Weekend Roundup: Birthday Edition

Howdy, followers!  I hope you all had as fantastic of a weekend as I did...although I'm not sure that's possible.  :-)  My 28th (EEK!) birthday was on Saturday, and my family (minus Katy and Josh) came to spend the weekend with Dan and I.  It was such a wonderful way to spend my birthday, and I didn't want it to end even though I'm exhausted!

The weekend started on Friday, when we had our 2nd annual Tacky Christmas Sweater Party at work.  We had a formal Holiday party two weeks ago at Raleigh Country Club, which was super nice and a lot of fun, but I have been excited about the tacky sweater party for weeks - particularly the white elephant gift exchange.  Also, my bestie gave me my birthday present: a prenatal massage that I am SO excited about.  Since I took Friday off, I decided to set up a day of pampering for myself - Dan's parents sent me a gift certificate for just such an occasion, so I'm thinking a manicure and pedicure in addition to the prenatal massage will do the trick!  :-)  My parents arrived Friday evening, and we had a pretty low-key evening.  We went out to dinner and to the grocery store since I hadn't made it before they got here to stock up for the weekend (whoops!).  When we got home, Dan was so excited about his present to me that he talked me into opening it.  You have to understand two things about this:

1. I normally do not want to open presents early so that I can spread them out on my birthday.  :-)
2. I literally had NO idea what I was getting, from anyone.  All I really asked for this year was a pair of boots I've been lusting after, and both Mom and Dan had hinted enough for me to know that I wasn't getting them, so I was clueless about what to expect.

I love surprises, and am so glad I didn't know what he got me, because I probably would have fussed at him for spending too much.  Behold, my new Nikon D3100 camera:

Dan and I have been talking about getting a nice camera - after all, in a mere 8 weeks (!!!) or less (!!!!) we will have a really cute subject to take tons of photos of - but we really hadn't done a lot of research (or so I thought) or talked about it at great length, so I just assumed that (a) we wouldn't get one because they are so expensive and we've already spent a lot preparing for Baby Geronimina or (b) he'd changed his mind.  So, to say I was shocked is the understatement of the century.  I am so excited about this gift and can't WAIT to learn how to use it and take the best pictures ever.  It came with a DVD for the basics of how to use it, but I'd love to sign up for a photography class at some point.  Also, when I turned the camera on to play around with it, I discovered the following:

He'd already taken it out and charged it and taken the above picture.  How cute is he?!  He really is great at surprises, and I can't wait to use my new camera - thanks babe!  After all of the excitement of the evening, we all went to bed pretty early because we knew we had a busy day on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, we were all up pretty early because we'd gone to bed so early, plus there was much to be done around the Baum household.  Mom and I started wrapping my Christmas presents, which up until now I have been too exhausted to even think about.  I am so thankful for her - we got every single one wrapped.  Actually, if I'm being honest, she wrapped and I made bows and gift tags. I honestly don't know how I would have gotten it done without her - I kept putting it off and wasn't looking forward to it.  But look how great they look under the tree:

So pretty!  We got them all wrapped with the exception of the three that I'm still waiting on, and it is such a relief.  Also, Mom made my favorite for breakfast: french toast and bacon.  Yum!  While we were doing all of that, Dad and Dan were at Lowe's trying to decide on chair rail for the nursery.  Dan and I went on Thursday night to try to pick out both paint and chair rail but couldn't make any decisions (shocking, right?0.  I'm sure you are all just as shocked as I am that I left such an important decision to Dan without my harassment input, but since we'd been on the same page when we were browsing, I trusted him to make it.  Glad I did because we wouldn't have gotten all of the wrapping done if I'd gone with them!  They came home and got to work, and Mom and Sydney and I got busy doing some last minute cleaning of the house and cooking.  My grandparents and aunts all came over for lunch and birthday cake before we all went to Fuquay to see my cousin Ethan in the play "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at the Stars Theater.  It was SO cute and Ethan did such a great job - we were all very proud!  Dan and Dad stayed at the house to work, and by the time we got home they were done installing the chair rail.  I'm so excited about it that I decided to give you a sneak peak:

It looks awesome, right?!  I really am so pleased with the way it turned out.  Dan was unsure about chair rail before I nagged him convinced him that we needed it, and even he told me after the fact that he loves the way it looks.  They didn't get to the painting part this weekend - mainly because Dan and I couldn't make a decision on paint color before they came - but not to worry, Dan is off of work for the second half of this week and he's roped in our neighbor, Bo, to help him.  Can't wait!

The rest of the evening was pretty low-key.  I opened more presents:

Earrings from Spain from Aunt Hopey and Aunt Jo (and families)





Dress I've been wanting to wear to a shower from my family



ALDO boots I've been lusting after from my family - surprise #2! :-)

It's true, Mom surprised me with the boots!  My feet were SO swollen yesterday (serious cankles - I would have taken a picture but I was too embarrassed at the disgusting-ness) that I couldn't immediately wear them like I wanted to, but trust I wore them today once the swelling was down some.  I meant to take a picture, but forgot before I changed into comfy PJs, sorry bout it!  I also got money from my grandparents and Aunt Jennifer and family, which I was really excited about as well - I am probably going to put it towards a dress for another shower, or possibly one of the chandeliers I've been lusting after for baby girl's room.  :-)  Also, Pat sent us a sweet frame that I'm excited to put in the baby's room as well.  AND, Meagan brought me a cupcake from the Cupcake Shoppe.  We ended the day with the same meal that Mom has made for me every year for as long as I can remember - her famous lasagna, garlic bread and salad, and homemade chocolate pound cake with chocolate icing for dessert.  I have seriously been dominating that cake - I am scared of the scale again this week at the doctor.  After dinner, we played quite a few rounds of Buzzword (hilarious) before retiring for the evening. 

This morning, we woke up early and lounged for a while.  Dan made breakfast and then we took my family to church.  After church, they hit the road to head back home and Dan and I grabbed a quick lunch before part 2 of our birthing class.  Stay tuned for a post on that later in the week.

We had such a great weekend - the last birthday without baby, I realized yesterday - so crazy.  I am so blessed and so loved, it overwhelms me to think about it.  Hope all of you had a great weekend as well...stay tuned this week!  And behave, since Santa is coming in t-minus 6 days. :-)

Sarah