Fall!

So excited about fall! Today we will spend the day watching college football and made a trip to whole foods to get some wonderful unique yummy cheeses, apples, and cider. Our cider pulled pork is cooking in the crock pot. The only thing missing-Baby Albano #2....but he/she can take all the time needed to grow. :)

Only 33 more days of work...

I can't believe that after today I only have 33 more days of work (excluding weekends and vacations) before I leave for maternity leave!! Really crazy to think! I am so excited to meet our baby girl or boy !!!!!

I am feeling great and we have an ultrasound today! Yay for Friday!

Never thought I would be this excited about a vacuum...

After 7 years with my old vacuum and dust bunnies flying all over my very dark and unforgiving wood floors, I broke last week and bought a Dyson. I got a really good deal on said Dyson, which was the only reason (along with staring at my constantly shedding wool rugs on those same floors) that I bought a Dyson. However, let me tell you, as someone who never thought a vacuum could be all that great, I was wrong. I spent a good two hours vacuuming my house last night and every minute of it was dare I say it-enjoyable. This vacuum glides and it picks up everything. I am ashamed to say I filled an entire canister and a half of dust bunnies AND the canister is so easy to empty. Praise you Dyson! At 8 months pregnant you have made my life complete.

31 weeks :)

We are getting so excited to meet our baby girl or boy!! Sorry for the low quality of the photo!

First Week of Montessori School

Each day Hudson has been getting more and more used to school. I have been working 6:30 am-3 pm so as to get H before after school care starts because he did not like having a new teacher in the afternoons. Everyone keeps saying he will get used to it. I have my doubts and because I am only approximately 2 months out from maternity leave (I won't work past my due date this time), I figure I can swing this schedule for a little while. Hudson won't go back to full time school but will stay in 8:30-11:30 for the remainder of the school year through May after his brother or sister is born.

Here are some photos:

We are adapting as well and he has been learning so much. His teachers are amazing and I know it was the right choice to put our little guy into school!

On the home front, Brandon is out of town and I am spending the weekend getting more things prepped for baby (including finding all my bottles, washing those, etc). I am also going to Buy Buy Baby tonight to get the last of everything we need and to potentially purchase our double stroller:

How exciting!

First Day of Montessori

We are almost done with a huge milestone-Hudson's first day of montessori school. He seemed okay and didn't get overly emotional when we arrived, had a great morning, took a jaunt on the tire swing, lined up and went into his classroom. He then sat in circle time and announced his name and his favorite ice cream as strawberry :)

Now mommy is just sitting, working from home, ready to pick him up early :) I took the day off. Here's to hoping he doesn't hate it and does ok!

Here are some pics from the first day!

It is Almost the First Day of School....

We met Hudson's teacher on Tuesday-Ms. Lauren, as well as the assistant teacher Ms. Kenya. We really really liked them both a lot and actually thank goodness, so did Hudson. Today, Brandon and I have orientation at 10 am and H has a haircut (just a trim) to get ready for school next week when we get off work today.

Hudson's first day is monday and I can't lie-I am very nervous about it. I actually took the day off so that I can stay for the morning and then pick him up early for his first day. However, tuesday I have depositions so it will likely be more difficult to stay longer on tuesday.

We are going to work on getting to bed early this weekend so that he will wake up at a decent hr (he likes to sleep in a bit). We will find out about schedules today and what time he has to be dropped off so as not to miss the morning work schedule (Montessori).

Potty training is going great. However-this school doesn't allow pull-ups during nap, which could be quite the challenge. AND I am curious as to how Hudson will transition to potty training with a new person he hasn't been with before (there could be a few accidents). I am hoping for a smooth transition.

Hudson will be in full time Montessori until right before I have this baby (about 9-10 more weeks) and then we will switch him immediately to part time. He will stay part time until the end of the year (end of May). We hired Heidi (new nanny) to start after Ellie Bubbie leaves this spring and she will watch the new baby and Hudson (with Hudson in morning Montessori school).

Hoping for a smooth couple of months.... :) Wish us luck in this new transition with our baby boy!

Less than 80 days before Baby Albano is due!!! Wondering if he/she will be late like Baby H :) I am NOT working past my due date this time :)

Baby Albano, Gardening and Being Busy :)

Friday we had our 28 week ultrasound to check the placenta (it had been low lying). The placenta is great and moved in the right direction. Yay for heading towards a normal, uneventful birth (we hope)!  We ended up getting sent to a specialist because the sonographer thought she saw something with the intestines on the ultrasound (talk about scary), but the specialist saw us late friday and all is great and healthy. We are so grateful for our healthy babies. The nursery is almost ready, I just need to get things hung up.

We spent the weekend in the backyard, gardening, putting in a raised planter and transplanting the bell peppers, tomatoes, herbs, jalapenos and lavender I had been growing into the bed. Brandon did an amazing job on the planter box. I love it! I also planted tons of plants in the backyard (black-eyed susans, russian sage, boxwood, karl foerster grass, echinacea to name a few). I got some of my first mums (for the backyard and will replace the front petunias as soon as they don't look so good--they look too healthy to take out).  We replaced some lighting in the backyard and will replace those on the garage this week.

I have scheduled the workup for cabinets in the laundry room too-thank goodness! I should have had those put in to start.  It has been a pain with no storage.

Our big boy has been doing fantastically with potty training. This is a good thing, considering school starts in a week! Eeek. Tuesday Hudson's teacher Ms. Lauren comes to our house for a home visit. Friday is orientation. I still haven't completed school supply shopping. This week :)

Less than 80 days til baby!!!!

I'll post pics of the house updates this week. Time to get rolling for the week!


Becky