Check, check, check

Nursery set up and ready.... check
Baby Clothes all clean ... check
Pack-N-Play set up... check
Swing set up ... check
Bouncy seat ready ... check
Car seat installed ... check
Diapers galore ... check
Binki's and nipples boiled ... check
Bottles Sterilized ... check

Baby Love all we need is you here with us now!! I know we will never fully be ready, but I feel that he can come and I would be comfortable with what we have done. Jared is taking 2 weeks off of work and so anything else that might need to be done, he can do:) I am so ready to see our little man. I can't wait to see if he has Daddy's nose, Mommy's eyes... who will he look like? I'm sure he will be a little stud:) But all this anticipation is driving me CRAZY!! I just want to get the whole labor and delivery over with. I am not looking forward to any of it other than the end product. I am so flippin scared of it all and just want to get it over with! But, it will truly be worth it in the end.

Jared and I decided to play around with our new camera and do some fun belly pics. I hope they the last, but I'm not holding my breath on it. Here are some pics to enjoy:)

39 Weeks

Can I just say I am so ready for Baby Love to be here?? Seriously!! I can't wait to meet him and see what he looks like and hold him in my arms!! He can't get here soon enough. We have everything ready... at least I think:)

So at my appointment on Monday I found out I'm STILL not dilated at all. BUT, he did say his head is really really low. He asked if I was having a lot of pressure... I guess I am. Everything feels weird so who knows. He said him being so low is more important than dilating. So, I asked when we are going to induce. Looks like our little man doesn't want to come on his own. He said at next weeks appointment we will schedule an induction if I have had some progress. If I don't have any progress we will wait another week and go from there:( I got very discouraged by this.

When I got home and Jared left for work, I just broke down and cried. I am just done!! I want to have an outside baby to hold! I am so uncomfortable. It didn't help that the night before I slept so bad. I was up 6 times that night to pee (maybe this is the pressure the dr was talking about:) and I couldn't get comfortable. My legs and hips hurt and no matter how I layed I was uncomfortable. So frustrating to hear it could be another 2 weeks before he could be here. But, God has his birthday picked out so I need to trust that he will come when he comes.

I talked to my sister in law, Nikki, after the appointment and she understood all too well how I was feeling. She went through this with all 3 of her kids. So she met me at the mall to "Try to walk the baby out" as my cute little 3 yr old niece, Madison, said. She said, "Well if the baby doesn't come out, we'll just take Kiki back home!" Ha!! We think she literally thinks the baby is going to come out in the mall. How traumatizing would that be:) She is super excited to meet her new cousin!

So.... here I sit on my 4th week off school still waiting for the baby. Here is my 39 week belly pic. This baby has no where to go but OUT!!!

And finally, here is a pic of my adorable nephew who turned ONE on Sunday!! I remember when Nikki went to the hospital to have him. I can't believe he is one year old already! He had a great birthday party with our family. I practiced with my new camera and the pics turned out great:)

Happy birthday Ethan!!

Such a silly boy!!

My brother, Nikki, and Ethan

38 Weeks

I keep hearing "Wow, you can have your baby any day now, huh!!??" Yup... I sure can, but it looks like Baby Love is comfy cozie!! I have been starting to get contractions every now and then, but nothing timeable. So now the wait begins for our little man to enter the world. I asked my OB how long after my due date he induces and he said he usually does it within a week after your due date. So within the next 3 weeks... we're having a baby.

Here is where the freak out begins. I can't explain how excited I am to meet our little man! I can't wait to see what he looks like and just get to cuddle him. I know it won't be easy, but he will be here, not kicking mommy in the ribs:) But, I am scared to death of labor. I am a wuss... I admit it!! I am so scared of the pain that comes with labor. I am scared something is going to go wrong with the baby when he is born. All I keep thinking of is all the "What If's!" STOP!!! I just need to relax and trust that God is in control and he will help me deliver a healthy baby. I have serious anxiety issues and I believe I am best at worrying. This is all teaching me how to put my trust in God, because EVERYTHING it seems is out of my hands.

So Baby Love Watch 2010 is in effect:)

• How far along?: 38 weeks
  
• Total weight gain: Let's not talk about that. Although I have maintained the past month.
  
• Stretch marks?: Nothing new
  
• Sleep?: I'm up to getting up 4 times a night to pee. He just loves to push on my bladder.
  
• Best moment this week?: Hmm.... knowing I'm that much closer to meeting him
  
• Sex: Boy!!
  
• Movement?: Lots of jabs and rolls!!
  
• Food cravings?: Cereal:) I am in love with all breakfast food right now.
  
• Labor signs?: I've had a few contractions, but nothing major:(
  
• Belly button in or out?: Outtie
  
• What I miss: Feeling normal... or normal for me:)
  
• What I'm looking forward to: Still Labor... ok not really labor itself, but seeing Baby Love~

Boo-Flippin-Who!!

This is going to be my all about complaints post. I try to leave the complaining for Jared, but I feel like complaining this morning. Especially after my Dr's appointment this morning:( I had my 2nd internal and once again I have ZERO progress!! None, zilch, nadda... nothing!!!! If he is going to stick his hand up in me can't I have some progress. (For those who don't understand the progress I am hoping for is to be somewhat dilated. Usually by now most pregnant girls are at least 1-2 cm dilated. You must dilate to 10cm before the baby comes) Anyways, that's my biggest complaint!!

Onto other complaints:) I can't bend over!! It feels like I can't breath when I bend over. I've gotten to the point where if I drop something on the ground, I weigh the pros and cons of picking it up:) Can I wait for Jared to pick it up or do I need it right now. So sad I know. I can't walk very far without getting out of breath. I feel sooooo out of shape!! Stairs kill me. I know it's for my lack of lung capacity, but it still makes me feel horrible. I can't sleep more than an hour without waking up to have to change positions, which in and of itself is a feat (poor Jared), then once I change positions I have to pee. I can't go more than 2 hrs at night without having to pee!!!! Once back in bed, it takes forever to go back to sleep. Oh and the heartburn!! I have officially gone 3 days with no heartburn and it makes me so happy! But no one tells you when you get pregnant that water can give you heartburn! UGH!!

So that is just a few of my complaints for now. This was my pity party, I'm ready to have my baby post:) Starting last week, I started bouncing on my exercise ball and walking around the mall every day. I am hoping something will get me going!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed next weeks appointment will be better!! But, now I sit and wait for snow storm number 3 to come. This is our 3rd snowstorm in 2 weeks. We are supposed to get up to 9 inches! Good thing I am stuck at home:)

FULL TERM!!

Yup! I am 37 weeks and that is officially full term. Meaning, the baby can come any day now and be pretty much good to go. So now, time to start doing things to get this baby coming. I had my first internal (where the Dr checks your cervix to see if you are dilated and effaced) and of course I have no progress:( It hurt like no other! I thought he was shoving his fist up in me. I knew if I just gritted my teeth and made funny faces, it would be over soon and I would know if I had any progress. Jared sat there and gently patted my arm the whole time. Gotta love him:) I know I am a wuss and if I thought this was bad, I am in for a rude awakening. A hand is one thing... a baby's head is another. *Side prayer: Dear God, please please please, let the epidural work!!!!*

Anyways, I have gotten my exercise ball on to start bouncing him out and once this snow storm goes away I am going to start walking the mall. I will need to leave my credit cards in the car so I don't buy anything! Any other suggestion to get this labor going?? (No I will not try castrol oil!!)

Speaking of snow... in the past 5 days we have had 2 pretty big snow storms come through. We got about 10 in with the first one over the weekend. Then yesterday, it started up again and we probably got another 5 in on top of that (if not more). If I had the energy I would totally be out there taking pics with my new camera, but it's just not in me! I took some pretty good pics from my window, though:) So while I am cooped up inside, I have been getting caught up on cleaning. I did 6 loads of big people laundry yesterday and I am on 4 loads of Baby Love laundry today! It just keeps coming and coming! I also started sterilizing all the bottle nipples and pacifiers and washing the bottles. I even cleared out a place to store all the bottles and baby nick nacks. I am on a roll!!!

I also started "interviewing" pediatricians this week. I have 4 appointments to go to. My mom went with me Monday to a Dr in the same building as my OB. He was nice, but I'm not sure I would like having to take the baby to the hospital for check ups and what not. He was very nice though! I was supposed to have 2 appts yesterday, but they were canceled due to the weather. Jared is going with me to one that was rescheduled for today and it is with the pediatrician I went to!! Then on Friday I have 2 more appts. Hopefully by the end of the week I will know who Baby Love will be going to see once he is born.

So I haven't done this in a while so here is my 37 week survey:

• How far along?: 37 weeks
  
• Total weight gain: Unfortunately I have gained 50 some pounds:(
  
• Stretch marks?: *Blushes* My booty!!! At least I can hide those!!
  
• Sleep?: My hips KILL me at night. It is like they are being torn apart. I lay on one side, and have to roll over after an hour or so, then repeat! Now I am up to getting up 3 times a night to pee!
  
• Best moment this week?: Finding out the baby is head down! The Dr said his head is low! That should mean something, right?
  
• Sex: Boy!!
  
• Movement?: Lots of bigs movements. My little man is running out of room!
  
• Food cravings?: Food in general is good:)
  
• Labor signs?: I've had a few contractions, but nothing major:(
  
• Belly button in or out?: Outtie
  
• What I miss: Oh where to begin....
  
• What I'm looking forward to: Labor... ok not really labor itself, but seeing Baby Love~
  

Nursery Pics:)

Here are some updated pics of Baby Love's nursery. It is coming along, but still needs some work:) I've taken them with my new camera!! (See post below about my new camera:)

The closet needs a lot of work still!!!

New Camera!!!

I have ALWAYS loved photography. In high school the wedding photographer who did my sisters wedding hired me to be her assistant and I worked there for 2 years and learned a little here and there. When I went to college I managed an Olan Mills at K-Mart... but I don't consider that true photography. I never took any classes but asked anyone who knew about it and bugged them till they taught me more. I have so much to learn but LOVE photography.

Anyways, all I had was an older SLR camera which used film. Jared and I had a Nikon coolpix digital and it sucked! Seriously, everyone who used it thought it was broke because whenever you took a picture it took about 20 seconds for the screen to come back. So I have been telling Jared if we can afford it, I would really like to get a nice camera for when the baby comes. Well, we saved up our Discover card points for a year and cashed them in for a Staples gift card and we were able to get about $300 off of a camera. We still spent a pretty penny on a camera, but still!!!

Here is my beautiful new camera which I love! My Nikon D3000:


Jared picked it up for me the day after I caught my nasty stomach bug. So while I layed on the couch I played with it:) Here are some pics I've taken playing around with it. My cats hate me because I am using them as my practice target right now!

Meet Brutus

and Mojo

Taken from my couch of my snowmen decorations:)

Friends gave me some wine for after the baby comes!!

They also made Jared a daddy tool belt!

Who doesn't love baby shoes

36 Weeks!

1 week until I am officially full term! Yikes! I can't believe it!!!! I thank God for each and every day Baby Love is growing in me. I am starting to get more and more and MORE uncomfortable. My hips hurt pretty much 24/7, I can't bend over without grunting, I try and clean but get tired after like half and hour, and don't get me started 0n shaving!! BUT, I know it is all for a good cause:) He is getting stronger by the day and like to show how strong his kicks and hits are getting!

Last Friday was my last day of school:( I will miss all my students!! They surprised me with a baby shower and they all brought in their favorite baby books! It was the sweetest thing every. I don't know how I didn't cry! My one students mom brought in cookies and doughnuts and juice packs. It was great. Jared and I went to out Friday night to celebrate my last day at Red Lobster:) Then we went to Babies-R-Us to try and start using all our gift cards. Jared's work had a "Daddy Shower" for him on Friday as well. He said they did a slide show of "what not to say to your pregnant wife." I would have loved to have seen that. The office got us a gift card to BRU and he got some pretty funny gifts from others. He got a book about what to do and what not to do with the baby. It's a cartoon book and hilarious (I can't remember what the name is exactly) along with bibs, and other silly things.

So I started 36 weeks off with a bang... not so much. I came down with the lovely stomach flu tuesday night. Oh it was horrible. I already have a phobia of vomiting. This was just torture!!! I threw up all night!!! I will spare the details. I love my husband, though, because he wanted me to stay upstairs with him so he could know how I was doing. I kept him up half the night!! I was so worried about hurting the baby, but the Dr said just to watch for dehydration and let it run it's course:( All I did yesterday was lay around and do nothing but eat crackers and ice chips. I felt like I had been run over by a semi truck. I still don't feel great today, but I will survive. I am a bit dehydrated so I am trying to stay up on my water and hope it gets better asap or else I will have to go to Labor&Delivery.