The Clarkson Fam

New Pet??

2012-02-13T09:01:00.001-06:00

We have a new little guy around our house- Penguin!!

I had a couple of these balloons at Nora's birthday party. One of them made it home with us, along with a life size Elmo :).

Nora 'walks' Penguin around the house with the little leash it came with. Someone definitely has a new friend!

And just for fun... Our real pet, Snickers, is NOT a fan of Elmo.

Scenes from Christmas

2012-02-11T13:23:00.001-06:00

Let's just pretend that it's December 26 instead of February, ok?? I guess you could say better late than never!

Here are a ton of pics from Nora's first Christmas. We had a great one. Nora was pretty sick (just bad cold and fever that wouldn't go away for about two weeks) BUT I think she still enjoyed her first Christmas.

Santa brought Nora the pink tent/ball pit. She loves it! And now it happily lives in our living room. The joys of having a baby in the house :).

Warning picture overload...

Since Nora was sick, unfortunately we had to cancel many of our Christmas plans (church, parties, gatherings). It was a low-key Christmas but still special to spend it with our baby girl.

We're still here!

2012-01-08T19:39:00.001-06:00

Long time, no blog- I know, I know.

Wow, time is going by way too fast. Life needs to slow down.

I just uploaded all our Christmas pics and truly hope to get some posts up. Until then...here are two pics of our little elf. In case you can't tell from the pics, Nora enjoyed her first Christmas- Even though she was fighting a bug (and in need of a bang trim). Stay tuned...

Merry, Merry!

2011-12-24T15:00:00.001-06:00

Hope all of you are enjoying this special holiday!

We started our celebrations Thursday night (pics to come) and then ended up with a sick baby. I said I wanted to start some new traditions this year but this was not quite what I was thinking. Needless to say, our weekend plans have completely changed. We're just spending lots of time inside trying to get Nora better. Even with a fever, she's still had a pretty good weekend and is making us laugh.

Have a wonderful Christmas with your families. Hope it is filled with lots of love and laughter.

Speaking of laughter....

Cracks me up!
(pun intended)
:)

The Clarkson Fam.

2011-12-19T14:15:00.001-06:00

It is very rare to have a picture of the three of us. A good pic is probably out of the question. I asked a friend to take our picture at a Christmas celebration last week. Now, I didn't say it was a great one but it's one of all three of us nonetheless :)

Meeting the Big Guy

2011-12-19T14:02:00.001-06:00

We are enjoying every minute of our Holiday Season! I love starting traditions with Nora. She met Santa for the first time last week! The meeting started off okay with a little confusion and ended with some tears. Pretty typical for a first meeting. Enjoy the pics!

PS- I believe Nora asked Santa for a ball pit for Christmas! We shall see what he delivers :)

Who is this guy?? I'm not sure about the beard.

I guess I'll humor my parents and just look at the camera.

Okay, I'm done!

Nap Time Brain Dump

2011-12-02T15:25:00.001-06:00

Oh how I love nap time! Nora is a great napper. Her morning nap is hit or miss and I never plan my day around it. Today it was a 25 minute nap in the car. Her afternoon nap is key! I plan my whole day around it. She goes down around 12:30 or 1pm and sleeps for 2-3 hours. I try to be productive during this time but if I'm being honest, I sometimes catch up on my DVR, blog friends and facebook. Don't worry, I usually get some laundry done too.

Here is what's on my mind during today's nap time..

- I've been doing too much online shopping lately. Everywhere is making it too easy with free shipping, pay-pal, deals, etc. I need to get out of this new habit. Fed-ex delivered a package from Macy's at 6pm last night and I definitely got a warning look from Chris. Oops.

- We took some Christmas card pics while we were in Naples. It's almost impossible to get a great pic of the three of us. I think we got one though! We're not using this below pic on the card but I love it!

- I'm busy working on Nora's 1st Birthday plans. How is this possible!?!? I love the age she is at but can't believe that she is almost one. Where did my little peanut go? Everyone says it goes by so fast but wow, I never knew how right they were!

- Nora is having a Winter Onederland Party. The colors are red and turquoise. I think this suits my feisty little one! Here is a sneak peak of a few things I've ordered...again with the online shopping!!

- The house is mostly decorated for Christmas! Christmas decor just makes the house feel so warm and cozy. I will do a full post on our decor soon but here is a sneak peek.

- Today I made coffee at home for the first time ever! I know, pathetic right? I've never really been a coffee drinker but lately I've loved a fancy latte. It was so cold this morning and I didn't feel like leaving the house for a $4 treat so I made coffee and put some gingerbread creamer in it. Yum! That alone should tell you I'm not a real coffee drinker :)

- Lastly, this little Love moves all over the house. And she has some speed too!

Happy Friday Friends!!

So Thankful.

2011-11-26T13:26:00.001-06:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We flew to Florida to spend the week with my family. The weather was perfect! Nora loved being outside, going for walks, and swimming. My baby is a fish! To say she was adored by my family is an understatement. She is the star of the show!

It's crazy to reach these holidays and milestones and to think that we didn't have Nora at this time last year. Yes, I was very pregnant, but we didn't know how our baby's personality would be and what an easygoing, happy, and dare I say dramatic :) baby girl she would be. We are incredibility blessed.

Here are some pics of my little turkey on her First Thanksgiving.

I love that last picture of Nora. Can we say attitude? She was over the photos and wanting some food!!

My Aunt Dana made the little picture recap. It is too cute not to share. Thanks Auntie Dana!!

My Pink Poodle!

2011-11-09T14:06:00.001-06:00

I'm obviously way behind on the blog. I'm hoping to catch up soon! I know, same old story :).

I was so excited to dress up Nora for Halloween! I won't even tell you how long I've had her costume. I loved it! Nora did not want to wear the hat but I still think she looked adorable. So adorable that I may have over-done it on the pics!

Bobby celebrated his first birthday on October 30. Whitney outdid herself with an amazing costume birthday party. Nora loved celebrating with her little bat friend. And enjoying his new wagon he got for his birthday! So fun.

Nora also got to celebrate Halloween with her new Bestie, Sienna! Ryan and Annie's beautiful baby is finally here!

Let's not talk about how big my Baby looks next to Sienna. Okay? Thanks.
Where has the time gone?!?!

We had a wonderful Halloween with literally a week of celebrations. We definitely got out money out of Nora's costume. (and that is a good thing! I may or may not have overspent on the costume!)

Still waiting on some pics from the country club Halloween party where Nora and Hudson ruled the dance floor. Stay tuned...

Pumpkin Time!

2011-10-22T14:14:00.001-05:00

Why is it that when you have a baby/child, you can't wait to take them to a pumpkin patch? Maybe it's just me.

I was so looking forward to take Nora this year. She is too young to know what a pumpkin is, so it's all about me. I mean it's all about the pictures.

This morning we met friends to go to a pumpkin patch at a local church. To say there were low on pumpkins is an understatement. Oh well, we still got some good shots.

And I was told that Nora looked like a Halloween princess! Is it pathetic that my baby's mood perks up when she puts on a tutu?!?

Enjoy the pics.

We grabbed some coffee before heading to the patch. Obviously Nora is excited about what's to come:)

Not sure what to think.

What is this orange thing?

Seriously mom, get me down from here.

Best (only) smile I could get!

What am I sitting on?!?

Yep, not a fan of hay. Who is surprised??

I'm sure we were quite a scene trying to get pics of our littles ones. The pics are pretty perfect for this season of our life!

Bobby, Nora, Hudson

Priceless!

Here are a few more pics of Nora when we got home. I think she was trying to drive away from me! I'm sure it won't be the first time. It's hard driving in a tutu!

That Face!
Enough with the camera Mom.

I'm warning you!

Look of determination. Couldn't get away fast enough!

What a fun morning with friends! As if you couldn't tell from the above pics, my Halloween Princess was ready for her nap after our fun morning :).

Beach Baby??

2011-10-17T15:04:00.001-05:00

Nora and I just got back from a trip to Naples. We had a great time with my whole extended family and also got to celebrate one of my Besties, Cee Cee, at her bridal shower!

We spent one overcast morning at the beach. We took a big family picture then watched my cousins swim and play in the water. Believe it or not, this was Nora's first visit to the beach. I'm not sure she was the biggest fan of the sand. Oh well, she'll get used to it :)!

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Yep. She was ready for her Momma!

So, I did what any good mother would do. I took her to the water!

Maybe the sand and water was not for Nora this visit. There will be plenty more opportunities for her to become a beach baby!

For now, she can just stick with lounging in a beach chair. Who doesn't enjoy that?!?

Well, well, well, What do we have here??

2011-10-14T14:15:00.001-05:00

A new blog design!!!

About time, right?? I love it! Special thanks to Katie from Loves of Life blog. She designed my new header and layout and I couldn't be happier!

Now I just need to get caught up on the ole' blog. It's at the top of my to-do list this weekend. Stay tuned...

In the meantime, here are some pics of our munchkin. She is doing one of her favorite things...eating!

Ohhh how I love that little face!

Friday Brain Dump

2011-09-16T14:59:00.001-05:00

Hello there! We have a ton going on at the Clarkson house. Here are a few things on my mind this week.

- Little Miss has a tiny tooth! I knew it was coming and it finally popped through the gum yesterday. I know I sound like every other mom out there but seriously, Nora is getting so big. Can't handle it!

- Speaking of getting big, Nora is SO close to crawling. Could be any day now. And again I ask, how is this possible?!?!

- We need to baby proof the house. Like yesterday.

- We have had a very long summer updating our kitchen. Started with a water leak that lead to knocking down a wall, rearranging things, and replacing cabinets. It has taken way too long. But the new cabinets are in our garage and being installed on Monday! Woo hoo! And I learned my lesson about being too nice and accommodating to the contractors and cabinet company. After months, niceness really didnt get me anywhere. Ugh. The end is in sight though!

- My girlfriends are starting a bible study in a few weeks. We are all really looking forward to it. Let me know if you have a recommendation on studies. (Mom, you can just call and tell me. Haha).

- I might have a new obsession with The Blue Door Boutique. My wallet (and husband) probably don't appreciate this.

- It's Wedding Season! Two of my closest friends are getting married very soon. I'm in both weddings and can't wait to celebrate with them. And then for them to have babies! Cee Cee, that last comment is for you :). Totally kidding. Kind of.

- Nora and I spend as much time outside as possible. We are loving these cooler temps I LOVE our Uppa Baby stroller and BOB jogging stroller. Many, many miles have been put on both.

- I have a new trainer at the gym who is downright mean. And really hard. At my birthday dinner this week, Chris asked if I wanted dessert. I hesitated and he goes, "thinking about what Jeremy would say?" Chris was half kidding but knew I was meeting the trainer at 6 am the next day.

If you read all this, you're a trooper. Have a great weekend!!

A few pictures from the week....

Ready for our morning jog!

Meet my toddler.
Seriously, how old does she look!?!?

Just realized this picture is in the post below. Oops. Still a great one though.

Self-portrait of mom, baby, and bow.

And lastly, birthday cheesecake.

Sorry Jeremy :)

How old?!?

2011-09-14T16:14:00.001-05:00

What?!?!

Today is my mom's birthday??!!

28!

She's getting old! But I still had so much fun spending the day with her!

To all my readers :), I know I'm so behind on the ol' blog. I promise I will get caught up soon!!

I've been busy enjoying my b-day with this stylin munchkin, girlfriends, and dinner with the Hubs tonight. More details to come...stay tuned!

Swingtime!

2011-08-31T14:40:00.001-05:00

Nora loves going on the swings more than anything! We walk up to the park almost every day. Earlier this week we had some friends join us.

These pics bring such a smile to my face. And because it was such a hit last time, I think I'll add some captions :)

They are in position and ready to swing!

I think I'm going to like this!

Hey Bobby, is that you back there?

Yep, there's my boyfriend swinging with me!

So fun!

B: Nora, calm down, it's just a swing. And a baby swing at that.

Still the best time of my life Bobby!

Whitney and I couldn't resist getting a couple pics of the babies sitting together in the grass.

Let me first say that this was Nora's first time sitting in grass.

Not so bad yet.

There's the face that says she is not a fan. Who's surprised? No one? Didn't think so. Don't worry Nora, I'm not a fan either.

Such a fun, impromptu outing with great friends!

Bedhead

2011-08-31T14:17:00.001-05:00

It's no secret that Nora has quite the head of hair. I love how crazy it is. Lately, she's been waking up from her nap with the most insane bedhead.

Let's take a look at a couple pics, shall we?

I know my loyal readers will appreciate the last two close-up pics.

I've said it before and I'll said it again, my little love is a Hot Mess!

Peaceful.

2011-08-24T13:14:00.001-05:00

There's nothing better than a sleeping baby! So sweet.

I love how Nora curls up with her Lovie. Such a big girl.

And there's nothing better than the video monitor. I don't know what we'd do without it.

How did my mom survive four kids without one?? I kid.

You know you have a child when...

2011-08-12T14:21:00.001-05:00

You walk by this all day long and it doesn't phase you. Even if it's been there for over a week.

It actually makes me crack a smile.

This would have driven me crazy before we had Nora. Now, not so much.

I actually think Sophie adds a nice touch to the dining room :)

New posts galore!

2011-08-10T15:59:00.001-05:00

I did a ton of posts today! Please, please keep scrolling!

Of course I had to include one picture of my Little Miss Munch(kin)!

I have no words...

2011-08-10T15:51:00.001-05:00

For this picture! I crack up every time I look at it!

Okay, maybe I do have some words: pure joy, happy baby, Is that a wig or Rod Stewart?, hair cut needed, hot mess, so blessed.

Beep Beep!

2011-08-10T15:42:00.001-05:00

Nora has been loving this little car that we borrowed from my mother-in-law. It makes a ton of noise, which, of course, I love.

We keep this car in the kitchen and it's super helpful when I'm trying to cook dinner.

I've taken several pics of our little driver the past few weeks. Enjoy!

And wait for it....

Hate it when my hair bow gets in the way of my driving!

Self Portraits

2011-08-10T15:32:00.001-05:00

There are two things I always have in my hands- Nora and my iPhone. I take at least one picture a day with my phone. Lately, Nora has been grabbing my phone when I'm trying to take a picture of her. I've discovered that she loves to see herself on the screen.
This baby is not camera shy!

Now don't be jealous that I get to love on those chubby cheeks all day. I'm one lucky momma!

Six Months!

2011-08-10T15:10:00.001-05:00

How this is possible, I don't even know. Six months is a huge milestone! There is no way that our little love has been with us for half a year. Crazy how fast time goes.

I am absolutely loving this stage with Nora. She is so much fun. She is learning more and more everyday. I love seeing her discover new things.

Nora is a growing girl! She is in the 75 percentile for weight (13 lbs 14 oz) and height (about 27 in).

The things she loves most are her jumperoo (will get on video. It's hilarious), walks/jogs, swimming, bath time, her pup, food, and being outside.

Again, I took a ton of pics. Gotta love those bloopers :)

Some of these faces are 'so Nora'. We love our hot mess 6th month old!

Nora's Baptisim

2011-08-10T14:48:00.001-05:00

Nora was baptized on July 17. We chose to have her baptized after the service. Only our family was there and it was such a wonderful ceremony. My mom came to KC for the big event! Because Nora was the only baby being baptized at this time, our family was able to be involved with the ceremony. Chris' sisters led the prayer and our niece did the scripture reading. It was truly a beautiful ceremony. Our baby girl is loved by so many. We couldn't be more blessed.

Nora's Godparents are Chris' brother and his wife- Don and Jen.

She Loved having the water poured on her!

Father Rush married us along with my Grandfather. It was very special that he baptized Nora as well.

Proud Godparents!

The Grandmas

Nora and her cousins. We were missing two because they were just getting back from the lake and were exhausted. Chris' sister didn't want them acting up and stealing the show. Her words, not mine :)

Chris with his siblings and mom.

A pic with my mom. We're still working on the 'grandma' name and are open to suggestions!

After lunch we had brunch at the country club. Nora did great considering it was her nap time.

My mom picked out this dress months ago and I saved it for this special occasion.

Nora's Godmother with My Goddaughter.

It was a wonderful day and we were so glad all of our family was with us to celebrate.

First taste of cereal

2011-08-10T14:11:00.001-05:00

Right after Nora turned five months, we gave Nora her first taste of rice cereal. Even though she is such a great eater and I knew she was probably ready for cereal, it was ME who wasn't ready. My baby is growing up too fast!

I picked out a new bib for the occasion. I justified it because I told myself she would wear this bib for her first birthday. Fat chance! Haha.

We took a ton of pics of our little eater.

Not quite sure about this whole eating thing...

BTW, don't mind the cereal (and the rest of my pantry) on my dining room table. We did some work on our kitchen this summer. Another post on that but we've been living without a pantry for quite a while. The end is in sight though!

Back to my eater....

I'd say she's a fan!

Just a side note: I don't eat only organic but I'm trying to with Nora. I just look at the ingredients on things and try to get the most natural foods for her. I should do that for us too!

June 28

2011-08-10T13:53:00.001-05:00

Here are a couple pics I took on Nora's actual 5 Month b-day.

I just love my little chick-a-dee!

Five Months

2011-08-10T13:49:00.001-05:00

Where has the time gone?!?! I'm so behind on the blog because my camera cord was acting up. I decided to load all the pics on the iPad. Hopefully I will slowly catch up.

Nora turned five months on June 28th. The biggest thing we started this month is eating solids. She loves rice cereal! Separate post to come.

At five months, she's still a fantastic sleeper. She was in a size 2 diaper and mostly 3-6 month clothes.

Enjoy the pics. I had to include some bloopers too!

Fun times.

2011-07-22T12:12:00.001-05:00

Looks like someone had too much fun at play group.

Sweet baby was asleep as soon as she got in her stroller!

Meet Sophie

2011-07-11T21:21:00.001-05:00

I finally bought Nora 'Sophie the giraffe'.

People rave about this little toy. Honestly, it looks a little bit like a dog toy but our baby girl loves it!

I think Nora is on the verge of teething so Miss Sophie must feel great on her gums.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

And who noticed that Nora is wearing a giraffe print dress???

It was definitely not planned and total coincidence that she wore this dress on the same day I bought Sophie but it did make a fabulous photo op! Don't you think?!?

PS. I know I'm so behind on my blog. Hope to catch up soon! Lots to update!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T20:40:00.001-05:00

Five Months

2011-06-28T20:59:00.001-05:00

How is it possible that Nora is five months old?? Time is going by so fast!

No need to worry, we're still doing our monthly sticker photo-shoot but Nora looked way too cute this morning that I had to take a few pics.

Enjoy my 5 Month old little chick!

Father's Day

2011-06-21T20:27:00.001-05:00

Chris celebrated his first Father's Day this year!

Nora is so lucky to have such a great dad. She lights up when Chris walks into a room. And Chris definitely makes much funnier faces and expressions than do. Nora loves it!

From the looks of this picture, I'd say we had one nice Father's Day!

PS- Check out this baby's hair. Out of control and I absolutely love it!

Love.

2011-06-13T20:56:00.001-05:00

These pictures bring a smile to my face. Love, love, love this sweet baby.

If these babes could talk.

2011-06-06T15:02:00.014-05:00

These pictures are classic.

Last week we hosted a very impromptu gathering at our house. Just pizza and hanging out. Little Bobby was one of the party guests.

I would just love to know what goes through babies minds. Here's what I think is going on...

Enjoy!

"What?!? We're hosting a party? And my boyfriend is coming over too? I think I'll just hang out in my bumbo until he arrives."

"What's taking him so long? I'm not going to wait around all night."

"I'm second guessing my outfit. You sure about this Mom?"

Nora: Yay! He's here!

Bobby: Mom, who IS this girl?

Trying to scope each other out.

"Give me that hair thing!"

Nora: I LIKE this guy!

Bobby: Still trying to figure out that flower.

Poor boy never sees pink OR flowers and can't quite figure it out.

Nora: I'm just going to sit here and play hard to get.

Bobby: I'm getting closer to the flower!

Nora: P.A.R.T.Y at my house!

Bobby: I'm just not sure about this girl. Or that obnoxious pink thing.

Nora: I'm getting a little bored here.

Bobby: Do I even need to type it??

"Yep. Definitely ready to get out of this seat."

Nora: Mom, put that camera away!

Bobby: Don't worry Nora, I have a few months on you, and that camera isn't going away anytime soon.

"Mom, you owe me BIG time for making me hang out with this crazy gal."

HAHA. Love these sweet babies!!

Happy Girl!

2011-06-03T20:58:00.001-05:00

Nora Loves bath time! It's become one of our favorite times of the day. Look at the pure joy on her face!

Ps- finally caught up with the rest of the world and got an iPhone. Using the blogger app to post. Gotta love it!

'My First Juicy'

2011-06-02T14:04:00.000-05:00

Auntie Cee Cee gave Nora a Juicy sweatsuit when she was born. Luckily it ran a little big and Nora's still wearing it. It's precious and came with a little ribbon that says, "My First Juicy." How funny is that?!?

We went to the lake over Memorial Day weekend and I was so glad Nora had her sweats because was COLD!

From the looks of these pics, I'd say she was pretty comfy!

No Excuse!

2011-06-01T13:58:00.002-05:00

I've been SUCH a bad blogger! I'm sure my family in FL has officially disowned me. I promise to get better. There are a couple new posts so keep scrolling!

Of course I couldn't have a picture-less post :)

There's Nothing Better...

2011-06-01T13:50:00.003-05:00

Than a baby in a bikini! Or any bathing suit for that matter!

We're hoping to spend the summer at the pool - the baby pool that is! Long gone are the days where I would be at the pool all day with my girlfriends and fun tropical drinks. Oh well- wouldn't trade looking at this cutie's bod in a swimsuit for anything!

Four Months!

2011-06-01T13:19:00.013-05:00

I'm sure I'll say this every month but seriously, where has the time gone??

Nora turned 4 months on on May 28th. This is such a fun stage! Her little personality comes out more and more each day.

Here are her current stats-

Weight - 13 lbs 6 oz (50%)
Height - 25 in (75%)
Head - 90%! Poor thing. I can't remember the exact measurement.

We just moved to a size two diaper and she wears some 3 mo and mostly 3-6 month clothes.

And no, we haven't given her a haircut yet!

It was hard to capture just the perfect picture this month so I included a ton of silly ones. She's such a hot mess but I love it!!

Enjoy the pics of our 4 month old!

On Vacay!

2011-05-11T15:42:00.000-05:00

The Hubs and I are heading to Sedona for the weekend. We're going for our good friends' wedding.

My mom is in KC to take care of Nora. I might need to be heavily medicated to leave her. Just kidding. In all honesty, I'm really looking forward to getting aways with Chris but know we'll be so ready to get back to our baby girl on Sunday!

The wedding ceremony and reception is at this ranch:
And our hotel...

This post-baby bod is not at all ready for swimsuit season but will suck it up for some much needed pool time!

You may find me here in the evenings...

A rooftop bar!

I'll update when we're back!!!

My First Mother's Day

2011-05-11T08:45:00.009-05:00

We had a great Mother's Day. It was very low-key. We started the day with a nice long walk. Nora loves her Uppa Baby Stroller with the bassinet top. Now that the weather is finally getting nicer in KC, we've put a lot of miles on our stroller.

After our walk, we went to brunch. Just a local Brookside place that has the best omelets and biscuits!

That evening we went to Chris' sister's house to have dinner with Jules. It was a great first Mother's Day!

I have to say that I'm blessed to have the best mom in the world and also a great MIL. And Nora is blessed to have two wonderful grandma's!

This pic was taken with Chris' phone. Sorry about the small size. I wanted him to document part of the day - Nora's favorite thing...taking a nap on Mom. Maybe this is why she won't sleep in her crib for me??? :)

Sweet face.

I know I already posted this pic but I LOVE it.

Just playing on the floor. Couldn't be happier.

Nora's cousins - Vince (5) and Reese (3)

Nora loves being around the older kids.

Reese wanted her picture taken with Baby 'Dora'. Yes, sometimes that is what Reese calls Nora.

Those blue eyes melt my heart!

I had to document this. Chris probably hasn't cut a cake since our wedding! Here he is serving the Mothers!

And someone did not want Mother's Day to end...

It's hard being a baby!

Mother's Day: Sneak Peak

2011-05-10T20:51:00.003-05:00

I don't have time to do the whole post tonight BUT had to share this pic...

I looked at this laughing face all day Sunday. So blessed to be Nora's mother. Had a great Mother's Day. Can't wait to share the rest of the pics.

Off to watch The Voice..LOVE that show!

Three Months!

2011-05-04T10:03:00.010-05:00

How is this even possible?? Nora is three months already! And because I'm late posting..she's almost 3.5 months!

At her 12 week appointment she weighed 12.5 oz (50%) and was 24 in long (50%). Nora usually wears 3 month clothes and some 0-3 month still fit. She's still sleeping through the night like a champ! Now, napping on the other hand, not so much. She takes three hour long naps for the sitter but with me, she prefers to stay up and look at my face all day. Only cat naps for me. Maybe I've spoiled her :).

Enjoy the pics!!

LOVE this picture. It totally captures Nora's personality.

I had to include some outtakes as well.

She is obsessed with her feet!

Get ready for it...

HAHA. The flash was bothering Nora's eyes. this pic cracks me up. She's laughing but check out the eyes!

Nora is growing too fast but I wouldn't change a thing. I love this stage!

Happy Birthday Snickers!

2011-05-02T09:23:00.000-05:00

I have to be honest here, Snickers has probably had the hardest time adjusting to Nora. He's very sweet to her but the poor pup doesn't get nearly enough attention when Nora is around. Thank goodness for our neighbor, Sue, who still takes him on several walks throughout the day. Now that the weather is nice, we're all enjoying more time outside with the whole family (both babies included!).

Snickers turned three on April 7th! Of course we had to do a little celebrating. And the best part of the celebration for him, Nora napped the whole time! All the attention was on him...as it should be.

The Birthday Boy

How about some treats???

He doesn't know where to start.

Sue bought Snixy a huge pigs ear. He immediately ran to 'his couch' to enjoy his treat.

Happy Birthday Snickers!!

Easter Celebrations

2011-05-01T09:34:00.021-05:00

Nora had a great first Easter! We started celebrating by attending the country club's Children's Easter Party. See the post below for the adorable bunny pic.

Here is our baby girl arriving at the party. You would never believe this by Nora's serious face, but I swear she had a good time.

Love the tutu. Can't get enough of the girly stuff!

We invited my niece and nephew to come with us. Here is Reese about to enjoy a peep. A girl after my own heart!

One of Nora's Besties, Lauren, was there too. Lauren is 11 days older than Nora but she was born five week early so Nora is a little bigger than Lauren.

Jen and I enjoyed lots of lunches with our girls during our maternity leave.

Love these pics. Nora just keeps looking at her friend!

The club hosted a great egg hunt for the kids. My nephew Vince picked out a hot pink egg for Nora.

Tons of kids. This will probably be us next year!

Reese was content to just sit and go through her treats.

Nora, me, and the tutu :)

Jen, Lauren, Nora, Me

Notice where Nora is looking...

On Easter Sunday, our little family of three went to church then brunch. We headed over to Chris' sister's house for Easter dinner.

Nora and Aunt Kelly.

I didn't get a great picture of Nora's Easter dress. You can see her little monogram in this picture.

'Enough with the pictures Mom'.

I love Nora's face here. She loves her cousin Katarina.

All the Clarkson cousins. Not an easy task to get a good picture.

And this is my favorite one. Look at Reese stealing an egg from her brother!

I'm only posting these next ones for the sake of the blog. Not a fan of how I look at all. Oh well.

Our sweet family of three!

Lastly, Nora got lots of goodies in her TWO baskets!

We had a great Easter and I can't wait for the many holidays to come!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T13:35:00.003-05:00

Nora's 1st Easter! So blessed that we have a baby girl to celebrate Easter with.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Two months!

2011-04-20T09:45:00.010-05:00

I thought I better post Nora's 2 months pics before she turns 3 months next week. How is it possible that she's almost 3 months? I can't handle this!

The biggest thing that happened this month is that Nora is sleeping through the night! Woo hoo!! She started this right after our trip to FL when she was around 9 weeks. We've had one or two flukes but she's usually down for 8-9 hours and if she can, she'll go back to sleep for another three hours. So nice!

At 9 weeks, Nora weighed 10lbs 13oz and was 23 in long. I'm going to have her weighed again in a week or so. She's still wearing 0-3 month clothes. I put her in 3 month clothes often and they're fitting better each day.

I love taking pictures of Nora. This may be an overload of pics buy enjoy! Nora is one happy baby. We're truly blessed.

More from Naples.

2011-04-20T09:23:00.013-05:00

Nora enjoyed some fun in the sun on our vacation. The weather was outstanding the whole week. We loved every minute of being outside.

I've admitted to my family and close friends that I may have an addiction to buying Nora bathing suits. It's out of control. I love the below one with matching sun hat.

One of my all time favorite pics of this precious baby.

First time in the pool. I think Nora was more interested in the smell/taste of her sunscreen rather than the water.

I was so glad to see some of my girlfriends during out trip. We had a great lunch together at La Playa - where our wedding reception was.

Nora and Cee Cee.

Allison and Nora

My mom and I took Nora to lunch at one of our favorite spots, Ridgways. Our rehearsal dinner was here! I guess you could say we were reliving old times.

The heat wore this Midwestern baby out.

Only in Naples. So funny. Yes, I was a total tourist and took a picture.

We had such a great trip but were glad to get back to KC to see Chris and Snickers. We weren't glad to come back to 40 degrees and rain. Ugh.

But these were waiting for us girls when we got home...

So pretty. The note said 'Welcome Home Girls.'

Pretty sure Chris was glad to have us back :)

Meeting Family.

2011-04-09T09:41:00.013-05:00

I was so excited for my family to finally meet Nora. My mom was in KC for Nora's birth but no one else had met her yet!

Everyone fell in love with Nora. And Nora did so well with having so many new people hold and love on her.

I don't have any pictures of my mom with Nora. Not sure why! Actually yes I know why, it's because my mom is not a fan of having her pic taken.

And I have one of my sister with Nora but she doesn't like it of herself and specifically told me not to post it on my blog. ha!

Here are some members of the rest of my fam.

My Dad. Nora's Pops.

He was pretty smitten with his first grandchild.

My brother - Uncle Nick

My other brother (yes, they're twins) - Uncle Chris

We are so fortunate that Nora got to meet a couple of her great grandparents.

My dad's dad just turned 90! I was so excited that Nora got to meet her Great Grandpa Marvin. He recently moved into an assisted living facility and to say that

Look at that face on Nora. This picture is priceless.

Pops, Grandpa Marvin, and Nora

Some of my mom's family came in from Miami. Nora got to me my grandma, Gram.

Gram was in.love. with her first great grandchild.

Nora's second cousin (??), Sophie. Soph loved Nora's hair.

I love this picture. Look at Nora looking at Sophie. So sweet.

Can't wait to see the fam again soon!

My Weekend Goal.

2011-04-09T08:51:00.002-05:00

Updates are coming!!! I want to get my blog updated this weekend. Please keep checking back. I promise I'm working on it! In the meantime, check out this cutie with the crazy hair. Love it!

The Flight.

2011-04-09T08:38:00.004-05:00

Nora did amazing on the flight to Naples. We were on a direct flight which was SO nice. I had a few friends recommend different things to make traveling easier with a baby. The number one things was feed, feed, feed! And secondly, to bring the Boppy. I'm so glad we did this. It was great to have a place for Nora to lay down, sit up and play, and eat. And bonus, no one sat next to us either way! The most challenging thing was getting through security. I checked her car seat and stroller at the gate but it was still a lot to do (get Nora out of car seat, fold stroller, get myself ready for security, etc). I may or may not have asked the sweet grandmother behind us in line to hold my baby while I tried to get organized. Here are a couple pics from our journey down to Florida.

That serious face. Looks like Nora hates waiting to board just like the rest of us.

On flight! 'Sign me up for frequent flyer miles!!' Lots of more posts coming..I promise! So stay tuned!

On Vacay!

2011-03-27T19:26:00.002-05:00

Nora and I are on vacation in Naples! And by the look on Nora's face, we're having a great time. She must be a Florida girl at heart too!

I'm taking a ton of pics and will have lots of updates when we get back to KC in a few days. But for now, enjoy this pic of my bathing beauty!

Hanging out in my hoodie.

2011-03-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

Just a casual Sunday at home. Emily bought this outfit for Nora right when we found out we were having a girl -thanks Em!! It's newborn size and might not fit too much longer so we had to take some pics in it.

Nora is getting some cheeks on her and I LOVE it!

The hair is out of control!

There isn't anything cuter than baby feet.

And I had to include this next one...brace yourself...

Seriously, what is the matter with me?!?! Why do I find this so amusing? Ha!

Don't worry, I removed the bow right after I captured this priceless moment.

Swingtime..Finally!

2011-03-15T17:45:00.006-05:00

Nora has finally started to enjoy her swing. She seems to love it and bonus, it gives me a few minutes to do something, like wash bottles :)

Enjoy the pics. I know I'm way behind on my blog but I promise to update soon. I have a ton of pics to upload.

And check out Nora's hair in these pics. I just took her bow out so you could see just how awesome her hair is. It's growing by the day!

We have some growing to do.

2011-03-03T14:43:00.002-06:00

This is how I found Nora when I went to get her out of the car...

And instead of fixing her headband, I ran for my camera. I know, I have my priorities straight.

Her little head needs to grow a little bit so our headbands stay on!

One Month..Already!

2011-03-02T17:41:00.006-06:00

Nora turned One Month on Monday. I'm having a little anxiety about her getting so big! At our weight-check last week, Nora was up to 8.6 lbs!

Yes, these pics are a few days late :).

Of course the only one she's smiling in is the one where her bow fell out!

Don't mind us..we had to do a diaper change in the middle of our photo shoot

I know these monthly pics will get easier.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Borrowed Time

2011-02-22T12:41:00.001-06:00

Borrowed time is a term that is used a lot in our house. When I'm running errands and question if I can get one more thing done before Nora wakes up or needs to eat or be held, I'm running on borrowed time.

Nora has been peacefully sleeping so I was able to update my blog (on borrowed time!) before my family disowns me.

There are LOTS of posts and pics below so enjoy!

And I'll leave you with one of our sweet, calm, baby girl. Someone is not a fan of bath time yet!

My Drama Queen

2011-02-22T12:37:00.002-06:00

Nora is quite dramatic. I have no clue where she gets that from. Ha!

From the way she sleeps, cries, and basically begs for food - this little lady has DRAMA written all over her.

This pose cracks me up!

LOVE my little Drama Queen. Let's just say that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

Photoshoot

2011-02-22T12:27:00.005-06:00

It is very hard to get a great photo of a newborn. At least for me it is!

I took several pics of Nora because she looked so adorable in this outfit. Yes, it's still too big but we are slowing fitting into things besides sleep gowns!

Nora doesn't mind that I'm taking her pic..yet.

Wide awake and probably looking for food.

I'm slightly obsessed with these tights from Baby Gap. Love the skirt and Mary Janes! Let's just say that Nora may have a pair or two of these.

'I'm getting pretty bored with you Mom'

'Now I'm downright over this little photo shoot. Put the camera away.'

Little Heartbreaker.

2011-02-22T12:21:00.006-06:00

My mom and sister picked out an adorable Valentine outfit for Nora. Unfortunately, the precious skirt was WAY to big for our itty bitty. The rest of the outfit was pretty big too but she had to wear something festive this Feb. 14!

Our niece Jadon meeting Nora for the first time!

First Family Walk

2011-02-22T12:12:00.004-06:00

We've actually had some decent days in KC this month. Last weekend, all four of us went on a walk! It was Nora's first time in her stroller and she loved it.

Snickers on the other hand, wasn't too sure about his sis tagging along.

We've gone on several more walks the past week and he's actually done quite well.

And this is what Nora does most of the walk...sleeps!

One of the many reasons I love having a girl...

2011-02-22T12:04:00.006-06:00

Hair Accessories!!!

The flower is a clip. The other things are toys from her car seat :)

Our Favorite Thing

2011-02-15T09:42:00.002-06:00

Sleeping on Mom. There's really nothing better - for both of us. Love these little moments.

First Playgroup

2011-02-13T11:02:00.000-06:00

Whitney invited Nora and I to a little Mom's group this week. The ladies in the group all have babies around 3 months. And then there's our little Nora! It was great to meet some of Whitney's friends and get advice from everyone!

Nora, Bobby, Curtis, and Anna Grace

Nora wasn't too sure about posing for the picture. The other babies are pros!

I don't think Bobby is thrilled that his Momma is holding another baby.

Look how much longer Bobby is than Nora. She's going to be that big before I know it!

Cute couple.

Can't wait for the next gathering!

Lots of new posts!!

2011-02-12T11:00:00.003-06:00

It's so much easier to update the blog when Chris is home! Keep scrolling down for a lot of new posts.

And this pic is for my mom...Told you Nora doesn't sleep ALL day! :)

What have we been up to??

2011-02-12T10:45:00.008-06:00

I honestly don't know where the hours in my day go! Nora and I basically camp out in our living room from most of the day. We wouldn't survive without our Pack-n-Play (that includes a changing area and little infant napper!), iPad, Nook, and big TV :)

I honestly spend my days feeding, changing, and looking at our baby girl. Nora's face changes a little bit every day and I love the sweet faces she makes.

Here are some pics from the past week.

Nora has to be swaddled all day and night.

Don't forget about Snickers! He has to be right in the middle of everything.

Sweet Baby sleeping on Dad.

First bath. Pretty traumatic experience. Nora's cord wasn't completely off so I had to hold her and Chris washed her. Can't wait to give her a real bath in her new plastic whale tub.

I know..the hair! Haha.

Nora often scrunches her face when she sleeps. Too funny.

We've loved every second with Nora.

Mean Mommy.

2011-02-12T10:39:00.003-06:00

It's happened. Nora's first injury!

Nora didn't really have any newborn clothes because we weren't sure how big she was going to be. She was a little smaller than we thought and her 0-3 month clothes are still too big. I did a quick Target run to get her one or two outfits to have for the next week or so.

Here she is with her new heart hoodie. Notice that nice little (I mean huge!) scratch on her cheek?? The zipper scratched my baby girl! I'm not exactly sure how it happened but it was while we were driving somewhere. I felt SO bad when I got her out of the car.

Luckily, it's much better now and we had already completed her newborn pics!

Sleeping after the traumatic car ride. Poor baby.

Ladies Who Lunch

2011-02-12T10:33:00.003-06:00

Nora and I met up with some gal pals for lunch this week.

Jen had baby Lauren five weeks early and Lauren is as healthy as can be! Jen and I had a great time introducing our baby girls. They are about 10 days apart. Nora is still a little bigger than Lauren though.

Jen and I loved catching up, comparing notes, etc.

I think Nora and Lauren had a pretty good time as well. Here's what they did the whole lunch...

Sleeping babies!

(Nora is in the pink. Kind of hard to tell with them bundled up!)

I can't wait for Nora and Lauren to begin their sweet friendship. Lots of fun times ahead for these girls!

Hospital Visitors

2011-02-12T10:14:00.012-06:00

We were so blessed to have our family and some great friends visit Nora in the hospital. Kansas City was hit with a huge snow storm when we got home from the hospital so I was very glad that many people got to meet Nora before the storm hit.

The oldest Clarkson cousin with the youngest!

Katarina and Nora

Chris, Grandma 'Jules' and Miss Nora
Both Grandmas!
Still working on a name for my mom..We think she's going to go by Nana.

Chris and his sisters, Audrey and Kelly

Chris and his brother, Don

Whitney and I with our babies!

Bobby is only 3 months and looks so big compared to Nora.

Proud Dads!

I think Bobby is checking Nora out in this picture. No dating yet!

Rollie and Em!

Nora still can't wait to meet her other boyfriend - Hudson! He's already starting wooing Nora.

Rollie and Chris cheers-ing to Nora!

Annie and Ryan loving on Nora.

Nora's Birth Story

2011-02-07T12:18:00.004-06:00

We were so excited to finally have a plan to induce! It is not fun going past your due date. People give you lots of sympathy looks when you tell them you were due two days earlier.

Our plan was to check into the hospital on Thursday night at 7pm. Chris and I went out to dinner one last time before our baby girl made her debut. We were both very nervous and anxious at dinner. Chris might have had a stiff drink (or two) to help with his nerves. We quickly learned that we can't plan too much because the hospital called and asked us to come in at 9pm instead of 7pm. Apparently there was a rush of deliveries that evening. So, after going back home and pacing around another couple of hours, we were on our way!

When we were unloading the car at the hospital (you seriously would have thought we were moving in for a week. We had SO much stuff), the unthinkable happened...our BRAND NEW camera broke. It fell right off the strap! It didn't look like there was any damage on the outside but taking pictures was not going to be an option.

I basically walked into our room in tears. Our poor nurse was so nice and excited for us to be there but I had to apologize for our bad moods. The timing was terrible. Luckily, our moms brought us our little camera to capture everything. And side note: We have a new big camera that we are loving.

I'm not going to go into too many details on the blog but labor and delivery went great. I started having pretty bad contractions early on. And around 8am my water broke on its own. We still did the pitocin to help me dilate more. But once my water broke, I got the epidural. Thank you God!

Chris and I slept on and off throughout the day. I was pretty nauseous at times and was able to have ice chips and an orange Popsicle!

At 2:30pm, I was at an 8. Also around that time, my epidural was wearing off. I basically didn't have any pain meds for the next two hours when I got to a 10. Call me a wimp, but I could never go through the who labor process with out the epi. Way too much pain! Luckily, the next round of meds kicked in for delivery.

I only pushed for 30 minutes and Nora Jewel was born at 5:05pm! My doc said it was a perfect 'textbook' delivery.

Here are a few pics from the day...

All checked in and ready to be induced!

Our sweet family of three!

The wonderful Dr. C. We love her!

Poor Nora, I think we were doing skin to skin before this pic was taken but it's the only one with our great doc.

Our amazing nurse Amy.

Dr. C's first name is Amy as well. Since we were keeping Nora's name a secret until she arrived, our nurse and doctor thought we should name our baby Amy :)

Stay tuned for a post on our hospital visitors!

While I'm working on the hospital posts...

2011-02-05T16:21:00.005-06:00

Enjoy these adorable pics! Our little lady is already full of personality!

Pretty in Pink.

2011-01-31T18:12:00.001-06:00

So In Love with this Little One.

We're truly blessed.

Our Precious Daughter

2011-01-30T18:27:00.006-06:00

Nora Jewel Clarkson

Born on January 28, 2011

5:05 p.m.

7lbs 15 oz

19 inches long

We're home and doing great. Chris and I are in awe of sweet Nora. Hope to have more updates and details this week. Stay tuned...

We have a plan!

2011-01-27T14:17:00.002-06:00

We finally have a plan to meet our Baby Girl! Chris and I are checking into the hospital tonight to start induction. We're very excited and anxious. Please keep us in your prayers. My next post will be about our baby!

Today is our Due Date.

2011-01-25T18:28:00.005-06:00

40 Weeks today! Wow. I really thought we'd have the baby by now. Or at least be in the process of having her. Oh well. All in God's time!

I thought I'd start with a cute pic of Snickers. He loves his monthly stickers.

And here I am. 40 weeks preggers in all it's glory! All you skinny minis out there..don't be too jealous of this huge belly! I'm in work out clothes (again). I basically walked all day long to try and get things moving.

How Far Along: 40 Weeks!

Size of Baby: My weekly email said it's hard to really say how big the baby is at this point but most babies are around 7.5 lbs and over 20 inches long - About the size of a pumpkin! I think the email says it's hard to calculate because most people have their baby by now! We're guessing that Baby Girl will be over 8lbs but under 9lbs.

Weight Gain: 20lbs

Maternity Clothes: Shocked they still fit.

Gender: Baby Girl Clarkson!

Cravings: Red wine. And I'm not ashamed to admit it :)

Movement: Baby Girl still moves all the time but she's running out of room in there.

Sleep: Horrible. Chris and I have not been sleeping at all. The rate we're going, we'll be pros at the newborn sleep schedule.

Symptoms: Some small contractions, cramping, low back ache. All good signs that labor is coming. Yesterday, I was still at a 1 and 50% effaced. If Baby Girl is not here by Thursday, I'm going back to the doctor and will check in Thursday night to start induction.

What I Miss: Just being comfortable.
Once she arrives, I will definitely miss feeling her move all day long.

Best Moment of the Week: Knowing my mom made it to KC in time for the delivery!

What I Am Looking Forward To: Finally meeting our daughter this week! We can't wait to see who she looks like and share her precious name!

Please keep the Clarkson Fam in your prayers over the next couple of days!

Update!

2011-01-24T18:02:00.004-06:00

Baby Girl didn't get the memo that she has a due date!

I did not progress any further this week. Right now the plan is to keep waiting and see if she comes on her own in the next day or two. If she doesn't, I go back to the doctor Thursday morning and will plan to check in Thursday night to start the induction process. We'd love for her to come on her own before then! Please keep us in your prayers. And my loyal blog readers are lucky because they get one more (AND LAST!) weekly update tomorrow! Stay tuned....

New Toys and Baby Update

2011-01-23T11:26:00.003-06:00

First of all - thank you everyone for the nice emails, texts, calls about the baby update. I'm still pregnant! As of last week, I was still at a one and 50% effaced. I'm slowing getting there. I go back to the doctor on Monday. If I'm a little more dilated, I think the plan is to check into the hospital Tuesday night to be induced. This is what we're hoping for! My mom gets in Monday so she's welcome to come any time. I had a couple really strong contractions yesterday so I'm hoping that's a good sign. Just stay tuned...I'll keep you posted after Monday.

In other news...Chris and I have a couple new 'toys' that have been occupying most of our free time.

I really wanted a new camera before the baby came. I was even going to get up super early on Black Friday to get the best deal but we decided just to wait and get it sometime in January. Well, that time was this weekend. I was so excited to finally go buy the camera. We went with a Canon Rebel. After talking to several people, I learned that the Canon's are a little more user friendly. And the best part was that I had a gift card to put towards the camera AND I was able to convince the sales guy to give me 10% because the box looked a little beat up and it was the last one left in the store. I was so proud of myself for the money we saved. We saved enough to cover one full day of daycare - we have to start thinking about these things!

The second toy we've been slightly obsessed with is the iPad. Oprah herself said that this was the greatest invention ever and I couldn't agree more. Chris really wanted one. And I wanted one too but I had might sights set on the camera first. Little did I know that we'd both use it all.day.long. We don't even know how to use majority of the things that the iPad does but we're slowing learning. Let me know if you have any favorite apps that we need to try!

I'll update tomorrow after my doctor's appointment!

What's on my DVR??

2011-01-20T12:04:00.012-06:00

I'm definitely not a TV junkie but I do love our DVR. It might just be the best invention ever. I can record all of our (mainly my) shows and catch up on a lazy Saturday or on an evening when we don't have anything going on. I'm sure my TV schedule is going to go out the window once Baby Girl arrives so I'm definitely relying on DVR to keep me up to date on the award-winning shows. Chris always makes fun of the shows I like to watch. And I agree most are pretty pathetic but sometimes, I can't look away!

Who is watching this season? For some reason, I don't think I really watched the first run that Brad was on. He doesn't seem too bad though. Along with the rest of America, Emily is my favorite. I think she'll go far too. I usually watch with a group of ladies and it is so much more fun than watching on my own..or even worse, with Chris! You know we like to talk about outfits, hair, drama queens, etc. I love Monday nights!

I will admit that this season hasn't been as good as others but let's face it, I'm still hooked.

Most people make fun of me for loving The Biggest Loser. Last season almost turned me off because I wasn't a fan of most of the contestants. There are two new trainers this season and so far so good. I will also admit that I usually watch this show sitting on the couch and eating a cookie or something!

Chris and I like to stay in on Friday nights. It's hard to get motivated after a long work week. Lately, we've been watching Dateline and love it. Yes, we've become THAT couple.

Hands down the best show on TV right now. We LOVE it! But who doesn't??

I have a slight obsession with Bravo TV. When there is nothing else on, you can count on something to be good on Bravo! I love Top Chef because I worked with a number of the judges (including Tom C.) at my last job. I don't really consider myself a foodie but I usually don't miss an episode.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

I'm going to put it out there that this might be my favorite Housewives cast to date. New York is a close second. Why do I watch these shows?? Who knows! Kyle and Lisa are my faves on this season.

LOVE this show.

Grey's hasn't been the best the past couple of seasons but I'm still keeping with it. It's definitely a step behind Private Practice.

I know this seems like a lot but with DVR there's really no excuse not to watch. Or that is just what I tell myself to make feel better about watching too much TV.

39 Weeks

2011-01-18T14:09:00.004-06:00

Well, one more update..aren't you lucky! Sorry the belly is kind of hard to see in a loose sweater. My camera battery died so we used Chris' phone for the pic..sorry for the low quality.

We are in countdown mode at the Clarkson House. Every time I call someone they assume I'm in labor..and unfortunately I'm not. Soon enough though!

How Far Along: 39 Weeks

Size of Baby: The weekly email said that our baby is ready to greet the world! I love that. This week Baby Girl is continuing to build a layer of fat to help regulate her body temp after birth. She's already weighing over 7lbs and over 20 inches long. She's being compared to a watermelon. The outer layers of her skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Weight Gain: 19lbs

Maternity Clothes: Still living in them.

Gender: Princess Clarkson

Cravings: I can't think of one thing in particular this week. I have indulged a little bit though. With only have a week or less left, I've been treating myself!

Movement: Baby Girl still moves all day and night long. I'll never get sick of feeling her move. Some moves make me jump because they're so hard and kind of hurt. She's just running out of room in there.

Sleep: I've been sleeping okay. I've been pretty tired so I fall asleep early but it's hard to sleep through the night.

Symptoms: My heartburn still gets bad. I've also been nauseous a few times. I know this is all normal though.

What I Miss: Being able to get comfortable.

Best Moment of the Week: Chris and I had a great date night at Cafe Trio on Saturday. We're trying to do some special things before our baby arrives.

What I'm looking forward to: My doctor's appointment tomorrow. Hopefully we'll come up with a plan to get Baby Girl here. And my mom comes on Monday!

Baby Update!

2011-01-14T08:30:00.004-06:00

Well, our little girl is pretty comfy right now. I didn't progress any more this week. I'm still at a 1 and 20% effaced. My doctor thinks that the baby will come right around my due date (Jan 25) or a day or two after. And she will induce me that week if not. My mom's ticket is booked for Jan. 24th so Baby Girl, please stay put until then! With this Kansas City weather, I don't blame the baby for staying put. Little does she know though about all the cute winter hats her momma has waiting for her!

Stay tuned....

38 Weeks!

2011-01-11T17:30:00.005-06:00

38 weeks! Only one or two weekly updates left! Tonight I asked Chris if he's going to miss taking my picture every week. I got a very fast No as an answer :)

Please don't mind the double chin. Do I look like this in person?? Hope not. Ha! No wonder Chris won't miss taking these weekly pics!

How Far Along: 38 Weeks!!

Size of Baby: According to my weekly email, Baby Girl weighs 6lbs 8oz and is over 19.5 inches long. She should be about the size of a leek. Remember though, Baby Girl was measuring on the big side a couple weeks ago! She has a firm grasp which we'll be able to test in a matter of days. Her organs are ready for life outside the womb. So blessed that Baby Girl is over full-term and healthy!

Weight Gain: 19lbs

Maternity Clothes: Won't be sad to see them go!

Gender: Baby Girl Clarkson!

Cravings: Sweets. I've also been so hungry certain days. Yesterday I couldn't eat enough! I had several cookies yesterday. Thank goodness I've slowed down a little bit today.

Movement: Baby Girl's movements are so strong. Sometimes actually leaving me in a little pain. And she's had the hiccups quite a bit this past week. I will definitely miss feeling her move all day long.

Symptoms: Anything and everything you can imagine that comes with having a baby any day. Everyone says the last two weeks are the worse. I'm beginning to feel that.

What I Miss: Bending over.

Best Moment of the Week: Knowing I'm slowing progressing towards labor. Last week I was at a 1 and 20% effaced. Chris and I also had fun getting the hospital bag together. Makes it seem so real.

What I'm Looking Forward To: My doctor's appointment on Thursday. I'll keep ya posted!!

Baby Girl's Nursery...Finally!

2011-01-09T10:00:00.001-06:00

We have finally finished Baby Girl's nursery! We LOVE how it turned out. The one thing Chris requested was that the walls NOT be pink. She has a ton of other pink things in her room and I'm so glad we went with the green walls. I think the room is very sweet, girly, and happy.

Enjoy the tour!!

I love this banner on her door. It was part of the decor from our ladies-only KC shower.

View from the doorway.

I know we'll be spending lots of time in our glider.

I love her 3D sonogram pics. The frame matches the window drapes.

I think the drapes really make the room. They're black-out drapes from Pottery Barn Kids.

'A Baby is God's Opinion that the World Should Go On'

So pleased with how her bookshelf turned out.

Here are a few pics of the crib. We have letters for Baby Girl's name that will hang above the crib when she arrives. I think that will really finish off the room.

Close-up of the bows.

Her bumper will be monogrammed in just a couple of weeks.

We decided to use the bookcase as our changing area. The hutch has an additional shelf that we'll add in the future.

Baskets for hats, headbands, and rattles.

Baby Girl already has quite the collection of toys and stuffed animals.

And the bow holder! I love this because we can add more/longer ribbon when needed. The ribbon that's on here now is all from our diaper cakes. I took these pictures earlier this week and I'm embarrassed to say that we probably have another four or five bows to add..

All we're missing is our baby! We're ready for her!

37 Weeks!!

2011-01-04T16:58:00.005-06:00

It's January! I told Chris that once January came, I think that the due date was going to really sneak up on us. And it has! It's crazy to think that our baby will be here this month! We're really looking at a number of days now instead of weeks or months. We're both SO excited, nervous, and anxious. I'm full term now so as far as I'm concerned, Baby Girl is welcome any day!!

Love my Due in January tank. When my mom bought it for me, it was hard to imagine filling it out. Ha! Now it's pretty snug.

How about a full term belly pic?? Some days I feel like I've really dropped and other days not so much.

How Far Along: 37 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby Girl is considered full term even though her due date is still a few weeks away. If I was to go into labor today, her lungs are mature enough to survive outside the womb. My weekly email update says that Baby Girl should weigh 6 and one third pounds right now but according to the sonogram, she was already over that last week! I know the sonogram isn't always accurate but according to genetics, I'm pretty sure Baby Girl is going to be on the big side. She is measuring over 19 inches long (like the stalk of swiss chard).

Weight Gain: Around 17lbs. I actually lost a pound or so the past couple of weeks. One of my pregnant friends summarized this perfectly by saying at this point in the pregnancy the babies are sucking the life out of us! :)

Maternity Clothes: I think I'm set for my hospital and nursing tops. I'm looking forward to wearing non-maternity clothes sooner than later. I know I still have a while though...

Gender: Baby Girl Clarkson! We are SO ready to share her precious name with the world! Almost time!

Cravings: Peanut Butter.

I had a Bachelor viewing party last night and I immediately offered to bring brownies for dessert. I was able to enjoy a couple (or few!) without eating the whole pan. SO yummy!

Movement: Baby Girl still moves all day long. Both of her feet are in my ribcage. I can tell she is running out of room because her movements are starting to make me a little uncomfortable and hurt sometimes.

Sleep: What's that??

Symptoms: Uncomfortable is the only way to describe how I feel. I don't feel fabulous and I don't feel terrible. Somewhere in the middle. I'm also pretty fatigued. And I still have heartburn. My skin has been very itchy as well. Wow, I sound like I'm complaining! haha!

What I Miss: The only thing I can say is a good nights sleep but it will be a long time before we experience that again.

Best Moment of the Week: Seeing our chubby cheeked baby on the sonogram!

What I am Looking Forward To: My doctors appointment on Thursday. Want to see if I've made any progress.

New Years Eve

2011-01-03T09:22:00.009-06:00

Let's be honest here, I'm not the life of the party these days. And I also think NYE is very overrated. With that said, Chris and I decided to stay in for NYE. It was wonderful! I loved spending NYE in my sweatpants and Ugg slippers. We cooked a great dinner, watched movies, and counted down the minutes until midnight. And surprisingly, I made it until midnight. We were all a little surprised!

Snickers and I hanging out on the couch. I think Snickers has loved the 2010 Holiday Season more than we have because we've been home SO much this year.

My mocktail of choice for the evening. One of my girlfriends got me hooked on these. They are so good (and very low calorie)!
Fruit flavored sparkling water, just a dash of pomegranate juice and fresh limes. Delicious!!

Place settings.

Chris is about to enjoy our delicious dinner.

We had beef tenderloin, stacked potatoes, green bean casserole, salad, and rolls. SO good!

Someone sat at our feet hoping for a bite of NYE tenderloin.

And my favorite part...Dessert! Yum! We had to try a bite of all three mini-desserts.

We watched this movie after dinner. I don't think it got the best reviews but we both enjoyed it.

A low-key NYE was perfect for us for 2010! We definitely had some ups and downs this year and it was fun to talk about our favorite moments this year. My favorite moment of the year was around our 10 week doctor's appointment when we found out that our baby was healthy and growing rapidly. Chris said his favorite moment was when we found out we were having a Baby Girl. Sweet.

Can't wait to see what 2011 brings. We know it will be the best yet!

Mardi Gras Christmas

2010-12-31T14:57:00.016-06:00

The Clarkson Christmas theme for 2010 was Mardi Gras. My MIL goes all out with decor, food, drinks, etc. Chris and I had a low-key Christmas Day with just the two of us so we were ready for a fun night.

Julie's home was decked out for the occasion!

Living room and bar area. Notice all the hats that were available for people to wear. Yours Truly is not a hat person and passed on this unique opportunity.

More decor. I think there were enough beads for the entire city of New Orleans.

Entry to the kitchen.

Every year the theme decor is mixed in with traditional Christmas decorations.

The food was great! I made this brie. Yum! For dinner there was jambalaya, chicken, blackened catfish, gumbo, and a ton of sides. I was a big fan of all the sides.

The whole group. Mostly family but a couple very close family friends were there too.

Had to get one with the props!

One really fun thing this year was a characteriture artist! Just like on the streets of New Orleans..

Chris getting his portrait done.

Almost done with Chris'! The artist was so good and fast. She only needed a few minutes per person.

My turn! I asked her not to include any pregnancy swelling. She laughed and then said she barely noticed I was pregnant. :)

The Hubs and Me. Not to bad!

It was so fun to watch everyone get their picture done.

Love this pic of my nieces.

Katarina and Jadon

Audrey and Reese.

Reese was very proud of this Mrs. Clause outfit. She kept showing it off all night. Another hand-me-down for Baby Girl!

One of our best friends Timmy stopped by later in the evening. He lives in Arizona so it was so great to see him!

Even though Mardi Gras wasn't your traditional Christmas, it was still perfect to celebrate with our family and friends!

Baby Girl Update!

2010-12-30T17:03:00.002-06:00

Chris and I had my 36-37 week doctor's appointment today. Everything went great. Our Baby Girl looks perfect. She's measuring a little on the big side. No surprise there because I was almost 10lbs and big babies run in the family.

Baby Girl is 6lbs 9oz. I forgot to ask how long she is. The sonogram tech said that she has chubby cheeks and lots of hair. She's is head down and in the perfect position to make her entrance into the world. I am not dilated yet but we'll see if anything changes at my appointment next week.

I know this picture is impossible to see but I'll try my best to explain it. I'm sure no one cares about this besides my fam in FL :)

The image is of Baby Girl's face, looking straight on. Look to the left side of the image. You can see her forehead, two black spots are her eye sockets, her nose is the the light color in the middle of the image and her lips are right below that. You can also see her cute chubby cheeks! Again, it's really hard to tell with the image. If you can't make out her face, don't worry about it..Just trust me, it's adorable!

Can't wait to meet our Baby Girl in a few weeks!!

9 Months of Pure Bliss

2010-12-28T16:32:00.004-06:00

Yes, you read that right. I'm 9 months pregnant! Many people (especially males) think pregnancy is a total of 9 months. It's actually 10 months - 40 weeks. If you make it that long. I've definitely had my moments/difficult weeks with my pregnancy but overall, it's been wonderful. Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for our baby. Not a kick or movement happens without me thinking it's amazing. I'm SO ready to meet our Baby Girl but I will definitely miss many things about my 9 (ten!) months of pregnancy!

I thought I'd include a picture of Chris and I for this milestone!

How Far Along: 36 weeks

Size of Baby: Baby Girl is about 6lbs and over 18.5 inches long! She's about the size of a crenshaw melon. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week Baby Girl will be considered full-term!

Total Weight Gain: Over 17 lbs. The locker room at the gym was locked again this morning! I'll update when I get to a scale later this week.

Maternity Clothes: Still living in them. I've also purchased a few tops for after the baby is here.

Gender: Princess Clarkson!

Movement: Baby Girl still moves all day long. I can definitely tell where her feet and hands are. They tickle instead of kick.

Sleep: Knock on wood, but I've been sleeping pretty good the past few nights.

Symptoms: Still have a lot of heartburn and acid reflux. My doctor gave me a prescription that seems to be helping though. My back is also starting to get a little sore. Still have some fatigue. And of course, the swelling. Very attractive.

What I Miss: Just the ease of moving around, getting out of bed, and bending over.

Cravings: Can't think of any particular this week.

Best Moment of the Week: Celebrating Christmas with my Hubs.

What I am Looking Forward to: My weekly doctor's appointment on Thursday. We are getting a sonogram as well. I can't wait to find out how big Baby Girl is!

Last Christmas with just the two of us..

2010-12-27T16:15:00.023-06:00

Chris and I had a great Christmas this year. Since I couldn't travel, it was the first Christmas away from my family. It was hard but I have to admit, I didn't miss the airport delays! We relaxed at home Christmas Eve Day, went to church, then had a fabulous dinner at the Bristol. We went to Julie's for Mardi Gras, I mean Christmas on the night of the 25th.

Lots of quality time just the two of us and Snickers of course! All weekend we couldn't believe how this is our last Christmas without children. And next year our Baby Girl will probably be walking. Crazy to think about! But SO exciting...

Our Fur Baby. He looks so cute in his scarf!

This year we decided not to get each other several gifts. We're going to buy a SLR digital camera and wanted to save the money for that. We look forward to doing each others stocking every year. And I always do Snicker's stocking.

Chris' and Snickers' stocking. They are usually on the mantel but were too heavy with all of our Christmas goodies!

Where's mine you ask??....

Here it is! Chris 'hid' mine because some of my goodies were too big to fit inside my stocking. He didn't want me peeking. Chris went above and beyond this year - I got a gift card for a prenatal massage! So excited. The big package is a massaging neck pillow for the tub. I loved it!

I thought I would also include some Christmas decor pics in this post...

Our skinny Christmas tree. It's not the biggest tree but it's perfect for our house.

All the stockings. Next year we'll have four! Both of our grandmothers made our needlepoint stockings. I paid way too much for Snickers needlepoint stocking. I'm already on the hunt for Baby Girl's needlepoint stocking. I love how traditional they are.

We have a smaller tree in our living room too.

Our main Christmas tree.

I love anything with some sparkles on it!

These vases frame our dining room. They're much prettier in person.

Don't mind the stroller behind the vase :)

Garland on our stairwell. Sorry for the bright lighting.

One of my favorite traditions is that Chris and I get each other an ornament every year. I swear each year gets better than the last! We have so much fun finding the perfect ornament for each other.

Here is what Chris picked me out this year. How cute is this??

And when you pull the string, there's a diamond ring inside! I LOVED it!

Here is Chris' 2010 ornament. The picture is of people golfing. Chris loved it!

I wanted to share some of my other favorites on our tree...

Chris got me this my first winter in KC. He said it reminded him of me. Completely bundled up and miserable!

We have several construction ornaments. Very fitting.

And lastly, the very classy ESPN ornament. And bonus, when you touch it, it plays the Sports Center theme song! Every good wife out there knows that lovely tune :)

Sometimes I think our tree should be all the same color or more formal but I love that each ornament means something to us. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Stay tuned for the Mardi Gras post!!!

Family Christmas Celebration

2010-12-22T14:47:00.023-06:00

Each year, Chris' mom (Jules) has the immediate family over for dinner and presents about a week before Christmas. This gives everyone time to do Christmas with other sides of their fam. We usually go to FL right after this celebration but obviously this year is different - for a good reason of course :).

Jules goes above and beyond with the gifts. The kids get a ton of stuff! And it's so fun to watch them open everything. Kids truly make the holiday more fun. I can't believe next year we'll have almost a one year old!

Enjoy the pics..there are a ton!

Julie's beautiful tree.

Cousins toasting to the night!

Side note: On Christmas night Julie has family and very close family friends over for a celebration. Each year there is a theme (Cowboy Christmas, Asian Inspired, you name it, she's done it!). This year's theme is Mardi Gras. This will explain some of the different decorations you see around the house.

Kitchen decor

ummm..Hello Baby. And tented maternity top.

Oh my. This my be my favorite picture ever!! My Goddaughter Loren.

Is it sad that I look at this pic and think that I can't wait for those hand-me-downs?!?!

Sweet Sisters.

Jadon and Loren.

All the kids waiting to open their gifts.

Cole, Vince, Jadon, Reese, Loren, and Katarina

Julie gave all the older kids and the guys these guitar t-shirts that really play music. They're crazy!

The whole group with their t-shirt.

Reese's favorite gift is her new digital camera!

I love Jadon in the background. She's proudly holding her new American Doll.

Baby Girl even received a couple gifts! This will definitely keep her warm her first few months of life. Chris' face says it all- "Great..more pink."

Jadon with her new doll, Laney.

We all got Jules a digital camera.

Kat received a sweatshirt from her future high school!

Reese and Loren. These two are about five months apart and have a total love/hate relationship. What the picture doesn't show is them screaming at each other two minutes before sharing the new toys.

The little girls each got a princess tent!

Precious.

And Vince got a lego table! Obviously he was too busy to look at the camera.

We also celebrated Denny's birthday that evening.

Denny, Audrey, Reese, and Vince.

I'm not going to admit to you how many pieces of this I had!!

35 Weeks

2010-12-21T18:06:00.003-06:00

The end is in sight! Only five weeks to go....

How Far Along: 35 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby Girl doesn't have much room to maneuver because she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (about the same weight as a honeydew). Because she is so snug in my womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks remains about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight. Speaking of weight...

Total Weight Gain: 17 lbs! Looks like I had one too many Christmas cookies last week. Ha!

Maternity Clothes: All I wear. Fortunately, everything I bought in the beginning of my pregnancy still fits. I haven't had to go up a size.

Gender: Baby Girl Clarkson!!

Movement: Baby Girl moves all day and NIGHT.

Sleep: Not great. And the bags under my eyes are showing this.

Symptoms: Where to begin...Here is what my weekly update said this week. Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. That about sums it up. I've had horrible heartburn. And if I do too much in one day, my feet swell at night. Still have fatigue. And can I count not being able to bend over to put on boots, tights, etc. as a symptom?? Other than that, I feel great. I'm still working out about about five days a week. I think people at the gym look at me like I'm insane but since I've felt good, I'm going to keep at it.

What I miss: The ease of getting up and down, bending over, etc. And of course, sleep!

Cravings: I don't think any one thing but obviously I haven't held back this week :).

Best Moment of the Week: Taking our childbirth classes. It really makes everything seem so real and exciting.

What I am Looking Forward to: My doctor's appointment on Wednesday. I'm excited to be going weekly now. Also, excited for Christmas. It's my first Christmas away from my fam which is pretty hard but I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with the Hubs. I can't believe this is our last Christmas without children.

Meet Olivia

2010-12-18T15:56:00.006-06:00

Let me introduce you to Olivia....
One of my co-workers gave me this precious book for a shower. She also gave us an adorable stuffed Olivia to go along with the book. I put the stuffed animal on the book case with the rest of Baby Girl's books. The shelf of the book case is at eye level with Snickers. We've had the book and pig for about a month now and not a day goes by where Snickers doesn't take Olivia off the book case (usually many times per day!). He just likes to get it down and leave it in the middle of the floor. If nursery door is cracked, I can 100% guarantee that Snickers has taken Olivia off the shelf.

Until recently, Snickers would just leave Olivia in the nursery. He's now become very attached to her and started taking the pig down to 'his couch' to play with. Well, knowing how much he loves this toy, I finally gave in and just let him have it. It's the only thing in the nursery he's bothered with and I'd much rather have him chew this up over our nice wood furniture or Pottery Barn rug.

Snickers was SO excited when he finally had victory over this little toy. I'll let these pics speak for themselves...

He looks so proud!

Starting to really 'play' with Olivia.

Needs a better grip on his prized new toy.

And get ready for it....

Snickers only chewed off one ear! Ha!

I'll never think of those sweet Olivia books the same again. And yes, I'm sure this is just one of the many things that Snickers is going to want from the baby!

8.5 Months!

2010-12-14T16:02:00.003-06:00

I really feel like I've grown a lot over the past week. And with my current appetite, I'm sure Baby Girl is going through a growth spurt!

How Far Along: 34 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby Girl weighs 4 and 3/4 lbs - about the size of a cantaloupe (as shown in the picture above!). She is about 18 inches long. Her fat layers are filling her out, making her rounder and will help regulate her body temperature once she's born. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. Babies born between 34-37 weeks that have no previous health problems, generally do fine! Thank God! But she can stay in a little while longer :)

Total Weight Gain: 15lbs and I'm feeling every ounce of that!

Maternity Clothes: With this cantaloupe, that's all I wear!

Gender: Baby Girl Clarkson!!

Movement: Baby Girl continues to move all day long. I've been feeling her little feet tickle my rib cage. It's a crazy feeling but I love it.

Sleep: Still not great at all. And I haven't been able to nap in a couple weeks either which is very unusual for me.

Symptoms: Lots of them. I definitely have a hard time getting comfortable. And I've been more fatigued and tired lately. I feel fine on the elliptical or power walking at the gym but going up and down our stairs kills me. I get out of breath so fast. I've also had some stomach pains where Baby Girl is squishing different parts of me. Laying on my side really helps this though.

What I miss: Being comfortable while sleeping.

Cravings: Nothing particular but I've been super hungry the past two days!

Best Moment of the Week: We had a a couple handymen at the house to work on some last projects before the baby comes. I know this sounds small but I was SO glad to get everything done.

What I am Looking Forward to: Lots of things this week! I have something every night until Sunday. We have our breastfeeding and childbirth classes (you know Chris is thrilled!), a few holiday parties, Christmas celebrations, and much more. Should be a fun week!!

Touchdown KANSAS CITY!

2010-12-13T11:24:00.015-06:00

Chris and I are very fortunate that we get to attend a lot of Chiefs games. The noon games make for a long Sunday but they're always a blast.

If you live in KC you know how all the commercials and radio announcements say 'Touchdown Kansas City!' They're kind of annoying commercials and I may or may not make fun of them every time I hear then. Ha! But I swear, I'm still a Chiefs fan!!

This picture was at the home opener. So fun to have a Monday night game!

This is done every week and I always think it looks so cool.

We have suite tickets for the game. Yes, I know, we're very lucky! We spend most of the time in the outside part of the suite but it's nice to have food and drinks available the whole time.

Cozy seating area in suite.

We have the BEST bartender named Spence. I'm always so impressed how he remembers every one's name. And he makes great drinks too!

Annie and I at one of the pre-season games. This was August. Notice the barely there baby bump and sleeveless shirt :)

Chris and I at the home opener in September.

Emily (Chris' aunt), Me, and Jules at the home opener.

And now let's get to the game from last weekend. I've been to a couple games in between but forgot to take pics. I decided to go at the very last minute. Here's why I wasn't planning on going...

Yep. It was a cold one. And it was SO windy. It always feels much colder in the stadium too.

Brooke, Lindsey, Me, Annie

The good news was that my Northface still zips! I was shocked! Probably won't zip next week but it worked for the game.

Me and Hubs. Horrible picture of me but see the sacrifices I make for the blog!

It's Starting...

2010-12-12T09:27:00.003-06:00

Winter is definitely here! We had our first snow last night. At least we have blue skies today!

Our street.

Backyard.

And just for fun, I included this week's forecast. Got to love Monday's forecast.

Welcome to December in Kansas City!!

33 weeks!

2010-12-07T15:13:00.007-06:00

Baby Girl is definitely growing! Can't wait to meet her soon!

How Far Along: 33 weeks

Size of Baby: Baby Girl weighs a little over 4lbs and is about the size of a pineapple. She has passed the 17 inch mark and is rapidly losing that wrinkled alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull still aren't fused together with allows them to move and slightly overlap thus making it easier to get through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse together until early adulthood, so they can grown as her brain and other tissue expand in infancy and childhood.

Total Weight Gain: 14 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Basically everything I wear is maternity.

Gender: Baby Girl Clarkson! Name will be revealed when she's born!

Movement: Baby Girl moves all day and night. I love it!

Sleep: Wish I was getting more of it!

Symptoms: Nothing as dramatic like last week! Not really any Braxton Hicks contractions this week. The only new thing is that my skin is really itchy. The stretching and cold weather don't help too much. Also a little uncomfortable at times but that comes with being over 8 months pregnant!

What I miss: The only thing I can think of is being able to get comfortable while sleeping.

Cravings: ??? I don't turn much down though. ha!

Best Moment of the Week: Our couples shower and my work shower! Chris and I have so much support for Baby Girl. Very blessed.

What I am looking Forward to: Working on the last details of the nursery this weekend and my Dr. appointment on Wednesday.

Our Couples Shower!

2010-12-06T17:09:00.028-06:00

Chris and I have the most amazing friends. I was so lucky to move to KC and have an instant group of good friends. The Arthur's, The Fors', and The Anderson's threw us a great couples shower last weekend. They went above and beyond as usual. I've been very fortunate to have had two baby showers already so I was really excited for Chris to celebrate Baby Girl with everyone.

I'm going to let the pics explain all the details of the shower. I'm warning you..there are a ton!

The Hosts!

Robby and Whitney Arthur, Emily and Rollie Fors, me, Hubs, Annie and Ryan Anderson.

anyone remember my dress?? It's my b-day present (from September) from Chris! I was so excited to wear it for a special occasion.

Chris and I starting to open gifts. I let Chris do most of the opening. His guy pals were egging him on to explain what each item was. At one point Chris yelled, "It's a Floating Princess Castle!" So funny! By the way, he was talking about a bath book from Pottery Barn Kids.

My Girlfriends from Indian Hills. Enjoyed lots of pool and golf time with these lovely ladies.
Me, Brandi, Kim, Annie, and Emily

Chris, Robby, Ryan, Terry, and Rhett

I think the boys were instructed to say 'Baby' to the camera!

The Hostesses

Annie, Em, Me, and Whit

I have the MOST creative friends. Instead of a diaper cake, the girls made a diaper tricycle. The headlight flower is a headband, there are receiving blankets, booties, a precious baby doll, and of course diapers!

Another view. So cute!!!

Speaking of my creative friends, check out this flower bouquet. Half of those flowers are baby items. So impressive!

We were so glad some of our family could come.

The Clarkson Fam includes Don and Jen, Audrey and Denny, us, and Chris' cousin Abby and her boyfriend Tyler.

Nice bar display. The group also made an amazing punch and hot apple cider for the preggies at the shower.

Annie and Em preparing last minute apps before the guests arrived.

The group thought of every detail.

Dinner spread - beef and pork tenderloin sandwiches, German Potato Salad, and salad and bread sticks from Olive Garden. Yum!

We all know I have a sweet tooth. I won't tell you how many brownies I had. Pregnant or not..it's embarrassing :)

Along with mini cupcakes, we had this huge raspberry lemonade flavored cupcake. It was So good.

I'm apparently not the only one in this family with a sweet tooth. Ha!

The gifts looks so nice under the Emily and Rollie's Christmas Tree.

Our group gift theme was 'feeding'. We got everything from our Boppy, bottles, cups, bottle sterilizer, bibs, formula dispenser, and a ton more. We are so fortunate!

Chris and I opening gifts. We can never have too many books.

I had to include this pic of Emily and Rollie's pug - Molly Fors. She rested on Kim for a good 20 minutes. So funny!

And no party would be complete without Hudson making an appearance before we went down for the night. Love that precious hat!

Chris and I are so blessed to have an amazing support group. Can't wait for all of them to meet Baby Girl!!

A True Labor of Love.

2010-12-01T08:58:00.010-06:00

I saw this bookcase at Target.com and thought it would look really cute in Baby Girl's nursery. It's so hard to order furniture online. I couldn't tell if it would be cheap looking or look really cute in person. Well, good news- it's adorable in person and made really well. We received some Target gift cards at my Florida shower so it worked out perfectly!

I will start by saying I am not handy. At all! But I was so excited when it came in the mail. Chris had class one night and I decided, How hard could this be? I'm going to put the bookcase together. There's not that many pieces.

Here are all the pieces. And they were heavy. Actually, I probably shouldn't have moved them. I was trying to use other things to support them (the wall, ottoman, etc) when I put it together. But I was still very motivated to complete this for Baby Girl.

Someone else was motivated too. He was in the middle of everything the whole time. And when I say whole time, it took me almost two hours! Ha! Are you kidding me?? For a child's bookcase? Still worth it though. I was really liking how it was turning out.

And then I was finished! It felt so good when the drawer at the bottom was put together. I stood up to look at my handy work and was pretty pleased with myself. Then I turned around, and thought 'What's the pink piece?' Yes, I forgot something. It's the backing for behind the drawer. I couldn't believe it! I gave up for the night and was going to have Chris do it later for me. My pride was slowly diminishing.

My mom and I actually ended up putting the last piece on. It is SO much easier with two people. And I'm thrilled with the way the bookcase looks in the nursery!

Super cute!

I love Baby Girl's pic and tea set on the top shelf.

Side view.

This book case was definitely worth the hard work. But from now on, I'll leave this stuff to the Hubs.

8 Months!

2010-11-30T11:05:00.008-06:00

Well, we're nearing the end. Just eight weeks (or a little bit less) left!

Obviously the reason I purchased these stickers were for Snickers to chew up every month.

How Far Along: 32 Weeks

Size of baby: Baby Girl weighs 3.75 pounds (about the size of a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in my uterus. I'm should be gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to the baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Total Weight Gain: 14lbs

Maternity Clothes: Basically only wearing maternity clothes except for a few workout bottoms, sweat pants, and pajamas!

Gender: We're having a Baby Girl!!! Side note: we are going to keep Baby Girl's name a secret :)

Movement: Still moving all day, every day. I'm starting to feel her more and more in my upper ribcage.

Sleep: Not sleeping so great. I'm up a lot during the night. I don't get out of bed but I just lay there and try to get comfortable.

Symptoms: Still a little uncomfortable. My weekly email also gave this info - To accommodate you and your baby's growing needs, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since you got pregnant. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may be shortness of breath and heartburn. To help relieve your discomfort, try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often. I've definitely felt these symptoms over the past couple of weeks. I can't even think of eating a large meal. It makes me so uncomfortable. And I've definitely been out of breath more.

UPDATED: I was in a lot of pain Tuesday afternoon/night. After talking with the nurses and my doctor, they decided that we should head to Labor and Delivery. They wanted to monitor the contractions, check cervix, baby, etc. After a few hours of monitoring, we left with good news that I'm not in pre-term labor. Thank God! My doctor said that because I'm all baby, things are becoming uncomfortable and add some painful Braxton Hicks contractions on top of that, it was not fun. We were relieved to go in and be reassured that everything is going great. I told the nurses that I won't see them until January!

What I miss: A good nights sleep!

Cravings: Chocolate!! It's taking everything in my power not to make myself a pan of brownies. That would be way too dangerous!

Best Moment of the Week: Having a long, very relaxing Thanksgiving weekend.

What I am Looking Forward to: Our Couple's Baby Shower on Saturday night!

Princess Clarkson's 1st Kansas City Shower

2010-11-24T13:21:00.018-06:00

Chris and I are so blessed to have many people in our life who want to celebrate our Baby Girl with us. Our first KC shower was last week and it was a blast! The Hostesses have named Baby Girl 'Princess Clarkson'. Pretty funny and sadly, pretty honest :).

Every detail of this shower was amazing! We had over 40 ladies all come to celebrate Baby Girl. We're so fortunate to have such great support. My mom came to KC to celebrate as well.

Warning..There are a TON of pictures! Enjoy!

All the Hostesses and the Grandma's to be.

Sonya, Janice, Julie (Chris' mom), Me, my mom, Mary Jo, and Bonnie.

These ladies are pros at planning showers!

The shower was held at Bonnie's BEAUTIFUL home. Here are several decor shots. Too cute not to take pics of!

This greeted us when we walked in the door. How precious! The It's a Girl Banner now proudly hangs on Baby Girl's nursery door.

The island where all the dinner buffet was going. The Cutie Pie sign is also in Baby Girl's nursery.

Is it sad that this isn't Baby Girl's first tutu? Haha.

And look who made an appearance at the shower... I love that sweet profile!

All of the above is from Mudpie. I seriously should own stock in that company. It's my favorite!

Sonya found this adorable lamb. It's so soft. And Janice made, yes, made!, the baby blanket that the lamb is sitting on. So nice!

The shower was a great mix of family and friends. We tried to get as many pictures as possible.

Jen and me. Jen is due four weeks after me. They are not finding out the sex of the baby but we're both leaning towards girl.

PS. That's just water in my special glass :)

The Clarkson Fam. We were missing several ladies but had a great turnout with Chris' aunts, sisters, and sister-in-law.

Megan, Bonnie, Joanne.

Megan sang at our wedding and is one of my closest! So glad her and her mom (Joanne) could be at the shower.

Me, Emily, Terrilyn

We met Terrilyn at Indian Hills. Another golf buddy turned good friend.

All the guests contributed to a big group gift. We got our glider and ottoman, infant carrier, and car seat. SO blessed! Several people brought gifts as well.

Yep, Princess Clarkson is truly living up to her new name.

Here is Bonnie talking about the group gifts.

I'm not a big fan of action shots but here I am opening our car seat.

And lastly, here are the hostesses opening their hostess gifts.

What a great night! We're so lucky to have all these ladies in our life.

31 Weeks!

2010-11-23T11:34:00.007-06:00

I'm literally growing by the hour! My neighbor told me that I don't have a basketball stomach anymore- it's more like a beach ball! Haha.

How Far Along: 31 Weeks

Size of baby: Baby Girl measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds - about the same weight as four navel oranges and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. See the below post for her 'plumpy' arms :)

Total Weight Gain: 14lbs

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing a ton of maternity clothes but feel like I always need something more.

Gender: We're having a Baby Girl!!! Side note: we are going to keep Baby Girl's name a secret :)

Movement: She moves all the time! It was so cool to see her move during our 3D/4D ultrasound. She was all over the place. I have to share one funny story about Chris. Last night she was moving a ton and I told Chris to come and feel her. As soon as he came over, the baby completely stopped moving. Nothing! Chris waited a couple minutes then said, "Do I need to put a quarter in there to get her to move?" I died laughing! Got to love his one-liners. And wouldn't you know, as soon as he walked away, she started moving again. Stubborn Baby Girl. I have no clue where she gets that from :).

Sleep: Just okay. Enough said.

Symptoms: I've been a little uncomfortable at night. I'm sure it's just because I'm almost eight months pregnant, my body isn't used to the extra weight, etc. It hasn't been completely terrible but I've definitely felt a little different lately.

What I miss: Can't think of much right now.

Cravings: Nothing particular. Excited to eat lots of Thanksgiving food though!

Best Moment of the Week: Our shower and having my mom in town! We also got a ton of work done on the nursery. It's finally starting to look like a girly nursery instead of a room with baby stuff in it. I promise I'll post pics soon. We're waiting on a rug and our glider before everyone sees it.

What I am Looking Forward to: Thanksgiving and having a couple days off work.