The Art of Making Baby

 

Ralph’s Big Birthday…Every year I seem to out do the year before…You all witnessed my Balloon Display of Love topped with the Candy Birthday Greeting Announcing Red Sox Tickets. His Birthday seemed to last all week as the surprises continued. This Year I had a better Idea. 

His Gift:  an ULTRASOUND! 

 Yes- That’s Right an Ultrasound… Ralph and I are Expecting OUR FIRST BABY, a GIRL!! !! This has been by far the hardest secret I have had to keep. We found out late in the Game (Sorry to my male Blog Followers, it’s about to get Girlie!!) We found out at 12/13 WEEKS! I had a very lite period the two months prior which I assumed was because I was completely stressed, finishing up my teaching degree and I had a change in my diet. Following the two off, the next month was nonexistent -----Insert OMG we might be having a baby here------ I take a home pregnancy test and it was POSITIVE!! Ralph and I are elated. I make my first Doctors appointment thinking I would hear that I was 4-5 weeks pregnant and almost hit the floor when the woman said 12-13 weeks!!! Being so close to the time we would find out the gender we decided to wait to tell our Family and Friends (WAITING WAS HARD!!!) We both wanted to shout it from the Roof Tops! We had a very small “inner circle” we were able to give the word too, so we both wouldn’t explode…and we waited some more. Until 17 weeks 5 days, I convinced the Doctors office to Book MAY 30 (Ralph’s Birthday) for the Ultrasound. They were hesitant at first as they do it after the 18^th week, I was pretty convincing and the appointment was booked. I told Ralph he needed to take his Birthday off from work and he did, I wanted to keep the ultrasound part a surprise too but I quickly said, “Can you guess what your present is??” 

I was sure the day I found out I was pregnant that I was having a Little Baby Girl, my SOPHIA….Ralph on the other hand wouldn’t make a peep, not even an inkling to whether he thought it was a boy or girl. He just kept saying he hoped for a healthy baby, as did I. The days were long as we waited almost 4 ½ weeks for the BIG DAY. I was up at 4:30 in the morning…I watched Ralph sleep, I pondered our future, I cried as I knew all of our dreams were coming true. Ralph woke and we got ready, my mom was at my house at 7:50 and we were out the door at 7:52. The appointment was at 9 a.m. in Natick, (I did a ton of research to find what I felt was the best care out there, I think we found the perfect doctor.) 

  I drank a ton of water on the way, and we were off…Ralph took the scenic route as the traffic was horrific on the highway, which I actually think was a better idea because it calmed my nerves going along those twisting turning back roads. When we arrived everyone was SO friendly, I must have had that FIRST TIME MOM panic/excitement on my face. We all sat and I had Cards for Ralph’s Birthday that I had him open. We were called in and we began…After about 40 minutes and one very sleepy baby, we came to the conclusion with the ultrasound technician that we weren’t going to get the shot we needed to see if it was a boy or girl. When she said she is one “Stubborn” baby I laughed so hard that things started to move…She said keep doing that and when I looked at Ralph and he was laughing because he knew I was laughing about my belly “Jiggling” I COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING!!! Well it worked, the baby woke up, stretched and we found out we were HAVING A LITTLE BABY GIRL!!!!! The tears were ever present and we could not believe that we finally knew….I think another 4 week wait would have surely been torture and I would have definitely spilled the beans! 

We called everyone to tell them and broke the news to extended friends and family via Facebook, which really was the fastest way we knew how, it had been the longest day and my phone died three times, I don’t think the phone left my hand until 9:20 at night when I passed out from exhaustion in our bed! What a whirlwind of a day, what a magical day, what a day we will NEVER forget. I don’t think any Birthday will top the Birthday Ralph found out he was having a beautiful healthy Baby GIRL! He told me later that day that on Tuesday when he was taking a shower this feeling came over him that he was going to be the daddy of a baby girl (I got the chills) but still just had hoped for a healthy baby, but who knew that we would both be right! 

I had spent that time “waiting” planning a Gender Reveal party thinking it would be fun for our family and friends to come over when we did the big reveal…it’s one of those things, as much as I planned and scoured Pinterest I COULDN’T WAIT! Although I had found some pretty fun ideas…

So what now?! Well I have some big plans in place; Little Sophia has some CRAZY wardrobe that needs to be tended to…Most of you know it is my ULTIMATE dream to be a Mommy, so much so that I started buying Baby clothes at 18! It all started when I went to a baby shower and walked into the gap to get a gift, I saw the cutest cardigan and skirt that I knew I had to have…The obsession started. I have about 20 Rubbermaid bins labeled in my basement “Sophia” and “Carmine” Sophia has a FULL wardrobe from newborn to five years old! It’s crazy how much money we will save not having to buy clothes…I mean I just pulled a pair of Ralph Lauren jeans out of her 0-12 month old bin that I had purchased for $42 dollars, I have no idea how much money over the past ten years I have invested in my “Unborn” children’s clothes but I have to say now what a huge relief that She has EVERYTHING!!!! My friends would all joke about it and we would always laugh at how “CRAZY” it was and believe me…even I knew it was NUTS! But now as I sit on my living room floor cutting the tags off the most beautiful wardrobe, I couldn’t be happier!! She is going to be one styling little girl!! My mom always use to say if you can actually meet a guy that isn’t scared away when he sees your wedding bins and baby bins you have a KEEPER! Well he was never intimidated or scared, he knew my “crazy” over planning side and was honestly totally fine with it! 

Now on to the nitty gritty, I have 3 classes until I GRADUATE with my teaching degree…Of course I am going to do it, I am signed up and ready to go…It’s Crunch time! This year will certainly be one for the books, I will be having a baby, graduating college, marrying the man of my dreams and starting a whole new adventure!! Every single Life Goal I had will be fulfilled this coming year and I am ecstatic!! It’s really crazy how things work out…Two days before we found out that we were having a baby I was in tears, like crying all day long for two days straight, I (we) had three venue’s picked out where we wanted to get married, they were ALL booked including 3 others that I stumbled upon as I searched, I wrote about this in a previous post. Long story short I wasn’t going to settle and we made the decision to wait, we wanted that DREAM WEDDING and we had decided on our first choice and will be married October 4^th 2014. It’s so unbelievable that in this crazy twist of fate I wouldn’t have even been able to fit into my 2 amazing wedding dresses and would have been 9 months pregnant. I believe in fate and everything happening for a reason….We will now have the most magical wedding and our baby girl will be pulled down the aisle in a little wagon!  ---more tears--- I tell you the tears of joy have not stopped! 

                 Thank you all for the Love and Support…I will be sure to update with play by plays! And those blog followers that guessed it you were sooooo RIGHT!

Side Note:

I’ve been getting to all of your e-mails at a very snail pace; sorry it is taking so long, yes advertisements on the blog will start taking place, but there is now a waiting list to do so, so please leave all information. I currently have traffic of over 7,000 visitors everyday (Did I mention you all ROCK!) Thank you all for following my crazy life for a full year now…almost reaching 1 MILLION hits. Mind blowing!

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Loving Life

The weeks are seriously flying by. Over the weekend I had a few events to attend. My Best friend Sandra had her “Spring Fling” at her Dancing Studio. Which was literally the cutest thing ever. All her little girl dancers (starting from age 3) got all dolled up and attended the “Prom” at the studio. I went down to take some pictures and help out. Watching all the little girl’s bebop and dance around in their beautiful dresses was so stinking cute. 

Then the following day I had my friend Shannon’s Bridal Shower. Which was absolutely Beautiful! It was held at a country club a few towns over and the inside had amazing wooden beams and white lights, a fun country/vintage feel. Everyone had a great time and I took lots of pictures and was able to surprise her with a YouTube video keepsake of her special day! It seriously makes me tear up to watch it. We have all been friends since High school and here we are ten years later taking that next step in life…we are all getting engaged, married and have kids or about to have children.

 It is everything I wished and hoped for and never thought the time would come and now here it is. Celebrating this next chapter in our now adult life. It feels like yesterday we were parading through town in our decorated cars for Senior Day, Skipping class to go to the Beach and Crying at the thought that things were going to change. Boy did things change, but in the most magical way possible…We are starting families and we get to enjoy this ride with one another. Maybe in another 8 years we will dig up our “Time Capsule” and get some laughs! 

                                        You Can watch the Video HERE

 

It’s Friday the start of Memorial weekend…We will be heading over to Anthony and Crystal’s for their annual Cookout and a few other fun things we need to tend to and of course celebrating the true meaning of memorial day with a few special things we do on this day. (Memorial Day is not just about an extra day off of work and Cookouts). Then Ralph’s BIG Birthday Reveal. I’m so Looking forward to this weekend and coming week. Life is definitely one exciting journey and I’m enjoying Every Second of this ride!! 

Mother/Daughter Sleepover

      MOTHER'S & DAUGHTER'S

               My step father is having a few of his college buddies fly in and stay at my parents’ house…Which means my mom is SLEEPING OVER MY HOUSE! I’m so excited for this…I could barely sleep last night. Yes I’m a big adult baby when it comes to my mom, she is my best friend and we are constantly together but since being a “Grown Up” I have not had my mom to tuck me in or wake me up singing “You are my Sunshine”  since I was about 19. So this 20 something woman is jumping up and down like a 5 year old. I have our night mapped out from movies, games to baking Mother/Daughter Loaded Blonde Brownies!!

 The spare bedroom is all set up, I just want to stop and pick up fresh flowers on my way home. I love having weekend guest but ESPECIALLY my mommy!! Ralph laughs at my excitement as she is always over anyway but it’s different this weekend. This weekend she gets to put socks on my feet just before I fall asleep, make sure that I don’t fall asleep with any necklaces or bracelets on, as necklaces can strangle you while you sleep and bracelets can cut off your circulation ;) I love all these little quirky things she does and I can’t wait to be spoiled rotten while she sleeps over! I know I will be waking up to a huge breakfast with freshly squeezed orange juice and a clean house, she’s just that good! Hope you all enjoy your weekend. IT’S FRIDAY!!!!!!! 

If you all want the recipe for Mother/Daughter Blondie Brownie’s here it is…. YUM!! 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. butter
• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. peanut butter eggs, chopped
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. peanuts, chopped
• 1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping
• 1/4 c. hot fudge ice cream topping

Instructions

Stir together dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until creamy and light. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients while mixing on low. Stir in the chocolate chips, peanuts, and peanut butter eggs by hand.

Spread the batter in a greased 9X13 pan. Drizzle with the caramel and hot fudge topping. Gently swirl into the batter with a knife. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Set on a wire rack until cooled completely. Cut into squares. Serve with ice cream and more hot fudge if desired.

Spring Time & Fake Flowers

Beautiful New England day!! Spring is definitely here…It is beautiful out! Today while I was home I was mapping out my not so great landscaping ideas. I guess I need to do some research, apparently. I was on the phone with the boy when I told him I needed to get the flowers out of the basement, in his confusion I explained the flowers I had stored from last year. I could see he found this humorous as he was wondering why I put the {assuming} fresh flowers from Home Depot in the basement. Oh no hunny the fake flowers that I throw a sundress on and pretend to water with my pink watering can while I wave to all the neighbors working on their meticulous lawns. Yes I’m one of those, a flower phony! 

Time to grow up: I’ve been watching youtube videos for the past 30 minutes to get inspired that I the plant/flower Killer will be able to keep alive. I’m going with “Easy” goof proof flowers that even if you forget to water them for a week will supposedly still live. Bye Bye fake flowers HELLO real Flowers in the V House! I knew it was time to say goodbye to the fake flowers last year as I saw from the window my neighbor’s son sleekly walking over to our yard, shyly bending down and feeling a petal. Ralph knew exactly what the kid was doing…Ralph said “Hey” jokingly to spook him, well it worked and the kid said “I’m really sorry my father and I had a money bet, I thought your flowers were real and he thought they were fake.” We all laughed about it as Ralph yelled across the yards, “He needs to Pay Up!” This little incident tells me two things, I buy really convincing fake flowers and some can’t be fooled! 

I think I would love to have real flowers in the yard, and I’m actually quite excited. We have mulch being delivered this weekend and we have some serious yard work ahead of us…Ralph HATED disliked the red mulch I purchased for the yard last year so it all needs to be removed and we need to trim things down. My mom bought a very special Bird House for us (will share detail later) that I was so eager to hang. This weekend is supposed to be in the 70’s so I’m so looking forward to homemade lemonade, grilling and planting a little herb garden. I will take pictures of me “helping” ralph slaving away in the front of the house ;) 

 As you can see our yard took a beating this winter and needs some serious loving....But look a little birdie made a home in the baby Cowboy Boot Bird House. LOVE!

Today’s song and my recent obsession: Wagon Wheel, can you imagine how floored I was to watch the video and see that my Favorite boys “The Robertson’s” were in it! We have had this song rocking through our home the whole week. Enjoy! 

Blogging Basics

We’re Alive ;) It’s been a roller coaster of events in the past few months. I’m on the verge of finishing up my teaching degree 4 MORE CLASSES!! But it has been a lot of work… Finals were a tsunami of never ending studying, but all went well. Now that I have time to come up for air I can debrief on the {Magical} Madness that has bestowed our household…. Wedding Date has been set. Saturday October 4^th 2014. In my desperate attempts and pleas to find the perfect venue I came to a screeching halt as I quickly realized people book a year in advance for all the best Fall Locations in New England! There were two that could accommodate a Friday wedding but oh how I loathe Friday weddings. Not only would I be racing around, but all my guest would have to take the day off of work or at least a half day and truthfully I wanted my completely booked up (fri-sat-sun) Dream Venue not my second or third choice. So I (or rather we) would have to wait. 

Do you all know it’s true how they say everything happens for a reason?!? Well it does. This October just wouldn’t have worked and after moping around the fact that we weren’t getting married this year a string of Unbelievable events started to unfold in the past three weeks. Like so unbelievable that I’m going to leave you all in Suspense until Ralph’s Birthday on May 30^th! And with all this freed up time I will be back to crafting, baking, decorating and blogging which really makes me happy because I’ve missed y’all. We will have lots of new things going on this Spring and Summer, guest bloggers, product reviews from some fabulous companies that have sent me some pretty rocking gifts to a whole new Surprise Journey. This will be one amazing unforgettable year and I want to capture all of it! I’m so thrilled that I have you all on board.