This weekend is 40 weeks. Through yoga I've learned that your "due time" is really anywhere from 38-42 weeks, but even still, we can't help but be anxious for her arrival. It finally feels like we really are ready for her...the room is done (including the ever-looming armoire project!!), house is clean (wow! if you thought I was neurotic about cleaning before, add nesting instincts to that...kind of scary), the yard is in pretty good shape, our bags are packed, my last day of work before leave was last week...and so we wait.
I'm trying to take advantage of and enjoy this down time. Max and I have been enjoying many walks, I try and sleep in (impossible still for some reason), dinner dates, movies with friends...
Soon it won't just be us.
Soon I will dream of days I could have slept in.
Soon our schedule will be determined by a little person.
Soon we will hold our little girl in our arms for the first time. Until then, we wait in joyful hope...
As I near the end of my pregnancy (still kind of can't believe it!), I thought I'd share with you all my Top 5 Must Have Items. These tangible things have given me the most comfort throughout these 9 months...tested by me, passed on to you!
#5 Maternity Leggings Probably the most worn item of clothing I've had throughout being preggers...so comfy and yet still staying somewhat stylish, right? (don't worry, I would wear a longer shirt over them) Some people prefer the maternity pants with the elastic waistband...not me. Give me the high panel/over the belly leggings any day of the week! #4 Bella B Tummy Honey Butter (thanks to my girl Delane for recommending this stuff!) Knock on wood...but so far, either genes or this tummy butter have prevented me from getting any stretch marks on my belly. It smells good and has an almost gritty texture that at least makes me feel like it's doing something right. I've used it from beginning to end!
#3 The Snoogle (no that's not me modeling for you) Thanks to this amazing little invention, I've been able to get some precious z's throughout my pregnancy-- even now when I am quite large. It's a body pillow amped up, and although not the most romantic item (it creates quite the barrier between Nick and I each night), it.is.a.dream. Pun intended.
#2 Ice Cream Have I had any strange cravings? Nope. Just ice cream. And what is strange about that? Nothing! What's not to love? Creamy deliciousness that I indulge myself in, probably 5-6 nights per week. You think I'm joking but I'm not. I justify it with the fact that usually it will be a light version like the Dryers Slow Churned, but who needs justification really when it is so darn good?
#1 Pre-Natal Yoga Hands down best thing I have done/experienced during pregnancy. I've always loved yoga and initially going to a pre-natal class is a little different because you aren't sweating it out and getting the intense workout that you'd be used to with Bikram or Vinyasa yoga. However, the benefits are incredible. Learning about our bodies, practicing movements to help through labor, stretching, sharing stories...these classes have been the thing that has made me feel most prepared for child birth. Love them!
Celebrating from afar my wonderful mama today...thank you for loving me, encouraging me, supporting me and for being such a constant strength in my life. I can only hope to be as incredible a mom and friend to our little girl that you are, and have been, to me!
And to my equally amazing mother-in-law Laura...thank you for welcoming me with open arms into your family from day one. How did I get so lucky?!
This weekend we were lucky enough to have our good friend Erin Ewing take some family and maternity photos for us. She did such an amazing job and we couldn't be more pleased...I will treasure these pictures and memories of this time in our life always.
I couldn't resist posting a few of my favorites here...
Thank you Erin...you ROCK!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
From here...
To there...
*Picture via Nan Brotherton Photography
To here...
*Picture via Erin Ewing
Happy 2nd anniversary to my wonderful husband. I love the journey we have been on, and continue to be on, together. I love you...all the way.
Okay, so I realize my posts have a been a little baby heavy, or Glee heavy...but I just MUST post one more in case any of my college gals out there did not catch this weeks Glee (or if you were like Michelle and I, and your DVR cut off the last 5 minutes...aka best 5 minutes in television history)
If you've been to any of our weddings, birthday celebrations, or just ever hung out with us for an extended period of time, you will know that "Like a Prayer" has a very, and I do mean VERY, special place in our hearts. It started I think junior year of college. My girlfriend Cabe and I actually like to take a bit of ownership in starting what we coined the "nerdiest dance ever" during a specific section of the song (which is only on the Immaculate Collection version).
That quickly morphed into what the girls and I now call the "Ree Ree dance".
During graduation I can remember coming home and Jamie yelling out the window of our 2nd floor house (lovingly named The Whiskey) to "Get up here and put on your graduation robe!! They double perfectly as 'Like a Prayer' choir robes!" And with that, our performances continued.
I'm sure by this point if you don't know us, we are sounding quite strange..
But sometimes things get weird. And sometimes those weird things stick. Like our dance. Like our Madonna song. Every time I hear it I think of my girls. I think of our celebrations and the many, many times we have sung and danced to this song together.
To welcome in our soon-to-be May flower! (or I suppose possibly June flower, but lately I've been feeling more like she'll be here earlier than later...)
Baby girl and I were so blessed again this weekend with TWO more incredible showers. It means so much to gather with so many special friends and family and to know that she will come into this world with so many amazing women as her role models!
Me and Auntie Courty, the hostess. The cute cake is made up of about 40 diapers...
Then on Sunday (which was a gorgeous spring day here in Seattle), my good friend Amy hosted at her house...more delicious food, more fabulous friends and adorable gifts!
Yahoo!! Who's excited for some baby butt paste?!
Towards the end of the shower, Miss Addie came home and was curious where my baby was...I explained that she was still in my belly, and shortly after we saw her come out with her "baby" aka stuffed animal shoved up her shirt! I thought it was pretty hysterical. Dave thought it was pretty weird.
Our weekend was kicked off to a great start celebrating Miss Jamie McQuary turning 30 years old! Her celebration was held at the most perfectly suited location for her...the GlassyBaby store and ware house! (she probably has about 50 Glassy Babies herself...okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but she's got a lot!)
Michelle forwarded this awesome Glee Flash Mob to me today that took place this past Sunday down at Westlake Center. Way to go Seattle!! Perfect timing for my favorite show starting back up tonight...can't wait!
This weekend baby girl and I were showered with love from my most amazing friends and family! As mom and I were driving to the shower, I kept thinking to myself that this would be a day I would always remember...my very first baby shower. The girls did an amazing job putting it all together and I am still overwhelmed with gratitude at all the lovely gifts.
Me and the soon-to-be Grammie
All my special Aunties made the trip over!
Auntie Shelly...we are both laughing in this picture as Rothie was describing her "Pots of Gold" she made :)
Lucky us...we had the award winning Key Lime Pie cupcakes made by my dear Ms. Suzy Q, better known as the Seattle Celeb, Jamie of All Trades. And oh my...they were better than I even remembered them being!
The preggies of the party, in order of due date. I never would have dreamed that three of my close friends would be pregnant the same time as me, but it is such a treat to go through these life changes together...
All the gals. I only wish there was a picture of Mike in all his paparazzi glory with everyone's camera's hanging from his neck getting this shot.
We had a lovely Easter celebration this weekend! Church included some of my favorite songs, and was followed by Easter brunch with some of my favorite peeps. We hosted at our place this year with most of Nick's siblings and enjoyed some seriously good food.
I knew it would be a good idea to Paul in charge of dessert. Red Velvet cake from Whole Foods. AMAZING. The dangerous fact though is that half of the cake is leftover and still sitting in my kitchen. Uh-oh.
Last weekend, my mom's side of the family all gathered in Walla Walla to celebrate the 60th birthday of my special Auntie Kay. We took on a motto that my girlfriends and I often enact, which is "no separation!". We rented a very large house (enough to sleep 18+ people) just outside of town. It was perfect! Situated in the foothills, room for the dogs to run around (and hopefully not get any ticks...yikes) and room for everyone to hang together.
The weather on Saturday was a perfect WW spring day...we took advantage by bumming around cute downtown and trying out some wineries we hadn't been to before (I have to admit though, even in adorable WW, wine tasting doesn't have quite the allure when you can't be tasting...)
Saturday night was a delicious shrimp creole dinner and more celebrating of Auntie...complete with a slide show (and you know how I feel about slide shows...LOVE them!) We are quite blessed.
This weekend I really started realizing how quickly little baby J is going to be here with us...
-only 10 more weeks to get everything ready -only 10 more weeks of being on no one else's schedule but our own -only 10 more weeks of JUST me and Nick -only 10 more weeks until this little person joins our family -only 10 more weeks until we are placed with the most awesome responsibility we have ever been blessed with -only 10 more weeks until I am a MAMA!
Pretty wild...I know these next 10 weeks are going to FLY by and my goal right now is to just really enjoy and absorb this time...
And because some of you have been asking (mostly mom), here's us at 30 weeks.
A perfect start to my weekend: -A "Mommy-to-be-Massage" package (a gift from my fabulous sister in law!) -Spray tan session -Mushroom take and bake pizza from here -Date night in with the hubs
