Meeting Cetty

No words for this post, just pictures, because really there are no words for when you're meeting your baby for the first time.

We love you, little Lucette!

She's Here!

~~ Lucette Mela ~~

Born March 21, 2013 

at 4:12 am

8 lb 13 oz . 21 inches

Ready or Not

I'm due on Saturday. As in, three days from now. Even though it still seems surreal, this baby thing is indeed happening. I went into labor two days early with Poppy, so any day now our lives are going to change forever. Again. And we're finally going to be able to see (and kiss) this little one's face!

In the meantime, we've been busy getting "ready."

One last date night:

Dinner at Machu Picchu to try out Peruvian food for the first time. My favorite part of the meal was the plantains. So good! (Bry doesn't look so sure here, but he liked it too)

After dinner we headed to the IMA. We only made it through the European art wing because we're very slow, but that's our favorite anyway.

 A stop by Van Gogh for a quick kiss

  And a pretty scene by Monet to remind us of Venice

For my birthday, I enjoyed a pedicure at the spa with some of my favorite girls (Andria, Kait, Alesa, Heather, and Kyra). All of us are pregnant except for Alesa, so we definitely earned the pampering. And everyone knows that labor is better with freshly painted toenails. I even splurged on an extra little design with sparkly diamonds. Ooh la la. After the spa, we had lunch at Petit Chou in Broad Ripple.

I'll blame my pregnancy brain for the fact that I brought my camera but forgot to take any pictures of the day. This one will have to do.

And one last trim from my favorite stylist at Flaunt. This is what I found waiting to pick me up outside when I was finished. Looks like she may be the one in need of a trim.

There are more practical things that I've been crossing off the list as well. Things like buying new nursing bras, packing my hospital bag, loading up my ipod with my "baby playlist," pre-registering for the hospital online, cutting Bry's hair, stocking up on groceries and itty bitty diapers, and trying to get as much extra sleep as possible.

I keep thinking that there are other to-do's I should be accomplishing during my last days of freedom. But seriously, it's not like my life is going to completely end...right? Maybe those of you with multiple children have some comforting words for me. Or advice on what I really should be sure to do before we head to the hospital. 

And thanks for any prayers you think to send our way!

Away in Asheville

My parents had the great idea to spend a weekend away with each of the couples in our family for more quality one-on-one time. So nice. We decided to plan our weekend right away so we could go before the new baby arrived. Our last hurrah. And we were so glad that Sam and Kait decided to join us for the trip too. It was seriously so much fun!

We chose to visit Asheville, NC. It was a chilly weekend (notice the pink noses), but we were able to duck into the Grove Arcade to keep warm on the first day. It was such a beautiful, historic indoor shopping center. 

 Asheville has amazing restaurants. This was a fun cuban place...though it doesn't look like anyone but Poppy is having much fun in this picture.

 This is apparently the largest free-standing dome in North America. Such a beautiful church.

And then of course there's the Biltmore. Incredible.

 Poppy at the stableyard

 

We toured the inside of the house on day 2, but Poppy liked the giant front yard the best

 Another crazy good restaurant. This one was a vegetarian place called the laughing Seed. Mom and I had to try their completely raw food manicotti made with thin slices of zucchini and chopped up pistachio pesto filling that was served cold but was surprisingly flavorful and delicious. 

 Two pregnant girls with some attitude.

 This is the dining room at our adorable little restored 1920s boutique hotel. Lots of good talks, accompanied by waffles and omelettes, were had here. This may have been my favorite part of the weekend. I love, love, loved this hotel, its vintage shutter doors and its afternoon wine and hors d'ouerves in the sitting room.

 For day 3, we headed back to the Biltmore and walked through the conservatory and grounds.

It was quite therapeutic to be surrounded by all this lush, tropical greenness in the middle of winter

 Love this. Such a good depiction of Sam and Kait.

View in front of the conservatory. Sigh.

Even in the winter, you can see why the Vanderbilts chose this spot for their estate.

And while the boys sampled wine at the Biltmore winery...

...Mom, the two pregnant girls, and the tiny underaged one enjoyed homemade ice cream before heading back home.

Thank you Dad and Mom for such a perfect weekend!