getting so close...

This week we hit 36 weeks! Oh my goodness- it is finally starting to set in that we may actually bring home a baby! Seriously, up until this point I really haven't given it much thought. I wouldn't allow my mind to go there. I wanted to protect myself in case something happened. Well, I think it is time to climb out of that box and start thinking about what I am going to do with a newborn baby! Our anxiety is quickly switching from my water breaking too early to the pains of labor and delivery and how we are going to deal with a screaming baby boy that is dependent upon us for everything!

I have one more shower this weekend and then I am going out for the final shopping trip to make sure I have all the necessities- you know the stuff that no one wants to buy like bottles and a trash can. After that, we just wait..... I think you all know by now that I am not a patient person- I hate waiting! Especially when waiting involves swelling of my cankles and face, intense braxton hicks and extreme weight gain! Oh, the lovelies of the final weeks of pregnancy! There are lots of people that believe I am going to have this baby early, but my OB thinks that I will go right up to the due date so I am trying not to think too much about an early baby. After all, we have spent the last 9 months praying that this baby would just stay in there. Now, he probably won't come out!!!

I plan on putting the finishing touches on the nursery today. Stay tuned for pics when I have it all complete.

Finally, since we are getting so close, it is time for your final name game clue. This one is a collection of words that are to clues to both the first name and the middle name. Can you figure it out????

Wild
Actor
Location
Weight
Memorial


If you want to participate in the name game, put your final guess in the comments of this post.

Our week in photos....

***Updated with pics of my friends shower***

This week is all about baby showers for us! I had one Wednesday night with a few friends, last night we had a couples shower, tonight I have a shower with a different group of friends and then Saturday I sit back and relax at a friends shower! Phew- I am totally exhausted already and am only half way through!

We started the week off by purchasing a glider for the nursery so now all the furniture is in and we are just waiting for a woman to come paint the walls next week and then it is complete!

My friends shower on Wednesday....

And finally, the gift I have been waiting for........





I can't even tell you how much better I slept last night just knowing it was in the house!! Now, I can practice hooking and latching and folding and tightening....... And, most importantly, now I have something to bring my baby boy home in!

**Last night I had my friends shower and it was so much fun! Once again, I was totally blown away by all the amazing gifts baby boy recieved- he sure is spoiled!

Now I need to find a place to put all of these fabulous gifts!

Bad blogger....

I have to apologize for being such a bad blogger lately. For some reason I just seem to be having writers block and have found it much easier to just read others blogs than to actually write on mine!

We actually are 34 weeks this week! Everything seems to be going well so far, although I can definitely tell that I am slowing down a bit energy wise and I am starting to feel like a 90 year old when I try to stand up from a seated position!

It seems like I wake up everyday and the belly just gets bigger and bigger! I am constantly amazed when I step on the scale at the drs office and see how much I have actually gained-yikes! Hope that old wives tale about breastfeeding and losing weight is actually true!

We are still working on the nursery. I have someone coming to paint words on the wall in a couple weeks so everything is on hold until she does that. I am also frantically trying to find a glider/rocker for the nursery that I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for. If any of you have recommendations, I would love to hear about them!

Other than that, I have just been driving J crazy with my current obsession, the car seat! We still have yet to get it and I keep having nightmares that I am going to go into labor and we will not have our car seat yet. Knowing that they won't let us leave the hospital with baby boy without one makes it kind of important to me. But for some reason, it seems like I am the only one that is concerned about this! I am pretty sure this obsession stems from my biggest fear which is once again leaving the hospital without a baby. We weren't able to bring Brooke and Alexcyn home like we should have... in their car seats and not having one yet makes me feel like that could happen again.

I have also started packing my hospital bag and have a great friend who made me a fantastic list which has helped me a ton. If any of you have things that aren't on the typical list that you recommend, leave me a comment- I would love to hear your ideas.

Well, I guess I did have a few things to say! I promise to try to keep up with this better. And, just because you were all so patient with me, here is another name clue...

Name Game Clue # 7:

Walking in circles over the name? Look to the sky and it just may lead you in the right direction.

Family Shower

I had my baby shower with J's family on Saturday and had so much fun! Everything was so perfect from the adorable favors to the shower games and if you know anything about me, you know I don't like games so that is saying a lot!

I felt so blessed by all the fabulous gifts I got for baby boy and yes, I am feeling better and slightly more prepared now that I actually have things in the drawers and a changing pad on the table! There are still quite a few things that we need, but I hear from many people that I will be surprised at how much stuff we get so I am trying to stop stressing about it! This is not an easy task for an obsessive planner like myself, but I am really trying!

The morning of the shower, I woke up early with much anticipation and found my mind wandering back to when I first dreamed of my baby shower. It is hard to believe that it was almost 4 years ago now.... I remember how naive I was thinking that it would be just a few short months after we first starting trying. I remember attending showers after we had been trying for a while and then after we had been diagnosed as infertile and then after we had a miscarriage and then after we lost the girls. The thought of attending a baby shower definitely took on a different meaning to me over those years and I will never forget all the emotions involved when you have lost a child or the dream of a child. So, as I sat at my shower opening all those fabulous gifts, I just felt grateful that it was finally my turn, that I was the one opening the presents, that I was being celebrated this day! What an amazing blessing!

Shower

My co-workers threw our first baby shower yesterday. It went very well and was a great way to kick off the shower season! We got our Boppy play gym as well as a few little goodies like some adorable home made burp cloths!

(Yum- a red velvet cake made by Creations by Marcia- it is my favorite and was delish!)

Tomorrow brings shower number two thrown by my sister in law and mother in law. I am definitely starting to freak out a bit that we need so many things for bebe and have nothing yet! So, all my worries about being anxious for the shower are gone. Now I am much more concerned that we won't have a car seat, stroller or bassinet when bebe comes home and one of those you need or else they won't let you leave the hospital! I know this is just the beginning of the whole nesting phase which scares me because that combined with my obsessive planning gene, is a really bad combo! I am hoping that once I leave the shower tomorrow afternoon, I will actually start to feel more prepared and a little less stressed.

Other than that, nothing else is really new around here. We are just thrilled to be at 32 weeks and to be at a point where we could deliver at our local hospital and not have to worry about developmental issues with bebe being born early.

Sorry, I have kind of fallen off the baby name game a little, here is a clue for anyone that is still playing...

Clue # 6: The first letter of this name can be found in the first half of the alphabet....

Busy, busy, busy...

Things have been so busy around here lately that I haven't even had a chance to post! It seems like we have something every weekend and almost every week night too. I was definitely starting to feel a little overwhelmed because it seemed there was so much to do to get ready for baby boy and there was no time to get it all done!

I was so excited when we were finally able to get the dresser and crib set up in the nursery last week. Although, that excitement was short lived as I realized that the white dresser I ordered was not the same white as the crib I ordered. It was pretty disappointing that the nursery is not going to be as I planned, but in the scheme of things, I suppose it really isn't that big of a deal. I am still trying to figure out a way to make it look intentional though so I am open for suggestions if you have any! (The crib is bright white and the dresser is antique white.) Now, we just need to figure out a rocker/glider chair for the room and then we should be all set in there furniture wise.

It is hard to believe, but I have two showers next week! I am kind of numb about all of this shower stuff. On one hand, I have spent 4 years dreaming of the day I would be the one opening the gifts at a baby shower. On the other hand, it is something I never got to do with the girls and that makes me sad. I definitely anticipate the whole scene being emotional, but that is something I have become very used to when it comes to baby showers! For anyone who has dealt with infertility, I am sure you know what I mean.

Other than that, I am still feeling relatively well. I have developed sciatic nerve pain and that has literally become a pain in my ass! Luckily it comes and goes, but when it is here, it is very uncomfortable and tends to make me do the waddle walk; something I have fought hard to not do this entire pregnancy! Baby boy is moving around more now and I love to watch my stomach move when he decides it is play time in there. He has also come down with the hiccups a few times and that has been so fun to experience!

Here I am at 31 weeks standing next to our beautiful (bright white) crib! Wrong color or not, I still love it!

And, here is Jasper the cat checking everything out as we moved the guest bed, aka his bed, out of the room and into the basement. Needless to say, he was confused and not a happy cat that day!

30 something....

A couple years ago, I shuddered at the thought of being a 30 something. I hated the idea of reaching that age and not being where I thought I would be in my life. Well, today I am happy to report that I am a 30 something and proud of it! Only this time, we aren't talking my age, we are talking baby boy's age. Today we start week 30- woo hoo!!! Only 2 more weeks and we will be to a point where if baby boy were born, his chances of survival and growing up to be a normal healthy baby will be greatly increased. I feel so relieved to be in the "home stretch" of this pregnancy!

Many of you have asked me lately how I am feeling. Physically, I still feel great. I have a few backaches here and there, but nothing my yoga exercises can't stretch out. I am gaining weight at a rapid rate and have already had to say goodbye to a few of my smaller maternity clothes. I am still sleeping as well as can be and just trying to soak it all up while I can! Mentally, I am doing so much better than a month ago. I had so many people tell me that getting past my loss time and date wouldn't really help my anxiety level. I must be an exception to that rule because I am feeling so much more confident than I was just a few weeks ago. Don't get me wrong, I still have plenty of fears but I am trying my best to give them up to God and try to enjoy what I have left of this pregnancy. Showers are currently being planned and we just completed our birthing class at the hospital which was a little emotional as it brought back many memories of the girls birth. But, it was another milestone that we didn't reach with the girls so I feel blessed that I was able to go! We have finally cleaned out the guest room and are ready for the crib and dresser to come on Friday. I am definitely getting antsy to start getting things ready and transform that room into a nursery! So, when people ask me how I am, I just respond grateful! I will take every backache and sleepless night if it means I get to take home my baby boy in 10 weeks.

Before I sign off I do have a prayer request for you.... Friends of ours, Jeff and Wendy lost their baby girl Natalie Grace at 21 weeks this past weekend. Our hearts are breaking with them as we know exactly how empty they feel right now. Please pray that they will be surrounded by comfort, strength and peace at this difficult time.