Multiplying Like Gremlins...

Our tiny apartment is slowly being swallowed up by baby stuff. After two baby showers in one month I feel like the baby products are multiplying like Gremlins over here. Don't get me wrong...I love to look around and see all of Everly's precious little essentials lying around but we are in serious need of an organization intervention in the Callaway house. While most of our friends and family members are planning relaxing holiday weekends that include BBQs, cold beverages, and weekend getaways, our 3 day weekend is going to be centered around finding a spot for all of our little darlings clothes, furniture, and baby products. Operation nursery is officially underway!

Putting together the crib

Last weekend we had another fabulous baby shower and Everly was once again spoiled rotten by all of our amazing family members and friends. Danny's mom and sister went out of their way to host a spectacular event in Las Vegas that included both girls and boys! We had so much fun. Several of Danny's closest friends attended (most had never been to a baby shower before so they were not sure what to expect) and they all seemed to enjoy themselves just as much as the females. My brother in law, Damon, was the grill master and he cooked up some yummy grub for all of the guests. He even made his legendary mac and cheese which was delicious! Cold beverages (both adult and kid-friendly) were served to help everyone stay cool in the 110 degree Vegas heat and a few people even swam. We played games, caught up with family and friends that we hardly ever get to see, and were overwhelmed with all the thoughtful baby gifts that were purchased for sweet Everly. Here are a few pictures from the event:

Game #1 - Making Babies Out of Play Dough


Judging and Announcing the Winners

Top 3 Winners

Opening Presents


Amazing Friends and Family!

Dear Baby Girl....

Dear Everly,

Your arrival date is getting closer! According to the doctors your expected due date is 12 weeks away. On one hand this feels like an eternity, but in reality I guess it isn't that far away. I can tell you are growing bigger and stronger every day because your kicks and jabs are packing a mean punch these days. As a matter of fact you kicked me so hard a few weeks ago you knocked my iPad right off my belly. ;) I also caught a rib shot during lunch the other day that caused me to jump a few inches off my seat. ;) Your increased strength has even earned you the new nickname of Kung Fu Panda (which you will soon learn is a common tradition in this family - it seems like Bama gets a new nickname every time I turn around).

In the last few weeks your daddy has also been able to feel your movements through my belly. We often find ourselves lying quietly in bed with his hand on my tummy anxiously awaiting your next move. Speaking of your daddy, I feel like I should tell you how excited he is for your arrival too. He loves you SO much baby girl. He is constantly showering my belly with kisses, giving me belly rubs, and talking to you through my belly every morning and night. He is going to be such a wonderful role model for you and through his actions he will teach you exactly how a man should treat a woman. Did you know that 6 years after our first date your daddy still opens the car door for your mommy? When you grow up and are ready to find a partner it will certainly be a challenge to find a man who can fill your daddy's shoes, but you should NEVER settle for less than you deserve. Remember, good things come to those who wait. I was 30 years old when I found your daddy and I definitely had to kiss some frogs before I found my prince. ;)

We love you so much baby girl. It is hard to find the words to express just how excited we are to meet you. I had a dream about you last night and you were absolutely gorgeous. Your skin was silky smooth and you had the most piercing blue eyes I had ever seen. Your spirit was calm and peaceful and your sweet little coos were music to my ears. When I woke up this morning my heart swelled with joy. I have been walking around all morning with a huge grin on my face. Sweet Everly, you are the best thing that has ever happened to us! Keep growing bigger and stronger because we have a lifetime of adventures ahead of us. See you soon!

Love,
Mama

Greetings from the South

Week 26

I feel like it has been FOREVER since my last update! I have a great excuse though...Miss Everly and I are in Alabama visiting our family & friends. We left LA on June 2nd and have been spoiled by everyone since we touched down over a week ago. The adventure began with a four hour flight from LA to Atlanta. I never dreamed that flying could be so uncomfortable. Let me start by saying that I was already terribly sad to leave Danny behind and it made it even harder when he left us at the curb after hugging me tight and then bending down to kiss my belly and telling Everly how much he loved her and how much he was going to miss her. I swear...I fall more in love with him every day! After checking in and making it through security without any problems, I made it to the gate with plenty of time to spare. I found myself watching every single person with a baby to see if I could pick up any travel tricks or tips, or at the very least learn what NOT to do when traveling with a baby. To be completely honest, I am already so nervous about flying with Everly at Christmas time I can hardly think about it without breaking out in hives. Luckily, every person I saw made it look super easy though so I have gained a little more confidence from merely people watching at the airport. I am sure we will be the traveling shit show in December (don't forget we will be traveling with an infant and a dog - yes, Bama is coming too!) but I have decided that is OK! I am sure all the people around us will be praying to the karma gods that they don't have to sit next to us...who knows...maybe we will buy an extra seat so we can have an entire row and spare some lucky passenger a panic attack. ;)

After boarding the plane I was delighted to discover that not only had I scored an aisle seat near the bathroom ( I bet I had to pee 5 x during the flight), but the middle seat was also empty!!! During take off Miss Everly was extremely active but settled down quickly after about 15
minutes. I managed to stay somewhat comfortable and entertained for the first 90 minutes (thanks to a movie on my iPad & snacks), but right before my movie ended my lower back started to ache and my legs felt restless. Since the doctor had already told me to walk the plane to prevent blood clots (great...one more thing to worry about, right?) I figured I had better get up and move. Luckily the flight attendant in the back of the plane was tickled by me so I managed to entertain myself and stretch for an hour in the back of the plane while chatting with her about her recent pregnancy and all things baby. It pays to make friends with people...I scored a few extra cookies and a giant liter of bottled water from her which is pretty good considering I was flying on the equivalent of a Greyhound in the Sky. I also discovered on this flight that everyone loves a pregnant lady. People were so nice and everyone I made eye contact with wanted to chat about my due date, whether I was having a boy or a girl, and what her name was going to be. Did I mention that I love all the extra attention that comes along with pregnancy? I guess I should enjoy it now, huh? I have already accepted the fact that I will be chopped liver once baby girl arrives. ;)

As soon as I stepped off the plane in Atlanta, I felt like I was walking into an oven. Newsflash: heat & pregnancy do not mix. Just my luck the South is experiencing record temperatures right now (we are talking 100+ degree temps with 100% humidity) so it is extra miserable. I can't tell you how many times I have thanked the Lord that I live in LA. I don't know if I could make it through my third trimester in this heat. As soon as my mama picked me up at the airport I instantly felt better though. She is so dang excited about this baby it is hard to do anything
but smile and laugh at her. ;) We have truly had a great time together this entire trip. She rubs my belly and talks to Everly all the time (just like Danny) and her excitement about her first grand baby is contagious.

One of the major highlights of this trip has been Everly's baby shower. I know my words will not even do justice when I try to describe how splendid this event was but I will try. My best friends Genell & Shay, my mom, and my Aunt Kay & Everly's "Great Aunt Nancy" went out of their way to make this day fabulous in every way possible. From the picture slide show (copy and paste this link to view it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1TJHDkKcn8 ), to the baby carriage carved out of a watermelon, to the rubber ducky decorations (complete with a baby pool and bathtub), to the delicious and gorgeous cake, to the mystery punch recipe, to the music trivia with "baby" in the titles, to decorating onesies with fabric markers, it was truly a perfect day. Not to mention that it felt so good to catch up with friends and family that I never get to see. I felt so loved and all I could do was cry the entire day. Pregnancy has officially made me a blubbering sack of tears!

Miss Everly also received the most amazing and thoughtful gifts. I can promise you that this little girl is going to be one of the best dressed babies in Hollywood. I honestly don't think we will need to buy any clothes for the first 6 months of her life. However, I will say that I am a firm believer that you can never have too many fabulous outfits in your closet so this is a good thing. I guess we are going to play dress up all the time and go stroll down Rodeo Drive just so she can wear all of her new clothes. Plus, my cousin Tracy said it best when she exclaimed, "this is perfect...she can't wear the same outfit twice on the red carpet!" In addition to all of the fabulous gifts we also received about 30 books to start her library. In lieu of a card, all of the guests brought their favorite children's book inscribed with a hand-written note to Everly in the front cover. Priceless!

Here are a few pics from her baby shower:

As our trip comes to a close this week I am so grateful for the time I have had with my family and friends the past two weeks. While i can hardly wait to get back home to Danny & Bama, the time in Alabama has definitely helped me to recharge my battery and prepare for the
final stages of this pregnancy. Miss Everly Lily is one lucky little girl. She is going to enter this world surrounded by so many wonderful people who will love and support her as she begins her journey on this Earth. I cannot wait to introduce her to the world!