Last Thanksgiving Without A Baby!

37 weeks pregnant...

Thanksgiving in Dallas with Blake's side of the the family the week prior.

My College Roomates

These 2 girls were the biggest part of my life my junior and senior year at Texas A&M. We were blessed to have Kelli's family buy a beautiful house for us to live in and share more memories that I can even write about. 3 of my biggest loves began in that house during those 2 years - drinking coffee black, drinking robust red wines and the love of boxers!

This November, Kate married her college sweet heart, Ricky Wood. Tonight, they began their lives' together at a beautiful outdoor ceremony in a bed and breakfast near Fredricksburg, TX. Kelli came all the way in from Boston for the big weekend. Alli traveled from Houston for one night for us all to be together again for the first time since last year at Alli's bachelor party in South Beach.

The Sterling Family, Steve, Kelli, Kim and Colby. I couldn't get enough of this family during college.... so much fun and so amazing. Kim gave me so much insight on having a successful marriage and I will always remember her telling me that, "there will always be rough patches... and there are times I have wanted to kill him... but you work through those times together." I have so much respect for their family dynamic and the love they have always had for one another.

This photo of Kate was stunning.

I look about 12 months pregnant in this polka dot top tonight at 36 weeks pregnant.

Our Couples Baby Shower!

The Perkins hosted our shower in their beautiful home along with The Leonard's, Lopez's and White's!

The night was filled with lots of old and new friends that Blake and I are so lucky to have here in San Antonio. Even Scott and Krista Lay were able to make it all the way in from Tyler for the weekend, to help us celebrate, as well as Jay and Allyson Tjoekler from Austin.

Alison has been my "mommy mentor" since before I got pregnant. She has given me so much invaluable advice having a 1 year boy - Hudson already! I am so blessed to have her in my life every day as my Lilly partner and friend at this crucial part in my life.

Some of our guests and fantastic gifts...

Shower Time!

Today was my very first baby shower, thrown my some of my amazing girl friends... Rosanna, Jennifer Hickey, Cindy Sebeck & Alison (DiPuma) Casey.

We played a TON of hilarious games.

I am so blessed to have "MeMa" here to share in this special time in my life.

Danielle and Nancy celebrating the big day with us!

And of course one of my very best friends, Megan Perkins, right by my side.

Carter's Nursery

Diane, my mom and I have had such a wonderful time designing Carter's nursery. Our inspiration came from this great checkered fabric my mom found. Diane made them into long drapes and my mom handmade the crib skirt with the same fabric.

I ordered this coordinating blue on blue (like the fabulous walls) fabric and got the rocking glider chair covered with it. Speaking of the walls, they were such a labor of love for our unborn child. Blake and I joke that we have never fought like we did while hand painting these walls together over the last couple of months. What started out as a 1 wall project quickly turned into a huge entire room project when I loved the understated look so much. If Carter ever wants to paint his room when he gets older, you bet, we will put up a fight! ;)

Both of these items hanging are Blake's when he was a toddler. I can't wait to see Carter in them! Blake stained all the bookshelves in the room to match the dresser. I bought all the furniture planning on Carter using it all the way through college.

The cradle that is under the window was Joe's when he was a baby and also his father's. It is said to be close to 100 years old. We love it and look forward to having it in our bedroom for a few weeks right when we bring Carter home from the hospital.

My goal was to keep his room simple and not "baby-ish." I once was told that you should make the nursery more for youself since you are the one that will spend so much time in there with a newborn baby! It will be fun to see how it fills up with personal items of Carter's, as he gets older.

Carter's Nursey.

This room has been a labor of love that Blake and I have put so much time and energy into. With
only a couple dozen little quarrels along the way, mostly due to my perfectionism, while going through the extraordinary process of hand painting the walls with a 6 step process for each row. We now confidently know that we will succeed together in what ever God may throw our way!

The curtains were made by Blake's mom, Diane. The coordinating crib bed skirt was hand made by my mom, Cheryl. I got the glider chair custom upholstered with coordinating blue on blue checkered fabric that is exactly like the walls. The small wooden bassinet was from the "Ernst" side of the family and said to be at least 100 years old. It is where Joe slept as a baby.

Even the pillow was made my Diane and myself together and will be embroidered with Carter' s birth date. Carter is measuring nice and big and his due date was officially moved from first week in January 2007 to December 25, 2006.... yep.... Christmas Day! What a true gift from God!

Blake hand stained the 2 bookshelves in Carter's room and even painted matching blue squares on the top of this small one. The "Houston" football jacket and "Dallas Cowboys" vintage jersey were both Blake's when he was a little boy and I can't wait to see Carter in both of them!

Our "Babies" (For Now)

We have been hard at work in "Carter's" Nursery. The painting job we have done is simply amazing and Blake and I keep saying that if Carter ever says he wants to re-paint his room, he will have to do it himself! Stay tuned for more pictures. For now, he are our adorable 2 first born sons.

Smokey (4 years) and Maverick (3 years) truly have no idea how much all of our lives are about to change come December!