More home remodel, Bloomington, and NEW CAMERA!

I's had so much going on in the past 2 weeks I don't even know where to begin.

Let's start with little Miss Danni - since this blog is supposed to be about her development anyway.  So far she is doing great at almost 24 weeks!!  Lots of kicks and punches.  I love it when I have a full bladder and she decides to wake up and start playing around on top of it.  LOVELY!  I can no longer see my toes.  Which isn't a big deal.  But...I can hardly see the area "down there" anymore either, which is a big deal.  Grooming is of utmost importance.  And our shower isn't really grooming friendly.  I need to move this party to the bath tub, but it's pretty stopped up and I don't even want to speculate as to why.  Also, after running the water for about 10 seconds, the water turns orange for a minute before returning to clear. So the plumber is coming tomorrow morning for the new kitchen sink (to me this is a baby tub - I aint bending over in the bathroom every night!) and he will hopefully be fixing my bathtub as well.  Yea!  I have also noticed that my bend radius is diminishing more and more...  more so after I eat breakfast.  When I first wake up I'm fine.  I can drop things and pick them up fine.  But not so much after I eat.  Strange! 

The next item on the update agenda is my trip to Bloomington, IL this past week.  It's a pilgrimage I try to do in the summer to visit my best friend Laura.  I have mentioned her several times in this blog.  We roomed together at Illinois State University together our senior year and in the 12 years that have followed she has become a member of my family.  She has been down to see me and my family several times in the past year, but it's been 2 years since I've seen her 2 sweet babies.  We had a great time together!  We shopped til we dropped, had a  "party" (it's not REALLY a party unless I can consume adult beverages to the point of embarrassing myself and the people around me), celebrated Laura's 34th birthday and had a photo shoot (she's a kick ass free lance photographer!).  I've posted all my favs! It's important to note that this was a very impromptu shoot - and look how amazing the photos turned out!!  She only did minor touch ups!

My stylist - Riley Books with Books Photography

Laura let me borrow her sweet little girl Riley for these photos.  She was the assistant photographer and she was in charge of my hair.  I think she did an excellent job! 

Ode to the Red Pants!

I also inherited Laura's infamous red pants.  Apparently she lived in these things during her 2 pregnancies and I'm sure her husband BJ is eternally grateful that I took them off her hands.  They ARE great pants - let's see what Tom thinks about them in about 2 months! 

I loved going places with these 2 beautiful children...  they looked like they belonged to me and I appeared to be very fertile to the general public.  I felt like such a mommy! 

I love going to Bloomington.  Out of all of the places I lived in IL, Blooington was my favorite and I always feel like I'm going back home in a way.  And the weather was gorgeous!  It was nice to get out of the swamp heat in Louisiana AND out of the dust that is my remodeled house in progress. 

Me and Laura partying at her house.  Riley accessorized me with the Donald Duck sticker.

Home Remodel:  I CAN SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!!  As I type this blog update, the granite guys are installing my new counter tops!  YEA!  YEA YEA YEA.  I have spent so long living in dust and disorganization that I just simply cannot wait for this to be DONE.  And so far, everything looks great.  The new paint, the new carpet, removal of the fireplace, and I'm especially in love with the new hardwood floors.  My best friend from AL is on her way to visit me right now and I'm so excited for her to use my new kitchen to prepare Sunday dinner (fried chicken, greens, mashed potatoes, and whatever else we can think of!!) - note that I said excited for HER to prepare...not me  :O)  As I mentioned before, the plumber will be here in the morning to hook up the sink and then we are good to go!!!  

Tomorrow is my birthday, so this morning Tom and Dillon hooked me up with an awesome new Nikon Cool Pix camera.  Quadruple YEAs!!   It's amazing.  I've already played with it and here are some of the pics I shot.  

Dillon ready for school - and bored because his friends are not at the bus stop

Still waiting for the bus

I love this pic!  Photo bombed by the Roo!

This camera is so quick - I can actually get decent shots of the animals!

I'm so happy they are finally snuggling.  The cat would die if she knew I was posting this. 

I also have before and after photos of the home remodel project to share - so maybe on the next update!  This is of course thanks to my wonderful husband and sweet stepson for my birthday present.  And Tiffany will be here so we'll take some pics of her visit. 

I sure hope that one day Danni appreciates all of these things we are doing to prepare for her arrival!  I am counting the days until we finally meet her - literally thanks to the WTE app!