Week 39

Bottomline.... we are just crazed! Its showtime, Elle (oh great, I'm already a stage mom)! Family and friends are looking at me like I'm a ticking time bomb :) I definitely understand why disability starts 4 weeks before your due date - this is pretty crazy. I decided to stop working on Monday (was planning on working up until she joined us!) and am so glad that I left when I did. We've been so blessed with a pleasant pregnancy... I had no idea what happens to your body this last month! I usually can't sleep at night but for some reason can sleep during the early until late morning so I'm keeping quite a strange schedule these days. Doug and I have everything ready to go - bags are packed and ready by the door. Our nights are filled with enjoying these last few days just the two of us... as its been for over 11 years now. We spend the weekends at the beach and bay. I love spending time in the waves as well as the calm bay. I think Elle will be a little water baby given all the time she's spent in the ocean this summer. Doug has been a saint. He deserves an award. He does everything around here and waits on me hand and foot - with a smile and a hug - as I grunt to merely get up off the bed. Thanks, Doug-o/Daddy.
Love, Erin & Elle

Work Shower: All the fun ladies - thank you to our hostess, Missy...Family Shower: Absolutely gorgeous, Grammie Dian - thank you! Love you all....

Dian's Birthday at The Beach House in Cardiff - Doug, Erin, Elle & Uncle Steve-o:

Weeks 34 - 36

Less than 4 weeks to go! We are beyond excited to meet our little lady. All her clothes are washed and folded, her room is complete, her mom is (really, very ;) ) ready and most importantly we've got the perfect outfit to take her home in! I am pleased to report Doug and I have been resting more, going to the beach, watching movies at home, barbequing on our patio, etc. after months of continuous work. Grandma Judy helped finish our last project, refreshing the powder room - thanks, Mom! My neighbor Karen and I enjoyed massages (her shower gift to me was a prenatal massage - so, so fabulous) at The Estancia in La Jolla. We lunched at the pool, laid out and swam - glorious day. Missy threw me a lovely baby shower with all my friends from the office and we had a fantastic time! Elle is pretty cramped in there now and has started sticking her foot out on my side almost reaching my back! She is quite the gymnast and weighing in at over 6 pounds! We had a 4D ultrasound and it was completely amazing. She has the cutest little lips and nose... and those cheeks... well, lets just say she takes after her mom and dad as babies (poor thing :) ). They also confirmed to "1000%" that she is a girl (thank goodness or we would be in serious trouble with her 99.9% pink wardrobe). Love and hugs to you all. XOXO, Doug, Erin & Elle

Weeks 30-33

Greetings! Between baby showers, nursery decorating and Doug's new obsession with kiteboarding, we have been super busy! I'll try and be brief... first, Doug finished the bathroom and we are loving the new tile. Kim and Krista threw me an absolutely beautiful baby shower with pink crystals on everything possible! Kim flew out from New Jersey for 5 glorious days. Krista left 1 yr old Parker with Grandma for a night and came for a sleepover. We enjoyed cupcakes along with real and fake :) champagne. The next day we shopped and got manicures/ pedicures, too fun! Kim and I went out downtown with a group of girls for dinner and dancing. Elle & I found a pink and purple disco ball sequin tank top to wear that night - too funny! Our little family spent all of July 4th weekend at the beach and bay kiteboarding and swimming. Elle loves to swim across to a little island in the middle of the bay and I certainly enjoy swimming with a 4 pound weight hanging off the front of me :) We were again showered with love and gifts at the glamorous shower my mother-in-laws' best friends threw for us. Finally, we received the remainder of the furniture for Elle's nursery. My mom and dad were incredible, helping with the painting, wainscotting, organization, etc. We just need to hang pictures and finish the decor, then we are officially finished! In the photos below, you can see 2 of 3 cupcake paintings by Mrs. Dian Pedersen herself who was kind enough to let us commission these fabulous paintings with her for free. In the photos of Elle, you can see her grabbing her feet - she was so adorable during her Week 30 ultrasound. Love and hugs to all...

XOXO, Doug, Erin & Elle

Week 28

Happy June! Wait, its mid-June? Elle will be here in 2 1/2 months! We better finish these home improvement projects! We have been so busy and still loving every moment of pregnancy. We visited Paso Robles for a wedding at a beautiful winery... too bad Elle and I had to enjoy a glass of lemonade while overlooking the divine vineyards! I did bring a bottle of dealcoholized champagne with me and shared it with the two other pregnant women at the wedding, though. We had fun pretending :) I included a picture of us at the wedding below, I actually found a dress to accomodate this giant baby in my belly! We also enjoyed our Mother's Day with Doug's grandma from Santa Barbara. I was showered with Mother's Day Gifts, which although completely premature, were so appreciated! Well, love you all and hope to see you soon!

So here is one project completed.... Elle loves her paint color choice:

Here is a project that is almost completed (updated photos will be posted soon).... Elle wanted to take baths in a new bathtub with italian tile:

Soon will be the fun part - Elle's room!