Puff Daddy

A lot of things have happened lately that I've failed to blog, so this week is spring cleaning where I will do my best to clear out the drafted posts in my blogging queue.


Since Scott and I entered the professional world four years ago, he has needed to get his wisdom teeth removed. Several hundred headaches, backaches, and mouth aches later, he decided it was time to finally do something about them. As luck would have it, he had a two-day period between his last day at Regions and his first day at Harding to tackle this problem (more on that later). Since he was getting squeezed in, though, his appointment wasn't until 1 p.m., which meant he couldn't eat all day leading up to the procedure. I left him this little reminder when I went to work.

Once we got to the doctor's and Scott was taken back to get started, I started panicking and realized that eight months pregnant women do not handle slightly stressful situations well. They had had Scott sign a waiver saying that he knew anesthesia could possibly kill you, and that lead me to think about raising my son in this cold, cruel world alone. And then they called me back to get my droopy-eyed, puffy-faced husband not a moment too soon because I was about to be a blubbering mess all because of my overactive imagination.

Once we got Scott into the car, with a lot of giggling from him and a lot of walking assistance from the nurse, it was time to go get the pain meds ASAP. He was singing and laughing the whole way. He wasn't so far gone though to keep from critiquing my driving. That's how I knew he was OK.

As the day went on, I learned that while a pregnant lady isn't the best person to have waiting in the waiting room, we do make excellent caregivers. When he napped (which was a lot, thanks to the meds), so did I (glorious!). He was hungry? A milkshake for him and a little off the top for me (delicious!). It was a great partnership. Plus I didn't have to share my Girl Scout cookies (obesity!).

After four days of ice packs, milkshakes, soup and pain killers, Scott was finally ready to rejoin the living four wisdom teeth lighter and a little puffier around the mouth.

The moral of the story was spoken by his nurse, "Get your son in here when he's 16, not almost 26." Deal. Then it can be Scott's turn to sit in the waiting room.

Waiting on Preston

A lot of things have happened lately that I've failed to blog, so this week is spring cleaning where I will do my best to clear out the drafted posts in my blogging queue.

In September when Scott and I announced we were expecting, my friend Cassie was quick to jump up and say, "Hey! Let's schedule your maternity pictures now!" When I marked March 3 on my calendar, it felt like decades away — like how far Christmas seems when you're five and it's July.

And then, all the sudden, it was time for pictures. I had found the perfect Pin-spiration for what I'd like the photos to look like, and Cassie jumped on board with her usual, extreme enthusiasm. I've done several blog posts about photo sessions with my friend Cassie, and this one is no different. The photos she captured were just what I wanted them to be.

The only downside was that Scott was looking like the fourth member of Alvin and the Chipmunks due to his wisdom teeth extraction two days earlier, but that only means that we get another awesome Cassie Jones photo shoot!

Here are just some of my favorites.

If you'd like, you can see more on Cassie's blog. Thanks, Cassie, for your amazing work!

Fill in the blanks Friday

Imagine my surprise this morning when I was scrolling through my Google Reader, a bowl of Cocoa Puffs balanced on my belly, when I saw my blog banner and a picture of my boots on The Little Things We Do. I had submitted some of my own Friday blanks to help Lauren along after the birth of her precious daughter, Fern.

Lauren has been one of my favorite blogs for a long time. She was a few months ahead of me in her pregnancy, so when Scott and I first found out we were expecting, I emailed her a bunch of questions. It was nice to talk to someone about what was to come when we weren't openly telling others about it yet.

So, I think it's only fitting that I fill in my own blanks now!

1. My favorite room in my home is our living room because I'm a huge fan of our couch, and that's where it's located. Plus it's where all of our friends hang out when they're over, movie watching takes place, and Sunday afternoon napping occurs.

2. My current decor style is modern rustic (?). but I wish it were more focused. I would love to fully embrace this concept — wooden planked ceilings, cozy knit pillows, the works. I guess that's all something for the dream home.

 3. I wish I could redecorate the office in my house to make it more purposeful. Right now we have a wall of bookcases, a couch, computer desk, an ironing board, and drying rack in our office. It just looks cluttered. I'd love to have an office straight out of Architectural Digest.

 4. My dream house absolutely has to have an awesome master bathroom. I'd love a giant tub separate from the shower and a sink far away from Scott's so he can't complain about my makeup, hair spray, and contact solution making a mess.

 5. One house item I am willing to splurge on is good furniture. I think this is sort of obvious, but when we moved into our home three years ago, we had a Target coffee table and Walmart kitchen table — not to mention no bedroom furniture to speak of. When we started shopping for new stuff, we decided to spend now and have the pieces for the rest of our lives.

6. A decor trend that I just don't "get" is all white everything. This usually includes some type of fuzzy white rug, and I just picture hairballs getting trapped in that.

7. Bath and Body Works' lavender chamomile-scented candles are a little touch that makes my house feel like home.

Thanks for using my blanks, Lauren!

March photo a day: Days 1-9

I don't think just because I have an Instagram app on my iPod that I am now the world's best photographer, but I have enjoyed these monthly photo "challenges" as a way to stretch how I see what is around me and to help me grow in my creativity. Here's what I've captured so far.

1. Up: I guess it could also work as "down," depending on your destination.

2. Fruit: While taking this picture, I was still less awkward than that singing stock girl who's always in produce. You know the one.

3. My neighborhood

4. My bedside: My favorite part is the frog figurine from my 12-year-old cousin. When she gave it to me at Christmas 2010, she said, "The pink one is you, the blue one is Scotty, and the dragonfly is the baby that you still don't have yet." She was ready for a baby to play with. Like they say, be careful what you wish for.

5. Smile

6. 5 p.m.(-ish): On my way home

7. Something you wore: House shoes and yoga pants. Few things feel better than that.

8. Window: Rain drops on a dreary day

9. Red

I hope you have a great weekend! Scott and I are going to celebrate his return to solid foods post wisdom teeth removal. Poor guy has been living off of milkshakes and soup for the past week (not that the milkshake part is all that bad).

Find me on Instagram, username jmhannigan.

Week 32: A letter to my son

To my boy,

This week I realized that you'll be here next month. It's hard to believe that in eight weeks (Please be eight weeks. Six works, too. You see, your momma is impatient), you won't be kicking under my ribs or somersaulting after every meal. The little hands, feet and face I've seen in blurry, Etch-a-Sketch form will be right here in front of me. We'll get to see if you in fact have your daddy's long second toe or my crooked pinky toe (heaven help your poor feet if you get both), your daddy's blue eyes or my large forehead (a mark of pride and distinction among the Harris clan). And there you'll be — all ours. I can't wait for that.

At the same time, I also realized that next month you won't be all mine any more. I won't be the one who gets to hold you all day, every day. While I'm not the biggest fan of the bladder/trampoline routine you perform, those days of feeling your kicks and nudges will be in the past. So, I promise to be the best at sharing I can be when that time comes, but for now I'm going to relish this time we have together now — before you grow taller than I and have to help me get the sugar off the top shelf.

Love,
Momma