24 weeks!

Sorry for the delay in posts, but life is b-u-s-y right now! My flea market is just a few days away and Morgan and I are slammed with client requests gearing up for Christmas.

I don't have a photo from this week -- which marks six months, by the way! -- but the bump is growing big time. I weighed myself at the gym this weekend (had to burn off some of that turkey and stuffing) and gained two pounds since my last doctor's appointment. My baby book says that Landry should be gaining almost a half pound a week right now, which means I will be HUGE by March.

I'm starting to feel more and more movement from her but still no direct kicks yet. Michael says I should be thankful but I'm excited to really start feeling her twist and twirl in my tummy.

I went to my upholsterer today to check on her crib canopy and it's looking great. It should be completed and installed Thursday. Will be sure to post photos!

Thanksgiving weekend

Happy Thanksgiving! Michael and I had a wonderful weekend in Dallas with family and friends.

On Thursday we went to his parents' house for a lovely turkey lunch. My mother-in-law Pat prepared a really nice spread including my favorite rolls from Bubba's! To honor my family and California Thanksgiving, I made my grandma's signature pecan pie (made with pecans near Michael's East Texas lake house) and cranberry sauce. Having never made them before, I have to say that they turned out great.

Afterwards, we went to our friend Ryan's house for a misfit Thanksgiving and then home to watch a movie with some left over dessert.

On Friday Michael and I spent the day working around the house. We are diligently trying to get things done on our long term to-do list pre-Landry. We bought some pretty terracotta tiles for one of our upstairs patios and some hardy winter plants to pot outside. For dinner we went to Steel where they treated us to the most generous tasting menu courtesy of the publicist to thank me for a DailyCandy story. The meal was delicious! It was hard not eating their amazing sushi selection (darn raw fish pregnancy rule) but I indulged in kobe beef served on a hot rock, sea bass, California rolls, and loads of other Asian yumminess.

Afterwards, we decided to enjoy the gorgeous 70 degree weather and had a drink on the patio at the Mansion. From time to time I have a little champagne (my doctor has given me the thumbs up) and did so last night next to the fire at the hotel. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful night. We toasted several things we're thankful for including our friends Kyle and Lindsey's healthy baby girl, which they named Hadley, born Wednesday. We're hoping to meet her very soon!

Tonight we had Ariana's Persian wedding ceremony. What a treat! We were the only non-family invited to the extremely intimate event held at her house. She looked absolutely beautiful. The ceremony was conducted in Arabic so I didn't understand anything they were saying but it was so gorgeous. I got to rub two big chunks of sugar together over the couple's head for good luck!

Afterwards we gorged on a traditional Persian feast prepared by all of her family members filled with fillet, rice, veggie salad, chicken kabobs, etc. Her mom made this custom loose leaf tea that I couldn't get enough of. The night was filled with Iranian music, funny stories, and food, food, and more food. It was so much fun and an honor to be a part of.

We have so much to be thankful for this year: friends, family, our health, home, jobs, and the list goes on and on. But most of all we are so blessed to have Landry in our lives. Can't wait for next Thanksgiving when she'll be here with us!

23 weeks!

Yesterday marked 23 weeks. One more to go and I'll be a whooping six months preggo!

Michael has been out of town with friends so I didn't have a photo to post this week from home. Instead, I've included this pic taken at Tracy's going away lunch (oh, and how I can't wait to really belly up to a bar again).

This weekend I worked like crazy getting my home office together and am just thrilled with the result. I still need a comfy occasional chair (I picture cuddling up with Landry in something big and cozy -- the window views are so pretty from that room). Otherwise, it's finally functional and so inspiring to be in.

I spent much of Sunday working in there preparing for the flea. It's less than two weeks away and has me a little crazy these days getting ready for it. Each show I feel so under prepared but it always turns out fabulous. This is by far the biggest show to date. I've been turning away record amounts of vendors and even have some must-haves spilling outside. Fingers crossed the weather is nice.

Not much on the nursery front these days. I picked up some custom changing table pad covers I had made this weekend and they look great. I bought the matching sheet to my super cute dust ruffle and had them make two covers from that. Her life-size (well, not really but it's very tall!) giraffe also arrived and looks so cute standing tall next to her crib.

Next week is the biggie when my drapery guy installs the custom canopy above the crib. From there, I will wait until my showers to fill the bookshelves with her gifts from friends and family. Once those are full, the room should be ready for her arrival!

Can't wait! My first shower is at home in California in December and then I have two in Dallas in mid-January. One will be a super girlie shower with my friends and then a couple's shower for Michael's friends and their spouses. These fun events make the times I feel a little sluggish and sleepy well worth it! If we're celebrating little Landry this early I can't imagine what life will be like when she actually arrives!

Ladies who lunch

Today Landry had her first Middle Eastern meal. I had lunch with my former editor Tracy Hayes for a going away party in her honor as she leaves The Dallas Morning News for a post at Neiman Marcus.

About 20 of her current and former colleagues got together to toast her farewell. It was great to see so many old faces and a some of the people helped cultivate my writing career. Most of my friends at the lunch hadn't seen me since I've been pregnant and were over the moon to find out all about Landry and rub my belly.

In other news, Michael is on a boys trip with some of his buddies this weekend. I'm taking the alone time to whip our house into shape. Excited to get some real progress done upstairs in my office and the nursery. Stay tuned for photos!

22 weeks!

Hello, five and a half months!

Week 22 has a lot to live up to after last. My birthday fun didn't end with Tuesday's festivities. My friend Ariana took me to dinner last week and then Friday was a double whammy: My friends Kim and Kari took me to lunch and then I co-celebrated my birthday with Paula with dinner at new restaurant Bistro 31 along with our hubbies and best friend Jon.

Jon gave us the most luxurious belly oil. I've been oiling up every morning and night but this one he gave us (it's by Santa Maria Novella) is beyond lovely and makes me feel so fancy before going to bed each night.

To round off the birthday celebration Michael and I had a massage yesterday. We had the therapist come to the house. It was the perfect way to end the week.

I got a lot done for the nursery this weekend in between parties and fun. I finally finished spray painting Landry's bamboo bookshelf which I found years ago at the Fort Worth Flea. I had been waiting to find it the perfect home and it looks darling in her nursery. I started to accessorize it a little bit but will wait to complete it after my baby showers.

I started her book collection this weekend, too. I found some classic favorites that I can't wait to read to her. I also ordered her a giant stuffed giraffe to go next to the crib and took some fabric to my upholsterer to have some custom changing table pad covers made from the same material as her bedskirt (it's a really cool graphic gray and white pattern).

The big project this weekend, though, was making a template for a custom mural I'm making from wallpaper for one wall in her nursery. I have been lusting over this one British company's cool safari animal wall decals made from vintage-inspired wallpaper. I would buy one but they are all too big for the wall space I have to work with. So, I took matters into my own hands and created a custom design from butcher paper.

I have it taped to the wall right now to make sure I love my design (think a whimsical tree trunk, branches, leaves, monkey, love bird). It's really cute and I love the fact that it's handmade and my little gift to her. I have some left over ikat wallpaper from my dining room I plan to use for the design once I muster the strength to finish. I never wanted a theme in the nursery but have decided that if there's a unifying aspect to everything it's "global-inspired."

A couple weeks ago I found a beautiful antique Murano glass lamp for her changing table. I finally found the perfect shade and it looks so glam in her room. I made a little pact with myself that anything I buy for her nursery that isn't a necessity (lamp, bookshelf, accessories, Moroccan pouf-cum-ottoman), would be able to grow with her when she graduates into a big girl's room. This lamp is so gorgeous she should want it until she's old and gray (and if not, her mama will gladly take it off her hands).

Although the pact is partly just my budget-savvy way, it's also to keep me from falling into the junk pitfalls that come with having a baby. It's crazy to me all of the toys, gimmicks, etc. they sell for infants that will never even remember such a thing. I'm trying to keep the toys at bay during the baby stage and the decor simple, meaningful, and purposeful.

I'm really happy with the way things are starting to turn out in her room. So is our kitty Phoebe! Every time I walk into the nursery Phoebe is perched on the rocker or laying on the cozy shag rug. Tonight when Michael took my 22 week photo she was hugging the pouf (pic attached). We are convinced she knows something is going on. It's amazing how in tune animals are.

- - - - - -

Last Thursday I had a doctor's appointment. They listened to Landry's heartbeat and she has a perfect pitter patter. They also took my weight, which I have to say surprised me at only 14 pounds more than pre-baby. I was shocked, really, given that Halloween and my birthday were just before and I had my share of treats.

They said I should start feeling her kick soon. For the past two weeks I've started feeling her move around but not a definite kick. It's such a strange feeling but I love it at the same time.

Last night I really felt her when Michael turned on our music system really loud to play this new Chris Brown song he loves (yes, he loves cheesy pop songs). Anyway, I swear she was dancing in my belly. It was so crazy but as he turned up the music (he was getting a kick out of the whole thing, too) she was moving more and more. When he turned it off, she stopped. I'm not sure if she's a pop music fan or was trying to swim away from it! Hopefully she'll have my taste in music, not his!

Birthday roundup

Yesterday was my 29th birthday.

Morgan arrived at the office (we work from my house when we're not on a job) with my absolute favorite iced latte in the world from Corner Market. For those of you not in Dallas that's a good 20 minute drive out of her way!

Later she surprised me with a meal at Cafe R+D, one of my favorite spots. We had a lovely lunch and just when I thought we were leaving our waiter brought out two strawberry cupcakes from my favorite place, Society Bakery! I am so lucky to have such an amazing business partner, I love her so much!

Throughout the day little goodies arrived at the house including a dozen Sprinkle Cupcakes from my friend Joanne, who I just found out is also expecting a little bean. But the best present of all yesterday was a call from my friend Ariana. She's pregnant, too! I swear something is in the water!

Ari has wanted a baby for many months so this was such good news, not to mention that our babies will be just a few months apart (she's due July 10th). Tomorrow we're wedding dress shopping for her (she went a little out of order ;) and then to dinner to celebrate my bday and her big news.

Before dinner last night, I got a birthday blowout at Drybar, this cute salon just down the street from the house. My hair looked fab for the delicious steak dinner Michael took me to. We gorged on steak, lobster mac 'n cheese, bacon-wrapped scallops -- you name it! I even had a little rose champagne to toast the big day. Boy, I can't wait to have big girl drinks (and pours) again!

Smells like school spirit

Courtney just sent me these photos from tailgating this weekend.

Look at that bump -- and SMU booty! Miss my buddy already.

21 weeks!

Sorry for the lag in posts lately. Last week I was sidelined by a pesky cold. Luckily, I kicked most of it by the end of the week when my best friend Courtney arrived in town.

She and her husband visited us for SMU's homecoming weekend. We had so much fun! We visited several of our college standbys -- Bubba's (best chicken and homemade rolls), Wild About Harry's, La Duni, SMU Bookstore, etc. -- as well as some new places that have popped up since she left six years ago.

Courtney showered Landry with gifts, too. She gave her the most beautiful baby sling by Serena & Lily. Funnily enough, I had just drooled over this piece while in NYC with my mom and grandma. I cannot wait to use it (and see Michael sporting it) next spring!

Saturday we went tailgating at SMU and saw several old faces. I was so excited that I still fit in my SMU embroidered jeans that I got when I first found out I was pregnant. They were a big hit on the boulevard! So was my bump. I ran into some old friends that didn't know the news. I was particularly showing that day due to my Chanel fanny pack that I know have to belt above the bump to fit!

Afterwards we had box seats at the game, which we won. That night Michael and I hosted our first official party at the house with about 20 college friends. We've had several dinner parties at the house but this was our first big fete. I served Tex Mex for Courtney since it's her fave and she doesn't get it much in Louisville, where she now lives.

Last week I started to feel Landry move. I haven't felt a kick yet, but some days I feel her shifting around. It's such a strange feeling! Courtney's husband Robert is a OBGYN and said that by the looks of my sonogram, Landry is sitting far back in my stomach (I forget his technical language for this). He said because of her positioning that I might not feel her entirely for a little longer than some due to my stomach lining, muscles, etc. in front of her.

Today marks 21 weeks. I'm feeling really good other than the new gotta-get-to-a-ladies-room-or-else urgency that's just started in the past couple weeks. Since I was under the weather last week, today was my first day back in the gym for a while and it felt great to get my booty in gear again. I ran into one of my best friends Jon who couldn't believe my belly since the last time he saw me.

I'm looking forward to spending Friday night dinner with him and some friends to celebrate my 29th birthday, which is tomorrow. I started the celebration off tonight with a wonderful pedicure after Morgan and I installed a client's entryway. No big plans this year. Saving that for next year's big 3-0!