January 2009

I know this image is a little small, but if you have impeccable vision like I do, you can see that our independent local theater is having a Grease Sing-a-long tonight at 10:00 p.m.

{ 31 comments }

My home- My life said…
Are you going to work after you have your baby? I am not sure what you do now so maybe you should address that first please.

I am the Events Manager for one of the colleges at the University of South Carolina. It’s a really fun job that has really evolved since I’ve been in the position. I was actually the first person to hold this position in our office. I plan about 40 events per year. Because I have a Masters degree, I am qualified to teach at the college level. This semester, in addition to my event planning duties, I am also teaching a professional development seminar for our juniors and seniors. Last semester I taught the freshman seminar class.

I am planning to return to work.

Mrs. Cup said…
What is your favorite part about your job and what is your least favorite?

My favorite part is that I get to use my passion for event planning and organizing every day. I know that events are what I’m supposed to be doing and I love that I’m getting so much experience.

My least favorite part about the job is that it is pretty much the same thing every year; meaning that every January we have this event and every April we have that event. We’re pretty much in a steady rotation. Some creative freedom would be nice somedays. Also, because I work for the state, our event budgets are really small. I would love to see what I could do with a nice big budget!

What is your biggest passion in life?

I’m not going to get deep with this answer. My passion is creativity and the arts. This is broad, I know, but I am completely inspired by music, singing, hearing someone else sing with a beautiful voice, beautiful photography, gorgeous scenery, a well-planned event, musicals, and fine art.

Hollie said…
Will this be your parents’ first grandchild? Your husband’s parents?

Little boy Carroll will be the first grandchild on both sides. Todd doesn’t have any siblings, so until we have another baby there won’t be another baby on Todd’s side. My brother is a ways away from getting to that point, so this child could have siblings before he has a cousin.

Bama Belle in the Big City said…
I know you used to work at a law firm (which is where you met your husband)- what did you do there? And what do you do now?

I managed the conference and event space at the law firm. The best part about that job was the wonderful people (not even including Todd) that I met there. See above for what I do now.

When did you know your husband was the one?

Before we even went on our first date. There was just something there between us and his heart is so kind. I just knew. I know everyone always says that when you know, you know. We had so many wonderful conversations and really got to know each other before we ever went on a date, that I knew before we ever went on our first date.

GrannySmithGreen said…
Did you ever consider NOT finding out if it’s a boy or girl?

No. Not even a consideration. Haha. I plan events for a living and wanted to get started planning a nursery and monograms. My husband will confirm that I don’t like surprises. I beat them out of him, so we just never considered it. I really love the couples that can wait until that big moment to find out!

Mrs. Stilettos said…
What is the most important thing that your parents taught you/showed you growing up that you want to pass to your child?

To love the Lord, Jesus Christ first and above all. They taught me the importance of letting others see Jesus in you. Then to love your spouse second and never put your spouse down in front of the children. They also taught me the importance of loving my sibling like he was my best friend. Unfortunately, I didn’t take advantage of that when I was younger and my brother and I argued a lot. But now, he is my favorite person to be around and I think he’s just an incredible man.

CLuthren said…
What are your three most treasured items? Other than Todd and the dogs what would you rush to save if your house was burning down?

I would save Le Mutt (my stuffed dog that my mom received at one of her baby showers when she was pregnant with me), our wedding album or CD, and the video that my mom made for my high school graduation. The video is about 4 hours long and has hours of video of my life and still pictures in a slide show. Really special.

Marden Family said…
I know you said you like to cook- what are your favorite cookbooks/websites to make recipes from?

I like The Comfort Table by Katie Lee Joel. Any Junior League cookbook is great. The two that I love are The Cotton Country by the Monroe, Louisiana Junior League and Down by the Water from the Columbia, SC Junior League.

The Shabby Princess said…
How is it working while being pregnant? Is your office/workplace supportive?

It has been fine other than when I’m sick. It’s really hard to get out of bed when you’re exhausted and throwing up and have to go put on a happy face and put together a great event. My responsibilities haven’t changed at all.

How do you think your furry kids will react to the new addition to the family?

I think they’ll be a little confused at first, but I think they’re going to love him. I plan to keep their lives pretty much the same and not shut them out of the baby stuff.

Tara Gibson said…
What do your parents and your husband’s parents want their grandchild to call them?

My mom will be K.K. and my dad will be Poppie. I don’t think Todd’s parents have decided yet.

What is the first thing you will go buy for your child if it’s a girl? Or a boy?

I haven’t bought anything yet for him, but I’m sure it will be something special.

Mrs. Jetplane said…
As someone who is still to scared to have kids… What does it feel like to be pregnant, I mean physically feel like? Do you feel different?

There is a lot of heart burn and nausea. That’s more obvious, though. I have some neck and back pain. We saw in the ultrasound that the placenta is pretty thick, so that’s why I’m not feeling him move, but his little movements feel like little bubbles. It isn’t too strange yet since he’s still so small.

Allison said…
If you had to be on a reality TV show, which would you choose? Survivor? American Idol? The Bachelor/Bachelorette (pretend you aren’t married…), So You Think You Can Dance?, Fear Factor, Real World?

I would totally be on American Idol. No question.

{ 13 comments }

I think Todd was a little surprised at Thanksgiving when my pregnant cousin informed him of the “push present.” I’m sure he was thinking, “I just married her. Now I have to give her a present for having a baby?” Of course he doesn’t have to, but I think it’s a wonderful tradition. Wink wink.

When we purchased my wedding ring that was fitted to my engagement ring, the jeweler had to make a mold. He told us he would hang on to the mold because he was sure that Todd would come back someday to get the ring for the other side. I said, “Oh! Five or ten year anniversary presents!” And the jeweler corrected me and said that he was implying that Todd should come back when our first child is born. Who knew that would come so soon?

And there’s always the option of taking a trip. My mom has offered to keep the baby for a week whenever Todd and I are ready to take a belated anniversary trip. A real babymoon is not an option for us because my work schedule is too hectic this Spring. Our anniversary is May 3 and I’ll be a month from my due date at that point. A beach vacation is out of the question. No one wants to see that! A city vacation is not a great idea because I know my legs and ankles will be enormous and walking around could become miserable.

So it looks like we’ll have to wait on a trip until the baby is a little bit older and we decide that we’re ready to leave him.

{ 75 comments }

Shorty said….
I’m curious about your baby name choices, too…. what are your faves?

Well now we know it will definitely be a boy name, but no hints yet. Please see this post.

Will you breastfeed?

I plan to try.

What do you think about babies sleeping (aka the family bed) with their parents and will you try this, or keep the baby in its own bed/bedroom?

We will have a nursery with a nice crib for baby boy Carroll. That’s where he will sleep. I don’t have any opinions on the “family bed” because it’s not something I’ve even considered.

Is there something that you absolutely can’t stand that one of your friends or family members is doing to you while you’re pregnant? I ask b/c I had a friend who ALWAYS rubbed my belly without asking when she would walk up to me. I absolutely despised it when she would do this, but she was the hypersensitive type so I just didn’t say anything…

I think the belly rubbing thing would really bother me, too. It hasn’t happened to me yet, but I definitely think I would have to say something if it happened. Todd is also prepared to say something. We would obviously do this in a passive aggressive jokey kind of way.

I’ve also been annoyed with unsolicited advice. It’s different if someone is my good friend because I really want to know what they think or how they did something, but when a coworker just tells me that something won’t work that I’m planning to do I get really irritated. I also get tired of hearing every single birth story. “Well it happened to so and so this way…” and “so and so was only in labor for an hour…” I have my mom and cousins for those kinds of stories.

EJ & Roo said…
What’s your favorite Carolina beach?

The only Carolina beach I’ve ever visited is Pawley’s Island and I liked it fine. I’m used to the Gulf beaches, though, so I’m really partial to Perdido Key, Florida and Gulf Shores, Alabama. That’s where I plan to take all of my beach trips because that’s where we went every summer as kids.

Following Him said…

What are you craving/hating during pregnancy? Any names yet?

No name hints yet. I am craving chocolate ice cream, cheeseburgers, chips and salsa, and Za’s pizza. The things I liked when I wasn’t pregnant.

Mrs. Newlywed said…
If you could go on a date with any superhero who would it be and why? (pretend Todd doesn’t care)

I’d for sure choose Batman. He doesn’t have super powers. He’s all man!

If you had to pick between having pink hair or permanently purple lips, which would you choose?

I’d go for the purple lips. I am kind of obsessed with hair, but think I could find a nice lipstick to camouflage the purple lips.

GIRL FROM THE LAND of 10KL said…
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would you live?

I think I’d hop around some. I love to move, so I’d really enjoy moving everything around. Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C.

Lori said…
What is your favorite thing about being married? And a not so favorite thing?

I love having my best friend at home with me all the time. I love that we don’t have to make plans and that we can just do whatever we want to. I love talking about the future and daydreaming about what we might want to do and then quickly changing our minds and taking it down another road. Having him around all the time is definitely the best part. And it’s great even when we’re not saying anything at all.

My not-so-favorite thing would just have to be our habits. I’m a “do it now” kind of person because I can’t stand clutter or mess and Todd’s fine to leave it alone for a day or so until he can “get around to it.”

From California to Portland said…
Did you have a feeling you were pregnant before you actually found out?

Kind of. I felt really strange and tired. I thought I was just in a funk because we’d just gotten back from a great trip visiting my parents. Then I realized that I was late and that it could be more than just being tired. So I left work and rushed to CVS and my suspicions were confirmed.

What’s your favorite season and holiday?

I love fall because I love fall clothes. And Christmas is by far my favorite holiday. Spring is fun, too, but it doesn’t last long in South Carolina. The hot humid days are here by the beginning of May.

How did you tell your husband you were pregnant?

I called him at work and asked him to please come home because I wasn’t feeling well. He hesitated for a while and I had to convince him without telling him over the phone. I paced for ten minutes until he got there and I told him as soon as he opened the door. He was really excited.

If you could travel anywhere in the world (money’s no object) where would you go?

I would take a Mediterranean cruise and then visit the Greek Isles. I’d try to spend at least a month over there seeing and exploring everything. I’d love to go into antique shops and find treasures and furniture and then find a way to get them home.

{ 17 comments }

Can you tell? It was really obvious to us when we saw this.

Here’s a new little picture of his profile. He had great lips and a perfect little face. I already can’t wait to see him again. It’s so much fun to write this and be able to say “he” and “him!”

And here he is looking at all of us! Say hello to all of mommy’s blog friends!

My mom just sent me a text message saying that one of her oh-so-stylish clients would like to give me all of her little boy’s clothes. This little boy has some great clothes! Some wonderful little Feltman outfits. He’ll be begging me for “big boy clothes” by his first birthday for sure.

{ 94 comments }

I woke up this morning to a mix of about twenty different feelings and emotions. It feels the way Christmas did when I was a little girl and couldn’t wait to see what Santa brought me. It also feels the way the first day of school used to when I’d repeatedly tell my mom how nervous I was and how I was sure I was going to be sick.

I’ve got my 20 week ultrasound today– at almost 21 weeks pregnant! We’re going to see the baby again and I’m so excited, but I’m nervous. I’ve been praying for this baby my whole life, but real specifically praying for this life for 20 weeks. The whole thing feels surreal. I will know by 3:00 today whether this little person that will spend the next 18 years living with us (maybe a little more) and changing our lives for the better is a boy or a girl!

It’s one of those things that I never thought would happen like “I’ll never be old enough to get married” and “I’ll never be old enough to have a baby.” The day is here. We’ve reached that point in our lives!

I haven’t posted a poll yet, so I’d love to hear what you think. Is Baby Carroll a girl or a boy?

I’ll let you know later today as soon as I can get back to a computer after the appointment.

Note: A new reader left a comment yesterday asking if Carroll was going to be the baby’s name. Carroll is our last name.

{ 62 comments }

I’m having my first serious craving. I’ve craved other things lately like Za’s three cheese pizza, chocolate ice cream, and chips and salsa. Those cravings weren’t too intense, though, because I’m able to satisfy the craving within minutes.

My fingers are all ready to click “order” on the Gambino’s website. And I may as well order five or six full King Cakes, right? If I eat the whole cake and then I get the baby, then I’ll have to provide the next cake, and I’ll get the baby again. Then I’ll have to provide the next cake and… This could go on and on and I’m fine with that!

My husband has never been to New Orleans and I don’t think that it’s the best idea to take him down there for Mardi Gras while I’m pregnant. I’ve already told him that next February when Baby Carroll is 8 months old that we’ll head down there for the celebrations and he can experience New Orleans in all its crazy Mardi Gras glory.

Are there any other displaced Louisiana girls that plan to have Mardi Gras parties in their current towns?

{ 30 comments }

I can’t believe the weekend is over! We had a great time at Sunday school this morning and we saw Slumdog Millionaire on Friday night. It was great! I’ve answered round two of the questions. More to come!

Mojito Maven said…
1. When can i convince you and Todd to move to Dallas so we can be bff?

I don’t need to be convinced! For those of you that don’t know, not only does Mrs. Mojito live in Dallas, but my two best friends from college and my parents are also in Dallas. I visit as often as possible– every two months or so. I’d pick up and go in a heartbeat just because I so badly miss all of my favorite people and Dallas is a great city. My sweet husband loves his job, though, and that’s so rare these days! We’ll be here as long as he’s happy at work. We moved around a lot when I was growing up, so I’m used to moving and I actually like it. I would pick up and go anywhere if he said it was a great job for him.

2. What is the first alcoholic beverage you are going to drink when you are done being pregnant?

Maybe a mojito! I really don’t know. I’ve thought about it a few times– especially when we’re at Mexican restaurants and I see other customers drinking margaritas. I like sharing a glass of wine with my mom when I’m visiting her, too. Mojito, margarita, Bud Light, chardonnay, it doesn’t matter. To tell you the truth, though, I was sick for so long during this pregnancy that I really haven’t missed not being about to have an adult beverage. I’m sure after 19 more weeks I’ll be ready!

3. When are you going to post more HOT pictures of you being pregnant???

Hilarious. I’ll try to post one this week! It’s definitely growing and it’s the strangest feeling!

Mrs. Buck said…
What is your favorite thing about being pregnant?

Just knowing that there is a little life inside of me that is a little bit of Todd and a little bit of me! I can’t wait to meet this person that I’ve been praying so long for!

What is your least favorite thing (aka. what do you dislike the most) about being pregnant?

There are a lot more things that I dislike about being pregnant. I’m sorry if that makes me sound ungrateful. I was sick for 18 straight weeks and that’s not fun at all. I get excruciating heartburn every night, wake up about six times every night, want a nap every three hours, and the bad headaches have started. I could write a book about the things that I wish I could eat and how much I miss exercising, but am afraid of getting sick if I do too much.

Seriously, I’m not trying to complain, but she asked what I didn’t like. I know that as soon as I see that little face all of these things will be a distant memory and none of these things will stop me from wanting to have another one someday.

Madison Girl said…
1) Are you still sick?(I hope not)

The pregnancy-related sickness is gone for the most part. I only get sick once every two or three days and then it’s over. I’m beyond thankful that this prayer has been answered and I can leave the house without the fear of getting sick in the car.

2) Whats your favorite place to eat out in Columbia?

Mr. Friendly’s! It’s so cute and quaint. The atmosphere is wonderful because it’s not too quiet in there, but it’s so small that it’s not too loud either. It’s so close to our house that we tend to eat there more on a week night instead of the weekend. The food is Southern, but not fried and fatty. Their grits are my absolute favorite. Yum… who’s hungry?

3) Whats your favorite place to shop in Columbia (when not prego!)?

I love this store in 5 Points called Mary. (The Columbia bloggers know what I’m talking about) When I was so dedicated to exercising and following the Weight Watchers Points leading up to the wedding, I finally had the body where I could wear the gorgeous dresses that come in sizes that you’d never imagine you could wear. I loved to go to Mary just to try things on. Those 40 pounds came off over about 3 years and I had to buy a lot of new clothes during that time. But it wasn’t until those last pounds came off right before the wedding that I bought some of those clothes that I never imagined I could wear again. Now I’m gaining them all back with the pregnancy, so I’ll be so anxious to work hard again so I can get back in my favorite clothes.

Kate said…
(1) Good Gals stole mine with the baby names question! I know some people are hesitant to share those, though – but if you’re willing… I’m curious too!

I can’t wait to tell all of you our name choice, but I have to wait! Hopefully it will be worth the wait.

(2) I know your parents live in Dallas and you bought your wedding dress at WB… did you grow up in Dallas?

No. My parents just moved to Dallas in 2006 and I never lived there. I was born in Baton Rouge. When I was 7 we moved to Ruston, Louisiana then when I was 13 we moved to Indiana. I graduated from high school in Indiana and went back to Ruston, Louisiana for college at Louisiana Tech. My parents had moved to Columbia, SC while I was in college, so I moved out here to Columbia to attend graduate school near my family when I finished college. After I finished grad school my dad accepted a job in Dallas and off they went! I had already met Todd at that point and knew that Columbia would be my home. I LOVE visiting Dallas, though. We’ll get together when I’m there sometime!

(3) You’ve posted about deciding whether or not to sell your wedding dress… I have a feeling I will struggle with that too… what was your thought process in deciding to hold on to it for now?

I had to send my dress off to New York to be cleaned and preserved– which is not easy or inexensive! That process took about eight weeks, but I just got word that the dress is on its way back to me, so it will be nice to see it again. I am 90% sure that I want to sell it. When I get it back in a few days I plan to post it on Preowned Wedding Dresses.

{ 9 comments }

I’ve been crying all morning ever since I heard Barbara and Jenna Bush’s recorded version of their letter to Sasha and Malia Obama on the Today Show. Who else saw this? It was the sweetest, most appropriate letter with some really fun pictures and it keeps me choked up.

I love that they told them to slide down the banister at the White House and to play games on the White House lawn. I especially loved that they cautioned them not to listen to the reports or skits that tear down their father. They told them that he will always be the Daddy that held them, rocked them, read to them, and the Daddy whose world was changed the day they were born. Presidents are all faced with so much criticism and it’s probably much harder on their wives and children than it is on them.

But I think we can all relate in a way to what the Bush twins said about their father. No matter what else your dad becomes in life, he’ll always be your Daddy.

You can read the entire letter here.

{ 45 comments }