36+

They tell me this kid is due in less than a month. I really hope that is true because other than us not having a finished kitchen I feel just about ready. Nursery is set up, I've read what I need to read, we took infant and child CPR last week, the car seats are getting inspected this week (amazing!) and the hospital bag is about 70% packed.

But, Ann, do you know that many time first babies are later than their due date??

Yes, thanks. We have been told that, just about 5 times less than we're having a Christmas baby. Either way it's fine, I am just thankful that we had the opportunity to get this prepared for Monkey and that he and I are so healthy thus far.

Starting on Monday I see the doc once a week until we see her in the hospital. So far we're still measuring right on track and kiddo has a fantastic heartbeat and activity level. 4am is now his new favorite time. I am still sleeping really well except for waking up every few hours to turn over as my toes are going numb. I don't start out sleeping on my back, but I sure do end up that way. And then on my back, I'm rather stuck. Try getting up with a 28 pound weight on your tummy - it's a lot harder.

We had a great Thanksgiving yesterday - spent the day relaxing at home and then headed to the Browns for an awesome meal. I really do love traditional Thanksgiving meals. Mashed potatoes, turkey and gravy...mmmm....oh, and Russ's pumpkin pie. I am really thankful that we didn't have to drive a great distance or spend a lot of time cooking all those wonderful things this year - thanks, Kat! We have some leftovers too and Russ managed to catch me in a common location these days, looking for them:



Mom is coming up this next weekend to help me finish up a few things (and get pedicures) and COOK. We'll fill up the freezers with meals we can use in the weeks after kiddo arrives. If you have a favorite freezer meal recipe, send it along.

I also enjoy this picture - note how kiddo enters the room first these days...

Oddly enough feeling a bit lighter...

You know how when you finish a project or a paper and suddenly feel a large sense of relief just because it's done and you are ready for the next thing = finally? That is how I feel this weekend now that we have the nursery just about totally ready for kiddo to come home to. Each day I'm feeling a bit slower and less energetic so I was really hoping to have that big piece of preparation done before week 35 hit - and I just made it ;) Here are some pictures as we circle his room!



Very important - toys.




Feeding corner.

Notice that the crib is on wheels...it did NOT come that way...


And the changing/clothing corner. Russ was thinking ahead and added one helpful piece of information as well, I hope you can read it:



Russ is still busy working on the kitchen - this weekend he assembled most of the cherry faceframes and is working on the beading that goes around. I'm not sure what is after that but hopefully we're near to starting to put some of them INTO the kitchen. Dishwasher here I come!

Monkey has been a mover and a shaker in the last two weeks - much more so than I noticed at all before. On Thursday the doc said he is head down and most likely will stay that way from now on. Instead of funny flutters it is starting to feel much more like stretches - a hard little bump in one spot that sort of feels like a fist. I am very thankful that things have really been very easy so far - I'm still sleeping like a champ and my feet are normal sized yet.

A few days ago I also had my first of the 'prep' contractions known as Braxton Hicks. It doesn't hurt but just feels like my abdomen is really tight for a few seconds - and you can't relax it. Now if only the real contractions felt that way...

Hiccups!

It's been a busy week or so for us. Russ spent a long last weekend in Chicago with Jan and Anna and I stayed home and worked on kiddo's room. Mostly I stayed home because an 8 hour car ride sounds just about like the 9th ring of hell at the moment. So you want pictures you say? Ha! Give me until Sunday and we'll see what we can do. We were so lucky and got TONS of clothes for Monkey between the hand me downs and gifts over the last few weeks. So I did lots of laundry and organized (who, me?) them by size so we can easily grab what fits him as he grows. Russ got some shelves hung up yesterday so we should be just about set up by Sunday. Then just looking for some decoration ideas at that point I think.

Monkey got the hiccups! It was Saturday night at about 430am. I went to the bathroom and laid back down and was so surprised to find he seemed to be dancing to a beat. But there was no beat. Went on for about 2 minutes, very funny. Haven't felt them since then.

It has been a very long week of work - 2 twelve hour days and one ten hour day and going into my last day of the week which will be nice and short. This will be the last week I agree to any 12 hour days though. I just feel awful at the end of it which isn't good for any of us (russ included!). So if you ask me to do something (and please continue to do so) and I decline don't take it personally. It's not that I would rather sleep than hang out with you. Well, actually it is at this point but this is only temporary :)

Check back later this weekend for more pictures.

What's in a name?

There are some aspects of this whole experience we are excited to learn right away and share with folks and others we aren't. What we've discovered however is that many people (most of whom you don't even know) have an opinion about every aspect of your experience that they are happy to share with you. From your due date, to finding out about your baby, to names to everything in between.

Please please please don't tell a woman with a due day around 12/25 that 'Oh! A Christmas baby! Too bad he's going to feel like he got the short end of the stick'. This assumes two things:
1. You celebrate Christmas.
2. Birthdays and Christmas are only about presents and that is how you'll raise your child.

We've had great support from friends and family about the fact that this isn't as big a deal as many people make it out to be. Kiddo won't know the difference until we teach it to him. And then he'll go to school and all bets are off, but at least we can start a good foundation.

I also really enjoyed the lady at Home Depot yesterday who told me all about the ridiculously awful birth story her friend just had. Hello, I'm still pregnant and have yet to go through that part of the deal. Perhaps you should hold that story for folks that are done with the birth part already. Plus I'm sure the guy with the box of nails behind me really wanted to hear you say the word 'vaginally' at Home Depot.

Names are also a big thing on people's minds. Just to set the record straight: the child will not be named Colter Colliton (thanks, Heiser). You all can breathe a deep sigh of relief if you thought that was the case. We are not however going to tell you what the options for his name are :) That is for Russ and I and kiddo to think about and ultimately decide once he is in our arms.

Week 33 is rapidly approaching here. I am feeling rather heavy and like I could take a long nap at any point during the day. Kiddo has some active moments but mostly he is pretty quiet as he has been the whole way through this ride so far. The doctor did say that the placenta is sort of in front and on the right side so that could be why I don't feel him as much as other women might with their babies.

This coming week will be the last of our birthing classes, a phone call to the insurance (always a pleasure) and next weekend working on getting the nursery actually set up. Russ is headed to Chicago to visit his fam and for his and my sanity we've decided I'll stay here as a long car ride is less than comfortable at this point. I'll work on sleeping, organizing and oh yeah, sleeping!