When??

Dear Baby,

When will you be here? That seems to be the million dollar question that everyone (including me) would love to know the answer to. I get the question a lot and never know quite how to answer, because as far as anyone qualified to answer tells me, there's pretty much no way to know. People love to tell me things like "oh it's the first baby, she'll be late," but we definitely know plenty of first time moms who had their babies come before their due date.

I think you'll be a few days past your due date, but we'll see. Maybe you'll surprise me and come earlier....or later(!!) At our weekly check up, the midwife said her guess was 40.5 weeks, which matches my guess. Who knows? Whatever the answer, we will be so happy to meet you.

Love,
Mom

Your Room

Dear Baby,

We finished your room this weekend. We hope you like it:)

We've had this sock monkey decal for awhile now. I wanted to use it whether you were a boy or girl. I know you'll like it:)

My good friend Cathy painted these just for you! They match your quilt. She even wrote a note to you on the back!

All of the furniture is from IKEA, except for the crib, which is from Walmart. The rug is from Land of Nod and the curtains from Pottery Barn Kids.

I had these sheets and quilt made by two separate Etsy sellers. I love them. Above your crib are wedding pictures of different family members.

This Bla Bla doll was a gift from one of my students.

This diaper wreath was made for the shower my co-workers gave us. My dear colleague, Lydia, made this herself.

Most of these dolls (mostly monkeys) have been around for awhile. Your dad likes to get me monkeys as gifts because I love them:)

Love,
Mom

Getting Showered

Dear Baby,

A few weeks ago, friends and family gathered at the Fickle Pickle in Roswell to shower us with well wishes, good food...and gifts! We received so many wonderful things that we truly needed for when you get here and some things that maybe aren't totally necessary, but are incredibly adorable (i.e. leg warmers- so cute!) The food and company was great and it was just one more awesome reminder of the joy and excitement you bring to not only us, but the friends and family that are so excited to meet you.  It was a special treat that your Grandma and Great Auntie Joy came all the way from California for the shower, and your Great Aunt Janet traveled from Ohio. We had a fun weekend visiting with them and introducing them to some of our favorite places to eat (Antico Pizza, JCT- yes, we've been to JCT twice this month!, and The Spence). On Monday before they left. your Grandma and Auntie Joy helped me get even more things for you on a shopping trip that included Buy Buy Baby, Target, and Babies R Us. We finally had diapers after this shopping trip...which I've been told babies like you need a lot of:) Here are some pictures of the shower. Do you see what I am talking about? - I am BIG!

The important stuff- dessert! We had red velvet cupcakes, carrot cake cookies, and peanut butter brownies (the last made by your Mimi)

You can see how excited I was about the food

With the wonderful hosts- Laura, Aunt Laura, Sonia, and Sarah

With Great Aunt Janet

With Grandma and Auntie Joy

With Mimi and Aunt Laura

The room (a converted barn) in the back of the Fickle Pickle was beautiful!

Love,
Mom

Dear Baby

Dear Baby,

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately where the writers are moms of little ones and they are inspiring me to use this space to write down all the things I want to share with you later on. I'm going to try to be as honest and true as I can, not worrying about what others think when they read this (a good lesson for life in general- worrying about what others think will only hold you back from being your true self). 

Your dad and I have been doing a lot of things lately to get ready for the day you decide to join us. There's not a moment of the day when I don't think about things that need to get done before you get here- and that often includes the times in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. Your dad has been doing so many things around the house to get your room ready for you. He's been working many long days, but then he comes home and puts something like your bookshelf together. I'm hoping that your room will be done in the next week or so and I'll have pictures to post here. There are curtains and bedding on the way, so I am anxiously awaiting the mail each day!

On another note, when I'm up in the middle of the night thinking, you also seem to be up and thinking/playing/what are you doing???, moving around in there. I usually feel you move the most in the evenings and late nights, so I can't help but think you'll be a night owl like your daddy. But, I recently read that this is the time most babies are the most active in the womb, so maybe this will change when you are here. For awhile, I was feeling you kick and punch a lot. But, these days, you seem to have less space to move around in there so now I mostly feel different body parts like your knees, arms, or butt press against my belly. It's so distinct that your dad can even see the lumps in my belly where you are pressing in a certain spot!

Speaking of my belly, it's getting BIG...like, people- stare- at- me -when -I -go- places- big. People try to reassure me that people just like pregnant women, but I have had several questions about how 'big' you are supposed to be. For the record, the midwives say that you are 'normal size' based on the measurements they do of my belly each appointment:) Last week, when I was almost 34 weeks pregnant, we were lucky to get our pictures taken from my dear friend, Cathy, who is a wonderful photographer. She met your dad and I before we ate dinner at JCT Kitchen (so yummy- you'll love it) and took some pictures of the three of us.  It was so special because she lives far away in Maine and is due with her 4th baby on the same day you are due! Here are just two of the pictures, courtesy of Cathy Clicks Photography (www.cathyclicks.com) Aren't they great?

Love,
Mom

Progress!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am slightly (OK, maybe more than slightly) Type A. I'm a planner and to me, being somewhere 5 minutes before the planned time is basically late. So, when it comes to getting this baby's room together, I have been ready for weeks, maybe months, to get this thing going and be done!


But, since I don't rule the world (oh, but if I did.....), that hasn't happened. I think it's been a good test in patience, just like many other things associated with pregnancy- it hits me again and again how little control I have over many things. I think it's good preparation for being a parent (at least, that's what I tell myself when I'm up from my usual 2-5am most nights worrying about all the things that need to get done).


Needless to say, when we (and when I say "we", I mean Matt) painted the nursery last weekend, I did a happy dance that has continued all week. It's progress, and I'll take it! 


P.S. The color is Aqua Glow by Valspar, shamelessly copied from the blog Lay Baby Lay, which has incredible ideas for nurseries. This color is the exact same as the author of the blog's daughter's room and I decided this was "it" long before we knew "she" was a "she." The quilt I ordered on Etsy arrived last week and now I'm just waiting for the crib sheet and changing pad cover from another Etsy seller. We already have a crib and rocking chair (sitting in boxes in our living room), and I think we know the dresser, rug, and bookshelf we are going to get. It's just a matter of pulling the trigger.


For now, I'm just savoring the progress!

We're having a baby!

....which I realize is probably not news to anyone who is reading this:) We found out that I was pregnant in early December and the first few months were....hard. 24/7 nausea and fatigue, combined with not wanting to tell a lot of people in the first trimester came at the same time as the holidays and the beginning of the semester. Whew! Thank goodness for saltines, naps, and great husbands who help pick up the slack.

I was told that as soon as I hit the second semester- poof- I would feel awesome. That didn't quite happen....it took a few extra weeks or so for the nausea to finally go away, but for the last 5 or 6 weeks, I've been feeling much, much better. Now, my appetite is back in full effect. I'm now 5 and a half months (or 22 weeks in 'pregnant' speak- I always told myself I'd translate this to months for non-pregnant folks. Whenever people would tell me how many 'weeks' they were, I'd scramble to do the math for a minute).

But, throughout all of this, I have been happier than I think I've every been. Happy and grateful. We are so lucky, and I have to pinch myself sometimes to remember this is real.

On March 30, we found out that this baby is a girl! We were very excited to know for sure-I'd had a 'feeling' almost since the first day I found out, that this baby was a girl. Most of all, it was awesome to find out that everything is looking healthy and 'normal.' We would have been excited about a boy or girl, but now it's just nice to know and be able to plan (ehm, shop:)

So, hopefully..maybe, this pregnancy and baby will get me to blog more. We'll see!

For now, here's an Ultrasound picture...the technician added the text. I feel funny about posting the "it's a girl for sure" picture because it seems wrong in some way to share my daughter's (my daughter! wow!) most intimate body parts on the internet before she ever has a say about it:)

Things that make me happy: Fall edition

The bride (Sarah) and bridesmaids singing "Don't Stop Believing" with the wedding band. Did I mention it was a fun wedding?


In an effort to keep this blog alive, here's a quick post of what's been making me happy this fall:

1. Sarah and Dave's beautiful and fun wedding in Baton Rouge (Second Line! Dancing! Friends!)
2. All the great fall TV (There are no words for how happy I am that Lilly and Marshall are pregnant on How I Met Your Mother...yes, I know how crazy that sounds). I also think I love 'American Horror Story' despite being one of the most twisted shows ever.
3. Concerts- there have been some great bands in town this fall. My favorite so far has been The Head and The Heart (Their album is my favorite of the year). We're going to see Iron and Wine and Josh Ritter in November.
4. Friends- Just when I need it, I'm always reminded how great my friends are. I feel so grateful for this.
5. Family- Just like #4
6. Fall- the leaves, the colors, the weather. Fall in Atlanta is awesome!