Elliot Hayden Jennings

Born 10.25.2010

9:13 a.m.

8 lbs. 2 oz.

21 inches long

Girls Time & Nights Apart

Racing Cars Down the Slide

I had a fun night last evening- some of my girlfriends took me to a little Irish place where we had appetizers and drinks (I had Sprite...I'm wild!) and got to visit and have fun. It was a great idea by Brooke as it will be much more difficult to get out of the house with 2 babies than with 1 baby and I really appreciated the sweet time with some pretty special girls!

On a sentimental note, I am realizing that Henry and I have never been a part for a single night and this makes me a little sad with Monday approaching. I'm definitely not opposed to leaving your kids overnight- we just haven't had the opportunity with our families living so far away, etc. He will be fine, I know...his grandparents will spoil him rotten. I've just never been away when he woke up in the morning...(tear). Silly pregnancy hormones.

Speaking of pregnancy hormones, definitely had some contractions last night in bed. My stomach would get hard as a basketball and I kept feeling like I had indigestion or something. Wonder if things will get started early...we're ready to meet Elliot.

Thanks for the prayers and sweet words- we appreciate your friendships

1 Week

My next door neighbor from growing up made this sign for Elliot- how sweet!

We bring our trucks everywhere these days!

Been sick the past few days so sorry for the lack of postings...I had a conjunctivitis, digestive (ahem) problems, and sore throat combo. You know that I was looking good with my goopy eye and big ol' belly. Everything is leaving except for the sore throat and I hope it's gone soon.

I had my last OB appointment today- Monday morning at 6 a.m., we will be at the hospital!

Backwards.

So, I am honored and excited to be the matron of honor in my sweet friend Melanie's wedding at the end of January. Seriously, how cool! She recently became engaged (in fact, while I was visiting Ruston!) and the wedding will be January 29th.

Soooo, I had to call the bridesmaid dress place- which is a little bridal/formal shop about 30 minutes from my hometown with some sassy older ladies working inside. I was wondering hows about they were going to "configure my size" for January. Little did I know...

Betty Jo: So, you're the little pregnant bridesmaid!

Me: Yes Ma'm. Well, I'm not little but I am pregnant.

Betty Jo: When is your due date?

Me: October 25th...so, in 12 days this baby will be here.

Betty Jo: Is this your first child?

Me: No, this is our second.

Betty Jo: How old is your first child?

Me: He's almost 18 months old.

Betty Jo: You know there are ways to prevent that!

Me: Well, it'll be exciting at least.

Betty Jo: Sure, it'll be fine. It'd just be a little better if they were a little further apart.

Well, it's a little too late now, Betty Jo.

Betty Jo: So, you're due in less than 2 weeks.

Me: Yes Ma'm.

Betty Jo: Okay, well the wedding is January 29th.

Me: Yes Ma'm. And with my son, Henry, I wore a stretchy size 8 pair of jeans from the Gap when he was 3 months old.

Betty Jo: Well, but those fit below your waist, right? Like, on your hips?

Me: Ummm, I guess so.

Betty Jo: Well, here's what we're gonna do. Now do you have a tape measurer with you?

Me: Well, no but I can find one.

Betty Jo: I'm gonna have you measure your chest, right below your chest- where your bra hits, and then your waist.

Me: Sure...but I'm 9 months pregnant right now.

Betty Jo: Well, I've got a formula and I'll work backwards so that we can figure out your size.

Me: Ooookay.

(Pause while measuring- we used a literal stiff tape measurer so not too sure on the accuracy but I was not very sure on the accuracy of her plan anyway...

but I give her the measurements. I will spare you except that the waist measurement was 41 inches around.)

Betty Jo: Okay, so you're gonna lose a couple inches off your breasts.

Me: But I will be nursing so we should consider that...

Betty Jo: Still should be smaller, and then your waist is 41 inches right now and you're 9 months pregnant. So, when you were 8 months pregnant, it was 38 inches and when you were 7 months pregnant you were 34 inches

(and so forth, and so forth until she gets to...)

and so when you were 3 months pregnant, your waist was 24 inches....does that sound right?

Me: (thinking: 3 months pregnant and a 24 inch waist? Who am I? Scarlett O'Hara?)

Um, no ma'm. My waist hasn't been 24 inches in quite some time.

Betty Jo: Well, I think we should go ahead and order a size 4 so you have a lil' extra room.

Me: Well, thank you for the compliment but I don't think a size 4 will suffice in a bridesmaid dress, especially 3 months after the baby arrives. I think I'll need much larger.

Betty Jo: Well, according to my calculations, you should be about a 24 inch waist in January.

Me: Well, let's say I'm not. Let's just order a bigger size and if my waist somehow gets down to 24 inches, then we can alter it.

Betty Jo: Alright, well a size 8 dress can be let out to a size 12 or taken in to a size 4.

Me: Lovely. That sounds fine.

Betty Jo: Well, the dresses take 3 months to get in so you can just come in the Thursday before the wedding and I will alter it for you.

Now, is that not the craziest way of calculating a pregnant woman's future size?

Dear Lord, Please let me be skinny enough to fit into this dress.

*Names have been altered to protect ol' Betty Jo.

A Little Sentimental

As excited as I am to meet little Elliot and become a family of four, I am also realizing that My Henry's days as an only child are numbered. We spent the weekend outside enjoying the beautiful fall weather and being a family of three.

Running Full Speed Down Hills

My Blue-Eyed Baby

Becoming More Like His Papa Every Day

New Adventures

Never Too Big For Your Mama to Hold You

Great Hiding.

Let's face it: Adam & I already not the most organized people on the planet. We know this. So, already we lose things and have to search to find them.

Like, keys.

Or a phone.

Or a camera battery charger.

But Henry thought that finding things was too easy for us. He's decided that we usually find our missing items in obvious places, apparently. We need to show more commitment during household hunts. So, he has taken to hiding our everyday items in mysterious places.

Like, in closets.

Or his toy box.

Or in an ice chest.

Luckily, while (unsuccessfully) looking for the Wii remote, I found the camera battery charger!

With my makeup!

Surprise!

The cool thing about this is that, even if Henry didn't hide the object, we can still feel better about ourselves and blame him! It's like blaming a poot on the dog...win, win.

I like...

cardigan by Anthropolgie

bee scooter

I saw this at playgroup this week and Henry loved it.

Fantastic book that I'm reading and will probably continue to use in devotional time.

Pack full of scripture.

Ham Baby

Henry sportin' his Baylor hat.

Sic 'em bears!

Went in for a sonogram on Monday morning. The sonographer estimated the baby to be quite large (like already over 7 lbs.). The doctor said, "That baby's a ham! You oughta baste it for Thanksgiving!" I laughed. Big babies is the way we roll in our family. Henry was 8 lbs. 14 oz. and this one feels even larger.

Dreary, Dreary

the corn box- like a sand box but full of...you know, corn

sliding with his Dada

Checking out the goats

Welp, it's been nice to be back in our home but, sadly, Erie's been a bit...well, dreary. Dreary Erie. It has rained every day since we've been back. During the few intermittent periods of dry (yet cloudy) we've snuck out to do some fun activities like going to Port Farms, Mason Farms, Frontier Park & the zoo. Heck, even when it is raining, we can make a fun trip out of the grocery store- especially if we have Adam on Henry duty. But still...please come back Mr. Sun. Whatever we said, whatever we did...we didn't mean it. We just want you back for good (want you back....want you back...want you back for gooooood).

Adam's had great hours right now and has been scheduling his interviews for October, November, December & even January. Then, March 17th...Match Day! AKA- we find out where we're gonna live for the next few years!

Happy Monday!