One Fabulous Weekend

For the past several months, our weekends have been packed. Until now. We don't have any weekend plans for the next few months simply because we have no idea when this baby is coming, and once she does, I expect to be pretty tied up with her for all hours of every day.

This weekend was perfect. We started with some Papa Murphy's pizza Friday night and a stroll to Orchards Park (my new fave) for a concert in the park. It was packed, and the weather was incredible. Emmett allows us to meet lots of new people, and it was a ton of fun as always. Wes, Emmett, and I have a new routine for Saturday mornings now that it's not 100 degrees by 10 a.m. We head up to the Farmers Market and just hang for an hour or two. We finally got a crepe yesterday after eyeing them for weeks, and it was fabulous. Oh my goodness...I think we will be making that our regular Saturday morning breakfast. I've fallen in love with the bread people, flowers, veggies, crepes, and pumpkins. I can't wait to take B-Dubette with us.

After all of that, we got ready for a day on the lake. A wonderful older couple from church have a beautiful home on the lake, and they offer their dock, boat, and home to us young folks all the time. We had a blast just sitting around on the dock, wading in the water, and enjoying the sun and water on the boat. We are so blessed we get to live life with such great friends.

So today we went to church, ate at the fellowship dinner, and we are currently in the middle of laundry and a small project for the guest bedroom. Thank you, Lord, for a refreshing weekend and a great reminder of how wonderful the little things in life are.

My two boys.

The kiddos heading up the tram for naptime at the lake.

Delivery

I just realized after typing that title, many people may think I've had the baby. Wrong. Progress is being made, but no labor. No delivery. No baby...just quite yet.

The delivery I'm talking about here is one that came in the mail today. One thing I have always L.O.V.E.D. is getting packages. I can remember afternoons at Strong River Camp in Mississippi...the best part of the day was when mail was delivered from the big orange mailbox. Even as a counselor at Kanakuk, I hoped and prayed for mail every day. And now, when the UPS or FedEx truck drives in the neighborhood, I just wish and hope that it stops right in front of my house. This piece of mail was in my mailbox, and I instantly knew it was from my mom just because of the handwriting. I opened it up, and SEVERAL new headbands and a tank top were inside! How wonderful! And not only was it something for ME (not B-Dubette), they were handmade by my incredibly gifted mother. She had seen the idea on some blog and just had to try it out that day! She mentioned when I thanked her for them that because she can't buy me clothes right now, headbands will have to do! And boy do I love headbands...especially these! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't wait to accessorize with them this fall. Maybe I can even labor in one to keep my hair pulled out of my face! :)

Here's the tank top...I can't wait to wear it now and then with a cardigan in the fall!

And the headbands!! I love each one of them so much.

I couldn't decide which ones to take individual shots of, so I just blindly pulled two out of the crowd.

So now when you wonder how my nursery is so cute or why I have any style at all, you can assume my mother is behind it. Thanks, mom!! I'll see you soon...it can't be more than a month even if B-Dubette wants to hold out past her due date!

Wes' Baby Shower

So, as previously mentioned, Wes' office threw us a baby shower last Friday, and it was so special. I wish I had more pictures of the sweet decorations, but I was without my camera. This was the only shower our moms didn't make it to, so Susie and Sarah, eat your heart out on these pictures...

The invitation.

I just love watching Wes open gifts for a baby girl. He actually knew what most things were...and he did exceptionally well at the Baby Trivia game his co-worker and friend Bobby made.

MARS, thanks for all you did. I can't wait to bring B-Dubette up to the office and show her off soon!

Getting Closer

I'm a little over 36 weeks pregnant, and the doctor told me last week what to be looking out for in terms of going into labor. Woah...already?! We have now packed Baby Girl's bag, installed the car seat, and started getting things out for our hospital bags. I'm so excited about everything that is about to come.

And to celebrate all of this goodness, Wes' office threw us a baby shower on Friday, and it was again such an overwhelming time of generosity and thoughtfulness. Several of the girls in his office had decorated the "Odyssey" room with sweet antique and vintage tea cups and tablecloths, the food was incredible, and Holly made pink tissue paper lanterns that were so neat. Due to a mistake on my part, our camera had no memory card, thus no pictures of the actual shower yet...but a co-worker should be sending some pictures to us soon, and I'll have to show you the wonderful shower decor.

Until then...here are a few pictures of this past week in the Walker home.

I attempted to take my own 36 week picture.

But then Emmett and Wes showed up to get a much clearer shot.

A little foggy because of the "no flash" setting I had it on but a better picture of the actual baby belly.

Baby Girl's bag and day gown ready to go. I still haven't decided exactly what she will be coming home in, but it's going to be special regardless. This dress was made by my mom when she was pregnant with me, and it's what I wore home. The other option is a day gown my mom just finished for her first grandbaby.

The wonderful gifts from Wes' office shower. Thank you, thank you.

Like I Said

I'm 35 weeks pregnant...

And although I didn't mention this change yesterday, my thoughts have gone random. So here are a few more pictures I just want to share...

For those of you who haven't ventured to the Bentonville Farmer's Market, you really are missing out on a wonderful experience. Crepes, flowers, pumpkins, veggies galore, amazing bread, fruit, square dancers, etc. fill the square each Saturday morning, and it's just getting better and better each week. I love living here.
Oh, and this is the long awaited mobile for baby girl's nursery. My Granny made the yo-yo's, and my mom put the whole thing together. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of her with it. However, here's Wes hanging it this morning.
Just enjoying the nursery that I will be living in so soon. (That's the glare of the mirror on the wall...not some abstract piece of art.)
And ta-da!! Isn't that awesome?! I LOVE it.

Okay, so enough random thoughts for one day. Off to take a nap.

Changes

1. I can't see the zipper on my pants.

2. My legs hit my belly at spin class.

3. My legs press against my belly while shaving my legs.

4. I weigh more than my husband. And he's even gained weight. (Sorry for spilling the beans, babe.)

5. When the spin or body pump instructor says "keep your abs in," I just laugh.

6. I have to get my husband to back my car out of the garage if his car is parked too close to mine. Me and the baby just don't fit through a small gap anymore.

7. My shoe size may be increasing...I can't tell if they have actually grown or if the Arkansas August 100+ degree weather is just getting to them temporarily.

8. I dry my hair once every 3 weeks. Today is one of those days, so I WILL be taking 35 week pictures this evening. I can't let this straight hair go undocumented. (BTW, I've asked my mom to TELL me to dry and straighten my hair when I call her to tell her I'm in labor...as long as things aren't moving along too quickly.)

9. I sleep with three pillows (including the BIG prego pillow).

10. I find myself talking to and rubbing my baby a lot. I just tell my sweet daughter (aka "sweetie") my prayers for her and what I'm doing at the moment.

11. I'm "retired" according to the pre-registration form I filled out for the hospital.

12. Sometimes I don't even take breaks during body pump because it would take the entire break time just to get up from the bench or to put my bar on the floor.

13. That's enough even though there are plenty of other humorous changes happening...you are already tired of reading if you have even made it to #13.

35 week picture is to come! Straight hair and all!

Happy weekend. It will be happy for me because my mom is on her way for a last visit before becoming a grandmother!!

All Done

The last few things were checked off our nursery to-do list this week. It's just hard to imagine that another person, my daughter, will be occupying this room so soon. We have our childbirth class this weekend, and I got an email saying we need to pack our hospital bag and install the car seat in the next week or two. Really?! I guess now that the nursery is done, I better get going on the rest of the preparations. In the meantime, here is a look into the nursery of my dreams: (I apologize for the number of pictures...you can tell I kind of love this room.)

Baby Girl's sweet bed and surroundings.

This is as much as I could get in one shot...the details are next...

Sweet baby girl's changing chest (same changing chest I used as a baby with a new coat of paint and new hardware). I love it!

A little artwork for B-Dubette to enjoy.

The old pie safe with a new coat of Benjamin Moore Gray Horse paint and Anthropologie hardware.

The incredibly comfortable swivel glider that I just can't wait to sit in with my little sweetie.

A peek into my favorite locker baskets.

My Granny made this sampler for the nursery...and it couldn't be a more perfect fit.

I just love these old aqua Mason jars.

More new hardware on an old piece of furniture and a couple of cute little accessories.

My LOVELY baby book.

The infamous tree.

A thrown together idea that I hope will look good once the long awaited name is painted inside the blue frame.

The bedding that I have had my eyes on since February.

Not only is the nursery now completely baby ready, but the rest of our house is in preparation as well. Can you spot our new feature in the living room in this next picture? This is all getting real now...please join us in praying for a healthy baby and mother along with a smooth labor and delivery. I can't wait to post pictures of our sweet daughter.

NEXT Month!?

Yes, that's right...B-Dubette is coming NEXT month (if not before then)!! It's August 1st, and just like I had predicted, it's HOT. Along with a new month, I'm now answering a new question. Instead of being asked, "How far along are you?"...it's now, "When are you due?" Ha. And I can't figure out when I say, "mid-September," if they think that seems like way too soon or way too far from now. So, here is my 33 weeks picture. Have a happy first week of August! If you need me, I'll be inside.