Ready to Go!

After many months, I think that I've FINALLY got things ready for this little lady to make her debut. The nursery is done, and I've got my bag mostly packed for the hospital. I know that I've packed more than I need, but that's mostly because I'm taking Ella's diaper bag with clothes in it, so that she can wear her own clothes at the hospital instead of the ugly things that the hospital puts onto new babies. Here's what we've got...

Here's our family suitcase to go to the hospital, complete with James's CPAP machine bag and the baby's diaper bag.














...and yes, Dad, I made a list of all the things I need to take, just so that I can check it right before I leave!



















I finally found a little table to go beside our rocking chair in the nursery, and we've got James's favorite little kid book, Goodnight Moon, sitting there ready to go. (He's already read it to Ella several times.)



















Lots of fun toys that we got as gifts!














Megan Washington painted the baby's initials onto these beautiful canvases - Elizabeth Anne Sagar!

































The crib is all set, and we've mounted the baby monitor onto the wall in the corner so that we can check on her without opening the door.














I think Max is trying to figure out why we got a new fancy wooden cage and put it into the pretty room upstairs. Are we getting a new dog? Or maybe his crate is getting an upgrade? Boy is he in for a surprise!














Diaper changing station



















pretty new curtains for the window
































finally finished!

The Philosopher

Sometimes I wonder what goes through Max's head. Most mornings, he just wants to go outside, patrol the yard, and come back in to hang out on the couch. But every once in awhile, he rings the bell to go outside and just sits on the deck. He'll let the wind blow through his ear fluff, raise his nose to sniff whatever is in the air, and just ponder life. Sometimes he sits for a long time doing this, and I like to just watch him through the window. He seems especially philosophic during the spring time - maybe he's trying to ascertain whether spring is coming, even though there is still snow sitting on the ground. It's his special thinking time, and I love to watch him.

February Snow!

While the east coast is getting hammered with feet of snow, we've only had a few inches so far in St. Louis. If we were just a few hours north, I think we'd be in trouble, so I'm VERY thankful to be far enough south that it's not too bad. Max is, of course, having a blast playing in the powder in the back yard. He's loved the snow ever since he was a little puppy, but his paws get really cold after just a few minutes, and then he wants to come in and warm up. I've been trying to convince him that it's not really much fun to play in the snow, so that he doesn't keep trying to go out into it every half hour, making me wipe his paws every time he comes in!

Here are a few pictures:

Max checks out the fresh powder from the deck.














I'm thinking that this rosemary plant probably won't make it! I should have brought it inside back in early November.



















He's looking for a kong wubba toy that got buried - eventually he found it, but he got a cold, wet nose in the process!



















Checking the backyard for squirrels and birds before coming back inside.














A view of Tower Grove Park across the street...and the path that I shoveled yesterday to the car. Unfortunately, more snow blew into the path, so it's not clear anymore!