Here she is!

Here is the little tike at 31 weeks. She weighs 3 pounds 8 ounces, and is 16.8 cm long. She is on track to be about 7.5 pounds. She is head down and getting ready to come! I go to my epidural class tonight (9/23/09), so anytime after tonight would be just fine. Well, maybe a few more weeks.

"Wow! Look at those extra long toes..." said the ultrasound tech. A lot of my side of the family has these abnormally long toes and fingers!
I realize you have to really use your imagination with these pictures (and these are pictures of pictures), but I think her profile looks a lot like David.

That blob is her head and near it is her hand. I have about ten others, but they are just as hard to distinguish.

Do you like the name Samantha Reese Fox? or Ella Grace Fox? or maybe neither...

I love coupons!

Want to learn how to save $money$ quick? First, get pregnant. Second, use coupons!

I have recently been introduced to couponing by a friend. After she gave me a few Pampers coupons for $1.00 off, I was hooked. I used that dollar and went straight to Starbucks because I felt I deserved it after saving a buck! This is a great way to save money, huh? I have to admit it was a lot of work to find the best deals, looking for a certain coupon, comparing prices, figuring out a store's policies, then having to go to Wal-mart (in South Georgia, enough said) to save a few bucks.

Then thanks to the addicting online social networking that goes on now days, my couponing world is now limitless. I kept reading status updates of "saved 60% on my groceries today" or "got $75 off of $100 at Old Navy today". I quickly contacted this friend and she introduced me to www.southernsavers.com

Here is how it works: A group of women will go to several stores weekly, finding what is on sale and a coupon to go with the item that is on sale, and then they post all their great finds with links to get the coupon. And no, the deals are not for places like Wal-mart, or dollar stores. They are for nice, honest grocery stores. Now this site is just for the Southeastern part of the U.S., but surely there are some for your area of the country.

Today alone on my grocery bill I saved $62.89 by matching a coupon with what was on sale, knowing the store's policies (which was all posted on this site...no research on my part), and knowing how to work a coupon to its fullest potential. And it's not just for grocery stores either. These ladies find sales and coupons for retail, online sites, home stores, and one of my favorites...Target. I got some Glade candles, which I never buy normally, for .16 cents thanks to this site. I loaded up and now I have 10 in my linen closet.

Now this last point brings up an issue David has with my new found passion. He claims I come home with stuff I normally would not buy. But in my defense I would never buy it because it was a big waste of money. And if I can get it for only .16 cents it is not a waste of money. It's a great .16 cents to spend because now I know if it is worth buying again. Everyone loves smelly stuff for their house, right? But it is okay if I find a deal on his Doritos and Mountain Dew and come home with a ridiculous amount of them. He actually asked me today "Are there any deals on Pepsi products?" Because he is almost out of the five 12 packs I found him a month ago. Hmmm...

Regardless, couponing has become a game with me. I feel like I am beating these stores at their own game thanks this wonderful website.

Now if I could just get over my coffee habit (decaf right now, of course) I think I could find another extra $62.89 in our bank account.

"It's the subject that makes the picture, not the photographer," said David

Me: David, will you take my picture?

David: Why?

Me: Because I asked you to.

David: (rolling his eyes) Is it for the stupid blog?

Me: Who cares if it is.

David: (click, click) Could you just not smile and look forward? You don't take a very good picture. (click, click, motioning as if to be a professional photographer. click, click, flash, flash).

Me: (not smiling and looking forward) You're not a very good photographer.

David: It's the subject that makes the picture, not the photographer. (click, click)


Here is the bad subject taken by the great photographer( approximately 7.5 months prego).

Me: (grabbing the camera from him) So if you're the subject and I am the photographer, will it be a good picture?

David: (nods yes, with his smart a** smirk on his face).

Here is the great subject eating his frosty with dirty feet on the coffee table that a terrible photographer took.

Okay, so neither of us take a good picture, whether we are the subject or the photographer.

I can feel that life is beginning to pick up in our house. The school year has begun for me again. I am over halfway through the first quarter with my 14 first graders. Yes, only 14... it's great! Our "no worries" newly married days are coming to a quick end. The baby is constantly on both of our minds. "Do we need this? Do we need that? Oh, we forgot..." Unconsciously I have found I am trying to get every type of appointment in before the baby comes (dentist, hair, veterinarian, locksmith, alarm guy, insurance, pedicure, pediatrician, OBGYN...every other week now, baby classes, epidural class, breast feeding class).

David has settled in nicely with the football season; however, work has been uncharacteristically busy for him this time of year. Several meetings and some tournaments are taking up his time. Not only that, but he cleans a lot too. Is there such a thing as "nesting" for the dad?

I am certain Albert knows there is a baby in my belly. And he is just as ready for it as we are. He is still the happy go lucky dog he has always been, but he has developed some behaviors we have never seen before. A lot of "happy" whining (if there is such a thing). When other people or dogs are around, he whines and his tail is going 100 mph. Previously, he would just jump on them and want to play. And he is obsessed with licking himself. HE LICKS ALL OVER HIS BODY ALL THE TIME. The vet said he has probably developed some allergy over the past year. Lovely.

Only 11 more weeks until little (blank) arrives! Anyone have a name for us?