Life in Maternity Clothes

Well obviously I got a lot of laughs after my last post! Kurt thought it was a great idea. However, I made it clear that I would only possibly enjoy it during cooler weather (which doesn't come for awhile around here) and we both remembered that some neighbors got a new little yappy dog that barks annoyingly. So the backyard campout might potentially wait for awhile, and that's fine with me. Sometimes my ideas and creative energy come up with strange things! So no, I will not be camping anytime soon, but we definitely will in the future (and it will probably be "camping-lite"). Just thought I would respond after a post with such high entertainment value, apparently.

I went out looking for my reunion outfit(s) today. I tried a department store and found absolutely nothing. Then I found a shirt to wear for the game, except it was from a non-maternity, teenager store. I then went to an upscale (and I mean upscale) maternity boutique and found the perfect dress for the dinner on Saturday night. I'll post a picture once I take one. It's a deep red, and has long sleeves (perfect because I'm not fond of my arms). It's really flattering, because it doesn't look like a tent. It's still fitted enough to show that I'm not 500 pounds. It comes just to my knee, which I like because I've gained some weight in my legs. But surprisingly, if I pose a certain way, it's hard to even tell I'm pregnant---weird!! It was definitely a little more than a Target dress (ha!), but my sweet mother in law told us how much she wanted to spend, and the amount matched the cost of the dress perfectly.

Speaking of maternity clothes, I have found that there is a severe gap in this clothing market!!! I don't know if anyone else felt (or feels) this way about maternity clothes, but here's how I feel: Target and Motherhood Maternity are the two basic stores that we have for "Maternity for the Masses." Meaning, the clothes aren't technically expensive, but I don't feel like I have anything cute to show for it, and it's all "blah." On the other end of the spectrum, this boutique that I went into was ridiculously expensive. Also, there was no music playing (making it particularly awkward), and the two teenagers working there had to ask me how to spell February three times (no, I'm not exaggerating). If you claim to be a high end boutique, at least give it some bells and whistles!! Haha! Finally, I feel like both afforable and high-end places have such little selection.

Thankfully, I've shopped some consignment places and people have offered me their clothes, and that has been great! I'm just venting about when you're in the market for "new." My bottom line: There needs to be a maternity store that offers clothes for pregnant women of ALL ages (trendy and classic), and has a great range in prices. The selection needs to be impressive, and the environment needs to be uplifting, cheerful, and fun. Oh, I do plan on going to Expectations in Brookhaven at some point. I'll give my review when I go!

Something random on my mind: the one sweet thing that I really desire to eat is Puppy Chow (you know...the powdered sugar, chocolate-coated Chex mix?). I literally don't have a sweet tooth for anything else. Well, I made a batch the other night for myself, and it was great!!! Craving more, I made some again last night, and it didn't turn out nearly as well :o( I think in my absent-mindedness (which has been happening a lot lately), I mis-measured or something. I know it's pregnancy hormones, but I am so disappointed over that dumb batch of Puppy Chow. Seriously, who lets something like that cramp their style?!


That's enough Pregnancy talk for the day :o)

Genius.

I just had the funniest idea I think I've ever had.


Yes, it's 1:00 in the morning. But Kurt's on call, and this is when I tend to be a night owl.


Okay, so I was reading my friend Emily's blog, and she wrote about how she and her husband had a camping adventure recently to get away from the stress and noise of TV, computers, etc. I don't know if it's just hormones, a weird mood, or a need for relaxation, but it sounded really appealing to me.


Now, for those of you that know me, you probably wouldn't consider me an outdoorsy person. At all. Me neither.


So, taking a cue from a recent Jon and Kate Plus 8, I figured out my solution: "Camping" in the backyard!!!


Think about it. Convenient location, and restroom facilities (that are clean and familiar) are right inside.


We could grill hotdogs on our patio and just hang out outside, then spend the night in a tent in our backyard. Speaking of tent:
Tent: $50

Airbed: $50

We wouldn't need sleeping bags, because regular sheets fit, and we would just use regular blankets. I just think it would be fun to camp without technically camping. Is this not the most hilarious post of mine you've ever read?

Please don't tell me I'm stupid for wanting to do this or inform me of what camping equipment I need. I literally just want a change of scenery without technology, and it will make for a really funny story.


Pregnancy makes me crave....camping?!

Recap....

Well, Thursday came and went and was really busy, but I had a good day! My doctor's visit went well. They didn't do a sonogram, but when they checked for the heartbeat, she was moving around so fast it was hard to track!! So I have an active little baby in there, even if I don't feel movement all the time. It's a nice feeling!

I dropped by Carrie's to check on her and meet sweet little Aubrey. That child is so beautiful! She was content and let me hold her the whole visit. She had that sweet little baby smell and even her breathing was cute. Here we are!

I got my hair cut, which was a success. Nothing drastic, just a little bit different to keep things interesting. I'm glad I didn't get a dramatic cut...I would've beat myself up later. At least I know my tendencies!

Friday I had a girls lunch to celebrate Brooke's birthday at Bon Ami. I hadn't been there in awhile, and it was yummy! Kurt and I went over that night to Drew and Erin's house to eat and watch the debate. We always have a great time with them, and we're thankful for "couple" friends!

Saturday was lazy....my sister was in from college again with her friend and they stopped by to say hello. It was nice to have Kurt home and not have anything planned....it rarely happens!

That's about all that's been going on....we're not terribly exciting these days!

Love to Kurt because he's on call.....Happy Sunday!

To-Do List for Thursday

For some reason, it's a major day for me:

1. Doctor's appointment. I'll be 20 weeks on Friday---insane!

2. Haircut. I need more of a "style," but not a slave-away-for-45-minutes style. And I'm still growing it out. If my hair gets whacked off, I will have a panic attack. Still in search of the perfect haircut/hairstylist. I'm never 1,000 % satisfied...

3. Go see Carrie and baby Aubrey and deliver homemade chicken tortilla soup.

4. See Kurt at some point.

5. Bunko!

6. Watch taped premieres of The Office and Grey's Anatomy. Even if I have to stay up late to do so.

See what I mean? How did everything end up on this one day? But I will say, I'd rather group a bunch of things on one day rather than spread them out during the week. I like to consolidate.

I can't believe that October is almost here! Upcoming events:

-2nd: Going with Kurt to Mississippi College to watch "The Secret Garden" production.
-3rd and 4th: Kurt's 10 year reunion. His mom said that she wants to buy me an outfit or two to wear for the weekend---how sweet is that?!
-9th: Canton Flea Market
-11th: Our Christmas photo session with Mauri.
-25th-31st: DISNEY WORLD!!!!!

Find time to:
*Buy pumpkins, etc.
*Paint crib and chest
*Choose changing table

So many exciting things!

Happy Fall :o)

Shop with a Purpose

One issue that I have always been extremely disturbed by is the exploitation of women. This includes prostitution, trafficking, and definitely doesn't stop there. I have read many things on the subject, watched TV specials, etc. and continue to feel extreme compassion for the women that live in this dark world.

Sometimes as Christians we don't really know what to do to help. Sure, we can pray and ask God to heal these women, among other things. But I came across some websites that really interested me.

By purchasing something from these websites, the proceeds go towards redeeming women's lives and helping them get back on their feet, all while sharing the love of Christ with them. I don't know where you're doing your Christmas shopping this year, but maybe at least one person could use something from these sites.

Freesetbags.com : Bags made by women in India who want to support themselves without selling their bodies.

Shopinlight.com : Items made by women in Cambodia.

Saribari.com : Blankets and bags made by women from the Sari Bari shelter.

Thistlefarms.org : Bath products made by women living in the Magdalene shelter in Nashville.

(Websites featured in Today's Christian Woman magazine.)

You may not find anything that you'd like to purchase when you look at these websites, but make yourself aware. Just read about the different organizations and pray for the women that are doing their best to get back on their feet. Happy Shopping!

Whew.

I have taken on a very important project: organizing our pictures!! It occured to me the other night that Kurt and I have only been married a year and 3 months, and so it's still early in the ballgame as far as how many pictures we have on our hands. I plan to take up scrapbooking at some point (I love all the fun stuff to buy and I'm an artsy person anyway), but right now it's not in the budget to make super cute scrapbooks.

So, I decided to actually (gasp!) print all the pictures off of my digital cameras (old one and new one). In order to make it less daunting, I wrote out the major events that I'm going to document, and will print off the pictures a little at a time. Today at Target I printed off our honeymoon and a few other events.

In the meantime, I sat down at my computer about 45 minutes ago and began separating all of my pictures into different folders in "My Pictures." This is mainly for my peace of mind. If I want to look at a picture from our Asheville trip, I click on the folder "Asheville April 08." Ahhh. What a good feeling. Also, I believe that I can burn the individual folders to CD's, making developing much easier. Am I correct, computer-savvy people? I am now copying all of the files from my old camera as I type. These won't be top priority for scrapbooking, but I do want them organized.

This is the kind of project that will be pretty easy to maintain once Evy is born, but doing the bulk of it now and organizing the pictures we've accumulated so far will really help. Yay for productivity!

My Name is Ashley....

.....and I bought them.



I couldn't help it, okay?!

My Name Is Ashley....

.....and I'm a cute baby stuff addict.

I already foresee this being a problem. And happily, I don't think I'll ever recover! I've always loved browsing Etsy, an online boutique that sells handmade/homemade items, but recently being pregnant has taken it to a new level. In honor of the ever-so-close fall/autumn season, here are my latest findings for Evy.

Yes, what you see are a pumpkin hat and matching "Mary Janes." I'm sorry. I can't stand it it's so cute. I didn't order them; even though I know exactly what size I would want to get (6-12 months in the shoes, 6-18 months in the hat). I'm trying to just hold off. It's killing me. I want to buy. They aren't that expensive. And the terrible thing is....the seller makes those adorable shoes in any color. Any color I want.

Speaking of Evy (who will be much better dressed than me, apparently), I officially felt her move last night! I think I had had some tiny "what-if" movements before, but I wasn't quite sure. But last night I felt a definite little kick, and Kurt got out his stethoscope to see if we could hear anything else. She decided to quiet down, but it was still so much fun. And Kurt looked oh so cute in doctor mode. :o)

I think I need to step away from the computer so my browsing habit doesn't quickly turn into a spending habit. But I always come back! :o) And I really might break down and shop.

Things I Like

Here are some things that I'm really liking right now:

1. My Grace Kelly biography. It's so interesting!

2. Opulent dressing rooms. I'm now insisting on one when we build our dream home, because I intend to have a very distinguished wardrobe by then. Hopefully.

3. Country estates. I dream of living in a large home on some land for lots of people to come and enjoy.

4. The Cameron Estate Inn and Restaurant in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. I'm researching for our trip to the Northeast. When that trip will be, I have no idea. But I'm researching!

I like these kinds of posts. I think I'll do them more often :o)

My Disney Movie Collection

Since one of my goals is to always expand my Disney collection, I decided to cross them off the list as I get them! My goal is to get as many as I can in DVD format, because VHS players will be long gone in the future. This post will be linked under "Sites to See" so I can update my progress!

"Masterpieces"

1. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
2.Pinocchio
3.Fantasia
4. Dumbo
5. Bambi
6.Saludos Amigos
7.The Three Caballeros
8.Make Mine Music
9. Fun and Fancy Free
10. Melody Time
11.The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr. Toad
12. Cinderella
13. Alice in Wonderland
14.Peter Pan
15.Lady And The Tramp
16. Sleeping Beauty
17.101 Dalmatians
18.The Sword In The Stone
19.The Jungle Book
20.The Aristocats
21. Robin Hood
22.The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh
23.The Rescuers
24. The Fox and the Hound
25.The Black Cauldron
26.The Great Mouse Detective
27.Oliver & Company
28.The Little Mermaid
29.The Rescuers Down Under
30.Beauty And The Beast
31. Aladdin
32.The Lion King
33. Pocahontas
34.The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
35. Hercules
36.Mulan
37. Tarzan
38.Fantasia 2000
39.The Emperor's New Groove
40.Atlantis: The Lost Empire
41.Lilo And Stitch
42.Treasure Planet
43.Brother Bear
44.Home On The Range

Please Welcome....

Aubrey Noel Howie!!!!

My sweet friend Carrie and her husband David welcomed their little girl into the world on September 12! We are so thrilled for them and looked forward to Evy and Aubrey playing together :o) I'm so proud of my sweet friend for bringing this beautiful baby into the world!

Lots and Lots of Updates

Some people have asked about Evy's name :o) My mom and Nana really liked a Christian singer named Evie, who recorded a lot of albums in the 70s and 80s. When I was little, I listened to her Christmas tape over and over (we have video footage of it!). I had always thought the name was unique and really cute. When we were trying to pick a name for Baby, I kept thinking that there would be pronounciation issues, and didn't want to do that to her, but I always came back to liking the name best. So we experimented with spelling and thought Evy might have more a chance of being pronounced correctly :o) An interesting twist: after we told Kurt's parents about the name, his mom emailed me and told me that her aunt was named Annie Evelyn, and the name Evy reminds her of her aunt that she was close to. So I felt good about that! I tried looking at baby name books, but always came back to what I liked. So Evy it is!

Oh, by the way.....I am not one of those people who is a Nazi about "no double names!!" Suzanne already calls her Evy Kate, and I am totally okay with that! We will formally introduce her just as Evy, but anyone is welcome to call her Evy Kate if they wish :o)

In other news, I have been decorating for fall! I love all of my fall things for the house:

Kurt and I went to the Ole Miss game last Saturday....here are the latest pictures!

Finally, if you've been checking my 101 in 1001 every so often, you'll notice that I recently was able to cross off one or two things, and I've been working on others.

-We ordered a new rocking chair for our den (thanks, Mom and Dad!!).

-When we were at the Ole Miss game, I got in lots of walking for exercise (at least 3 miles).

-I've been donating grains of rice and expanding my vocabulary to help others.

-And something I'm really excited about....I found our baby photographer, Mauri Hart!! We will go soon for our first session with her. Instead of a traditional "maternity" session with belly pictures, Kurt and I are going together to get our Christmas picture taken. I can't wait!

Stay tuned for more updates.....

We Are Pleased to Announce....

....our little girl's name!

Evy Kate Lancaster!

I will say this once for your reference: Her first name rhymes with "Chevy." I know that people might not know how to pronounce it at first, but I love the name, and that's that. Also, we're not going to use it as a double name; it will just be Evy. However, I think Kate has a cute ring to it :o) We are excited to meet her!

Just Ordered....

Baby Girl's baby book! I ordered it from Baby Books by Marci and I think it's precious. It was a bit of a splurge, but our parents are helping with so many things for the nursery, I wanted to buy at least one thing on our own! Haha!

We also found the main fabric that we're using for the nursery! It's called Shabby Chic Angel Toile, and I LOVE it! As you know from previous posts, I do not like "theme" nurseries per se, but this is a subtle way to bring in the angel wings I'm using.

Just wanted to share our progress!

A Few More....

Just a few goodies we've received recently:

Suzanne and Mary Peyton brought by this adorable bear that MP built herself!!!!



We got a package addressed to "Little Miss Lancaster" from Uncle Kelly and Aunt Jennifer. What wonderful treats!!!

In case you couldn't see....how adorable are these miniature hairbows!?


We love our friends and family!

PICTURES!!!!

My wonderful husband found the camera cord! We are cleaning out the office, and it had been stuck in a random box. So here are the latest pictures!


11 weeks



15 weeks




18 weeks---today!!!!





The bassinet. These are the items we had a few weeks ago.....


And we're officially taking over a closet!!! This makes it so real.

Thankfully, now I can update with pictures more often. By the way, I know some people probably think my stomach is huge for only being 18 weeks (trust me, I've been told). But for some reason, and I'm not just saying this, it just doesn't look THAT big in person. However, I'm very proud that my baby is growing, and I think it's a good sign :o) Plus, I know that every pregnancy and every pregnant woman is different. So I'm not worried!