Monday, June 16, 2008

Knoxville Day Trip

To Knoxville we go...for a day-trip that is. Mom and Dad had been so kind as to offer to meet us half way in Knoxville to bring us the rest of the baby gear so we wouldn't have to a) pay to ship it, b) drive to Charlotte and back in a weekend, or c) have to live at the hospital since we wouldn't have a car seat for BT and therefore would be unable to be discharged. So it was totally nice of them (and the Britts' for letting them borrow their Toyota Sequoia) to drive the four hours to Knoxville and meet us. We, of course, had to meet at a customary Down (and now Tabler) pitstop, Cracker Barrel. We simply love that place when we're traveling. I can recount a time in almost every trip, except maybe this very last one in April, between Charlotte and Nashville that we stopped at a Cracker Barrel to grab a bite to eat and take a seat for a while in the afterglow of true Southern hospitality and all things cheesy.

Regardless, we got our goodies and we excited to go home and unpack, set up, and organize. With me doing most of the organizing...the curse that comes from the third trimester nesting phase. And I have felt that full force to say the least. I mean, I, as most of you know, am a perpetual nester. Nathan likes to say I'm "feathering and nesting" whenever I get it in my mind to do something and won't sleep until it's complete. I guess I am. But I also see how this has become heightened in the past few weeks, to an almost bionic level. I will even take it so far as to say I feel bionic at times with my ability and patience to organize the minutia that is our life. See, I was talking so peacefully about our trip to Knoxville, and now I find myself wanting to go print some more labels with my newly purchased label-maker. Yes, I bought a label-maker. It was, I have to say, one of those things I never thought I would buy, but when I thought about all the uses I could get for it and the time it would save me from printing them off from the computer, I had to have it. There were no buts about it.

So I have successfully labeled all the containers that I have organized my kitchen pantry with. Yes, nearly everything is in a container, with the exception of chips and some boxed items which tend to look neat and organized in their own right. I did that a few months ago, but have not gotten around to giving each of the beautifully clear and well-organized container it's own label. Now they are happy containers. I also managed to label the inside of BT's dresser drawers with the items that belong in that drawer and section. I thought it would be one of those things that would be useful in the event we hire a nanny to help around the house while I'm working since I'll be at home. As much as I love doing laundry, I know it's one of the things I would delegate to a nanny to do to save me time and effort. So I am simply planning ahead for when she (or he, there are some quite talented mannies out there) is putting away his clothes and needs to know where to put them. Or a babysitter for that matter. I mean, chances are, the little dude will be sleeping most of the time a sitter would be here, so if there's things to be done and we are at that point in our relationship, well, she can put away laundry! What better way to help ensure his things stay where they need to than to label them.

Some of you might consider this slightly, if not completely, freakish in nature. But I, however, see the ultimate practicality in it all...as well as the efficiency that I hope to create in this little place of space that is my world.

And back to Knoxville. It was great to see Mom and Dad, both potentially for the last time until I have the baby. That in and of itself is somewhat scary, but also very exciting! :) I will be 37 weeks this week, so I'm full term and he can safely exit his home any time he pleases and still be safe. The drive home was fun and relaxing...it's a beautiful trip and Tennessee has some of the most beautiful landscapes you've ever seen, so it makes for a nice and rather quick 2 1/2 hour jaunt. Maybe we'll be able do that more often in the coming months as a nice half-way point between here and Charlotte. I know the ladies at Cracker Barrel want us back.

Here's some pics from our trip.

Our prom-ish pose.


Little one in the oven.


Hugging my dad on almost Father's Day...another treat of the weekend trip.


Mom seriously loves to pat the BT Buddha belly!


I'm not sure what pose we were trying to pull off here, I think Nathan was just trying to get his peace sign into any picture he could.


Looking at this picture makes me realize several things: 1) I am so loved, 2) My parents are awesome, and 3) I am SOOOOO their daughter. I mean, there is no way I could convince someone I was adopted when you look at this picture. It's amazing that soon we'll have our own little miracle Nate/Kara combo popping out any minute now. I can't WAIT to see this little guy!

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