prayer

Please keep JR's NaNa and family in your prayers, she is struggling today.

babymoon'n

We're going to ARUBA!!!

and staying here, at the Riu Palace Aruba!!

We also will spend our first night in Aruba on our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!! Is that perfect or what?!? One year later and I'll be 6 1/2 months pregnant :)

from the honeymoon to the babymoon ♥

baby banana

I missed last week's baby/fruit comparison (cantaloupe in case you are interested), and good thing because it was last week too, that I did eat an entire cantaloupe in one day. Heavens.

We are happily the size of a banana, but mommy is growing to the size of a dump truck---or so I felt at the doctor today. I only reveal this, because the blog has turned into somewhat of an online diary of sorts, but my appt today was an embarrassing one. I was officially told that I gained TOO much weight in one month. I won't frighten you/embarrass myself more and tell you how much I weigh with Hudson in tow, but I gained 8 lbs in ONE MONTH.

Not normal. Not. Not. Not. My days of gorging are over :( I must eat more protein, ick, and lay off the carbs...

I didn't tell her my breakfast the last two weeks has consisted of Little Debbie Zebra Cakes...shhhhh.

a peek--into my closet :)

These are actually recent additions to my closet, as of yesterday! I really don't like the cold, like reeeeeeeally don't like the cold. Yes, I knowww...I'm moving to Pittsburgh, the coldest city in the world. Hudson and I plan on hibernating all winter long :) Poor baby won't know the outside world until the next summer. Upon deciding our move, I was immediately on the hunt for the longest, warmest coat ever made in all the land:

Found it!! The North Face Triple C in New Taupe Green, please don't laugh at me. I believe there is even a hood, so I fully intend on not feeling one bit of cold air on my Texoman skin. I have to thank mom for this gift!!


Since growing this sweet baby boy of ours, I have felt quite strongly against buying too many maternity items as I do not plan on staying pregnant my whole life, although at times it feel like I will. Outside of my maternity jeans and a tank top or two to cover that ever expanding belly, most everything else I've managed to buy is just flowy or empire waisted! Perfect! Lu set me up very nicely, from her store, The Impeccable Pig! and because I'm thrifty and a major bargain shopper, I found four WAY cute dresses at TJ Maxx for $40!! I'll have to take pics of those, to show!! The Maxx is a very very favorite of mine, if you can find a good location...the good ones even sell Sevens and True Religions! I neva, neva pay full price for my jeans. Yes, ma'am.

Eeek, I got distracted. So to continue: at Forever 21 I found these deliciously cute cotton floor length dresses that are fitted up top, and trumpet out kinda at the bottom. The pictures do them no justice, because there is a tie in the back, that I brought forward and tied above the baby belly, making these the PERFECT preg dresses!!! I'm getting to the point where jeans aren't so comfortable, so I'm drawn to dresses daily.

and this floral cutsie, belted too above the belly (so so pretty and cute):

Courtesy of mom, from Gap! A spring trench! I don't quite have this model's swagger, per se, or waist right now---so again, picture it belted above the belly. Love it! :

Gap also has some fantastic sale items right now too, I'm not sure I've ever bought anything full price at Gap. oh, this one too! Mine though is a taupe color...I just noticed my belted theme :) how strange...

restoration---a peek inside Hudson's nursery

I'm not sure words can describe the sheer joy I felt, when I found that Restoration Hardware came out with a Baby & Child line...I simply can't tell you.

We had looked everywhere with nothing jumping out at us as THE ONE, and we wanted something timeless, with no theme---classic, simple, and elegant. RESTORATION HARDWARE!! One of our very favorite stores, finally jumped on the baby bandwagon. This mommy's dream come true :)

I'll tell you this, Hudson's nursery is a combination of this:

remind me...

My pregnant brain makes me forget EVERYTHING. I'm far too busy eating cookies right now to really sit down, type, and post---so in the meantime, allow me to use my resources and make my blog to-do list public so you can help remind me :)

To tell you about:

-the final pick for our BABYMOON
-my stress of finding a non-maternity bikini to wear my 7 month belly in
-our move to Pitt
-my new clothes (bet you didn't know how good a bargain shopper I am)
-Hudson's new clothes
-a potential grand purchase
-thank you's (must, must, must)
-my need (namely, desire) for an assistant
-that my dad brings me two Mrs. Field's cookies after lunch everyday (is there anything sweeter?!!)
-and an i-tune, u-tune giveaway

Remind me, please.

full view - fo'real

So you reeeeeally wanna see a pregnant belly?!!



Told you, I ain't scared :) There he is, taking up all my room!! From what I hear he's going to take up a whole lot more....eeesh.

You really can't say I'm a shy one...

first belly pic o' the day

I know this isn't my usual belly pic (heinous pic of mommy), but I completely forgot to take it last night, so this picture comes courtesy of Lauren's iPhone :) Thanks, Lu!

Hunched over he doesn't look as ENORMOUS. I'm sure you all will comment otherwise!

Promise one again tonight!! you likely have no faith in my promises now...oooops! Bare belly pic coming!

i know, i know...

It's time for a BABY BUMP picture!! We have had friends in (The Lindberg's & The Taliaferro's) last week, so I've been delayed in posting...sorrrrrry.

I'm also coming down with a cold or something :( don't love that. grr. Sore throat and expanding belly equals one uncomfortable mommy.

I'll post the picture tonight, promise promise. In the meantime, I'm happy to report that aside from daily shopping for Hudson and being knee-deep in our upcoming move to Pitt next month, I'm also busy planning our BABYMOON. Can you hear the waves??

My family has so so graciously decided to take us on one last getaway pre-Hudson, and we could.not.be.more.excited.and/or.ready! All day I spend looking up anything and everything tropical, until I find the perfect beach! We did Mexico last year for our honeymoon (little did we know we'd be "babymoon'ing" it one year later, hehe), so I'm narrowing in on some other places. I'll be sure to post about our final pick :) and I may even do an episode of Natalie's Big Giant Awesome Pregnant Beaches, because I'm going to have one enormous belly by May. I ain't scared.

Okay, I wrote more than I had intended to. This was supposed to be a stay-tuned-for-the-belly-pic-tonight post.

So, stay tuned for the belly pic tonight :)

HALFWAY!!!!

Today is our 20 weeks!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe we are at our halfway point!! eeeek!

We are halfway to meeting our precious tiny, Hudson Alexander...

and halfway to kissing on him,

snuggling him,

bathing him,

and loving him.

I have days where I sit and just think about how much I love him already and cannot wait to meet our sweet baby boy...I dream about him everday, and just want to scoop him up and give him millions of mommy kisses :) We talk to him daily, telling him how much love we have for him and hope that he stays snuggly and comfortable inside mommy for another 20 weeks!!

Halfway, wow. Halfway to meeting our son.

clearly overlooked...

There's a new show on The Travel Channel, called Bridget's Sexiest Beaches...

and I'm wondering why she got the host job?? I feel clearly overlooked.

She gets to go to all the top beaches and do this?!?! I know how to ride a 4-wheeler. In the sand....

...and play with fuzzy, cute, and squishy koala bears in Australia?! I can do that. I'll even feed it eucalyptus leaves. I can do that.

OH, what? I have to fit into THAT?! *@#$*@#$ (you may have had one too many Strawberry Daiquiri's)

I'm guessing they don't want the pregnant chick hosting, huh?? Guess they're going for a different "look"-----oh, okay I see.

My belly would definately not allow for sand dune sledding, hmm.

That's fine that I was overlooked----I uh, guess maybe I should do one called Natalie's Big Awesome Giant Pregnant Beaches! (wearing a tent)...

mango MAMA!!

We are feeling tropical this week having grown to the size of a mango! Today is 19 wks/4 days and we're only a couple of days away from HALFWAY! WHOA!

In other baby news, mommy went on a shopping spree this wknd for Hudson and I found him tons of baby Ralph Lauren clothes that look just like what his daddy wears...we hung it all up in JR's closet. It makes my heart melt to see JR and Hudson's clothes together, gaw so cute!!! I'll take pics later to show you his growing wardrobe :)

excitement abounds

We (Charlie Bean and I, see him in the corner??) are blogging to you live from our new laptop!! YEE-HAW!JR and I decided a laptop would be great to have during our move to Pitt, so that we can later keep our desktop in our future :) office! and have this little guy to keep around the house.

As you can tell I'm super excited about our purchase, and if you're in the market for one--Best Buy has some GREAT deals right now! Happy FRIDAY!!

diaper duty

As with all things baby, there are endless designs/fabrics/styles/colors, etc...when choosing baby gear.

The minute we found out HE was Hudson, I started my frantic search for clothes/gear/nursery---you get the point.

ALL thanks to my sis-in-law, I'm all registered at Babies R Us (the overwhelming experience of that requires its very own post) it was car seats, breast pumps, and nipple cream galore. Nipple cream, yes. Have I run you off yet? It's okay, come back. It's just baby talk.

Next on my list, along with the other 6,784 items to check off, is the diaper bag. The ol' diaper bag. Did you know there are roughly a million choices in this category as well? Yeah. There are. I have sifted through all, and I think, that as of this morning I have found my mommy gem.

Alas, the Burberry diaper bag. Designer, yes. Simple, classy, and CUTE too. I may make a stop at Neiman's today to see if they have one there I can "try out". I have to make sure I feel like super mommy when I wear it.

If I buy a mommy shirt, I always buy a daddy shirt too. This is OUR baby, and I never want him to feel left out! I've been thinking about a daddy diaper bag because there will be times he has some daddy/Hudson time and won't just love carrying around a Burberry bag :) Isn't this a GREAT bag for him?!! I love all things camo on my guy!

Next on my list, bedding and nursery furniture! Can't wait to show you my ideas!! oh! and uh we are still moving to Pitt----that is the OTHER GIANT thing on our plate right now. It is quickly moving along, but again, requires it's own posts...

baby bump

now this here, is a baby bump :)

18 wks

I've been reluctant about this veggie pic, b/c this specific sweet potato has hair on it. Ick.

Baby Hudson is a much cuter version of this sweet potato, but you get the picture :) He too, may have three hairs right now! We are blessed to be healthy and growing at 18 wks/4 days. According to this, Hudson should weigh 6.7 oz, but at our appt on Friday he "weighed in" at 8 oz.

JR weighed 10lbs when he was born, I hope Hudson isn't taking after his daddy. Mommy is regretting the Chick-fil-a I had for lunch now...looks like Baby Hudson is packing on the pounds. Eek. We may shift to an all fruit/veggie diet...

thank you!!

The Pettijohn Family got another blog award!!! thanks to the sweet Adventures in Newlywed! Hudson says thanks :)

The Rules:

**List 7 things that you love and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers you love!

****Be sure to tag them and let them know they have won!****

You can copy the picture of the award and put it on your sideboard letting the whole world know.....you are KREATIV!**

Now, for 7 things that I love...

1. Our family - it's the three of us now, and we could not be more grateful.

2. Food - i've always been a lover of all things food, but my pregnant self just cannot get enough of it to fill this growing baby...therefore, food is on my list of loves.

3. Road trips - more specifically with husband, we do a lot of these and my time with him in the car is MY time with him. We talk, eat, talk, eat and talk. and hold hands the whole time ♥

4. The Farm - husband's home in OK. It is my haven, my get-away, where baby and I get spoiled by Nanny and Grandpa, where Okie is, Nanny's cooking, walks in the pasture, and where the green grass grows.

5. Cupcakes - i don't need to explain this one.

6. OU - we just went back this past wknd to buy Hudson his first round of Sooner gear, ate a Ranchhand at O'Connells, walked Campus Corner, and drove around my beloved town. It will always feel like home...

7. Calendars - i have several, fill them all, and then forget to look at them. our days are filled with friends, family, appts, trips, reminders, dinners, brunches, and lunches...who could ask for anything more?!

These blogs are WAY cute and we award them (I did three, too):

One Hot Dish

Bralys in the Burgh

Babbling Abby

WE ARE HAVING A.........!!!

BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!! BOY!!!

We knew it, knew it, knew it!!! From day one, we have "known" Baby P was a precious baby boy!!! I felt myself a mommy to a boy ♥ Mother's intution perhaps??

We PROUDLY PROUDLY introduce you to our tiny 8oz, beanie boy, our SON...

The doctor kept saying that he is "perfect, perfect, perfect"!!!! and most definately a boy. uhhhh, no.doubts.about.the.boy.part. Hudson is still a part of mommy so until then I don't feel awkward posting pictures of my baby boy's "manhood"...and it's a weenie. Remember I don't sugar coat much around these parts :)

Getting ready to meet our son or daughter...

One last kiss from daddy before we find out!!!

This was obviously a BIG appt, I thought I was going to throw up the whole way there. I didn't sleep all night and was in the shower by 6:45 getting pretty to go meet our SON. We were fortunate enough to have all parents at the appt, so we definately made it a family affair. I felt very important strolling into mommy-world with my entourage.

First getting the news!!!!

There were tears of joy, hugs, and kisses all around as soon as we saw "the evidence" that we were going to be mommy and daddy to Hudson Alexander.

mommy and daddy to be

Three generations of Pettijohn men....and baby.

Someone snuck a pic of us ♥ the day we found out we are parents of a son. Our son.

atleast i'm honest, right?!

Wanna see how disgusting I've been?? I'm not shy, I'll share. I was so proud of my set-up, thanks to my Yukon :) She holds McDonald's nicely.

Quarter Pounder w/cheese--no onions

Freshly salted Medium Fries

Water

4 packets of ketchup

This was gone in 7 minutes. I am eating us out of house and home.

We're not close enough yet, me and you, for me to tell you that for breakfast on Monday I had a McD's sausage biscuit w/cheese, hash brown w/ketchup, and an OJ with ice...or that on Tuesday I had a kolache w/cheese, a chocolate long john, and a dozen donut holes (I had to fulfill a $3 minimum to charge it to my card, thus the overage of donuts--that's my excuse).

Today, I had a Capri Sun.

bloomin' onion

Our tiny bean has bloomed into an onion this week!!!

A sweet little bloomin' onion! We are at 17 wks/4 days and as of Saturday I think I felt Baby for the very first time!!! JR thought it was something else, but a tiny flutter I did feel...it's happened a few more times since, and even a couple of flutters today while I was sitting at work! It is very very mild but what a miraculous thing to feel. Our baby ♥

and the winner is:

The Shupe's!!!!

email me your address to natalie.pettijohn@gmail.com, and your CD is on it's way!!! Thank you everyone for participating in this giveaway!! Stay tuned for the next one :)