Complaining Post

Can I just complain here for a minute?

Pregnancy is not a piece of cake. I am currently lying on the sofa, under doctor's (Dr. Chris) orders, with my feet up and an ice pack on them. This, after collapsing into tears while trying to put shoes on my poor swollen feet.

Swollen does not even begin to describe my feet. Is there a word that means more than swollen? Super-swollen? Super-duper-swollen? Mom and I literally tried on EVERY pair of shoes in several stores when she was here, trying to find a pair that would fit over these elephant feet of mine... found two pairs, but as it is currently raining and both were open-toed, neither works at the moment.

I can't wear any shoes. No crocs. No flip flops. Nothing. And my feet are so sore and swollen it is agony if something touches them.

It's so bad that I have hard time flexing my feet enough to go up and down the stairs.

And speaking of just how fun pregnancy is, don't even get me started on the whole morning sickness issue. I have thrown up EVERY SINGLE STINKING DAY (at least once) of my ENTIRE PREGNANCY!!!!!!!!! no joke. every day.

I know. It's crazy. It's just not right.

And then the heartburn.

And the leg cramps.

And the peeing constantly.

And the not sleeping.

And the hip pain.

And when he kicks me behind the ribcage. Ouch!

And...

Ok. All complaining aside, I'm working hard to keep this in perspective. Baby Boy is super healthy. I'm doing fine. Things could be a LOT worse. I have really had a relatively easy pregnancy.

But, boy oh boy, I will be glad when this little guy pops out and I can have my feet back and my bladder back and my body back. And I swear, if I have anything to do with it, I will NEVER throw up again.

However... Baby Boy is worth it, a million trillion billion times over.

Jogging Stroller

Our jogging stroller (a gift from Chris' mom and dad!) arrived yesterday!! We were so excited we had to put it together right away:

I love how helpful the dogs are!

mmm cookies

Last night, I had an irresistable chocolate craving (come on, are you surprised?). And no chocolate in the house. So Chris made me chocolate chip cookies.

But, we don't exactly have the best oven. It doesn't cook cookies all the way. So this is what we ended up with:

Chris called them "Pug Cookies". 'Cause they're all wrinkly like a pug!

I laughed hysterically and then ate them with a fork. They were delicious.

May I Present:

Some of you may have thought this day would never come. I had doubts of it, myself. But, it is here.

I have found Baby Boy's going home outfit.

GASP!

I know, I know. You are not dreaming. And look how ahead of the game we are - a whole month before my due date! 8 long months of searching has paid off.

So do you want to see it?

Can't you just picture it? Ohmygosh I can't wait. I think we are officially ready.

I'm getting sleepy

Ladies and gentlemen, sleep has left the building. I'm afraid it will never come back. A few weeks ago, I thought to myself, "I can't wait to have this baby so I can finally get a good night's sleep!" But then I realized that after I have the baby, I will HAVE the baby... Newborns are not conducive to a good night's sleep!

Why no sleep, you ask? Well, let's see...maybe it's because of the whole peeing-every-freakin-two-hours situation. It seems that as soon as I get to sleep, I have to wake up again to trudge downstairs to pee! And then there's the wide variety of positions I can sleep in... on my right side, or on my left side! And just when I'm starting to drift off, Baby Boy decides to start stretching and grooving.

And of course, there's the unbelievable excitement. You remember back when you're eight years old and it's Christmas Eve and you've been waiting and waiting for Christmas morning for months and you're sooooo excited you can't sleep? Well, it's like that... except it's Christmas, birthday, and the last day of school all rolled into one - times a million. That's about how excited I am.

I guess I'll take the lack of sleep as practice for when Baby Boy comes... he's worth it! :)

Dear Baby,

Dear Baby,

Last night, your daddy and I fell asleep with our hands on my belly, feeling you kick and squirm. Someday soon, we'll fall asleep with your warm little body in between us. We can't wait!

Love,
Mama

I may be jinxing myself, but...

I am calm. I am at peace. I am feeling ready for this baby to come. I wasn't sure I would ever feel this way - me, the epic planner that I am, who also happens to be a perfectionist with very specific ideas of how things should be - I thought I would be frantically trying to make everything perfect right up till I was in desperate labor and Chris is dragging me to the hospital while I'm screaming "No, I can't go yet! The onesies are not organized by color!"

Are things perfect right now? Nope, not in the least. The crib is not set up (we aren't setting it up yet, since we'll be moving soon after the baby comes). We are still missing a dozen or so rather important baby things we still need to get (minor details like a thermometer, baby bathtub, DIAPERS).

But, we have safe places for Baby Boy to sleep (even though I know he'll be in someone's arms for most of the first weeks of his life!). We have clothes for him to wear (A LOT of clothes!). We have books to read and music to play. And of course, the most love two parents have ever had for a child.

Really, what else do you need?

My Biggest Baby Worry

Some of you may laugh at this. It may not be every new mother's worse fear. It is probably ridiculous to many of you. But it is a serious issue for me.

I have two dogs. The sweetest, most lovable and amazing dogs in the world. I love them almost as much as I love my husband and my family. They ARE my family. I spend the majority of every day with their warm furry bodies right next to me, no matter what I am doing. They are my babies, my best friends when I am alone.

But, I'm having a baby. And, obviously, the REAL baby is going to be taking front and center when he arrives. What's going to happen with my fur-babies? Above all, I don't want my dogs to feel sad, neglected, or left out when Baby Boy comes. The most advice I've received on the subject is along the extremely unhelpful lines of "When the baby comes, you'll realize that your dogs are just dogs!". Thanks. That's super helpful. But my dogs are NOT just dogs, they are close members of the family. I want so much to be able to give EVERYONE in our family enough attention and love. And my worst fear is that my poor pups will suffer.

So does anyone have any useful advice? Anyone gone through this who loves their dogs as much as I do? Anything would be much appreciated! Thanks for your help!

WHAT?! You're going NATURAL?!!!!!!

So we met with our doula yesterday afternoon to make a birth plan for when this little guy decides it's time to come out. What is a doula, you ask? She's there for extra support, whatever that may mean for each individual. For us, she's going to be extra support for Chris, who'll be my support. She has ideas for different labor positions and breathing techniques, massage techniques and aromatherapy - basically, her goal is to help us have the kind of labor we have in mind.

Which includes...dum dum DUM... a medicated-free birth. WHAT?!! you say? No epidural?!! Are you CRAZY?!!!!

Well yes, maybe a little bit.

Everyone seems to have an opinion about epidurals. I've received various advice from everyone including my midwife (who supports a natural birth) to women passing me on the street ("Get the epidural as soon as you walk in the door, honey!").

But the bottom line, of course, is what is best for us. What makes us most comfortable. Now, I am a self-proclaimed Wuss. A wuss with a capital W. I get a blister on my foot and I run crying to Chris to put a Band-Aid on it. I have NO pain tolerance whatsoever. So what makes me think that this is the best option?

For one, childbirth is a natural occurance. The pain is painful, of course, (duh) but it is a good pain. It's accomplishing something. Like when you have a really awesome workout and your muscles are so sore the next day that you can barely stand, but it feels good at the same time because you know how powerful your body is and what it is capable of doing. I plan on going into childbirth with this same mentality - not viewing the pain as a bad thing, something to be "fixed", but as a tool to feel powerful and prideful in what my body is doing: bringing our child into the world.

That said, I have promised Chris (who is not so eager about seeing me in unbearable pain) that above all else, I will be flexible. Our end goal, no matter how we get there, is to have a healthy Baby Boy. The rest of the journey is just that - a journey, not the destination. No matter how it happens, we are leaving the hospital with our tiny little boy, which is the most amazing thing in the world!

OHMYGOSHHOWEXCITINGISTHIS?!!!
Yes, you are reading that right. Our lunch meat expires on our due date!!! Our baby will be here before we have to throw out Chris' sandwich chicken!

The Bassinet

Last night Chris and I put the bassinet together. Ok, Chris put it together and I watched, but it was very helpful watching. I LOVE it!! It's cozied up right next to our bed - I am embarrassed to admit it, but I spent an inordinately long time practicing putting an imaginary Baby Boy into it last night! I just know he's going to love it too!

Call me picky, but...

Ok, there really is no "but". I'm just picky. I'm picky about a lot of things for Baby Boy (hey, I waited patiently for 5 years to have this baby, I'm allowed to be a little picky!) - but nothing compares to how picky I am with this subject:

The going-home-from-the-hospital outfit.

It has to be just right. It has to be PERFECT!

I don't care that we live 3 minutes away from the hospital. I don't care that he'll probably puke, pee, poop, or all three in the outfit. I don't care that he doesn't care what he's wearing. Doesn't matter a bit to me - this outfit has got to be perfect!

The only problem is, I can't find it. I have searched high and low. I have scoured department stores and Ross, TJ Maxx and baby boutiques, even my old favorites Gymboree and Baby Gap, to no avail.

Part of the problem might be that I don't know exactly what I have in mind. It's one of those magical "I'll know it when I see it" kind of things. The harps will play, the light will shine down, the "Hallelujah Chorus" just might start. I know I want it to be cream, brown, or light blue. It's got to be a one-piece, so there's nothing irritating his cord stump. Probably should be long sleeved with long pants to keep him warm enough. But that's all the criteria I have for what I want... I have WAY more criteria for what I DON'T want!!

This going home outfit can't be just a simple Carters onesie. It's got to be special. It's got to say "I am the most loved baby on the face of the earth."

I tell this to Chris as we are frantically searching the racks at the store. He rolls his eyes and tells me it's more impossible to find a going-home outfit than to find socks for my mom (she's really picky about her socks). I tell this to my sister and she sighs and tells me I'm picky. I tell this to my mom and she (ever-practical) reminds me that he'll probably just stain it.

Aw, heck with it...maybe it will be warm enough that he just come home in his diaper. I'm sure I couldn't put him in anything that's cuter than his soft baby skin!

Dear Baby,

Dear Baby,
I think of you all the time. Is that possible? No matter what I am doing, I think of you - I imagine your tiny little fingers and toes, I picture your chubby thighs, I dream of what your head will smell like. I look at your daddy and picture him cradling you in his arms tenderly. I think of how I will read to you and play my piano for you.
Ever since I discovered we were pregnant, I've carried something to remind me of you - not that I need reminding. I keep one of your tiny little socks in my purse, wherever I go. Every once in a while, I take it out and look at it, and think of you... I think of you growing inside of me. Sometimes, in the stressful moments of trying to decide our future plans (to move or not to move? to take a full time job or stay at home?), and during the long drives to and from work, and in the loneliness of missing family and friends, I pull your little sock out to help me keep everything in perspective. No matter what, our little family will be together, full of love - which is the most important thing! I love you so much, Baby, for reminding me daily of the most valuable aspects of life!

Picnic

This weekend was gorgeous weather. I'm talking 80 degrees gorgeous. Sunny, warm... perfect in every way - and we were stuck in a basement room with no windows for birthing class! Maybe it was a good thing it didn't have any windows, so we couldn't be tortured by looking outside at the perfect weather! So we packed a picnic lunch for our midday break, so we could take advantage of as much of the weather as possible.

I am so ready for summer sunshine! I keep thinking that the weather will be just like this on the day we bring Baby Boy home from the hospital. I am so excited to bring him on our next picnic!

Check out this transformation! My mom and dad bought this rocker for me twelve years ago! Well, I've been drooling over some gorgeous new gliders, but at $200, totally out of our price range. So I looked at this old glider and realized that my only problem with it was that it didn't match the crib and changing table and I hated the pattern of the seat. So last week when Mom was up, she recovered the fabric with gorgeous cream microsuede and Chris sanded and spray painted the wood. And voila! A totally new, perfect glider... I can't wait to rock Baby Boy in this!

Birthing Class

Ah, the infamous birthing class! Chris and I are officially "graduated" from birthing class and are now allowed to give birth! Seriously, though... as a self-proclaimed "baby and birthing expert" I went into the class with hugely low expectations about just how much I would learn. But, we were both pleasantly surprised at how informative and - dare I say it - FUN the class was! We had a wonderful nurse teaching the class, with a hysterical sense of humor, and we both left feeling confident (I think) in our ability to give birth. Ok, MY ability to give birth and Chris' ability to coach me through it! As long as I don't have to a C-section (I think I almost passed out when we were watching that video!), we are ready for takeoff, people! Next up: meeting with our doula to prepare a birth plan later on this week! There's no turning back now, this baby's coming out one way or another!

The Carseat is in!

Yes, folks, the carseat is installed and ready to go! And we don't even have a PhD! I swear, those suckers are so difficult to install you practically need an advanced degree - I even went to YouTube to see if they had any tutorials on how to put it in... Fortunately, between the two of us we ::think:: we managed to get it in right. That is, after I told Chris he was trying to install it backwards. :)

We did it!! We are so totally going to rock at this whole parenting thing!

Who's missing from this picture?

Yes, we're all feeling a little blue around the house today... Mom had to leave for home yesterday :( . Fortunately, she'll be back in a mere six weeks when the baby comes, so we have that to look forward to!! 'Till then, I guess the dogs will just have to make do with cuddling with boring old me!

Look how sad Chloe is in this picture! She sure misses all the attention my mom spoiled her with!

Chloe's not the only one...

Chloe's not the only one who likes to hog the heat in this house...I think it's time for summer to come!

My Handsome Hubby

Took these pics of the handsome one last weekend at the Running Y for the baby shower... he's such a good-looking man!

I just can't wait to see what kind of daddy this man is going to be!

Baby Shower #1!!!!

Does that title make me sound ultra-snobby and spoiled? Yes, I will be having more than one baby shower - I just have too many friends and family to fit into one room for one shower! I am so blessed! I can't even start to list all the wonderful gifts we received for Baby Boy. And I think the best part was having my mom and sister here to visit! Here I am, looking as big as house:The cake was an ice cream oreo cake...yum!Meaghan made the MOST delicious sugar cookies as favors - she used letters to spell out BABY and each bag had a onesie or a carriage shaped cookie. They were almost too cute to eat...but somehow I suffered through and ate all mine in one sitting!I love this onesie Meg got Baby - it says "My Aunt Rocks"! :)And Chris and I were THRILLED to get this bassinet from my relatives in Pennsylvania - Grammy and Pap, and Aunt Terrie and Uncle Jeff and cousins Abby and Alex. I can't tell you how many times I have laid in bed, picturing the baby sleeping next to our bed in this adorable bassinet!! I can't wait to set it up!A sweet bunting from Bonnie:Football onesies in blue and brown! This one says "Green Baby" - I'm in love!!!

Chris' mom actually MADE this little journal - blue and brown with elephants! I was super impressed! How perfect!!

My friend Jess got me this elephant onesie... it says "little peanut", our nickname for Baby Boy! Are ya'll sensing a theme with the elephants?

Mom went super overboard, of course:The perfect bucket hat (with elephants!) for our summer trip to Philadelphia:A quilt she made months ago:And a Boppy pillow with elephants and other jungle animals:Why yes, I did swallow a basketball, thank you! Can you believe this humongous baby bump?! I actually think it might be an octopus, the way he kicks and nudges and squirms so much!

It was so wonderful to see everyone and we had a blast opening all these amazing gifts! Thank you, everyone!

Mom's Here!!

We have been having the BEST time with my mom visiting from SoCal this week! This is her first time up since Christmas and we've missed her so much! After a long day of shopping, we went to Outback for dinner - here's Mom being a 9-fisted drinker:

And the only thing on the table (practically) that Chris didn't eat: the lobster tail shells. I seriously don't know where he puts it.

I have a feeling this may be one of the last times that I can squeeze into a booth at a restaurant... the space between the table and my rather large belly is getting smaller...

I think I need my own zip code

Baby belly at almost 33 weeks!! Yup, I'm so huge I think I should apply to have my own zip code. Only six weeks left!