Mama Massey

My baby had babies this week.

Now I know how my parents feel.

Just last week she was my cute little kitten with a suspiciously big belly.

But in my mind she was still the tiny little fluffball who came to the farm seven months ago.

But now she's created a new family of little furbabies for me to spoil.

She had her babies up in the rafters of the barn and has yet to bring them down for us to meet.

So until then, I don't have any cute pictures to share.

But I have something better.

When Massey was super pregnant last week she didn't do much more than relax.

I caught her napping on the tractor manuals desk out in the barn -- letting my husband serenade her with some old school country on the radio.

He has no idea this video even exists:

I recommend the fullscreen view so you can really see him getting in to it.

Just in case you missed it, here are a couple of other little gems of my husband jamming out when he thinks no one is looking/listening:

Car Singing

Mandolin Breakdown

Who Brought the Old Lady?

What a difference a few years can make.

This picture was taken before my senior sorority formal in the spring of 2005:

Fast forward eight years.

My husband was asked to be an alumni guest speaker as his college fraternity's formal this past weekend.

Subtract some hair (on his part) and add in some hips, extra pounds and a baby belly (on my part) and here you have it:

Damn, we've aged.

Yes, I was the 29-year-old pregnant woman in a sea of drunk 20-somethings wearing mini dresses this weekend.

Awesome.

I could see the pity in those girls' eyes.

And all I could think was ... I used to be you.

Just wait, you will be me  in a few years. 

(Insert evil laugh here)

That size four and spray tan won't last forever, girlfriend.

One day you will wake up and realize it doesn't matter anymore.

Because if you picked the right date tonight, he just might marry you and love you anyway.

And you'll love him ... even though he refuses to ever smile and look normal in pictures.

Seriously, dude.

Just ONE picture. 

Before we left town I went ahead and took the obligatory baby bump picture in the hotel mirror.

This is me officially at the half-way mark.

And that's probably all you'll get folks.

I'm not trying to plaster my belly all over the internet.

A Long Winter

There is a whole lot of this that goes on around the farm office during the winter months.

These two mutts are the biggest farm dog impostors ever.

This one couldn't round up a herd of cattle if his life depended on it.

His strong suit is looking pitiful.

And begging to snuggle.

Pathetic.

Both of them.

This little girl is the only one getting any work done around here.

She's successfully kept the barn mouse-free since last fall.

About the only excitement we've seen all winter is a little fence building.

After a long winter of staring at each other, it was kind of nice to have some new faces on the farm when the fence distributor stopped by and the crew putting in posts was here.

There are a handful of ornery calves who are responsible for this new fencing. 

They decided they like it outside of the pasture better than they do inside.

And they would find a way out at all costs.

Not for long sucka's.

As stir crazy as I've been with this extra long winter, I'm kind of glad I had an excuse not to help.

Building fence in blistering cold winds isn't exactly my idea of fun.

But thankfully it went up quickly and the cows are enjoying their new digs.

Except for these little punks...

They have been casing the perimeter ever since looking for their escape.

That's right, you better run the other direction when you see me.

Baby in my Belly

I am officially back on the radar. 

I've returned from the seven depths of hell, otherwise known as the first trimester of pregnancy.

I've been cooking a baby for four months now and I'm finally ready to let the world know.

I know most people shout it from the rooftops as soon as they find out, but I've been oddly private about it.

My husband's favorite response when friends ask us why it's taken us so long to announce it: Well, she's not a proven breeder yet. So we thought we'd wait.

Or how he likes to say that I'm going to calve in August.

That girl who called me a heifer in high school must have known what she was talking about.

Alright, no one called me a heifer. 

But I do think it's hilarious when Nene Leakes on the Real Housewives calls people "Heifa."

I'm starting to feel like one myself.

I've been hiding my growing bump for weeks now.

But I finally decided that today was the day to start embracing it.

Except my husband was more worried about getting his new fence in the background than whether or not I was even in frame.

Typical.

Alright ... enough nonsense.

Down to the good stuff.

We found out today it's a BOY!

You have no idea how happy I am.

It brings me great relief to know I won't have to turn into a baby-making factory.

We got a boy on the first try.

Pressure is off.

Christmas Tidbit #3 ... Cookie Decorating Contest

When I first woke up Christmas morning, I had no idea it was snowing.

It was such a fun surprise to walk out to the great room and see a picturesque snowfall through the tall windows.

This is what Christmas in the Rockies is all about.

There was an excitement in the air that day.

And it had nothing to do with snow or even the anticipation of opening presents.

It was competition day.

Christmas Day marked our 2nd annual cookie decorating contest.

And there was a lot of smack talk leading up to it this year.

I won't lie ... I faked a bathroom trip during the contest to look up a specific idea on my phone.

I also acted like I had to check something outside the front door -- when really it was so I could get a look at something we have hanging on one of the front porches that gave me some inspiration.

But whatever. It's all said and done with now and I officially garnered the most awards.

My dad was the judge this year.

And my mom kept adding categories to make sure everyone won something.

C'mon mom, this isn't kindergarten t-ball where everyone gets a chance to bat.

Just let me win and go on with it.

My brother won both entries in the 'Funniest' category.

He says they are Papa Smurf (the cookie is actually in the shape of a bell) and a Dala Horse (it's a Swedish thing ... also what I was checking on out front).

Mr. Smarty Pants also garnered the 'Most Festive' award with his reindeer.

My husband had the 'Most Creative' cookie with his Noel Palm Tree.

His specialty is apparently taking other shapes of cookies and creating his own.

This one started as a snowflake and bell.

It ended up a marijuana plant on a tree trunk.

Warning: Don't eat his cookies. He doesn't shape them with a knife. He gnaws all around them with beaver-like intensity to create their new shapes.

My brother says I shouldn't be all that proud of my entries because I won categories like 'Best Effort'...

And 'Best Brown Noser.'

Don't be jealous.

I'll take a win wherever I can get one.

I also split the respectable category of 'Judge's Choice' with my sister-in-law.

These cookies were also up for the 'Brown Noser' award, as they pay homage to the college where my dad is a basketball coach.

At this point, my mom is feeling bad for my sister-in-law and the fact that she only has one shared win.

So she added the 'Prettiest' category and all but forced by dad to pick Shannon's stocking.

Shannon did win the 'Best Overall' category with her reindeer, although she has some tough competition from the marijuana palm tree.

Celebrate all you want girlfriend...

Because I'm the real winner with my gremlin in the 'Ugliest' category.