Name the baby and you get a prize!

We are really struggling with a girl name (in case it is needed), so post any names you like here! I am up for ANY suggestions. A few guidelines we like to follow for the first name.... short(6 letter max), nothing starting with an "M" (as Mark and Meredith is enough M's for this family), and a more unique name. The middle name will be one of a few things we are still debating, but it will be a name from a loved one (at this point, it is likely to be Stephanie). A lot of my friends are laughing about my guidelines (which I have more really, lol), but hey it is my kid! Oh, we are set on a boy's name.. just struggling with another girl name. Give me some ideas!

Carrots, Toys, Tool Chest and iPod...

This sort of sums up our Christmas! Kaya was both so cute and funny to watch throughout the whole process!!! Christmas Eve, she opened her book and ornament (Mickey Mouse one that she loves).... then we put carrots outside for the reindeer which she just thought was the coolest think as she kept saying "reindeer like carrots".... then milk and cookies for Santa on one of her plates and one of her cups... she enjoyed giving Santa a head start on both the cookies and milk, lol.

Then Christmas morning... she was just so dang cute.... a lot of "wow" and "I love it" and just total amazement with the whole thing! Grandma, Mark and I enjoyed watching her and it really made for a wonderful Christmas!! It is hard for me to even remember Christmas before her... it is just not the same without small kids!! I have not downloaded pics onto the 'puter yet. Currently, I am downloading songs for my awesome iPod that Mark swore he wasn't going to get for me, lol. Then I need to tackle the whole pics thing as I have credit with Shutterfly that expires in a few weeks... that would be a waste! At any rate, I will post some pics soon. Then I have GOT to update Kaya's site!! I have to get that updated before this new one comes, lol.

Oh, I am an aunt again... my sister Jolene had a sweet little baby boy yesterday. He was 8 lbs, 8 ozs (smallest one in the family of all 6 grandkids besides for Kaya, lol) and 21" long. His name is Cole Michael Ryan. As my mom says, we are like rabbits, lol. Now she has 3 grandsons and 3 granddaughters.... in April, the balance will be off yet again, lol. I can't wait to meet the newest member to my family. I think I will sneak in a trip soon... hmm, likely February as I have little desire to fly much after that point. Note to self... talk with Jolene about a good time to come and book flight!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!! Happy New Year's to all! I still have my Christmas letter that needs editing... then I will get all the cards in the mail, lol. With a new year will bring lots of new changes for the Lovell family (who am I kidding, we seem to make lots of changes every year, lol). This year just went by in a blink for me.. and I will be making serious changes to help 2008 last a bit longer (well at least I not be at a computer desk working a mindless job for most of it, lol). We are starting the year off with a trip to Iowa in a few weeks to see my really good friend get married and celebrate a late Christmas with all my Iowa family. I have not seen all of them since Thanksgiving of 2006, so it is definately overdue. It is nice to be able to see so much family in one trip, lol. In the end, there is nothing like your family to help keep you focused on things in life. Hmm... I need to be reminded of that right now, so the trip will be perfect timing!

Merry Christmas to All and to All an Early Morning...

Yes, I was the first one awake this morning!! So far it has not failed... I am still a little kid on Christmas morning!! Grandma and I were betting on who would wake up first... I won, LOL.

Everything is ready for sweet Kaya on her third Christmas morning!! I am very excited for her to wake up... or get woken up (I can't wait for too long, lol). This Christmas feels different for many reasons. This is our first Christmas in our own house. My mom is here, as we were with her Kaya's first Christmas. I am thankful to just be able to be with my family and have another child on the way. My heart is very heavy as I think of Jenna and her family. With the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season (this year especially), it has turned out to be a wonderful Christmas with some unexpected joy!

Friday night, Mark and I had our first night away from Kaya since she was born. I rented a hotel room in Nashville as part of his Christmas present. Even for one night, it was really good to just "be" with my husband. I have not being the easiest of people to live with lately... between the hormones of pregnancy and my overall unhappiness with working, so I needed that night more that anything to help just be Mark and Meredith. Then Saturday, Grandma and I were off for her to get part of her Christmas present... a salt glow at Nature Nook. She was so happy and really thanked me a lot for being so considerate (what, me?). Saturday night, we went to the living nativity story at New Vision Baptist Church. This really moved me... it was cold and windy (some like I imagine it was on the very first Christmas Eve for Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and all present at the birth. There were four different parts to the story (the Prophets, the Wise Men where we learned there were not actually three wise men that night, the Shepard's and the the Manger). As we rode from scene to scene on the hay ride, we were all moved by the sense of real-ness. I felt very blessed in that moment to be with my husband, my first born, second born in my womb, and my mother. There was no need for anything else.... life was complete just how it was... something I try very hard to remember every day. Life is what you make of it... and your destiny is in your hands. Rest, be Joyful, and Just Be.... sounds good to me!

Sunday afternoon, we went to the Rockettes at the Opry House... then to see all the lights at Opryland. The Rockettes show was really beautiful and yet again, they had an amazing Manger scene with animals and everything. Another moment of true peace and joy. Another reminder of the real meaning of the season. Then seeing all the beautiful lights in Opryland made me just happy!

So.. my lesson learned for this Christmas... be Still in Everything you do! Be Joyful in all you do! Be Blessed for what you have NOW! Be YOU and all is GOOD! Merry Christmas to ALL... with Love and Peace!

Coming up for air.......

That is the truth!! Since my last post, a LOT has kept me busy!!! We are all moved in... YEAH!! The garage still has a good numbre of boxes that say 'un-pack me' when I walk by them, lol. My only real goal for myself with un-packing more stuff now is to ge the car in the garage, and likely with some rearranging that could happen now. My mom was an incredible help while she was here!!! I really don't know what I would do without my mom... I love you so much... she is such a trooper too! She says she will never clean again, lol. She definately did the bulk of the cleaning before and as we were moving in. Did I say we got a hell of deal on this house?? Thus, nothing including at close. The house was pretty dirty (not as dirty as one rental we had years ago, but close) after sitting vacant for 6+ months and having had a single man live in prior. Little things like the blinds being caked with probably years of dust... but they are clean now.

I LOVE this house so much!! Really, I feel like a kid when I look around and find myself smiling! While it still seems like it is not ours (well, it is the bank's, lol) at the same time it completely feels like ours!! I went over to our rental house last Friday just to do one last look around and gather a few things before I turned over the keys, and that place didn't feel like home at all. Mark and I have always said that home is where we make it... as we have made a few less than wonderful places home..... but now I say.... this is really home and feels like it was all meant to be. From our first picture of this house online to when walked around for the first time, it just felt right! There is a lot of character and charm that we were looking for in a house, and then there are things we can do to improve the house some and make it our style. I have not started a list of things to do... as that list would be a bit overwhelming at this point, but there are a number of things we want to do... but that is the wonderful part about it, we CAN do those things whenever and however we want!! While my mom was here, we (again mainly her with some trim work help by me, oh and Mark) got Kaya's room painted. It is a beautiful purple... a darker purple, hard to describe the exact color... I need to take some pics which I will do soon and post. The walls are ready for some butterflies and flowers courtesy of Uppercase Living... that will come soon!! Mark is going to be making a headboard and footboard for Kaya's new Bed (that she doesn't have yet.. she is still in her crib because it contains her and she doesn't climb out of it, but soon after the new year she will be getting her new bed). I have decided that I love how her dark wood furniture looks against her walls, so I am going to hunt for an unfinished dresser, so we can stain that along with the headboard and footboard to match. Then the crib and dresser will be ready for the baby's room... that room will get painted after the little one is born while Grandma is here visiting... poor Grandma, she is labeled as the painter for all her grandkids room's, but she loves doing it for them!

Today, I had my ultrasound and it's a........ boy or girl, LOL! Nope, we did not find out the sex of the baby... we stuck to our guns... Mark was trying to peak though but the ultrasound tech was keeping an eye on him! Kaya came with us (even though she is pretty sick right now.. was home yesterday and today). She thought it was pretty cool and was able to recoginize some body parts as she named them off. She seemed to be a little protective of me wondering if I was ok with this probe thing on my belly, lol. Then she kept wanting to clean up my belly from the gooey stuff. She kept saying "clean up Mama's belly"... it was cute!!

Well... I went on a 3+ hour shopping excursion tonight starting at 8:00... I am tired from that... so a few more things to do then off to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow. Peace to all and to all a good night!!!!

The Final Countdown!!

Less than 2 days until we are official home owners!!! Update: We are closing on Friday at 1:00pm instead of Thursday at 4:30. There was a slight delay in some paperwork, so Friday had to be the day. We found out that the underwriter approved everything today and the loan was approved!! Phewww.... not that there was really any question, but you never know! My mom is still flying in tomorrow night and planning on cleaning Friday (thank God for that, lol). Stanley Steamer is coming Friday morning before we own the house, lol. We are getting access to enter the house since close will be that day anyway... plus I did NOT want to change those plans!! It has been enough to scramble with Friday at 1:00pm. I have an OB appt at 2:00pm at Stonecrest... closing is at an attorney's office in Murfreesboro... wish me luck!! I have to go to my appt, so it will have to work.

It will be a very busy weekend of moving and unpacking.... but the benefit will be so good, I know! Right now, I am SO tired and stressed..... I just need to get on with the show, lol. Work has been really stressful lately... mainly just a combo of work and all this house stuff... it is taking a toll on me. I am guessing that I have lost more weight.... I will find out Friday at my appt. I need to eat better.... this little one needs that!! Kaya sat down on my stomach hard last night... she didn't mean to or anything.. but it hurt pretty bad.. then today it hurt as well. I think everything is ok... just one of those things I have to pay more attention to her with.

Well, I have some emails and a big Mary Kay order to place... yeah, I am getting a little closer to getting that whole thing moving, LOL. Happy week before Turkey Day to everyone! I can't wait for some good eats and time to chill next week!!! :)

My little Tomato!!!

Forgot to say 'Happy late Halloween'.... Kaya was a tomato for Halloween!! Grandma D and I made the costume that was really easy to do. Here is the pic from Parenting Magazine of a professional who made the costumes. There will be pics to come of a non-professionals version, LOL. She was super cute and had a good day. The poor kid was a little sick.. just a cold, well she might have the dreaded A word... allergies. Dr Rosser thinks allergy testing would be a good idea. Not that I am at all opposed to her getting tested... it is just the whole realty of her having allergies. I hate that idea. Having suffered from my won allergies, that is one of the worst things!!! We have already discussed if she is allergic to cats..... then Blackie and Violet will be needing a new home! Cross that bridge if even needed. I think I will take her in this afternoon to get the blood drawn, so the results are ready for her 2 year check up on 11/16 (yes a month late, but that is what I get for having to cancel her original appt in October, LOL).

Kaya had a Halloween party at school where she had a lot of fun! By the time it came to trick or treating that night, she was just ready for bed! But, we did do a little... and she was getting into the idea of... ring door bell, get candy!!! Then there is her mom... I still have not given her any candy, LOL. Poor kid, that is half the point of Halloween! That night, she fell asleep on the way home in the car (yes, we drove b/c there is slim pickings in BFE, lol). Then last night she just needed to get to bed early. I managed to eat plenty of candy yesterday though, LOL. This weekend, I will let her dig into the candy a little! I am not going to completing deprive the kid... one piece, lol.

OK... off to bed.....

Sleep and House

I have had issues sleeping lately..... I think a lot of that stems from not being used to sharing the bed for so many weeks, LOL. At any rate... it isn't that bad... not like when I was big and pregnant with Kaya, but still it is WAY too early to have sleeping issues!!! The weekend is right around the corner and I WILL be catching up on some ZZZZZ's!!

So... drum roll please......

The bank accepted our offer!!! We are both VERY excited yet cautious at the same time, LOL. After the last house ordeal, we are attempting to be patient until we sign those papers!! In all honestly, I was a bit surprised the seller's bank agreed to our low offer. We did the math on the thing and unless this seller had a a lot of money down on this house when he bought it, there might be a loss for this bank... but then that isn't our problem, LOL. The home inspection is today at 9am. Then the appraisal will be sometime next week. I am just hoping for no major surprises with the inspection.... which there shouldn't be any considering it is only a 4 year old house, LOL. My mom is set to fly here on 11/15 (the day we close) to help with moving and cleaning (this house needs a good cleaning by her and I... we will get it perfect, LOL). I think we might have a local small moving company actually do the physical move for us.... we have looked into the cost, and it really is not that bad considering all the physical labor that would save Mark and Chris, LOL. Of course, I have a harder time rationalizing the cost, but it won't be me moving all the heavy stuff, LOL. The plan is to go crazy the weekend of 11/16-18 with moving and unpacking... once again, my mom is the BEST person to have around in this situations (and others too). She gets going and motives me to just get it done now! In the past, we have been successful in moving and unpacking almost everything in a weekend. Of course the week after that is Thanksgiving... so I want the kitchen, dining room, living room and such all put together so we can have a nice relaxing Thanksgiving in our new home! Oh, note to self... make sure we have a fridge bought and delivered before then, LOL. That is another thing still up in the air... the stove, dishwasher and microwave are not the greatest ones in the world (not that we need that, but something nicer than the cheapest is good too, lol), so we are debating about just buying a whole new set now while we have to buy a fridge. Hmm.... then that is money spent now on things that are not a MUST. We have other must buy's very soon... most important being a fence. While I tend to oppose fencing the whole back yard (I just like the freedom to roam, I guess), that really is not an option. There is a storm drain in the back between the two properties.... I know a very curious 2 year old that would LOVE to investigate that!! Yet another debate... I would like a vinyl type fence or better yet iron, LOL. Mark loves it when I default to the more expense options! We have done some pricing on options... so that will be one of the very first big things we do. Other than that though, there is nothing really pressing. Of course, I have already thought about all the new furniture I want to buy since we will finally have our own place to decorate. One thing at a time, Meredith!!!!

Well, I am feel sleepy again... so I am off to get a few more hours of sleep. I have a cool open house thing at a friend's house tomorrow... where I will be having my first real big Mary Kay selling opportunity. Wish me luck! After I get settled at the new house, that is high priority to get organized and more aggressive with Mary Kay. I know there is good to be done there... and money to be made that will make things more comfortable when I stop working full time.

Happy Friday to All!! Happy November as well!

Breathe.........

That is what I keep reminding myself!!! Here is a quick update of live over that last month plus.....

We didn't end up getting the house as mentioned before... roof needed to be replaced as condition of the loan, seller refused to pay for any of it, so we refused as well, LOL. We have an offer on a different house (a MUCH better house... as faint would have it, this one could cost us less money and is bigger and better in a lot of ways). All we need for this house is for the bank who the seller financed to approve our offer (the seller has been trying to sell for a long time and we suspect he is almost to the point of foreclosure). Waiting on a bank takes time of course, but if all is well... we will close on November 15th, just in time for Thanksgiving. I am being MUCH more laid back with this house.. fully knowing that there are some things out of our control. My mom along with myself have a very good feeling about this one (which I never really had about that last one), but we will see. Here is a picture of the house....



We all returned from our trip to California safe and sound. My mom, myself and Kaya returned on 10/15 and Mark returned from Reno on 10/18. We had a little birthday party for Kaya on 10/19. We went to the pumpkin patch on 10/20 which both Grandma and Kaya loved!! Grandma had to leave on 10/23 (sad for all of us!) and Mark was traveling last week as well. He got home on 10/26 late and is home for awhile! Actually his boss has decided that there might be very little traveling before the end of the year!!! I have to thank his boss later, LOL. Last week was week #7 of him being gone every week except for one week in that seven weeks! Phew... I think that is a bit much! The funny thing of course... is that he NEVER travelled in the past, LOL. After things are going smoothly in Reno, he will travel very little. Oh, Mark's promotion.. yes, he is now the Training Supervisor... which means more responsibility, people to supervise (lol) and more money! That last part is the best plus in our eyes! We get this house bought and get through Christmas... and then we can seriously talk about me not working full time! That is music to my ears.

Not to forget about hearing little Lovell #2's heart beat on 10/19. Grandma, Mark and Kaya joined me for my second OB visit. The little guy/girl has a good strong heart beat!! So far, it is in the 150's..... so the speculation is that he is a boy, LOL. But then time will tell... all will have to wait until April!!!

Well... I am loving the awesome fall weather!! I do not have a ton of fall decorations out as we are moving/not moving. The garage is in total disarray, but I know there is an end to all of this... we will get the right house for us soon, have no fear. This coming week will be one where Mark and I will have to remember what it is like to live together again, LOL. Honestly, I am looking forward to that... looking forward to get moved.... just looking forward to all that is to come!! Peace and Hugs to All!

Some bday pics of the 2 year old

Kaya and Grandma on the train to San Francisco

Kaya at birthday dinner @ Chevy's... they brought the sombrero out!

Kaya enjoying her birthday ice cream

Awww, sweet birthday girl!

Happy Big 2nd Birthday Kaya boo!!!!

(posted 2.5 weeks late)

WOW! You are two years old, Kaya!!! I admit there is still some of me that thinks of you as a little baby... most of the time I see you as the big girl that you have become!! Over the last 6+ months since I have been working, you have been growing up at a much faster pace than I am comfortable with, I admit. I treasure all the time that we have together that much more though!! You are really the sweetest girl! You are very loving... giving hugs and kisses and saying "I love you mama" and "thank you mama" without any encouragement... you simply do that on your own. Your vocabulary is amazing... saying words like "halitosis" and "aticulating truck" (cousin Jack is so proud) still cracks me up! You are saying a lot of full sentences like "where did it go?", "I am ready for dinner"... and many more. You have recently learned how to jump all over the place and still enjoy doing that a lot. One of your favorite past times has become play dough... which is fun for Mama too! You are understanding the idea of having a baby brother/sister more and more.... you love to kiss the baby in mama's belly and you love to feed your baby. You are also getting more and more independent!! You like to say things are "Kaya's" or "mine".... which we continue to work on the whole idea of sharing.. have no fear, someday that concept will make sense to you. You really like dresses and un-dressing yourself... you do a great job with that! You love to help with everything we do... making pancakes or other food items, brushing your own teeth (Mama still does a run through just in case), and helping put groceries away or anything else that we are currently doing. You just like to be involved, and I have no problem with that. You play well by yourself as well! Like all of us, you need some alone time... and I respect that!

Each day, I count my blessings that I am able to call you my daughter!! You are a lot like me... at times you and I struggle with our strong attitudes, but most of the time I smile knowing that I am lucky enough to see the world through your eyes! There are times when I really struggle with working right now and I feel you are not getting as much of my influence as I want you have (because deep down I feel I need to be at home with you, but I also know this is a temporary thing), then I see you do something that I taught you (like saying 'please', 'thank you', and 'your welcome' to people in public) and I know you are my daughter all the way and that I am doing the right thing for you right now! In the end, that is all the matters! I love you very much Kaya!!!