The Lone Pregnant Belly Shot

Well, I think this is all we're going to get in way of pregnancy belly shots so enjoy. It's from this week; I'm officially at 9.5 months. For comparative sake, the image below is from when I was 9.5 months preggers with Hunter and thusly the weight of a small (but sizable) house. Phew.

Baby Peanut Update

Hi everyone. It's been a very trying week but I wanted to give you an update on how the impending addition is doing, now that we're less than 5 weeks out from meeting Little Miss.

This past Saturday I went into pre-term labor and had to be treated at Beaumont. I have been having some growing Braxton-Hicks contracts which is to be expected at this stage of pregnancy, but they were getting pretty intense while I was visiting Eric and Laura and eventually started feeling some severe cramping as well. I stopped by home to find Brad (who was out running) and proceeded on to Beaumont Labor and Delivery where I ended up getting hooked up to an IV, pumped full of fluid (who knew I was dehydrated?) and given a shot of Turboline to stop the contractions which were erratic but at their worst, 6 minutes apart. Fortunately this worked and we were sent home.

Monday's recheck at the doctor went fine although she alerted me that I'm measuring small for the baby's growth and scheduled me for an ultrasound this morning, so I'm currently drafting this update from the food court at the hospital. Measuring small can be attributed to a number of different factors -- low amniotic fluid, low fetal weight or even just the way the baby is positioned, so had to just sit tight until today to find out the cause.

Baby looked good on the ultrasound and one of the profile photos is above. She has both of her hands up by her mouth in this photo so her profile is slightly obscured although you can see her little nose. She's currently around 4 1/2 pounds which is a bit small for this stage but I'm just thinking she'll end up being a petite little thing like her mommy. Seems only fair given Hunter is such a giant. They spent a lot of time doing measurements and will give me a call this afternoon with an update but overall things looked okay. The fun little tidbit is that she apparently has a lot of hair! It was even showing up on the ultrasound so the tech was laughing at that because it's not often she's able to pick it up.

I have been having a lot of cramping and Braxton Hicks since Saturday so please keep your fingers crossed and the prayers going that Baby Peanut is able to stay put until July 13th so we can ensure her some good development time in the cooker. Overall, any good thoughts you can send this way would be most appreciated.

With much love, Jeanine (and Baby Peanut)

The View From Way Up Here

Oh THERE ARE MY FEET!

While we await Brad's true photo shoot of The Bell (as in pregnant 'belly') this weekend, perhaps you can feast your eyes on my current viewpoint of Baby Peanut.

5 weeks, 5 days and counting!

Growing Up With Big Brothers

Photo courtesy of Ashley Ann Photography, Under The Sycamore: http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/


You may have noticed by its listing on the left side of our blog that I'm deeply, madly, truly in love with Ashley Ann: Under The Sycamore. The photography is awe-inspiring and her DIY crafts are always worth a try, not to mention the beautiful yet professional blog layout which is far superior to any of the templates here at Blogspot (read: obvious jealousy).

And with a Baby Girl Peanut on board (due 6 weeks from today!!), Friday's Sycamore post titled Growing Up With Big Brothers really spread a warm smile on my face. Why? Because our Baby Girl will have a wonderful big brother as her role model, her tree-climbing partner, her rock-throwing coach, her how-to-properly-run-through-a-sprinkler trainer, her 'here's how to scream at the top of your lungs' instructor, her 'let's stay up all night on Christmas and not let mommy or daddy get any sleep' tutor and her best friend. Their little one donning a denim dress and Spiderman costume head? Adorable. And SO in our very near future. :) Enjoy.

Things We Are Loving This Week

• 3-day holiday weekends that allow us to do things like say, RELAX (oh and some much-needed housework like spreading mulch, cleaning gutters and starting the demo of the tile on the front stairs)
• Hunter's newest words and phrases: "the piccups" (translation: hiccups), 'livery truck's not here today!, calerpillar
• Being 6 weeks away from finally meeting our Baby Girl Peanut!
• H's discovery of toddler-favorite, the Bob the Builder cartoon on PBS Sprout
• The memories of our beloved lilacs growing alongside the fence this year
  
• My latest pregnancy cravings: chai creme frappuchinos from Starbucks and corn Chex cereal
• Our new favorite TV series, Party Down on STARZ (created by actor Paul Rudd and friends)
• Maternity undies (sorry to all male readers but they are just. so. damn. comfortable.)
• Clothes shopping for Baby Girl... and this dress that snuck its way into my shopping bag :)


• Hearing President Barack Obama give his regards to the University of Michigan graduating class of 2010 by declaring "It's great to be here in the Big House. And so may I say 'GO BLUE!'". You may read the entire speech here.
• This adorable pillow from Etsy seller OutonalimbDesign which will make an stinkin' cute addition to Baby Peanut's room

This Just In

The date has changed. I repeat: we have a DATE CHANGE for Baby Peanut's imminent arrival. Please add an arrow to that note on your calendars next to July 12th, and extend it over one day. Due to doctor scheduling, we are now expecting a bouncing baby girl on Tuesday, July 13th.

At first, I was hesitant to agree to the 13th (I mean HELLO isn't 13 an UNLUCKY NUMBER?), but then I realized something else: It's just a number. And for us, it will now forever be a good one.

Here's to 7 weeks and counting!

Out With The Old, In With The New

Farewell Mazda CX-7. You have served me well but the time has come for a big girl car. With features like HEATED SEATS. And a MOON ROOF. And REAR SENSORS. And 18" CHROME WHEELS. And SATELLITE RADIO. Am I excited? Oh yeah.

What Are YOU Doing July 12th?

I can tell you where the Michigan Bobenmoyers will be: At the hospital! Having a baby! No time yet, but as of now we are officially on the schedule for a Cesarean delivery on Monday, July 12th. So mark your calendars: Baby Peanut is coming!


Wait a minute (Slight freak out moment): That's just 2 months from TODAY. I'd better get moving on those nursery decorations... and stocking up on those baby girl clothes... and getting H into his Big Boy room... Lots to do, less than 9 weeks to do it...

Head Shot

As if carrying around 15 extra pounds and a gradually-slowing walk weren't bad enough, this weekend HWB decided to gift me with his Mother's Day present early.. an ill-timed head-butt to the forehead. I honestly thought I was going to pass out.

Luckily my mom was on scene to assess and provide support in the form of a cold compress.

Not wanting to be outdone, Hunter also demanded he receive an 'ice pack' (read: a wet paper towel). The aftermath appears below.

I Love Me Some Whole Foods' Peanut Butter Pows Cereal

Grown up adult peanut butter cereal? Delicious. Also considered a great pick-me-up on the West Coast. Just look at it's impact on these two test individuals...

Ladies Lunching... Er, Breakfasting

One of my favorite Royal Oak haunts used to be an adorable little cosmetics store called Poppy Beauty Bar. Unfortunately I preface this with 'used to be' as with the downturn of the economy and all it's negatives, Poppy also became victim to financial crisis and closed. I was crushed as I had become fond of Poppy's owner, Theresa, who fed me all my Royal Oak gossip and always encouraged me to try new products.

One of the other things I admired about Theresa was her love for new breakfast nooks on a weekly basis: It became common practice for her to snag the New York Times crossword puzzle and venture to a new restaurant for breakfast every Sunday (her only day off from Poppy mind you!). And it was with this same inspiration in mind that our ladies Breakfast Club was born: Once a month Laura, Katie, Melissa and I get together for breakfast, lots of chatting and some delicious eats. We take turns selecting a place to meet (in rotating order by birthday), and escape for a little girl time. So far our adventures have taken us to:

• January: Cafe Muse in Royal Oak. May I suggest the Mascarpone-Stuffed French Toast?
• February: Beverly Hills Grille in Beverly Hills. Carrot cake pancakes... say no more!
• March: Pete's Broadway Cafe in Ferndale. Challah French Toast (which Laura lovingly pronounces with the 'ch')
• April: Toast in Birmingham. Yummmmm. Grand Marnier French Toast (are you sensing a theme here?)
• May (today!): Good Girls Go To Paris Crepes in Detroit. The "Kay" crepe was to die for!

So be inspired! Try something new this week. (And it always helps to bring a few good girlfriends along to share in the fun!)

The President Is Coming! The President Is Coming!

Photo from 4/27/2010 AnnArbor.com article "What deficit? Obama's University of Michigan appearance boosts Ann Arbor economy" by Nathan Bomey


I mean seriously. I had a Pultizer-Prize winning journalist whose speech was on par with the dull bore that is Clint Eastwood's 'acting skill' (sorry). PJ's class was entertained (and I use that term loosely) by the likes of our current Michigan governor attempting to rouse the crowd with her vapid cheers of 'USA! USA!'. And the 2010 graduating class of UofM will be treated this Saturday to a commencement address by none other than President Barack Obama? I. Am. Jealous.

My favorite little tidbit about Obama's arrival in my beloved A-squared? The return of Barack-y Road Gelato at Zingermans.

Side note: My husband has never forgiven me for dragging him (and I quote) 'kicking and screaming' to eat at Zingermans'. Apparently the luster of this famed deli is limited only to those with Wolverine hearts... and taste buds. (Sorry honey.)

If you'd like to read the full article about Ann Arbor's preparations for their presidential visit, please enjoy this newsworthy bit from AnnArbor.com.

Priceless

When we were little, my brother and I used to walk along the railroad ties used as garden borders at my mom's house -- it was definitely a kid thing.

You can imagine my delight in seeing Hunter following in the footsteps of his Mommy and Uncle Juniper from this picture my mom shot over the weekend. (And yes, it's still a kid thing.)

We're Registered

Over the past few weeks, I've had a few inquiries whether or not we planned to register for Baby Peanut. Originally I was thinking no - especially given we already have a majority of things needed to bring home this baby in style - however relented when I realized we could use a slight female spin on our baby collection.

So in the event you are in need of some ideas for Baby Peanut gifts, feel free to check out our small hitlist at Babies R Us or by clicking here.

Things We Are Loving This Week

• Hearing car noises from HWB's room at 5 o'clock in the morning
• H's latest words and phrases: 'Blinky' truck (i.e. any truck with flashers on), iwannagoOUTside!, mommy, what you DOIN'?, caller-pitter (caterpillar)
• Being informed that every bridge we pass under is 'not a choo-choo bridge, that's a MACK TRUCK bridge!'
• Finding worms in the dirt in the backyard, picking them up and racing them across the lawn screaming 'LOOKIT! I FOUND A SNAKE!'
• Officially entering the 3rd trimester! Here's to being 28 weeks and 3 days preggers with Baby Peanut.
• Getting a weekend to just Brad and I (and special thanks to my mom for playing host to HWB for Friday and Saturday night this past weekend)
• Test driving new cars... and then realizing my Mazda lease is up in 2, not 3 months. Um, yikes! Ford Edge, here we come.
• Homemade yogurt parfaits and Pellegrino -- this week's baby food cravings
• My latest LPOTD sighting... and giggling at the fact that on any other vehicle, this would have been highly inappropriate:
  

• Enjoying a Saturday a.m. breakfast at what may be one of my favorite new restaurants: what crepe in Royal Oak was flawless, from the adorable menus fashioned from French record jackets to the delicious goodness that was my Sweet Cheese with Baked Apple Crepe

• Florence + The Machine and their 'Dog Days Are Over' tune. One of the best 99 cent purchases ever.
• Reading Paste Magazine's The 30 Best Beer Bars In America, and noticing one of our favorites on the list -- The Toronado in San Francisco
• DiorShow BlackOut Mascara, a personal splurge courtesy of Sephora's recent 15% off Makeup Madness Sale

Oh I'm On To You

Yes YOU, Little Man with your dirty blonde curls and bright blue-green eyes.

YOU of waking-at-5am-and-screeching-car-noises-from-the-end-of-your-bed-until-Daddy-comes-down-and-tells-you-to-go-back-to-bed-pronto fame.

YOU who demand your 7-month pregnant Mommy carry you like a baby into daycare in the morning, then formulate a vice-like grip on my leg as I attempt to leave all the while screaming MOMMYDONTGONOMOMMYNO!, driving me to tears as I close the door.

YOU who I check in on 3 minutes later after convincing myself you're tearing daycare apart in your campaign to force me to quit my job and spend every waking moment with your adorable little face -- and in those 3 minutes, you've become so enamored by a book, truck, bowl of cereal, you've completely forgotten my existence.

Oh, I'm on to you. And you know what? I'll fall for it every time. Because you're seriously the best.

Well There You Have It

Upon learning that I am required to pick up my company-issued Blackberry tomorrow at the office, my beloved iPhone martyred itself by diving headfirst into a toilet this afternoon. It appears to be working (aside from continuous prompts to switch it to Airplane mode) but I believe this to be the last leg of our journey together. Needless to say, I'm devastated.

Ways of attempting to look at the silver lining include:
3. We can now save $82 a month in phone bills
2. I've always wondered what the secret is behind Blackberry Messenger
1. It's a chance to try out a new phone number (I've had my current one for 11 years).

So farewell old friend. Despite being forced to mask as a PC, you and I both know I'm really a Mac at heart.

Your Thursday Morning Funny

Readying ourselves for potty training a 2 1/2 year old is definitely an adjustment. Probably moreso for me (Ms. Bathroom-Modesty), given I have a closed-door/no-questions policy to the bathroom when toilet activity is involved. Even my mate knows not to disturb.

I mention this because one initial potty training step is to leave the door open and use the restroom in front of Hunter so he can start to understand what the toilet is for, i.e. Ms. Bathroom Modesty's worst nightmare. But I've been doing it.

Often, Hunter will wander in for a quick minute, flush the toilet behind me and just run out.

Today on the other hand = different story:

Hunter: MOMMY, what you doin'?
Me: Mommy's going potty.
Hunter: Why you potty?
Me: Um...
Hunter: (mocking) UM
Me: ... Because Mommy had to go pee-pee.
Hunter: (thinking) Pee-pee.

Hunter then stoops down by my feet, grabs ahold of my knee and tries to cram his head between my legs. I'm wearing a dress.

Hunter: MOMMY, WHERE IS YOUR MISTER MAN?!!!!
Me: (blushing furiously; convinced I have not only scarred my child for life but also deciding this new Open Door policy should stand only for the boys in the house. And in case you didn't pick up on this, 'Mister Man' is what we have nicknamed Hunter's er, boy anatomy.) Mommy doesn't have a Mister Man.
Hunter: YOU NO MISTER MAN?!??!!
Me: Only Hunter and Daddy have Mister Mans.
Hunter: (Obviously quite perplexed, vacates the bathroom quietly. A few moments later I hear him talking to his stuffed Mickey Mouse and Pandora in his room) Mommy goes pee-pee! Daddy have Mister Man. Hunter have Mister Man. Mommy no pee-pee with Mister Man.

I can only pray Hunter doesn't attempt to hold the same conversation with his friends at daycare today or else I'll have a lot of explaining to do about my relationship with this 'Mister Man.'

A Cool Cat

Every once in a while, I'm humbly reminded that my parents were once young and *gasp* probably pretty damn Cool. You never think of this when describing your own parents, but then again every generation believes they invented Cool (it just happens to mask under slightly altered descriptors: groovy, tubular, radical, awesome or happening).

My point is this: Hunter and I visited my mom yesterday where she passed along what was once a relic in my tiny family...This photo of my dad. My young, Cool dad. It was taken during one of my parents many road trips in their 20s, and my brother and I used to marvel at this man we never knew -- long hair, aviator shades, leather boots and a motorcycle. I share it here as the first time it has touched digital form.

Oh and by the way, my dad is still Cool. In his late 50s, he bought a Mini Cooper which H has lovingly dubbed 'the Papa Car.' If that isn't Cool, I don't know what is.

Belly Cam: Baby Peanut Loves Cadbury Eggs

And I would know because I ate two, TWO of them last night before getting in bed, and then realized BP was hosting a small dance party in my belly thanks to my Cadbury Egg pig-out. Keep your eyes peeled on the left of the screen to see her kick and then you should notice 2 more after the camera swivels.

Things I Get Really, Really Excited About

3. Quick lunch trips to Anthropologie
2. Finally beginning to uncover some of the mysteries associated with ABC's Lost
1. New promos for one of my favorite shows, Glee. Like the one below:

Healthcare Reform: How Do You Feel?

It's tough sometimes... being a lone liberal among a huge sea of right-wing friends and family. I feel as though I'm occasionally put on the spot to speak on behalf of all Democrats (and PS, would you ever have me represent and iterate on behalf of say, all women? Or suburbanites? No.); and joked with a friend one day when he recounted how his conservative Texan family members approached him with SO JOHN, IT'S 40 DEGREES IN DALLAS TODAY -- WHAT ABOUT ALL THAT GLOBAL WARMING CRAP YOU KEEP SPOUTING?

Perhaps a bad example, but you may understand where I'm going with this point. Which is this: Regardless of what side of the fence you reside on re: healthcare reform, a monumental and historic step was made this week. It's one that will shape the future of our country and of the way we care for our fellow countrymen. You may not agree with all of the terms (heck, I'm not sure that I do), but I fully support the message behind the bill signed into law yesterday. And that's the beauty of it: This law can be modified, optimized and improved. It's not an end-all/be-all and certainly won't fix everything wrong with the present health system. What I don't support are all of the naysayers who have narry an idea to their names in replacement, but rather keep running their mouth in access about what won't work. BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE WHY DON'T YOU?!

And because my written eloquence compares little to this following excerpt from Nancy Giles, a CBS Sunday Morning contributer, I'll leave you with her words (character assassinations aside, I hope you'll just take in her message):

"(It) is a crucial first step, and can be amended and improved, but doing nothing is not an option. Health care should be a basic human right. And no one should be uninsured, or underinsured, or go broke paying their medical bills in the richest country in the world."

It Must Have Been A Long Weekend

Because BOTH of my boys crashed into naptime this afternoon...

Things We Are Loving This Week

• Little baby kicks and flutters, courtesy of Baby Peanut
• Being greeted at the end of a workday with MOMMY!!!! shouted from across the daycare
• H's latest words and phrases: lookitlookitTHAT!seethat?YOUSEETHAT?, (said with utter enthusiasm) 'um, OKAY!!'
• Planning for our 5-year anniversary trip: Savannah? Big Sur? Or Mexico?
• This week's random pregnancy cravings: raspberry sorbet and slices of challah
• The return of spring Mom2Mom sales, with the finest pickings starting at a mere 25 cents. I am LOVING this little gem for Baby Peanut's 2nd official Michigan football season (Ryann/Christian: Seriously ladies, try to contain your excitement!)




• The expectation of new music from She And Him: due out Tuesday, 3/23
• My new job and my new team. They're utterly fantastic!
• The anticipation of Baby Stropp's arrival to our dear friends, Heath and Dee
• Watching Brad embrace his new passion: running. I've never been more proud of someone accomplishing a 12-mile 'jog'
• The presence of Time Magazine in Detroit. Reading all they chronicle is enough for the people of southeast Michigan to realize action is needed in order to transform this great city.
• Cadbury Mini Eggs... and receiving a care package from my mom containing multiple packets of them
• Prepping the yard for spring... and finally purchasing these adorable herb garden markers from a faved Etsy seller

The Strangest Check I've Ever Written

For the record, this check was drafted for our new lawn fertilization service, not the funding of any illegal substances. So for good measure (and to ensure I didn't receive any calls of skeptic inquiry from Chase Bank), I added the words LAWN CARE before tossing this bad boy in the mail.

The Top 5 Reasons Why I Know My New Agency Is For Me

5. I'm already head over heels in love with my new team.
4. Free fruit Mondays and free bagel Thursdays.
3. They actually BUY YOU office supplies to stock your new office with. Oh and by the way, I actually HAVE an office. With a door. And walls.
2. There are currently 2 girls wheeling a case of beer around on an office chair asking people if they'd like a late Friday afternoon beverage.
1. It is located a mere 9 DOORS AWAY FROM ANTHROPOLOGIE. I rest my case.

An Open Declaration To All Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Etc.

Well, the Great Baby Clothing Swap has officially been cancelled as I'm excited to announce that Bryndon and Holly discovered this week they will be adding a 3rd baby girl to their brood! See, Hol and I had this grand plan to trade out all of our baby clothes should the Skeltons welcome a baby boy this summer but I think Baby Girl Skelton #3 would look awfully peculiar donning H's old blue and green argyle jumper.

And so I make this following declaration to all you grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and anonymous blog voyeurs alike: YOU NOW HAVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO PURCHASE BABY GIRL BOBENMOYER CLOTHES AT WILL. I repeat: Purchase at will. And yes, ruffles, polka dots and all things pink are absolutely accepted.

ToonArt

Day #2 of being in my new work digs has ended and it has definitely been an adjustment rejoining the adult workforce. I'm enjoying getting to know my new co-workers and office layout (not to worry, I nailed the location of the women's rooms in the first 15 minutes of being in the building!), however was dealt a blow today when I heard the following words: Our e-mail systems are not compatible with iPhones and the AT&T service within the building is horrendous. You will need to get a Blackberry. A BLACKBERRY. As in no App Store, no scroll screens, no Apple love. Just boring, run-of-the-mill, every-Creative-type's-worst-nightmare Blackberry. And so I choose: Carry 2 phones with me at all times (personal = iPhone and business = Blackberry), or bite the bullet, be thankful of an $82/month savings and transfer everything over to a new Blackberry. Lend me your thoughts in the Comments section below.


P.S. Lose the iPhone and I also lose access to my newest fave app, ToonArt -- responsible for transforming the above photo of HWB into a fun, colorful new pic. Decisions!

The Scoop

So the scoop is: I'm employed! Everything was finalized this past Monday, but I've officially accepted a position at my former agency, McCann Erickson, working on the XM Satellite Radio relationship with GM. Start date is Monday which is quite bittersweet. The past 4 months have been very challenging in embracing my SAHM role, but it has also allowed me some wonderful bonding time with H before Baby Peanut's arrival and I will dearly miss these little moments with him. In a strange turn of events, I learned yesterday that my new boss quit to accept a job at Brad's agency so I will going in somewhat blind Monday to inform someone I've never met about my pregnancy (as if they couldn't already tell by this quickly growing belly!) so please send me some good wishes. Until then, I'm going to soak up every minute with Hunter as possible.

Catch Some Zzzzz's

Always fascinating is how quickly H can fall asleep, and that it is sometimes done in the strangest positions and/or situations:

Baby Girl Bobenmoyer

Well if you haven't heard my shrieks of thrill by now -- or in Brad's case the sound of his jaw hitting the floor -- we discovered Monday that not only are things on track for a July arrival, but Baby Peanut is also a GIRL. (And no I haven't spent the days since amassing an enormous, frilly, pink wardrobe.)

Although Baby Girl Peanut was completely uninterested in sitting still for the ultrasound camera, the tech was able to capture some truly incredible images. And for those of you keeping track: We are at 20 weeks and 1 day in our countdown to the day a baby girl joins our happy clan.

So on to the photos: Here's a good almost-full-length shot where Peanut is flexing her arm over her head but has her leg crunched up by her side.

Profile shot: Hello little nose and lips!


At one point, she extended her leg up over her head (I mean seriously, how DO we expect her to stretch out in there?) and gave us a flash of one hand.




Okay... so maybe I did splurge on ONE adorable outfit. But seriously, who could resist?

Things We Are Loving This Week

• Hunter asking 'what's that name???' for practically everything he sees
• H's insistence that he sleep with a box of Honey Nut Cheerios last night (and fortunately, the lid stayed shut tight due to the massive amounts of Scotch tape I affixed)
• The latest words/phrases in our house: amb-lance (replacing my much loved ah-nee-nah), dontwantthat!, 'ment' truck (a cement mixer), daddy - are you??? (said when trying to find Brad in the house: notice the absence of the 'where')
• That H has caught on to my nickname for Brad (Bub), but instead has revised it slightly and started calling him BOB
• My new, delicious-smelling, apricot-scented Henri Bendel candle: little pricey but soooo worth it
• Hitting the Bob The Builder exhibit at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum... and reliving my youth while standing in the bubble machine

• Stomping in puddles and kicking large snow drifts... and then having Mommy ring out our shoes
• Canned pears and chocolate milk (pregnancy thing)
• Feeling Baby Peanut flutter around ALOT
• Our newly-painted, freshly-decorated bathroom! Click photo to to enlargen.

• LOST has finally returned!
• The song Goin' Home by Dan Auerbach from the Up In The Air soundtrack (buy. it. now.)
• The partially-grey/partially-beige nail polish color that's all the rage in Hollywood right now (and currently donned on my 2 hands). Take a look at Essie's Chinchilly here. Don't believe me? Connect to the source of all things fashionable (InStyle) here and they'll tell you what's up.
• That Conan O'Brien has finally joined Twitter. And GD is he hilarious.
• Learning that even President Obama understands the power of social media and thusly is hiring a Royal Twitter
• Discussing baby names :)
• Prepping for our first Date Night in a long time. Roast @ Book-Cadillac, HERE WE COME!

Happy 4th Birthday To Our Niece Schuler!

Dump Truck & Caboose French Toast

Always on the hunt for something in the name of entertaining a toddler, I found a fantastic use for one of the hundreds of kid-centric cookie cutters my mom picked up last summer during her garage sale rounds: French Toast! Here are the dump truck and caboose cookie cutters making a delicious morning treat for Hunter.

A Little Bait And Switch

(Before I begin, let me just say that NO I haven't forgotten that we have a big baby announcement to make -- just that we have not been able to speak personally with one 'Gram'
and 'Gramps' yet. So if this moniker describes you or your spouse, please give my esteemed hubby a phone call because frankly I'm dying to start posting some new Baby Peanut pics!! <-- Note the very gender-neutral green color being used for the time being.)


And on to one of today's posts which I'll call Bait and Switch.

The background is this: I did the unthinkable and bought an orchid from Ikea. Ikea! See Brad and I have been known to starve an orchid or 2 in our time, which is why said purchase is so laughable. But surprisingly, this one did very well until Brad was gone in Orlando last week, I opted to do some cleaning and unintentionally moved the orchid in front of the *ahem* heating vent. Blooms started curling up and spitting off the plant almost instantly. Granted, it wasn't in the best of shape to begin with but still: Please refer to below Old picture as reference.

Not wanting Brad to return home and chastise my mistake and debunk any further orchid purchases, H and I promptly went in search of a replacement orchid to pull the ole' bait 'n switch (please see New). Let's just say Brad hasn't noticed a thing to this date. Ha!

The Recipe For A Little More Laughter In Life

Ingredients:
1. Invite your Uncle Juniper over to visit (I mean, who doesn't have an Uncle Juniper?)
2. Grab your cell phone (or in this case, Play-Doh presses work perfectly)
3. Engage in a little game of Telephone

Bake at 350 degrees. Enjoy coupled with extreme laughter.

Before & After

Design*Sponge: Another all-time fave online stop that has inspired some recent aesthetic changes in our house (much to Brad's chagrin that is). As my Bible of truth for all design trends, crafts and must-haves, D*S also boasts a to-die-for Before & After section dedicated to highlighting the transformation of fun vintage finds or redesigned rooms.

So with all this in mind, I decided to try my own inspired restoration of an antique chest (thank you $30 Craigslist purchase)-turned HWB changing table/dresser. You'll notice the original chest was covered in an off-white sheen with some gold piping, but I opted to up the ante and give it a rich, cheerful punch of red, as well as update the hardware. Once Baby Peanut arrives, this will serve as his or her changing table and I'll likely do a nursery update based on this fun shade.

If you're looking for some design inspiration, I've linked both the Design*Sponge and Before & After mentions above and encourage you to take a peek.

Before

After

The Little Hearts Project

I wanted to take a moment and dedicate a quick post to my sister-in-law's new blog, The Little Hearts Project. From my perspective (and after constantly electing our friends to new service projects -- just ask Laura or Katie about sweating it out in 85-degree weather to build a children's playscape!), Holly's blog has a vision right after my own heart. Let me do a quick cut and paste on the mission statement of The Little Hearts Project:

"Ideas and inspirations to help instill into the hearts of young children compassion, kindness and the value of giving to others."

I am so passionate about the message this blog represents that you'll notice I've also added a link to it on the left sidebar under the heading "Blogs We're Loving". Even if you don't have little ones in your home, you know someone who does -- and I hope you'll encourage them to check it out.

Listen and Repeat

Many of you may remember that Jeff Buckley's version of this incredible Leonard Cohen tune was our wedding song. And rarely do I stray from Buckley's rendition for any other takers.

My nose turned up a bit upon hearing Justin Timberlake tackling such a feat for the Haiti telethon (sorry JT) -- but all I needed to do was listen once and I was captured. You will be too. So please: Listen. And repeat.

Available For Party Rentals: Our Own Little Mickey Mouse Impersonator

Adorable blonde curls are included.

Baby Peanut Update: 18 Weeks, 3 Days

Well it officially happened this week -- I 'popped' so to speak. Or rather, the baby did. I truly hate that term but it quickly builds a visual for you of what my budding belly resembles so it was the only way I could think to describe.

As of today, Baby Peanut is officially 18 weeks and 3 days along, or, according to BabyCenter, the size of a bell pepper or large mango. (Pet peeve: Why do baby development Web sites use various forms of food to describe a growing baby's size? I find it especially humorous in my case as I am still having trouble keeping some food down.)

Here's a quick rundown of this week's developmental highlights:

• Size: Approx. 5 1/2 inches long and 7 ounces in weight
• Ears are now in final position
• Cartilage in the body is forming into bone
• Baby is now more in control over movements - i.e. more noticeable small kicks that I started feeling a couple of weeks ago and am loving :)

Mark next Monday, 2/22 on your calendar which will be a monumentous day in our house: It's the day I officially explain to Hunter that he's getting either a brother or sister... and NOT a fire truck as he keeps requesting.

Hunter's Latest Art Creation

Appears to be a victim of too much mercury in the water... or really, really unfortunate genetics.

And You Thought You Had It Rough

Grumbling over shoveling a little snow this week?

How about going out to brush off your car and not being able to distinguish it from a small ski hill?

Behold the sight Meredith encountered this week in DC. Luckily she was finally able to ID her Olds via the license plate but can only imagine how many she had to clear off first. Now THAT is what I call a snow emergency.

Be My (Our) Valentine

Hunter is a sucker for our daily Sticker Time. It typically involves me delving into our mass catalog of stickers, handing over a 1/2 sheet of colored paper and watching H collage them until his heart's content.

Speaking of hearts, it was a timely discovery that brought about this week's craft projects -- Valentines for a local senior center. See, this adorable gift shop in Berkley (Michigan, not Cali mind you) called Catching Fireflies is collecting homemade Valentines to distribute. In turn, families are gifted with a fun magnet, but really the gifting is in the service itself.

So, paper doilies were purchased, a little Valentine greeting was written on the back of them, they were affixed to the opposite side of our Sticker Time creations and voila! Our homemade Valentines.

End Note: Anytime HWB is able to wield a glue stick is a superior day in his book.

Baby Love: Bo Kolter Skelton

A big congrats to my stepbrother Colby and his wife Charlotte are due -- Bo Kolter Skelton made his debut yesterday at 4:10am CST, and weighed in at 6 pounds, 13 ounces. I have a nephew!

Fort-Making, by HWB

So with my sabbatical comes many, many photos and videos you may have missed over the past 3 months. Thusly to bring you up to speed, I present How To Make A Fort, brought to you by one HWB. Enjoy.

So... What's New?

Yes, I know it's been a while. After a 3-month blogging sabbatical, I've found myself constructing many (ok, hundreds) of posts in my head, but never having a free moment to log them in. And I know what you're thinking there -- what the H have you been doing for the past 3 months? Well it's simple really:

* Found out I was pregnant
* Confirmed I was pregnant with an actual, medical practitioner (no offense EPT)
* Got laid off from my job of 5.5 years one day following said visit to medical practitioner (classy nod on the part of Fate and Karma if you ask me)
* Completed all of my 2009 New Year Resolutions except for that pesky 'lose 15 pounds' one. Please see aforementioned pregnancy to confirm why this resolution will be carried over to 2010.
* Read 9 books (no seriously -- ask for my reading list)
* Redecorated the basement and adjacent playroom
* Sent my resume to virtually every advertising-related company in the Detroit area
* Became a stay-at-home-mom or SAHM <-- please keep this term in your glossary for future postings
* Lost 3 pounds (thank you Baby Peanut)
* Gained 3 pounds (thank you multiple packages of Valentine's Day candy conversation hearts)
* Spent time doing the circuit of SAHM activities in the name of entertaining a toddler (Read: Ikea, mall play areas, playdates, library story times, etc)
* Re-taught self how to knit in effort to meet one 2010 New Year Resolution
* Visited Indianapolis and Louisville (thanks to our new, highly-entertaining in-car DVD player for HWB)
* Memorized the words to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Chuggington and Handy Manny TV show theme songs... please don't get me started
* Brushed up my knowledge of all working and emergency-type vehicles in order to hold conversations with HWB
* Started a monthly Breakfast Club with my girlies in order to have some much-needed adult time
* Began watching The Bachelor (I mean, REALLY)
* Rediscovered my love for soft pretzels, and
* Slowly reintroduced foods back into my diet that are NOT cereal, bread or yogurt (again, Baby Peanut)

So all in all, it's been a quiet 3 months... riiiight. But no, we haven't had a bad break-up, and yes, the sabbatical is over. So enjoy it. I know I will.