So much to be thankful for!!

Look at our cute animals! John and Ginger sent us some wall art and I'm so excited because I LOOOOVE getting Tristan's room done. They also bought us the light switch and the night light but I'll have to exchange because Target's registry didn't tell them that I had two! Ha!
They also bought us the cover for the changing pad.... I put those little animals everywhere..I LOVE THEM!

THIS gift below was the shock of all shocks! My friend at work... Karen Castleberry bought Holt and I this baby video monitor. Never being a mom before, I had no idea what monitor to get but EVERYONE I've talked to has said that I will be bopping into T's room every 5 seconds making sure that he is breathing and this is awesome because we can see everything right from the monitor in our room! Personally, this could mean 5 more minutes of sleep so I couldn't be MORE THANKFUL!!!

Now here's Holt holding all of our gifts from Chrissy and Josh VanScoy... two out of the 8 friends we sailed the BVI with! Chrissy is one of my Ya-Ya's... and Josh, well...I've known Josh for almost my entire life (Poor soul!) Holt is holding Tristan's scrapbook page and let me tell you..it's awesome! Don't be scared people, you can send any form that you'd like but she definitely raised the bar! They also sent us the softest blanket on the planet, The Giving Tree book (which I used to own, but lost and LOVE IT) and the cutest stuffed animal! See below...

I'm totally keeping this guy for myself.

and here's the front of Tristan's card... it's awesome!

and then some words of wisdom on the back... and I love that it's a sailboat! Takes me back to the care-free days in the BVI!!

Also, we received a gift card from our friends Bibby and Ralph Starks. Bibby and I used to work together at Hyatt and she was so sweet to think of us! I will DEFINITELY make good use of this in the diaper section of the store!

And last, but not least... Unkie and Aunt Sue also sent us a gift card to Target. I gotta tell you, I'm going to have a hard time parting with it because it's a little alligator and you can move his mouth, it's so cute! But again... my sons bottom will need some coverage so I'm sure, once I'm desperate, I'll hand it over!

I'll be updating more next week after my shower this weekend. I'll be sure to have lots of photos of friends and family so you can see how cute everything is and everyone who decided to come. I'm sure it'll be interesting... never a boring day in my world - ha!

Orca Barber's back to work............... ciao!

News and.... STUFF!

Hey...where's our brother? We're waiting...and waiting...and waiting!!!

Below is Tristan's new changing table complements of Robert and Sharon Van Cleave (my boss) and we love it!! My mom bought us the little green baskets to go on there that will be filled with diapers and stuff (I assume)! Deb, Seth and Margie are coming from Chicago next weekend so they will give "mom advice" on how to set up the whole system. The fist shelf will store the wipey warmer and rest of the fun gear!

This is Tristan's new night light!! It's so darn cut and came all the way from LA!! Arlene and Mark Pickerill (two of my FAVORITE PEOPLE ON THE PLANET) sent Tristan this, the little light switch below and the green hamper which for some reason Simba is VERY attracted to.

Wait til' it has some dirty clothes in there.... YUM!

Here's a picture hopefully offering a little more perspective on the size of the crib and table. Holt doesn't love cherry but it matched the dresser that we had in there so I think he'll warm up to it. Actually, I doubt he cares either way! Mr. Laid Back!!

Aslan...patiently waiting.... (probably for food, not Tristan)

And the picture below is Uncle James and little cousin Davis. I had to include because he is offering some wisdom for our little guy.....

As you can see from the photo below, this takes skill and sheer determination. Now Tristan, getting through the dog door is not only FUN...it's a challenge. It's like a baby obstacle course...


First, you stick the upper part of you.... ya know, your shirt....OUT.....kind of like the hokey pokey...

then VEEEEEEEEEEEEEERY carefully, you go out one leg at a time.

You will need this skill when you are grounded and need to make the great escape without any security alarms going off.


What are cousins for right???

too cute not to share...

we told Simba that there's a new little guy in the house... almost...

Aslan is aware and already accepted one new pain in the butt brother, what's one more? Plus, this one will drop a lot of food... and he knows it.

So Daddy reassured Simba that being the middle child was ok.... that he would be loved and taken care of....

Yeah...well, he isn't thrilled but hey, that's a dog's life. He'll recover.

Poooooooooooooor Simba.

Man, I love my boys!

More gifts -- WOW!

YIPPPPE! Toys! Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Johnny bought little T toys!!! I am in love with the baby einstein activity gym - I used to play with Brad and Nat's all the time and it's great! There's a puppy too!! And the box of Sassy gifts - yahoooooooooo I will be filling the diaper bag with these little goodies!

Above is the CUTEST little outfit and maybe you can't see the little Wranglers! Unkie and Aunt Sue sent us the little bear and outfit....ALL Texans need Wranglers!

Oh and I forgot to mention... I'm SURE this guy is a BAYLOR BEAR! Sick'em BEARS!! We'll be at Baylor on Halloween...think I'm gonna paint my belly a big green and yellow bear - WUHOOOOO!

And last but not least my sweet friends Ann Marie and Mike sent Holt and I a Target gift card! I love these... because we will need MANY, MANY diapers (although you know that having 2 kids, huh Bean!?) So thank you both very much!!

That's all for now folks..................... Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye

Long awaited photos

NOT ONE picture with me and my mom... horrible...we know!

me n Simba

orca barber

me in all of my glory!

nursery shot!!! BIG lion... little lion....
The Barbers, 1 out of 5 Coggeshalls and a Mazzeo!

me n Holtie... Kel, you like those lights huh?

me n mama B
My mom made me do it....

Hoooooooooooltie you look tiiiiiiiiiiiiny!

and handsome... MEOW!

Little Hadley.... I would steal her if I could

......and in her model shot below....

Yeah Baby! Who loves the Cowboys... we do!!

Marion Barber - WUHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Me and 2 out of 4 of my boys!

Yeah, she made me do this one too... AND she made me put 'em up! *GULP*

That's all folks........... more to come I'm sure! I'm gonna waddle on out now... ciao!

It's Christmas in September!

How fun is this... we come home from work and there are gifts everywhere!!

I don't know if you can see how cute this little onsie is... but first of all..it's my favorite kind - it has FEET! Also it's monogrammed for Tristan! Thank you Rhonda and Craig for this fabulous little get up. Can't wait to get my litte guy in there!!

We are also pretty dang excited about this tub... it seems idiot proof but knowing me I'll scald my little guy.... I have to be vewy, VEWY, Cawefuuuul! This came from our pals Nancy and Doug Zirkel from Chicago - so fun!! Thanks guys!

Aunt Kelly and Uncle Lee sent us this rockin Booster seat. AND IT TRAVELS!! Who wants to have us over for dinner? Come on... you know you do!! Hopefully this will keep the little guy busy and us from going bananas at the table! Yeah.... right.

Aunt Kelly and Uncle Lee (oh and cousin Zach too) ALSO sent us the Rainforest Jumperoo! I was going to take it out of the box and build it but then I have to clean it like 20 times. Soooo, here it is in all it's glory. God bless Holt, he'll have so much to build in January! Ha!

Below is a picture of the beginning stages of Tristan's room...on the wall we put up his quilt (from my dad - looks so cute!) and the rocker will go below that. Yeah, we're a little tight on space... oh well! On the floor is the cute little matching rug that Michelle Bobart sent us!!

Then here, Holt fixed my attempt at putting up the valances...also from Michelle.... and they look MUCH better than when I did it. And if you could feel them....they are SOOO soft!! AND perfectly matches, Holt, Kimmie & Ruth Ann's paint job!!


Now this is getting fun!

This is the car seat (WHAT A BLESSING) from my dad... it's for Holt's car... and the green is the stabilizer for T's head (I know...it's upside down) and that's from our friends Stacy & Troy Johnson...they live in Miami now but Stac has family in Dallas so we'll get to see her when she visits with Troy, Rowan and Cade! YIPPPEE! Her blog link is on my page... go check her out! Together... we are Romey and Michelle - (Stac, that still makes me giggle!)

Below are 3 little bath towels from the Johnsons too... so cute - I LOVE TIGGER....

and of course... have to have a little Pooh in your life! (I'm about to have a lot and I bet it won't smell like honey!)

Please note the soccer ball below...I'm not pushing but I'm just saying ...

....if soccer is his thing right out of the birth canal...who am I to say?

Ok.... well, this needs some explaining. My sister LOVES Beanie Babies... so what if she's 42... ha! Sorry Kel...

So she sent Tristan her FAVORITE one. His name is Sweetheart. She wrote Tristan this sweet little note... but Holt found comfort in the darn thing. It was hard to pry it away!

The note is there on the bottom right... basically, we had to swear to never give him away and as long as I can keep me OTHER boys away from him... I think he'll be safe in the jungle room with my little monkey T!

I don't know if you can read it but Auntie Kelly is in love with a baby she's never met. She even planned a trip for she and Lee to come and see us for a week in March. Well, I'm no dummy, she's coming for the baby! Ha!

I know it may seem odd to blog about gifts but so many of my friends and family can't come to my shower so I wanted them to see their stuff in action. Well, the action shots will come later when you get picks of Tristan doin' his thing in your gift. I feel sorry for whoever gives me the diaper genie! HA!

I want to make sure that everyone gets "press" and plus, for those of you that aren't here, I like for you to be a part of it all and see all the fun stuff we have!

If I could take pictures of the DRAWERS and BINS of clothes that Kimmie has let us borrow you would be as THRILLED a I am. As you and I know, this is a tight economy and EVERY bit counts so to not have to buy any clothes is HUGE!!! So thank you, thank you, thank you Kimmie for having the wisdom to save it all!

My friend Nicole at work also gave me bags of maternity clothes and is giving me her hand me down clothes. It just so happens she has a friend that gives her sports gear so Tristan will be wearing some Cowboys gear AND NY Giants... oh I'm in trouble for posting that part!!

Wait til you see what he's coming home in.... oh man... SO CUTE!

I have once again managed to avoid getting my body in any photos and for all of you complaining... go have a baby and YOU SHOW THE WORLD YOUR GRANDNESS... I prefer to suffer quietly and battle it out with the mirror. I am not alone.. the preggos I work with and a friend in Chicago all feel the same way so THANKFULLY I do not feel alone!!!

Don't forget to check out Holt's blog link on here too... he's becoming quite the writer and Oh... for those of you that didn't notice... John and Ginger's blog is on here and you can see her new little baby "bump". SHE BARELY looks preggers... I'm gonna go smack her now. Oh yeah, no can do, she's one of my best friends and I may need her to babysit one day! Ha!

Enough chatter... Thank you again to all... we are SO EXCITED!