Showered with gifts!

Saturday was so much fun! My wonderful friends hosted a shower for Baby Zane and he got so much great stuff. The kid is already spoiled rotten and hasn't even made an appearance yet. I felt so blessed to have lots of family and friends share the day with me. Zane had two grandmothers, three great-grandmothers, one aunt, two great-aunts, one great-great-aunt, and seven cousins there!

I feel a little more prepared to bring a baby home after the shower--he actually has socks to keep his little feet warm now!

Gwendolyn stayed with me Friday and Saturday night and it was so relaxing to just have girls' nights and hang out. I owe her a big thanks for helping me put together the swing (please let raising a child be easier than following those directions!) and organizing all of his clothes and other goodies!

The hostesses: Sara, Amy, (me), Allyson, Whitney, Gwendolyn

Zane's diaper cake that Amy made and yummy food that Allyson made

Blocks from Whitney

Candy bar diaper game. Gross, huh?

Zane's first Razorback gear

Mom & me (32weeks)

Mom, me, Mammaw Alice

Aunt Lindsey, me, Zanette, Mama Doot

Showing Matt the goodies! Excuse his hair--he had just woken up. Is that really my belly?
It felt like Christmas morning!

And of course the pups had to test drive the swing

Duck Duck Goose

Ok, so I know that was over a month ago, but I just wanted to share my experience.

This was the first time I've ever been to Duck Duck Goose and I had a great time! I went with two of my good friends from high school, Faith and Tara. Faith has Jackson (3) and a baby girl on the way! Tara has her hands full with twins, Tayla and Trista (3).

The sale started on Thursday....we didn't go until Saturday....and that place was STILL packed with clothes! Apparently, they also have furniture, strollers, toys, etc. I never made it out of the clothes. People were leaving with clothes by the arm-load! I couldn't believe that on the final day of the sale there were still clothes there with the tags on them--never even worn! Here are a few pics of my favorite finds.

Couldn't resist an outfit from Gymboree with a dachshund on it...

Especially when he wraps all the way around!

Or this cute corduroy Polo jumper....

And I love the sock monkey slippers that match mine!
Faith, Tara, and Me

Me & Faith, 24 & 27 weeks

I've been tagged....

I've been tagged by hannah.pratt.fulks.....That means this blog must include seven random facts about myself...I know, scary.

1. I always sit facing the door in restaurants....ALWAYS. Maybe it's survival instinct...gotta see the danger before it attacks, can't let anything sneak up on me. Or maybe I'm just nosey and want to see people as they walk through the door. Yeah, that's probably it.

2. I color coordinate my closet. White, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, blue, green, brown, black. Then I take it a step further....if available, red shirts go on red hangers, blue shirts on blue hangers, etc. I've been known to go out and buy new hangers in a specific color. I also have sections: short sleeves, long sleeves, shorts, jeans, pants, dresses, jackets. Good thing I have a big closet.

3. If you're ever at my house and want to help clean up the kitchen, don't load the dishwasher. I'll probably just rearrange it when you're not looking. I have a specific way I like dishes to face. Matt has made me leave the kitchen before so that I won't see how he loads it. I mean, if they're clean, I'm not gonna rearrange and REwash, but if it hasn't been turned on yet, it's fair game for rearrangement.

4. I've had 11 room/apartment/housemates. Is that alot? Let's start at the beginning....Freshman year I lived in Francis-Crawford with Sarah Green Orr. That summer I shared an apartment in Arkadelphia with Mary Beth Olvey and Cindy Quinney. Sophomore year I lived in Perrin West with Whitney Baker White. That summer I lived in the Really Old, Stinky Ouachita apartments (I think that might have even been their official name) with Angela Pickens. First semester of Junior year I lived in Maddox with Whitney again (not counting her twice) and Julia McFerrin and Janelle Lyon Hunt. Second semester I moved into the Caddo apartments with Jenni Greer and Amanda Perkins. That summer, Jenni and Amanda were replaced with Gwendolyn McCollum Howell and Megan McGraw Frisby, and temporarily Angela lived with us (illegally, I might add :)....don't tell Keldon). I didn't count Angela twice and I won't count Jenni twice, even though I did live in an apartment in Little Rock with her my first year of pharmacy school. Does this mean I'm hard to live with? Well, I can happily say that I've had the same "roommate" now for over 5 years and he hasn't moved out...yet! I guess that makes it 12. Should I include the three 'tenants' that Matt and I have housed along the way?....nah....

5. I assign a gender to all numbers, letters, and colors. For example, white and yellow are girls, brown and green are boys. One and six -- girls, four and five --boys. C and M are girls, F and R are boys. You may be wondering, "If one is a girl, does that make all numbers 10-19 girls?" Nope, you go by the second digit.

6. I'm TERRIFIED of storms. Once I was on a boat at Lake DeGray....a HUGE black cloud was looming in front of us....the people I was with wanted to drive around the storm! Around it??? Really??? No way! I cried...real tears. And was about to jump out of the boat and swim back to the dock. I was probably 26 when this happened. They took me back.

7. I started out my relationship with Matt based on a lie. Okay, that's a little harsh. It was just a little white lie. Let me explain....So we were at that 'new' stage, where maybe he'd wait for me after Organic class, studying for quizzes in big group suddenly wasn't as much fun as studying alone.....we weren't "together", but something was there....You get the picture. Anyway, I heard that he was a big Pat Green fan. (At this time no one knew who Pat Green was.) So I downloaded some Pat songs, listened to them, memorized them, actually liked them... and the first time I picked Matt up in my car, guess what was subtly and softly playing? Matt heard it and said (and I quote), "Is that Pat Green?! You're the coolest girl I know!" Of course I'm the coolest girl he knows....duh... Anyway, I really did become a Pat fan. At our wedding we danced to a good ole Pat Green tune, Family Man. During our dance I confessed my little secret. I'm sure we were destined to be together anyway...but it couldn't have hurt, right?

Feel free to share your thoughts on how strange I am....

I now tag:
1. Devin Bertram
2. Jessica Cates
3. Jaime Melcher
4. Jordan Woodruff

Because I don't want to forget...

This was one of those moments that I want to remember....it makes being sick and having back pain a little more tolerable....

Friday morning I was on the couch while Matt was busy getting his things together for squirrel camp. (Yes, squirrel camp....most guys go to deer camp, but it's a Bell family tradition that squirrel camp takes place the first weekend of October.) Anyway, Matt was walking around the house singing as he gathered his things. Baby Zane was kicking up a storm! So much that I could see my belly jumping. I wanted Matt to see so I yelled for him to come over and look. He walked over......and of course the kicking stopped. Matt's not very patient, so after a few seconds of no action, he went back to his business...and started singing again. Here come the kicks! "Matt! He's doing it again!" Matt returns -- no kicks. You get the picture...this happened about three times.

Then I got a bright idea..."Matt, come over here again -- but KEEP SINGING." As corny as it sounds, Matt sang to my belly and Baby Zane had a little dance party! It was so funny! I told Matt, "I think he likes your singing...or maybe he doesn't...but either way he's responding to it."

I wish I had this on video, because I know it would make this a lot more interesting....but, number one: Who has the video camera ready for moments like this? and number 2: I'm not subjecting the world to my big belly.

Again, just a moment that I want to be able to remember...

Catching up....

Okay, Laurie, this is for you....I mean, this is for your husband--I know he eagerly awaits my blog entries.....

Time to play a little catch up....guess I'll start with the most recent and work my way back....

We ordered a crib and baby bedding! Yay! A little progress. I love the crib! And it's versatile--a canopy can be added to the four posters, or they can be removed all together. It also converts to a daybed. I wasn't anxious about getting the nursery done until we actually ordered stuff, but now I can't wait for it to get here! It's weird for me to call it 'the nursery', because we typically call it 'the box room'.....if you've been to my house you know why...if you haven't, well, it's pretty self explanatory. Here are pictures of the crib, bedding, and two dresser/changers I've got my eye on......Opinions welcome on the dresser/changer....

The crib

The bedding

Maybe....

Just the dresser on the far left.....

Last weekend we stayed in Fayetteville with John and Gwendolyn and had a great time! I'm kicking myself now because I went the whole weekend without taking a single pic with Gwendolyn or McCollum! We had lots of fun, and thanks for letting us stay! Matt and I went to the game on Saturday night....Although the Hogs pulled off a win, we hope the first game that Baby Zane sees is much better!

Go Hogs!

A few weeks ago we went on vacation to Seaside, Florida! The night before we left, news reports said that Tropical Storm Fay was hours away from the Sunshine State, so we just knew we were driving into the eye of a hurricane......We were so lucky---Perfect weather all week! TS Fay didn't arrive until the night before we left. We went with another couple, Jonathan & Sarah Stringer. We had some good laughs, great food, and way too much sun!

Getting tan!

Dinner at The Red Bar

Wish I was still there....

In front of our cottage (20weeks preggo)

Gimme Shelter

Inside of Gimme Shelter

My brother started pharmacy school.....Good luck! Dad, Lee, Mom

And finally, a preggo pic to add to the mix. This was taken at 19 weeks.

If you lie down with dogs......

I've decided to dedicate this blog entry to my two four-legged babies, Emma and Paisley. I have a feeling that in a few months they may be a little attention-deprived. So, here are some pictures of our 'little girls', some old, some recent....and the one of Matt sleeping on the couch with them was actually taken today....he was worn out from a tough morning at Children's.

Matt napping with the girls

Me and Paisley

Paisley

Emma

Lola (their 'aunt'), Paisley, and Emma in their Christmas outfits

It's A Boy!!!!

This is Baby Zane's first movie! The beginning of the video shows his face on the left of the screen. Watch closely and you will see him open his mouth and begin to suck his thumb! So cute! I also added some still shots from the ultrasound. We are 100% boy! He weighs 10oz and all of his measurements were right on with the gestational age (19 weeks, 1 day). What an exciting day! I have been so anxious to shop for this little guy. We leave Sunday night for Seaside, Florida and I can't wait to hit the outlet malls. No doubt this baby will be dressed in style!