Calling all Moms!

Ok people, I've only got 10 weeks left 'til this baby comes and I need some advice! There are a million and a half things to buy for babies and I just don't know which one or which color to get. I'm a terrible decision maker. So, I've got some questions. Feel free to answer them with your opinions, add any helpful tips or just leave a 'hey! what's up? you're cool..' note because those are always fun. :)

1. Should I buy the stroller 'travel system' OR the infant seat + the snap-n-go stroller?

2. Should I get a swing and a bouncy chair OR just one? But which one..?

3. Should I get a manual OR electric breast pump OR just scrap it altogether?

4. Are the boppy pillows really worth it? I'm quite curious.

5. Any other baby must-have's???

So come one, come all with your baby expertise. Heaven knows I (we) need all the advice I can get! :) Thanks a million!

March maddness

Goodness the month of March has flown by! Both Kurtis and I have birthdays in March. This year Kurtis turned 26 and me 24. After various high aspirations of traveling to far off destinations like Chicago, Hawaii or the Wisconsin Dells..we decided to stick around here and celebrate quietly. We went out to eat with friends for our birthdays, bought ourselves small indulgences to appease our childlike desire for birthday presents and ate a fabulous dessert Kurtis made for me! Now, I haven't explained that Kurtis is a master chef. He can cook great food (when I let him) and he follows the recepie to a T! No subsitutes or cutting corners for this top chef. For this particular birthday occasion he insisted on making 'dirt and worms' - a finger-licking tub of yummyness. Who knew pudding could taste so good!? It also had 2 packages of gummy worms!! (I'm a sucker for any fruity-flavored gummy treat)


We also got to start working on preparing our yard for springtime and our house for the new baby. On the beautiful days we raked leaves, cut back old growth and took care of the unsightly posts that are cemeted in the backyard for some mysterious reason.. Kurtis only has 1 more out of 6 to remove.. I began organizing the baby's room and clearing the house of all winter items finally! Pictures to come! I also headed into my last trimester with my pregnancy. It's crazy how close yet so far I am from my June due-date. We started our child-birth class too, which makes it seem more real. Only 10 weeks left! Don't be fooled by this picture though, I'm bigger then I seem!

I guess the last thing we did in March is start Kurtis' GMAT class. He's planning on going back to school to get an MBA in the coming year and needed a boost on this insanely hard test! He's studying like a mad-man and I'm trying to use my time wisely instead of watching American Idol... :) Yes, I admit it. I've become an American Idol addict. I've NEVER followed any of the seasons but got hooked early on with this one. It's those stupid yet hilarious audition shows that get you! I've decided the final 2 will be Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert. Adam scares me some days but he's got the most amazing voice. I still really like Lil Rounds and Allison Iraheta but don't think they'll make it. Anyway, goodbye March, hello April!

Read!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
-Dr. Seuss

This year I have become a reading teacher. I not only teach reading to students but I've realized the vital importance of reading in everyone's life. I am so greatful for parents (and siblings!) who read to me when I was little. This week we're focusing heavily on reading in school because Monday was the official 'Read Across America' day in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday. Did you know that Dr. Seuss not only wrote silly stories or social commentaries, but he wrote stories that children would actually enjoy and with rhyming words to build their vocabularies!? No more, 'See Jane run' types! We want 'one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish!' Everyone is a reading teacher in some way. Let's embrace it and read!! Encourage your children to read and be good examples by reading yourself. Currently, I'm reading 2 books: 'Finding Darwin's God' and 'The Picture of Dorian Gray.' My husband and I are reading 'Marley and Me' aloud, which is hilariosu! Any suggestions on what I else I need to read?

I'm not crazy...

really I'm not. I know I've changed the background of our blog a million times recently but I can't find one that I really like for more then a week or sometimes even a few days. Maybe I'm coming to accept change in my life! ha!!

Valentine's Day 09

For Valentine's day this year our friends (the husbands) banded together and came up with a brilliant idea -- a fondue party! The women had a few suggestions (like having fondue and cheesecake) but the men put it together. They did a fabulous job!! There were 4 couples and lots and lots to eat. We are still full from the meal. I feel like the baby was so squished after all the food I ate! Then we played 'dirty bingo' where you can steal gag gifts from others around the table. I was happy to end up with the Dots and I gave Kurtis my rubbery handcuffs.. haha! It was a great night to spend with friends and get to know each other a little better. So thanks to the men for putting it together and cooking. It was much better then going out somewhere. Thanks especially to my husband who makes me feel like the luckiest woman alive.. I love you!

Getting ready to play 'Dirty Bingo.' You can kind of see my little belly! :) I'll post more pictures soon.
This is Max, our friends' dog. We love him! He was anxiously awaiting table scraps all night.
Steve finishing off the last of the sparkling cider...