Update from this week...

I'm 31 weeks now and growing daily. Little Pea is moving all over and the kicking a lot and the kicking is getting stronger. I am definitely getting more tired as time goes on. I need to remember that my body is not able to work as efficiently as it was before I was pregnant. In fact, I was moving things in the basement earlier today and a space I would normally fit through, I couldn't. I just got such a kick out of that! I was trying to suck little pea in, but just couldn't do it, so little pea and I moved on to other house things!!

Friday night we went to Sean and Tamara's wedding

The cutest picture, we had a great time and got to see lots of friends we haven't seen in months or even years!

Ralph and I with Ralph's mom, Barbara and Ed at the wedding

Goodbye BMW

Ralph and I have been talking about selling the BMW for the past year or so, and last week we finally sold it! We loved this car, but don't need 3 cars now. We bought it years ago in Southern Cali and absolutley loved driving down PCH. The car went with us when we moved from SoCal to Utah to Seattle to Florida and back to NY! Lot's of fun times!!!

House update!!!

The house is coming along. The siding was completed on Friday. The contractor needs to come back for 1 more day this week to wrap it all up. We ABSOLUTELY love it!!! The siding, windows and moulding are everything we wanted and were striving for. Our contractor is a family friend who worked with us down to every detail. And, we all know, Ralph is very detailed.... :)

New hardiplank on the back of the house

new white trim around all the windows, doors and corners of the house It is a product called Kleer, we love it.

Pool side- new windows and new french door from the master bedroom to the pools and hot tub.

Old front door

New front door (craftsman style!)

new house wrap

front of the house

Front of the house with the new HardiPlank! We chose iron gray with white trim. We removed an old light that was in the peak of the house and Ralph rewired for two sconces, which will be installed where the new light boxes are. Of cousre, the sconces are craftsman...and beautiful!

The pool side with the new hardiplank...I love it!

The inside is coming along too!! We have taken down all the paneling in the 2 back bedrooms and the exterior wall of the master bedroom, re-sheetrocked, spackled and Ralph re-wired all the outlets and added cable, internet and phone to all 3 bedrooms. They are now primed and today my mom and I cleaned out the closet in the baby's room. I then took all the shelves down and now we need to spackel and paint in there.

Then, we are ready to install the crown and floor moulding, paint everything, get the floors sanded and refinished, get the new heaters in ....and then we will finally decorate!!!

Ralph has been working very hard every minute he is home, his rest is when he is out of town working!! (He is in Chicago now)

We have had A LOT of help and really appreciate everyone's time and expertise.

It's exciting to see everything coming together...pics to follow soon!

Dawn's Shower

My cousin Dawn is also pregnant, but...she is having twins!!! So exciting. She is having a boy and girl. Dawn's shower was last weekend and we had a great time.
Between the 2 of us, we have 3 babies growing...and they will all be here for the holidays!!!

Congrats Dawn and Rudy!!!!

Baby Shower!!!

My baby shower was Sunday, August 16th. It was such a great day!!! Lots of family and friends, great food and LOTS of gifts for little pea!!!

The shower was at the Riverview, right on the Great South Bay!

So many beautiful gifts!!!

Cousin Christina, mom, me, Grandma, Kim and Aunt Maria

Special delivery box filled with a look-a-like pizza made of baby clothing, washclothes and towels!

From Kim, the cutest Vermont onsie!!!

Me and my sister!!!!

The shower was really beautiful. I had a great day and have enjoyed looking at all the new baby things so many times since the shower. Thank You everyone!!!!

Visit to the Guggenheim

So, when I had to sit in the Dr.'s office for the 3 hour glucose test a few weeks ago, I read lots of magazines. I came across the 50th anniversary of the Guggenheim, from Frank Lloyd Wright, one of Ralph's and my favorite architects of all time. We have traveled all over the country to see his architecture.

So, we took a ride to the Guggenheim to check out the exhibit. It was early on Sunday morning and there was a long line to get in. The Guggenheim is a beautiful museum, the last time we were there was almost 7 years ago when we took our wedding pictures! We were long overdo!

Little Peas first time listening to headphones, and how perfect, he or she was listening to the history of Frank Lloyd Wright. Maybe we have a little architect in there!!!!!

Definitely a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!!!

30 weeks today!!!

Today we start 30 weeks, only 10 to go. Time is actually starting to go a little faster, probably due to all the home renovations we are doing. Everyday we are very busy. The siding is going up now and looks awesome. The windows are in and all the trim is in. I absolutely love it.

My baby shower was this weekend. It was so much fun. We received so many great gifts for little pea. It is going to take a while to go thru everything. Now time to work on all the thank you's!!!!!
Pictures to follow soon.....

almost caught up...

I now realize I need to blog more often so I don't have so much to do at once. Ralph and I have been so busy all week, that I have been too tired to do it at night. 3 days this week, we didn't get to bed till 2am. I was so exhausted at work, I actually want to take a nap at my desk. I am using this weekend to catch up. Ralph is in Pittsburgh and I really can't do anything in the house till the Monday. Today I ran around with errands, then took a nap from 7-10pm, then decided if I don't blog tonight, it will probably be another week...so now it is late and I still have some things to add, but that will be for another day.

Quick update on the house- Ralph and I have worked very hard on the house this past week. Windows were installed 2 weeks ago. The contractor started last week for the new siding, Ralph sheet rocked the 3 back bedrooms, had Rudy, my cousin in for plumbing, had the electrician in and the spackler starts Monday. So far, we are very happy with all the work, but it has been stressful... and getting more stressful as the days go on. Our home improvement project has grown into a very big project, but as it comes together, we are starting to see the end result, the house is going to be awesome. Let's just hope it does not become more stressful as time goes on.
pics will follow...one day....

28 week sono

Well, we are finally at 28 weeks, officially 7 months, it is getting very exciting as we get closer to meeting little pea. Little pea is moving about everyday and my shirt is also moving more and more. We met with Mary the sono tech and Dr. Birnbaum. I have gained 8 pounds so far and the baby weighs about 2 1/2#'s. This is one of my most favorite pics yet. It is a little fuzzy b/c I couldn't scan the sono pic in the computer, so I took a picture of the picture. This is little pea lying on his or her side, almost smiling. It is so cool how you can see the little nose, eyes and mouth. Just a few more months to go....

Birthday celebrations!!!

On August 8th, we celebrated Ralph's, Aunt Maria's and Grandma's Birthdays. It is always nice to spend time with family and BBQ! This is what summer is all about

Courtney, Papa pea-to-be and mom and dad

We all went in on a gift Ralph has been keeping his eye on, a saw to complete all the new moulding in the house. He was very suprised!!!

Aunt Maria, Ralph and Grandma with their birthday cakes!!! Happy birthday!!!

Vegas baby!!!!

Ralph and I made our annual trip to Vegas last week. We have meet our great friends Denise and Alex there for 3 years now. The first year, Denise was a few months pregnant, last year Denise and Alex had little Avrum, he was about 6 months old, this year, Avee is 1 1/2 years old and now I am pregnant...so next year both our kids will be there. It is becoming a tradition to meet in Vegas, I hope our clan keeps growing and we can do it for many years to come!

Ralph and Avee- they both had so much fun playing!!!!

Ralph's Birthday was 8/4, it was so nice to celebrate with our friends!

Here we are at the pool. We stayed at the Wynn, what a beautiful hotel. We had a great time, I had my hat on and 70 sunblock...don't want to burn little pea!!!

Vegas was a much needed get-away. Although Ralph was there for work, we were able to spend a good amount of time together. We were relaxed and rejuvenated. The day we left we had all morning together, a great breakfast and playing in the pool with Avee. Can't wait for next year!

Week 27- very busy!

This week started with my 3 hour glucose test..which I passed. Yeah!!! Mom and little pea are healthy!!!
It was actually really nice to take the morning off from work and sit in the Dr. office and watch TV. I caught up on the Today show, Rachel Ray...but then I was off to work for the afternoon. :(

This weekend, Kim came down to NY for the bachelorette party. Her friend Cindy from VT came along and we had such a fun time. We spent the day in the city, had a great dinner at Thalia, an american contemporary resturant right outside Times Square. We went out for a few drinks and a comedy club show, which was actually very funny...We stayed overnight at the Marriott Marquis, such a great hotel!!! We didn't get back to the hotel till 3am...it was a true test for me. I have been going as I always have, with walking, excercising, working, housework, etc. Well, after walking all day in the city, then staying out all night in heels, I was very sore the next day!!! Maybe it is time to take it easy...but we just had so much fun!!!

Bachelorette girl, cousin Liz and friend Heather!

Cindy, Cousin Christina, Kim, Me, LauraBeth and Heather

At the Marriott before everyone arrived for drinks and a great view. Kim and Cindy had Margaritas...and the looked so good. I had a virgin strawberry daquari..I am such a cheap date now!
View of the Hudson and midtown from our room

Kim's Wedding Dress

A few weekends ago, my mom and I drove up to the Larkin's in Rome, NY. Kim met us there from Burlington and she picked up her wedding dress!!! Kim found this dress a few months ago when browsing with Rob's mom and sister while visiting them. The dress shop was so cute and the dress fits perfectly! She could have gotten married that night!! Everything is getting into place for the wedding, just a few months to go!!! We really had a great weekend. It was nice to get away and have a girl weekend with mom, Kim, Kim's mom-to-be Gerri and Rob's sister, Kelly.