Count Down to Baby: SOON

Today my spirits are better. So take THAT!

I realized this week just how hard it is to work and be this pregnant. I remember being sore and uncomfortable last week. After a three-day holiday weekend and one sick day, I noticed just how WRECKED I felt when I got home from work last night. My back hurt. I felt so much pressure in my lady bits. My feet were swollen. And I was mentally exhausted. What was I thinking working up until my due date?!?! Oh yeah, I’d rather spend the time off with my little guy than sitting and watching the US Open all day (It’s totally consuming my TV time).

I had an emotional turn-around last night. I realized that it was Wednesday night, and I only had two more days of work. And I realized that even if I didn’t go into labor on my own RIGHT NOW, we weren’t far from meeting Liam. As much as I want my body to do its thing and go into labor naturally, getting induced won’t be the end of the world. First, my body has already made progress. And it will likely have made even more progress by the time I get induced. So I won’t be starting from scratch, going zero to 60 really fast. Second, we can RELAX on the day of induction. We can wake-up, make coffee, and read the newspaper. We can calmly (albeit anxiously) go-over our packing list and bags. We don’t have to rush to the hospital. Third, I won’t have to play 20 questions with the hospital staff when I’m in active labor. Fourth, we can snuggle our babies (the dogs) all morning and give them lots and LOTS of love. Where I was an impatient, uncomfortable mess just two days ago, I am thankful, full of faith, and still uncomfortable today.

I think I have a problem… I am obsessed with baby clothes. I’m obsessed with sales, online and in store. I get email updates. Lots of them. All of which I need to UNSUBSCRIBE to. This kid needs to get here so I can realize that we have enough clothes for him. But let me tell you – L Bean has the CUTEST Thanksgiving outfit. We’re going to be at The Homestead over Thanksgiving (my parents have a time share). It’ll be our first trip with baby. Luckily it’s only a 2+ hour drive away. I’ve also been scoping Christmas pajamas, because obviously he needs to be festive. We are SO pumped to have family time Christmas morning. He won’t know the difference, but it’ll be nice to not rush-off right after waking-up. I’ve also been on the prowl for when the Christmas sweaters come out. Um, can we say Christmas card?!?! Don’t worry – he already has a Halloween onesie and the cutest little hat you’ve ever seen.

And who said dressing a boy wasn’t fun?! And yes, everything was on sale so operation “Don’t Pay Full Price For Baby Clothes” is still a success.

I’m beginning to feel better, thank you God. My throat doesn’t hurt anymore. See, another reason why L Bean waiting to make his entrance is a good thing. Mommy gets time to feel better. I would REALLY like to be able to breathe through my nose while in labor. Just a small request.

Wanna know what’s on my mind? Oh, just baby stuff… and NOTHING ELSE. I can’t focus on anything to save my life. All I can think about is: What will he look like? How much will he weigh? Holding him. Snuggling him. Kissing his nose. Him wrapping his little fingers around my finger. Nursing him. DRESSING him. Seeing Josh hold him. Will I cry when he’s born? Will Josh cry when he’s born? Not sleeping because of him. Seeing the dogs react to and fall in love with him. Play dates with friends. 12 weeks at home with him. My dad visiting in TWO WEEKS. I could keep going, but you get the picture. It’s BABY BABY BABY. There isn’t room for anything else.

Happy 39 Weeks, L Bean!

Well, Labor Day came and went without any labor.  How poetic would that have been?

I had a doctor appointment last Friday, and I had my first internal exam!  Friend Sarah tagged along for this appointment.  She's seen me naked or half-naked more times than I can count, so her being present for the internal exam was al natural.  I thought for sure the exam would be very uncomfortable, but it really wasn't so bad (I'll spare you the description I gave my husband - you're welcome).  Doc checked-out L Bean's heartbeat via ultrasound first.  All was well.  He also took a peak at the placenta, which was visibly maturing.  And then he tried to measure his head.  I say "tried" because his head is so low in my pelvis that he couldn't get a good read.  I won't tell you how low the ultrasound wand was while he was trying to get the measurement, you can just use your imagination. 

After the ultrasound, it was internal time!  I'd been feeling pressure on my cervix all week, so I was hoping that SOMETHING was happening.  According to Doc, I was 1+ centimeters dilated and VERY effaced.  So THAT'S what I had been feeling all week.  Neither of those measurements mean all that much, as many women are dilated and effaced for weeks before they go into labor.  L Bean is very low in my pelvis - good job, little man!  Doc told me that he thought I could go at any time.  ANY TIME.  And sooner rather than later.  After the exam, there was some bleeding. This is totally normal, although I did waltz right back into Doc's office to have this confirmed.  About to get TMI, avert your eyes boysss: The blood was mucusy, so I was hoping that Doc dislodged my muscus plug.  No dice.  It's still plugging strong (so gross, but I couldn't resist).

I'm now convinced that L Bean is stubborn like his momma, because he seems pretty darn comfortable.  An induction date (no, I'm not going to let you in on the secret) has been set if I don't go into labor on my own.  There IS an end in sight.

The weekend was spent like this: Wait.  Wait. Waiting. Clean. Wait. Laundry. Wait. Dinner with brother and SIL. Wait.  Clean (things that had already been cleaned). Wait.  Dinner with brother, SIL, and mom (spicy food).  Wait. Wait. WAIT.  We threw-in another labor inducing trick over the weekend, but that's PRIVATE.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm sick?  Husband was sick all week, and it finally caught-up with me this weekend.  So really the weekend went like this: Wait. Blow nose. Wait. Wait. Drink water to sooth throat. Blow nose. Sniffle. Wait.  Try to sleep. Wait. Fail to sleep AT ALL. Wait.  Husband moves to couch because he's coughing.  Wait. Try to sleep.  Fail to breath through nose.  Day dream about taking Benadryl to help me breath and sleep. Wait.... you get the picture.  39 weeks of being healthy, and my immune system picks NOW to get lazy. 

My emotional climate this weekend was like a roller coaster.  My poor husband.  The waiting is excruciating.  I don't know how women stay sane when they actually PASS their due date.   Not feeling well and not being able to sleep magnifies every emotion.  And then add-on a healthy does of general discomfort from being very pregnant.  That Dairy Queen Blizzard last night made me feel better for a bit... and then I felt bad for a different set of reasons.  My spirits seem better today.  I stayed-home from work in an effort to jump-start feeling better and to catch-up on sleep.  There's nothing good on TV and the house is already spotless, so I may go a LITTLE crazy by the end of the day.  I keep telling myself that I need to enjoy these last days of having L Bean all to myself.  I am truly going to miss being pregnant, so I'm trying to switch my attitude.  Easier said than done, but progress is being made.

At dinner this weekend with brother, SIL, and mom, we went-over our expectations for the hospital, visitors, and updates.  And then being home, visitors, and updated.  And the phone calls and texts to update.  It's so hard to coordinate something that is such an unknown.  For once, my Type A self has a "well figure it out" attitude.  Aren't you proud?!?!  Crazy, I know.

I'm a Believer!

A friend was nice enough to alert me to a couple consignment sales happening in Richmond this week and next.  Since operation Never Pay Full Price For Baby Clothes is underway, I was SO excited for the sale tonight.  Josh and I attended the preview for new and expecting moms - the sale doesn't start for the general public until Friday.  Having never been to a consignment sale before, we have no idea what to expect.  OH MY GOODNESS.  There was a line of 50+ people when we got there at 6:00 pm.  By the time we parked the line was moving, and we were inside in no time.  We were immediately overwhelmed by the amount of STUFF.  Books, toys, shoes, backpacks, and the CLOTHES.  I can't even tell you how many clothes there were.

We were grossly unprepared for the experience.  We didn't have a bag.  We didn't bring enough money.  I didn't wear a tank top (it was 800 degrees in there).  I didn't bring my camera.  And I didn't bring my phone.  The phone part was especially stupid considering I was planning to catch-up with a couple girlfriends.  By the time we were ready to leave, it was PACKED.  We walked through the crowds and didn't see any familiar faces, so we booked it out of there.  Did I mention it was 800 degrees inside?  Sweat was rolling down the side of my face and down, er, other places.  And I had to pee like WHOA. 

We spent $65.  We got four books and two wooden puzzle games.  We also got a slew of clothing.  Five button-up shirts.  Two pairs of corduroys. Two pairs of jeans.  One pair of khakis. One long-sleeved onsie and matching overalls. Two sweater vests.  Two sweaters.  And one hooded fleece.  We have a ton of 0 to 6 months clothes, so we concentrated on getting 6 to 12 months clothes.  And we wanted to snag the types of clothes that we wouldn't normally buy ourselves (read: expensive and nice).  

In the pile is a pair of Calvin Klein jeans.  A Gymboree button-up that still had the tags on it.  Baby Gap items.  Children's Place, Oshkosh B'Gosh, and IZOD are also represented.   All of the for $52. 

Um, SWOON!  The sweater vest is actually red - the light makes it look orange (it's nighttime and I was using artificial light and no flash - it happens). 

We're already talking about next year's sale.  I'll still be considered a "new mom" so I'll be able to partake in the preview sale.  Next year, however, we will go prepared.  We'll take much more money.  We'll take bags (we have Ikea bags that would be PERFECT).  And we'll leave L Bean with Grammy.  Divide and conquer is our game plan.  We're pumped.  A google reminder has been set-up.  Oh yes, we're THAT excited.

Husband's allergies are flaring-up, so we stopped-by Rite-Aid on the way home to pick-up some medicine.  While we were there, we also grabbed some diapers (we try to grab a pack of diapers whenever we're at a store that sells them in a effort to spread-out the expense.  And don't worry, we're not buying newborn diapers).  We also grabbed some snacks for Husband's hospital bag. 

When we got home, Husband installed our car seats bases.  It was easy peasy.  Both of our cars have a strap specifically designed for a car seat, which is nice.  Husband has informed me that it's called a "latch strap."  Whatever the name, it made the task easier than we taught it would be. 

Since it's important, he read the directions. 

Voila!

The babies watched-on wondering why they couldn't get in the car to go "bye-bye."   The pictures aren't the clearest of the bunch that I took, but they're my favorites for some reason.

No Much Happening Around Here

I haven't written much in August as there hasn't been much going on.  I totally predicted this would happen.  We tore through all of our baby prep, and now we're twiddling our thumbs and stalking the calendar.  I'm so thankful (and a little surprised) that we stuck to our "get it done early" goal.  I can't imagine trying to finish projects at this point.  It would all fall on Husband's shoulders (and he's already taken over the following duties: picking-up things off the floor, pulling me out of the laying position in bed, carrying the laundry basket EVERYWHERE, and even getting my phone when it rings if I'm propped-up on the couch - seriously, how lucky am I?).   


I had my 37 (and 4 days... but who's counting) appointment last Friday.  All is well in Liamland!  My BP is normal.  My urine looks good (and no, we're not talking aesthetically).  L Bean's heart rate is good.  I was sent-home with another 4D picture of his adorable little mug.  Oh my goodness. THAT FACE.  His cheeks look chubbier than last week.  And he has the cutest chin - to whom in the family it belongs, we have no clue.  Full lips (mom).  Cute little ears and button nose (dad).  And what look like big eyes (mom).   It was the shortest appointment yet.  Maybe five minutes.  Doc came in and gave me a big hug hello.  Have I told you how much I love my doctor?  I could put him in my pocket and take him home.  If nothing happens before next Friday, he'll check me (we're talking internals, people) to see if I've dilated.  Holy cowsers. 


I can't believe I'm sharing this, but I promised honesty.  Saturday I noticed some stretch marks.  Not on my belly (thankfully).  I won't tell you the exact spot because I'm still in denial.  There's one in particular that looks pretty angry - I call it Murphy.  Luckily, they're not really visible to the general public.  Hopefully with time (and body shrinkage) they'll get smaller and less angry.  I have no one to blame but myself.  I've mentioned this before, but I'll tell you again.  I've gained some serious poundage during this pregnancy.  It may not look like it to you, but trust me - there is at least 40 extra pounds on my frame (I don't know the exact number.  I literally cover my eyes when I get weighed).  I was a smidge underweight for my age and height when I got pregnant, so some of the weight gain was needed for a healthy pregnancy and baby.  But certainly not all of it.  I've pretty much consumed whatever I felt like whenever I felt like it.  Especially these past few weeks.  This is my only regret throughout this entire pregnancy.  I wasn't active.  My food self control was non-existent.  Thankfully I'm at the end, so it can't get much worse.  I will tell you - this weekend was an all-time pregnant self-esteem low. 


We met baby Jax (Jack for long) last week!  He was a week and a half old and so cute you could eat him.  We took the family dinner, and in exchange we got to snuggle their sweet boy for a bit.  Husband was swoonworthy.  He cradled Jax so naturally, and he kept stroking his little arm with a single finger.  His face told the story of what was going through his mind - he's SO ready to hold his own son.  My heart reached the near explosion level.  Jax's mommy looked AMAZING.  She has just given birth a week or so before, and she was just glowing.  I wasn't expecting her to look rough, but I wasn't expecting her to look THAT great.  She wears motherhood so well.   It was so fun spending an hour in that kind of emotional climate.  We couldn't help but feel the love.


This past weekend Josh had a soccer tournament.  His team won!  I baked cookies and banana bread.  I cleaned and did laundry.  I napped and rested.  The weekend passed by WAY too quickly.  I went to Target and got my "after birth" goodies (the ice packs are already in the freezer).

I figured it wouldn't be very nice of me to send Husband to the store to buy HUGE maxi-pads and hemorrhoids pads.  Hopefully I won't need the hemi pads, but I'd rather be over-prepared than under-prepared (Who, me?! NEVER).  I also got some big 'ol cotton undies.  I'm not much for regular underwear, so it'll be interesting wearing those pad-hammocks for a few weeks.  When I brought them home and showed them to Husband, he said, "Sometimes full underwear is really sexy.  You know, like boy shorts."  To which I said, "Honey, these are NOT boy shorts.  They're sole purpose is to hold a pad in place.  Think granny-pantie."  He stopped smiling after that. 

Today my feet are swollen.  Husband even noticed.  We're keeping an eye on them to make sure it's not happening really quickly, as that's usually not a good thing.   I've definitely noticed an up-tick in activity this week.  More contractions.  More uncomfortable contractions.  Longer contractions.  A general dull ache in my lower belly from time to time.  I'm exhausted; although I think this has more to do with work than anything.  I plan to stop working when I pop or until my due date, whichever comes first (that's nine more workdays, max, but who's counting).  As each day passes, I realize that working until my due date will be tough.  But we have a big deadline coming-up, and it's too important that I contribute.  At least it's a desk job.

My dad booked his flights to come visit right after L Bean is born.  I can't even tell you how excited I am.  I can't wait to see the tears :)

Just for fun, here are two pictures of our oldest kids:

They're ready to be the best big brother and big sister to L Bean!

Breastfeeding and Calendars (Unrelated)

Have I ever told you about how I thought I was a week or so more pregnant than my doctor? True story.

When we got pregnant, I wasn’t on birth control. We knew we wanted to start a family sooner rather than later, and we didn’t know how long it would take my body to adjust to being hormone-free. Because I wasn’t on the pill, I kept a calendar. Kept a calendar of what, my two (maybe) male readers ponder? Monthly lady details, my friends. If you’ve ever been on birth control and then stopped, you know why I kept a calendar (here’s another hint to my faithful male readers: everything is JACKED-UP). I’ll spare you my notation details, but my Type A peeps would be proud. On that calendar, I kept track of EVERYTHING (she blushes coyly). You know, just in case. Well, Just in Case’s name is Liam, and he’ll make an appearance in a few weeks.

Because I kept track on said calendar I know when, YOU KNOW, happened. So when I was asked for the first date of my last cycle, I cited my calendar and cracked some joke about being meticulous and date of conception (totally inappropriate, nervous Betsy joke). Doctor laughed. I knew I liked him for a reason. Based on my dates, my due date would be September 8th. Based on what Doctor saw during that first ultrasound, my due date was set at September 14th. And there it has remained. Due dates are based on average cycles. Revisiting my “jacked-up” comment above, there was nothing average about my cycles. They’d be long and then short and then long and then long and then short. It was SO much fun. L Bean is measuring right-on-track for a September 14th due date, so obviously Doctor knows best. September 8th sounds pretty awesome right about now, though.

On a different note, Husband looked at me last night and said, “It looks like your stomach has grown since this morning.” We measured. It hadn’t. But it sure feels like it. Clothes are getting TIGHT (and not just around my stomach, sad face).

We had our last baby class last night: breastfeeding basics for couples. Yes, Husband tagged along. I’m going to need his help/support. Plus, they showed a video (I kid, I KID!). 

Before I talk about our class, I have to share something swoon-worthy with you. The past three classes we’ve taken have involved baby dolls. One per couple. As each class progressed, Husband would sneak the baby doll into his lap or he’d hold it in his arms. Someone’s excited to be a daddy!

Okay, back to breastfeeding. When I first got pregnant, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I also felt totally scared and weird about it. L Bean was the size of a poppy seed, so there wasn’t much mother-son bonding going on, and I had a hard time imagining a baby on my breast. As I’ve gotten more and more pregnant, I’ve gotten more and more excited about breastfeeding. After last night’s class, I’m more excited than ever. And for the first during this pregnancy, I’m confident and FAITHFUL. Did you know the average weaning age in Europe is three years? A year ago I would have said, “UGH! No way. That’s a TODDLER.” By no means so I plan to nurse until L Bean is three, but I get it now.

I had a breastfeeding epiphany last night: If L Bean is anything like his father, he’ll be a breastfeeding champion (I won’t reveal details, but Husband weaned a bit late).

Weekend Update

It’s official: We are (materially) ready for L Bean’s arrival. I had another shower this past weekend with a handful of soccer friends (plus Mom and SIL). It was awesome. We played a few fun games, laughed A LOT, and reminisced about how we “used to be cool.” I got my Moby Wrap (WOOP!).  I showed Husband how the wrap works during shower gift show-and-tell on the living room floor (and yes, these gift were also packed-away and organized within 30 minutes of their arrival as Casa de L Bean).  I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't loving, so we ordered him a Balboa sling in black.  He's SUPER excited about it.  Can't you just picture him walking-around the grocery store with Liam in a sling?!  SWOONSVILLE.  The sling is adjustable, so we can both use it.  It wasn't cheap, so we plan on USING it.

After the shower, Husband and I headed to Target (thanks, Sarah and Josh!) and Babies R Us (“BRU”) to purchase the handful of items we still needed. BRU really knows how to sink their teeth into you. We have a rewards card, so we get tons of (surprisingly awesome) coupons in the mail. Also, last week we received our 15% off coupon for all items remaining on our registry (and you better believe I was on Babiesrus.com right before we left the house adding things to our registry "just in case"). Um, holler! We needed towels, a bathtub, bottles, and some bedding items (sheets, mattress protector, cradle pad, cradle sheets, etc). We also needed a going-home outfit in size Newborn (we haven’t the faintest how big he’s going to come-out, so we’re taking two outfits in two sizes). BRU was having a sales on all Carter’s clothing (TROUBLE), so of course we went-home with an extra (and might I say adorable – Husband picked-out) outfit. The total at BRU was $218 before coupons, and $171 after. I LOVE saving money. After two loads of laundry and 30 minutes of bed-making/organizing, his nursery is full of the necessities. I even pulled-together his downstairs changing basket (because let’s be honest here – I am NOT walking my butt upstairs EVERY time he needs to be changed). His hospital diaper bag is packed – two going-home outfits, amazingly soft and awesome blanket, nipple cream, baby mittens, and finger nail clippers (in case he comes-out with tiger claws). And the boppy is dressed and ready.

We didn’t get much done this weekend, and I’m feeling a little (okay, REALLY) guilty about it. I didn’t bake the cookie as planned. We didn’t vacuum or dust or clean the bathrooms. I did do some laundry, change the towels and sheets, and make rice krispy treats and muffins. Josh cut the (front) grass (you know, because no one can see the backyard but us). The cradle is still unfinished (and I’m panicking a little about it). I finished and mailed thank you notes. Our cars need a good internal cleaning, and then we need to install the car seat bases. I need to bake those “love me!” cookies for the nurses. I need to use-up those rotten bananas and bake banana bread. And I need to get enough done at work to get rid of the guilt I’m experiencing. We have two big deadlines in the fall, both of which I’m going to miss. We have a breastfeeding class this week (our last class!). All of this may not sound like much, but have I mentioned that I’m completely exhausted? And sleep is more difficult every night. My feet and back hurt. Doc warned me (a few weeks ago when I was feeling great and had energy) that it wouldn’t last and I would quickly start feeling like poop on a stick. Bonus points for Doc!

Notice above that I said we were “materially” ready. Husband texted me earlier this week to let me know that Friend’s water had broken. Her due date is (was) two weeks before mine. So she went two weeks early. I texted back with, “Holy cow, Husband, that could be us in TWO WEEKS!” A work-friend asked me last week if I was scared. If she were to ask that same questions right now, my answer would be very different. Heck yes, I’m scared! But I JUST got scared. Friend’s water breaking made things very real. DUDE, it’s going to HURT. And DUDE, I’m going to be a MOM. And DUDE, we’re going to be responsible for a BABY. And DUDE, babies cost a lot of MONEY. And DUDE, did I mention that labor HURTS? But what does it FEEL like? Is the pain sharp or is it dull and strong? And then there’s the unknown factor of when. Will my water break at work? Will my water break period (on its own)? Will I go into labor at night? Will he be two weeks early or will he be on time? Will I be induced? Will I tear? Will everything go smoothly? Does an epidural hurt and will I even care if it does hurt? Can I handle the pain? Will I need a c-section? Will I cry when he’s born? Will I poop while I’m pushing (yeah, I just went there)? Will his Apgar scores be good? I could bore you further with the Rolladex of questions rotating through my brain, but I think you get the picture. This is BIG and this is SCARY. And we’re going to be just fine, but right now it’s still scary.

Some Cool People Visited and I Got Showered

I had been counting down to last weekend for MONTHS.  Now it's done and gone.  Mega sad face.  But it was a total blast. 

Kerry and Caroline came to visit.  We shopped and ate.  It was divine. They got to see the nursery.  They also tagged-along to the hospital for a tour and Kerry was my wingwoman for a pre-natal with a pediatrician (and she was a stellar wingwoman).  The pre-admin nurse at HDH offered to give me a quickie tour since the official hospital tours fill-up three months in advance (which would have been nice to know!).  So Jessica (SIL), Kerry, Caroline, and I went to the hospital bright and early Friday morning. Debra, pre-admin nurse, was AWESOME.  She ended-up spending 30+ minutes with us.  We saw everything.  The L&D rooms.  The postpartum rooms.  The lobbies.  The nurseries (CUTE CUTE CUTE babies were inside).  I bet our impromptu tour kicked the official tour's butt!  The L&D rooms were all remodeled within the past year, and they were beautiful.  And really spacious.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I mean, they were HUGE.  Being the planner that I am, seeing the hospital really made me feel more comfortable.  And it was fun for K & C to see where I would be delivering, since they won't be able to visit until a while after L Bean's birth.

Kerry

Caroline

Jessica

Saturday I got showered.  A big thank you to Natalie, my mom, and Jessica for putting together such a great event.  It was perfect.  Josh and I are so blessed to have some amazing and generous friends and family.  Here are some pictures of the shower:

My sweet cousin Megan.  Seriously, how cute is she?!?

Maggie came!  The shower date was 7 days before her due date.  Such a trooper.

Red velvet cake, my favorite!

Some of the coolest women I know.

Thank you, Natalie!!!

Caroline took pictures while I opened gifts.  Here is the one and ONLY picture where I'm making a semi-normal face:

Ella and Megan helped me open gifts. 

And because I was literally laughing out-loud when I looked through the pictures, here are the many faces of opening baby gifts:

I don't think I've ever used the word "cute" so much in my life. 

I think this one if my favorite.  This face makes me think of the smell of Husband's farts on one of his good days.

We unloaded our bounty (just for you, Caroline!) at home; and because I'm crazy, I did show-and-tell with Husband, and then we immediately unpacked, organized, broke-down boxes, and threw clothes in the laundry.  L Bean's room looks ready now. Not so staged and perfect.  It looks lived-in.  Or at least ready to be lived-in. 

On Sunday, K, C, Husband, and I went to a church that Husband and I had been too chicken to visit ourselves.   It's a lot like the church K, C, and family attend in Michigan.  It's big.  It's loud.  It's contemporary.  The first time I attended a church like this, I must admit, I was completely intimidated.  But now it's where I feel the most at home.  Church doesn't have to be stuffy and boring.  It doesn't require ties and tights.  Kerry made good on her promise and shook lots of hands and kissed lots of babies (her words).  Overall, we enjoyed the experience and plan to go back this weekend.  On the way home, we were rear-ended.  It was minor, but an accident all the same.  We pulled-off the road and assessed the damage.  It turns-out that the guy was coming from church, the very church we just visited.  We couldn't help but laugh.  He felt terrible and was completely embarrassed.  And he really lost it when I stepped-out of the car, and realized that I was pregnant.  Accidents are an inconvenience to all involved, but at least the guy was really nice and we had a good laugh with him.  And everyone was A-okay and safe.  Although, I definitely did obsess over EVERY little thing my body did for the next few hours.

The weekend passed entirely too quickly. Before I knew it, the shower was over and Kerry and Caroline were leaving.  I napped like a champion Sunday afternoon.  No baking was done (shock and awe!).  No cleaning was done.  No laundry was done.  But it was the BEST weekend.

Nursery Status: COMPLETE

Here are the final pictures of L Bean's nursery.  While I'm relieved to be done (and proud that we didn't procrastinate), I'm also a little sad.  We had so much fun planning and completing the nursery. 

Hope you like it as much as we do!

A Way Back When Weekend Update

L2L, oh how I've missed you!  I'd like to say that I've been slacking on the blog solely due to the vigors of our rigorous social (because we're soooo popular) and baby preparation schedules  but I'd be 50% lying.  I've also been suffering from pregnancy enduced laziness resulting from sore feet and a baby that's sucking all of energy out of me.

Here's what we did last, last weekend.

I made banana bread.  We already had a baked breakfast item on the kitchen counter, so I put these two loaves in the freezer.  I forgot to take an after picture. Pregnancy brain is REAL, people!

I made "Muffins That Taste Like Donuts."  For reals, that's the title of the recipe.  And yes, they do taste like donuts.  In the bowls above: frosting (totally my idea!), butter, and a sugar and cinnamon mixture. 

Josh REALLY loved the muffins.  Personally, I prefer my muffins to be moist.  But since these were meant to taste like donuts, they also had the consistency of donuts.  Josh polished them off all by himself.  My little champ.

I made chocolate chip scones.  They were surprising easy and super tasty.  The second time around I'm going to add less chips.  But the recipe lends itself to adding other accent ingredients, like blueberries or cranberries.

Lastly, I made rice krispie treats.  Delish! 

We spend Sunday afternoon completing the FINAL nursery project.  Yes, that is my husband cutting-out fabric.  He also drew and cut-out the templates.  I'm a lucky lady!

How cute is he?!  He didn't even complain about the pink scissors.

I'm so thankful to have a husband that can draw.  My skills rival that of a 3rd grader.

The final product.  We got the frames from Michael's during their dollar days, so they were 50% off.  Pregnancy has made me a cheap deal seeker, and I like it.  These little guys are my favorite thing in the nursery.  I'm so smitten.

I'm sure we did something else that weekend, but it was a long time ago (a whole week and a half), and I'm PREGNANT (read: my memory is shot).

35 Week Update

35 weeks means there are 5 weeks left. 5 WEEKS. FIVE WEEKS. FIIIIIIVE WEEKS.

I’d like to start this post with a funny (at least I think it’s funny) story: So I’m in the drive-thru at Taco Bell today (and yes, it felt soooo good to be soooo bad) talking to Josh on the phone about what the VW Estimator Man said about the damage to the back of the Passat (more on that later). It’s lunchtime, so there’s a line, and I get stuck next to the Bell’s windows for an extended period of time. I’m holding the phone with my left hand, which is the hand closest to the windows. I randomly peak towards to windows, and I see Weird Guy staring at me. And then Weird Guy proceeds to nod (you know, the upward nod that just screams, How you doin?”), WINK (who are you, Simon Cowell?!?!), and then smile at me. And I quickly averted my eyes. I wanted to get out of the car, tap on the window next to his face, and point-out the obvious that my seated position inside a car was hiding. Swollen fingers, so my wedding ring is around my neck. And big ol’ 35-week baby belly. But hey, thanks for making me feel like I’ve still got it, Weird Guy! On a slightly different, yet still related note – I guess I forgot I was pregnant because I ordered a Number 8 combo (3 hard tacos, since I know you’re curious). That’s all I ordered. If you’ve been pregnant or you’re currently pregnant, then you know what I’m getting at. That’s not even CLOSE to enough food. I easily could have packed-way three more. In hindsight, a Crunchwrap would have added nicely to the meal. And my ever-growing butt thanks me.

Anyway, what’s new this week?

I. Am. Uncomfortable. Please save me from this misery! I kid, it’s really not THAT bad. Although, last night I was whining like a little baby. But for reals, things are getting tight in MA BELLY, Baby is growing something fierce, and my feet hurt constantly. On average, I wake-up 3 times a night to pee (up from my old average of 2 times per night). Sleeping makes my body stiff and sore. This morning, I literally felt like I had run a 10-miler this weekend. I inquired with a work friend and was told this is normal, this is expected, and is what the last five weeks are going to feel like.

I have a doctor’s appointment. How is this different, you wonder quietly to yourself? For the most part, it’s not different. My twice a week schedule will transition to weekly after this appointment. I’ll pee, they’ll test. They’ll take my BP, which I’ll get nervous about and then worry that it’ll be high because I was nervous. He’ll ask how I’m feeling, if I have any questions. I’ll get to peep my little guy for a few minutes through an ultrasound. And here’s where it’s different. It’s the week of my Strep B test. The nurse told me last time to expect the test, and I asked the doctor some general questions about Strep B, the test, reasons for the test, etc. (because I’m a good little patient). There are three words that I really remember (it was EARLY in the morning, and I’m PREGNANT): Penicillin. Swab. Rectum. Okay, okay, SAY WHAT?!?! My tired, pregnant brain couldn’t process the heft of our conversation at the time, but you better believe the wheels were spinning later in the day. I’ve read a few things online, and swab + rectum seem to be a common thread. Feel badly for me. And hope that my assumptions are incorrect.

Oh, hey there, Contraction.  I still get a handful of Braxton Hicks Contractions every day.  I used to only notice them because my uterus tightened-up like a vice grip.  Now I can actually FEEL them.  As in, hi, you're kind of uncomfortable.  It's doesn't hurt, but it's not comfortable either.  They last anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds.  There have been a few times where I've had three in an hour, which put me on high alert.  Usually the high alert count is 4 in one hour.  Last night in our newborn class I had two within 20 minutes of each other, which was an eyebrow raiser.  But that third and fourth one never came, so we forgot all about it by the end of class.  Husband was so cute during our class break.  He said, "So you had one at 7:10 and 7:30 (I wrote the times down on the papers in front of us), but no more after that?  Okay, good."  Somebody was paying attention!!

No more kicks. I’ll get an occasional kick from my sweet inhabitant, but it’s mostly movement now. Space is limited, so he can’t wind-up like he used to. But the movements, OH THE MOVEMENTS! I think I’d prefer the kicks and punches. Sometimes it feels like he has his hands and feet on my spine and he’s pushing his back and butt out against my belly as hard as he possibly can. You picture that and smile, but it’s not pleasant. And lately he’s been trying to reach a foot or hand around my back. I’ve got news buddy, NOT possible. He’s still trying to stick his hands OUT of my lady bits, which is still closed for exit. And a few times a day he’ll do something that makes me go, “OOH! “ or “OUCH!” or “AAAAHH (sound of breath catching on my throat).” Husband had a stern talk with him last night about not beating-up Mommy, so he’s been a bit calmer today.

The nursery is complete! No more projects. No more painting. No more planning (what am I to do with my time?!?!). No more spending money, HOLLER!! I had a shower this weekend, so there’s stuff in the nursery too. It no longer looks like it’s staged for a magazine cover. It looks READY. And I peak in there every morning before work

Daddy is coming to visit! I just found-out that my dad is planning to visit after L Bean is born for a few days. A few DAYS! A day a meetings will be scheduled in there somewhere, but the other days will be spent hanging out with his grandson. SWOON. My day was made when I heard this news.

I’m tired. Doc wasn’t kidding when he said that Energized Pregnant Betsy would give-way to Exhausted Pregnant Betsy around this time in the pregnancy. Lots of naps have been had.

We're getting REALLY excited.  With each day that passes, the reality of what's going to happen (soon) sets-in a little deeper.  I had a baby shower this weekend that we'd been talking about for months.  Kerry and Caroline came for a visit, which we'd been talking about for months.  The nursery that we'd been working on for months is completed.  The rooms in our house are painted.  The kitchen is organized.  There are strollers in our dining room.  A carseat on the dining room table. The only thing left to do is to refinish the cradle (it's about 25% complete).  Oh, and have this baby.  I was talking to my Dad yesterday, and I said something along the lines of, "I can't believe this weekend has come and gone.  We talked about it for so long, and now it's over."  To which he said, "Yeah, now all you have to do is have this kid!"  Wow.  Just wow.  He's so right.  We've planned and prepped.  Now there's just one thing left to do - have a baby.  And let me tell you, we are SO ready to have this baby.  We took a newborn class last night (just a quick 2.5 hour class), and each couple was given a baby doll to use (for diapering, bathing, feeding, holding, etc.).  I kept peaking at Husband, and he would be holding the doll.  Just holding it (it was a her - we were a little bummed).  I couldn't help but smile.  He's going to be the best dad.  And I think together we're going to be great parents.  This past 35 weeks have been the fastest and best of our lives.  But I bet it won't even compare to the next few months.

Happy 33 Weeks, L Bean!

Each week seems to pass more quickly than the last - it's a little alarming.  Did you know, that I am three(ish) weeks away from the point where my doctor probably wouldn't intervene if I go into labor?  THREE WEEKS.  Dude, I'm so not ready to go into labor.  I mean, that's going to  hurt.   I've been reading birth stories, and the women keep using the same description of how it feels - like the upper half of your body is trying to rip away from the lower half.  Um, PASS.  But it's too late now! 

What's new this week?

- My feet hurt.  The pain/soreness is mainly situated in my heels.  My center of gravity is completely tipped towards the front, so I naturally lean-back on my heels to counter-balance (and prevent face dives).  The result?  Super sore heals.  And they're starting to swell a little, so all of my work shoes are tight.  I've transitioned to sandals, which isn't work appropriate, but I like to think that I have a good excuse. 

- My engagement ring has a new home.  In a drawer.  We went to an outdoor concert this past Friday night, and it was HOT.  I had both rings on, but desperately wanted them OFF my finger by the end of the night.  My wedding band is thin, so it doesn't bother me.  But I do miss the combo.  

- I've started to pull-together my hospital bag.  The list has been sitting in excel for awhile now, but I've actually started purchasing the items.  My mom and I went shopping a couple weeks ago, and we found awesome pjs and a lightweight robe.  The lollipops and gum are in my closet.  This weekend I'm going to start pulling together the items that I don't use often and putting them in a corner of my closet.  I've decided that I'm going to have a "just in case I need something more" pile.  It'll save Josh some guesswork if he has to run home for more items.

- I'm not sleeping well.  During the middle months I was sleeping fairly consistently, only waking-up twice a night (which is AMAZING compared to six times a night during the first trimester).  Well, I've starting to wake-up more.  And we all know why I'm waking up.  I have to pee.  I'm able to get comfortable and fall asleep quickly, but the damage has already been done. 

- I feel L Bean super high in my belly.  It seems like he hovered at belly button level for WEEKS.  And then overnight he was an inch past my belly button.  Now I can feel him a solid four inches above my belly button, especially when he does a full body stretch (you know, when tries to extend his arms OUT of my lady bits and kicks his feet into my throat). 

- I could use third trimester maternity clothes.  All of my clothes are tighter.  But I'm holding out.  It doesn't make sense to buy any more clothes.

- We have ONE project left in L Bean's room.  Just one!  And it's an easy one. 

- I had to rock myself out of the seated position on the couch.  Yes, it's just as funny/pitiful as you're picturing it to be. 

- What if he's not a Liam?  This new thought has crept into my brain.  What if he comes-out and he's not a Liam?  Josh has assured me that he will be, which is good.  Considering his name is already on the wall. 

- It still hasn't clicked.  I still don't think it's clicked that there's actually a baby in my belly.  I scrutinze a newborn diaper and then hold it against my stomach - my brain fights the idea that there's something in there that will be big enough to wear it. 

- We have a stroller in our dining room.  Husband's brother and his wife won't make it to our baby shower (but they will make it up to VA shortly after L Bean is born!), so they sent our shower gift early.  Our stroller!  HOLLER.  Of course Josh immediately got busy putting it together.  And of course I took it for a spin around the downstairs.  Who wants to go with me to the park in the middle of the workday in October for a walk?!?!

- Identity crisis.  Before I got pregnant, I was just Betsy.  Tall, skinny, Betsy.  And then I got pregnant.  And I was Preggo Betsy (thanks, Sarah).  Still tall, now thickening, Betsy.  If I'm completely honest, I admit that the transition was interesting and hard at times.  Now I'm used to Preggo Betsy.  Just in time for me to be Mom Betsy.  I'm going to miss Preggo Betsy, there's no doubt about that.  Pregnancy has been amazing.  I've only had two geniuely uncomfortable days in 8+ months of pregnancy.  And then I'll be Working Mom Betsy.  Luckily I'll have a kick-butt kid to help ease the transition.

We had yet another doc appointment yesterday.  My mom came with us.  She was really excited to see Doc (Doc was my Aunt Amy's doctor, sot he whole family knows him well).  Doc did a quickie ultrasound to see how our little man is looking.  Good, strong heartbeat.  His head, belly ("of the beast"), and legs are measuring about a week ahead.  His estimated weight is 5 lbs 10 oz.  According to babycenter.com a 33 week-old baby weighs "a little over 4 pounds."  So, um, I'm growing a sumo wrestler (and my lady bits quiver).   We got to peep his face in 3D.  Um, cutie!  Well, what we could see of his face looked cute.  He had his hand in his mouth.  Doc pushed on my stomach to get him to move.  I believe Doc said, "Oh, that REALLY pissed him off (to which I was thinking, "No, duh, Doc.  I could literally FEEL his disdain for you)."  L Bean completely turned away and hid.  Hid everything.  Looks like someone is going to be stubborn like their Momma (Lord, help us).  Doc pushed on my belly again, but L Bean wasn't having any of it.  I guess he wants his face to be a total surprise come D Day.  Husband and I keep talking about how fun it''ll be to see who he resembles.  Because,  I don't know if you knew this, but this kid is half ME and half HIM.  Crazy, right!

Gettin' it done

We had another busy weekend full of (mostly) baby related stuff. Warning: This is another long weekend update post with lots of pictures and random baking tips thrown-in the middle.

Friday:

We went to a Dave Matthews concert at Nationals Stadium in Washington, DC with my brother and his lovely wife. It was awesome. HOT, but awesome. It was still in the 90s at 9:00 PM. Josh and I spent almost $30 on water alone. We got the tickets months and months ago, and weren't sure how it would go being 32 weeks pregnant. But it was a piece of cake. Really. And there were a handful of other preggos there.

Saturday:

I was WORTHLESS for much of the day due to a late bedtime Friday night and a still early rise Saturday morning (and the concert/heat themselves). But Husband, on the other hand, was productive. While I laid in bed/on the couch/lazily putzed around the house cleaning, Husband got to work on the magnetic chalkboard in L Bean's room. We've been planning this project for a while now. Remember that blue square on the wall from a picture in a previous post? It's more than a blue square now!

Husband put a few (okay, like six or seven) coats of magnetic paint down. And then he put two coats of chalkboard paint down. He cut, painted, and built the frame to look like our windows.

Magnetic paint

Painting the trim in the 100+ degree heat.

Doing something important that I asked about but don't remember his reason. BEST WIFE EVER!

He even cut-out a groove for the chalk!

I made the magnets months ago. I heart Michael's. We LOVE the finished product.

During the day, I baked more chocolate chip cookies. These cookies are my claim to fame. A guy Husband works with has offered to pay me to make him a full batch. What do I do that's special? These are the five cookie baking rules that I swear by (if you care):

(1) You're baking, so follow the directions EXACTLY. Measure and level-off everything. You can eyeball dinner, but you cannot eye ball cookies. If the recipe tells you to mix for three minutes on high, then set the micro timer and mix for three minutes on high. If it tells you to mix the dry ingredients then mix the wet ingredients, DO IT.

(2) Use a good cookie sheet. Don't even dream of using a dark, non-stick one. That's cookie suicide #1 (unless you prefer your cookies all around crispidy crunchidy). We got our cookie sheets from a restaurant supply store for $10 each. Crate and Barrel sells them for $30 each. The bottom has two layers and form a bubble in between.

(3) Use three cookie sheets. Cookie suicide #2 - putting raw cookie dough on an already hot cookie sheet and throwing it in the oven. The cookie sheets need to be room temperature each time you put the cookie dough down. I rotate three cookie sheets. That third sheet has plenty of time to cool-off by the time you need it (just don't leave it sitting on the stove, above the oven).

(4) Refrigerate your cookie dough in between batches.

(5) Bake for less time than the recipe calls for. And then set the timer for 30 second increments and keep an eye on the cookies for the last minute or so. Take the cookies out just BEFORE they've reached perfect doneness. They will continue to cook as they sit on the cookie sheet for a couple minutes before they're transferred to drying racks.

And what do you do with brown bananas?

Bake banana bread! I did banana bread muffins for ease of consumption. SO YUMMY.

Sunday:

I cleaned more. Did laundry. We cleared much of the furniture off the carpet and vacuumed. Husband rented a carpet cleaner from Lowe's and got to work on the carpets.

Fiona and Henrik watched-on from the stairs.

They NEEDED it. Renting the cleaner isn't very expensive, and it makes a huge difference. Especially when you have lots of pets. Add a kid to the mix? Yikes!

We went grocery shopping. Husband trimmed the front hedges

He also cut the grass and trimmed (Monday after work). I supplied the water and encouragement (two things I have gotten VERY good at these past few months).

The highlight of the weekend? I burned my stomach on a cookie sheet. 2nd degree burn. My standard at home pregnancy attire is a tank top and pj pants. It was warm in the kitchen, so I had the tank top pulled-up and my stomach out for ventilation (don't laugh. You've either (a) been pregnant before and done it yourself or (b) you'll do it when you're pregnant. Trust me). I momentarily forgot I had a protruding belly, and WHAM! SEAR! PANIC!

I ran outside to show Husband and complain about how much it hurt and how stupid I am. He loved on me and was a Sympathetic Super Husband. And then it dawned on him that we were having our maternity session with our wedding photographer in three days. He brought this to my attention, and then IMMEDIATELY regretted it. I made some sort of whining noise and then ran inside to commence Cry Fest. After cleaning the paint off his hands, he ran inside after me. There I was BAWLING while trying to spoon banana bread mixture into a muffin pan (which, btw, was very hard to do because I couldn't see ANYTHING through the tears). He coddled and loved on me, assuring me that Don could Photoshop the mark, and telling me not to cry. To which I replied, "I'M PREGNANT. CRYING IS WHAT I DOOOOO (sob, sniff, sob, snot bubble)." I eventually realized that he was right and stopped crying. But dude! That burn still HURT.

I accidently broke the blister right after it happened, which made the burn snot and goop. I'm wearing an awesome gigantic band-aid as I write this. As if I wasn't sexy enough already.

We only have one more nursery project to finish, and then we are DONE. Which is awesome and sad at the same time. We've had so much fun pulling the nursery together. We've bonded over the experience, and get this - we didn't fight. NOT ONCE. I mostly attribute this to being married to the nicest, most loving and understanding man on the PLANET. I'll post final pictures soon.

Oh, and we gave Fiona a bath. C-U-T-E.