baby updates

I don't intend for this blog to be an all about baby blog, but I had an apt today so here goes.

I gained almost 3 pounds. Didn't gain any last time. I was hoping to keep that up, but my trucker appetite recently has prevented it. Birthing hips are in this season, right?

I told my doc that I quit reading "what to expect..." because it was very stressful. I just decided to be honest but inside I was already thinking omg I'm failing as an in utero mom but she wonderfully responded with, "I so don't blame you, that book is dark". Hallelujah. I don't need to know any more problems.

Something I didn't know about pregnancy is that you often get a stuffy nose and are prone to nosebleeds. For someone who already has cray cray allergies, this is no fun and the nosebleed at 5:15 in the shower this morning was honestly, just confusing. I'm usually mostly asleep until 6:00 so I just stood there looking at the blood in the shower. Finally, I realized I should probably do something about it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is such thing as a nurse/I know what to do in an emergency (okay, this wasn't a real emergency) situation/blood and guts don't bother me gene and it skipped me like I was the fat kid waiting to be picked for gym.

The baby's heartbeat was really easy to find and it sounded "very strong". Woot, woot. Good stock, obvi.

We couldn't get an appointment where P and I didn't have to take off work until almost the end of September. That basically in the next century as far as I'm concerned. I don't know how she expects me to plan and decorate a nursery appropriately having to wait this long. I mean, I guess people have been doing this for generations, but I'm about to be a suburbia living, suv driving, momma. I want it now.

One really fun thing about expecting during school is how incredibly sweet my normally fab students are. They are so protective and helpful. Just a sweet example...we have these huge speakers and they needed to be moved and one of my students just stood up and said, "guys, y'all need to move this, Mrs. Pratt can't lift heavy things" and then... they just did it. What?!?!? Love them.

That's it for now! Excited that Baby Pratt is happy and healthy!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

baby Pratt

This is one of my favorite pictures of my Mom. She is so beautiful, young, and looks so great as a new Mom. I can't get over how good she looks with a new baby! I look at this picture and smile but hurt a bit too because I miss her every minute and wish I could ask her about 1,000 questions a day.

This is my favorite picture (so far) of OUR baby. This is from 12 1/2 weeks. P and I were able to see the baby move and were so excited to know everything is healthy and happy. I think I didn't breathe for a solid minute when we first saw the baby. We had another ultrasound at 8 1/2 weeks, but this time it looked so real. The baby jumped all around, crossed his/her leggs, so amazing!

One of the things I have been so thankful for is that we were able to tell my Mom at home. Our whole family (Mom, Dad, Ben, P and I) were at their house and we gave her this and she could not have been more excited. Ben had the funniest reaction and his mouth hung open for approximately 34 seconds. Mom was so sweet and happy and we decided to call her Mimi.

We are now 4 months and there is no denying the bump in my belly. Honestly, with my Mom's passing, I think I've been slow to get excited. I have so many feelings and maybe I have been unable to do any more. Some parts of me feel guilty feeling happy. I realize others have trouble having babies and it just seems like it's hard to be happy. But lately, I've been able to get more excited, and feel less badly about being happy about our bundle of joy. Don't get me wrong, I've been elated since the beginning, but just with a twinge of guilt or hesitation to get excited. 

Lately I've been looking around for baby stuff. I haven't bought much (okay, anything) for the baby besides the humpty dumpty I found at an antique store with Mrs. Alicia a few weeks ago. While we were in NYC, I bought this onesie (I have no idea how to spell this!) and thought any child of mine will hopefully share our love of this amazing city!

We are so excited and could not be more thankful for our amazing family and friends. Everyone has already done so much and we feel really blessed.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Lindsay and Andrew's wedding weekend

I was so happy to celebrate my dear friend Lindsay's wedding to our favorite Canadian, Andrew. Philip and I left for Thursday for NYC. We were so excited to celebrate Lindsay and also happy to get away for a weekend. We were unable to take a vacation this year so a weekend away felt amazing!

Thursday we arrived in NYC around 3PM and checked in our hotel. Philip worked his magic and we were able to use points. Here is our view! Such a nice home for a long weekend!

We quickly met with our sweet friend Meagan and later walked around Little Italy and the East Village.

The last 2 times Philip and I went to NYC, he tore up Chinatown. I mean, spent hours, bought all things possible. This time surprisingly, I was the only one who spent anything. I talked this guy into selling me a bottle of my precious Dior for $20.00 Finally we left to the East Village on a huge pilgrimage to find one of the "best" crepes in the city. (the only one I had, but I would give a limb for it)

must be worth it, look at the huge lines

So delicious! I could have eaten 1,000 of these.

Friday I was finally able to see the beautiful bride and some more friends. Mollie planned a gorgeous brunch at The Train Bleu in Bloomingdales. It was inside an old train car and such a great location.

After lunch, Mollie, Nelson, P and I went on a long walk of 5th avenue and Central Park. After getting off the wrong subway station, and walking 30 extra blocks, we arrived at the rehearsal dinner at Dinosaur Barbecue in Harlem.

Of course we had to play some prom pictures.

PROM!

Saturday morning P and I went walking around Pier 17. These people were attempting trapeze flips and it was so fun watching! It reminded me of that Sex and the City episode and I believe Carrie did this here!

After Pier 17, we went to Chelsea market and walked around for a while and then had lunch.

How often do you eat a whole lobster for lunch? We saw it and just decided, why not? After lunch we went back to the hotel and got ready for the big event, Lindsay and Andrew's wedding!

The wedding was at Blue Hill at Stone Farms in Terry town. It was so gorgeous and such a fabulous location. Everything was perfect and so much fun.

This meal was so amazing. I knew Andrew and Lindsay were obvious foodies and they did not disappoint! It was so delicious!

After the amazing wedding, we went home on "the party bus". If I learned one thing from this weekend, I learned that Canadians know more songs and drinking cheers than I knew were possible. As Tom Campion said, "Canada is the frattiest country ever".

Sunday morning Philip and I went to breakfast in the West Village. It was SO good and such a great way to end the weekend!

And last but not least, we stopped by Magnolia Bakery and somehow managed to share a cupcake and even brought some home for Sharon and Ashley.

We went home tired and happy. We had so much fun and felt so lucky to be included in Lindsay and Andrew's special day. They are such a fantastic couple and we couldn't be happier for them!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

so long summer....

What.....the....

How did this happen?

I feel like yesterday was May 29th. All the sudden it's the beginning of flipping August and I have to get up early and...

go. to. work.

I repeat...how did this happen?

This summer was not my best for obvious reasons, but went by faster than any ever. I literally never visited a pool, went on zero vacations, accomplished no goals for my house other than getting new bedding, hardly anything on the 30 before 30 list, and only went to yoga a handful of times.

Every summer I have some amazing plan to achieve world peace, get in amazing shape, redecorate our house with ideas from Pinterest, while perfecting every amazing recipe, and learning to knit.

In reality, I usually do more fun things and conveniently forget about all of those lofty goal but don't really care because of all of the stories I have to tell.

This summer lacked all of that "fun stuff" so I feel a little miffed that August has so rudely reared it's ugly head and I'm faced to return to the working world. Truly a travesty.

In other news, I have first world problems.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

*I will whine less at some point.

Girls Weekend

I am so lucky that I have kept in touch with 2 amazing friends from college. After college it was easier seeing each other at least once a year. Either at a wedding, football game, baby shower, etc. we seem to see each other pretty regularly. Then we all moved farther away and the marriages every other weekend eased up a bit (picking up again lately, though) and Ole Miss games became fewer and farther between. Anyway, we decided that we needed to see each other once a year and we shouldn't wait for a wedding or some other event! Last year we went to Colorado to visit the Waters and had so much fun. This year Whitney actually moved to Nashville, which wasn't required for the girls weekend, however has made life very fun. Rebecca joined from Houston and I was so happy to have my girls all together.

Girls Weekend 2011

Girls weekend 2012

Thursday morning I picked up Rebecca from the airport and we went on a walk while Whitney was at work. We caught up after walking over some delicious Texas coffee, we met Whitney for lunch and saw her office at headquarters. After lunch, Rebecca and I went and got pedicures and had the weirdest experience with a salon, EVER. The pedicurist (?) was one of those who entered our conversations constantly and told us, "she wanted to be like us when she got old". Thanks 19 year old. Thursday night we went to the Frist Center art museum and then dinner at Urban Grub and enjoyed catching up even more. Friday we got up early and went on a long walk with the doggies and then took the picturesque drive to Lynchburg for the Jack Daniel's distillery.

Rebecca with the replica of Jack Daniel. Only 5'2 and size 4 shoes!



We have to go on at least one tour a day while together. That's the rule.



Posing in front of the cave water.

After the day learning all there was to know about whiskey, we continued our alcoholic escapades with a picnic at Arrington Vineyard.





Some of the ladies at Arrington.

Friday night after the vineyard, we went home and watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and were kind of confused by all of that cray cray but that is another story. Saturday morning we went to brunch at Mad Donna's in East Nashville. I love this part of town but the construction was so awful, I missed the suburbs tons...the minivans, the soccer moms, the beautifully paved roads and lack of construction. You can make as much fun of me as you want....I totally don't care. Suburbs are the best. Anyway, after what felt like hours of driving, we finally ate and then went to the famous Country Music Hall of Fame (tour of the day!).

Rebecca with Dolly at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Whitney with her hometown hero.

After being shut out by Olive and Sinclair and a meltdown by the driver (ME) about all of the construction and road closures, I finally called uncle and took myself back to the suburbs where I will not be leaving for at least a month. After we arrived in the promise land, we went to Sopapillas for a snack and a road construction detox.



Being the fabulous hostess I am, we came home and I fell asleep in the recliner for over an hour leaving my guests to entertain themselves. After all the gallivanting, we were all exhausted and spent a WILD Saturday night at home, eating leftovers from the Arrington picnic and watching the Olympics. Replace this couch with the big blue one at the AOII house and you could swear it was 8 years ago, easy.

Our weekend ended with a very early flight for Ms. Bertrand requiring us to leave at 4:30. Sweet P got up and took us very early and all too quickly, my favorite Texan was gone!

Not the crazy weekend of last year but just doing anything with these ladies is such a fun time. I'm so glad I bought you so long ago.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.