New England Adventures - Day 1

There are always two major factors to any Kelley Family Getaway...

#1.  Chad Kelley ALWAYS books our flights at the BUTT crack of dawn (why I continue to let him make our flight plans, I'll never really know..;) Actually, I take that back... I DO know why he does it.  He likes to get to our destination as soon as humanly possible to begin our adventure...which I actually appreciate...except not at FOUR in the morning when my stomach and baby belly absolutely DO NOT want to cooperate with the early morning wake up call. 

and #2.  Plans and itineraries are merely suggestions of what we'd like to accomplish during our trip.  How we get there and in which order things are done is all left to chance.  Chance, and a good pair of walking shoes, that is. :)

After a "SOMEWHAT" interesting start to our trip.. (read: I almost went rogue, pregnant, Mexican on this self righteous, SHAMELESS couple and their family of FIVE for trying to CUT in front of at least 150 people waiting to get through the security checkpoint at DFW airport...justifying their bad examples by simply saying "they were running late... and that I was a "bad Christian" for not letting them cut in front of us".  Seriously?!?!?!  We were ALL late and had somewhere to be... that line was RIDICULOUS!!  Basically, words were exchanged..(I was BEYOND livid by this point, showing my apparently "non-christian" colors and was ready to go down swingin'...) when they FINALLY went to the back of the line, where they should've started all along... 

Determined to NOT let this crazy, too-early-for-confrontation, confrontation stand in my way of a great trip, we refocused on the task at hand.  NEW ENGLAND!! First up, our pre-dawn flight took us to Boston to pick up our rental car... where we took to the road and headed north to Salem, Massachusetts. 

Quaint little street in Salem

On our way to the Salem Witch Museum

Creepy entry stones into the local cemetery...

One of the memorial stones for those involved in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692

There is something creepy, yet intriguing about old cemeteries like this...

Next stop:  Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Our home base for the next three days :) 

On the road again... :)

Right in time for dinner, and with our list of restaurant suggestions from our cute little inn keeper, we headed to downtown Portsmouth to feed the baby belly at River House :)

Dinner with a great view of the water front :) 

With daylight still upon us, we took to the road again to check out the island near by:

New Castle, New Hampshire

back to our cute little hotel for the night.  The Port Inn

Next Up:  We head NORTH to Portland, Maine along the coast

Nursery Room PIN-spiration :)

It's funny what people are interested in when they find out you're about to have a baby. Some people ask about your stroller selection or what type of crib you've purchased, while others ask about the nursery. What's your "theme"?? they ask.  Have you thought about how you're going to decorate?? While this is obviously the most fun question people have asked me...I think I've disappointed more than a few by saying that we don't actually plan to change much in our guest room, slash, nursery. Already a beautiful, calming shade of blue/green (or at least one wall is).. Chad and I have decided that we want to make what's existing work (keeping that room a guest room) and just try to incorporate some new "nursery-like" colors into the mix. I'm thinking a dark, saturated coral or magenta color to add to the teal and brown thing we have going...or maybe some bright mustard yellows or heck... ALL of the ABOVE! 

There will obviously be the addition of a crib.. (which we are actually having custom made to fit perfectly into one of the two side by side closets we have in the room). One of the closets will remain a closet..which we plan to retrofit with either a chest of drawers at the bottom and hanging bars above... or a closet system of some sort. And on the other side..A baby in a closet you say?? Not really.. I like to think that she'll be tucked neatly into her own little nook. It's only 30" deep so the crib won't actually be completely INSIDE the closet. With the doors removed and a cute valence and mobile added into the nook, our daughter will have a cute little crib space to call her very own. :)

Taken very quickly on a cloudy day (so the picture on my Iphone isn't that great)... here's the wall color we have in the Guest Room now. 

And some cute little wall flowers on one corner (in front of the elliptical...which will stay)...

And here's our "crib-in-the-closet" inspiration on my Pinterest Board.. :) 

Source: aliceindesignland.com via Yvette on Pinterest

I have to say thank goodness for Pinterest for bringing ideas to life!  When I first started talking about wanting to convert one of the closets into a crib nook, Chad looked at me like I was crazy.  A few google searches later, and I had found my inspiration!  I knew what I wanted, I just couldn't get Chad to "see" what I was talking about.. that is of course, until he actually SAW what I was talking about.  Ha! 

Again, excuse the crappy Iphone-ness..but the picture below is the 2 closet set-up we have going on right now.. The right side will be where the crib will go (current doors removed of course) ... The left side will remain a functional closet. 

Kinda like this one :)

Source: ohdeedoh.com via Yvette on Pinterest

Source: jennrocket.blogspot.com via Yvette on Pinterest

Source: olioboard.com via Yvette on Pinterest

Source: minigaga.com via Yvette on Pinterest

Source: iheartorganizing.blogspot.com via Yvette on Pinterest

22 Weeks :)

I think it's pretty safe to say that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE sonogram days.  A little glimpse into what's happening in your little world and a chance to see how you've been progressing.  I'm amazed at how much you've grown since the last time your dad and I saw you on that monitor screen.  Before I could feel you movin' about in there, dancing that little jig I feel you do each day, I was always so nervous to know how you were doing.  Because I couldn't feel you, I didn't have any sense of security that you were alright and growing like you should. 

Now, each day I feel you kick and move and get stronger and stronger with every jab and flick of your foot.  At a whopping ONE POUND, you're progressing beautifully (according to the doctor, your organs are GLORIOUS and PERFECT...lol.. and we couldn't agree more. :)

Profile shot of your head and belly...with your cute button nose, sweet little lips and chin :)

Your dad and I have spent so much time staring at my stomach lately.  A Kelley Foodie already ;) you get to movin' as soon as I'm done eating...which is truly an amazing sight to see!  Bouncing around in there, we can already see my belly jump up and down when you kick :) 

I've been trying my best to feed you well.. so we can have your dad to thank if you end up lovin' Tofu, sushi rolls and Thai food.. not to mention all the fruit I've been craving.. pineapple in particular :)   

Your sweet little face profile.  I think you're getting too big to fill a screen... all they've been giving us is profile screen shots of your sweet noggin'. 

I love that each time we get a sonogram done, we end up with MORE snapshots of you than before.  Because I'm considered "High Risk" (due to my diabetes), we get to enjoy seeing you every single month! 

  

Your dad and I already have your first present waiting for your arrival.  A Build-A-Bear with your "Coming Home Outfit" your sweet dad gave me for Valentine's day.  :)  Can't wait for you to meet her... and US!! :)

Four years and counting.. :)

Every Memorial Day since the day we met, Chad and I have made it a point to head to Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie to do a little wagering.  Not cause we are expert gamblers or rolling in excess cash… quite the contrary actually… we don’t usually have a clue what we are doing… relying mostly on the expert’s picks for each race, how pretty the horses are or how funny the horse's names sound to us. :)

We head there each year in honor of our very first date. Our very first meeting actually. The day that would change our lives forever. Funny that Chad would’ve brought me to a place he knew nothing about.. flexing his gambling muscles (haha!) and losing his money as we nervously made our way through our first date.  I don't recall just how much money was lost that day, but I do remember that it DID turn out to be quite a fabulous day. An afternoon at the races, followed by taking in a few sites downtown and finally heading to a fancy schmancy dinner at Fearings. For those in the know, Fearings is quite the big deal for a first date.  I would later, and sometimes even to this day…give him a hard time for setting the bar so high right off the bat.  It worked though. ;) I was smitten and he stole my heart right from the get-go. There was no turning back now..

To read a little more about that first date goodness...and how our first few months progressed.. :) check out our ABOUT US link... HERE :)

This year, four AMAZING years later (Awwww..... ), with a strict baby budget in place, (YEAH for babies!!!) we set out to not lose the baby’s college fund.. (as if we’d actually wager that much...This cheap mexican would never let that happen.. hahaha.. ;) 

And wouldn't you know, we pretty much BROKE EVEN!  We spent a WHOPPING FIVE whole dollars on five hours of racing.  Can you even believe it?!?! We played small and won small but it was enough to make nine races seem like we had just won the lottery :)  It's amazing how much fun breaking even can be... can't wait to do it again next year.  :) 

And.... they're OFF!..

Heading back to their holding area after a hard race.  :)

It's A ............ :) :) :) :)

I can't believe the last time your dad and I caught a glimpse of your tiny little growing body, it was over SIX WEEKS ago.  Such a short litte snippet of time, in the grand scheme of this pregnancy...but at the time, it felt like an ETERNITY.  Especially since we knew this particular sonogram would reveal if we'd be having a sweet little GIRL or if you'd be a bouncing baby BOY?!?!? 

I have to say, I don't know how people go a whole nine months without knowing the sex of their babies.  Your dad and I are such planners.  I NEEDED focus.  I needed direction.  Going into Babies R Us has been so overwhelming... that on more than one occassion I have left feeling more confused than when we went in.  I knew that finding out your sex would bring that clarity that I needed to really start focusing on YOU.  YOU were going to be more REAL to us than just being a growing little body in my belly. You were finally going to have a NAME.  An identity.  Visions in my head would finally be more clear.  Or at least, the IDEA of you would finally be more clear.. and that's all I really needed to start planning for your arrival.  :) 

When the day finally came and the nerves had reached their peak, just when I was convinced.. and don't hate me for this later... that you were MOST certainly a BOY...  (I'd had THREE dreams of seeing a little baby boy by this point.. so I had begun to call you "he") .. we finally got to walk into that sonogram room to find out for sure.  

Right away the sonographer asked if we wanted to know your gender.  We OVER-enthusiastically said YES and she began her tour of your little belly apartment.  :)  Heart beat strong and clear, the sonographer made her way around taking measurements of your little baby parts until she stopped abruptly and said... 

It's a GIRL!!!!! 

Just like the first day we heard your little heartbeat, my heart took a flying LEAP straight up to my throat!! We were THRILLED!  Stunned to say the least...but OVERJOYED.  I knew, in that one instance, your dad was done for.  He was MORE than beaming sitting there beside me in that room.  You could light up a thousand city blocks with the light that was pouring out of his eyes.  I fell in love with him a little more that day.  All because of you.  :)  I can't wait to hold you in my arms... October can't get here fast enough...

Two SECONDS after leaving the doctors office, we immediately got to work planning our little "gender reveal" get together for that evening.  True to form, and VERY LIKE us Kelley's for planning things so late... your dad hit the ground running planning the menu and shopping for last minute neccessities while I tried my best to NOT scream it from the rooftops to EVERYBODY that we FINALLY knew you were a GIRL!!

Gender Reveal Cupcakes!! Pink Frosting in the middle, Yellow on top! 

Hard at work...

YUMMY Chef Chad Kelley spread..

Mmmmmmm... Soooooooooooo incredibly good Tri-tip.  Perfection. 

Homemade Cheese sticks, and cheese crackers.  Made by your dad of course.  :)

The kiddies.. enjoying the festivities. 

Everybody excited and anxious to hear!!

We even played the DVD of you moving around in my belly. 

We thought someone might be able to tell from the video but..

NO LUCK!!  You were STILL a mystery by this point.  :) 

So... we took a VOTE!! 

After some people took their first bite... they found... 

PINK frosting!! 

I was too busy actually watching people's reactions to get more pictures of their faces.. lol..

Your Dallas Grandma, Miss Lisa, spreading the good cheer!!