{a special space for my special girl}

The official countdown is on... the arrival of our littlemiss is now just days away. We've known she was coming for months now, however it has snuck up on us even quicker than expected.

After suffering a few minor complications a couple of weeks ago, I was diagnosed with toxemia and quickly put on strict bedrest.

not awesome.

As much as I have been scurrying about these last two months gathering treasures and preparing for her arrival... I was not at all ready to be put down and out of commission. I still had lots of nesting projects and shopping lists to complete and her nursery was not yet {magical} enough....

Well... thanks to my amazing babydaddy, my mom, sisters, nieces and friends, I have been well taken care of and they have worked so hard on all of my last minute errands, shopping, laundry, cleaning, tweaking, finishing and fine-tuning... all the while, I've been in bed, bossing them around and trying not to have a nervous break-down. (this many hormones and raw emotions combined with this much time on my hands...yikes)

But alas, the important things are now done and we are ready for our miracle story to continue unfolding.

Just {4 more sleeps} until the next chapter of our lives begins.... and we couldn't be more ecstatic and overjoyed to welcome her into our lives, our hearts and our home.

I hope she loves it here...

It's a bit non-traditional, (you'll notice there's not a stitch of pink)....

But I {LOVE} the way her nursery turned out. It's better than I ever imagined!

I figure we'll have a lot of years ahead with disney princesses, glittery tiaras and loads of pink.

In the meantime... I did it the way that I wanted it.

*********

Thank you for all of the love and support throughout my pregnancy and especially these last few weeks. I feel so blessed and loved and incredibly humbled by the many kindnesses and services that have been extended our way!

...Stay Tuned...

(exciting things are about to happen)

AND yet another...

{spoiledrottenbabyshower}

{the details}

{the guests}

{and more guests}

{and most importantly... the hostesses}

Last week, I was lucky enough to be honored with yet another amazing baby shower for our littlemissleah. Our young women and the amazing women that lead and guide them hosted a fabulous evening for friends, neighbors and ward members. It could not have been more beautiful. They took Leah's nursery colors and went all out with beautiful & incredible food, amazing decor, strings of lights and details to boot. It was amazing and humbling!

We had an fantastic turnout of friends and neighbors and it was just another affirmation to me of just how blessed I am. There were many who somehow escaped the camera, but it was so fun to see every single one. We came away with loads of amazing treasures and we don't take one single bit of it for granted.

Thank you to all my ladies who worked so hard to put this together! I loved every minute of it! And I love YOU!

{and see those amazing fabric poms over the food table that the one and only missgina made for me... wait until you see the amazing mobile that I have created with them!}

{final nursery pictures coming soon.....stay tuned!}

Jam Packed Labor Day Weekend

Always one of my favorite weekends of the year.... Labor Day Weekend did not disappoint this year. I am not sure if the C*K*J's could have packed in any more fun if we had tried...

It started with the annual girls trip to Swiss Days. This year we stayed in a beautiful condo at the Canyons and had more fun than should be allowed. We ate, laughed, played games, stayed up too late and collectively decided that we just might have to make an entire week of it next year. I love spending time with my family... especially when it's just the girls!

Thanks Mom for making it happen!

After a long day of shopping and battling the swiss days crowds, it was time to meet the mister and the boys for the season opener BYU game. Always much anticipated and it did not disappoint this year. I was worried that I would be miserable and unable to sit that long... but I made it until the very end, when we snuck out just a few minutes early.

(to be perfectly honest, I asked CJ if he was ready to go after halftime, but after he whispered to the littlemiss in my giant belly that I was being a quitter... I had to stick it out, and I'm glad I did)

Sunday started off with the beautiful baby blessing of my amazing niece's baby, Ryder. It was such a sweet blessing and we loved being able to be a part of their special day.

We capped off Sunday with another fun party and more delicious food at my parents house to celebrate their fiftythird wedding anniversary!!! Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures.... I was getting too tired at this point!
But it was really great to have everyone together this weekend, especially with so much to celebrate.

Monday started off with CJ getting up early to go golfing with my brothers, something he hasn't had nearly enough time this summer to do.
We then spent a few hours at the baseball game soaking in every minute of the 70 degree day before heading off to yet another party... this time it was CJ's niece Megan's 14th birthday. Once again, I'm sad that I didn't get any pictures, but her party was adorable with a polka dot theme, delicious dinner, swimming and an incredible birthday cake!!

Whew! I better start resting up for next year.

(still to come... details on yet another amazing spoiledrottenshower)

AN EVENING WITH MY BESTIES...

Spoiled Rotten - Shower #2

was an evening spent with my longest and bestest friends!

delicious dinner

amazing gifts & treasures

lots of great advice from some of the best moms I know

fun & funny conversations

cute crafts

&

staying out past my bed-time

Can you believe that this group of hotties is mother to nearly 30 kiddos, ranging in age from nursery to dorm room...

True experts and women that I love and admire so much!

I feel so blessed to have friends that have known and loved me since I was just a baby myself. (akward tween, is more accurate)

Kari and I are due the very same day... She's having a boy and I, a girl.

I'm so excited to have little ones so close in age!

Ladies--- Thank you for all the love and support you give me...

I love you to the moon and back!

Spoiled Rotten - Shower #1

Does it get any better than a garden tea party to celebrate a new little girl?

I think not.

My amazing mom, incredible sisters and fabulous nieces went all out to make this night special for me. It was amazing and of course, made me cry like a baby.


My cute niece, Bree, who is due just less than 3 weeks before me. These two little girls are going to be the best of friends!

The back yard was lit with twinkling lights and lanterns in the trees. The tables were set with beautiful linens and vintage teapots and tea cups lit with tea lights. It was so beautiful. Can you even believe those incredible teapot fresh flower arrangements on the tables. That's my sister....amazing!



The setting couldn't have been better. It sort of took my breath away as the sun was setting.


Ummm... these girls know how to throw a party. Light Dinner and Tea? How about more amazing, fancy, homemade food than I've ever seen in my life.

homemade tea sandwiches
amazing salads
fresh fruit skewers
homemade chocolate eclairs
brownie bites with fresh strawberries
fancy english crumpets, made from scratch
mom's shortbread tea cookies
fresh fruit tarts
lemon bars
cucumber limeade
strawberry slush

It was seriously unbelieveable.

I love them all so much.



Pretty little vintage tea sets adorned the yard. The details were amazing. I am still in awe of how much work they all went to.


And the crafts....

Each of the guests got to make a personalized onesie, especially for the little miss. The turned out so cute. I ended up with nearly 30 special onesies in sizes from newborn to 24mos. And the best part is that they are all signed with love by the artist. I can't wait for her to be snuggled up and clothed in such incredible love.



Can you believe all this for little old me and my sweet little Leah?

Spoiled Rotten, indeed!

Once Upon A Time...

there was a girl.

who loved a boy.

and was lucky enough to get to be a mamma to that boy's baby.

(i'm still waiting for the ending... but all signs point to a happily ever after.)


I can count on my fingers the weeks that I have remaining until the official estimated due date of Little Miss and I almost only need one hand to count the weeks until her exit is cleared and the roadblock removed, meaning she could arrive anytime soon after. It is surreal. I have never been happier, more uncomfortable, more terrified or excited or felt more blessed than I do at this very moment of my life.

I have tried incredibly hard not to take one single second of this pregnancy for granted. I learned, like many that I know, that making a baby isn't as easy as many people make it look. And I'm not quite sure if I'll ever get another chance to experience this.

For the most part, I have loved being pregnant and have had it pretty easy... however, here are just a few things that I am looking forward to after her arrival...

...sleeping on my stomach, waking up six times a night for something other than the 4 drops of urine that make it seem like I'm going to explode, wearing real shoes again, losing the muffin top rolls that surround my feet and ankles (and ensuring that my ankle bones ARE in fact, still there), not feeling out of breath after standing up, sitting in a hot tub, eating sushi, wearing my wedding ring again, feeling the sensation of being chilly, drinking diet coke (oh wait... I didn't actually give THAT up, afterall), snuggling with my husband at night instead of all those jacked up pillows, crossing my legs and sitting like an actual lady, wearing jeans and not having to use so many public restrooms.... among many other things.


On the flip-side, some of the things that I'm going to miss...

...my husband rubbing my feet (oh wait, he doesn't do even do that), blaming my eating habits on the little miss ("I'm probably ok, but the baby seems to want another cookie, please") and most of all the feeling of life within, there is nothing as strange or amazing than the feeling of a human being moving and wiggling and living, nestled within my body. I hope to never forget just how humbling and awesome it is.

________________

Other FYI facts...

she's big. At my last appointment, she was 3.75lbs. Dr M. predicted that if she goes full-term, she will be between 8.5 and 9lbs. Pray for us. :)

we still don't know whether she'll come the old fashioned way or the sectioned way. tbd

i had another ultrasound last week, and she still appears to be a girl.

she has a name. leah. after my beautiful grandmother.

i have cankles, but i've been told it will be worth it.

Girls Camp 2010...

Another year of Girls Camp has come and gone...

Here are just a few of my highlights...

* This year it was "pixie hollow" style. We were in the lap of luxury. It was beyond cabin style, we were accomodated in an amazing lodge!

* We crafted like crazy and had an amazing time doing it. It was so nice to have hours on end with our amazing girls just to talk and catch up without interuption. We had a whole craft studio and it rocked....

*Campfires and Smores...

*And even better... banana boats! (quite possibly my best one EVER)

*Our sleeping accomodations were plush, literally. Look at the size of that stuffed bear.

* I got to sleep in a bed, and couldn't have been more thankful. (it made it a little easier to get up 12 times a night to pee)

*Getting my swollen, enormous feet rubbed and massaged by a true saint. (I can't even get CJ to do that at home) Thanks D!

* Two of my heroes took the girls on the coolest hike ever, and let the chubby pregnant girl stay behind and drink diet cokes.

* The stories of the raft and the Huck Finn adventures they had actually made me sad. I hate missing cool stuff.

*Beautiful Stone Showers with Heat Lamps

* Yummy food and tasty baked goods

*Cold Diet Cokes

*Spending time with some of my favorite people in the world.

*Being dry and cozy inside while it was pouring rain outside.

* The girls catching not one, but two snakes. Their squeals and screams and pride was the best.

*Atleast until they got brave enough to hold them. THAT was the best!

*And one of my most favorite parts was realizing that our Bishop is a legitimate snake charmer. I couldn't believe how that thing just snuggled up against him. Although I'm actually not suprised, this man is amazing and I can't imagine anyone or anything that wouldn't love and adore him.


The snake just re-affirmed to us just how lucky we are!



And although I am glad to now be on this side of it,

LUCKY is definately how I felt these few days!

FYI...

It's the much anticipated Foothill Village Sidewalk Sale this weekend. If you happen to be in my neck of the woods... mark your calendars and come by and check it out (and visit me, I'll be working a lot this week)...

Look who came to visit...

... my dear friend Amy and her precious little Hope.

Gahw... I wanted to eat her up.

She's beautiful and amazing and I was thankful for all the practice I got nuzzling a new baby girl!

Look at those lips!
Adorable!

I can't wait for these 2 little girls to be the littlest of girlfriends!

my babydaddy...

IS HAVING A BIRTHDAY!!!!

and I couldn't love him more!


Happy Birthday CJ!

I love you to the moon and back!

Maybe we can celebrate with some chocolate & lemon gelato?

One of the many, many reasons I love you! :)

XOXO