Randomness

I thought for a fun way to kick off my return to the blogosphere, I would give you a list of 25 random thoughts/facts.

1. Foremost on my mind these days is the fact that in 18-20 weeks I will have a child.  Like I’ll be waking up every couple of hours to feed him and changing hundreds of diapers.  Really?  I still don’t think it has really sunk in.
   
2. His name is Carter Nicholas.  Carter because it’s a name we both really liked, and there are some good Carter’s out there.  My favorites being John Truman Carter III (Noah Wylie’s character on ER) and Carter Kane (from Rick Riordan’s YA Fiction Series), and Louis’ being Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr (aka Lil Wayne) and Joe Carter (World Series MVP).  Nicholas is Louis’ middle name and since I “convinced” him that having a Louis Nicholas III wasn’t the best, I decided I had to use part of Lou’s name.
3. Part of me finalizing Carter was reading Rick Riordan’s latest book and realizing that Carter Kane’s little sister’s name is Sadie.  Coincidence? I think not!
4. I have 2 friends due the same week as me, one due two weeks after, and another a month later.  Apparently we all had the same idea in March!
5. Carter’s due date is 12/3/12, but he will probably arrive somewhere between November 5th-19th due to my “Class C Diabetic” status.  Kind of scary that things could get hairy in November, but I am glad that my diabetes means that I’ve already gotten to see him 5 times through sonograms and will have countless more to watch and be sure he is growing properly.
6. I will be 26 in a couple weeks.  Weird. 
7. With a summer birthday I had 2 or 3 pool parties... for the kid who sunburns in 10 minutes.  And now I avoid sun like the plague and tell myself it’s to avoid wrinkles.
8. As of this summer I have been out of college as long as I was in college.  Weird.
9. Louis and I have been married for 1,423 days.  Wow.  My parents have been married for 10,643 days.  WOW.  Can’t wait til we hit the 10,000 day mark on Christmas 2035. (!) (And let’s be real, I can wait!)
10. Louis and I want 4 kids.  But as a friend remarked last night, “Let’s see if we like this one first!”
11. I have the best parents in the universe (they’re going to be getting a lot of calls for advice in the coming years!) and I am very much my parents child.  There is hardly an original thing about me ;)  some things from Daddy: stubborn, mathematical, fine hair, my feet, appreciation for how things work; from Momma: emotional, bookworm, fair skin, sweet tooth, my love for antiques and country music.
12. I have two younger sisters and Louis has three younger brothers.  We are both classic oldest siblings, so we are both stubborn, bossy, know-it-alls who expect to get our way.  We're working on it...
13. My sisters are my best friends.  Louis is great, but the night before a wedding I have to text one of them for advice on which dress to wear, and they’re the ones helping me pick nursery furniture and crib bedding.  Kara, Macy, and I made a plan long ago to live next door to each other and my mom and have kids at the same time.  I still plan on fulfilling my part of the deal!
14. Speaking of sisters, you know those 4 kids we want?  I want two of each (which hopefully God & I are on the same page about J), because I want Carter to have a brother, but I also want him to have a sister, and she needs a sister too.  Make sense?
15. I love Pinterest.  I’m not as obsessed as some people, but I’ve been a faithful member for a long while, even before it was cool (since my aforementioned awesome sisters are always on the up & up on what will be cool).  And now my goal is to put all those pinned recipes, crafts, patterns, ideas, tips to good use.  After we get back from our roadtrip I’m going to plan a week of only pinterest inspired food & activities.
16. And speaking of our roadtrip, Louis and I are going on a 10 day (!) roadtrip from July 9th to 19th.  It will be a fun trip!  Hopefully I’ll still love my husband by the end :)
    
17. I have never been to any of those cities or states or seen the Pacific Ocean or a proper mountain, so I am happy to cross a bunch of things off my bucket list!
18. My summer TV faves: Suits, Rookie Blue, SYTYCD, and White Collar.
19. My favorite books this summer…  Ha like I can pick a favorite.  I’m pretty sure I’ve already read 15+ books in the last 4 weeks, with a nice stack still waiting for me!  I’m a reader.  Probably unlike anyone else you know.  Nothing makes me happier or more relaxed.  And I don’t do Kindle/Nook unless I just have to or I can find good free stuff.  I like having a book in my hands and shelves full of them just waiting to be reread.
20. I can sew, crochet, and knit, and next I would like to learn to quilt.  I know how to piece it, just not the actual quilting part.
21. Things I collect: crosses, dishes, books, clothes.  Ok collect might be the wrong verb but I do have a lot of all of those things.
22. Best compliment I can remember receiving: “I think if I had kids and I had to trust someone else to take care of them, it would be you.”  And that friend may not even remember saying that but it stuck with me as a good representation of who I am, what is truly most important to me, and who I want to be!
23. Second best compliment I ever received: “You remind me of Rory Gilmore.”  Not only is Alexis Bledel beautiful, Rory is a smart, sarcastic, quick witted, and well-read lady.  Girl after my own heart.
24. I’m kind of obsessed with my puppy dog.  Though to be clear, I don’t know anyone who has met her and not loved her (if they were a dog person).  She is very calm, well mannered, and very sweet.  She loves sitting up on her hind feet, laying in the sun, getting her ears or belly rubbed, and napping on every cushioned surface in the house.  I’ve seen her with a few small kids and she has always been gentle and has taken their ear or tail tugging in stride.  I know she is going to be so good with baby Carter!
    
25. My goal in life is to be the ultimate mom.  Note: not the cool mom.  Basically I want to be like my mom.  I never thought she was “cool”, but looking back, I know she did everything for us and gave us everything.  We had the best Halloween costumes, best birthday parties at home, home cooked meals.  She helped out at school and with Girl Scouts, and at church in Bible Hour, VBS, and small groups.  If I had ever played a sport I know she would have been out there with a cooler of CapriSuns and oranges cheering us on and trying to learn the rules to T-ball.  She taught me responsibility and work ethic, manners, how to treat other people, how to read!, how to sew, to love and value myself, to make and strive for high goals, and how to quietly love and trust in God.