Waiting on July: Letters to Baby

we've moved!

2010-08-21T22:11:00.000-04:00

i finally got things together for a new blog. now that grayson is here i'm not really "waiting on july" anymore. i figured a new blog is a good place to share pictures and stories so that everyone can keep up with us. he's already 6 weeks old and its amazing how fast the time has gone by. he has changed so much, the new blog will document that.

i hope you will visit it and continue to follow us!

you can find us here - two dogs and a baby

first night away

2010-08-21T15:06:00.000-04:00

our first night away from you was when you were only a week old. some people may think thats terrible but i knew you were in the best of hands so it really wasnt that bad.

we had a wedding to go to in philadelphia so i left you down the shore with grandma for the night. i only cried three times, which i think is pretty good. as much as i missed you it wasnt bad because i knew i didnt have to worry about you, grandma is the next best thing besides your mom.

the wedding was wonderful, and it was nice to know that there was still a chance of having a life, even with a newborn. i tried very hard to keep the conversations non baby related. i think i did fairly well. and i only whipped out a photo once.

i was proud of us for making it will midnight, we headed out around 1230 though. lame. but thats what happens when you get no sleep. we still managed to dance and have a good time though.

we were beat by the end of the night. your daddy is so handsome! even when hes being cranky because i want to take his picture.

xoxo

the mom

doggies

2010-08-19T13:01:00.001-04:00

i have to say, i was really nervous about how the dogs would react to bringing home a baby. especially since they were already attention bugs. its something i worried about for a while.

we decided the best way to introduce you to them was to bring everyone to a neutral location (grandma and grandpa joes house) then bring everyone home. they were interested when we first walked in the door, then you became old news. the only time they really payed attention was if you cried or made noises.

eventually though they became use to you. every time i walk in the door they run to the carseat and smell and check you out. they have started saying hello to you before they say hi to me now.

cherrio LOVES to give you kisses. he licks and licks your feet. pancake has just started to show interest.

i'm so proud of her. i would have thought she would be jealous and not have wanted anything to do with you but instead she has decided its okay to love you! until you start running around pulling tails.

xoxo

the mom

preppin the dogs

2010-08-19T13:01:00.000-04:00

to prep the dogs we brought home your hospital hat. here is what the dogs chose to do with it...

snee

pete

xoxo

the mom

jimmy buffet concert

2010-08-18T17:43:00.002-04:00

were all big jimmy fans. grandpa joe has tickets to the concert. here is your video you sent asking for a ticket.

xoxo

the mom

learning...

2010-08-18T11:30:00.000-04:00

So there are a few things i have learned since becoming a mom. Like do like let the baby sleep for 6 hours straight during the day because he will not sleep that night. And make sure you are fast when switching from old diaper to new because that stuff will get on the walls! My most recent discovery. Strap the child in!

It's not true what they say about putting an infant down in one stop and coming back to see they are still there. Not with you anyway. I put you in your swing, walked to the kitchen, walked back and here you were. Wiggling out of it. I put you on your playard and minutes later you are off of that as well. You are going to be trouble.

xoxo

the mom

lazy?

2010-08-17T10:28:00.000-04:00

ive been a bad blogger. i havent gotten lazy. its just all my time is spent doing this..

you insist on being held 90% of your day. which makes doing anything else impossible. there will be time for all those other things later though, i know this "hold me hold me" will not last once you realize you can get around on your own. peanut snuggle time is THE best.

xoxo

the mom

he talks!

2010-08-16T12:13:00.000-04:00

Such a talented boy, already talking. And so very wise!

We have fun with you!

xoxo
the mom

monthly visits

2010-08-16T11:45:00.001-04:00

So we missed our one month old post. You seem to think that the best way to celebrate was to put yourself back in the hospital! One month to the date from when you had us in the hospital before (that one was okay though, it was so you could be born!).

You had a low grade fever for about a week so i took you to the dr and it was over 100 so off the the er we went. My heart was breaking as they put you through lots of tests to try and figure out what was wrong. We stayed three days and they never figured out what was wrong, the fever did however break. Drama boy. Lets not make a habit of this.

Here is a video of how you feel about tylonal.

You were such a good boy. All the nurses loved you. And of course you were never without visitors.

xoxo

the mom

Happy Baby!

2010-08-07T11:16:00.001-04:00

xoxo
the mom

Nakie Baby!

2010-08-07T11:08:00.000-04:00

xoxo

the mom

4 weeks

2010-08-07T11:05:00.000-04:00

It is amazing how fast time goes by, and even more amazing how much you have changed in that amount of time! I love watching you mature. You are so alert when you are awake and are fascinated by the world around you. It fills my heart with a joy that I have never known. I am enjoying you being so small and fitting perfectly in my arms but I am excited to see you grow. I am already forgetting how small you once were, I don't want to forget any of it so I am making sure to take lots and lots of pictures of you. Here are some shots from your one month photo session.

So beautiful!

xoxo

the mom

sports

2010-08-03T18:00:00.000-04:00

your dad is addicted to sports, did i mention that? you weren't even home 24 hours and he already had you watching basketball with him. like your mama, you fell asleep!

xoxo

the mom

sleepy

2010-07-30T16:44:00.000-04:00

we do a lot of this around here...

that is your favorite way to sleep. its your little compfy spot.

xoxo

the mom

bathtime!

2010-07-29T09:33:00.000-04:00

your very first bath.

mommom (your great-grandmother) came over the second day you were home and helped me give you a bath. you were still too small for the whale tub and had not lost your cord yet so it was just a sponge bath. you did well though, you did not pee on me nor did you scream. you just laid there, cute as can be!

xoxo

the mom

growing

2010-07-28T14:22:00.000-04:00

i cant believe how much you have grown in just a few weeks. when you were born you weighed 5lb 3oz. by a week old you were already up to 5lb 11oz. you just keep growing and changing. i just can't believe how fast its happening. you are fitting into your clothes better, and your carseat.

4 days old versus 2 weeks old.

its just amazing the rate you are changing. i love it. but don't grow up too fast on my little peanut!

xoxo
the mom

our first day

2010-07-27T12:56:00.000-04:00

The first week you were in the hospital, then we brought you home and we had visitors coming constantly. Daddy had the week off from work so i was never alone. Then when he went back to work the next week you and i spent it down the shore with grandma so i would have some help. Saturday we came home from the shore and then today your dad had to go back to work. So it was just you me and the dogs.

We napped a bit in the morning then i got some stuff done around the house while you were sleeping. I gave you your first bath all by myself. I think i did pretty well, there was no screaming or crying. You looked cute as a button all wrapped up in your towel, i was so worried you were going to pee on me before i was able to get your diaper on.

ET or baby Grayson?

Then auntie came over and we took a trip to target. You did very well, good thing auntie was with though because we needed to take a bottle break.

Overall the day was not so bad. I managed to bath you, feed you, and keep it all together. I did discover though that you make it very hard to get things done (this short post alone took two days to write). There always seem to be bottles that need washing, and things that need straightening. Forget trying to make myself a meal. You need constant attention when you are awake (which surprisingly is most of the day). You want to either be held or bounced in your chair. This is a habit we will need to work on breaking.

It's tough being home alone with an infant. I have a totally new respect for stay at home moms. Its wonderful being able to spend time with you but it is exhausting and a bit lonely as well. I know i am very lucky to be able to do it though and when things get tough i will just try and remind myself of that.

Mommy baby snuggle time is great!

xoxo

the mom

the many faces of grayson

2010-07-26T19:22:00.000-04:00

you are the most expressive baby, always with the crazy faces.

xoxo
the mom

moving?

2010-07-19T14:56:00.000-04:00

no, were not relocating our home, just possibly our blog. i created this as a way to document my pregnancy and keep people up to date with what was going on. now that july came, and so did you, i am no longer waiting. just enjoying.

which made me think i should possibly say goodbye to this blog and move onto another so that i can keep people up to date with how you are growing. what do you think?

xoxo
the mom

teanie tiny baby

2010-07-19T13:57:00.000-04:00

look at that face. such concern.

xoxo

the mom

adjusting

2010-07-19T13:50:00.001-04:00

There are a million books and websites to get you through your pregnancy and labor but not much mention of once its all over. Any difficulty in pregnancy is nothing compared to the difficulty of caring for a newborn.

It's pretty overwhelming, the second day we were home i cried for two hours straight. Not because i was unhappy, just because i was exhausted and so unprepared. This little life that totally relies on you. I have no idea if i am doing things right or not, i worry constantly that i am screwing it up.

I think it took a couple days for me to realize, hello- yes this child is mine. Even the moment you were born and i saw them take you there was this thought that came over me and i said to myself, he is mine- all mine, i actually get to keep him? I was sort of in shock i think. The first week was crazy. We spent so much time in the hospital then we came home and the first couple days was a constant flow of people coming and going.

I think i am finally starting to get a grip on things. Although its a false sense of reality. Your dad is coming home late every day this week so we are down the shore with grandma so mommy is not alone all day and all night without help. She is a huge help, giving you baths, feeding you, taking you so i can nap in the morning. Next week will be tough when it is my first week alone while daddy is at work. I think this week is kind of like training though. That first week was way too crazy to learn anything so this second week i've got my training wheels on while grandma helps us then next week i should be ready to go.

As difficult as this is though, between the tired eyes and constant annoyance of pumping, i am enjoying it more and more every day. You are a huge reward.

xoxo
the mom

our first night home

2010-07-14T22:04:00.000-04:00

The night you were born i got no sleep, and not because of you. You were born at 8:56 and i was in a room before midnight. All i wanted was to see you but they took you away to the nursery then they brought you in to me for about a half hour and had to take you away again. Then an hour later they brought you back but just long enough for me to kiss you goodnight. Then another hour later the doctor came in to tell me you were being admitted to the nicu. I was worried, plus they came in every hour to take my blood pressure.

They submitted you to the nicu because your blood sugar levels were not stable, then you developed jaundice. It was heartbreaking seeing you hooked up to all of the monitors. And they had to stick your little foot to draw blood every three hours. I really only saw you when it was time to feed. The first day i got to hang out and hold you all day but you were a bit overwhelmed with all the visitors and the nurses suggested we give you a little recovery time. I would come in every three to four hours to feed you and during the night i would skip the 3am feeding so i could get some sleep. I could sleep easy though because i knew you were being monitored constantly. I was not worried.

Finally though you got to come home Monday night. We took you right from the hospital over to grandma and opa joes house. The dogs were there so we had to pick them up and we wanted you to meet them in a neutral place, we thought it would help. Then we headed home, all five of us. I could not sleep at all that night though. I decided to put you in the pac n play in our room instead of your crib. I laid you in there all swaddled up and five minutes later i saw you on your side and panicked, you have to sleep on your back, they told us that many times at the hospital. I tried to reposition you but it did not work so i ended up calling grandma in the middle of the night and she told me to bolster blankets on either side of you, and that worked. I was still worried though so i kept checking every few minutes.

Plus you are a stinker and have your days and nights mixed up. You fussed all night and would not sleep. Therefore i did not sleep. It was a bit rough. I was exhausted the next day and I have a hard time taking naps, especially with you around. I feel like i need to be there for you instead of napping.

The second night went much better though. I slept more confidently that you would not roll over and suffocate or something and you seemed to understand that you were supposed to sleep. I did not get a ton of sleep but it was better.

It's hard, its only day two but its very hard. I know that I have lots of help and support and that it will only get better though.

A cute picture of my little turtle!

xoxo
the mom

The day you were born...

2010-07-10T22:45:00.000-04:00

For the record- July 8th was my guess, although i never thought i would be right!

People kept asking me "have you been having contractions?". All i could say was that i wasn't sure. It's hard to say you have or haven't when it's nothing i've ever actually experienced before. Around 4 in the morning on thursday though up until 530ish i could say for sure i was. They weren't horrible, just cramps that would come and go every few minutes. They got stronger and made sleeping not so easy.

The plan for Thursday was to go to the dr, come home and get some stuff done, pick up emily and grace to go walk around cherry hill mall (i figured walking would be good for me and it was too hot to do it outside so why not go shopping while i walk!), then go to the grocery store and come home to get some cleaning done. Very busy day.

9am rolled around and i gave the dogs a treat and told them i would be right back. I went to the dr, was so distracted that i forgot to pee in the actual cup, so i then had to drink lots of water and try again later at the end of the apt. The midwife did an exam and said i was already 3cm and 75% effaced. Part of me was totally shocked but the other part of me expected it since i've been taking the oils, walking, doing everything i naturally could to move things along.

I took a picture in the bathroom while i waited to have to pee again. Lovely i know! (but im glad i took it! ended up being my last one)

Blood pressure was way high (which since may it randomly has been here and there) and the midwife was not happy about that. She also suspected my water had broken and that there might not be any fluid so i needed to go get an ultrasound. She seemed concerned with everything, which concerned me! Then when i finally did pee in that cup (i remembered to hold the cup under this time!) my protein was also high so she said "yup, you're having a baby today. head to the hospital"

Ummm, what! Excuse me. Come again!?

I really was not prepared for that. The poor secretary at the desk when i was checking out asked when my next apt needed to be and i said i was headed to he hospital to have a baby and totally lost it. Sobbing. She probably thought i was insane.

She wanted me to head right across the street to the hospital, not to stop home first. I was not at all ready for this so i had to call your dad, tell him what was going on. He freaked out and ended up hanging up on me! Then called back a minute later realizing he hung up on me. I sent him a text with all the stuff to pack, because naturally i had not finished getting it all done. Then i called grandma and told her to get her butt home from the shore (we had just gotten home ourselves the night before!). Called sarah, who had just gotten off an evening shift at the hospital and was about to go to sleep, told her what was going on and asked if she could take care of the poor dogs who i had told i would be right back to!

The labor floor was busy and I had a million different staff coming in and out, none of which were consistent because everyone was so busy and they kept telling me I was headed home soon. "No Diane said we were having the baby today" i told al of them and I just kept getting the same response. Probably not, we will see, doesn't look that way.

Wonderful, I had gathered all the troops, collected myself, come to terms with what was going on, and now they tell me this probably won't happen!? It was a little frustrating. I sat there from about 10 till 3ish waiting to hear what was going on. Your dad and grandma had made it there, Sarah was there and already called out of work for that night, everyone had been expecting to see a baby.

My pressure was good but your heart rate was not, there were dips and no real jumps. Which apparently is not good. So despite the hospital nurse and attending objections my midwife said "we are definitely having this baby- you don't mind do you?". So things were back on again.

Pitocin was started around around 4:30. I was petrified. I have heard horrible things about that drug. It meant hard fast contractions were on their way. I waited and waited but no horror. Contractions were very manageable, not much worse then gas pains. They were getting a little more intense so i decided to get IV meds to help relax me a bit, maybe i could sleep. As with anything in the hospital it takes forever so i just said lets do the epi while we still can. They checked and i was 4cm, -1 station, 90% effaced at that point.

Around 6:30 i got the epi, which was scary, but not bad. It was more uncomfortable then anything else. The most painful part of labor though came when the anesthesiologist had the needle in my back and a contraction came on. I was bent over, which was not comfortable, could not move, and trying to work through it. Once it was in and the contraction was over though it was totally fine. I could still move my legs around and feel them, they just felt heavy. About 20 minutes later I couldn't even tell I was having contractions, it was pretty amazing.

I just hung out for a while. By 7:30 i had already moved to 6-7cm. Because the transition from 4 to 7 was so fast you dropped down quickly which messed with your heart rate. This got everyone worried because you were in distress. They decided to break my water to see if you pooed. It appeared you had not which was good but they still started setting up for a C-section because of your stress level. I was not happy about this at all. I did not want a c-section!

Everyone started heading to the hospital, anticipating a very long night of waiting for you to come. We figured at that point you would probably have a Friday birthday rather then a Thursday one.

One of my favorite shows in the summer is Big Brother, the premier was that night at 8pm so the plan was to watch it. Since i was not in pain i figured that would be no problem at all, it would help pass the time. Grandpa joe set it up for me so i could watch the live streaming on the laptop because the tv in the room was terrible. I saw maybe two minutes of it before I started feeling something strange. Pressure, like I could feel you moving. I mentioned it but no one seemed concerned because they said there was no way it was time to push. WRONG! There you were. I was at 10cm and ready to go.

Everyone started rushing around getting ready. They reminded me that pushing can take a couple hours. Nope, wrong again. Three pushes later and you had arrived! Turns out my water had not totally broken, they broke the remaining bag and it turns out you had in fact pooed so they had to rush you away. This was disappointing because i was hoping to wait and cut the cord after it was done pulsating. But nothing i had hoped for went my way so why should that have!

4 hours of labor, 3 pushes. 7/8/10. 8:56pm. 5lb 3oz. 19". Perfect and beautiful.

Holding daddy's hand.

Mommy holding you for the first time.

Look at that face!

Daddy holding you for the first time.

Grandma and Grandpa joe.

xoxo
the mom

Welcome Baby Boy!

2010-07-09T09:32:00.000-04:00

A couple cell phone shots. More to come...

Grayson Brady. 19in. 5lbs 3oz.

xoxo

the mom

baby bump turned pillow

2010-07-06T13:36:00.000-04:00

i'm pretty sure once you are here the dogs are going to miss you being where you were for a couple reasons. one- there will be a loss of attention on them which they will not be okay with. two- you make a pretty compfy pillow.

xoxo

the mom

Blue Rasberry

2010-07-05T17:08:00.000-04:00

If too much time goes by without me feeling a squirm and squiggle i have discovered blue raspberry waterice will do the trick! Makes for a very crazy baby boy!

xoxo
the mom

Oh Hello!

2010-07-05T16:56:00.000-04:00

It's just us...your parents....waiting for you to come!

We are getting a bit bored. And silly.

Are you hear yet?

4th of July!

2010-07-04T22:59:00.000-04:00

We spent 4th of July down the shore as usual. I hate parades but I found out about a doggie 4th of July parade and decided we must go! So pancake and cherrio got decked out. Cherrio in a sparkly bowtie and pancake in a red dress with blue ribbons, which she kept shaking out. Here they are while we waited for the parade to begin.

There were some serious dog floats (yes i said floats!) in the parade. One included a giant black pot with fire painted around it and it had three dogs dressed as lobsters sitting in the pot. The owner was wearing a chefs hat and had on a lobster bib. Adorable.

We already decided next year you will be the focal of our float, sitting in a lifeguard stand with all the doggies in bikinis around you in the sand. Yes, we are that awesome!

The rest of the day was spent napping and partaking in our usual shore activity, floating in the bay!

The rocking of the waves usually puts you to sleep, and we just lay there in the raft for hours. I think this may be part of the reason you are still in there instead of out here with us! I don't blame you, it is nice.

Speaking of which its time for a little chart updating! We have knocked a few contenders out.

You are free to come whenever.

xoxo

the mom

Really!?

2010-07-01T15:37:00.000-04:00

The dad: I think thats what Im the most afraid of. Poopie diapers.

I wish that was all i had to be scared of! Must be nice.

No more pencils no more books no more teacher's dirty looks....

2010-07-01T15:06:00.000-04:00

Okay so I have been done school for many years now but it kind of feels like the last day of school. My last day of work was supposed to be July 9th but it got bumped up, and because of the long weekend, it is now today! Horray, horray! I have off until October, so it's kind of like summer vacation as a kid. Only instead of slumber parties and popsicles it will be sleepless nights and dirty diapers!

That is okay though because there will be lots of time down the shore and lots of time spent playing and I am looking forward to all of it.

I have a zillion billion things i want to get done so maybe now they will actually get crossed off that every growing list of mine! And there will be time for those afternoon naps i crave so badly. The question though is how many of these days will i get? One, two, fourteen!?

It will certainly be strange getting up next week and not going into work. Not really having a plan at all. I think i should cherish that feeling though because I doubt i will have a "hmm what should i do, nothing on the agenda" kind of day for a long while.

The thought keeps running through my head as I am sitting on the couch doing nothing, or just hanging out with your dad and the dogs, or out shopping...enjoy it because this probably won't be possible soon. How many more mornings of laying in bed and getting up to a free schedule are there. Are the evenings of lounging on the couch channel surfing gone? Will that trip to target to browse around really be worth it once i am hauling a million things with me?

It's going to be a whole new world. I know that. I just wonder if i really know how new it will be...

xoxo

the mom

Waiting waiting waiting...

2010-07-01T14:55:00.000-04:00

I am getting serious heat from everyone because you are still comfy cozy in place. You are not due to arrive for 10 more days but no one can seem to wait! I get texts emails all day long asking for you to come out. Grandma has even started threatening to take away christmas presents for every day you make her wait!

I am doing all i can on my part. I'm taking the primrose oil, walking, your dad is rubbing my feet and pressing down on labor inducing pressure points (according to the internet anyway...), i've done the pineapple thing. I am running out of ideas here to force you out. If you are anything like me though you hate being told what to do and you will come late just to spite us all!

Do your mom a favor though and make a nice early appearance. Simply so everyone stops bugging me! There are lots of people waiting to meet you...

xoxo
the mom

Countdown

2010-06-29T09:26:00.000-04:00

Less then two weeks.

I don't think i am grasping that sentence. We are almost in single digit days here. How did this happen!? It always felt like July was forever away and now it is days away. Days!

People keep asking if im excited. I think the only thing i am though is in denial. I don't think i am fully realizing that this whole pregnancy thing is done, and there is a baby behind it. Really- are you sure i won't just be like this forever? It's strange.

Even stranger is the feeling of being a ticking time bomb, with no idea when it will explode! It could truly be any minute, any day. It's kind of a scary feeling. It's exactly like being on that ride at amusement parks that takes you up to the top, makes you sit there, then drops you! I fell like i am on that ride. It takes forever to get to the top, i am there, and i am just waiting. Half excited, half scared out of my mind. Knowing literally any second it's coming but having no way of controling when. No warning. Just BOOM.

Scary. (Side not though, i really do love this ride in real life!)

xoxo

the mom

Getting Ready

2010-06-23T11:08:00.000-04:00

With the knowledge that you are due to come any day now i figured getting our bag together for the hospital might be a good idea. I made a list of all the stuff we need to get still, and the stuff that will need to be grabbed last minute (like computer and chargers). I hear some people wait to pack their bag until they go into labor, but seeing as i do NOT do well with pain i know i will be of no use then. So i am getting together all the things i can and pinning a big note to the bag with all the last minute items to grab before we leave.

I took a little trip to target and got all travel sized toiletries for us to bring along. I have no idea what they have there at the hospital but i would feel better knowing i have my own deodorant and soaps. I am not a fan of stinkiness (or dirty ears- see the qtips!).

Notice the travel size tums. Those are for your dad, he has the weakest stomach and at any point without warning it can get wicked so i figured it would be a good idea to have something for him.

I also made up a bag with a dozen mini gatorades and a few snacks in it. I know from experience that if you ask for a drink it can take a freakin hour before they give you a tiny little cup of juice! I only included a few snacks, they are mostly for your dad but i did include some skittles in there for me!

I am trying very hard not to over pack (i do that often). All these lists online include a million things, do we really feel like hauling all of that around? I evaluated and tried to cut it down to the minimum of what i think i will really need. It seems to be a bit silly to pack clothes other then very comfortable, very lounge like outfits. I am not putting anything pretty or cute in there so i apologize to all of you who may come visit, you will just have to deal with the lounge outfits. I figure no one will be paying attention to me anyway so it will be okay!

I also decided to go out and buy cheap underwear that i can just toss out before leaving he hospital. I do not want to wear the hospital mesh ones i hear they give you and i don't want to ruin all my nice expensive underwear. Aren't you happy i'm sharing information about my underwear with you?

Still a few things to take care of, but not a bad start!

xoxo

the mom

Babies come with a lot of stuff!

2010-06-23T11:06:00.000-04:00

I went through your diaper bag last night and made sure it was well equipped. It's got diapers, wipes, all the little travel sized powders and creams and soaps, poopie bags, little first aid kit, binkies, hand sanitizer wipes (that ones for me), wash cloth, a fuzzy blanket and a receiving blanket. I think that's it. Is that all i need, i have no idea. Isn't that terrible, i probably have everything i don't need and nothing i do! I figure once you are here and i am hauling you around i will figure it out.

Is that even something we need at the hospital? I don't know but i figured it was something i should have ready.

I am thinking the only thing we need for you at the hospital really is a carseat (which we still need to get installed!) and an outfit to bring you home in. I did pack a couple blankets in there because the nurse at the hospital told us you needed one to come home in, but its going to be july, i don't know that a blanket will be needed!

Your little coming home outfit is not in there though. Grandma and auntie e bought you an outfit but its newborn size and we are all worried you will come out a monster baby like your dad (did i mention yet he was 11lbs?) so we are afraid to commit to it. Once you are here and we know what size you are then they plan to wash it and bring it up to us, or go out and get a bigger one! I hope you can wear it though because its very adorable.

xoxo

the mom

10 more days

2010-06-22T12:04:00.001-04:00

The normal thing for everyone to do (at least where i work) seems to be that a few weeks before the baby is born you go on leave. I was stupid though and thought, "what will i do with myself for weeks, at home, alone, waiting for the baby". I was positive that i would be able to work up until the you were born.

Little did i know that those people probably didn't sit at home twiddling their thumbs. They probably had a million things to do still. At this point it is literally any day you could come and i am not ready. You have no bed to come home to, wash still is not done, the house is a wreck, shelves need to be hung. I took 4 days weeks for the last couple months thinking that would be enough to get everything done but i was very wrong. Those days are filled with sitting in the doctors office then scrambling to get a few things off my list. It's exhausting and before i know it that day is over and im back at work.

I try and get stuff done when i have a few minutes here or there but i literally cannot find the energy. I sit there and cry because there is so much to do and i know i need to do it but i just cannot get it done. It's not that i don't have the will or i physically can't do it, i am just so tired, so very, very tired.

The smart thing would have been to at least give myself a week. If anything i would have some peace of mind. Right now i just have stress. Work is stressing me out, the house is stressing me out, the thought of a baby being here any day is stressing me out. I know how bad that is, i get it, and i really don't need to hear from people that i need to relax and that it will all come together.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel though, i can see it. I have 10 working days left. I can do it. It may involve crying on the way to work every morning, but i CAN do it. So for now i am just going to stare at that number and watch it dwindle away.

xoxo
the mom

**oh and ps for everyone reading this, please click on the top baby button and vote for us!

thanks!

Baby Elephant

2010-06-21T13:41:00.001-04:00

I decided to do elephants after seeing this awesome James Eames chair which I just had to have, until i realized how expensive it was! Isn't it the cutest thing ever though?

That was just not going to happen though. I figured i could still do elephants though, and although i added other animals as well elephants were still my favorite.

There are not many cute and reasonable mobiles out there and the plan had been to make a pinwheel mobile because i could control the colors and i thought it would be really cute.

Until i got the idea to find an elephant one. And by find i mean create! Your grandma jill is great at knitting. She made a cute teddy bear for pancake and cherrio at christmas so i figured she could probably make elephants too. And i was right!

Using the fabric from all the bedding and curtains she matched the yarn and created five little elephant. I got a mobile and replaced the toys.

I think they are so adorable! One of my favorite things in the room.

xoxo

the mom

**oh and ps for everyone reading this, please click on the top baby button and vote for us!

thanks!

2010-06-21T09:17:00.000-04:00

a little favor please. we're listed on top baby blogs, we were # 78 but over the weekend the website reset so we need lots of help to get back on the site and back up in the top 100. so if you wouldn't mind clicking this button ...

(looks like this)

over to the left once a day (only one vote per computer per day counts) we would really appreciate it! it doesn't require signing up for anything, its simply clicking a button. thanks so much!

xoxo

the mom & the baby

Wives Tales

2010-06-17T10:19:00.000-04:00

I am doing my best here to move things along. Taking my rose oil, spending hours rolling and bouncing on my yoga ball, taking long walks. These are all things that the midwife recommends and she knows will help. Then there are all those crazy stories and wives tales you hear about doing this or doing that to help go into labor as well though. Some of them are crazy but some are as harmless as eating pineapples. So that is exactly what i've started doing. I picked up two nice big pineapples from the store the other night.

I figure nothing bad can come from eating lots of pineapple so why not give it a try.

xoxo

the mom

Pity Party

2010-06-17T09:43:00.000-04:00

I had a bit of a mini melt down this morning. Fortunately I work in a very casual place where it is okay that i wear my one pair of old navy flip flops every single day because those are the only shoes that will slide onto my feet anymore. I can throw on my frumpy maternity clothes and call it a day.

Every once and a while though a girl just wants to feel like she looks nice! I love accessories, always have. They make such a huge difference. Nice shoes and some pretty jewelry make a big difference. Most of these maternity clothes are a bit drab looking but could be saved with some nice accessorizing.

This morning i tried on almost every pair of shoes (which is a LOT), including several high heal shoes but not a single one fit. All these beautiful summer sandals and wedges going to waste. Then i pulled out the jewelry but the only finger any rings would fit on was my pinky, and somehow i was just not pulling that look off. I shifted through all my bangles hoping one would slide over my ginourmous hand. Nothing.

So i sat down and cried for a minute because i felt like an ugly, frumpy clothes wearing, no accessories freak. Which probably sounds really dumb to most people but it was just one of those mornings where i really needed to feel like i looked nice. I needed that little confidence boost. Instead though i had to settle for a pair of pretty earrings and my rubber flip flops. At least my toes look really nice thanks to that pedicure Mandy treated me to the other day though!

xoxo
the mom

Butt action!

2010-06-16T12:04:00.000-04:00

We are a little lopsided this morning. I have a butt pushing on the right side of my belly, making for a not so perfectly round stomach!

very weird.

xoxo
the mom

Pregnancy

2010-06-15T09:44:00.000-04:00

It's almost over. Which I really cannot believe. Where did that time go? I remember it being November and I just couldn't wait to speed things up and now that its almost July I kind of want to speed things down. Does that make sense at all? Probably not.

Everyone keeps asking if i am ready, and i am, but i'm not.

I am ready to be able to roll over in bed or get up off a couch without a huge amount of effort. I don't know that i am ready to actually labor a baby out of me (did i mention i am terrified of this part!?). I am very ready to meet your little face and see what you look like. Not so sure I am ready to have another human relying on me every second of every day for ever (again, a little scary).

Some people say they just love being pregnant, others despise it. I think i am somewhere in the middle.

Reasons i love being pregnant:
It's fun to watch my belly move around as you squirm.
It was so exciting to see a growing bump, even if i was the only one who noticed at first.
There are so many possibilities and hopes.
You never have to suck your gut in after a meal (haha i love this one!).
I think i look kind of cute this way.
It's fun to see friends so excited about this little person on his way.
Seeing mark get excited is the best thing in the world.
My nails and hair grow super fast!

Reasons to not love being pregnant:
I hate the attention, every stranger and check out person feels it is their need to talk to me about being pregnant and ask me questions.
I felt like total crap for the longest time in the beginning.
It takes a while to actually look pregnant, until then everyone else just thinks you're fat.
It is impossible to roll over or get out of bed.
If i drop something, it will stay there unless someone else is there to assist me getting back up.
Lots of weird stuff happens, like my hands being numb all the time.
So swollen. I miss shoes, and jewelry.
The fear and anticipation of labor.

Overall though I am sure it is worth every nauseous swollen minute. I still cannot believe it is almost over though (i hope anyway!).

xoxo
the mom

36 Weeks

2010-06-14T15:24:00.000-04:00

Total Weight Gain: ugh, i hate to say it but i think 23lbs. getting very close to my 25lb goal, something tells me with almost 4 weeks left i will end up going over, hopefully not too much though!

Pregnancy Woes this week: just the heat really. i usually love hot weather but being this pregnant i CANNOT tolerate it! and my pants are starting to get tighter, which i think means my butt is growing- not okay!

Happy times this week: the whole week was fairly happy actually! (except for the heat!)

Belly Button Status: normal. it will certainly never pop. i think i have an abnormally deep belly button.

Food Cravings: nothing still.

Dr. Visits: once a week. last visit on friday the midwife said you will probably be close to your due date because you haven't dropped yet. she suggested rose oil and squats to move things along. everything else seems to be going well though!

Labor Signs: i think i've been having practice contractions, but having never actually had a contraction before i cannot say for sure.

Projects I worked on this week: finally finished painting the bookshelves, we just need to hang them. i also washed all the newborn and 0-3 month clothes so they are ready. washed all the toys, blankets, socks, bibs, hats as well.

Looking Forward to: the midwife saying that you have dropped!

And now for a very blurry photo of snee and i.

speaking of the dogs...they love to snuggle up next to my belly. Especially pancake, and she pushes against it, which must annoy you because you start kicking her. Neither one of them have even been phased by this though. So maybe next time, kick harder!

xoxo
the mom

a little perdiction

2010-06-13T09:50:00.000-04:00

It was our company "outing" at work the other day, which actually took place in the building. The theme this year was boardwalk so they brought all the boardwalk fun to the office. One of those things was tarot reading. You can't walk more then 10 feet down the AC boardwalk without seeing some kind of psychic booth.

I thought it would be fun to see what she had to say so i participated. Of course it was mostly about you. She had me draw 6 cards, but a 7th got stuck to one of them, which happened to be the king card. She asked if you were a boy, i said yes, and she said thats what the extra card was all about.

The number three came up so according to her we will see you in about three weeks. According the the cards she anticipates a quick and easy delivery (she could have also just been trying to make me feel better, she is getting paid for this afterall!)

We shall see if she is right, she had also said she sees a lot of money coming our way within the next 6 weeks, i think she was confused though and meant she seems it dissipating! Between me leaving work, and your arrival (not to mention your dads expensive car issues lately) i am quite certain there will be no large increases in our bank accounts any time soon!

I think i will go ahead and convince myself she is right about the three weeks though! Just to make me feel better.

xoxo

the mom

A little update

2010-06-13T09:33:00.000-04:00

The guesses for your arrival all surprisingly seem to be earlier rather then later. Seems you might be proving everyone wrong though. With almost exactly 4 weeks left the dr said yesterday that your head is still pretty high and chances are you will be arriving closer to your due date rather then earlier.

She did however suggest a few things to convince you to get moving. Apparently if i do squats everyday that will move you into place, she also suggested taking the herb rose oil. So that is my plan :)

You dad has practically been shoving those rose oil pills down my throat, i think he, along with many others, is anxious to see you!

xoxo

the mom

Guessing Game

2010-06-09T15:59:00.005-04:00

Your dad and I were talking about when you might come so we decided to make a little chart. Here are some of the guesses so far...

(click on it to make it larger)

xoxo
the mom

Tea Party

2010-06-05T21:25:00.000-04:00

A few pictures from the tea party shower!

Arriving at the party

Yum!

Vera diaper bag- yay!

HUGE line of clothing that went on and on and on...

Grandma and Auntie

Grandma and Great-grandma!

xoxo

the mom

Shower Invitations

2010-06-04T12:33:00.000-04:00

Your Auntie is awesome and created the cutest baby shower invites I have ever seen. The shower was a tea party so she set the invite up as a tea bag, pull cord and all!

Invite, Envelope and Thank you card (which she made but would not share!)

She also created menu cards and set the out at the tables.

There was a table set up with lots of pretty pitchers filled with different teas.

She made tea tags to go along with each pitcher so people knew what they were.

Simply adorable!

xoxo
the mom

Foot Envy

2010-06-03T22:27:00.001-04:00

I love flip flops, its one of my favorite parts of warm weather. I have lots and lots of cute sandals however these days the only ones im sporting are the rubber old navy flip flops or somehow by a miracle my coach flip flops (which i am probably stretching out and ruining).

I usually wear about an 8 maybe 8.5 but the other day i couldn't even get my feet into a size 10 flip flop! Size 10 i say! Large swollen feet/ankles/calves are simply a part of life now. I ice them in the evening but nothing seems to help.

I feel like a total freak and just go about the day hoping people won't look down past my belly.

Here is what my feet normally look like in my coach flip flops

(this was last june just after i got them)

And here is what they look like now

Another comparison for you...

It's incredible. I actually forgot what my normal feel look like. I had very pretty little feet at one point, now I am just filled with foot envy!

xoxo

the mom

Hot New Wheels

2010-05-28T12:10:00.000-04:00

I love my new stroller. I think it's awesome and the pattern is super cute. Auntie Kim sent us some stroller toys last night so I made your dad drag the stroller box out of the garage and assemble it.

There were a few frustrated grunts but overall he did very well! We got the stroller put together, i showed him all its fancy little ways (basically just how to open and close it!). Then we took it for a few test drives around the house. Pete and Chee checked it out too!

Pancake let us drive her around in it but Cherrio got crazy eyes and jumped out!

Poor dogs, every day we are bombarding them with new baby things. Lets see how Pete feels about that...

I agree, it is all very confusing!

xoxo

the mom

Getting there...

2010-05-27T11:33:00.000-04:00

I have decided that as of June 20th you are welcome to come join us in the world. But not until then! Your nursery is 99% ready and you have every item a little baby could possibly need.

Here is a tiny tease of the nursery. You can thank grandma and auntie e for kicking my butt and getting things started.

Okay thats enough for now!

xoxo

the mom

A Tea Party

2010-05-25T11:39:00.000-04:00

Saturday afternoon i was supposed to be getting a massage for aunti e's birthday. (isn't it nice how that was going to work, it was her birthday but i still got treats!) I spent the whole morning cleaning the house and working in the gardens. That massage sounded really good!

When i got to grandmas house though turns out that massage trip was actually a baby shower! (which is equally as awesome, but i still managed to get a back rub thrown in there thanks to grace!)

It was the cutest tea party ever. There were a few times we had to all make a mad dash in the house because it started raining, but then it cleared up and was a really nice afternoon.

The gifts...oh those gifts. They were never ending. We are so very fortunate because we have been so well stocked there is not a single item that you don't have. Look at this pile!!!!

Every single one of those bags is stuffed with presents! It took me two full days (with the help of your grandma and auntie) but it's finally all (well almost all) put away in its place.

More on the shower later, i just thought for now i would share this giant pile of love with you! You are one lucky baby, just so you know!

xoxo

the mom

New Deck!

2010-05-25T11:17:00.000-04:00

So much has been going on lately. We had a very busy weekend! Some super awesome fantastic news is that we finally got our deck built!!!

Friday night your dad and i get all the supplies and first thing saturday morning grandpa joe, leon and your dad got to work. It only took them a couple hours. Here are some pictures of them working on it.

It still needs some furniture, a step, and gardens added around it but the actual deck is done! We finally are using that door that goes off the kitchen. It freaked the dogs out, they never knew it even existed.

How nice will it be to sit outside in the afternoons and enjoy our deck this summer? Very.

xoxo

the mom

The dad

2010-05-20T11:41:00.000-04:00

"I really wish i could be pregnant for just five minutes so i knew what it felt like. Maybe i can put snee (the dog) under my shirt for a while and have him squirm around."

Somehow i don't think thats the same. Maybe your dad and i can trade places when its time to actually HAVE the baby, then we will see if he still wants to know what its like to have a person inside you. Because eventually, they have got to come out...

xoxo
the mom

"Are you just so ready to have this baby already...?"

2010-05-20T11:37:00.000-04:00

I don't think i can even count the amount of times i am asked this question per week. Everyone seems to expect me to say "oh my yes- im so miserable i just want to have the baby already". Is that what i am supposed to be feeling- did no one tell me this?

While there are many very sucky things about pregnancy right now, ie...

- the only shoes i can wear are old navy flip flops (ew i had no idea how ugly fat swollen feet/ankles are. i dont seem to be the only one who thinks so because anyone who sees my feet get a disgusted look of horror and i so don't blame them one bit!)
- i am exhausted
- i cry about everything (including the bug that was on the couch the other night- am i the only one being overtaken by stinkbugs?)
- i can no longer wear my bracelets or rings
- its way harder to get around (have you ever actually experienced being stuck in your bed and having a moment of panic that you just might not be able to roll yourself out! its crazy)

..but overall i really am perfectly content. I enjoy feeling little elbows move across my stomach. Your hiccups make me laugh. I love that at night when we get into bed it seems to be your cue to start dancing around and your dad gets to feel and watch the show.

The truth is i am not ready. I do hate all the attention of being pregnant but im not ready to be done with it yet. I don't feel prepared, your room is no where near done. I am terrified of the actual labor process. And i am really not ready to give you up to the world yet. So to all the people who feel compelled to ask, the answer is no. I am happy just the way things are thanks.

(mind you in 8 more weeks when i am fully cooked i might feel differently about this, but until then i stand by my answer)

xoxo
the mom

Rib Grumbles

2010-05-18T14:05:00.002-04:00

My stomach is grumbling, but its way up in my ribcage not in my abdomen like it usually is. Its kinda freaky feeling.

This whole shifting of the organs thing is pretty odd.

xoxo

the mom

Sneak Peak

2010-05-16T19:46:00.000-04:00

Friday night we drove through the crazy storm that rolled in and spent the evening in Jeff DiMarco's new photo studio. It was so much fun and he got some really awesome shots. Here is a little preview...

More to come.

xoxo
the mom

Big Belly!

2010-05-12T11:45:00.001-04:00

31 and a half weeks. wow. when did i get this huge?! for the longest time i felt like i stayed exactly the same size and now all the sudden out of no where i seem to have expanded yet again.

Total Weight Gain: 17lbs as of last week's appointment. hoping to keep it under 25.

Pregnancy Woes this week: the pregnancy is seeming to take its tole on me now. i am SO swollen. i can no longer wear bracelets (unless they stretch because they wont go over my hand) or rings. my face is puffy. and most shoes dont fit. its also getting harder to get around or pull myself off the couch. (i also seem to be falling apart, not sure if its the pregnancy. my hands fall asleep every time i lay down and something wacky is going on with my left ear. i woke up last saturday feeling like i just got off a plane, then a loud buzzing started and was constantly there, and now on top of the pressure and buzzing i have a vibrating echo of everything i hear. its really annoying). wow thats a lot of woes. sorry.

Happy times this week: you have been super active. it makes me laugh to see my stomach "dance" the way it does. oh and also im so happy to be making progress with your room. all of your bedding is almost done. (thanks to your grandma!)

Belly Button Status: normal. i dont think it will pop. my stomach actually goes in where my belly button is (its not totally round) because it is refusing to give at all to this baby.

Food Cravings: nothing. starting to think cravings are a lie, or an excuse.

Dr. Visits: are short and simple. my BP is excellent. despite the fact that i am super swollen (which can be a sign of high BP). so swollen that grandma was laughing at me because my ankles have rolls! (not nice!)

Labor Signs: none, not even BH contractions.

Projects I worked on this week: got some shelves hung, painted little animals on the walls, worked on your bedding (and sewed my thumb in the process- ouch!)

Looking Forward to: our photo-shoot on friday (more to come on that!)

Tick Tock...

2010-05-11T15:56:00.002-04:00

I just realized that in theory we have exactly two months until you arrive. Two months!!! Time is going by way too fast.

xoxo

the mom

Ouch!

2010-05-11T11:55:00.000-04:00

Last night when i got home from work i packed up the dogs and my sewing machine and went to grandmas to work on all of your bedding. We set everything up and of course my machine wasn't working right. So we packed everything up again and went to my grandmas house to use her machine.

All was going well until...

I sewed my thumb! Literally. The needle went through the nail (ruined my nice manicure) and out the other side of my thumb. But don't worry- i got no blood on the bumpers!

My mom took over, then her mom took over. (which is probably a good thing because she is awesome at sewing, she showed us all the things we were doing wrong!).

The bumpers are almost done. Tonight we finish those and the rest of the bedding. Then your crib will be officially ready for baby sleeping!

Lets hope i don't sew any more body parts tonight!

xoxo

the mom

Tight quarters.

2010-05-10T15:16:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately (and fortunately) i sit at a desk for about 9 hours a day. Fitting under that desk is becoming more of a challenge each day.

Apparently you do not like me shoving you under there though. You start to wiggle and move and push your butt up hitting the underside of the desk then wiggling it back and forth. It makes me laugh.

xoxo
the mom

31 Weeks

2010-05-10T12:44:00.000-04:00

This is for your dad because he always asks "how big is he now".

According to babycenter here is your progress..

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

I love reading that i should start feeling a lot of movement (or when people ask if i feel any yet). Um hello! I have felt like i have a circus act going on inside me since about week 16. Lots of movement is nothing new to me. I'm thinking you are going to be a rather "go, go, go" kind of kid. Oh boy!

xoxo
the mom

Progress

2010-05-07T14:33:00.001-04:00

A small accomplishment, yet one i am super proud of. I got more work done in the nursery. Not much, but still, its better then nothing! Very slowly things are coming together.

I finally got around to painting the little animals on your wall.

Small and subtle but i think its cute!

I also bought and hung some shelves (with your dads help) above the rocker.
I threw some stuff on the shelves just to make sure they were sturdy,
I don't think this is what will end up on them though.

And then there's these guys...

They are in the process of getting a makeover. Stay tuned!

xoxo

the mom

30 Week Appointment

2010-05-05T10:55:00.000-04:00

It has been confirmed. I passed my sugar test, wohoo.

The midwife said you were getting big in there! (please don't get too big, i don't want an 11lb baby like your dad was!) She confirmed that you are shoved down in my right hip like i've been feeling. It's really nuts how they know what they are feeling just by poking around. I can't tell if im feeling baby or squishiness or what.

She thought it was a little butt in my hip until she listened to your heartbeat and it was really low. She felt again and said it seemed like you had turned already. Which i like to hear because that means you are getting ready to come out! yay.

xoxo

the mom

Vivid Dreamer

2010-05-04T16:08:00.000-04:00

My dreams have been very vidid through my pregnancy, which i hear is common. It surprises me how very aware i am of this pregnancy though in them. I cannot recall a dream which I was not pregnant.

I've been out with people in my dreams and turned down drinks because i was pregnant. I also dream ALL the time about being able to feel you through my belly. Whenever you are moving around i like to put my hand there and feel the movement and i always wonder what body part it is im feeling move. I can never tell though.

In my dreams though it's very alien like. I can actually feel feet and hands and such. A few times in my dreams i've seem them too.

Like this

which would clearly never happen.

One time in a dream i'm pretty sure i even held onto your hand through my belly, which is ridiculous and weird. I wonder if once you are born i will continue to have these wild dreams.

xoxo

the mom

Half Food Baby / Half Human Baby

2010-05-04T15:57:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things about being pregnant is that you have a huge gut hanging out at all times that you don't have to worry about sucking in! This is especially handy after a big meal :)

xoxo

the mom

If you don't like complaining i suggest you close your eyes...

2010-05-03T15:43:00.000-04:00

I am starting to feel the discomforts of pregnancy. I'm swollen (like really swollen) which gives me ogre hands, 5 faces and makes all my shoes pinch my feet. My feet are so bad it actually hurts to walk on them sometimes. My hips hurt and the fact that i can feel your little butt lodged into my right hip doesn't help. Both sitting and standing is uncomfortable. So all of this is making me a bit cranky.

The good news is though that we are in the home stretch. Okay i'm done now.

xoxo
the mom

What kind of daddy do you have...?

2010-04-29T16:55:00.000-04:00

Last night we were hanging out in your room. Just sitting. I was messing around trying to decide how to decorate and your dad was testing out the new glider we had just bought up for you.

As i was staring at the wall contemplating i heard your dad talking to cherrio.

"come up here and sit with me so i can practice rocking a baby for when sergie comes"
cherrio sits with him then starts licking his face
"no, no cherrio thats not what babies do- i have to practice"

That is the kind of daddy you have. <3

xoxo
the mom

Nursery Progress

2010-04-28T09:58:00.001-04:00

I am finally getting on the ball with this nursery. It has been an empty shell with bare furniture in it for weeks now, and considering you will be here much sooner then i think we realize i figured it was time to get things going.

I looked around at different bedding sets and everything was either cheesy or way expensive (seriously who spends $500 for baby bedding!?). So of course being the crazy that i am i decided i would just create what i was looking for. I took a trip to the fabric store and found exactly what it was i wanted.

I give you...curtains! (the pictures are not the best and the color is a bit off because once again i am using my cell phone to take them- sorry!)

So there you are. It's not much, but at least it's a start!

xoxo

the mom

Beach Baby

2010-04-26T14:58:00.000-04:00

You will be spending a lot of time at the beach this summer. Well not ON the beach, but at the beach house. Your dad and I are not huge fans of sitting on a hot crowded beach but we do love walking on it in the spring and fall, or early summer morning. And so do the dogs! From October-May the beach is open to dogs and seeing as this was the last weekend before it closed off we decided to take a trip down there to let your doggie brother and sister run around.

They love nothing more then to run free on the beach like wild dogs!

Pancake was digging.. for gold maybe?

My gigantic shadow in the sand

Your daddy relaxing- isn't he handsome?

A view from the top. Fortunately i can still see my feet when i lean over.

Everyone was pooped when we got back to the house! It made for a nice afternoon.

I have spent almost every summer of my existence visiting the Jersey Shore so it has come to be a very special place for me. Your dad even asked me to marry him while we were walking along the shore one night.

We spend the summers going for boat rides, and on jet ski trips (when youre older). Fishing and attempting to crab (even though there don't seem to be many left along the shore anymore). We take trips into Stone Harbor to walk around the shops and enjoy some Springers Ice Cream. Occasionally we will venture off and spend the morning or evening playing on the beach. We walk around the boardwalk at night and enjoy cotton candy (watch the tram-car will become part of your vocabulary very quickly). And fireworks can be seen over the ocean from the back deck every friday night.

What's not to love? Your dad has already taken off a week in August so that we can all be down there together and you and I have several days planned hanging out on grandma and grandpa joe's back deck watching the boats go by. Are you excited yet? I am.

xoxo
the mom

No news is good news...

2010-04-26T14:28:00.000-04:00

The nurse told me that it would take a day or so to get the results back from the sugar test and that they will only call if there is something wrong. So far no call so i'm thinking thats good!

xoxo
the mom

Sugar Mama

2010-04-21T13:41:00.001-04:00

At this morning's doctors appointment I had to take the glucose tolerance test. I've read about it and for most people it seemed to be a dreaded task and no one had nice things to say about the beverage you have to drink.

Today was just the simple one hour test, if you fail you have to take a more extensive four hour test, which i would not like to do. The nurse warned me last visit that most people do fail and that i should avoid sugar and carbs the morning of and night before. I really did not want to fail so for the last two days i have been careful not to consume too much of these things (because on a regular basis i consume WAY too much of them). So lets hope it worked!

I have to say though, it really was not bad at all. The drink tasted pretty much like koolaid. And i like koolaid so having avoided sugar the last couple days i almost welcomed the drink. I'm pretty sure you may have enjoyed it too because it had you bouncing off the walls. Apparently it gave you hiccups as well, we could hear them as we listened to your heartbeat.

The only horrible part about the test was that i had to have blood drawn. I am not a fan of that. Last time it made me throw up, and the time before that i passed out. I was a little panicked today because i was by myself and your dad was not there to hold my hand. (yes i am a baby like that, i need my hand held!) I was a trooper though, no puking and no passing out.

So now we wait and hope that we don't get a phone call saying I have to come in and take another test! Fingers crossed.

xoxo

the mom

Man Hands

2010-04-20T11:07:00.000-04:00

Last night while gardening I sported sweat pants, a tshirt, and my lovely gold bangle i had worn that day. This is because of the new chubby man hands i seem to be sporting these days would not allow me to take it off. Back in February my size 5 wedding rings were swapped out for some costume size 8s (which are now also quite tight). I expected this. I had no idea my bracelets would get stuck on my wrists too though!

I tried every sort of tugging, soap, lotion...nothing would slide this thing off. So as a result I gardened in style last night.

xoxo

the mom

*don't worry, i eventually got the bangle off

The not so pretty side of pregnancy

2010-04-19T11:45:00.000-04:00

The mom: (SNEEZE) Damnit!

The dad: (laughs) Did you pee yourself again?

It's bad enough that I am constantly running to the bathroom and that every time i stand i feel like i might burst but now on top of all that I am loosing control of my bladder! When i sneeze or cough (which seems to be very often lately due to these horrible allergies of mine) i end up peeing, just a little. Give me a break though look at how squished my bladder is!

That thing was at the bottom which you can barley see IS my bladder. So every time it gets the slightest bit of pressure put on it game over.

I discovered here what exactly happens to my organs as you are growing and taking over all the space. It's kind of insane. Look at them jammed up there, and this is only now at 28 weeks, it gets much worse! No wonder I can barley breath.

Someone told me a horrible story of how their baby kicked their intestines and they pooed themselves right then and there! Sergie please stay clear of that area- okay?

xoxo

the mom

Ready or not...

2010-04-16T15:50:00.001-04:00

Lately i've spent more days being scared then i have excited about July. I think i am just recently coming to the realization on how very hard it is all going to be.

I'm scared to actually go into labor. The more i find out about the whole thing the tighter my chest gets. You can't stay in there forever though, i know at some point you will in fact come out.

What's going to happen when you're here. No more preparing and waiting, just me and baby. Of course i know how to take care of a baby but i've never HAD a baby. One that is there ALL.THE.TIME.

What if i can't handle it. I don't want to do a crap job.

At first it will be hard because newborns are hard. But your dad will be around for a week (which is not nearly enough time) and then it will be summer so there will be plenty of other people around for help and company. But what happens when fall comes, you will still be brand new and everyone will go back to school and their jobs and everything else. And it will be me, and you, and an empty house.

I worry, about everything. A trait i hope doesn't end up being passed to you (you can thank your grandma, and great grandma for this if you do by the way). Because worrying simply sucks.

xoxo

the mom

Daddy Instructions

2010-04-14T14:17:00.000-04:00

Your daddy is obsessed with going to the gym and working out. When i saw this little baby instruction i thought it might be a good idea to pass it along to him.

This was his response: Damn, I was hoping to get him on the bench right away!

He is going to need some work.

xoxo

the mom

27 Weeks

2010-04-12T12:40:00.002-04:00

I bought this shirt back in January and I remember being rather excited about how cute my pregnant belly looked in it. I thought, yup i definitely look like i have a baby in there (although others who weren't in the know were probably thinking, yup she definitely needs to lay off the snacking, shes getting a gut!).

Putting on the shirt today I realize how tiny i still was when i actually bought it and that now i look huge in it (and hopefully those people who thought it was just a food baby realize its actually a human baby). In another month or so I will probably stop by the mirror again and have this whole conversation over.

That's the thing about being pregnant. You swear from the first day you find out that you "look" pregnant. Every week that passes by you see small changes in your body and feel like you're rocking a serious baby bump (when really most people probably don't even notice it at all). Then a few more weeks go by and you look at that old picture and laugh at how big you felt when you were actually so tiny. That's exactly how i felt here.

The whole thing is pretty awesome. I'm excited to finally meet you and have you in our lives but i think i will sort of miss this too...

xoxo

the mom

*side note. next weeks starts the third trimester. as in, babies COME in the third trimester! crazy.

**another side note. for all who think "wow she has the dirtiest mirrors ever" i swear they are clean. this mirror is part of a really old antique vanity, i use it because its the longest mirror i have. its not dirty- just old!

Working Bees

2010-04-12T11:38:00.000-04:00

We have been working our butts off trying to get as many house projects done as we can before you get here. For two reasons.

One, we know we certainly will not have the energy, time, or flexibility that we have now to do these projects.

Two, we would much rather spend the summer enjoying you then doing work.

The yard and gardens have been cleared out (8 full trash cans later). Next we get to enjoy the fun task of mulching them! (Your dad is especially happy about this project).

We want to make sure you have an awesome yard to run around and play in (outback of course). I love gardens, I have surrounded our house and backyard with them. We even added a new one this weekend.

It's currently pretty empty but don't worry, we're not done yet!

The dad worked hard.

The dogs worked hard too...laying around.

xoxo

the mom

You have books!

2010-04-12T11:16:00.000-04:00

I love this nice weather we've been getting. Saturday morning we got up early, had breakfast and went for a nice long walk around Pitman. (These long walks, while good for me, are becoming more and more painful though) Pancake and Cherrio love walks so we try and get a many in as we can. We took them down to the lake and let them run free. Pancake of course ran into the lake after the ducks, Cherrio stayed up on shore and watched. It's a nice park with benches for picnics, a playground, and a lake with ducks to feed- I think you will love it one day.

Naturally, being that we are in south jersey, lots of yard sales were going on. Too bad you aren't a bit older because there were lots of fun little boy toys out. We did however snag this stack books for only $1.

Perfect bedtime stories. Grandma keeps telling me the importance of reading to you every day so this little start to your book collection should make her happy. Unfortunately we do not have a bookshelf for you, but we will figure something out!

xoxo

the mom

Baby Boy Blue

2010-04-08T13:13:00.000-04:00

Grandma is the very best! I came home from work the other day and she had painted your room for us. (She also painted the hallway which i have been meaning to get to for almost two years!) Yay grandma! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Your room looks so adorable. Perfect for a little boy. It is completely bare, not a single bit of decoration yet, but its painted- were getting there!

(im sorry but you had no choice but to keep this dresser in there. we had to take the banister apart when we moved in to get it into this room. when we move, its staying. it literally cannot be removed from this room unless its chopped into pieces)

This is the fabric i bought for your bedding and curtains.

One of the many projects on my list.

Grandma bought you the most adorable shoes!

Not 100% sure if the furniture will stay in the spots that they are in. Might do some rearranging. For now though things are looking good! We have progress.

xoxo

the mom

Aunties are the best!

2010-04-05T14:21:00.000-04:00

Remember this picture? That disaster of a room. The overwhelming piles and piles of baby things I simply did not know what to do with. Well Friday I came home and it was ALL organized and put away! The furniture was in place, the toys neatly lined up, the drawers organized and filled. The room looked awesome. Your Auntie had gotten back from work early and taken care of everything for us. Which makes Auntie THE BEST!

xoxo
the mom

Just a little (rather BIG) belly update

2010-04-01T10:08:00.000-04:00

25 Weeks & Counting

Total Weight Gain: 8 lbs. (although i think i look more like ive gained 30!)
Pregnancy Woes this week: still running to the bathroom every few minutes. if i stand up the pressure makes me feel like i have to go so badly but my bladder is usually pretty empty. oh and everything upsets me and makes me cry.
Happy times this week: we finally got your crib! yay. and i got a new pair of jeans, double yay!
Belly Button Status: normal. i have a very stubborn bellybutton. it does not want to give way. my belly is still tightly pulled in around the belly button area.
Food Cravings: nothing. but i've been eating way too much junk lately, time to knock it off! as your dad says "you're not going to have this pregnancy excuse much longer" isnt he rude!?
Dr. Visits: next apt is on april 8th, then i start up the every two week apts.
Labor Signs: none thank goodness!
Projects I worked on this week: put together your crib and started clearing out your room so that we can paint next week!
Looking Forward to: holding you. being able to wear my wedding rings again.

In other news, those new jeans i got are full panel jeans! AH! Yes i know, i swore i would NEVER wear pants that came up to my boobs but all my low waisted pants are digging into my belly making both you and i very uncomfortable. I know you are uncomfortable because you kick and kick and kick until i stretch back or stand up. So here we are. Your dorky pants up to the boobs wearing mom!

xoxo
the mom

Picture perfect

2010-03-31T10:24:00.002-04:00

My iphone is very convenient for taking pictures but it simply will not cut it once you are here. We had bought a simple point and shoot camera last summer but it has been missing since we got back from our Aug trip to Chicago last year. (your dad is very annoyed with me about this). So right now the good old iphone is all we've got which is why i am adding this to my withlist.

The Canon EOS Rebel XSi. Wonderful isnt it? One of these days. Maybe. Probably not. But thats why its called a wishlist.

xoxo
the mom

A place to sleep

2010-03-31T10:16:00.000-04:00

Now that we are back from our vacations and you are fast approaching your arrival it is time to start putting together your room!

Last night we piled everyone in the car (everyone being us and the dogs) and went to go pick up your crib! It took us a while to put together simply because the directions were terrible but we figured it out and now you have a place to sleep when you get here.

It's even che-chee approved!

Thanks grandma and grandpa joe for buying us a crib! Aren't grandparents the best!? Next week grandma is coming to help paint your room the very perfect shade of Cincinnati Hotel Abby Blue! And its my job to deal with this...

Ugh. I don't even know where to start...

xoxo

the mom

Evening Passtime

2010-03-29T23:11:00.000-04:00

I hope you like snuggling baby serg because this is how we spend our evenings. Snuggling in bed together.

Pancake loves it, can you tell?

xoxo

the mom

Daddy getting some practice

2010-03-29T12:08:00.001-04:00

This weekend we went to visit your future girlfriend. Little baby Peyton. She was so cute and so tiny. The whole time we were visiting her she just relaxed and slept (you should take note!). I have not held a one week old baby in such a long time. It was pretty awesome.

Your dad thought so too. Peyton is the first baby he has ever held. He did well though, you would be proud. When we left he said "I can't wait till our Sergie comes. I just want to hold him".

xoxo

the mom

My new favorite pass time...

2010-03-25T21:03:00.000-04:00

I love laying down at night and watching my belly. 10pm seems to be your time of night. You start rolling and kicking around. I could always feel it but now i can see it too! When you kick I see the little pop and shake of my belly (you're a pretty strong boy). Once and a while i will see you "roll" yourself across my stomach. My whole belly will contort.

I couldn't decide if it was totally freaky or totally cool. Either way it always puts a huge smile on my face. It's like our little game. You play around and I lay here, watching and laughing with every kick. Your dad must think i'm a crazy lady staring at my belly laughing to myself while we lay in bed. I can't help it though, I love watching you!

xoxo
the mom