Are you still here?

Come on over to my new feed, friends!
I'd hate for you to miss this week- what with the Pleated Poppy giveaway going on today, a mushy tribute to my husband on our anniversary tomorrow and the grand opening of my new monogramming shop on Monday (discount codes for blog readers, of course!).

Basically, I'm bribing you.
And I'm not above a little bribery. Just ask my kids.

Attn: Google Followers, Feed Readers and the Like

Hey folks,
First of all, THANKS for wanting to read this blog on a regular basis. I only thought that would be my mom  and I sure appreciate it!
Second, I've switched to a wordpress blog as of this weekend and will be posting there. The feed from Blogger will not continue, so please subscribe at the new site: theothermama.com to get the updates!

Email me at theothermama1(at)gmail.com if you have any questions.
Thanks!

Favorite Preggers Questions

ATTENTION! ATTENTION!

AH CHUNG, BABY (or whatever all the warnings in 5 languages for parts for children under 3 have)!

Friday Favorites is taking a vacation this Friday. Because 1) I'm going to a wedding and will be OOT (that's out of town if you are not hip- I'm pretty sure I'm not because I just said "hip") and 2) my lovely and talented friend and blog designer Deanna will be plucking the eyebrows on this here blog over the weekend, so in case you did have a link, it wouldn't be working. Which would be a plum shame.
You get 2 weeks to think about your favorite thing and I can't wait to see them then!

: : : : : : : : :

I love being pregnant; really I do. I feel like I'm taking part in a miracle and it is awesome. I also realize that life now is MUCH EASIER than when the baby will arrive, so I'm thankful for this prep time.

But life as a pregnant woman has it's challenges (besides the no alcohol portion). The funniest thing to me is the way that people gawk look at you and then feel compelled- as if a magnetic field is making them- to ask you questions about your pregnancy.

Here are some of my "favorites":
1) What are you having?
I answered "a baby" to a very confused Staples check out girl last week. And went along my merry way.

Really, I wanted to do that, but then I felt guilty and told her I was just joking, etc.
Danggit- I wish I was meaner sometimes.

2) When are you due?
3) When are you due?
4) When are you due?
End of July.
End of July.
End of July.
(If it wasn't annoying as all get out I would type 42 of those here, but it's starting to feel like writing sentences.)

5) Are you excited?
How am I supposed to answer that? That is the oddest question to me. Of course you're excited. Nervous. Daily have the beJesus scared out of you wondering how in the world THREE children fit in that Target bus thing.
You know- normal thoughts.

6) How are you feeling?
The correct answer here is fine. The real answer would require 45 minutes of your time and several creams and demonstrations of their placements. Or a pull down map of the back to point of pressure points. None of us would prefer that.
Let's just go with "fine".

7) Are the boys excited?
They have no clue what's going on. They are 2 and 4 year old males who think "tomorrow" is 4 light years away, so 3 more months will never actually happen to them. I bet they think this is all made up and I just ate a basketball.

8) You have really gotten BIG!
Thanks for noticing. YOU, TOOOO!!!
(Again, if only I was mean.) What I usually respond to this (I get it A LOT) is "yes- that's how it happens" or something with a smile and a dagger.

I know I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: You don't have to ask a pregnant person about their pregnancy (especially their 3rd). They most likely want to talk about something else because a dozen people before you have asked all the same questions. And I KNOW people are happy for you, want to be excited with you, are oozing pink out of their ears with love and joy, etc.
But what did we talk about before I resembled a large pot-bellied pig?
Small talk is fine- honest. You can do it.

And if you touch my belly I touch yours. Those are the rules.

What is your "favorite" pregnancy question that you've heard?
Been asked?
Always try to avoid?

This post is linked to my pal Jill's Things I Love Thursday. I love her and you will, too. :)

Monogramming Fun

It's a Monogramming Monday and a Top Ten Tuesday all rolled into one; just think of it as a combo meal- supersized. You know I'm starting this monogramming business (site planned to launch May1) and things around here have been a bit crazier than usual. Seeing as how I still have another job, 2.75 children and one whole husband, something has got to give and it might be the blawg this week. But I still love you! Really I do! I'm trying to do it all, but failing miserably.

Can I make it up to you by showing you some of the fun designs and monograms I've done this week?
Thanks.
I hoped you might like that.

In no order whatsoever, here are my Top 10 Favorite Monogramming jobs this week:

1. Placemats for my friend Dana who I promised would not have her hands in the picture.


2. Cutest little tutu outfit you've ever seen.


This design originally had a flower in the center of the tutu, but the friend/ customer (HOLY COW! I HAVE THOSE!!) requested that I put her daughter's initial instead and I love it!


3. Alright. Hold your horses, Alabama people.
Yes- I found a vendor tonight and will have these in stock ASAP.
No- I don't LOVE doing them, but I can manage. :)


4. These next 2 shirts were for a sweet friend (and blog reader- special perks, you see?) who needed a little fun cross


and a little something girly for navy and I think this turned out just right!


5. This mom and friend is hysterical because the following was our conversation:

Her: I like it big.
I like it to pop.
I like it girly.
I want her name on it.

Me: What about font or color or size or applique or fabric or.....?

Her: Whatever you want that fits into the above categories.

How much fun is that? So I came up with this circle lollipop (that is supposed to have a ribbon bow on top of the lollipop stick and below the sucker portion that I couldn't get in time but WILL get) for all of the above!
And she loved it!


6. I love this pillow sham.
I love the little Wilson-esque model behind it more, but the sham sure did make me happy.


7. We took this as a birthday present to a swimming party yesterday.
It's a swim coverup. Get it?
Themes are A#1 in my book.


8. These bloomers are for Ollie's girlfriend. I sent them home with her via backpacks before I monogrammed it to make sure it was the right size.
Her mom and I got so tickled at the "scandal" of  her "leaving her bloomers at our house"!
Oh my. I think we'll leave that joke for college.


9. The same friend from the Nate sham above requested 5 onesies for her niece-to-be. She wanted her name and initials on several, but gave me free license for a couple of them.
I loved this little birdie so much that I made two! I'm sure you'll never guess who the second one is for.


Her niece's name will be Eloise, but they are going to call her Lou. How cute is that?
So I made "Lou" as girly as it deserves to be!


10. Last but not least, a couple of tote bags. My friend called and mentioned that she loved this bag at Tar-jhay. So I picked it up for her and gave it a fun twist! (H is for her last name; I promise it's not for me, but I would love it!)


And this giraffe tote is for my mother-in-law. Talk about pressure! She said, "just something fun and cute". I hope this hits the mark.


So you can see I've been a little busy bee this week. And hoping to stay that busy!

What do you think I should add to the store?
Anything that you can think of that I haven't shown or mentioned already? (I DO have a lot more things, but I'd love your ideas.)
Do you have a favorite item this week?

Thanks so much for your input and patience with me as I make this addition to our lives. Not the baby; I've forgotten about that poor 3rd child- the business, of course. 

This post is linked to my friend Amanda's Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.
 

Friday Favorites: Just a Swangin'

This week has been an absolutely perfect weather week in the South. It's been like every scene of Steel Magnolias except for the musical overtures and without Dolly Parton cutting hair, but pretty much like the rest of it.

So each day after pre-school, the boys have been outside to have a "popsicle party" and swing. My favorite thing this week has been seeing our usually sweet boys have so much fun outside. They love it! And they are at such great ages right now for playing together. I really hope we don't go and throw off the dynamics around here in 3 months...
Wait. Nevermind.

Back to being happy and things being easy, the boys love each other and crack up whenever they are swinging at the same time. (For some reason we called this "being in the same bathtub" when we were kids. Did y'all or am I completely dreaming that?)



Henry's absolute favorite thing to do is swing. He directs me EACH TIME to the proper swing and ALWAYS asks to swing "highest of all".


Ollie is such a big man. I'm actually the teensiest, tiniest bit sad that he has learned how to pump himself. Even though he still likes to be pushed, he "can do it by himself". But since he also says that about brushing his teeth, I'm not betting the farm on it.


Please, oh please, let my children remember these days and not the days where they see more movies in the car and bribery sub-par parenting techniques than the pre- Super Nanny families.

These are the times I'm going to choose to remember. I'm trying to take little snapshots in my mind of them at this age because I know it won't last forever. Even on the craziest and busiest of days full of yelling, time outs and lost shoes, I know they won't always need me, so I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts.



What's your favorite thing this Friday?
Spring clothes? A pedicure (JEALOUS!)?
Spring cleaning over (can you come over here)? Favorite recipe?
Favorite new trick to get your cousin-who-can't-stop-talking off the phone?

Write about it on your blog and link your post (not your whole blog) below (follow the easy instructions).
Please sure to direct folks back here to check out the other Friday Favorites and go give them a friendly hello! Because it's Friday and we all need a little TLC to make it to the weekend.