Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve dinner at the Ritz

The Ritz entry

Christmas morning

Playing with her pink pots and pans from Mimi and Papa

Christmas princess playing with her new laptop

Our Christmas card (front)

(back)

Christmas peonies and my new LV book from Mimi

Feeding the pigeons downtown  

A custom painting for Barrett's nursery 

Landry running around my new office and warehouse

Holiday feast and birthday party at Casa Cobb

Morning time with my girl

Holiday potluck at Paula's house

Baking pies and arranging flowers with the peanut

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!  

My first Texas Christmas was pretty perfect.  We kicked off the festivities last weekend with a dinner party at the house with some of my oldest friends in town (it also happened to be my friend Jackie's 40th birthday so we threw in a birthday party, too).

I stepped out of my regular ol' recipe box and tried a new chicken dish that was delicious.  I also made a pecan pie with nuts from East Texas that turned out really good, too.  I don't mind being a little adventurous with this crew because they're like family and I can always call in a pizza last minute if need be!

This week I had Landry full time because our nanny has off until the new year.  Landry came down with a 24 bug Sunday night which was no fun.  I hardly slept Sunday because she was in bed with me and constantly kicking my tummy trying to fall asleep between puke sessions and pj changes. Monday we relaxed in bed with cartoons most of the day except when I had my afternoon doctor's appointment.

We got to hear Barrett's heartbeat and all is well.  My tummy is also measuring on track, so all is good on that front.  I've officially gained 30 pounds (ok, 31) so I'm definitely going to be bigger than when I had Landry as I was exactly 30 at delivery day.  Between my lack of working out and holiday indulgences this is no surprise.

Monday night we hired a sitter to get out of the house for a holiday potluck and gift exchange with my best buddies Paula and Jon.  We enjoyed a delicious meal over wine and then several rounds of silly board and music games.  

The next morning I took Jon to the airport and then hit the market for some baking supplies.  I couldn't believe our local grocer was loaded with fresh pink peonies, my favorite flower.  I bought several bushels.  The rest of the morning Landry and I made pecan pies and floral arrangements.  It was the perfect way to start off Christmas Eve. 

Later in the day after lunch, Michael and I tried to take her to see Santa at downtown Neiman Marcus.  She saw this particular Santa last year and I think he's the cutest one in town.  However, the line was probably 100 people deep and her 21 month attention span would not have lasted so we strolled her through the store to oooh and awe over the festive decorations instead.  On the way out to the car there was a little park with waterways and birds so we stopped for her to enjoy.  I had a cookie in my purse and we crumbled it up for the pigeons to enjoy.  They swarmed her and she thought it was just hilarious!  

On the way home we took one of our homemade pies by Cristina's house to wish her and her family a Merry Christmas.  While visiting, she gave Landry her Christmas gift: a baby doll and mini stroller.  Landry loves this gift so much.  I can only hope she doesn't try to strap Barrett inside and zoom him around the kitchen like she does with her dollies!

Christmas Eve night was spent at the Ritz Carlton.  We enjoyed an exceptional dinner.  Landry was a tad trying wanting to get down from her highchair and run around at times.  But the staff was really gracious with her.  We decided to enjoy our dessert in the lobby so she could zip around and look at the festive decorations.  There were several other little kids in the room and she was a social butterfly mingling with them.  She got a second wind and was literally running around from tree to tree in amazement over the lights, little kids and all of the Christmas decorations.  Michael and I took turns running after her (at one point an elderly man appropriately coined my belly a speed bump).

On our way home we drove through Highland Park to gawk over all of the gorgeous homes lit up like Christmas trees.  The lights are so amazing around here this time of year.  We capped off the night with a Skype session with my family back home as they were all together for Christmas Eve dinner.  

The next morning was so much fun.  Last year Landry didn't really understand Christmas but this year she was excited to open presents and play with the tree's ornaments.  The highlight of her morning was the mini kitchen set from Mimi and Papa equipped with tiny pots, pans and foodie items.

Later that day we had lunch with Michael's family at my in-laws' house and opened more presents.  Landry had so much fun she didn't nap which made for a super sleepy baby when we got home.  After putting her to bed early, Michael and I enjoyed a homemade quiche and holiday flick.  It was the perfect ending to a low-key Christmas.

Today my brother Ryan arrived from California for two weeks.  He joined us for lunch with our friends Kent and Shannon who are visiting with their two little girls from Australia.  Ryan sat next to Landry during lunch and took on mommy duty feeding her and keeping her busy.  It was a real treat for me to have my hands semi-free for once during a meal out!

Bradley arrives in a couple hours and we'll have dinner together for the first time in ages with all three siblings.

This weekend I will be 37 weeks pregnant, two weeks away from my delivery date!  I'm feeling good, nothing really to complain about.  My belly is just getting bigger by the day and things are snugger by the hour.  Although I hope Barrett holds out until his due date, I am looking forward to not feeling like a stuffed sausage any longer!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas.  To all of my family in California, I love you so much and can't wait to see you in early 2014! 

35 weeks

Helping mommy put the final ornaments on the tree

Turning her new ball into a baby bump 

Pooped post lunch on Saturday

Playing in a sea of clothes we packed up for a friend expecting a girl 

Scooping up foam from her fake latte

A sliver of deliciousness from our impromptu dinner party this weekend

This baby train is just chugging right along.  Today marks 35 weeks!

I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and all is well with sweet Barrett.  He's measuring on track and his heartbeat was strong.  I'm now visiting my doctor weekly and have another appointment tomorrow.  Hopefully they will do a more in-depth session and give me some idea on his anticipated arrival and actual size.

I'm feeling really good other than the fact my fingers and feet are swollen and still tingly at night.  My engagement ring leaves a big mark now so I'm just putting it aside until the little guy gets here.

This week I started to get in the nursery zone and purchased several things for Barrett's room.  I bought a cute rope chandelier and had it installed Monday.  I found an artist online to paint a gorgeous Indian headdress for above his crib and it arrived this week.  It's at the framer and should be ready any day.  A while ago I found an old ladder with leather ties on the rings and plan to hang it near his rocker laced with pretty baby blankets I found online this week.  His bedding is washed and on the crib.  His rug is unrolled and ready.  The draperies are on order and should be here at any moment.  We're getting there a little day by day!

His wardrobe is also making progress.  I bought him several pieces online two weeks ago and their all washed and folded in his drawers.  I have to say, shopping for a boy isn't nearly as fun for a girl -- simply because the options are far less -- but he is going to be one stylish little lad.  I have enough beanies and knit caps to fill an entire drawer!  The perks of a winter baby boy!

This week was trying because our nanny was out sick with bronchitis.  I was able to move around my schedule a bit, but juggling a baby, clients and appointments (forget about any Christmas shopping) was comical.

By the weekend, I was ready to relax and enjoy family and friends.  Friday night we had Bradley over for his favorite home cooked meal from my small rotation of dishes.  We lured him here to help Michael build a mini kitchen my mom and dad gave Landry for Christmas before he takes off for California next week.

Saturday we ran a few errands and took Landry to her favorite cheeseburger joint.  She loves hamburger patties and french fries and was in heaven watching the little kids at other tables.  She gets such a kick watching other kiddos and just waves at them and tries to talk to them the entire meal.  She's a very social little butterfly.

That night, we had a last minute dinner at the house since our sitters were both sick.  We had over our friends Jaclyn and Jeff, who recently got engaged.  We had a ball eating Thai takeout, sipping champagne, and enjoying a cozy fire with a tray full of sweets.  While the kiddos are small, I think we will entertain more than ever because you don't have to worry about a sitter and don't have to keep an eye on your watch.

Today we took Landry to our go-to Sunday brunch spot.  I ordered a latte and she clearly wanted one too.  I got a mug from the waitress and scooped my thick layer of foam into her cup.  She gobbled it down with a spoon and proceeded to pretend to drink her big girl drink throughout the meal.

She is so stinkin' cute these days.  I have so much fun hanging out with her because she's so animated and sweet as can be.  She just wants to give hugs, kisses and cuddle time.  When she's active, she wants to play puzzles, help out (dishes and yard work are favorites), read books, or play dress up.  She loves to get in my shoe closet and pull down as many pairs as she can grab.  This weekend I packed a huge box of clothes for a friend expecting a girl iand Landry loved helping me put them in the box and rolling around in them.

She's getting smarter and smarter by the day.  It astonishes me how quickly she's learning right now.  She hears Michael's voice down the hall and will say "daddy."  Or I'll tell her to do something and she'll follow my instructions perfectly.

She's becoming a real daddy's girl.  In the mornings I always get up first and pull her from her crib and feed her breakfast.  As soon as she's through and down from her highchair she hightails it to the master bedroom door and says "daddy, daddy" so she can snuggle next to him or cuddle and watch cartoons.

I think she's getting so attached because Michael is so much fun with her.  He throws her in the air, zips her around the house like an airplane, makes mundane things like teeth brushing a game, and has regular "dance parties" with her.  She thinks he's so much fun.  It melts my heart.  I'm so lucky to have a husband that's such an incredible daddy.  It makes me so relieved to have such a helpful partner with another bambino on the way!

Just four more weeks or less.  It's going to be here so fast!

This weekend I started to get a little sad about not being in California for the holidays.  It's not only the fact that I'm missing Christmas with my family, but it's also one of the longest periods I've ever been away.  We won't be able to get out there until March at the earliest with the new baby.  I love living in Texas but definitely need my California fix every few months.  I will be so thrilled for March and will definitely try to stretch my visit as long as possible depending on clients and Landry's school.

Luckily I will have family surrounding me for much of January between Ryan's New Years visit on his way back to Buenos Aries and my parents being here for the baby's delivery.  Since this is my first Texas Christmas I decided to create some new traditions for the Cobb crew.

I booked our Christmas Eve dinner at the Ritz Carlton for a festive night out.  Landry will love the lights and I will love the fact I don't have to cook!  Christmas day we have dinner with Michael's family which will be really lovely.  That evening we're going to have some friends over for night caps and dessert.  It won't be the same as being home, but it will be wonderful in its own special way.

34 weeks and the Icepocalypse

Activity #301 during the icepocalypse:
Pretending it's summer with "indoor pool time" 

Activity #302: cookies and fish watching at Whole Foods

After daddy took her outside for a few minutes of fun,
she was not happy to be back inside trying every which way to open the door.

She fell in love with Barney this weekend
(that's her new favorite kitty friend Pumpkin, btw).
I know the opening song by heart now.

Free at last!  Daddy is clearing a path to the car so
we can have brunch (and mommy doesn't slip and fall).  

Our sad, frozen fountain.  We'll see how much of our
new landscaping we lost in a few days time...

How cute is this heart shirtdress? Gotta love Old Navy Baby.
We sure had fun playing dress up this weekend.

 In five weeks or less, our little cub will be here!  

Today I'm officially 34 weeks pregnant and I feel every bit of it.  I'm officially at that stage when each day I feel a little bigger, a little slower and a whole lot less cute (blame the weight gain and fact that cozy sweat pants are all I'm craving past 5 p.m.).

Luckily my back pain isn't bad at all these days.  But, I have had numbness in my hands and arms for the past ten days or so.  Sometimes it's so tingly at night that I wake up and can't go back to bed.  It's similar to the feeling of a limb falling asleep but not as severe.  

My fingers, wrists and feet are also swollen.  Luckily it's not very noticeable but I can tell because my shoes are snug and my wedding ring hardly fits.  My watch is simply a thing of the past.  

Otherwise, I'm feeling really good.  I'm sleeping well (other than the numbness thing at times) and have pretty normal energy levels.  Barrett is still moving like crazy, especially at night.  His movements are so strong they take my breath away sometimes!  For all of the pitfalls of pregnancy, there are perks like my super-thick hair and plumper lips.  Not sure if some of weight gain has gone to my pout, or it's just another area swelling these days...

This week was a big one for Cobb Interiors.  I finally set up shop from hiring a personal assistant to signing the lease on a new office space.  For years I've officed out of our home and back house.  But with the second baby, I had to get a space away from the babies.  I opted for an office/warehouse less than five miles from our house.  I'm sharing it with my best friend Paula so work will be more fun than ever! 

At times work life is very overwhelming.  My book of business has exploded and it's hard to keep up with so many clients.  But, I have decided to go full throttle and see where it takes me.  I simply can't say no to any of my clients right now and am just chiseling away at the workload every day.  It can be exhausting at times, but it's so rewarding and fun in the end that I really want to take a stab at this and see where my business takes me.

The flea is also doing great.  I'm about to secure a new, much-larger space for April and really blow up that biz, too.  Between the new baby and growing businesses, things are a bit crazy right now but nothing I can complain about.  We are so blessed.

This weekend's weather, however, is another story. Icepocalypse Dallas arrived with a vengeance Friday turning our weekend into a staycation at Casa Cobb.  Luckily, I had prepared with a major grocery trip Thursday so we were well-fed (being married to a hungry preggo has it's perks).  Since I had so much to do around the house, it actually was kind of nice being holed up at home for three days.

Friday was the worst as we lost power at 3 a.m.  Luckily it came back on around noon but those nine or so hours were interesting to say the least.  Michael swooped Landry out of bed immediately when the heater shut off fearing she would freeze (he's far more dramatic than me when it comes to parenting).  The three of us cuddled in bed, which was so cozy.  Landry couldn't stop giggling at first thinking it was all fun and games.  Luckily she conked out an hour or so later and we actually slept in the next morning.

Our gas stove worked with the strike of a match, so breakfast was no problem and even a bit romantic thanks to the dozen of candles I had burning (see, my candle addiction has it's perks Michael!).  By 10 a.m. I was over the mood lighting and itching for a shower.  Thankfully we were back up and running by lunch as some of my friends still don't have power today!

Saturday morning we decorated our first Christmas tree.  Landry had a total ball playing with the ornaments.  It was a really lovely little family activity and so festive with our snow-covered front yard in the backdrop. I have to say, I even got a little teary thinking about our last few weeks as a family of three.  Darn Jewel had me all emotional with her new sappy holiday album playing in the background!

I also addressed and stamped all 80 Christmas cards.  That task wasn't nearly as fun but I'm so glad I got it out of the way!  Just fyi, y'all:  This isn't our cutest card.  But it's from the heart and a very true portrait of our lives these days.  Expect them in the mail this week!  (I'll post a pic next week after you receive them so it's a surprise.)

Although I liked being stuck at home this weekend watching movies and tackling decorating projects (I'm not sure if I've every spent 48 hours straight at home, ever), Landry was stir crazy by day two.  To help matters, Michael took her outside one day for a few minutes to play in the snow.  Another day I slid the car -- quite literally, at times -- into Whole Foods just a 1/8 mile down the road to let her have a cookie and watch the aquarium.  This morning we finally had our first meal out in days, which was a welcomed break from the grilled cheese and soup routine.

Landry is more fun each day right now.  I think a huge reason is that we can communicate with each other.  Although she can hardly say much, I understand what she wants for the most part.  She has also become the biggest love bug.  She's constantly offering up hugs and kisses and will snuggle with you until your arm goes numb (doesn't take much for me these days).  

Her hair is getting so long, too.  I can totally pull it back in a pony tail and her bangs are so long I often pull them back in a bow to keep them out of her eyes until we're past this awkward hair growing out stage.  I refuse to cut her hair at this point.  I'm thinking sometime after she turns two, but we'll see...

33 weeks: Thanksgiving/lakehouse opening weekend

A light lunch in Canton with Jon

Treasure hunting with uncle Jon in Tyler

Our first family photo at the lake house

Landry loves to give the belly kisses, hugs and pats these days

Christmas 2013 photo shoot pic

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!  Ours was just peachy.  Pat and Jerry invited us over for a delicious turkey lunch.  I took full advantage of being preggo with seconds and some pie!  Landry gobbled up the turkey and grandpa's famous holiday pinto beans.

We kicked back at home the rest of the day where we watched the Cowboys take home a much-needed win.  (Yes, I've become a fan and try to sit through at least a quarter each game.)

Friday we headed East to the lake house for our inaugural weekend.  We invited Bradley and Jon along for the fun.  Friday morning Jon and I drove out early to dig through the Canton flea market, which is just about 30 minutes from the new house.

He scored a fabulous cowhide rug and I took home a vintage metal ice stand -- I've wanted one for years and will use it at the lake for drinks or towel storage on the back porch -- and a really cool woven foot stool.  Both look great at the new digs!

While at Canton we ate our hearts out.  They have the best fair food.  We indulged on the food front this weekend to say the least!

For the remainder of the weekend we chilled at the new house, cooked delicious wintery meals (I made my famous croque monsieur sandwiches last night), watched old movies, shopped the nearby tiny antique towns, and had our share of hot-from-the-oven peanut butter cookies.  It was so relaxing and fun.

After Jon left this morning I decided to attempt a Christmas card photo with Bradley behind the lens (make that iPhone).  I had not prepared AT ALL for this so we just wore what was clean in the suitcase.

I had no curling iron or hair products to speak of (same goes for blush, eye makeup and cute shoes) so I slipped on a beanie, which Landry kept pulling off my head.  Nonetheless, we got some shots that will work just fine given the fact I have no time for a professional pic.  Plus, I love that they are at the new house and a realistic snapshot of the Cobb crew (although I so wish our clothes coordinated and my hair was styled).

Landry is really starting to blossom these days.  She's talking more each and every day.  Her new favorite phrase -- she's a little obsessed -- is "uh oh." On long car rides, she has also started saying "hi" every couple of minutes from the back seat just to make sure you know she's there or so you start a conversation with her.

She loves to sit on the boys' shoulders, too.  Yesterday while treasure hunting she was getting tired and cranky but if Jon put her on his shoulders (Michael and Bradley stayed behind to fish), she was a happy girl.  She did so well at the new house.  She didn't want to nap during the day but she slept through the night and adjusted to the new surroundings perfectly.

She's eating more and more adult foods.  She has found a love for olives and patty melts.  She has also turned her nose to a nightly bottle.

In other news, she's also started notifying us when she's going to the bathroom.  I'm hoping that means potty training is just around the corner.  I'd love to only have one baby in diapers!

Speaking of Barrett, he's moving like crazy in my belly these days.  The past weekend was my most relaxed in months.  I think the slower pace let me feel him a lot more than usual.  Instead of little kicks or punches I'm feeling big shifts in movement now.  It's such a strange sensation but I love the little reminders that he's in there as I can forget I'm pregnant half the time keeping up with work or busy-body Landry.

Today marks 33 weeks pregnant.  Just six or so left until our little man is here.  I'm soaking up every second I have with Landry as I know I'm going to be so busy with Barrett once he arrives.  Although I can't wait for our family to expand, I am trying to cherish every moment as three.

Hello, eight months!

Trying to capture a photo for Mimi and Papa.
It's nearly impossible for her to sit still these days.

She's so sassy sometimes...

Grabbing lunch with Uncle Bradley last weekend

Gobbling up a cookie after our trip to the grocery store

I sure hope we pass this tongue wagging stage soon...

Breakfast with her new pink ball

Thanks for the cute knit hat, Nana!

Tomorrow marks 32 weeks preggo!  Ready or not, Barrett Steven will be here in seven weeks or less.

Since my last post I've pretty much tied the Jones job up in a bow with the exception of a few things they want to add now that they've lived in the space.  The week after my birthday I flew up one last time to help pull together the opening party, which they tell me was a huge success and tons of fun.

That week I also fit in some fun time from a belated birthday lunch with Paula (our birthdays are two days apart) to a dinner date with a friend visiting from NYC.  Michael was on a boys trip last weekend so Landry and I had three days of park play dates, cartoons, and cooking in the kitchen.  One day my in-laws took her for a few hours and I tore up Buy Buy Baby to finally get a start on Barrett's nursery.

I haven't made a ton of progress but I at least have newborn diapers, a crib, changing pad and rocker (I had Bradley move Landry's hand-me-down into Barrett's room).  I plan to pull the room together over the next couple of weeks when I can find the time and energy.

Last week I met with two new potential clients, that both offered me the job.  One is in Rockport (a cute little coastal Texas town) and one is in Lakewood, which is about 15 minutes from our house.  I'm so happy to have a job in my backyard again!  So, maternity leave with be interesting come January... but, I'm so thankful to have the business and both of these clients have killer taste and homes to work with.  I am so blessed!

I met with my friend/branding designer Jaclyn this week to finalize Cobb Interiors' logo and business cards.  They turned out really stylish. It's such a relief to finally have this looming project off my plate.  Now all I need to figure out is an office outside the home.  Paula and I are trying to get one together and have a couple of meetings lined up next week. Fingers crossed something works out soon!

All joking aside on the maternity leave front, I will take four solid weeks to be with the baby full time.  After that I will assess how I feel and how he's doing and slowly ease back into work accordingly.  With Landry, I was really in the zone post-delivery and loved being home and unplugged from work.  We'll see if it's the same this time around or if I crave a little professional stimulation or time away from the crazy Cobb casa!

Luckily, I found out last week that Landry was able to get into mother's day out on Fridays starting in December.  So, she will be in "school" three days a week so Cristina and I can focus on the baby and housework.  Landry loves school so she will be thrilled with the addition of a day.

In between new client meetings and mommy duties last week, I was able to hit the lake house for a solid day of installing furniture with a small team of workers.  We got a ton done but still have a ways to go before it's truly settled.  Michael and I are going back out tomorrow for another full day of work to pull it together for Thanksgiving weekend when we go out with Landry, Bradley and my best friend Jon.  I can't wait for our first weekend out there and to spend quality time with my loves.

On the pregnancy front, I feel really good.  The couple of days I've been on my feet 12-plus hours I've had some aches and pains but other than that I can't complain at all.  I had a doctor's appointment last week and am measuring on track, heard the heartbeat and of course gained another couple of pounds.  Strangely, I'm craving Coke like mad.  I've never been a big soda drinker let alone full-sugar Coke but it's my favorite indulgence these days.

Landry is turning into a little lady more and more each day.  This week she fell in love with sports balls.  I took her to Target Friday during our mommy-daughter day and she picked out a pink bouncy ball that she carries around like a little pet.  This morning she even kept it on her tray while eating breakfast!  Her vocabulary is expanding daily ("ball" and "bow" are new favorites) and she's even putting together words like "let's go" and "bye bye dada."

Tonight Michael and I had a laid back date night at our favorite Asian restaurant.  I feel like we're ships passing in the night these days so it was great to catch up over California rolls (can't wait to eat the raw stuff again soon!).  Looking forward to some time on the road together tomorrow and putting some TLC into our little barn in the woods!

30 weeks, 31st birthday, Missouri install, oh my!

Our cowgirl cutie

Think Mimi is excited to see her girl?!

Playing at Henry's Halloween party

My sweet friends and our little monsters

Chiling in the kitchen in her Halloween jammies

Having a ball post-breakfast at the counter

Her new favorite activity: puzzles!

Celebrating with my assistant and dear friend
Ashley on the last day of install!

Even though I hardly saw daylight in MO, I was able to capture
a few photos of the property's gorgeous foliage on the last day

Bradley caught my priceless reaction to seeing my dad at dinner. 

I received some beautiful flowers on my birthday including
these gorgeous orchids from the Jones

The past two weeks have been some of the most tiring, stressful, and exciting of my life.

Halloween was really fun.  My friend Nicolette had a sweet little party for the pumpkins and Landry loved interacting with the other kiddos and noshing on donut holes.  I got to catch up with several friends I haven't been in touch with lately due to my crazy work schedule.

My mom flew in the day before Halloween and got to see Landry sporting her cowgirl costume I pieced together from her current wardrobe with the addition of a cowgirl hat and magenta bandanna.  Michael and I took her to a couple of houses to snag some candy and she loved watching all of the kids running up and down the streets.  She's so mesmerized by watching other little ones.

The Friday before the flea I had a doctor's appointment for Barrett.  I was relieved to find out that my placenta previa has gone away!  We got to see the little man during the ultrasound and he's doing great.  He's a little big weighing in about a week ahead of schedule.  In pictures, his checks look really chubby.  No wonder I'm craving sugar and carbs like crazy.  The boy can eat!

The rest of that week I spent prepping for the flea and my Missouri install.  The entire week was far more organized chaos than I expected and the five action-packed days actually went pretty perfectly.  The flea was a big success and went as smoothly as I could have hoped for.  This was my last show in the original location and I look forward to putting my energy back into the company's expansion and new digs for 2014.

The day after the flea I flew up to the lodge with my assistant for the five-day install.  I am thrilled to report that it went perfectly.  I have to admit, I was very anxious about the whole thing.  I've been on this project since February and to finally have it wrap up and arrive in eight moving trucks is a bit nail-biting.  But, everything arrived in one piece and not a single item didn't fit the furniture plans I had in place.  I'm still in shock that everything -- absolutely everything from custom rugs and sofas to draperies -- fit the home like a glove and looked gorgeous together.  

I found out the day before the flea that family was flying up mid-install.  I was so bummed because it stunted my install by several days.  However, we worked around the clock and placed every single item in the 11,000 square foot house -- plus two patios! -- in time for their arrival. Luckily the family absolutely loved everything, especially the fact that I secretly pulled so many special family items from the grandmother's home on the property to make it very personal for them.

This project is by far the biggest I've completed at this point.  It was so rewarding in the end.  That said, I'm looking forward to chilling out a bit over the next nine weeks before Barrett's arrival (although I have one last day trip to MO this week to help prep for an unveiling party on Friday).

I got home late Thursday night to a sick little baby.  Poor Landry has been fighting a cold for nearly a week now.  It's turned her into a little monster at times, which has been challenging for everyone.  Today was her best day by far so hopefully she's on the upswing.

Friday I turned 31!  What a year 30 was.  On the airplane to MO I realized that exactly a year to that day I was sipping on cosmos at my Moroccan 30th birthday party.  What a difference a year makes.  Between Landry's first birthday, landing one of the biggest design clients in the country, getting pregnant, buying a lake house, etc. 30 turned out to be the craziest and most exciting to date.  Finishing the Jones job the day before my birthday was pretty perfect timing to close the book on my 30th year.

My birthday was nice and relaxing.  My mom and I had a leisurely morning with Landry at home before going out to lunch.  My mother-in-law watched the peanut later in the day so we could get our nails done, which was the best hour of my week given my feet grew half a size during the install due to 16 hour days upright!  The day ended with dinner at one of my favorite restaurants with Michael, my mom and Bradley.  About ten minutes in, my dad arrived at the table with a bottle of wine!  It was a total surprise to everyone but Bradley who had picked him up at the airport after work.

It was the best birthday gift of all.  We had such a nice time catching up over dinner and the remainder of the weekend, which included some good ol' Texas barbecue and an afternoon at the park.

I've already started to slow down and relax now that the install is over.  Today I snuck in a 30 minute cat nap after taking my parents to the airport.  I haven't taken a single nap during this pregnancy.  It was such a treat.

Now through the end of the year I plan to work on Barrett's nursery, decorate the house for the holidays, pull together the lake house and enjoy time with friends and family.  I'm so looking forward to nesting these next couple of months before the baby's arrival.