Flight Suits and Fairytales

Need A List?? I'm Your Girl!!

Well, the blog has changed a little bit, but I'm still contemplating about whether or not I like the new title. I'm afraid I've hit a creative roadblock, and can't come up with anything more exciting than "The Duncan Diaries". I like it, but I don't...I think I'm just indecisive. I'm all ears if anyone has any other suggestions! Oh, and I'll be changing everything up again in a few weeks (hopefully) when Elli arrives because the AWESOME Jen has given me the name of her fab-o blog designer, and I want mine to be cute like hers! I'm waiting til Elli gets here so I'll have some cute-ums pictures to display :)

I tried my absolute hardest to make my own header...FOR HOURS!! I really wanted to make it myself, and I would have been so proud had it actually worked. But alas, I am not the computer goddess that I dream of being, and I finally gave up about the time that thoughts of my computer sailing through my window started sounding like a good solution. So, out-sourcing it is...and no, I'm not ashamed!

Thanks for all of the encouraging posts about Elli's chunk-status (I say that with all the love in the world!). After praying about it, we've decided that unless it is absolutely necessary, we're not going to induce. Check back with me in about a week though because this whole "heel to the rib" thing is really starting to get a little bit old :) We're ready though, emotionally & physically. Well, if you can ever really be ready, I guess. Our bags are packed, the car seat is strapped in the car, the nursery is finished, her bows are organized...I threw in that last one to see if you were really paying attention! At this point I think I'm making myself nuts with stuff that doesn't really need to get done, but fills up my time. There are lots of lists happening...recipe lists, grocery lists, must-have lists, don't forget lists, a list to remind me to look at my lists. You catch my drift?! Can you just see Chris? He's lovin' the fact that his wife has officially gone off the deep end! But, I'm just anxious. Anxious, excited, and oh-so-happy. I just can't wait to meet our daughter...so what if I've gone a little bit crazy??!!

Blog Fun...

I'm attempting to change things around a little bit on here...I think I have too much time on my hands!! Hopefully, by tomorrow, I'll have a happy new header at the top of the page w/ a fun new name since we're no longer living in England! More than likely though, when you visit my site you'll see a big MESS!! At least I warned you :)

Baby Scoop

I had another Dr's appt today w/ my fab-o OB to find out when Miss Thang might make her grand appearance. The first words out of his mouth when he walked into the room were, "Well, Mrs. Duncan, looks like you're going to have a BIG baby!", after which he proceeded to chuckle quietly. I failed to find as much humor in his comment as he did!!

Let me back up a little bit...

At my appointment last week, he said that I was 1cm dilated, and was 50% effaced. Since I had no idea what that meant, I quickly went home and googled it. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE google?? Anyway, I found that it basically meant nothing...could have a day, could have another 5 weeks. But, since I was only 35 weeks and in no hurry, I just took it as a good sign that things had started happening. He also ordered another ultrasound for me so that he could get a good estimate of how big our sweet girl might be getting...and, of course I was excited to be offered another chance to see her!! So, I went in yesterday and the tech said that our little Elli was weighing in at a healthy 6lbs 11oz. Hmmm, that seemed a little on the large side, but the tech seemed fine w/ it so I just focused on the cute chubby cheeks that were dancing across the screen.

That brings us to today, and the aforementioned comment by my Dr. In all the baby books that I've read, I must have skipped the part about babies gaining 1/2 to 3/4 lbs during the last weeks in the womb. How could I have possibly missed that?? So, let's just say that I go full-term...she could weigh over 9 lbs! I know that plenty of women do it, I was just hoping that I would be staying (a little more comfortably, I might add!!) in the 6-7 lb club. But, I know it's not in my hands, so there is no reason to stress...and, those cheeks are pretty cute...yeah, I should definitely focus on that :)

And, despite my usually very accurate gut instinct, I am still only dilated to 1cm. I could have sworn that she was coming last week...just a lot of changes & fun labor symptoms that I'll spare the details on! It is great to know that she's ready, in position, & obviously pretty healthy, though! I can't really ask for anything more :)

Weekend Ramblings

I heard one of my favorite songs on the radio yesterday, "It's a Great Day to be Alive" by Travis Tritt. Have you heard it? I just love it! Every time I hear it, it brings a smile to my face and I just can't help but sing along. I was definitely having one of those days yesterday; happy & thankful, and just lovin' life. Hearing that song just topped it off!!

Thanks to everyone who has given me their advice about sewing! I'm so glad to hear that I have so many friends that I can call on to help me out when I totally mess up whatever it is that I'm making!!

I've been feeling really crafty lately, I just love working with my hands (not to be confused w/ getting my hands dirty, which is a totally different story!). I recently made Elli a super cute bow holder, not to toot my own horn or anything! You all know the love that I feel for Etsy.com, and when I was browsing a few months ago I came across these great bow holders that were CRAZY expensive. So, I thought to myself, if they can do it...I can do it. Now, I must admit that mine isn't as fancy or as perfect looking as some of the ones that I found; however, I'm pretty proud of myself for at least trying and I think Elli might like the fact that her Mama made it for her...hmmm, we'll see :) I'll update this w/ a pic later.

I also made her a lamp shade for the lamp that will go behind the rocker in her room...too bad we don't have the rocker yet! Have I mentioned that I'm a little bit impatient? So anyway, I was thinking that I needed a pink lampshade (because really...can there BE enough pink in there??), but didn't want to throw any more moolah into nursery decor. What was a girl to do? Well, one old white lampshade, a few yards of ribbon, my trusty hot-glue gun, and a little help from my mom later, I had my solution!! What do you think??

My next project is learning how to make hair bows! Funny thing is that one of my other friends wants to become a bow expert too!! I think a collaboration might be coming on :)

Sew Much Fun!!

I've been wanting to learn how to sew for a LONG time now, and I finally decided that now is as good a time as any! Well, I admit, 1 month before I have a baby might not actually be the BEST time to learn, but I was sick of procrastinating so I bit the bullet anyway :) So, here is a pic of my new baby...the Singer Confidence 7467. Isn't she pretty?! She's sitting, very nicely, atop my desk just daring me to try to sew something. It came w/ an instructional DVD that I'm sure that I will watch about a million times, and Chris assures me (as only the best husband in the world would) that I'm sure to be the most wonderful sewer (is that a word??) ever! I shouldn't be intimidated at all when I have that kind of support, should I?! Anyway, I am very excited to get started, and I'm sure I'll post some of my projects on here as long as they're even halfway decent!

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have any suggestions for a sewing book that might help me out?? I've looked at "The Idiot's Guide to Sewing", and I'm seriously considering buying it if I don't hear of something better. Keep in mind that I've never touched a sewing machine In-My-Life so I'm sure that anything you suggest will help!!

Dallas Baby Shower Fun

While we were in Texas, a few of our wonderful friends & family members threw me an awesome Baby Shower!! My sister & niece made a super cute diaper wreath that greeted the guests as they arrived (see above), and Vicki & Erin decorated Vicki's loft like a baby wonderland. It was so beautiful! Baby Elli is so blessed to have so many people who love her already!

My mom & I

Cute decorations!

The gifts...Elli will be the best dressed baby girl EVER!!

The awesome food spread!

Our New Home ~ A Tour

Wow! What a month! In the past 30 days we have ventured back to America, spent 12 days in Texas w/ our families, bought a baby-friendly car, moved to Mississippi & into a new house, painted that new house, and unpacked & decorated that new house (the best part of which was definitely Elli's nursery)!! It's been fast & furious, but so much fun as well!

Enjoy some pics below...

The front of the house minus the garage b/c who really wants to see that?? The outside has now been painted khaki (no more yellow!!) and we're painting the shutters black next weekend.