{Dear Lucy}

I love you so much. How could you have been in my tummy not even a week ago and I hardly even knew you? I'm pretty sure you have been here forever with us.
Thank you for eating today. I was so worried about you.
I love your sweet personality and and how you like to keep your hands by your face. I love that you love to be held and that when you open your eyes and look around, your face is so curious. I love the little sounds you make and how patient you are, even when you have had a rough couple of days.
I can't believe I get to be your mom.

{Smitten}

Update

We now have a name and we think it is perfect. Welcome to the world, Lucy Jayne Stewart.

She is here! We are ecstatic, smitten, exhausted, proud, sore and so, so happy. Her birth was amazing and really so much easier than I had anticipated. I have pretty much been terrified for the last few months.

We can't believe she is finally here and so absolutely perfect.

Born: 10.27, 6:19
20 inches, 7 lbs 7 oz

{Dimitri, You Sweetalker}

Wow, this guy is a really ladies killer. If you want to hear a little bit of awesomeness click here.

Found via, A Cup of Joe

{Costume Help}

So, I maybe just blew the secret on our costumes, but I was wondering if anyone would be willing to loan us some articles of clothing? Call me lazy, but my head is all over the place these days and I'm having a hard time focusing, let alone put a costume together.

If anyone has any of the below I would be eternally grateful,

Lindsey's Outfit
Size 6, 8 or medium maternity jeans (with a full panel would be heaven)
Women's medium hoodie or jacket (men's small would work too)
Maternity orange stripped shirt (ok that is maybe a little specific, I have a blue striped one)
I have a skirt that may work, but if not, anyone own a short brown skirt, either maternity or a really stretchy one?

Scott's outfit...what can I say. You may be uncomfortable letting him A) wear your short shorts or B) owning up to the fact that you even own them. We are thinking of trying Walmart or the DI.

So, I ruined the surprise. So sad.

[Decorating}

We just bought this rug for the baby's room. We love it. Now all I need is some sort of rocker thing. I kind of hate gliders. They are bulky and and, well ugly (at least the kind I can afford). We have very limited space and so an ottoman wouldn't work. I'm thinking I'll go with a rocking chair. Any suggestions?

Rug: Anthropologie (not as expensive as you would think)

{A Drink By Any Other Name}

A couple of days ago I was at lunch with Whitney and asked what their drinks were. When the waitress said White Grape Juice, I thought yum! I haven't had that forever.

When she brought it out I thought it was pretty gross. It didn't really look like White Grape Juice and it was super tart and nasty. I kept drinking it though, thinking my taste buds were all out of whack. I even asked for another one.

Then Whitney wanted a sip. I told her it was yucky, but she wanted to try it anyway. She then informed me I had been drinking Grapefruit Juice.

Oh.

{Safe...for now}

So far I haven't gotten any stretch marks from pregnancy. I feel pretty lucky, but every time I go to the Dr. they warn me they can show up overnight. I haven't been too concerned about it, but the other night (Scott says it was 3 AM), I felt the baby move, felt my stomach and AHHHH! I had dozens of stretch marks going all down my tummy. They were huge. I woke Scott up and our conversation went like this,

Me: Scott, wake, up, wake up, wake up!
Scott: mumble, mumble
Me: Seriously, wake up and feel my tummy.
Scott: What?
Me: I have stretch marks now. I should have used the tummy creme.
Scott: (After feeling tummy) Oh, I'm sorry buddy.
Me: Turn on the lights and look at them.
Scott: Are you serious?
Me: Yes, I'm serious and are you seriously asking a pregnant lady if she is serious?
Scott: Fine.
(Turns on light and looks at them.)
Scott: Linds, those are the wrinkles on your skin from the sheets.
Me: Oh. Good night.
Scott: Big sigh.

{Birdies}

Taryn is making me this darling bird mobile for baby. How cute is that? In fact, if you go on her blog you can see the real deal.

The room remodels are so close to being done. The painting is done, the closets are up (almost) and the shutters are all in. Now it is just touch-ups, clean-ups, hardware, a few molding pieces, finishing off some wood floors, light covers and outlet covers. It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't.
At the last minute we (I) decided to add crown molding and recessed lighting in the baby's room.
Thanks Dad and Chris for helping us out.

Also, I ended up going with the Dwell Dragonfly baby bedding. So, the colors are buttercream, chocolate and dusty pink. I'm pretty happy with it. At the last minute I was wishing I had done a peach and red combo, but someone show me where I can buy peach and red baby bedding. The idea's in my head don't exist in reality and I'm not handy enough to create them!

By the way, I'm 36 weeks and everything is going along smoothly. No contractions so far, which is good because I have way too much to do still. I think by the end of next week I will feel ready. We took a birthing class and I started to think maybe the baby can stay inside forever.

{William McDermott}

So, things have been a little crazy around here and I would be remiss not to mention the passing of my grandpa, "daddy-daddy." Daddy-daddy had a severe stroke 6.5 years ago that completely changed his life. He wasn't able to ever walk again and speech was extremely limited. He lived the next 6.5 years in a bed or chair, having constant care from health workers and family. Sometimes it was hard to remember what he was like before that all happened.
The funeral was such a beautiful tribute to the man he was. It was great to see all of my family there. All the cousins flew in and we had quite a reunion. It was the first time in years that everyone was together. It was a sad, but good day.

There are several things about my Daddy-Daddy that made him special and unique. Some things that stand out in my mind are,

He liked to collect newspapers and would get really, really, really mad if you threw them out. I remember lots of arguments with my Grandma on this subject

He was a softy and would always help everyone, the down and out in the neighborhood, the widows. He would buy groceries and leave them for people. I remember him giving my family groceries and I remember him giving odd jobs to people in need in the neighborhood. Sometimes those people were scary, but he still helped them out.

He liked all natural remedies, and would try to make me drink Noni Juice and Collodial Silver.

The bug zapper in the backyard.

He liked to talk and make friends. It would take him 3 hours to grocery shop.

Family get-together's (9 kids, 41 grandchildren...big family).

Timing how long I had washed my hands.

Scraping the wax off of apples with a knife.

He gave Scott (much to the embarrassment of Scott and probably my dad, if he knew) a "talk", you know, "the talk" when we got married.

He always had raspberry yogurt pops in the freezer.

Peeling an orange in one, continuous strip.

Making you jiggle the handle of the toilet so it wouldn't run.

He was very vocal during sports games. I never witnessed this first hand, but the stories are legendary.

He was severely injured in WWII, and had holes in his body, which changed how he walked and limited his ability to run, dance and play sports.

He loved his family.

My grandma yelling, BILL!!!!

Crazy driving.

4th of July Fireworks and the Fair at Jordan Park.

He was passionate about politics, health and conspiracy theories.

He loved homemade ice-cream and I do too.

One of my favorite stories that came out of the funeral was when he was with my Uncle and a man asked him if he could spare some change for a "poor, black man". My grandpa replied that he didn't see a poor, black man. He saw a man. That brought the tears. So did the military roll car at the grave site. I have never witnessed that before.

Here is his obituary for anyone interested.

{Beach Time}

Oh, what a bad blogger I have been. I have been so overwhelmed this summer (still am) that most things in my life have been neglected. The regular blog updates were one of the first things to go, right after sleep.
So, it is time to make an amends, of sorts, and show some pictures of our Florida trip. How ironic that it is freezing cold today and I want a peppermint hot chocolate, but am showing beach pictures. Summer, where did you go?

Florida was super fun and fabulous, and going to the beach was one of my favorite things. Clearwater Beach was an official stop on the official itinerary and the whole family made the almost 2 hour drive down. Unfortunately, the good weather held up for about an hour and a half. After what felt like 2 minutes in the bath temperature water, we were driven out by a huge, huge, huge tropical storm. The kind of storm where you are soaked in .5 seconds. It was a mad dash to the car, blankets and camera's everywhere, Dan trying to keep his infected appendix covered, kids ending up in the wrong car, etc., etc.

I was so bummed that we didn't get more beach time that I begged Scott to go back the next day. We didn't quite do that, but we did go to Anastasia Beach. It wasn't an official stop on the iternary and only Scott and I were able to make it. I'm so glad we did. Anastasia Beach is a State Park, so smaller and less crowded. It was on the Atlantic side, so cooler water and larger waves, both of which Scott enjoyed. We had great fun wandering around, picking up sea shells, watching our neighborly sand crab and getting fried. Yes fried. Scott's chest was purple. I kid you not. The ride home on the plane was pure misery, but that is what you get for not properly applying sunscreen when you are at the beach mid-day. Life lesson learned.

And so, after all that, here are my Polaroids. It already seems like forever ago. Was my belly ever that small?