Holy $%@#$%!!! 4 weeks left??!

Beth contemplates how exactly this is going to play out.
















Ben celebrates the eighty millionth baby thing he's put together. If anyone ever needs one of those IKEA allen wrenches, we now have about 90.


















Stay tuned - only a few more weeks and it's baby pics from then on.

Belly, Tulips and Red Raider Roundup

News travels fast that we have a spare bedroom and the baby's not due for a month. We have had plenty of visitors in the past weeks. While the Baylor alums caught up in the bar of Christie's hotel, Beth took a nap in Christie's room.

Where it all began

We've been having some summer-like days here in Brooklyn, which remind us of the last summer-like days we had, back in September. It was Labor Day weekend, and we decided to take our first trip to Coney Island, aka Sodom by the Sea. We rode all the nausea inducing roller coasters, including the Cyclone, which in case you haven't tried it, is sort of like riding an antique piece of furniture at about 50 miles an hour. We recuperated with Nathan's Famous hot dogs and several cold beers and I think Beth may have required a funnel cake as well.





























Of course we realized later - about eight weeks later - this little adventure was Baby Aplin's first day of life. We think he/she is off to a pretty good start.

Pimp My Nursery

Observe the process of nesting - just when it looks good.....destroy it and start all over. It is nice to have a decent place to bring the baby home to. However I am also jealous that the baby has his or her own room.
Before:














After:














Back to before:

Baby Aplin to Have One Smart Mom

Beth finally decided on grad school this week - part time at Sarah Lawrence. She will be working on her MFA in creative nonfiction. The college is in Bronxville, NY, about an hour-and-a-half commute from where we live, but luckily she will only have to go once or twice a week. We are now hiring babysitters for the fall. Any of you planning on moving to NY soon?




In other news, Dr. Grandad (that's Beth's dad) was in town this weekend, his first visit to Brooklyn, USA. Unfortunately the camera battery died, so we don't have many photos to accompany what was a perfect spring day. The magnolia plaza at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was blazing. Thanks to Dr. G for not allowing us to take our wallets out for the entire weekend! After close examination of Beth's belly, he is certain that Baby Aplin is a boy. He used to deliver a lot of babies when he worked at a clinic in Pikeville, TN. In about six weeks we'll see if he is right.


In other Baby Aplin news, the vast majority its growth is now complete! It's a good thing because Beth is now down to exactly two pairs of pants.

In-Laws Arrive, Make Things Happen

You all got a glimpse of the situation in the baby's room a few weeks ago. (See post below to jog memory.)














After two days and two incredibly dedicated grandparents-to-be, the situation suddenly started to look like a real nursery. Grandpa and Grandma Aplin arrived Friday evening with a suitcase full of painting supplies. By Saturday morning, the walls were taped, the paint was bought, the furniture was covered and everybody got to work while Beth watched and waddled around between bathroom breaks. Grandpa Aplin suggested a bright white to make the room look bigger and sunnier. (Hard to do when you're dealing with a brick wall and a view of a cement courtyard.) I suggest that when a professional artist gives his advice, you take it.

By Saturday afternoon the paint was dry and the room looked more spacious than ever before. A-mazing! Ben packed up his recording gear and moved it into our bedroom (great). We celebrated that night with a classical music concert at Bargemusic, Brooklyn's only floating concert hall, www.bargemusic.org.

Sunday Grandma Jill and Beth hit the mean streets of Manhattan for rugs, window treatments and accessories, the good stuff. Color was the operative word. We got our best finds at ABC Carpet and Home, where Grandma Jill's steady eye spotted the perfect rug and the coolest animal pillows ever! We celebrated with pain aux chocolats in Union Square, hit Babies R Us and Crate and Barrel and headed home on the subway with full shopping bags and happy hearts. Look how cute our nursery is now! When Jill Aplin gives you decorating advice, I suggest you gratefully take it.















Next weekend we'll probably go hunting for a rocking chair and some shelves. Practically every single thing you see in these pictures is a gift from a grandparent, relative or friend of Baby Aplin. About seven more weeks until our baby arrives, and already he or she is the luckiest little kid in the world.