The Nursery....a work in progress

So I wanted to post a pic of the nursery, as it looks now, since a few people have asked about a theme.  To be honest, we are all over the map in terms of a theme.  The closest we have come to anything specific is vintage transportation but I pretty much add items as I go...the stuffed animal moose head above the crib for instance.  (Felt compelled to buy that thing and justified the expense by giving it to Steve as a birthday gift...terrible, right?)
 
For now I am proud of the paint work I did on the crib.  I am not much of a do-it-yourself-er but I decided I wanted the crib a farmhouse red so off to the paint store I went.  I don't do anything fast anymore so it took me almost a month to finish the project.  This was actually my old crib that both Warren and I slept in when we were little.  Seemed fitting to clean her up and use her again.

In any case, the nursery is still a work in progress.  I move stuff around every day trying to figure out what would be most practical. I still need to figure out an area for the changing table and I want to add some storage shelving but I'm not 100% sure where I want to put everything yet so I am trying not to rush it.

I'll keep you posted as I go.

Our trip to Baldy...

I have been terrible about posting.  For the 3 people that may actually read this, I apologize.  =)

Baby Hank seems to be doing well.  I am now 36 weeks pregnant and feel like I am ready to pop.  I know women have been doing this for ages, but I seriously wonder how my belly is going to stretch any more at this point.  The heaviness that I feel at the bottom of my belly is also a strange feeling.  When I get up, I can feel the weight of the baby drop and it is the oddest sensation.  Its does not necessarily hurt, its just a tremendous amount of pressure in an area where there was formerly none.  So, so different...all these new feelings.

Steve and I found ourselves bored for the labor day holiday so we decided to go exploring.  As many of you know, (much to my dismay) Steve has been on a hunting kick for quite a while now.  I keep hoping he will move on to a different hobby, but - alas - it has not happened yet.

So...we decided to take a drive up to the mountains so that Steve could scout out possible areas for him to go hunting for deer.  Being the good wife I am...I agreed to go. The drive took us up to Mt. Baldy which is a ski resort during the winter.  They keep the ski lift going year round, however, since mountain bikers and hikers use the area in the summer months.  Steve convinced me that we HAD to see the top of this mountain.    And so...after much huffing and puffing (literally) I waddled my way on to the ski lift and we went up the mountain. It really was quite beautiful.

We shot a few pics and none, unfortunately, show my bulging belly but I will post one soon.  In the meantime, here is quick glimpse at our Monday.

-Dani, Steve & Hank

Baby Hank's 3-D pics!

Take a look at a few of Hank's first pics!

Baby yawning!

Warren & Izzy...

Hello all...this is Dani again. I wanted to post a few pics of Hank's uncle Warren & cousin Izzy.

Steve and I spent the holiday weekend with Warren and Izzy and since many on the Ray/Gollings side have seen very little of Isabella, I thought I would keep y'all updated. She was in her most patriotic dress on the 4th! She is getting so cute.

As for the video...well, thats just Warren. What can I say?

Check it out here: http://www.vimeo.com/26036900

27 weeks...

So its been a while since I posted and for that I apologize. Life catches up with you. Steve and I have both been super busy the last couple of months!

I have to give some kudos to Steve for getting a promotion to project engineer. He now has a fancy title and along with it he works twice the amount of hours. Poor guy. He is actually sick as I write this but has been dragging his butt into work for a 7:00am start each day simply because

he does not want to fall behind. Hank and I are really proud of him... particularly because if anyone knows me, I don't do much of anything at 7:00 am aside from sleep. (Typical realtor, I know.)

As for me, I just finished my junior bar for first year law students. The test is given by the CA State Bar and required when you attend an unaccredited law school in California. It was a 7 hour exam and for the sake of my butt and this baby (who was kicking the entire time), I am really hoping I passed the test because I don't want to do it again. Aside from that, I have had just about enough of Torts, Contracts and Criminal Law as I can take.

Side note on the exam...I actually had a proctor come tell me to keep my eyes on my own paper because I was so fascinated with a one armed girl behind me. No joke...this gal wa

s typing at court-reporter speed. I would her the 'click-click-click' of her computer and not believe that

she was typing at the rate I was hearing. Sure enough, I would turn around and just stare in awe...she looked liked a one armed Mozart. It was quite impressive, even more so because she actually looked up at me a few times with a "What the hell are you staring at?" type of glare while continuing to type at full speed. Amazing.

Anyways, I won't find out the results for another month or so which is probably better. If I didn't pass, I am blaming it on the one-armed, wonder girl behind me...too distracting. =)

The pictures I am posting today were taken on July 1. I am now just over 27 weeks and have less than 3 months to go. Our due date is September 28. At this point, there is no hiding the fact that I am pregnant.

Over the last month, it seems like I popped. All of the sudden my belly has become center stage and the first dreaded stretch mark has made its appearance. Yes...despite my gross overuse of 'Bio-Oil' and a multitude of other lotions and potions, I found the first trespasser last week and have been wearily watching for any other intruders since then. I was hoping to somehow keep what little figure I had before the pregnancy (no laughing, please), but it looks like I will have some mommy marks to show as proof of this little boy inside me. Ahhh well, there are surely worse things.

I am going to sign off for now and try to keep this blog a bit more updated from here on out. Hope this post finds you all well.

A few of Hank's gifts...is this kid spoiled or what?

Hank has already been given quite a few gifts and I wanted to show off some of them since everything is so darn cute!

Much to my delight (and to the chagrin of my husband),  Hank's somewhat metrosexual wardrobe continues to grow.   Other gifts have also emerged, each of which has absolutely thrilled me.  The nesting has begun.

I love this little onesie...too cute!  Thanks Janine!!!

Janine enclosed a quote from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass which was the perfect pairing for this gift.  

This is a gift to Hank from Mommie.  Steve abhors this outfit but I think it is absolutely darling.  
Polo, anyone?  Perhaps brunch?  

Grandma Susan gave this little outfit to Hank, specifically because she knows that mommie loves all things stripes!

Another gift from Grandma Ray!

A gift from Aunt Shelly!!!  So many cute little outfits... 

Check out the footing for this little jumpsuit...

Another gift from Aunt Shelly - these are just about the cutest overalls I have ever seen.   Thank you, Shelly!!

Tammy Bambrick gave Hank this adorable Teddy Bear

Teddy wears a necklace that reads: "I Love Hank"  I just about died when I actually caught that.  I didn't even see it for a while.

Jason and Priscilla gave Hank an early Easter basket.  This gift is Steve approved...he liked the Tonka truck.

Oma Alex got all kinds of goodies for Hank including these cute blankets and washclothes.  Thank you Grandma Doris!!

An early gift came from my Aunt Arden right after Steve and I found out we were pregnant.  These are actual cookies!  (and delicious cookies at that) Thank you so, so much Arden!  We especially loved this gift.

For Tara...

So I promised my best bud Tara that I would post some pictures.  In this case, just one picture of me since I loathe just about any photos right now because I feel, well, frumpy.  I included a few from this Easter as well since that is when the photo was taken.

As I head into my fifth month, a small bump has finally started to appear and a certain sense of reality has begun to set in since I now have tangible proof that a baby is growing in my belly.  Feelings have moved on the spectrum from "feel like huge cow" to "feel like happy, pregnant cow and maybe if I stick out my belly a bit more, people will realize that I am pregnant and not just brazenly beefy."  This may be the first time in my life that I actually feel more comfortable letting it all hang out.

Easter 2011

Steve's made quite a meal for Easter.  In fact, he even made the makeshift grill that this food was cooked on the day before Easter.

Oma Doris & Grandpa Greg helped shuck some corn to place on the BBQ.

Sorry we did not take more Easter pics...we got excited about the food and forgot the camera after we ate.

Awkward Pregnancy Photos...

My friend Tara sent me quite a few of these pictures and I had to re post them since they are good for a laugh.

Most of these pics have made the rounds on all of the various pregnancy websites.  For those of you, however, who have not recently perused the pregnancy hot spots, I wanted to show you some of the finer examples of pregnancy poses that I have seen.

Just as an FYI, most of these photos originated from a site called AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com  If you have never looked at this site, I highly suggest taking a gander.  It is hilarious.

Didn't forget the rubber this time, eh?

Keeping it classy.. Jersey Shore style (T shirt time!!!!)

Honey, does the shot look natural?...Great.  Can you bring the ladder back now?

Winning!  - 1st Runner Up,  Mrs. Arkansas - 1994

How many antidepressants did her husband have to slip her to get this photo taken?  

Sniper 1, please take this asshole out as soon as you have a clear shot.  Over.

Just...why?

Lavender, linen and weird pervert guy in the back - great shot!

"Sent Back to the Blue Lagoon" - Part 3 (went straight to DVD )

Like the photo montage and the "think bubbles"... Clearly there was a lot of that going on when these photos were shot 

Is that Pink?

Super hot...especially the man stool thing.

Well thought out theme...

I got nothing...but I like her hat.

Nothing says love like pregnancy, black belts and cherry blossoms...

Now thats love...

Cutest Freakin' Mobiles Ever...

So, ever since we found out that we were having a boy, I promised Steve that I would do my best to not make all that surrounds him (Hank) too feminine.  (btw...can you guess who named our son?)

I have thus far failed miserably in upholding this promise.  The clothes that I gravitate towards, and indeed the ones I have bought, are ridiculously preppy.  Think a Ralph Lauren, salmon colored onesie paired with khaki & white striped linen shorts.  (Yes, I actually bought this outfit.)

I will post some of the fabulous outfits in store for Hank soon enough, but for now I wanted to show you this too-cute mobile that I found on Etsy.

We don't really have a solid theme yet for the nursery, but how cute would one of these little clouds be hanging over Hank's crib?

I doubt this will make it into the nursery given that Steve would rather see a deer head on the wall than have his son suffer a framed Honey the Pooh pic...but its worth a shot.