Game changers

Apparently I'm on a blogging kick recently...but no promises once the baby comes!!  :)

A few random thoughts from this evening:

I FINALLY got my hair cut (by a professional, although Anna did offer "Anna cut it." as I was on my way out the door).  I realized that the last time I remembered to have it cut was November...partly because it was a busy year and I guess I just didn't think about it, and partly because I was on my Downton Abbey kick and imagined that I would grow it out and have all of these beautiful up-dos.  But really, I just grew it out and had lots of half-hearted messy buns.

But no longer!

(Yes, huge belly is still there, just not pictured.  If you need a visual on the bump or the messy "before" hair, check out the last post).

So it's amazing how much better I feel to have a legitimate hair-do (and one I'll actually keep up with since it can now be blown dry in under 5 minutes).  Somebody remind me in 2 months to just go get it cut!  Every time I've gone through a let's-try-long-hair phase, I end up hating all of the pictures of that period in retrospect.  

Now I just need to find someone to paint the toenails I can no longer reach, and I'll be all pampered and pretty and ready to welcome Miss Julia.

The house...is not pampered and pretty.  I didn't get nearly as much done this week as I hoped, BUT I'm cutting myself slack because I managed to catch a cold.  I joked/complained to my doctor at my appointment today that I was more of a wimp with an unmedicated cold than my unmedicated childbirth, and then she told me that I was actually allowed to take nasal decongestant spray.  !!!!  Between that and the haircut I feel like a totally new woman.  Maybe even one who's ready to conquer all the clean-up tomorrow.  Somehow, my love of folding laundry does not translate to a love of putting laundry away...we've got at least 4 basket of clean, folded laundry that needs to go into drawers.  And a whole bin of baby clothes, which have now at least made it from the basement to the first floor!  And every article of clothing Anna owns is strewn around her room because a) I haven't decided where I'm storing it yet and b) she has taken that as her cue to repeatedly change outfits all day long (with large stretches of toddler nudity for good measure).  Maybe by the end of the weekend I can give you some actual "after" photos of the space we're living, instead of just silly hair-cut afters :)

Let's see, other game changers...when I was looking through my photo files this evening, I realized what a difference it has made to have a good camera.  The pictures are so much better quality, and I end up having more because I feel that it's worth the time to take it out and take some shots since they turn out decently.  Here's a few recent favorites (enjoy, Mom!)  I also just ordered a "nifty fifty" lens, which has gotten rave reviews for taking newborn photos and pictures of kids in general.  Stay tuned.

Enough rambling for one day.  Goodnight!

Oh, except for those of you who aren't on Facebook didn't see this gem that I found while reviewing my August pictures: