Photo Shoot

Matthew's Aunt L is a fabulous photographer. She has a wonderful eye for artistic and beautiful pictures. I wish I had even a smidge of her photography talent. Matthew and I haven't had our picture taken professionally since our wedding. We were pretty disappointed with some of those pictures so I have always wanted to get our picture made again. I finally convinced Matthew last year to let me ask Aunt L to take our picture for our 5th anniversary - because it had been 5 years and because I had finally lost the weight I had gained since we got married. Around the time we had scheduled to get our picture taken, Matthew had his toe accident. He was in a boot and on crutches and really didn't feel like getting his picture taken. So we never got the pictures taken.

And ever since then I have still wanted to get our picture taken. Then I thought it would be really fun to get pre-baby pictures taken so we could look back and see what we looked like right before the baby made her appearance. I almost waited too late to ask her, but yesterday we went to Aunt L and Uncle J's house for the photo shoot. I am definitely not photogenic, but I really had a good time yesterday. I think it is much easier to "pose" for someone you are comfortable around. Aunt L sent the photos to me today. I am really pleased with them.

Thank you Aunt L!

Week 37

• The guys in our Sunday school class have a neat tradition. For every expectant father, they generally play diaper football where they get together on a Saturday morning to play football, bring diapers, and pray for the father. Being the smart guy that Matthew is (and the fact that I have threatened him that I am the only one of us that is allowed a hospital visit this calendar year - just refer to any of my posts that are labeled "ER Visit" for further information), he suggested to the guys that rather than playing football they go out to breakfast together. They got together last Saturday and blessed us with hundreds of diapers. And more than the diapers, we really appreciate that they care enough to gather to celebrate the upcoming birth of our baby and to pray for all three of us. It is so touching to me that I am tearing up just typing this today (and I don't think it has anything to do with pregnancy hormones).

• I had a dream this week that I had the baby but did not know/remember any of the details of the birth. I was asking Matthew and my mom all kinds of questions about what happened. Matthew told me he had named Baby Girl "Joey". I was so disappointed. There is nothing wrong with the name Joey, but it is not one we have even considered. So I told him after sharing my dream with him the next morning that there can be no naming the baby without my input. Hopefully, I will be aware of what's going on when the baby is born and I won't have to rely on others to tell me what happened.

• I finally have my hospital bag packed and ready to be put in the car. It feels good to have that done. I hope I didn't forget anything although we'll be close enough to home that I am sure I can get someone to get what I need if I did forget something important.

• I think we are pretty much ready at home for Baby Girl's debut. I have washed all the newborn and 0-3 month clothes, blankets, sheets, changing pad covers, burp cloths, towels, wash cloths, etc. I have things organized, but I'm not sure if they'll stay the way they currently are. There is just so much stuff for such a small space. I may find as I start using things that my current arrangement is just not practical.

• Matthew and I went to the mall on Sunday to do a bit of shopping. While there, a woman asked me when my baby was due. I told her that I was just 3 weeks away from my due date. She was shocked. I keep getting this reaction from people. I have no idea why they think I'm not as big as I am. I have gained around 35 pounds at least! I'll have to check my records to find the exact amount, but it has been more than I hoped I would gain.

• Seeing all the summer clothes in the stores and having a touch of warmer weather is making me want to be skinny for summer. During the winter, it doesn't bother me as much because I am completely covered up in long pants and sweaters/sweatshirts. I expect it to take a while to lose this baby weight. I am debating about whether to start attending Weight Watchers again. I am a lifetime member and would like to keep that status, but I believe I have to continue attending meetings to do so. The program definitely worked for me and helped me to lose about 35 pounds a couple of years ago so I know it can work again. I can't say I'm excited about paying for the program, but the accountability definitely helps me to stay on track. They ask you to come in when the baby is 6 weeks old so I have a little time to decide what I will do.

• Tuesday evening several times I clearly felt either a foot or a knee on my right side. Matthew felt it a couple of times. It is the most distinct movement I have felt. I felt that same movement several times during the day yesterday. It is amazing and strange!

• My doctor appointment yesterday went well. My blood pressure was 110 over 70. The baby's heart rate was 136 beats per minute. And the doctor said my body is progressing. Yesterday was the first time he checked. He thinks Baby Girl will be here by her due date and could really come at any point now. I haven't felt a single contraction yet - not even Braxton-Hicks contractions.

Week 36

• My doctor told me this week that 37 to 42 weeks is considered full term so I am getting close. The baby could really come at any time now. I had another mostly good report at the appointment this week. My blood pressure was 116 over 60. Baby Girl's heart rate was 144 beats per minute. However, I also found out that my Group B Strep test I had last week came back positive. I was crushed to get that news. My doctor said that about 30% of pregnant women end up having this bacteria. Because he said it was so common, I wasn't worried at first. Then I did a little research on the internet out of sheer curiosity. I am not sure if that was a good idea. I had a rough day the day I did that research. I found out there is a small chance the baby can get an infection from this bacteria. It can be really serious for the baby if she does get this infection. So I will be given antibiotics when I am admitted to the hospital and rather than staying only 24 hours after Baby Girl's birth (which is all that is required in Colorado), I will stay 48 hours so they can monitor the baby. I spoke on Sunday with a friend of mine at church that is a pediatrician. She told me that yes it can be serious, but that this happens all the time without the baby getting the infection. So I am trying not to worry (worrying is something that is just second nature to me) and trust that God is in control and knows best.

• I also met with a second pediatrician this week. Now I just have to decide between the two. One is super close to home, but I think I feel more comfortable with the second one I met with.

• One of our neighbors is about to move and brought over a freezer meal for us to have after the baby comes. I thought that was extremely thoughtful of her. She recently gave birth to her third child who ended up being born 8 weeks early. She is now 8 weeks or a little bit older and doing well. I can't believe that in the middle of being with 3 kiddos 4 and under all day and packing to move that she made us a meal. She asked me if I was getting ready, and I told her what I tell everyone...that I would be ok if the baby waits to make an appearance close to her due date. She laughed and said that I may be the first person she's ever heard say that. It's not that I'm not excited, I just don't mind waiting a little while longer. Matthew and I just have no idea what is coming in the next few weeks, months, and years. It can be overwhelming to think about! I think there are a couple of other reasons that I could wait a couple more weeks. I have really enjoyed being pregnant. For so long, I wondered if I would ever become pregnant and get to experience all of this. I have not become completely uncomfortable in my pregnancy at this point either so I am just trying to enjoy it all. Who knows if this will happen for us again some day?

• Even though I am not to an uncomfortable state yet, I have finally started to feel hot at times. I generally am always cold so this has been a strange reality. Now I see why some people complain about being pregnant during the hottest part of summer. I have also had a few Charly horse encounters that were not pleasant.

Week 35

Here's a list of random things that are going on in my head today.

• I had an appointment with my doctor yesterday. Now I will be going to see him every week. It was a pretty short visit and everything looked good. He did not check much but said the baby could really come any time now. He asked if I was ready, and I said I would be ok if she stayed in there for a while. He just laughed at me.
• Do you have any more bits of advice for me as I am in the last month, weeks, and days of the pregnancy?
• So far, my belly button has not popped out. I keep wondering if this will happen to me. It has definitely gotten more shallow but is still an in-y.
• For Christmas, Matthew gave me a gift card to a spa in town that can be used for all kinds of things. I was planning to use it on a pregnancy massage when I started to get uncomfortable during the pregnancy. Now I think I will save it until after the baby comes and go for a massage and maybe something fun like a manicure and pedicure. Let me know if you think I should use it before or after Baby Girl is born.
• If you have ever been in the hospital for surgery, did you think about creating a living will? The hospital casually mentioned it when I went for my preadmission appointment earlier this month. I think it’s a good idea, but I do not have anything in writing at this point. I would hate for Matthew to have to make that kind of decision on his own without knowing my wishes and having them down on paper.
• Baby Girl is still without a name. We are working on it, but nothing has just jumped out at the two of us as the perfect name. I hope we will have one picked before she makes her arrival. It’s such a big decision! If you have any suggestions, I am open to at least reading/listening to them.
• We had our very last class on Tuesday. We took an infant and child CPR class. We were not certified in CPR, but we did learn the techniques for giving CPR to an infant and child. I hope I never have to use that information, but I am certainly glad that I went to the class. Matthew is so thankful the classes are now over (and so am I). They took up a good bit of our time in the evenings after work.
• The only appointment I have left (other than the weekly appointments with my ob/gyn) is with a pediatrician. I met one a couple of weeks ago that is super close to the house. He made me feel like he was in a hurry so I decided to meet with one more just to compare. That appointment is next Tuesday. I hope that I can then make a decision and have that out of the way.
• Things have slowed down quite a bit at work. I have slowly been transitioning some of my duties on to other people on my team so they can have some practice while I am still around for help/questions. I have become the project girl for my supervisor. This isn’t all bad, but it makes some of the days go by rather slowly. At this point, I plan to work until the baby comes. I am not sure what will happen and hope that I will not go into labor or have my water break at work. That happened to a girl at this store about a year and a half ago. I was the first person to see her in the bathroom and she told me her water had broken. I felt so bad for her that she had to deal with that at work. But she did great!
• I forgot to mention something humorous in my post about last weekend. My mom, sister-in-law, and I were about to go to the grocery store Friday evening, so I took one last bathroom break. I ended up getting locked in my bathroom. Thankfully, it was a bathroom that had a window to the backyard. Matthew was able to hand me some tools through the window so I could let myself out of the bathroom. It was comical, but it would not have been comical under several other circumstances, mainly (1) if I had been in labor or my water had broken or (2) if I had been home alone. Thankfully, I wasn’t stuck in there too long.
• For sweet baby girls, where do you find hair bows/headbands? I have looked around a bit and haven’t found many…not nearly as many as I would have expected. I am not sure that I will use them often, but I would like to have a couple just in case.
• I have a LOT of blankets. I have received hand-me-downs, some new ones, and my mom brought up some from when I was a baby. How many blankets are enough? I am wondering if I have too many and should return some to get something else that I need.
• Also, what have you found to be the best way to store blankets? I feel like I am already running out of room for everything. I'll have to post pictures of the nursery soon so you can see what it looks like (without anything on the walls so far).

Weekend Extravaganza

This past weekend was a lot of fun.

• My mom and Matthew's sister and niece came into town for my baby shower. I knew my mom and sister-in-law were coming, but I did not know my 18 month old niece was coming. It was really great to see all of them.
• I had to go to a work event after picking my mom up from the airport on Friday morning. I wasn't looking forward to the team event but was convinced to go by my supervisor. Boy am I glad I went. We first went on a tour of one of our stores that will be opening in the middle of June. I got really lost getting to this store so we were about 30 minutes late. We joined the tour once we arrived and then went to another of our stores for lunch. My team had planned a baby shower for me where we ate lunch and cake and I opened a very generous present from them. It was really fun and it was fun for my mom to be there as well.
• Saturday was my birthday and baby shower. The last time I had so many people around on my birthday was at my rehearsal dinner 6 years ago. I really enjoy birthdays so it was fun to have so much family and friends around. I had a really good time at the shower. There were people there from my Sunday school class, Matthew's previous job, my job, and some of Matthew's family from other places in Colorado. The family then came over to our house for dinner which one of them had prepared beforehand.

• My mom made my favorite birthday cake. When I was a kid, one of her friends made this delicious chocolate sheet cake. I liked it so much that I think I embarrassed my mom by asking this friend to make the cake for my birthday. She did so and then when I turned 16 she and her husband showed up at our house with a cake straight out of the oven. It is truly delicious!
• Sunday was mine and Matthew's 6th wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe we have been married six years. Time sure does go by quickly. My sister-in-law and niece had to leave Sunday morning. While Matthew took them to the airport, my mom and I did a bit of shopping. Later in the day, we helped Matthew hang the Roman shade my mom had made for the nursery. I still need to take a picture of that to put on here. I'll do that on another post.
• My mom fixed 8 to 10 meals that are currently in the freezer for us to use between now and when the baby makes her arrival. Isn't that great? She knew that days are coming when I will get home from work and not have a desire or the energy to fix dinner. While she is here after the baby comes, she is going to fix us some more meals to put in the freezer. She was in the kitchen most of the weekend doing this. (By the way...while checking out at the grocery store when my mom bought groceries for these meals, the checkout lady said something about me looking 22. I lost 10 years this weekend! It was an awesome compliment even though I know she wasn't being truthful.)
• After some BEAUTIFUL weather last week, it snowed Sunday night/Monday morning. We ended up leaving at 5:45 yesterday morning to take my mom to the airport. It took us about 2 hours to get there in the traffic and snowy conditions, but about half that amount of time to get back because the snow had already stopped. It was crazy weather. I really hope that was the last snow of the season. I think out of 4 anniversaries spent in Colorado, it has snowed around 3 of them. This is not a very good picture because I took it before we went to the airport, but you can somewhat see all the snow that is on and around our tree.

• One thing that has become very apparent is that we are going to have to work on teaching Max the difference between his toys and Baby Girl's toys. Does anyone have any advice for this? He pretty much thinks any toy on the floor (or anywhere else for that matter) belongs to him. He wanted to play with all our niece's toys as well as anything that I was messing with in the baby's room.

Week 34

Here are photos from week 34. One of the many perks of my job is that I can wear jeans to work (or even shorts) regularly. I have never worn shorts to work as I am not a shorts kind of girl, but I wear jeans frequently. Last week was team member appreciation week at my company where all kinds of fun things happen like free lunches, the team leaders washing team members' cars, wear your favorite jersey to work, etc. So I wore my favorite jersey to work even though it currently does not fit. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity (Go Texas Rangers!! - in case there was any question as to which team I am supporting). The office also went to see the movie Earth last Wednesday. It was wonderful to sit in the movie theater during the middle of the work day and see a movie about God's magnificent creation...even if He wasn't mentioned in the movie.

Not much new was going on during week 34...just trying to get ready for a busy weekend ahead. I am beginning to feel really large and uncomfortable a bit in bed. It takes a lot of work to change positions in bed and to get out of the bed. I started waking up more frequently. I don't necessarily have to use the restroom each time I wake up, but there were several nights during the week where I woke up once each hour. I was able to go back to sleep rather quickly, but it was still a little frustrating. I guess my body is getting prepared a tiny bit for Baby Girl to arrive.

Week 33

We have almost completed all our classes. The only one we have left is a CPR class this weekend. We are both going to be so happy to have our evenings back. It has been exhausting to work all day, go to class for 2 1/2 hours, and then come home to go to bed. Aren't I supposed to be storing up sleep right now? I would say the classes were well worth our time, but Matthew was definitely worn out by the end of them.

Today I had a doctor's appointment. These have been very routine and not much exciting happens at them. We do get to hear the baby's heart beat each time (137 beats per minute today) which is always fun and reassuring. Other than that, I ask questions and the doctor measures my stomach and all. He is pretty sure that Baby Girl is head down now. I hope she will stay that way. My blood pressure was 92 over 60. I think I've gained about 30 pounds so far (or maybe a little bit more).

Not much has changed in the last couple of weeks. I'm still really nervous about giving birth. I try not to think about it much (which is hard because my due date is approaching ever so quickly). When I do think about it, I pray a lot and try to remember that whatever labor is like, it will eventually be over and I will then have a beautiful little person as a result. That has got to be one INCREDIBLE reward!

I mentioned that Baby Girl is moving around quite a bit. What I failed to mention (I think) is how shocking it is for her to kick (or do whatever it is that she does to) my bladder. Wow! When that happens, I have to go to the bathroom right away. And sometimes it is rather alarming to wonder if I'm going to make it there in time. For the record, I have always made it in time. But I guess one day that could change.

My memory is definitely fading. I used to remember all kinds of things, and in recent years that has changed. However, now if I think of something I need to do or something to add to the grocery list, if I don't write it down right away there is a good chance that it won't get done or be purchased. I will remember it later, but I can't count on remembering it when it would do me any good.

I've heard other women say that they have weird dreams during pregnancy. I have ALWAYS had weird dreams so I'm not sure that anything has changed for me. I did recently have a dream about Baby Girl. I haven't had many dreams about her. I dreamt that I was feeding her at some point within the first week of her birth. Afterwards, I set her down and all of a sudden she was a toddler. She looked just like Matthew's sister and had both nostrils of her nose pierced. Matthew was also holding a baby boy that someone had given us. In my dream, being given a baby was apparently normal and no big deal.

Week 32

The past couple of weeks have seemed really busy with the classes we've been taking to prepare for Baby Girl.

**This week we had our 3rd of 4 prepared childbirth classes. We watched a video of a C-section. I completely had tears running down my face when the mom and dad got to see their baby for the first time. It was really sweet. We also talked about pain management and took a tour of the hospital. The hospital has been open less than a year and is really nice. The rooms are huge! My favorite quote of the evening came from one of the videos we watched. "Making noise while pushing is normal." Thank goodness they told us that!

**Wednesday night we had our last baby care class. I thought this class was pretty helpful, but I know that everything we practiced on the plastic babies will be much different with a moving baby. I also know that learning textbook stuff about how to deal with a sick baby will not seem very practical when we have to deal with it in real life, but you really can't be prepared for that kind of thing until the situation presents itself. We received a safety checklist of things to consider for different areas of the home. My favorite question on the list was #56 which asks, "Are discarded freezers and refrigerators hauled away from yard, or are doors of old freezers and refrigerators removed?" I understand what is being asked, but all I can picture is a front yard full of old freezers and refrigerators.

**This afternoon I had my preadmission appointment at the hospital. I was able to fill out all the forms and list my preferences (which is really hard to do your first time around) so that when labor begins we can just get checked into the hospital.

**We only have a couple more classes to attend and then we'll just have to learn from hands-on experience. I think the classes we have taken have been helpful and would definitely recommend that you take the classes you can when you're expecting a baby. If for no other reason, it's good to get an idea of the things that are going to happen both during labor and once you get home.

**The baby has been moving a lot more lately. It started out as a very small feeling that something was moving around in my belly. Now there are times when I can see my whole middle section move. She seems most active when I lay in bed each night. Sometimes it takes me a while to get comfortable because she is so active. It is a weird feeling but also a very neat experience. I really enjoy it!

**Last week we had our 31 week doctor's appointment. Everything still looked good. Baby Girl's heart rate was 140. My blood pressure was still normal at 100/60. We go back next week for our 33 week appointment.

**Yesterday I experienced swelling in my ankles for the first time. It could have been because I wore some socks that were too tight. And again today my sock and shoe choices were poor so I have a tiny bit of swelling right now. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Week 31

Here are some recent highlights.

~My mom and dad came into town last Thursday about half an hour before the "Blizzard of 2009" began. We didn't get nearly as much snow as the weather folks were predicting, but the conditions were not nice for driving and getting out for about a day. The wind was blowing like mad and made visibility less than ideal. I have no idea how much snow we actually got, but we did have a drift in our backyard that was about 5 or 6 feet tall. Other than that drift, the snow is pretty much gone. However, we're supposed to get snow a couple of days this week. (Side note - while my parents were here, they supposedly got 13 inches or so of snow at their place. That's definitely more than we had here.)

~While my mom and dad were here...Matthew finished painting the nursery. My mom bought our travel system for us (car seat/carrier/stroller) which Matthew and I put together Tuesday night. She also purchased some fabric to make a Roman shade for the nursery and a couple of blankets. While we were shopping, Matthew and my dad put together the crib. They opened the box to put together the dresser, and after seeing all the parts, Matthew decided he was done with that for the day. Mom and I went through the boxes of clothes we have received and organized clothes by size. We have a lot of clothes for 0 to 3 months which we will definitely get to enjoy right away. My dad asked why we wanted to have a baby since we have Max. I believe he thinks we spoil are dog. Who would have thought?





~Matthew and I had our second prepared childbirth class. We learned about breathing techniques as well as standard happenings during labor and interventions that could become necessary. While there was less than last week, I am thankful for the comic relief provided by my husband and the couples around us.

~Matthew put the dresser together on Monday and carried the glider and footstool into the nursery from the basement. It doesn't match the other furniture, but I have had it since I was living in my own apartment in Dallas. I know it will come in so handy in the nursery.





Questions for those of you with babies...
~What did you pack in your hospital bag?
~What kind of clothes and comfort items did you take to the hospital?
~How long were you in the hospital?
~Did you wonder if you were going to be capable of going through labor? I have concerns about my own strength and stamina.
~Did you take anything special/creative to the hospital to get your baby's footprints stamped on?

Week 30

Wow! Here we are officially in the 30s. Again, I seriously cannot believe how quickly this is all going.

**This started out as another busy week. Monday night Matthew and I had our first (of 4) prepared childbirth class. It was quite an eye-opening evening. We were not quite prepared to watch a birth. I thought they might save that for a later class. Instead, we jumped in with both feet the first night. This is definitely going to be an interesting experience. I hope the birth is a good, interesting experience and not a scary one.

**Tuesday night was my last b-feeding class. I am glad I attended this class and feel like I learned a lot. Now if only I can remember it all.

**Matthew's aunt, cousin, and cousin's soon-to-be 4 year old daughter drove down to see us Sunday afternoon (4 year old girl asked if they were going to Max's house). We had a wonderful time visiting. His cousin brought us a package of clothes that Matthew's mom had given her with the birth of her daughter as well as a mobile from Matthew's grandfather. What treasures! We are so thankful she shared with us.

**Matthew started painting the nursery a lighter yellow yesterday. I am so excited for it to be done so we can get started putting the furniture together. One slow step at a time.

Week 29

I'm a bit late with this post. I just haven't made the time to get this posted before now.

The last couple of weeks have felt very busy. I hope I can remember some of the highlights of the week.

*I had my first (of 2) b-feeding class Tuesday, March 17. My neighbor who is expecting a baby April 21st and I went to this class together. After reading about b-feeding, I have been nervous because I have read how frustrating it can be if the baby does not latch on correctly. This class was very informative, and I think I feel more comfortable with the idea of it all now. Although she definitely covered some topics I hadn't thought of before...and hadn't been worried about before. I am not worried about this now. I just understand that it is important to have a good start.
*We received a couple of packages in the mail of baby clothes from friends in Austin. The following picture is stuff my friend Angie sent me. I wish you could see how cute these clothes are. I am excited to see them on Baby Girl at some point. I still need to take pictures of the package we received from some other friends.



*Matthew painted over the yucky yellow walls with white primer. There was no time to get the new paint on the wall this week.

Week 28

Week 28 is almost over, and I'm just now writing a bit about it. This is how this week has felt. I have been busy and feeling behind with things. I am tired and so glad that tomorrow is Friday although we have a busy weekend ahead of us.

If you have known me for long, you may recognize this dress. My mother gave this to me one Christmas when I was in college. I have always really liked this dress and have been thrilled that I have been able to wear it during pregnancy. I have been wearing it with pants though because it is a bit short and since it has been cold here that works out just fine in my opinion.

I have something to confess to you all. Last Friday at work I decided that I needed a snack. Mind you, I wasn't hungry but I definitely had the munchies. I will just state right now that working at a grocery store is dangerous at times like this. Because while I could have gone into the store and purchased a piece of fruit or something else "healthy", I ended up buying a pint of ice cream and eating the ENTIRE thing! I didn't plan to eat it all, but boy was it tasty. Oops! Thankfully, that is the only time I have displayed such a moment of weakness (to this point anyway).

Saturday we finally got the last items moved out of the nursery so we could start painting. It was a cold and snowy day and we both had the blahs so we postponed painting because it just didn't sound like a fun way to spend our Saturday.

Monday the baby furniture was delivered. It is still currently in the boxes in our foyer until the room is painted and ready for furniture.

Last week Matthew purchased the paint for the room. We did our due diligence in purchasing a couple of samples of paint to make sure we picked the right color. We learned a LOT when we picked out paint for our dining room and master bedroom a couple of years ago. Well...it appears that our due diligence did not help us out much. Matthew spent yesterday painting the room which turned out to be a really bright school bus yellow. Not exactly the look we were going for. So today he started painting the room with primer so we can start over with a lighter color. How frustrating - he has already spent a lot of time and more money than we hoped to spend on the paint!

Since last Saturday, Baby Girl has been moving quite a bit more. I have actually been able to see the movement which has been amazing... and weird. I still haven't seen what I recognize as a hand or a foot yet.

I had my 28 week appointment yesterday. It was quick as most of the others have been. Baby Girl's heart rate was 135. The doctor said everything looks good. My next appointment will be in 3 weeks instead of 4 weeks.

I think that's about it!

Week 27

I am embarrassed to post these pictures, but I guess not too embarrassed since I have done that very thing. I won't do these again without makeup on. I was hoping it wouldn't be obvious, but it certainly is. I also don't like taking pictures with my hair curly. For some reason it makes me feel like I am trying to be too young or something.

This has started out as an exciting week.

*Saturday Matthew and I picked the color we want to paint the nursery. We have yet to buy more paint in order to do so, but I hope we can get that done somewhat soon. It is going to take a lot of paint as we are using a light color to cover some already beige walls.

*Sunday morning before I got out of bed, Matthew felt Baby Girl kick for the first time.

*Tuesday evening a friend from church met me at Babies R Us to help me register. I still need to go back at least one more time, but I feel like I made good progress last night. And it was fun to have some girl time and hear about her experiences with her 3 kiddos.

*Today when I checked the mail, Baby Merritt had a package. My mom sent two outfits and some socks. They are really cute! And it's always fun to get non-bills in the mail.

Week 26

My goodness! Have you noticed the number of days until our due date over on my widget? It is now less than 100!

This past week was a good one. It was busy so I got really tired, but it was good.

I finally ordered the furniture for the nursery. It is currently out of stock, but we should get it by the end of March. As quickly as everything else is going, I am sure it will be here before I know it.

I also started the process of registering. Boy, is that overwhelming. There are so many decisions to make. And everything is so expensive.

Tonight we took dinner to some friends that had a baby boy 2 weeks ago today. He was so precious! I hope she doesn't mind that I bombarded her with questions. I told her I was sure to have many more for her. They are doing really well and she looked great. That gives me hope!

Week 25

Things are going well this week. I am feeling well and not feeling sore when I wake up in the morning anymore. I am very grateful for that.

Baby Girl has been most active when I go to bed at night. I’m not sure if she really is most active then or if I notice it more because I am laying in bed trying to go to sleep. Either way, I notice it most at night. Matthew has not been able to feel her move yet. It still feels almost like twitching when she moves. It is a hard feeling to describe. My sis-in-law described it to me like a fish is in there flopping around. That's actually pretty accurate. I haven’t been able to see her movement on my belly or feel it with my hand yet. I’m not sure if that will happen soon or not.

I have no idea why, but I cannot keep myself from touching or rubbing my belly a lot. There’s really no reason for me to do it (although my skin does itch at times due to the stretching), but I cannot keep my hands off. I think I just like to remind myself that Baby Girl is in there and how grateful I am for this time. I really want to enjoy it and notice every little thing. Weird!

Several years ago when we lived in Austin, we played this game (I think it was a newlywed game) with some friends from church. I can’t remember if it was a question that was asked or if we were just chit-chatting, but Matthew told this guy that if I could, I would wear trash bags. Basically, he was just commenting on how he thought I wore clothes that were too big for me. My mother used to also give me a hard time about not “showing off my figure.” I never really understood what Matthew was saying. However, I think I now get it a little bit because I have been able to wear my normal shirts up to this point. They cover everything but are a little short since I have so much belly to cover. But they work since I generally wear a cami under everything (and don’t want to spend money on clothes at the moment).

This is a snippet of an email I received from my sister-in-law (Matthew’s sister). Have I mentioned how helpful she has been to me during this pregnancy? I really appreciate her! I have removed names to protect the innocent.

It was too funny – [3 year old boy] was with me at BBSRUS when I was looking around. I picked up a dress and said, "Look at this [3 year old boy]. Isn't this cute?" He said, "It is cute, mommy, but it's too small for [15 month old girl]." Which in itself was a riot. Then I said, "This isn't for [15 month old girl], monkey, it's for Uncle Matt and Aunt Mindy's baby. Remember, I told you they are going to have a baby." He said, "Oh, it's for Jackson."

I know I told Matt, but [3 year old boy] has named your baby Jackson and asserts when asked that it is too a girl's name.

Week 24 Appointment

Yesterday was our 24 week appointment with the doctor. These appointments are so quick it's been surprising to me. We got to hear Baby Girl's heart beat again which was 139 yesterday. The doctor said my weight, blood pressure, and uterus measurements were all good. Yesterday he checked my ankles for any swelling. This is the first time he has done that. I haven't had any issues with swelling up to this point. I am sure that is helped by the fact that I sit at a desk almost all day long.

I had to drink the glucose drink before my appointment so they could check for gestational diabetes. My appointment was at the end of the day so I hope my food choices yesterday did not have a negative impact on those results. No news is good news so hopefully I will not hear anything back.

My next appointment is in 4 weeks. After that, I will start going to the doctor more often. I cannot believe how quickly this pregnancy is going.

Week 24

Here are my week 24 pictures. I probably should not wear this shirt again as it is quite snug.

Not much has changed in the past week. I am glad to be feeling well again. While I am still stiff sometimes when getting out of bed in the morning, I am not feeling as sore as I was. I am afraid I may have started the pregnancy waddle. I don't think it's because of the weight I've gained so far or even the shape of my body. I think it's because I have been stiff and my lower back is sore some mornings. Of course, I know that my ligaments are loosening to prepare for things to come so that has an impact as well.

I am a chronic leg-crosser. I have read numerous times over the past few months that I should stop crossing my legs. So I started working on this a couple of weeks ago. In the beginning, I would automatically cross my legs as soon as I sat down. I sit at a desk all day so it was very challenging. I have been successful so far and am certainly more aware of this when I sit down. This has helped me work a bit on my posture while sitting as well.

I made my first baby clothes purchase this weekend. No matter where I am shopping, I now have to peruse the baby section just to see what's out there. I have been good so far about not spending money. Last weekend I found the cutest little onesies that I could not resist though. They are a cowgirl theme which I thought was so cute! Several weeks ago while at Target I found some baby blankets on clearance so I bought 3. They were only $0.98 each! What a deal! I have also purchased some bibs as my sister-in-law told me they used them like crazy...especially to keep up with all the drool.

a TON of bricks

Things are going well here. I have 24 week photos, but they have not been loaded on the computer yet. We are SLOWLY making progress toward getting ready for Baby Girl.

• Last Saturday we started cleaning out Baby Girl's room. Since moving into the house a little over 2 years ago, this had become our junk room. Don't know what to do with something? Put it in the front room. People are coming over and we need to quickly clean off the dining room table (which collects all sorts of stuff)? Put it in the front room. Too lazy to take this or that downstairs where it belongs? Put it in the front room. You would not believe what all was in that room. It is almost emptied and ready for its makeover (even though we don't know what exactly that will entail and don't have any furniture ready to move into the room). We moved some things to a new home within our home and took many things to Goodwill. It felt good to at least get started on that project.
• Even though I already had a pretty good list going of names I like, several weeks ago I went through the HUGE baby name book and marked all the girl names I liked. Last night, I finally wrote out a list to narrow down the choices. I figured this would facilitate a nice discussion between Matthew and me of names. As I was making the list, I came across several names and wondered what in the world caused me to mark those names. Yikes! Maybe I was quite tired while marking the names. I definitely have a favorite name that has been picked out for a LONG time. Now I just have to convince Matthew that it is the best name choice.

That's it! So that's not much progress I guess. But we're working on it!

Back to the subject of this post...

I am guessing that I have always wanted to have children and imagined myself as being a mom one day. Matthew says I started talking about babies almost immediately after we got married. There is probably more truth to that statement than I care to admit. I really enjoyed babysitting when I was a teenager and have always liked kids.

A couple of weeks ago as I sat in Sunday school and watched a mother with her month old baby, I came to the realization that I have not spent much time around newborn babies and really have no idea what to do with one. I am far too composed to admit that I started to freak out (but in truth that is what happened). I started for the first time to feel completely unprepared for Baby Girl. I am still so excited to meet her, but now I am starting to think about all the things I have no idea about. I hope that every mom-to-be comes to this place at some point and that I am not entirely on my own in this.

I have since done a lot of praying, talking to Matthew, reading, looking through the classes offered by the hospital, and settled down a bit. I realize that I could not possibly know all there is to know before this precious gift is delivered. And I think with the classes I hope to take at the hospital, I will be reassured about caring for Baby Girl and learn many of things I am currently clueless about.

Whew! "They" aren't kidding when they say this pregnancy thing is an emotional roller coaster!

Week 23

These photos were taken later than my normal day because I was enduring a stomach bug over the weekend. I have no idea where I picked it up. I was fine at work on Friday. In fact, all day I kept wanting to come up with a good excuse to take the afternoon off because the weather was gorgeous. But I made myself stick it out so I could save that time off for something more necessary than just a free afternoon.

By the time I got home on Friday, I did not feel well. Friday evening, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday I spent either in bed or on the couch. The only comfortable thing for me to do was to lie down. My body got so sore from lying down all the time, but even sitting up just felt bad. I hardly ate anything all weekend and still have not eaten much. I am assured that baby girl is taking the nutrients she needs from me and that things for her are just fine. Today I am finally feeling better. This bug completely wiped me out. I was exhausted for several days. I got a lot of sleep, but it was just not as much as my body wanted.

I must say that when you have the rumbling in your tummy from the stomach bug, feeling baby girl move around is not the most pleasant feeling - although I am so thankful that I can feel her moving around.

I don't want to complain, but I am getting tired of sleeping on my side. I woke up this morning with aching hips and shoulder blades. Matthew says I don't have enough muscle. I know he's right about that, but that's not exactly an overnight fix. My recommendation to anyone wanting to have a baby in the future is to start getting in shape now. Don't do it solely for the pregnancy, but believe me, you will feel better if your body is in good shape. I've heard that would make labor easier as well.

Now on with the photos... The shirt I am wearing is not a maternity shirt and is a tad bit blousy. So much so, that I look bigger than I actually am. It is a quite comfortable shirt though and will hopefully fit me until the end of May. You can tell by my face (at least I can) that I don't feel well. Matthew took this on Monday when I came home from work after just 2 1/2 hours because I was so sleepy I couldn't get anything done.

Week 22

Matthew took these pictures this morning before we went out to start looking at cribs. Our venture was not successful at all as we were not able to find any of the brands we hoped to look at. I think we're going to have to drive up to Denver to see what we want to see. Maybe we'll be able to do that next weekend.

This past week I had heart burn almost all week long from eating some spaghetti with tomato sauce and some onions. Those did not agree with me at all. I have also been having some lower back pain that I haven't been able to get rid of. Other than that, I am still feeling well and have been sleeping well.

I ordered some bedding yesterday for the nursery. This is the only thing we have done so far. I am anxious to get it to see if I like it as much in person as I did when I saw it online.