Weekend Getaway in Palm Springs

Thanks to dear friends Leslie and Alan, Joel and I were able to escape for a weekend getaway to Palm Springs. The heat was unbearable (it happened to be the HOTTEST day of the year there in record breaking heat) but we still had a wonderful time together. We spent time in the pool, laying around and cooling off in the AC, did some shopping, gobbled some ice cream (had to gobble or it would have melted!) and visited with dear friends Stacy, Billy and their son Preston in La Quinta. We had so much fun!

Tristan's Guammie Baby Shower

I only call it "Guammie" because today we were surrounded by so much love, family and friends from our dear island of Guam. My mom and sister hosted a baby shower for us today at the beautiful Syucan Indian reservation community pool area. The weather was absolutely perfect and the company was even better! We indulged in delicious Guamanian food (thanks to everyone who made such yummy Chamorro dishes - Tristan got his fill!) and Hawaiian barbecue from L&L. Today was a day of feasting and festivities! Tristan was showered with so many wonderful gifts and his room is beginning to look lived in! Just a few short months til he arrives!

Thanks to mom and Tiff, and everyone in between who helped, set up, cleaned up, cooked, came, brought gifts and brought smiles. We truly appreciate you being a part of this very special time in our lives and thank you for making it so memorable and wonderful!!!

xoxoxo

PS Today I am 30 weeks and 2 days pregnant. Only 68 more days to go!

The Royal Quarters

We are calling Prince Tristan's bedroom his royal quarters...and royal it will be! Our prince deserves a shrine, and that he will have!

Thanks to East Coast Mom and Dad for gifting us with Tristan's furniture collection that is sure to last for many years to come. It is a gorgeous espresso wood and includes a crib and foam mattress, dresser and changing table, and beautiful wardrobe closet with a large oval mirror. I couldn't resist it - it's the perfect "Mirror Mirror on the Wall"!

Joel and I were having a challenging yet rewarding evening last night as we set out to get perfectly straight vinyl art and block letters on the walls - and we did it!

With Tristan's real life fairy tale beginning here, so it is written..."...And he lived happily ever after." on one of his walls - and handsome gold letters spelling out his name as if he were a true spartan warrior prince with Fleur de Lis on either side.

Every prince must have a stallion! Tristan's plush horsie is watching over his crib, waiting for his arrival.

An antique gold chandelier will hang from the ceiling with monogrammed shades and harlequinn print.

A nobel crown will be poised above his crib with canopied shimmery gold panels gracing each side.

Can't wait to share more pix. This is by far the best hobby I've ever had! More to come soon!

Tristan's Special Chair

Upon our arrival to Florida to visit Gramma and Grampa Lackovich, Tristan was gifted a beautiful wooden rocking chair that belonged to his daddy when he was a child. It was decorated beautifully with custom made pillows and padding with a monogram "T" by gramma. A security blanket also made by Gramma and a white plushy teddy bear with "God smiled the day you were born" sat on the chair :)

Surprise Baby Shower from Our East Coast Family - GO GATORS!!!!

Oh my goodness! Joel and I are at the Orlando airport heading back home to SD after an incredible weekend with the family. We came out to celebrate Dad's 65th Birthday and to spend some time with everyone before Tristan comes into the world. We were greeted on Thursday evening with big hugs and enjoyed a midnight swim underneath the stars and full moon with wine (water for me) and cheese...a beautiful rocking chair decorated with a pillow hand-made by Grandma that included a monogram "T", blankie and teddy bear were waiting for us in our room to bring home for Tristan...on Friday we celebrated Dad's birthday with a wonderful surprise. We gifted him with a Florida Wysteria plant for their backyard, and we all worked together to create a concrete stepping stone using cookie cutters that represented each of us. Joel - snowflake, Me - Butterfly, Tristan - Baby Foot, Mom - Heart, Jill - Mermaid, Stewart - Fire Truck, Joseph - Monkey and Dad - Rocket. The weather has been perfect! We enjoyed the day catching up with Joseph who is now 19 months and playing about 5 or 6 games of Scrabble!

On Saturday we woke up thinking that we were heading to Mt. Dora for a Gator rally. We were given Gator shirts to wear for full orange and blue spirit! We drove to SIL's house to meet up and it was there that Joel and I were surprised to learn that it was all a set up! They were having a BABY SHOWER for us! Oh my goodness! We were greeted with leis and the house was fully decorated with Orange and Blue pride, balloons, streamers, decorations, and everyone was decked out in Gator gear. And, Best Man Doug made it out to celebrate the occasion! We were truly surprised!!!!!

We had a wonderful BBQ lunch, super fun games (including who could put the diaper on the bunny fastest - I won!, Gator trivia, and how many gators were in the swamp). SIL Jill is the most creative person I've ever met. I told her she could teach Martha Stewart a few tricks!

The fireplace was full of incredibly thoughtful gifts. Every package was detailed with a theme, a thought, a phrase or a special something...Joel's favorite was a shirt for Tristan that read "my dad's team can beat your dad's team!"! Tristan picked up a few of Daddy's childhood dolls, clothes and toys, too. I'm so amazed that East Coast Mom has kept all his goodies over the past 36 years - and in such great condition!!!!

We had a delicious and adorable Baby Gator Prince cake - it was a perfectly delightful day and were totally overwhelmed!!! The boys ended the evening drinking 'special occasion' aged whiskey from Stewart. Boy was this a special occasion!

We went back to Titusville and East Coast Mom brought out a tub full of baby memories and goodies for Joel to go through. We found his baptism outfit which Tristan will likely wear at his baptism and many other goodies like his baby teeth, letters to santa and the easter bunny (my favorite! - he once asked Santa for parachute pants! LOL!) What a memorable occasion...

The next time we see our East Coast Family - there will be another addition!!!

Thank you East Coast family for an amazing weekend to celebrate Tristan! We love you!!!

29 weeks

Hi! So it's amazing how quickly this baby bump of mine is getting bigger, and bigger and bigger!!!! It seems like Baby T bump has doubled in size in just the past two weeks! Ignore the bummy look in these pix and just note the bump :) hehe

I can't believe how far we've come. Sigrid gifted me with a pregnancy journal that I started to work on over the weekend and I was asked to reminisce about all that's happened thus far in my journey towards motherhood. I'm amazed at the progress and all that's taken place in our lives since January.

I'm in the middle of packing for our trip to Florida - we leave in the morning to visit our east coast family. We're thrilled! This will also be my last trip before Tristan is born.

I'm happy that we've confirmed our Maui vacation in February. It will be the perfect time to celebrate our new addition!

I couldn't resist buying this adorable pumpkin onesie for my little munchkin since he should be with us to celebrate the Halloween holiday this year!

The blanket in the photos was the first of a few to come crocheted by my mom for Tristan - isn't it beautiful!?!!!