Resolutions

So I always like to make resolutions even though it is kind of hokey and stupid. Rather than things that I make a list and keep on my Blackberry to remind me of, I feel these are things I would like to see happen in the upcoming year, rather than weird goals I am going to have to put all of my energy into seeing into fruition. So here they are:

start losing weight again once Cal is born so I can be a smoking hot, modestly dressed mom

Have our Living room redone by this time next year, including a new plasma television!

Have a new brick walk

Okay those are my things...what are yours? Anyone daring enough to post? Or are you like Nick and think that these are stupid? As he says "I just keep on keeping on". What a wuss bag (just kidding!)

Bidding Adieu to 2007

Just to update everyone...still no baby. But even though I am miserable and wondering if I will have the gestational period of an elephant (yes I'll tell everyone, I have been pregnant for two year and counting), I am so thankful for the things in my life. Thought you would all enjoy the list of those things:

-for the pink planner Nicholas got me for Christmas. It is so elegant and came with a lifetime guarantee so if the pages start falling out I can get a new one...I have a tendency to be kind of hard on things.

-for all of our family here over Christmas. We had such a great time and are so blessed to have them in our lives...my cousin Chris and I have always been close like brother and sister and I love Lizz like a sister too!

-our house. It is big enough that we can house guests when they come in town and is becoming ours more and more as we tackle each room head on.

-our washer and dryer...they are the new front loading ones and what work horses they are for me!

-our new baby. I am so thankful that Baby Calvin is about to grace us with his presence, and we didn't have to go out and buy a bigger house or car to accomodate him...we are ready!

-toffee from Fannie Mae, and mother in laws who know what you need when you are pregnant

-Christmas money that sits in my wallet as I say "hmmm what should I go buy?" instead of being broke

-My upcoming Pedicure date with Jaime

-Having a team of five housecleaners come and clean my house...hallelujah!

-Having a dressing room! A room of my own to decorate and make my own!

Just a few things I am thankful for...there are just so many that it is overwhelming at times! We wish you all a wonderful and safe New Year!

Sorry Maime, Had to Do This

I know that she is going to be incredibly embarrassed about this, but I just had to call her out on this. Our local newspaper has had a section running called "Angels Among Us" and she truly is one. My cousin Jaime has been such a godsend to me and my family. She is one of those people that, in when looking back, has helped mold me into the person that I am today. For Christmas Jaime and I exchanged names in the family exchange. With this we are getting pedi's together. I can't tell you how excited I am about this...not because it is a pedicure (okay there's that) but just the opportunity to get out of the house for some girl time.

Jaime also went above and beyond the call of duty so many times before too. Including this Christmas when she had a housekeeping crew (yes, a CREW!) come and deep clean my house before company and Baby Calvin arrived so I wouldn't have to worry about it. You know no idea how much this meant to me and how much of a blessing it was.

Last but not least I am thankful to Jaime for her relationship and involvement with Emma. Aunt Jimmy as Emma calls her loves her so much and Emma is always so excited at the prospect of seeing her.

Now Jaime I know you are reading this and so you can never mention this because this is just one of those things I can only talk about when I am not face to face with someone. But I am sorry for shutting you out and not talking to you after your dad passed away. I have no idea what my deal was aside from I was being a brat. I was depressed, it wasn't just with you, but it was completely unforgiveable and I am so sorry. I love you just as if you were my true older sis and I am so glad that you are in my life and Emma's.

And as you always tell me...you are such a rockstar!

Okay, Anyday Now!

So as I am writing this it is 4:16 am. I spent an hour in bed with those am I in labor, am I not in labor? contractions and figured I had just better get up as I was keeping Nicholas up. So here I am being a nerd and searching for backgrounds for here and just trying to not think about being pregnant. I think in the last few weeks of being pregnant you become so uncomfortable just so you will actually hope for the pains of labor to begin. As I am now no longer working (hip, hip, hurray, like I'm back on the market trading or something, ha!) I am seeing my schedule become more open. I no longer go to bed at 9, I can get up and type in the middle of the night, and I am reading and cross-stitching again, yeah! Nick says it is like I am sitting around waiting to die, and it really is because I just don't know when it is going to happen. Everyone says I am going to deliver soon and yet I have this gnawing feeling that I still have weeks to go. Oh no, please, not weeks! I can't wait weeks!

Calvin's Room

The great unveiling...

Thought I would show you some details of the new nursery...here is a shelf of Baby Witwer's built in bookshelf. Nick's mom got us these cute Pooh letters before we were even expecting Emma and I love them:This is a peek into Calvin's closet. As you can see, I already have a Halloween costume for our little guy! I insisted that the closets be yellow, I think it makes it so cheery, Nick thinks it looks like an old lady's house:

Here is a shot of the changing table. It was originally natural but Calvin's room is the darkest room in the house, so we decided (read I demanded because I am mean) to have white furniture. So poor Nicholas had to paint everything which he did an amazing job on. The changing mat is a contoured mat with a Wendy Belissimo cover which is the softest thing in the world...it makes me want to be changed:
Here's Calvin's crib and you can see the jersey's painted over it. How cute:

Here is Calvin's Cubs nightlight and more cute jerseys...there are a lot of cute jerseys in there.

So of course we still have some minor details. I need to make the valances for the window still but the curtains are up so that can wait if needed. Blankets, diapers, everything is in place and ready for action. I am just so excited that it has all come to fruition. Now we just need a little man to put in the nursery. Enjoy the pics, love you all!

Don't Forget Your Wedding Shoes

I thought I would post this for those of you who are like me and were told this when they bought their shoes and then completely forgot. If you purchased the shoes you were married in at David's Bridal and never had them dyed you can have them dyed for free! We were married four years ago and I just ran across my shoes in my closet. (Above are the shoes I chose, cute, right?) I was never going to wear these shoes again in the condition they were in, especially since the toes were stained pretty badly by the sand in Hawaii. So I had them dyed black and they are so cute! Now I will be able to wear them out on the town or to a wedding or something. Just wanted to remind everyone who bought shoes at David's. You bought 'em, might as well use them, right? The only problem is if it has been a little while since you got married (read four years) it may take a little prodding at the store to get them dyed. However, they are the only one who sells their brand of shoe and most of their shoes have not been discontinued (unless you got some butt ugly shoes or something). So go ahead woman and get those shoes dyed!

Merry Christmas to Us

So one of the gifts Nicholas and I are giving one another this year are new cell phones. Not just any phones: blackberrys. The only problem is that I have no idea how to use this little beauty. I feel so behind the times. Mine is charging to then activate and I don't even know how to turn it on. I guess I am just going to have to drag myself into the 21st century and figure this out. Nick says I can put my grocery list on it which I think is probably the only cool thing I will be doing with it...oh how glamorous.

Christmas May Be Falling Apart

So I have been in this happy little bubble of bliss. I am pregnant which is nice as what I can't or don't want to do can be delegated and our house is so lovely in the snow with all of the decorating. Now however it seems in maybe a four day period our family's Christmas season is struggling. First lets start with my Grandma who now has strep throat. So any going over there recently has been put off because there is no way I can have strep throat. Hopefully we can take her out of her quarantine for Christmas. Next up is my mom who had to have emergency surgery yesterday on her foot and now cannot walk. That's right, my wait until the last minute to shop and has nothing bought for Christmas mother now cannot walk. Oh joy. Okay just typing makes me feel a little better as I am seeing that it isn't that bad...its really only two problems, but that is what is going on around here. I am just thankful that I have my shopping done (which is done but now I am thinking of things I should go and buy, yikes) and I have some of the cookie batters already made for cookie day. Yeah! Hopefully I will be able to somewhat relax in the coming week. Oh and here's another thing...we have gotten hardly no Christmas cards at all. Are people just not sending them or have we been taken off the cool list? Just wondering so if anyone knows, let me know in a comment.

...Such a Pain in My Rear

So I am now at that lovely point in a pregnancy where you have to go to the doctor once a week...why not, what else do I have to do? I guess it gives me a reason to get out of my sweatpants. Anyway, the last appointment confirmed that Calvin, our head is in position ready to go, bundle of joy is sitting on my siatic nerve...so THAT'S why I have been wanting to cut off my legs and beat myself to death with them. So when I asked what I could do about it I was told what every woman dreams her doctor telling her..."nothing". I can't even take Advil, I am stuck with Tylenol, which everyone knows doesn't work. That's like saying, oh take some cool-aid for the pain. So when I change positions or walk anywhere I have to do this very short stride shuffle thing, which I think Nick thinks resembles some type of elf movement. Calvin isn't even here yet and he's already a pain in my rear...things aren't looking bright in the being well behaved department. Emma refused to come out and now she is the most head strong person I know, so this should be interesting!

Pearl Harbor

So I thought I should talk about Pearl Harbor Day even though it was a few days ago. Nicholas and I visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial on our honeymoon. It was a very sombering occasion, but one I was so excited to take. For those of you who have not been, the memorial that you see above, is directly over the ship under the water. On a side of the memorial you can watch the oil slowly bubbling up still from the tanks. The eerie silence that envelops everyone at the memorial is enough in itself, but then you brush arms with men that were there during those fateful events. My grandfather lived in Hawaii during this time and then came over to the US to fight. Hawaii wasn't even a part of the United States then, if you can believe it. There was an article in the newspaper this past week about our (my) generation not knowing about Pearl Harbor. I don't know who they are talking about but for me Pearl Harbor is a very well known event and one that I think everyone I know knows about. Just thought I would spend a little bit of time talking about Pearl Harbor.

Random Thoughts

I have been wanting to blog but creating life has taken so much of my energy that I am having a hard time putting any connected thoughts together. So I thought I would do one of these random thought blogs and that way I don't have to put complete thoughts together. Hope you enjoy:

I feel sorry for Nick. I am going over to Gram's this Saturday for a few hours and for some reason I seem to think that that is enough time to get 57 things accomplished around the house...good luck Wit, good luck.

Being able to drive in the snow is something that I feel a tinge of pride about. I have grown up here, I can adapt, unlike the Florida, Cali, etc people placed here because of Notre Dame. Please slow down and don't drive like an idiot. But not that slow, this isn't a parade. If my big fear of typing this and then getting into some horrid snow related accident happens, I will let you know.

Is anyone else excited about cookie making that is coming over to my house to make cookies? For some reason this brings me more joy than anything else, even though I am stressed about you all coming over due to cleaning and being fat and pregnant and worrying about getting worn out and grumpy.

I am disgusted by the story of the woman who was murdered in her van her in our town. Sunday the police thought she had just decided to run away from home despite the fact she's always been a devoted mother and wife. The scary thing is that she was murdered after running out to the grocer's. Please blog readers, know that if I ever disappear it is because something has happened to me and I need help. Don't let the police tell you I have run away from home.

Homemade Gifts

This year as you know, I am expecting a baby well, any day now. I knew I wouldn't want to be out in the slushy roads (or iced roads as they are now) trying to get all of my presents purchased. And apparently I buy crappy gifts as my brother in law once told me to never buy him anything ever again. So with that in mind I delved into the holiday season way back in August. I have been making presents like a busy little elf, and am now completely done with Christmas shopping. However for some reason when I make Christmas presents, I always feel kind of weasely. I feel like I didn't give enough, didn't do enough, or it is just plain stupid. When in all reality, I spent so much freaking time working on those darn presents, that people should mount them and hang them on the wall because they are just so spectacular. I wish I still felt like I did when I was a little kid and made something for my mom in art class; I was just so proud of it I could hardly wait for Chrismas morning so it could be opened. I have decided however that I am making Christmas gifts from now on. I think it teaches Emma that Christmas is not about money or how much stuff we can give one another, but the thought and love that goes into something. So now I am trying to look forward to giving my gifts and I hope that everyone likes them.

A great day

So yesterday Emma and I spent practically the entire day together. Nicholas was working in Baby Calvin's room, putting the finishing touches on everything. I have to be honest that I was somewhat apprehensive of spending so much time with her. She just wears me out so much and I was worried I would lose my temper with her. But we had so much fun! She is becoming such a wonderful little girl. She has a baby doll that she was pretending was sick, so we took care of her, and asperated her nose, mouth, ears, anything. She helped me clean her room which was fun, the child spent about half an hour cleaning screws on her crib...oh how they shine. The picture from above is one of my all time favorites of mine. She is just so much fun. I cannot believe how small she is in it, it was taken almost a year ago.

In other news, Calvin's room is almost done. I love that Chris, Lizz, and Praetorian are staying with us because it is making Nick make sure this room is done, ha! With Emma's room we shot for it to be done when Emma was born but was extended out to having a completion date of six months after Emma arrived. So I am excited that this room will be done and useable. Today we are getting the paint for the dresser which was in Emma's room and was painted pastel colors but will now be going back to primary colors. I can't wait to show you the final pictures of Calvin's room. It is going to look fantastic!

Like Being In High School

So when I was in high school, Doc Marten shoes were all the rage. Of course me being a day late and in this case a couple hundred dollars short, I didn't get these until the end of my senior year. Of course they were still very well used as I trounced around Ball State in them and wore them until big clunky shoes moved over and pointy toed stilletos became popular. So now my once beloved shoes only get dragged out on days like this, when it is cold and snowy and I need some sturdy support I can rely on. These shoes are comfortable and they always make me feel like I am in high school again, trying my best to be cool. So that is the word on the street about the shoes on my feet!

Snow Falling

There is something absolutely magical about snow falling. I am always in awe of the erie silence that falls around the house as it lightly touches down on our roof and the ground around us. I love how from somewhere it picks up little hints of light so it resembles glitter falling all around you. Last night was our first big snowfall and it was magnificent. It was glorious to be able to lean up against the window and just watch the big flakes fall luxuriously down around us. Something about snow makes me feel like a little kid all over again.

Ipod Incapable

Nicholas and I were watching television the other night when yet another commercial for an Ipod dock/vacuum cleaner/life companion appeared. I asked what the appeal of the Ipod is because I just don't get it. Nicholas explained that it was like when you had a walkman. I sheepishly admitted that I never had a walkman, cassette or CD. Nicholas was amazed at this new news...maybe he thinks I am always on the brink of fads and things, but I never had a walkman of any sort. Nicholas told me he thinks that this has made me incapable of understanding Ipods. I just won't get it. Because I really don't get it. Sure, I love music. I love listening to Christmas music at home, and in the car, but I don't think that I need a perpetual soundtrack going on in the background of my everyday events. Maybe I am weird.