We're all getting ready for baby Tripp... I think Juliette is getting ready too...

We are down to three weeks from today that baby Tripp will arrive. I am being induced on February 22nd so we are down to the final stretch. I am READY to say the least - my body is reminding me of that by the hour!

So this afternoon to get ready we took a long walk to remind baby Tripp that he will be ready to come anytime now...

We walked and we walked... and we rode our trike!

Then we decided that it would be fun to decorate our fancy car with Tripp's fancy balloons! Her imagination is just running wild at this age This is how she raced around the house...

Then what could be more exciting than helping put Tripp's new stroller together... so it was time to wake "Ba-Ba"up and take her for a ride... First we must cover her up...

Then we are off! "Mommy I am taking Ba-Ba to Atlanta... I will go to Ul'Nanny's house too because he will not make me go night night..." Ha! Gotta love Uncles!

"Mommy, don't watch which way I am going... it is a secret how I get to Atlanta..."

A Super special day today... my Cowboys and Indian party

Juliette has been studying Cowboys and Indians all month. Today was the big party - each child got to ride a real horse. The first thing that Juliette told her Doh when he picked her up was "Doh there is the horsey and his name was Smarty Pants - he was very stinky!". She is too funny. They made a campfire, learned how to lasso a cow (well at least it was a pretend cow) and they even got special cowboy treats to eat. Apparently, Cowboys and Indians liked trail mix - makes sense I guess :).

It was such a fun and exciting day. To top the day off we got together with some of our best friends Thomas and Ellison Ann. Boy did they have some fun at the Mexican restaurant. Juliette assured me that she just liked playing "silly games" with Thomas. We took bets that some day Juliette and Thomas may be prom dates. Now mind you that is a good 15 years off so we can talk like that now. Daddy will not have to pull the gun out just yet :)

When a horse is just not enough... we must then include the sweet dog...

Juliette, Thomas and Ellison Ann all together for a play date

Its like warm summer days outside...

You would never know that it is the middle of January in Charleston. I cannot tell you how mild our winter has been. It is really true when they say that we have had no winter. Juliette was in a short sleeve dress all day and no pants on and not even any socks her shoes on. She had a Dentist appointment this morning and then after that Tessa actually took her to the beach. They originally planned to put their toes in the water but Juliette was able to get in the water up to her knees. She said that the water was not even cold. That I do believe.

Speaking of the Dentist, she had her first x-rays taken of her teeth. I am always so relieved to hear that she gets a good report. Her teeth look very good and all of the right ones have popped though and the right number of teeth as well. That is always a big relief.

So... on a summer feeling day in January when Daddy is out West skiing and we are left home to play...

We go and enjoy ice cream outside with friends...

We come home and play car in the driveway.... where we are heading no one knows...

Then anything to procrastinate from going to bed... I will hop in my car and drive to Ul"Nanny's house.... "because Ul'Nanny will not make me go to bed..."

Because tonight I am a mermaid Mommy...

Last night I went to check on Juliette around 10:00 PM and low and behold she pops right up when she would be long asleep... she has no shirt on and I realize that both of her legs are in one leg pant. When I started to laugh and ask her what this means in all seriousness said, "Mommy it is because tonight I am a mermaid. Mermaids do not wear shirts and I need a tail like a mermaid too." I just laughed!

She is too too funny!

We are down to the birth of Tripp one month from today! I am ready to get the show on the road. I feel like I am going to either tip over or pop any day now.

A day at the aquarium and then my very FIRST pedicure

Juliette and I had such a fun day today. We met our friends Lily May and Aldret at the aquarium this morning and then Juliette got to get her very first pedicure with Mommy today. It was actually getting her toes painted and then the nice lady even put sprinkles on top of them (Glitter actually but Juliette thought they were sprinkles). You would not have believed how perfect she was the whole time and just ate up being there with me and watching me get a manicure too.

A visit to the aquarium with Lily May and Aldret Crosby

Eagerly waiting to enter the nail shop

"Wow Mommy - I am really a big girl now... but I will still always be your baby!"  such a sweet girl!

So proud of her new toes with polish and sprinkles...

Some cute things that Juliette has said lately...

I find that if I don't record the cute things that Juliette says to me then I will forget so fast....

"Mommy can we please watch Memo?" (Nemo the fish movie)

On the way home from ballet this week she spotted my IPad in my purse.
Juliette:  "Mommy, can I please play super Y on your IPad?"
Me:  "Juliette that is called an I-Posonomous and that is what Mommy uses for business." (hoping she would just go with that answer
Juliette:   "But Mommy it has an apple on it so that means that it is an IPad."

Annual Oyster roast in Beaufort

Well we had the 3rd annual oyster roast in Beaufort this year at Don's parents' house. It is always SO much fun and the weather could not have been any more beautiful all weekend. I mean are you kidding.... 72 degrees in January?? It just sounds so ridiculous.

Juliette got to spend some time with some of her cousins which is always fun for her. Actually when the party started she was in quite a stew and announced to everyone that she did not like "pow-ties" (parties). She ran around hiding and amusing herself not really talking to anyone. Of course she warmed up but it is funny how she does this. I think she gets shy in front of a crowd and actually needs a few minutes to warm up to everyone. It is either that or she is not the center of attention when a lot of people are around and that she may not care for either... such is life, right?

Don and his Dad fished this morning and had a great time catching some "reds" together.

 Juliette, Mima and Grandpa

Don and his Dad with a nice red to start off the morning

A "minor" surgical procedure

Don has had the luxury of cutting Juliette's finger nails and toe nails since she was born. They are big enough now that I could do them myself but when she was a baby I was afraid that I would cut her skin. Even though I could do them, Don continues to do them for me. This is the weekly scene in the bathroom... you would think her Daddy was about to operate on her every time. It is too funny how theatrical she is....

It kind of goes along with the statement she made to me when she thought that we may leave pink blankie accidentally at Mima and Grandpa's house. "Mommy, (with her mouth wide open) boy would we have a CRISIS if we forgot to bring pink blankie..." I just had to laugh out loud when I heard her say that.

A little January fun

We have had the most amazing winter so far. It has been so mild. However, we did get our good share of a freeze this past week. Since it has been a week of cold, we have had to go to Atlanta and Disney World only in our house. That has not dampened the spirits because with the imagination of a 3 year old - you can truly be in those places and never leave the house.

I have just over seven weeks now until baby Tripp arrives. We are all ready for his arrival but the one the most ready is this MAMA! Tine cannot come soon enough to feel back to myself and without baby inside but outside for the world to see!

Juliette went back to school yesterday after a very nice long Christmas break. She was shy at first when she walked in and pretended that she knew no one. She is too funny as everyone knows there is not a shy bone in her body.

 bath time = always a super fun time! Santa left us some paper doll type girls that you can dress when they are wet in the shower

 Me, "Juliette where in the world are you going?"

Juliette, "Mommy I told you I am taking my new suitcase to Atlanta"

 This is what I tell you - in her imagination, she is in a different world. Gracie is in Atlanta, while her tricycle is parked at the Doctor's office and she is playing buckets at the beach...

Gracie is one super patient and sweet girl! I mean who would let you put six leashes on and three collars? She is SO super tolerant

Meanwhile.... the other very sweet girl looks at Gracie from a distance and thinks to herself "you must be crazy to let her do that to you. I will stay very far away from that "