The Nursery Part 1

In honor of the baby on the way and the change up in our family life, I thought I'd write a few posts on his/her room i.e. the Nursery. When we first found out we were pregnant back in April, we were a bit perplexed on how the bedroom situation would work out for us. 2 spare bedrooms + 3 kiddos= someone is going to have to share. Our house is a decent size but no 4th bedroom and not even an extra room to turn into a possible bedroom. So then the question was who was going to share?!?! Should we wait and found out the gender of the baby then if its a girl, her and P could share a room or if its a boy, him and Henry would share?!? But would that be fair to Peighton to have her share a room with her baby sister.. even if they are both girls, they will be 5 years apart. Then we thought about letting the baby have its own room and letting P and H share a room.. at first it seemed like a good idea and it might work short term but they are opposite sexes and 3 years apart. So then it was decided that Peighton would have her own room regardless.. she is the oldest (she'll be 5 in January if you can believe it, ha!) and no matter what the gender of baby, it will still be only 22 months younger than Henry. Plus Henry is such a mellow kid, I don't think he'd mind sharing with his younger sibling even if its a girl :)

But then the decision of which room would go to which kid or kiddos... our house is similar to a Cape Cod with two bedrooms and a bath upstairs.. its not a full second story since the bedrooms are technically in the attic. But luckily one of the spare bedrooms is HUGE.. the entire width of the house.. about 11 by 20... and has an entire wall that is use able space (no closet, doors, or windows). It use to be P's room when we first moved in but since the two younger kiddos have to share a room, it only made sense to give that room to them and move P to the smaller of the bedrooms. It has worked out really well. There is more than enough room in there for a crib, toddler bed, dresser, changing table, chair, and train table. Since Henry is still sleeping in his crib we still had all of his furniture and P moved up to a twin size bed so her old toddler bed was available to pass down to Henry when he is "truly" ready (we have tried several times to get him to sleep in it but he just cries.. that's for another blog post some day, ha!). Because its an "attic" bedroom it has a dormer at the front of the bedroom where the only window in the room is and that is where the train table is. It fits perfectly in that space and has a shelf underneath the table that has worked out well for holding all the containers of cars and trains Henry has. On the long wall, there is the crib parallel against the wall with the dresser in the middle and the toddler bed after that also parallel against the wall. There is only a small space of wall where the double closet is and that is where Henry's "Go anywhere" Pottery Barn Kids chair and huge basket of books. On the wall to your left when you first enter the room is the changing table centered on the wall. Thankfully, that room does have a double closet and after some storage/organizing solutions it will work well for two kiddos to share. (I will post pictures on here when I feel its almost complete.. but its already looking very put together!)

Now onto the theme of the Nursery... if you know me or have seen our house, we are pretty neutral people or I should say more earth toned.. we go for the greens, browns, kakis.. which is why our kitchen is a sky blue and our master bedroom a grey because we wanted to stray from the "norm." Both P and Henry's nurseries have been fairly earth toned and neutral as well. Even with first born girly Peighton, I did her room in sage and cream and her bedding was a toile pattern. Henry's room was cute in its chocolate browns, sage greens, and cream with giraffes as its theme in the bedding. Since we still don't know what the gender of the baby is and regardless it will be sharing a room with Henry, I wanted to do something that was fun, colorful and matching. I really wanted their bedding to match.. I just think the room will look more cohesive that way. I turned to Pottery Barn Kids in search of some bedding and I was NOT disappointed. PBK has wonderful bedding and room ideas.. so unique and so many ideas to pick from.. plus their bedding is well made and lasts! Henry's furniture is oak and the toddler bed use to be white before Brandon painted it to a blue color.. so I knew I wanted some color. I was drawn to PBK's line called Island Surf. Its like a Hawaiian theme with fishes and bright colors. I liked it! And I really thought it would look well in their room. My aunt graciously bought both the crib bedding and toddler bedding and I immediately put it all in the room. Now its not exactly girly bedding but it doesn't exactly scream boy either so I think it works well regardless of what baby turns out to be.. and I most importantly wanted them to match more than anything else! We have a few more touches to add to the room.. new curtains and a new lamp to match the bedding.. as well as some new fabric storage containers in bright colors to go at the bottom of the changing table and some wall art.. but slowly but surely it is turning into the ideal room for the two munchkins :)

A sneak peek of the bedding (courtesy of PBK online):

Weekend Recap

Well the end of long weekends are officially over.. Brandon had only the typical Saturday and Sunday off. So although our weekend felt short, we made it up for it in FUN! Saturday we all slept in a little which is always a blessing! Then we had breakfast and got ready for the day... we ventured out to Toys R Us where we purchased one of Henry's Christmas presents. It is the Mega Bloks Thomas the Train Mountain Adventure.. it was on sale for HALF off.. so instead of almost $100 we got it for $49.. I think he will really enjoy playing with it!! He is definitely into trains, blocks, and of course Thomas! So this will be his "big" present under the tree on Christmas morning. I am on the ball this year.. I already have plans to go back on Thursday when P is at school to get her big present from us.. the Vtech Mobigo which is also on sale $10 off plus i have another $10 off coupon... what a DEAL and why not get them now! With baby on the way and due before Christmas, I seriously want all my shopping done the weekend of Thanksgiving! Anyways, forgive my rabbit trail.. I get so excited about Christmas especially this year.. Brandon will be home for it and we'll have a new baby to celebrate :) After Toys R Us, we went to Target to pick up a few things including diapers for Henry. Then we came home to cookout for lunch... we had BBQ chicken, potatoes and beans.. it was yummy! During Henry's nap time, I rested some while Brandon mowed the yard and P played outside some. Then that afternoon after Henry was up, I packed us a picnic dinner and we went to the local park to eat and play on the playground. It was still quite warm but there was some shade and the kids had a lot of fun! We spent a good hour just playing. Then to cool off, we headed to the local Berry Bear for some delicious frozen yogurt!

Sunday was a GREAT day as well... we woke up at our usual time and I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Then we lounged around the house until we decided to head to Nashville for a part of the day. We went to eat lunch at Calk of the Walk.. it is very yummy and unique place to eat. Brandon and I split the sample platter which had homemade chicken tenders, fried shrimp and some of the best catfish I've eaten. P had the kid's chicken dinner and Henry sampled a bit from everyone. All in all, it was a good meal! Then we went over to Bass Pro Shop and walked around.. always a good place to spend an hour, ha! Then we headed back home and decided on the way that since it was so hot we would go to the pool on Post. We quickly changed when we got home and headed that way.. it was crowded but manageable.. and it was definitely refreshing! Both kids had a blast playing and swimming and we easily spent two hours there before returning home for dinner and our usual nightly routine. Another fantastic weekend with the fam!!! :)

Sunday Review

It has been awhile since I did a blog on this subject but today I am reviewing the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan. Why you might ask?!? Because due to our recent news and expanding of our family it is our new car! When we found out we were pregnant again, we knew the Ford Edge would not accommodate our growing family especially since all three kiddos would be in car seats. We researched several different types of cars.. SUV's that had the 3rd row seat didn't have any cargo space and P would have to climb over the middle seat to get to the third row, bigger SUV's that had cargo space and more leg room between seats were pricey with horrible gas mileage.. so it seemed our only option was a minivan. The dreaded minivan, ha! I personally think they've come a LONG way since their first appearance and what other car is going to suit all of our needs better of a family of five. Then we started comparing the different options and brands out there.. the Honda Odyssey is definitely the sharpest of all of them but way out of our price range and I also liked the Volkswagen Routan which is quite similar to the Grand Caravan. All in all, we decided on the Dodge because it offered all of our "must haves" in a price we could comfortably afford... in fact our car payment did not vary from what we were use to. The options I deemed a must have can be found in most (if not all) of the vans out there on the market today. The two top priorities for us (more importantly me) were Captain's chairs and power doors (all 3 of them). Captain's chairs were important because it allows the third row seat to be accessible by anyone whether it be Peighton or my mom which was important since Henry and the baby would dominate the two captain's chairs with their car seats. Power doors were also a must because this is the luxury item only minivans are equipped with and with 3 kiddos in tow who wouldn't want to be able to push a button and the rear doors open up with ease. And the back hatch is also power which I got spoiled with when I had the Ford Edge.. it's also a huge convenience factor I wasn't willing to part with. The Dodge Grand Caravan "Crew" which is the model we purchases also comes with a touch screen radio display including Satellite Radio which has been a bonus as well as a back up camera which is a HUGE safety feature. Also Dodge minivans are notorious for their stow n' go storage and seating capabilities. We've owned ours for over a month now and are still quite pleased with it especially me as the main driver of it as well as transporter of munchkins it works really well for our family. And another big positive of the minivan that you cannot get with any SUV that seats at least seven (unless maybe it's a hybrid) would be the amazing gas mileage. The Grand Caravan has an "econ mode" button that helps get even better MPG's. We average about 18 around town which I deem sufficient but on our recent trip to SC and back we were averaging around 26 on the interstate enabling to get over 400 miles on one tank of gas even Brandon was thrilled about that! All in all, we are quite pleased with our purchase and even if you never though of yourself as a minivan kind of family it works for us and our needs!!

and baby makes FIVE

Yep that's right... this is my "official" announcement that we are (more so I am, ha!) pregnant with baby Doggette numero 3. I am actually 16 1/2 weeks along and although this is my first blog on the main event its been a big part of our lives for the past few months. We found out in early April and we've told our family and close friends but I haven't made any type of official comment on Facebook or on here. But I figured many more know by now via the grapevine, ha :) Brandon and I weren't not truly trying but not not trying either and it has worked out for the best. The timing for a third is working well for our family especially considering Brandon will not be deploying till next December (earliest would be November). So he will definitely be here for the birth and almost the entire first year which is something he missed greatly when Henry was baby. We are excited even P is looking forward to the new newest addition.. I can't say the same for Henry since he truly has no idea what's going on. Sometimes I think having more than two kiddos can be a taboo subject.. its definitely life changing and I think if we would have dwelled on the pros and cons list too much it would have never happened. Having three will be an adjustment and cause us to change our daily routine but nevertheless I am anxious to see how this baby will fit into our lives and our family. Plus, Doggette party of five has a nice ring to it!! :)

My due date is December 18 but both P and H were 8-10 days early so it could be possibly earlier than that but YAY for a Christmas baby!! I think its funny that all three of my babies will have winter birthdays.. January, February and now December. Today was my 16 week OB appointment and everything is going well. Baby's heartbeat was measuring good at 159 bpm. I gained 6 pounds since my last appointment in mid May. I was actually pleased with that number considering I had not gained any weight between my first two appointments. Plus I worry a little bit that I am pushing myself on a day to day basis between all my usual housework and tugging Henry Clay around daily. But most days I feel alright and get to relax at night when the kids go to bed. Next appointment is the first part of August as well as my 20 week ultrasound.. SO looking forward to putting a name with this precious baby!!! <3

Weekend Recap

What a fabulous long weekend!! Nothing like a 6 day weekend to round out the summer fun!! :) Because of the 4th of July weekend, Brandon had Friday through Monday but put in a pass for his weekend to include Thursday allowing us to head home to SC for the weekend!

Thursday began very early as we were on the interstate by 530 in the morning. But the drive was uneventful and Henry had no major meltdowns and we arrived at my parents' house by 500ish. P was super excited to see us as we were her, especially Henry.. I think he missed his sister lots! Brandon unloaded the car and we got settled some before heading out to get some dinner at the Kickin Chicken. It was very yummy and I always enjoy eating at unique places you can't find anywhere else. It was getting late so we headed back to the house to get Henry ready for bed. Then my mom, Peighton, and I went to Publix to pick up some groceries we would need for the weekend. It had been a long day for us and needless to say ready for bed that night. Friday, Henry woke me up at 615 so we watched cartoons and played until everyone else stirred for the morning. We got ready for the day and headed over to Granny's and Grandaddy's house. We had a delicious lunch with them as well as a nice visit. They were happy to see the kiddos and we enjoyed spending the day with them! We left mid afternoon so Henry could go down for a nap but that wasn't the easiest task and I had to lay down with him but luckily we both fell asleep and got in a decent afternoon nap. Friday evening we spent around the house.. we had a house full of guests... my aunt and uncle from Florida drove up that day for the week and my dad's half sister Kendra and her husband came in for the night to visit with us since they were vacationing in Myrtle Beach, SC. I had not seen her since I was a little girl so it was nice to be able to visit with her again. All in all, it was a mellow, low key evening! Saturday morning, Brandon went out to the shooting range with Dustin and the kiddos & I went Outlet shopping with my mom and aunt. We grabbed some yummy lunch from Buffalo Wild Wings before we hit up the stores. There was some great sales and deals because of the holiday weekend. My aunt bought me some cute clothes for a belated birthday present. My mom got P and Henry each a new pair of shoes. We girls ( and Henry too) had a good time!! That evening Brandon and I had a double date night with our great friends Celeste and Dustin. Thankful the grandparents and aunt & uncle were able to watch the kiddos for us! We had a wonderful time... first stop was dinner at Bumba Gumps in downtown Charleston... I had the coconut shrimp.. it was very yummy!! Then we walked around some downtown before heading back into town to the movie theater to see the new Transformers movie. It was very good and I highly recommend it especially if you've seen the others. However, we went to the 1015 show and the movie was 2 1/12 hours so it was almost 130 in the morning before we made it back to the house. But we had a lot of fun and really enjoyed ourselves!! :) Sunday morning was mellow for us before heading over to my mamaw's pool for some fun in the sun! P is become quite the little fish in the water and Henry had a blast himself! We all had a good time and Henry took a great nap that afternoon, ha! For dinner, we all went out to Logan's Steakhouse and then to Marble Slab for some yummy ice cream. That night I finished getting things packed up and organized for our trip back home the next morning. Monday morning came early and we got up and ready to go. We were on the road a little after 6 and again had no major problems heading back home. We were back to our house by 400ish. Brandon had yard work to do as well as clean out the car while I unpacked suitcases, put away clothes and do up some laundry. Then Henry and I ran up to Walgreen's to get fresh milk and some dinner from Arby's. The kids were exhausted and had baths and were in bed around 8. Brandon and I caught the fireworks from Post in our backyard and turned in early ourselves. We received a call shortly after we went to bed that the CG issued a DONSA (day of no scheduled activity i.e. no work) for Tuesday. I know Brandon was happy and we all enjoyed a good night's sleep.. no one stirred before 8 am, ha! :)

Weekend Recap

Seems like the summer is just flying by... cannot believe this weekend starts the month of July! We are enjoying our weekends as much as possible especially since the era of 3 day and even 4 day weekends every week are over for Brandon. This weekend was rather relaxed as opposed to last weekend which was action packed since we were camping up in Land Between the Lakes, KY.

Our weekend began Friday night with pizza for dinner when Brandon got home from work. Then off to a local playground/park to play. Henry had a blast and the weather wasn't too hot so that a was plus! We stopped on the way home for some ice cream which was yummy as always :) Saturday morning we got up and Brandon got ready and headed out to get the oil changed in the truck. While he was gone, Henry and I had breakfast and got ready for the day ourselves. Then when Brandon got back, we headed on Post to do some errands.. a trip to the PX, drove down to the range so Brandon could do some legwork for his unit's week out there, grabbed some lunch at the Food Court, and stopped by Vehicle Registration to get new stickers for the van since our registration finally came in. Henry fell asleep in the car and continued his nap at home. That evening I fixed tacos for dinner and we went on our usual walk around the neighborhood and played outside for awhile. Sunday we woke up to rain and had a quiet morning around the house... ate lunch and Henry laid down for a short nap. We woke him up around 230 and headed downtown to the Museum. Both kids love going there and we got a military family membership for an entire year for just $30.. definitely worth it especially on Sundays which is when the run the trains. Henry loves it.. he will just stand there and look at all the different tracks and trains. Plus they have a few train tables for the kiddos to play with. He had a good time playing and always hates to leave! We ran a few errands after that.. hit up Target for a few things and to Home Depot so Brandon could get a few supplies for his weekend project which was to replace all the knobs, door pulls, and hinges on the kitchen cabinets. We went with a Ventian Bronze finish which match the switch plates in the dinning room. It looks so good and makes a big difference in the kitchen for less than $100. It was dinner time after our errands so we went to Captain D's and ate. It was good. Its always a nice treat to eat out and get a break from cooking/cleaning. After dinner it was still early so we cruised over to the bookstore and hung out there for a bit. Henry got a new book with lots of different picture of different machines i.e. boats, trains, tractors, cars. He loves it! I found a new book myself on the clearance rack :) When we got home, we took Murray on our usual walk then played upstairs in Henry's room before bedtime. Today Brandon had off which is so nice.. so we had a quiet morning then decided to go the pool on Post for a little bit. We had never been before and it was quite nice. They have a kiddie pool, then the big pool which is roped off into sections and they also had a splash park area. The water was a bit cool but once we got use to it it wasn't too bad. Henry had a good time and we grabbed some snacks while we there for lunch. Then back into the pool for some more playtime. Henry really enjoyed the splash park area as well. We left there around 1230/1240 to come home so Henry could get his nap in. We are looking forward to a quiet afternoon/evening.

We have a short work week coming up and are so glad. Brandon only has to work Tuesday and Wednesday then he has a five day weekend. Yay! and better yet we are leaving on Thursday to go to SC to spend it with family and friends... and of course to get our P back!!! We have missed her greatly and will be thrilled to see her and have her come back home with us!

A Visit from Mimi & Papa

We were blessed to have my parents come up the weekend of Memorial Day and stay for the rest of the week!!! We had a blast :) They drove up on Sunday and were here by the afternoon. Peighton, Henry and Murray were SO excited to them!! My parents' friends from Ohio also came down for a visit and we all enjoyed a yummy dinner at Old Chicago. Then thanks to grandparents in town, Brandon and I went on a movie date to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a great movie and such a nice time with just the hubs and I. Monday we stayed around the house and grilled out for Memorial Day. We had lots of good food and fellowship!! My parents' friends headed back to Ohio that afternoon and Brandon & I got in another date.. we went and ate sushi at this great new place in town. Having grandparents in town is SO wonderful!! Tuesday my mom, Peighton and I did some running around town which included a lunch date at Chickfila while Papa, Henry and Murray hung out at home. Then for dinner Papa & P picked Red Lobster for dinner which was very good. If you didn't notice a pattern, we did a lot of good eating while they were in town, ha! Wednesday morning we got ready and drove into Hopkinsville, KY to the Tie Breaker Aquatics Center which is a basically a low key water park. We got there right as they opened at 11 and the kids had a blast. It was a lot of fun!! We grabbed some lunch from the concession stand and played another hour before Henry was reaching his limit and nap time and headed back to the house where we chilled until Brandon got home from work. Then we dinned at a local mexican restaurant for dinner and had some yummy ice cream from Cold Stone for dessert. Thursday was a mellow day and my parents treated us all to a fabulous dinner at Longhorn to celebrate my birthday. It was another fantastic meal :) It was such a treat having them in town and I know Henry and P enjoyed having their Mimi and Papa to pal around with... even Murray! Peighton got the best deal of all since she got to travel back with them to SC and will be staying with them until we go down there 4th of July weekend. I am so happy for her.. I know she emensly enjoys her time with them including the special one on one attention. She has lots of activities and events to keep her busy the next few weeks. All in all, we enjoyed Mimi and Papa's visit to TN and can't wait to see them all again soon!!! :)