Macy: Queen of Pearson Palace

The hardest part about having a new addition to the family is going to be making sure our current little girl gets the attention she needs. Meet Macy, our precious kitty who we both adore more than anything. 

I have always been a cat person. My family has almost always had a pet cat and Justin's dad had them as well. Justin always said he didn't like cats, but they always liked him. In 2007, we were living in Fort Collins, Colorado, and I was lonely for a pet in our tiny junkie apartment. So, he bought me a turtle named Winston (because he looked like a wrinkly old man). As much as a turtle sounds like a great pet, it is not the cuddliest. Justin loved watching him devour goldfish whole and swim around his massive tank, which was nearly impossible to clean. 

About 3 months later, I talked him into getting me a kitten. So, I looked at every shelter's website for the perfect one and I found a little fuzzy grey one at the Fort Collins Humane Society. We drove over together to go check him out. While Justin was inquiring about the grey cat, I walked into the room with all the kittens and looked around. Justin came in and said the grey one was sick and could not be adopted yet. Then, I saw this tiny little orange cat curled up in a cage and I knew she was the one. We took her into a room and they let her out and she immediately jumped up onto Justin's lap and fell asleep. He was hooked.

Christmas 2007 about a month after we got her. Sometimes I think it wasn't the flash that gave her crazy eyes in this picture because she was pissed off about the Santa collar.

Everything is hers. We had this plant for months and a week after we got her she jumped on top of it snapping it in two pieces then she dragged her victory half off into the living room. It died shortly after.

She is our little princess and has traveled to California and back with us twice and both times, she has to remain close to Justin so she sleeps near his feet, which are usually busy with the gas pedals since he is driving.

20 hours she stayed there while he drove.

So, since this will be an adjustment for her, I have been spoiling her more than usual. I bought her a new toy and pretty much let her get away with anything. Hopefully, she will be ok when the baby comes.

This is her new lobster. She carried it around like her baby and I get swatted at if I try to take it away.

And yes, she has full control over our king sized bed (and the tv remote).

So much for not being a cat person! They cuddle like this every day!

Week 27: Nursery Construction

Finally, things are coming together! The walls are painted, furniture is in place, and all the little details are starting to be placed! I really wanted to create a room that isn't over the top "baby" and would be something she can grow into. I do not want to have to redecorate every few years because she grows out of it. Here are some photos of our Parisian girl's nursery:

Just waiting for some art for the wall and an ottoman for my rocker

Just need some sheets for the crib.

Just a few minor details to be put in and we will be all set! I am so excited! It definitely is starting to feel real!

 And here is our kitty, Macy, thinking we are redoing a room just for her! She really likes the her new furniture. I don't have the heart to tell her that her world is about to be shaken up in a few months. Let's just let her enjoy the peace and quiet.

Her new hiding place.

She thinks the rocker is comfy!

 

Week 26: Nursery Painting

On Monday, I went to Lowe's and looked at every shade of pink they had to offer. I ended up walking out with (what I feel is conservative) five testers. I painted two coats of each one on the wall to cover up the purple that was on the wall and so we could make the best decision.

Left to right: Sweet Truffle, Rose Petal, Princess, Light Rose, Pink Air

I like the left two colors. I really liked Rose Petal, but I was worried that it would be too dark for the room. Justin liked the two end colors, so it made our decision easy. We chose Sweet Truffle and I have been slowly painting the room ever since. As of this moment, I have one wall completely done with two coats. Hopefully, I can get at least one more done tonight. I just want to arrange all the furniture and start organizing everything.

The Evil Box In the Freezer

I have not had any aversions to foods or to smells thus far....except for one....a box of jalapeño poppers that has been sitting in my freezer for 6 months. I don't even think it is an aversion to the food itself but more of the idea of the food. I open the freezer to get something and get a nasty feeling just looking at the box. I loved them before I got pregnant, which is why I bought the box in the first place. I even ate one when Justin ordered them while we were out two months ago. But the idea of these poppers in this box make me feel sick. Now I'm assuming that you are all thinking Why doesn't she just throw them out?? I wish I could, believe me, but I married the most cost conscious man ever! If I were to throw away the unopened box of perfectly good jalapeño poppers that don't expire for another 6 months, he would fish them out of the trash and put them back in their place with the thought, What a waste! I will eat these eventually! This is a man who frustrates the hell out of me when he stands in each aisle of the grocery store comparing cents per ounce of each brand option just to be sure he gets the best deal. Because I love this man more than anything (and because I don't want another lecture about our finances and how I need to do my part) is why that box of poppers will remain my mortal enemy in the freezer giving me the yucky feeling.

Biggest Fear and the Nursery

I had been waiting until we found out the gender of our little one to start shopping and now that we know it's a girl, I buy with extreme hesitation because of my biggest fear: What if the doctor was wrong and it's a boy? Then, I would have all this pink and one very messed up son. I know it is crazy to think like that and Justin's response to my fear was, "Well, that will be his punishment for being shy and hiding his junk. We will still name him Stella and make him wear pink. It will teach him to overcome the odds - like every great sports star." Our therapy bill would be astronomical if my husband got his way on that.

Anyways, I keep hearing that I need to stop shopping for things because I will have bought everything and no one will be able to buy us anything. I am secretly shopping and ordering things while Justin is at work. The packages come and I rush them up to the baby room and put them in there like What? Those boxes? They've always been there.

So far I have the mobile, lots of outfits, crib mattress, changing pad, and changing pad cover. The crib, dresser/changing table, rocker, curtains, wall art, and blanket are all ordered but haven't arrived yet. The theme we are going for is a vintage Paris feel. The colors are light pink, grey, and white. Now, I just need to get the rest of Justin's junk out of the room so I can paint. Here's some of the things I have ordered:

Crib (Converts into a toddler bed then into a full sized bed)

Hot Air Balloon Mobile

Glider

One piece of wall art

Paris blanket

Three vintage Paris images that will hang on one wall

Week 25: Pregnancy Funnies

Since nothing super exciting has happened this week, I thought I would post some of the funny things people (mostly my husband) have said about my pregnancy thus far. 

After I told my best friend Sarah I was pregnant, I received a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses with a card that said, "Congratulations on being irresponsible with your contraception. I can't wait to be Aunt Sarah!" Isn't she so sweet?!

Sarah's husband Matt, who is one of Justin's best friends responded to the announcement with, "Congratulations?" We responded that it was a good thing and he says, "So...we have a DD for like a year!"

In the middle of the night, I got up for the millionth time to go to the bathroom and Justin rolls over and says, "I feel so bad for you." I don't even think he was awake.

About three months in to the pregnancy, Justin says, "So, when is baby #2 gunna happen?" To which I responded, "Ummm.....can I just get through this one first?" 

After changing the litter box, Justin looks at me and says, "I think you're making up the whole not being allowed to change the litter. I bet you just don't want to do it."

I am an avid Michael Jackson fan and when Justin caught me listening to Thriller while cooking, he says, "I do not want that to be our baby's comfort song!" So, he blasts Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe and sings it loudly instead. Real classy alternative! At least mine is a classic. And little does he know that Michael Jackson is almost every song on my shower mix and the ringtone on my cell when Justin calls. 

My brother had his first hangover and in his cranky state says, "Why does everyone care how Katie feels and what she wants? Why does no one care about me!?" He compared pregnancy to a hangover....not the same!

On our way out to California we stopped to get some food and Justin hands me my giant cup at the soda fountain and as I move toward the Coke button he says, "This is a large cup. Make a good choice please." Those words plus the judging stink eye guided me (pouting) over to the caffeine free lemonade instead. Apparently, 12 hours in a hot car does not warrant some caffeine.

Week 24: Baby Registry (UPDATED)

This week, we did our baby registry. Justin had been dreading it for weeks, while I was excited because I didn't get to do one when we got married. Our wedding happened so fast since he was deploying to Iraq. Finally, I had my chance to do a registry! 

We went to Babies 'R Us first. We got the special gun and a welcome basket full of trial sized items and magazines. Justin handled the scanning, while I directed him which items we needed off a massive list the store gave us. Aisle after aisle, we wandered through the store scanning things we never knew we needed and trying very hard to avoid feeling greedy. 

When it came to strollers, car seats, portable cribs, and breast pumps, Justin would say, "We will just buy that" or "We can't ask people to buy this for us," referring to the price (or, in the case of the breast pump, just the overall awkwardness he felt). I never knew how expensive these necessities are. I chose these big ticket items that will last a long time, so we can use them for the next baby too. That was the only way I could rationalize scanning those bar codes with prices in the triple digits.

For all the things we didn't find at Babies 'R Us, we (I) found at Target. After about 2 hours in Babies 'R Us, Justin was worn out, hungry, and getting cranky. So, we went to dinner and I added things we couldn't find to the registry online. Mission accomplished: two completed registries that cover all our bases (I hope!). I will have to call my mom to check it over. 

Justin's keys: You know you're a parent when you have a Babies 'R Us rewards card on your key chain.

UPDATE: I LOVE Amazon.com! They have everything you could ever want, but I never knew that you could create a baby registry through them! They do some amazing stuff! You can set up monthly deliveries (for as many months as you want) of diapers and wipes! But the best thing was that I found so many of the "big ticket" items on it for so much cheaper! The stroller and car seat are $100 cheaper than Target or Babies 'R Us! I doubt they would be ok with what I did though. I left the stroller and car seat in my Target registry, but put a note under both saying our Amazon registry had them for cheaper. It made me feel so much better about asking for them. So, now we are registered at Babies 'R Us, Target, and Amazon.

Week 23: Gender Reveal

After getting home from Puerto Rico, we spent 6 hours at home before we left to drive out to California to visit my family. It was a long drive and when we hit Las Vegas, we got stuck in traffic and the car's AC could not keep up with the 110 degree heat, so I was miserable. Justin being the great husband that he is turned all the vents to me and sweated his butt off for the sake of his wife and unborn baby. That earned him some margaritas when we got to my mom's house after 18 hours in the car. 

The next day was the day of our gender reveal party and my mom was doing her usual stressed out routine of cleaning and kicking all of us out of the house because we mess things up. Justin and Bren, my brother, went to pick up my cousin Megan from the airport. She has been like a sister and we grew up together, and that is why she is going to be the godmother. 

Meg and I

Mom and I went to pick up the cake for the "What Will It Bee" party. We had the bakery dye the filling inside to reveal whether it was a boy or girl.

We had to store the cake in Pam and Luis's refrigerator, since ours was full of stuff. Pam has been like another daughter to my mom and a sister to me. Her and her fiancee live in my mom's back house, which we all love because they can be so close. Anyways, Pam wasn't home when we put the cake in the fridge and about an hour later she called Luis and told him to not allow the cake unless I told her what the gender was! Then, she was trying to figure out a way to get into the cake to sneak a peek. She cracks me up! Well, she was so convinced it was a boy, she wore a blue scarf to show it.

Pam and I

As the party started, we had everyone vote to see what people thought the gender was. There were 11 people who believed it was a boy and 2 who believed it was a girl. Finally, it was time to cut the cake. Justin took his sweet time to build up anticipation.  

The frosting was pink! It's a girl!

When the pink frosting was revealed, everyone was so shocked.

We also announced that her name will be Stella Michelle Pearson. Everyone was thrilled with the name and so excited that it's a girl. We ate and chatted for a few hours and I got to catch up with everyone. The best moment for me though came in text form. Randomly, in the middle of the party, Justin sent me a text message saying "I love you so much. You are so beautiful." It made me feel so great.

My fellow preggers, Jenn! She's having a boy!

One of my oldest friends, Elizabeth.

MeMe (my mom) and I.

Justin and I

The day after the party, we all went wine tasting and I enjoyed many bottles of water. The scenery was great though.

My brother and fellow non-drinker

It was so great to be with my family and I wish it wasn't so rare. Justin and I are contemplating moving back, which is what my mom wants more than anything. I hate having to drive 18 hours to see them and 3 days was not long enough.

Week 22: Babymoon

Before we found out we were pregnant, Justin and I were planning on taking a trip to Thailand. It was our very delayed honeymoon since we never got one. However, just before we were about to book the airline tickets, we found out about our little one. I didn't feel comfortable going that far away and being on a plane for 15+ hours while pregnant, so we decided to change our destination. We instead chose Puerto Rico. It is so much easier since a passport is not required. We left early on July 24th and arrived in San Juan around 7pm. I decided that we should stay in Old San Juan instead of the resort part of the city. Justin loves history and I did not want to be around a bunch of drunk college kids.

We stayed at the Hotel El Convento in Old San Juan. It was built over 350 years ago and served as a convent for the Cathedral San Juan across the street, which is the second oldest cathedral in the Americas and serves as the burial place of Puerto Rico's first governor Ponce de Leon, who arrived in search of the fountain of youth. 

The hotel is full of old Spanish charm and modern luxury. There is a huge courtyard in the center of the hotel where the three restaurants are on each floor.

Courtyard

Hallway with door to each room.

Our Room

After we arrived, we ate some dinner at the hotel and walked around the city for a bit, just exploring. The next day we walked about 4 miles around the city seeing everything it had to offer. It is so beautiful, but I was exhausted, sweaty, and swollen. The old fort surrounds the city with its massive stone walls and look out towers. We took a tour of the main buildings.

Handsome hubby at the top

3 story spiral staircase we had to climb to get to the top

Justin really wanted authentic Puerto Rican food for lunch so we ate at Mojito's. We definitely were not in Denver anymore. The power went out several times, which caused the AC to shut off so it got hot quickly. Justin ordered mofongo, a traditional Puerto Rican dish made of fried mashed plantains with your choice of meat. It looks icky, but it tasted really good.

We loved the architecture and bright colors of all the buildings. About three hours into the trip, Justin was planning our next trip and the potential of purchasing a vacation home.

The following day, we went to La Concha, which is a resort in the main part of San Juan that our hotel was affiliated with. We had access to their beach, pools, and other amenities. It was a wonderfully relaxing day and the water was so warm.

On our last day, we walked around Ponce de Leon's mansion. It had beautiful gardens and the house was restored to its original integrity with original furniture pieces. After the walking, I needed ice cream. Luckily, there was a Ben and Jerry's on the corner.

 

The trip was so great and we cannot wait to go back! It was the perfect balance of far away and close to home.