Bathroom Update

Finally. . . another update! So after placing an order for tile a month ago and then waiting a week, I found out that the manufacturer stopped making one of the sizes. I made my second order two weeks ago and received it last Tuesday. On Thursday I started cutting up the floor tile. This was a long and tedious process which consisted of taking eleven 13" x 13" tiles and cutting them into approximately 165 pieces. Not fun. Anyhoo, with that out of the way I was able to begin laying tile. Friday I layed the floor, bay window ledges and bench seat. Saturday I installed the ceiling tile in the bay window along with the majority of the bay window walls. Today I finished up the bay window and put up most one wall.

I've decided that the original builders must have known that one day I was going to be installing a tiled shower, 'cause it seems that there isn't a single square corner, plumb wall, or level surface in the entire bathroom. The majority of the tile I've installed has had to be cut out of square, just to fit the original construction. Needless to say, I felt like I spent most of the weekend measuring, re-measuring, then cutting. Frustrating. That being said, I do enjoy the actual process of tiling. It's very rewarding seeing it all finally come together.

11 pieces of 13" x 13" tile, condensed.

I took this today after I finished installing the last piece of bay window tile. This area of the shower took much longer than I had anticipated because of the vast number of unique cuts I had to make. While all the tile you see in this picture look like they are the same size, 90% are unique.

This column and I were not friends earlier today.

This is after I finished up earlier tonight. Woo-hoo!

Hey Mr. DJ

So, I'm trying to figure out what the music situation is...I've added a few new songs that I like. Hopefully, you can hear more than 30 seconds of each song!

Speaking of music, I'm rethinking my music for Isabella's birth. I had wanted Led Zeppelin to start up my engine for labor, but since that won't be happening I'm thinking a more mellow approach...not too mellow. I don't want my doctor falling asleep!

Isabella's B-Day

BIG NEWS!!! For those of you who didn't know, the doctor has been watching the position of my placenta since I've gotten pregnant because it is considered "low-lying." This can be dangerous for me and the baby. I had an ultrasound today and it's still too close to the cervix for a normal and safe delivery. So, I have a scheduled c-section Thursday, August 30th. It was a little strange scheduling this...we had a few days to choose from and we picked the 31st at first, but there are 11 c-sections scheduled that day!...and she wouldn't be able to perform the surgery til 3 in the afternoon, which means I would be starving all day. No thanks! So, the 30th it is...a day after our sister-in-law's, Christy's, birthday and two days after our nephew's, Seth's, birthday!

Also, Jason and I were happy to hear she is weighing around 4.5 lbs. Right where she should be :)

Please keep us in your prayers that Isabella doesn't try to come any sooner! If I start having consistent contractions and need to go to the hospital, I may have to stay there and/or be on bedrest...we have too much work to do!

Delivery! (no baby)

As we were chatting yesterday at the shower, we talked about so many things...babies, motherhood, pregnancy...our husbands playing xbox online with eachother, the need for a support group for wives of gamers and how nice it is to receive flowers from our sweeties. Well, it's just as nice to receive flowers from your girlfriends! My friend Liz couldn't make it to the shower yesterday and she sent me roses today :) Completely unneccesary, but much appreciated!!! They are so beautiful and smell so nice...I just had to share.

thank you liz!

Mis amigas

My sweet girlfriends through me such a wonderful shower yesterday. We ate some great food and just chatted it up for a couple of hours. So nice and relaxing! Isabella received so many great things that will make life easier for mom and dad....including our traveling system!!! I was so shocked and grateful and just overcome with gratitude. You girls are too much! Guests were encouraged to bring books and I started reading to baby last night. I just need to persuade Jason to!

a diaper ccccaaaaake...yea! we have diapers! how cute is that...juli, telisa and telisa's sister, maddie, built it. so crafty!

the nice spread...my girls cook AND bake?! it was all yummy i have the best looking girlfriends...
my friend dallas...
and peri...seriously. beautiful ladies!
t-lo and maddie
you can't see it very well, but the bib reads, "my mom rocks!" thanks brooke!
eyes are welling up just a tad... i was so excited to arrive home and show jason...yes, he was jumping up down w/ excitement and continued playing xbox.
my mom and i are arguing about taking a picture...just a glimpse of me and isabella 20 years from now...
aaand, we're good :)

OTRA VEZ!

I'm reposting this to let you know you can pause the music section to the left so you can hear The Fray's performance...

Rookie Dad

Andy and Debbie gave the father-to-be a little surprise...thanks guys!

Tease

So, Jason just informed me that when he hears the music from the blog on his work PC it only plays an intro to each song! Is that happening to you, too? Did this start happening when I added Led?

And this is a great time to mention...you can leave comments on the blog! A lot of you usually tell me your comments via e-mail (and that's cool too). I just wasn't sure if you knew the comment option...

Let a sista' know!

I could get used to this...

My sisters-in-law, Debbie and Christy, and family friend, Susan, threw me a wonderful shower Sunday. Family and close friends were present and it was so nice to see them all as Jason and I don't see them often. It was a great afternoon with good company, good food and even some fun games! Ladies, thank you again for joining in the excitement of Isabella's upcoming arrival. It was a nice ending to a great weekend!

Debbie, thank you for manning the camera! You captured some great shots!

not sure where i get these crazy looks...but look at that cake. yummy!

can we eat the cake already?

me and grandma ethel and grandma inez

i thought this was hilarious...balancing a plate of two slices of caaaaake!

christy made me such a cute scrapbook for isabella...i absolutely love it!

nana and rylee...the first granddaughter!

a blue outfit! jason was happy to see this one!

rylee is showing mom how to paint a bib...

i think i'm stocked up on the bibs! it was a cute idea...everybody was invited to paint a bib for baby isabella!

see how much fun i'm having?!

my mom gave isabella this oh so soft and plush blanket. i'm not sure i want to give it up! everyone knows my strawberry shortcake blanket needs to be replaced!

hostesses, you did something right...everyone is smiling!

susan and debbie painting masterpieces i'm sure

makenzie and rylee

the bowser ladies

Baby Shower Time!

My sisters, Lisa and Judy, hosted a baby shower in my honor at Ousie's Table in Houston. It was so lovely and the food was soooo delicious! It was so nice to see all of these ladies. I don't get to see them often. The shower ended without me knowing and I was unable to thank everyone for joining in the celebration...ladies, it meant a lot to me that you were there and I appreciate all the good wishes for our new family. Also, a huge thanks to my sisters!!!

Isabella and I received some great goodies, including the prettiest burp cloths and bibs to mess up!

me and isabella's grandmas!

hester (a long time friend of lisa's) posing with savanah and vivi's cheeks!

laurie and jill (lisa's sisters-in-law)...laurie is expecting around the same time i am!

my mom and her boss, clarice...such a sweetie!

she's growing up so fast!

i grew up with these gals next door, eileen and her daughter jennifer

lisa says hi!

margie...she was my neighbor too!

savanah, hester and my sister poody (judy) ;)

our table had a beautiful centerpiece that was sent from rebekah, who couldn't make it...unfortunately we didn't get a good shot of it! you were missed rebekah!

lisa and vivian

yea! presents!

savanah was a great help!

Hips Don't Lie?

Yes...The Fray performed this song. It was awesome! There is a lot of laughing at the beginning, but it gets better! Note: You can pause the musica section to hear The Fray performance.

The Fray

Friday evening Jason and I went to The Woodlands to see The Fray concert with our friends Mary and Rollin. We started with dinner at a Tuscan restaurant called Brio. It was so yummy! We finished dinner off with a chocolate mound of goodness for dessert! We headed to the pavilion and found a nice spot on the lawn. It was such a perfect night...sun was down, slight breeze, no mosquitos and no rowdy kids around us (I sound old and pregnant). I actually wasn't expecting much from the band, but they were really good!

what a cute couple!

waiting for the fray...

jason didn't realize the camera was zoomed in!

SURPRISE!

Drop It Like It's Hot...

I've noticed a difference in the position of my belly! I think I'm starting to "drop." At first, I thought it was just me, but several other people have commented on it, too! I'm thinking...isn't it too early to do so? Well, I looked on babycenter.com (gotta love the internet). It does say that my body is preparing for delivery but when the dropping starts is different for every mom (as is everything else). Although, it did say dropping can occur up to 4 weeks before delivery!!! The website listed some other symptoms of this event and one is the fact the baby takes up more room in my pelvis...yes! The pressure on the ribs has subsided :) Also, it mentions waddling...hee-hee. Funny word, funny walk. I actually don't ever notice my waddle until people point it out. And I find it quite funny when Jason asks me why I'm walking weird...oh, I don't know...because I'm pregnant! And then there's the increased number visits to the ladies room...check! Of course I had a doctor appointment yesterday and totally forgot to ask her about it. I was sitting most of the time during our 5 minute visit so she wouldn't have noticed. I may call the doctor or wait until my next visit.

Oh, by the way, when my doctor walked in she said she had seen me somewhere. I start thinking...great...what was I doing? Probaby lifting a heavy child and drinking a Route 44 Coca-Cola all while smoking a cigarette...okay, so I don't do any of this, but my mind thinks the worse. She saw me at The Police concert and reassured me it was fine :) I said great because I'm going to another concert this Friday!

Anyway, who knows if I am experiencing dropping or lightening, but I am a day shy of 32 weeks! My next appointment is in 2 weeks and I'll be having an ultrasound. I'm excited to see how much bigger Isabella is!

Betty, Barbara and Mike..."Drop It Like It's Hot" is a song by a man named Snoop Dog. I thought maybe y'all would be confused ;)

Independence Day Celebration

Last weekend we celebrated the 4th in Galveston...Crystal Beach to be exact. We've been celebrating with the same crew for a few years now and it's always a good time! We're usually at the lake, but we found oursleves at the beach this year. There's always good food (thanks to Fireman Dave), good drinks (even virgin ones for pregos like me), karaoke, some water fun and fireworks. Oh, and of course, washers...

chris and jason before they broke the swing...

guitar hero...it was a hit!

mark greets us in the morning w/ a little jig!

carlo, our italian friend, busts a pyrex measuring cup on the stove...he was trying to make coffee! he's italian, he just woke up...

we're squeezing little juli b/w the bellies!

catching some rays...it didn't last long.

me and papi. i like to call this my tennis outfit/swimsuit...or my tennis ball costume! ha!

our friend jacky wayne. i've known this guy since elementary school (he hasn't changed...j/k jack!) i'm drinking a special marg from mark...thanks mark!
juli and i brought some cotton candy for christy

washers...this lasted all day and night and into the next morning!

we went cruuuuuuisin' on the beach and that's as close as we got to the ocean. there was a ton of seaweed on the beach...yummy! stacey enjoyed the ride!

dave cooking...a shot from the back of our place

we were feeding turtles in the water...this was our water fun for the weekend.

more video games...wii.

christy and i our playing tennis!

chris and mark playing wii...love the hat.

dave still cooking...

stacey rockin' out

is mark getting too old for this partying stuff?

noooo! he and bryan are rappin' some karaoke!summer and noelle rockin' it too!chris can't get enough! mark (the closet guitar hero fan)

parents-to-be!

jason told me to take a picture of this b/c he was calling the shot...it went in! and was the winning shot.

boys and glowing carlo

jason and dave dancing...nice.

me and the belly.