Getting closer!

I've now started weekly appointments with the doctor. We are at 36 weeks today, and my doctor performed my first cervical check today (or whatever they call it....I'd call it torture). Apparently, I'm already 2 cm dilated and about 60% effaced. The doctor kept telling me that it doesn't really mean anything, just that my body is getting ready for the inevitable. It doesn't predict how quickly or when baby will come, but still. I freaked out a little! Words like dilated and effaced are meant to be used at the hospital when you're getting ready to have the baby, not 4 weeks before your due date! I know plenty of stories about people who go for weeks and aren't more dilated than they were before, but I think it was just another reality check for me. This baby is coming - and it will come when it's good and ready...be it 4 more weeks or 4 more days. My doctor reassured me that if I go into labor now, she wouldn't try to stop me (which I knew, but only reminds me of how much I should get done). I know that all will be fine. We have the necessities - a place for the baby to sleep, clothes for him or her to wear, diapers for his/her bottom.....we will be fine. Mentally, I don't know that it's fully hit me yet. I feel prepared to be a parent. I am pretty sure I know how to take care of a baby. I know that we will learn a lot of things by trial and error. And I also know that as soon as we have that sweet baby in our arms, we will know what to do.

We had a wonderful baby shower on January 29, hosted by my mom and sisters. It was so fun. All of our closest friends came, and it was great that Danny was there as well. We are blessed to have such amazing friends and to know that this baby is already so loved by so many. Today, the girls I work with threw a shower for me. It was really nice - we had a lunch time shower with yummy food and a delicious cake (most of which is sitting in the kitchen, tempting Danny). Again, I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people who gave generously and helped to celebrate the baby!

As I'm nearing closer to my due date, I've been working on trying to make sure things are caught up at work (which is easier said than done). It's funny that my schedule seems to have been pretty open for so long and now it's jam packed with meetings, trainings and more until my due date. I'm working on ways to wrap up some things with the girls I work with and try to assure them that after my leave, I will be back (some will be happy to hear this, others may be disappointed).

All of this to say - it's getting closer! Let the countdown begin!!

Happy Birthday!

As hard as it is to believe, my baby girl is turning 15 years old today!

Vannah Grace - I love you more than you'll ever know! I feel more prepared than I ever would have imagined to become a mother because you have allowed me to be a mother to you. You have taught me so much about unconditional love and what it means to be a family. You are wise beyond your years. As much as you yearn for adulthood, I pray that you will take the time to slow things down and savor these last few years of being a teenager. Life has so much to offer you. Danny and I are both so incredibly blessed to have you in our lives. You bring so much joy and laughter to our home and for that, I am grateful. I hope you have a wonderful birthday and know how very much you are loved!

The Nursery

Thanks to some loving people in our lives, the nursery is really starting to come together! My in-laws bought us the crib, which Danny put together over the weekend. A close family friend came over last night and brought with her the crib bedding set AND the lamp and mobile that matches. (She also cut my hair - for which I am extremely grateful! I kept thinking - I'll want to be able to put it in a ponytail when baby comes, which really meant that I've been putting it in a ponytail constantly. I'm glad to have some of the dead weight gone and am loving my new hair cut!)

Here are two pictures of the nursery (so far):

This is the changing table, glider (which I'd love to reupholster but don't think I know how), and the bookshelves...we'll remove the cans of paint on the bottom shelf before Baby makes its debut.

Here's the crib with the bedding! It's hard to see in this picture, but the theme is called "Bunny Meadows." It's a sage green and brown combo and I love it! I snapped these pictures with my cell phone this morning, but will try to take some better pictures ASAP. Above the crib, I plan to spell out the baby's name in letters that I've decorated myself (I've bought the letters...now to decorate them...). Interestingly, the two names that we've chosen only differ by one letter, so we'll be prepared either way!

The countdown is officially on! I am due 6 weeks from yesterday. I'm not feeling like I'll go early by any means. I am praying that Baby stays tight until March 1, due to some benefits stuff at work (and of course because the baby will be healthier the long he/she stays baking!).

Our first shower is this weekend and I am so excited to catch up with some old friends! I've become even more of a homebody since I found out I was pregnant, so it will be nice to just be able to spend time with some great people we haven't seen in a while. My mom and sisters are hosting this monkey themed shower...and whenever my family is involved, you can just about guarantee it will be wild! Can't wait for the fun of it all!

Moving right along...

Today, I am 33 full weeks pregnant! It's so hard to believe that we have just 7 short weeks before the baby comes! We have so much to look forward to in the next few weeks (including four, yes FOUR, baby showers!!). I feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. I know that this baby will never be short on loving adults in its life. I've been working on some homemade thank you notes for the showers, but am already thinking I just don't have enough. Some people might get some store bought notes, and that will be just fine! :) I think it's a good problem to have!

As far as my pregnancy goes, things seem to be progressing quite well. We had an ultrasound at my appointment this week to check the baby's growth. The ultrasound tech was so wonderful. My mom and two of my sisters were with me and she was very patient and gracious with us! She even switched over to 3D mode and tried several times to get a good picture of the baby's face! The baby apparently loves to suck its thumb, so we couldn't get a clear shot. But, those chubby cheeks were unmistakable! I sent Danny a picture of the ultrasound and he said "It's kind of blurry but those are definately your cheeks." I think he's right! Here's a picture - it's not the best quality, but you can see it's little face!

The baby apparently weighs around 4 lbs 9 oz. When the ultrasound tech told me that, I freaked out a bit! I don't know why, but it just hit me that this baby is really coming soon. I mean, I know it's coming. I feel it moving inside of me. I wake up five hundred times a night to go to the bathroom, try to get comfortable, pop a few Tums...preparing for the sleepless, blessed nights that are to come.

I am so excited to be a mommy. I feel like this is the role that I've been preparing for my entire life. I've always taken care of my younger siblings and helped a lot with my cousins when they were small (at times, I think I knew more what I was doing than my aunts did!). I know that so many things are going to change, and I am anxious for all of that. But, in the deepest part of me, I also feel like this is my ultimate role. I just can't wait to hold our little one and cover it in love. I'm trying to be patient - knowing that after the baby is here, everything will change. Danny and I have been together for a long time. It's always been just the two of us (and our little Vannah). I'm so excited to see him as a father and how the little one will strengthen our relationship even more and bring us even closer together.

We know that this is going to be a challenging phase in our lives. This morning, I reminded him again that babies eat 10-12 times a day! That's every 2 hours!! That scares me...we both like our sleep. I don't want to wish away these last few weeks of pregnancy. I hope to enjoy the little moments when I can feel the baby moving inside of me and no one else will ever know what that was like for the two of us. And, hopefully, spend a little bit of quality time, just me and Danny, before we have our little one home with us. I hope to not stress about all that HAS to be done, and focus on enjoying the process.

Baby Update...12.29.10

We had another doctor's appointment today. Vannah came with me and was so excited to hear the baby's heartbeat and see how thrilling my appointments are. The baby is now as big as a head of lettuce - an 18 inch, 3 pound head of lettuce! As of today, I am 30 weeks, 2 days pregnant, which means that we have about 9 weeks and 5 days left until our due date! It's so hard to believe how soon the baby will be here! My doctor's appointments are now every two weeks. At my next appointment, we'll have another ultrasound! While the doctor thinks everything is progressing very well, she wants to do a "growth" and "fluid" check next time as my blood pressure was a little higher today. She said that it really wasn't anything to be concerned about, but just would rather be on the safe side. I'm excited for another chance to "see" our baby! I'm hopeful that he/she will be more cooperative and we'll get a good look at him/her!

I am starting to stress more about everything that needs to be done before the baby gets here. Danny has painted the nursery, but it's still a mess. My family is planning a baby shower for me at the end of January, but that feels FOREVER away! It is definitely nice to have something to look forward to as things have just been stressful lately. The pregnancy hormones have come on in full swing, work is tough as usual, and I'm just ready for a break. Just a few more weeks and our lives will be changed forever!

My best friend's wedding!

This weekend, we celebrated the marriage of Nick and Rebecca! Rebecca and I have been friends since high school and have remained close friends since. She visited me a few times when I was in school in Nashville and I was able to visit with her when she was at UNCW. I'm so happy for her and Nick. She deserves every happiness in the world and she was truly glowing yesterday! I'm so glad that she has found a partner in Nick! Here are some photos from the day...

Nick and Rebecca's first dance

The best man's toast/cake cutting

Vannah and Danny dancing

Rebecca and the Radmacher sisters :)

What a special day! We are so glad that we were able to be a part of it!

Baby Update!

Tomorrow marks the beginning of my 29th week of pregnancy. That means that we have roughly 11 weeks to go until we meet our little one! The baby is now the size of a butternut squash (about 17 inches long and a little more than 3 pounds!!). We had a doctor's appointment this week where I had my glucose test. I had to drink a super sweet beverage and wait an hour to have my blood drawn. I got the test results on Friday and passed the glucose test, but my iron was a little low. The doctor called in some iron supplements for me to help with that. My sister, Ashley, kept me company at the appointment this week. I was so excited for her to be able to hear the baby's heartbeat (which is going strong in the 130's). I'm still feeling pretty good. I've had some lower back pain and a few other symptoms that cause some slight discomfort. Overall, I could not be more thankful for how smooth this pregnancy has gone. My weight is staying consistent and my doctor seems pleased with how things are progressing.

I am starting to feel the baby moving on a more regular basis. This morning, Danny and Vannah were able to feel him/her kicking as well. It was a very special moment! Vannah spends most weekends with us and it seems as if every Sunday morning, we all end up snuggling in our bed. As we were snuggling together this morning, the baby started to move some. I put Vannah's hand on my belly and the baby kicked really hard! Vannah's face was priceless!! Danny then put his hand on my belly and the baby went still. We talked and poked for a minute or two and the baby started kicking its Daddy. It seemed like when we would all be quiet, the baby would be still, but when we were talking or laughing, the baby would respond to that. It's been so nice to have those special moments where I have been the only one to feel the baby moving or kicking, but I'm so glad that Danny and Vannah were both able to share it this morning.

Things are progressing so quickly! Christmas is almost here, New Year's will follow. The fun will then really start with baby showers and finishing up the baby's room. Before we know it, we will have our sweet little one at home with us!

Another doctor's appointment...

We went to the doctor for our 20 week check-up and ultrasound today. We were both so excited to see our little one. Before we went to the doctor's office, Danny and I had lunch together. My plan/hope was that if I had a Coke, the baby would be a bit more active during the ultrasound. Well, that didn't work so well! The baby was very stubborn!

The ultrasound tech kept trying to get a good picture of the baby's face, but the one we got isn't so great. The doctor did tell us that everything that she could see looked great....the head measured correctly, the legs were there, the arms are there, the stomach and bladder are in the appropriate places, the umbilical cord looks how it's supposed to look. About halfway through the ultrasound, the tech said to us, "You want me to tell you the baby's gender, right?" And pretty quickly, I told her that we wanted to keep it a surprised. She breathed a sigh of relief and said that she was having a hard time telling what it was since that baby was trying to hide itself from us.

Funny enough though, when we went back to meet with the doctor, she was explaining each of the pictures to us and stopped at one and said "I'm not sure what she's trying to show me here...oh, wait! Let's not look at that one!" It must have been a between the legs shot, but our doctor reassured us that she wasn't sure what the baby is, so not to jump to any conclusions. She told us that she didn't find out the baby's gender with either of her pregnancies, but during her second, she was convinced she was having a boy due to a blurry ultrasound. However, the boy turned out to be a baby girl. I couldn't really read her either way, as far as what she "thinks" the baby might be, but she just reassured us that she doesn't know for sure.

Here are a few pictures of the baby from this morning...

The baby's face (the eyes are where the little dots are)

The baby's arm and fist (love this picture!)

The baby's foot...

Since the baby was being so stubborn today, we are going to have another ultrasound at our next appointment! We are definitely looking forward to that!

Fall...?

I loved the weather last week! The temperatures in the 70's just made my heart melt with happiness. And here we are, almost the middle of October, and highs in the 90's again. I just love how the meteorologists on TV act so excited about breaking records...I mean, really? It's not a good thing!!

Anyways - since I'm still so excited for the cooler weather, I decided to make myself this:

It's been a difficult, heart-wrenching week at work. I guess when we work with people, things just get tough sometimes. I've had a difficult time with this situation in particular and am constantly having to remind myself about professional boundaries and encouraging myself to step away from the situation. I think I'm a little too emotionally involved and I'm trying to get some separation, but man, it's tough! I'm so hoping this nice, big mug of hot cocoa will help me feel a little better this evening!





The best part of my day....

Hands down, the absolute best part of my day today has been coming home, immediately turning on the computer, connecting to iTunes and downloading the brand spanking new Zac Brown Band CD. If the only song you know from them is "Chicken Fried," you are missing out. These guys are incredible. For Danny's birthday, I got him (me) the live album/DVD. We've both loved them since their first CD came out in 2008. In fact, in this household, I think it's coming close to an obsession. I stayed up WAY past my bedtime on Sunday night, watching them live from Red Rocks. What a great show!

The point is, buy this CD. Now. It will change your life.

After listening for the past little while, my favorite track is "No Hurry." The song is just speaking to me today. I needed to hear it. Here are the lyrics:

You know my old car needs washing
And the front yard needs a trim
And the telephone keeps ringing
And the boss man knows I know it's him
And the bills ain't gonna pay themselves
No matter anyway
'Cause I ain't in no hurry today

There's nothing wrong with an old cane fishing pole
And the smell of early spring
Sit down in a fold-up easy chair
On a quiet shady river bank
Let the world go on without me
Wouldn't have it any other way
Because I ain't in no hurry today

Ain't in no hurry
Be a fool not to worry
About all those things I can't change
And the time that I borrow
Can't wait till tomorrow
Because I ain't in no hurry today

When I must return
To the cold, cold ground
Have them take their time
When they lay this sinner down

Heaven knows I ain't perfect
Raised a little Cain
And I plan to raise a whole lot more
Before I hear those angels sing
Gonna get right with the Lord
Or they'll be hell to pay
But I ain't in no hurry

Ain't in no hurry
Be a fool not to worry
About all those things I can't change
And the time that I borrow
Can't wait till tomorrow
Because I ain't in no hurry today
Ain't in no hurry
Ain't in no hurry today

Lyrics and album cover courtesy of zacbrownband.com

Update

We had a doctor's appointment this morning to check on the little peanut. The doctor said that everything looks and sounds great! We were able to hear the baby's heartbeat and even heard the baby kicking the doctor a few times. It was such an amazing feeling to once again hear that quick little heartbeat...to know that Danny and I have created something so tiny and so beautiful. There are so many days that go by where I "feel" pregnant, but I can't really feel that there's a baby inside of me. I know that will change in the coming weeks...I'll really start to feel the baby kicking and moving around soon enough. I am trying to just enjoy every minute that I possibly can with this pregnancy. Lots has changed for me over the past few months. I feel as if in a lot of ways I've gone from someone that hates to be alone to really enjoying the peacefulness that I find in solitude. In the past, the last thing I wanted to do was go home and sit alone all evening. These days, by the end of the work day, I so look forward to just relaxing and enjoying some peace and quiet. I guess the "quiet" days are numbered, so I should enjoy them while they last!

As is the usual, I was weighed at the doctor today. Between my first appointment and my second, I had lost 6 pounds. Now, between my second appointment and the one today, my weight stayed the same. I was a little surprised to say the least! My clothes are definitely fitting differently - some of my pants are getting really tight. I love wearing my maternity clothes...they are so stretchy and comfortable! And, my appetite has finally come back! In the first trimester, I was getting horrible heartburn if I would eat past 5 p.m. and even then, I would lay in bed feeling very nauseous. Those days are gone now, and me and the baby are hungry again!

We are so looking forward to our next appointment in October. Even though we won't be finding out the sex of the baby, we are excited to "see" him/her again!

Saturday night fun...

I vowed that this weekend, I would be lazy. I would not do anything I didn't want to do and I wouldn't feel obligated to leave the house if I didn't want to. I told my mom that my spot this weekend was on the couch...at home. Well, that changed this morning when my sister called to tell me that she, Vannah, and my mom were heading the Shelby County Flea Market. I told her that I would jump in the shower and be ready as soon as possible.

When we were growing up, we went to the Shelby County Flea Market at least once a month. We spent so much time there as a family...shopping for cheap clothes, cheap crafts and cheap food. Oh the food! Who would think going to a flea market would make you so hungry! Our family favorite? Fried cauliflower with cheese sauce. You haven't lived until you've had it.

The thought of going to the flea market today made my heart skip a beat! Let me just say, things have changed. A lot. And not in a good way. They now have several booths were you must be over the age of 18 to enter as they sell "tobacco" pipes inside (including one made from a Pringles can). Looking for a Quinceanera dress? Go to the flea market. They have plenty. It was not the flea market of my childhood. I bought nothing all day.

After leaving the flea market, Vannah and I decided a trip to Michael's was in order. Boy did that change my day! I found the cutest stamps on sale and replaced one of the ink pads that was ruined by the girls at work. Here's a card I made tonight:

I think it's adorable! Vannah and I have had a great evening....watching chick flicks and crafting. Well, I'm crafting, she's drawing. Either way, it must be the most perfect Saturday night!

This will not become just a baby blog...

I promise. But that's what has been going on with us. Other than work, that's what is on my mind these days more than anything!

I went to Homearama with my friend Jackie a few weekends ago. It was hotter than hot out so I was glad to go into the air conditioned homes. I found a few rooms that may offer some inspiration for this:

The room that will be the baby's room. At this point, it's basically a blank canvas. Danny has used it as his closet for the past year. We actually have a rocker, changing table, and crib mattress in the room right now. When my sister moved into a new house last year, she gave us all of her baby stuff. There's a corner in our garage full of baby stuff. It's nice to start a step ahead, that's for sure!

Here's the nursery I saw at Homearama that I loved!

 We are not going to find out the sex of the baby, so I thought this room was pretty gender neutral. I love the shade of green, but more than that, I love the black and white accessories. So cute!

My favorite room from that day was this playroom:

You obviously can't see the toys...those weren't nearly as important as this wall! So stinking adorable!! Now, if we just had the room for a play room....

I can't wait for the decorating to begin!

Life is changing...

Things have been pretty exciting at our house since, oh, around June 28th! That's the date that changed everything...

I had been feeling like something was going on for a few days, but since we've had so many months of "feeling" like something was going on, I didn't get too excited. Not to go into too many details about the past year and a half of our lives, but let's just say that Danny and I have been ready for babies for a long time...like since we got married. We weren't taking temperatures, counting days or any of that, but we were hoping. And praying. And trying. And for months and months and months, nothing happened. My closest friends and family members who knew how badly we wanted to have a baby just kept saying that it wasn't our time and that it would happen when it was supposed to. I believed that and still do. So, at the end of June, one day after my monthly visitor didn't show, I stopped at Walgreen's on my way home from work and bought a two pack of pregnancy tests. I was in shock. I took the test and saw two pink lines - positive! It was so unbelievable. No one was here with me...I hadn't even told Danny that I was a day late. I just kept looking at my cat, talking to him, and telling him what was happening. I remember walking back and forth between our bedroom and bathroom, making sure my eyes were working correctly.

Over the next week or so, I think I took 5 more pregnancy tests. They were all positive. At first, Danny and I decided that we were going to keep this little secret until our first doctor's appointment on July 21. I knew that I wouldn't last. I was going to see my sisters just a couple of nights later that first week and I told Danny there was no way I could see them and not tell them. That's when we decided to just tell our immediate family. Everyone was excited for us. My sisters cried, my mom shrieked, my niece asked how the baby got in my belly and how it was going to get out (glad I have a few years before I'll have to answer that one!).

Fast forward just a few weeks....our first doctor's appointment was on July 21...the day Danny had VIP and Meet and Greet passes to the Korn/Rob Zombie concert in Cincinnati. Danny went to the concert. My mom and I went to the doctor. That's when we met this little one...

Love at first sight! We heard the heart beat and got this great picture of our little peanut! After that appointment, we started to tell some of our really close friends. Now, here we are a month later. We've made it "Facebook official." We went back to the doctor this week and got another picture of our little peanut:

The baby is growing as the doctor expects and has a strong heartbeat. I am so glad that the baby is growing, but man, I am worn out! I've been pretty lucky with this pregnancy...no morning sickness, no getting sick. I have lost 6 pounds, but I think that's more due to making better food choices knowing that I'm responsible for the little one growing in my belly.

I'm so looking forward to the next several months and just can't wait until March 2011 when we get to meet our own bundle of joy!

Hoping today gets better....

What a morning it's been! I got out of bed extra early this morning as I have some major reviews happening at work. Since I was out of the office some last week, I just wasn't ready for the reviews. I've still been trying to recover from my trip to Michigan last weekend (more about that later, when I'm home with my pictures). So - last night, I was up late prepping for this review this morning and got to work at 7:30 to finish up before the reviewer came in at 9. I really don't ever get to work before 9 anymore (I love the flexibility of my job), and with a few other things going on, it's been so nice to sleep in some. Well, this morning, I walked out of the house (hair still wet, no make-up on), into the garage and pressed the button to open the garage door. The door started to open....and then fell. Not the way I wanted my morning to go. I had to wake up my poor husband who has to work until 3 a.m.and doesn't fall asleep until much later than that to help me get out. I pulled out of the garage with Danny holding the door open for me. Such a sad sight...

So I get to work and I start getting stuff done right away. I'm literally working down to the wire on this one. At 9 a.m., I am entering my last case note and the reviewer knocks on the door. I let her in and help her get settled and come back to my desk to just relax for a few minutes (read some blogs, check my personal email...) and there's another knock on the door. A maintenance man says, "Hi. Who drives that white Honda?" I say, "Well, I do." With a sheepish look on his face, he says, "Well....I was mowing the grass and I didn't realize it, but my mower spit grass all over the side of your car. It's covered on the other side. And I feel bad because it was so sparkly when I saw it this morning. I'm sorry." My response? "Oh, don't worry. My husband will be so excited to wash it....again. Since he just did that on Sunday." How about a hose buddy? Don't they have those around here? Spray it down for me! Geez....guess I know what I'm doing tonight.

I really hope today gets better...I think that is left in the hands of the reviewer. She has the power to make or break my day now. Fingers crossed....