28 and 29 weeks pregnant

28 weeks pregnant

29 weeks pregnant (tomorrow I'll be 29 weeks pregnant!)

This Friday I'm having my first baby shower! It's going to be a little baby shower luncheon with people that I work with. I have a feeling I am going to feel more prepared for Ava's arrival after this Friday. Will update on Monday to let you all know how it went!

26...almost 27 weeks pregnant

I've been meaning to post updated pictures of what I look like as I make it through my pregnancy but I keep forgetting too. For the past two weeks I've asked our Property Management and Leasing assistant, Kayla to take a picture of me at work and I finally feel okay about posting this one. Last week I just felt YUCK! So here you go....me and Ava at 26 weeks! I pretty much look like a big pumpkin in this picture. :) And yes, I am wearing jeans at work.....when only so many things will fit you get special privileges at work. :)

Here I am at 17 weeks.....

The Finished Product....

My beautiful hoosier cabinet! We are more than thrilled with how it turned out. My grandmother has to be smiling down from heaven right now....I can't wait to fill it with all of Ava's goodies! Right now I've stored ALL the diapers that her Aunt Ashley brought her the other day. Ashley is awesome! She surprised us with over 200 diapers, Dreft detergent, Johnson and Johnson shampoo and diaper rash cream. All just because she wanted to! We are soooo blessed to have such wonderful families that have made this nursery what it is. While I am sending out thank yous...most especially to my mom who has helped so much. I love you so much! Thank you for all your help in making this nursery for Ava.

Construction of Ava Elaine's nursery

So I know I haven't posted in a while but we really have a lot going on with Olivia's 2nd birthday, having the nursery painted, crown molding installed in Ava's room, moving the furniture out of Ava's room so we could make it a nursery and much much more! Allen's sister, Jenny, is graciously letting us use her daughter's baby bed. It has always been my dream to have an iron baby bed for my child but knew that I would never be able to afford it so when Jenny offered to let us use Lily Kate's iron baby bed I was out of this world excited! Allen surprised me on Friday and went and got it from her house and had it waiting for me when I got home that afternoon from work. I've posted some pictures below of her baby bed and of the nursery. The twin bed, chair and tables will not be in her room so you'll have to picture the room with just the bed in it. Hopefully, the bedding will be in in two weeks and the chair we ordered should be here in the next couple of weeks too. Ava's diaper changing table/storage compartment for her room is an antique hosier cabinet. This is a picture of a hoosier cabinet. Our hooiser cabinet is painted white and it is being antiqued. The cabinet belonged to my grandparents which they used to hold all of our games and blankets. When they passed away the cabinet was given to me. Mom and I took the cabinet to Minervia's in Homewood to have it refinished with new a new coat of white paint and beautiful glass knobs installed. It should be ready today so I will be post a picture of it as soon as I can!

The Name Game

Allen and I have been stressing for weeks over what we would name our daughter. Before we found out what we were having, we had decided on Jack David for a little boy and really had only tossed around some names for a girl. We REALLY didn't think we were having a girl. I made the mistake of asking people what they thought of names we were considering and of course everyone had an opinion. So, I had to stop the people pleasing and go with a name Allen and I both liked but believe me when I say we really were only able to agree on a name or two!! RIDIC! So the moment that I have been waiting for...we have decided our daughters name will be.... Ava Elaine Oakes!!!! Elaine is my middle name and my mom's middle name and Ava is well just a name that Allen and I thought was beautiful. So come January our little family unit will consist of Allen, Lauren, Ava and Harvey Oakes!!! (We are going with a "V" theme here, which also includes OliVia!) Oh, and also on a happy note we picked out her bedding two weekends ago at Once Upon a Time. I'll attach some pictures of the sample fabric they gave us. Once it arrives, I'll post the finished results.

This is the fabric the bumper will be made out of.

This is what the skirt will look like. Of course the skirt will be gathered so it won't look exactly like this but its going to be so beautiful! I can so picture our little Ava Laine (her nickname) wrapped up in a cozy little blanket inside the baby bed.

TICKLED PINK!!!!!

It's official....Allen and I are having a BABY GIRL!! All along I told myself I was a having a little boy but Allen was right all a long, he even wore a pink button down shirt to support his girl vote. Hope to post soon our name choice for baby girl!

The Day before the BIG DAY

So, tomorrow is a day I have been waiting for a very long time. I really and truly thought this day would not come for Allen and me but God has blessed us with a little baby, besides our little Muffin , Harvey. A miracle! I really am thinking that I have a little Allen growing inside of me but who knows we will see tomorrow. I have a picture of my growing belly that Allen took last night. This is me at 17 weeks pregnant. It's not that great but for the ones that saw me at Jamie's lake house a couple weeks ago, I would have to say I've grown quite a bit! Can't wait to post tomorrow what we are having! Stay Tuned!