in a Birthday lunch of soup, rolls and cupcakes!!

(Ok, Miss Egg-Allergy couldn't eat that stuff, but she still joined us!)

It was a nice time and our neighbor even cried because she just felt so

special that we would share her birthday with her.

 (Eloise helping to open a present - with a water bottle in her mouth... silly.)

My neighbor truly is a wonderful friend and I'm so glad we could brighten her birthday,

even if only for an hour or so!

Do I Have To...?

We are 28 weeks in, folks.

That's pretty darn close to 30.

And that means after my next appointment, 

I start going to the doctor every two weeks instead of four.

That makes things seem a little more real... 

and it will just keep on getting more real the closer my due date gets!

I'm due January 4th... 

but Eloise came early and the doctor said that most women seem to

 go into labor around the same time as they did in their previous pregnancies... 

which... would put me having a baby right around Christmas.

I'm not ready for Christmas.

Not in the least.

I have ONE present bought (lucky you, Maddy!)...

and well, I am certainly not ready to have a baby around all of the Holiday Festivities!

But, alas...

It's not up to me!

So I'll take it as it comes.

Ok, and maybe (secretly... shhh!) I am hoping to have a New Years Baby 

so that I can get all of that fancy stuff the hospital gives to the first born of the new year!

Haha!

I'm a weirdo, I know!

But it'd be like hitting the jackpot!

How fun!

But really, this rambling is not the reason for my post.

I really am posting to complain that I finally am going to 

have to break down and give in to the dreaded...

Rocker Glider.

I know, it probably seems silly of me...

but I just really am not one for a rocker glider.

Not that I have "style" - trust me.

But they aren't really... well... my style!

But with that growing belly up there in that first picture...

I just can't keep on with our nightly routine with this growing girl:

And, I certainly don't want to give THAT up!

(Holding her and saying prayers, singing songs, etc)

So if we have to switch it up...

so be it.

And since we have a small house with barely room for anything else...

I can't get the nice big rocking chair that I'd like.

So, it looks like it's going to have to be a rocker glider.

I suppose I'll survive.  

And I know I shouldn't complain.

But I probably will anyway...

(at least in my own mind).

Anyone have any recommendations on a rocker glider?

Recovery

I am happy to report that Boo is recovering well!!

I have to admit, I thought she was going to be lame for a couple of months... but she is doing really well and in good spirits!!  I am so thankful for my in-laws who are keeping her for us until she is well enough to come home to a two story abode!

I haven't had much time for blogging as I have been super swamped making and selling baby shoes!  I just finished a couple of orders - to be sent today - and have 12 more orders to fill!  It has been a little overwhelming, but I am enjoying it too!

 

 

Eloise enjoying some time running around with her cousins on Wednesday!

And as always, she is sporting her Weezy Necklace!  :)

Have a great weekend!  

It's supposed to be clear and bright... but a bit chilly here!

I'll take it over rain or snow!

 

27 Weeks

Well, today has been a little hectic!  

Our dog, Boo has had some issues with her "doggie ACL" over the summer... but seemed to be doing well lately.  Then last night, after running around a bit in the afternoon, she couldn't walk right.  She favored her "bad" leg and was whining and whimpering... and well... not herself.  Cory called the vet first thing this morning and they referred us to a special vet about an hour away (since they knew of Boo's previous ACL issue and that they weren't equipped to deal with that type of thing)... and after calling THAT vet, they wanted us to rush her in for possible emergency surgery.  I had a doctor appointment, Cory had work... so his parents (who are like her favorite people in the world) took her over.  As soon as the vet touched her knee, he knew it was blown out... and so we made the decision to go ahead and get it repaired.  She went in for surgery about 2 hours ago... and I haven't heard anything since.  I know some people think it's over-the-top to pay outrageous medical bills for your pets.  But I think it depends on your financial situation, where you are in your life and how old your pet is.  Boo is middle-aged for a dog, being 6 years old.  I know of labs who've lived 14 yrs... or ones that have lived 6 yrs.  It's hard to say.  But Boo has been through so much with us... and especially with Cory's dad having gone through cancer last year.  She was truly a blessing in their lives and gave them so much joy during that difficult time - as well as now (she sometimes spends more time at their house than ours!).  It is the right thing for us to get her the surgery... and hopefully it will help her to live life to the fullest when she has recovered.  I admit, part of me is emotional about it.  First of all, feeling bad that she has to go through all of this.... but her recovery is going to take MONTHS which means she'll be living at my in-laws.  They have a ranch-style home with minimal steps.  We live in a 2-story and she is determined to go UPSTAIRS at bedtime at our house.  Obviously that won't be able to happen.  So we'll be visiting her a lot at my in-laws.  I kind of feel like I lost Weezer... (then the kitten thing didn't work out)... and now, in a sense, I'm losing Boo.  Even though she'll only be 15 mins away... I have a feeling that living 3 months exclusively at my in-laws will make her NOT want to come back home with us.  But, we have to do what's best for her.  So... at this point in time I am waiting for word on her surgery and how it went... and we'll just go from there!

On a positive note, I had my 27 week appointment today... and all is well.

I go for my glucose test next week - ICK... 

and then I'll start having more frequent check ups after 30 weeks.

I also want to take a moment to give props to my sister who has lost 40 pounds in 4 months!

She is doing amazing!  We might be rivaling weights in the next couple of months as I keep getting bigger and she keeps getting smaller!  HAHA!  But no, seriously... she has been doing a great job - and if you need a little inspiration for some motivation... shoot her an email or a blog comment.  I know she is happy to encourage and share with others how she has been able to make life changes to better herself!

It's so hard to get pictures of myself and Eloise together... 

so we resort to the good old "hold the camera out and SNAP!"

 Not always the most flattering, but that's OK!

While Eloise napped yesterday, I was able to get a custom order filled for Baby Shoes!

Here is my preggo self working on the last pair!

It's such a relief to have them done... only 7 more custom pairs so sew!

Here are the finished products that I'll be sending out today!

I hope the customer likes them!

I know I do!!

Fall Fest 2012

This past weekend was my sister's family's Fall Festival (what a mouth full). 

They were blessed to have beautiful weather!  Though the grass was a bit wet in the

morning, which caused a bit of mud, over all you couldn't have asked for a nicer day!

I didn't get a ton of pictures...

My mom and I set up a table and I was pretty much glued to it all day...

Minus the few minutes I got to browse some of the booths, 

use the restroom (hello, pregnant!)

and chase Eloise!

But here were some things from the day! 

I only sold 4 pairs of baby shoes...

bummer.

But I do have 9 orders that I took... 

(since I didn't have the right fabrics/sizes pre-made).

And I listed a bunch of what I have in my Etsy Shop!

My mom had some funky pottery to sell... I almost wanted to buy something... 

I love her face plates!  Maybe I'll get lucky and get one for Christmas!  haha

My mom was busy making fresh homemade donuts

 (which is why I was stuck at our table most of the day!)... 

and I have to admit, I ate one... and it was DELICIOUS!

Cory spent his time keeping an eye on our ever-busy girl!

Dancing to the dulcimer music!

My parents silly dog, Nickel... what a funny pic!

Eloise loves her "strawberries" - which are actually raspberries!

This picture didn't go too well... 

she wasn't very thrilled not being able to run around for the 

5 seconds we tried to get a picture of her!

My sister's oldest!

Eloise LOVED riding my parents pony, Jasper!

She literally giggled most of the way!

And before I forget... since I already did once...

Eloise turned 20 months old on the 23rd.

I usually try to take a picture of her face and edit it all sweet, if I can.

Well, I totally forgot and this was what I had!

But hey, I captured her in all of her natural goofiness!

I love it!

HAPPY OCTOBER!!