Getting Close(r)

Well, it's almost March and then we can say, "Madison is due this month!" We are very hopeful that she does not decide to make an early appearance this week as Ryan is in Texas for Cisco training! My mom is in Indiana and my dad in Washington D.C., so we're just asking her kindly to stay put until the weekend:)

We've been enjoying lots of "selfish time" over the past few weeks. We've made an effort to go out with friends and make plans for things we'd like to accomplish prior to Madison's arrival. This past weekend we enjoyed the NCSU Basketball game. Our friends Jeff and Erin and Jason and Ivy joined us as well! And, they actually won! Somehow, this was my very first basketball game - I'd like to make it to many more. On Sunday, Kelly and I took the kids she babysits for to a NCSU gymnastics meet and it was great. We might have enjoyed it more than the kids - thank goodness for Angry Birds to keep them entertained!

This is us with our friends Ivy and Jason. Ivy's the one responsible for most pictures on the blog! Jason works at Cisco with Ryan and happens to be our "backyard neighbor."

This is really my stomach?!?!? EEK! The shirt was a gift from Casey!

Thanks for checking in on us.

Shower for Madison

I want to start this post off by letting everyone know that it is 70 degrees and I'm sitting outside on the back porch! In February! Life is truly wonderful!

The first week in March my wonderful sister-in-law, Michelle, and two girlfriends, Casey & Kelly, threw a shower in honor of Madison. It was such a treat to be with so many of my favorite girls! All my college roommates were there, my close friends from work, my mother -in-law and other sister-in-law, and various other girls that mean so much to me were able to make it! Even my mom was able to make it from Missouri - that was so special. I admit, I always get a little nervous before events such as these, groups of people coming together that don't know each other, but that's just silly! The girls that threw it did a great job of coming up with a few games and there was plenty of food and baby girl-themed gifts! Madison is one lucky little gal - and she's not even here. Below are a collection of pictures from the shower.

Krysta, Sue and I concentrating on our games! Krysta made it in from Greensboro and Suzanne from Columbia, SC!

Kelly's mom, Katherine, made this amazing cake! The head was chocolate and the body a lemon pound cake. YUMMM!

The gifts are so pretty - I just love all the pink!

This is Ryan's side of the family! His older sister Christy, mom Florence and younger sister Michelle.

Me and my Mommy!

Casey to the left and Kelly to the right. I know these girls worked hard to pull this shower off and I could not be more thankful!

This is just a pretty spread of the table and all the great food!

It was such a wonderful day to share with my closest friends. I've enjoyed putting all the sweet gifts to use in preparation for Madison's arrival. Her nursery is almost done, pictures are up and clothes are washed and put away. Crazy that her due-date is quickly approaching. Thanks to everyone for all the love and support - we are so lucky and blessed!

Special thanks to Ivy for all the pictures:) I'm lucky to have such a great photographer for a friend!

Nursery

This post is looong over-due, but as I expected, I'm kind of a slacker on posting. BUT - I'm going to try to do better, at least until Madison comes!

A few weeks ago we actually started working on the nursery. Our furniture came in and our very nice neighbor, Jamie, helped Ryan pick up and move the crib and dresser upstairs into the nursery. I wish I'd taken pictures of the actual move up the stairs - those were some heavy boxes!

Ryan had been warned that setting up the crib was very challenging, but he didn't seem to struggle at all. Maybe that's the engineering classes paying off!

Here he is putting it together:

The crib and dresser are from Babies R Us. Of course, once he had the furniture up, I couldn't wait any longer to put up the bedding and curtains. Both are from Restoration Hardware and I fell in love with them months ago. When we decided not to paint the nursery (as our friends pointed out - it is ALREADY gray, why paint it gray?) we decided to splurge for the matching curtains. I love that they are pink - but not bubble gum pink. The room is soothing and calm. We still have a lot to do, as far as decorating goes, but we are both so happy with the the progress!

Dawson and Sadie are a little confused about this room!

Here is the crib with the bedding it it!

It was dark, so the the lighting isn't great - but here's a glimpse at the curtains and furniture.