Just a Little Yearbook Fun!

Oh, for Pete's sake, I HOWLED the night I found THIS little treasure! It's at http://www.yearbookyourself.com/ and trust me, it's hilarious! I laughed so hard I couldn't catch my breath when I showed Todd his "yearbook pictures"! He was brushing his teeth at the time and I saw him crack a small smile, but I could tell he was NOT amused! LOL. If you have any free time, you've GOTTA go there and make your own photo! It's a hoot!

To kick things off, this is ME in Nifty 1960!

LIZ--1962!!

LIZ--1968!

Liz's yearbook photo, circa 1974, below:
Below, that's ME in 1994. I don't recall my hair EVER looking that fried! Wow, look at all the hairspray! LOL.

Molly's mommy in 1998 (ummm, I actually graduated in 1995)!!

AND NOW...Let's see what TODD's pictures turned out like...

Above, Todd in 1960!!! SEXXXXXY!!!!!!!

Molly's daddy in 1974...Welcome Back Kotter? Or Steel Wool? Or a million spiders having a meeting on top of his head???! You decide!

Molly's Daddy in 1976. Doesn't he look sweet?!

...and here he is in 1988! He looks like a total meat head here. Nope, ladies and gentlemen, he was NOT impressed when I showed this to him! LOL.

...and in good ol' 1994! Uh, he actually graduated in 1994! Do you remember those dorky backgrounds in the so-called "spring pictures" at NHS?

...and FINALLY, the real US! This was taken on our 3rd wedding anniversary, 07/28/08! Todd is so adorable! :) Thanks for being such a good sport, Toddy. I love you so much! *kiss kiss*

Our Baby Shower, 10/11/2008

Kelli threw our baby shower in Mounds, Oklahoma, on October 11, 2008. It was SO much fun! It was a potluck and we had a delectable cake from Merritt's Bakery (Todd's and my FAVORITE!), courtesy of Miss Judi. Susan did all the beautiful party favors/treats as well as the diaper cake, one of my very favorite features of the shower. Teresa, always so much fun, was in charge of games and even got Todd to participate in the Dirty Diaper Toss. He kept sneaking outside to smoke and hang out with Kelli's and Lise's hubbies, so we couldn't get the gift-opening going until he was found!

This is me, all smiles the day before our baby shower! We woke up at 5:00 to go to Missourri for the day as one of our last "trips" before Molly arrives. We had a lot of fun and Todd drove his truck. We ate breakfast at Cracker Barrell, had ice cream later that day at Dairy Queen, and then ate dinner at Olive Garden on the way home. Todd got to shop and browse in one of his favorite stores, Grizzly, while were were there. I was going to do some shopping but was so pooped out I honestly didn't feel up to it! WOW! There's a FIRST!

Seriously, something happened and we thought I might go into labor so we headed home...but not before devouring some Olive Garden and getting some cheap Missourri gasoline for the truck!

I'm NEVER this awake at 5:00 in the morning! Well, except maybe right now...

The picture of Todd, above, was actually taken 10/01/08. We ventured to Los Cabos for Mexican food. YUM!! This is my NEW favorite place to eat. They have 2 locations, one on Riverside and one by Bass Pro in Broken Arrow. Thanks to our friend Pam for introducing this place to us!!!! WE LOVE IT!

...At my insistence, Todd is pictured here working hard on the stroller/travel system combo. Didn't take him very long at all. If it were ME attempting to put that thing together, I would STILL have the thing in pieces, strung out all over the living room floor. Sadly, the same is true even though it came with full instructions!!! LOL... He did it, though, and then had to show me how to fold it up and get the car seat out of it and all that jazz. I'm still not too sure how to buckle the seat in all that great, but I only tried a few times...

...Check out our beautiful shower cake. It's green and yellow, the colors of Molly's nursery! And the sweet party favors were pink, and there's also pink in Molly's nursery! Susan did SUCH a great job on the favors and treats. Kelli bought pink and green napkins to match. The punch was this pink frothy stuff that looked and tasted like a dream. I couldn't drink but just a little bit but it was really, really good! So sweet it made your teeth dance out of your head, but GOOD!! :)

Isn't this the COOLEST thing you've ever seen???! I'm telling you, I've had dreams about Susan's diaper cakes! The pictures don't quite do it justice but there are all these little teeny diapers all layered into a "cake" and tied with ribbon. Sticking out of the cake, like flowers or other fancy embellishments, are baby socks, baby headbands, teethers, baby booties, rattles, bracelets, rubber ducks, pacifiers, pacifier clips, and topped with a baby bottle. So SWEET and SO appreciated!!! Thank you, Momma Susan, for all your hard work on our shower.

This is Kelli, the beautiful and VERY COOL shower hostess with the mostest! In case you're wondering, most people wore pink to honor Molly that day. WE ARE ALL THINKING PINK!!

Now, here's Miss Judi, and she just HAD to be different and wear RED! LOL. I think OU was playing that day, though, and because I'm a fan, I GUESS I'll let her off...THIS TIME!! LOL. Just kidding, Judi. Thank you for the awesome cake, I loved it. It was white cake, layered, with a very, very thin layer of LEMON between the layers. Merritt's Bakery rocks...but not as hard as you, Judi Johnson!! xoxoxox

Just a SMALL sampling of the gifts we were given for Molly...OH WOW! It took us nearly 2 hours to get through all the bags, packages, boxes and wrappings! If it hadn't been for Kelli's grandson helping us and collecting the trash and showing the gifts all around the room to all the guests, I don't know WHAT we'd have done. It would have been a 5 hour shower instead of a 3 hour shower! LOL.

These pictures all were taken of Todd opening HIS gift...the Daddy Diapering Kit. Susan made it for him and it is SOOOO clever! She even included a funny little poem telling how to use the TONGS, the GOGGLES, the RUBBER GLOVES, the CLOTHES PIN and even included a teeny tiny diaper and a travel package of baby wipes in the pockets of the apron. TOO FUNNY, and definitely a highlight of the day for Todd, Daddy-To-Be!

...This is Kathryn! She made two beautiful blankets for Molly and makes the BEST baked beans you'll ever taste...Plus, she's just a real sweetheart. She brought her husband, Don, and their grandbaby Aurora to the shower that day.

This is that OSU-loving girl, TRACI. She and her hubby Mike are grads from OSU and boy, will THEY be in for a rude awakening when Ainsley Cleo grows up and attends OU! LOL. Ainsley was born in May. She is ADORABLE!!!! While I think she looks just like her dad, Ainsley can give this GLARE just like her beautiful mommy! It's so funny to see her do it, too! Aaah, the quiet genius of genetics...

The Gang's All Here: That's Baby Jea, her mommy Lise, Dianne and Ainsley!

Wowza, Ainsley looks SO serious here, doesn't she? :) She is really studying Dianne's face!

Judi, Traci and Teresa:

This is me, preggo and swollen:

It looks like Todd is enjoying the Dirty Diaper Toss game, huh? I rocked the score at 17 until Genelle beat me and won the door prize!! Way to go, Nella Bean! xoxooxox

This beautiful blanket was given to us by Teresa and Joe and Jackie. Teresa had Sharon make it for Molly and she told me at the shower that she's had it for over one year and has been saving it for us! It has a diaper stacker to match, too, and it is also gorgeous. Sharon is SUCH a talented seamstress and Teresa is SO generous. Really, I am so thankful to have awesome women like these in my life. They have all given me advice both sisterly and motherly, and perhaps that is the most priceless thing, right there.

This is my friend, Carol. She lives in Coffeyville and she, like Teresa and Pam and many others, have been SUCH a support to me throughout this pregnancy. Early on, when I absolutely thought I was losing my mind...clear up until now, and here I am only 10 days away from delivering Molly Piper. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, CAROL! xoxooxxox
Anyway, for the last year or so, Teresa has been "showering" us with gifts almost weekly. One day this summer we received 6 packages in the mail! All were stuffed with baby gifts and clothes! Yes, folks, she has done this for a year! It all started last year when we found out we were expecting. She started the "showering" wayyyy back then, in September 2007. After I miscarried, the weekly surprises ceased, but then in February, well, what can I say? She turned on the shower again! LOL. Teresa, you are the BEST and such a very THOUGHTFUL friend. I can never thank you enough for all that you have done and for the advice and love you've shown ALL of us! Above, this is Teresa and I at a party at her house in July 2007!

Here we are again in August 2007 at our "Ladies Who Lunch" at Moe's in Tulsa.

...And finally, here we are in October 2008, both smiling, both wearing PINK shirts and BLACK pants! What can I say? Great minds think alike! :) Love you, Teresa!!! xoxoxoxox

I was so touched and honored by how many of my friends/family actually made the effort and the drive to attend our baby shower. There were REALLY a lot of people there and although I did not get to mingle much with anyone individually, Todd and I were both delighted and felt so very loved by everyone's presence and sincere wishes to make OUR DAY so very special. WE LOVE YOU ALL. XOXOXOXX

XOOXOX,

Liz

Quick Update in Pictures...

Well, Well, Well...

It looks as though we have survived MUCH these past few months! Sorry it has taken so long to update this blog...but we have been SUPER DUPER busy and I've been SUPER excited...not to mention SUPER swollen and in SUPER DUPER pain from the knees down!

Anyway, take a look at all the exciting happenings the past few months....

First of all, well, I KNEW pregnancy could ruin a sista's teeth...but THIS?! WOW! Hehehhee. These are my hillbilly snags. I like to put 'em in my mouth and smile at people in the cars next to us at stop lights. They have mysteriously come up missing so I think Todd threw 'em out! He gets so embarrassed when I put on my Hillbilly Best!

...Above, this is Baby Jea's first birthday party! She is soooo sweet. September 2008.
...and this is Jea, too. I believe it was taken in June or July of 2008. Look at those sweet little cheeks! :)

...Above, this is what Jea USED to look like! This is how teeny tiny she USED to be. This photo of Jea and I was taken just days after she was born in September 2007. Wow, has she really grown! :)

...And this is my cousin Scott's wife, Jennifer... This picture was taken at HER baby shower on Labor Day of 2008. Isn't THAT fitting?! Labor Day! HA! She ended up delivering Taylor Rose Quinnelly on my uncle Bruce's birthday, September 24. How very cool is that? What a great birthday blessing! :)

...These two pictures were taken in September 2008. From Left to Right: Me, Amy, Uncle Butch, Aunt Rose, Uncle Bruce. We had just finished dinner at Ruby Tuesdays and of course I brought the camera!

Doesn't AMY look like her beautiful mom, ROSE?! I think so!

...Okay, don't pay any attention to the stretch marks, but here is my belly! This was taken sometime in September. Oh, how I wish I'd kept better track!! Still not with an excessive amount of weight gain, but my "regular" clothes were getting pretty tight at this point.



Another one taken in September. My hair was wet...and Todd looks SO serious here! LOL. That's not his usual look, either!

...SEE??! He couldn't stay THAT serious for THAT long!! I love this man sooooo much! *kiss kiss*

Oh, and MORE good news! We survived our Labor and Delivery Class. This was our Fake Baby. Daddy Toddy did a good job at putting on the first diaper of his whole entire life. I was very proud! There were 5 other couples in our class and we were all about to be first-time parents. The guys all spent time cracking each other up, cracking the teacher up (as well as exasperating her at times, I'm afraid!) asking some numbskull questions (ON PURPOSE, MIND YOU!!) and making their wives/girlfriends elbow, nudge or roll our eyes heavenward, LOL. They ALSO asked a lot of good questions, too. The Fake Baby looked like a zombie and we were a little disappointed in the CPR and car seat segements, but hey...after a month we MADE IT through!

Todd swaddled Fake Baby pretty well! You know I was impressed!!!! Was SHE??! It's kinda hard to tell...

In the next to the last class, all the guys had to wear the Sympathy Belly and follow our teacher's instructions on what to do. Let me tell you, ALLLLL the guys had fun with this one!! Each of them made us all lauuuugggggggh but when each gal's man got up there it was again time to ROLL THE EYES!!! Todd took the cake and if there'd been a vote, he'd have gotten Class Clown Honors...LOL... See for yourself!!

In early September (I THINK that's when it was...heck, my memory is shot these days, I can't remember!) my Aunt Kay and my cousin Ashley came over to paint the nursery for us. See, I wouldn't let Todd paint (because of the mess) and Todd wouldn't let me pain (because of the fumes) so these two ANGELS stepped in and painted for us, thus eliminating the mess for me and the worry for Todd. Thanks Ash & Kay!! Ya'll did a beautiful job and we really appreciate it! We know Molly will love the great colors because they are veryyyyyy soothing! :)

...don't you just want to tug Ashley's ponytail!?? LOL.

Aaaah, look at THESE lovelies! Okay, I know feet are way gross and all, but people, mine are SOOO swollen. They're almost 3 times their normal size. What is worse is that the swelling doesn't just stop with my feet...it goes alllll the way up my ankles, calves and just slightly past the tops of my knees. This particular picture was taken 2 weeks ago, when I was in my 36th week of pregnancy. They had been bad prior to that for about 2 weeks, and yes, they are STILL this bad, and some days they are WORSE. This weekend I spent ALL DAY on Saturday on the couch with my feet up because the bottoms and tops of my feet were so bruised. Seriously, it hurts to walk. I have to continually flip sides when I'm sleeping because if I don't, one leg will be even more swollen and puffy when I wake up. Check 'em out:

Seriously, it's hard to tell where my ankles end and my calves begin!

...EVEN AT MY HEAVIEST WEIGHT, I NEVER HAD LEGS AS FAT/PUFFY AS THESE BABIES!! My feet and ankles are so swollen and have been this way for so long now that there are actual red creases in the tops of my feet. The skin is all smooth and shiny; it looks like I'm wearing baby oil but I'm not. It's just that the skin is stretched, and it's tight as a drum, and so it looks very shiny and wet. Scary, eh?

...All I can say is THANK GOD for the 2 parking spaces at the mall reserved for New Mothers and mothers-to-be because it sure makes life better when you're out-to-here preggo and your lower extremities look and feel like rubber gloves filled with water!! Wal-Mart needs these. And so does just about every other spot that pregnant women venture...SO! JUST NEARLY EVERYWHERE! They do have them at Babies-R-Us, though, but that is a given! A store that sells baby-stuff-only OUGHT to make concessions for expecting customers, right?! Great idea, Babies-R-Us! Great idea! Now if only Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, the bank and post office and, OhMyGod, the OB's office and the HOSPITAL would just catch on to this, the world would be a much more pleasant place for Us. And by 'us' I mean, you know, preggies and New Mothers!

Answer Me THIS!!

Answer me this:

I want to know: How does Martha Stewart do it????

I have been perusing her website for the last hour, trying to wind down enough to go to sleep. But instead of getting sleepy, I am more excited than ever!! Why? Well, why not, I ask you? I mean, go take a look-see for yourself: all those projects - SO little time! I am envious of her creative ideas and skill. I am even more envious of her ability to get those things done and, of course, they are PURRRRfect once they're completed.

How, I ask you again, does one think of recipes (using the most expensive sh** that can never be found unless you live in a big city with a variety of food/cooking shops), tend a perfect garden, do all these crafts projects, run 2 or 3 print magazines PLUS oversee the online aspect of those magazines, cater to retail giants (KM and WM) and form THOSE alliances, appear on a daily television show where she must smile perfectly (or is that SMUGLY)...AND run a personal household, do her laundry, balance her checkbook, blah blah blah blah?

Going onto her website just got me depressed!! Well, depressed AND excited!! Because, while I am inspired by her wicked-good crafting/homekeepin g abilities, I am slightly saddened because, honestly, how can women keep up with her? Now my OCD has kicked in BIGTIME and I want to do a few of those projects on her website but, alas, my cup already runneth over with things To Do, so I am left longingly vying for that monochromatic, streamlined and elegant way of life right now, at 2:00 AM, more than EVER, I think, because I gotta baby on the way and have this twisted, strange notion that EVERYTHING MUST BE PERFECT before she can get here and come home already!! Shoot, none of our furniture even matches!! LOL. And, it is QUITE LIKELY that the baby's room will be the nicest one in the house!!! Sad but true!!!!! LOL.

Seriously, I know this woman's rich and has a staff of hundreds behind the scenes running all the branches of her business, but good golly! I have to wonder, is she truly happy? After all, just because things LOOK perfect does not necessarily mean things ARE perfect, right? Gosh!!

Now I really don't know if I can sleep!!! We have an OB appointment tomorrow and I am NOT looking forward to THAT. He's supposed to be doing a group B strep "swab" but quite frankly I am SICK of being looked at, examined, speculumed, pricked with needles, weighed. Sick of peeing in cups every month (and now every week!!), sick of being cuffed for blood pressure, and REAL SICK of him pushing all over my belly like it's a bowl of bread dough. The best part of the whole visit each time is getting to hear Molly's heart beat. That is the best and it always makes me smile.

Of course, so does the big fat Lot-A-Burger I'm going to try to eat after the appointment. Martha Stewart probably wouldn't approve of that, though. She would suggest a nice tomato salad followed by chicken picatta or some other crap like that, that I have no desire to taste. It sounds like a chicken picking either its nose or its butt, I haven't yet decided which. Anyway, all I know is that I don't want it and I'm not gonna let her make me perfection-crazy. NOTE TO SELF: Stay off the Martha Stewart website. From now on!!!!! I feel slightly less than human because I can't tie a most perfect bow, thanks to her!! I will fall asleep tonight with anxiety about how to become better at this or at that, and it's all her FAULT!!! LOL. I need a Martha Stewart antidote, and I think a handful of Ranch-flavored Ruffles might just do the trick.

UGH. Hormoneshormoneshor mones.