and the fun begins...

Well after waiting nearly 10 months, tomorrow is the big day. I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 in the morning to begin my induction because Luke and my body have come to a decision not to go into labor on their own. I'm so overwhelmed and full of so many emotions that I just can't quite put it all together. I've wanted to be a mom since I was a child playing with my dolls and tomorrow that happens. How unreal is that?

I hope that I can be the kind, supportive, loving, and firm parent that I always that I would want to be. I hope that I can guide him through the rough spots in life and celebrate the joys with him. I hope that I can share a deep love of God with him and teach him to appreciate every blessing that life has to offer. I hope I can help him to make the best possible choices that he can in his life and I hope he knows that no matter what he does, my love for him will never waiver or change.

Wish me luck!

blog neglect=epic post

Wow... It has been an insanely long time since I have updated this! I guess I've been holding out thinking that this child would make an exit from my body and then I would catch up. No such luck as he officially has no plans to come out any time soon. As of my Dr.'s appointment last night, I have still not dilated at all and I am barely effaced. With this past Sunday being the official due date and the Dr. fearing my child is "a really good size" (he said that as he was laughing-so encouraging I tell you!), I am going to be induced on Monday, April 14 at 5:30 in the morning. He let us know that the induction could take up to two days (?!?) or if he's too large, they'll take him by c-section. So much for the natural childbirth I had hoped for! At this point, I would just like a healthy baby on the outside of my body.

The showers went really well and I felt so blessed to have so many family and friends be a part of such an important event in my life!

Family Shower:

This is the diaper cake that my sister made for me...so precious!

Friends Shower:

I'm about spent for now with the update. I have so much more to add, but I think that this is a good start!

baby shower season begins...

These next six weeks will be quite the baby shower-filled weeks for Luke and myself. I've already had a shower thrown for me by the people that I work with (who are *fabulous* by the way!) and attended Kristi's shower. Over the next four weeks, I will be attending or hosting a shower each week. All the babies!

Sunday was also Kristi's birthday, so we went with her family and a few friends to Buca to celebrate. It has been so nice to be able to share a due date (almost) with someone. With Kristi and I being due only a day apart, we have been experiencing the same things and been going through the same crap/blessings at the same time. Its been so nice to have someone to share this experience with. Happy Birthday Kris!

a gift for luke

Keith is very excited for Luke's arrival, as previously mentioned in prior posts. Today's preparation for our child's arrival goes above and beyond anything I would have imagined. Keith decided we needed to get Luke a Transformer's Optimus Prime Voice Changing Helmet, so we have been searching various stores to find the best price and to see which stores carry said toy. Today at Target we actually bought the thing. I would like to also point out that the age on the box says that its for kids 5 years and older. Keith, I think we bought it too early.

He had to test it out *just in case* it didn't work and we had to return it. :)

Also, here is the most recent belly pic. Its been a long, hard day for my family so I don't look too thrilled. 30 weeks folks!

amendment

I think that my previous post might have saved me from a torturous day at school on Monday. No rain! Yahoo!

rainy days

I would just like to go on record saying how much I *enjoy* rainy days...as long as they are one the weekend. Today was so nice hanging around the house with Keith while it was drizzling outside. Keith was able to catch up on a lot of reading he'd been meaning to do and I was able to organize some of the things that we've gotten for Luke so far. The nap I took was so relaxing and the chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese for dinner was very yummy. Overall, a really pleasant and productive day.

HOWEVER, I am NOT looking forward to tomorrow. Rainy days just don't have the same cozy effect when you're trapped in a classroom all day with 19 kids who just want to be running around outside. Also not so much fun is the abbreviated lunch time of a mere 20 minutes. Nothing says a great day like inhaling your lunch and having no break time. Heartburn, anyone? Yes! I can't wait! (can you hear the sarcasm?)

;)

hints from a pregnant lady...

So I've had quite the few gems said to me lately as I've started to head into the home stretch of this pregnancy jazz. For all (three) of you who might read this, here are some helpful of things NOT to say to any woman with child:

You're belly is HUGE! (Wow, as if I didn't already feel like a beached whale...)

You're pants are getting a little tight, huh? (grrr...I'm already bitter that these pants aren't available with a zipper or button and that they stretch up to my chest)

My daughter who's a month ahead of you is WAY smaller. Are you sure it isn't twins? (positive)

Do you have any stretch marks yet? (why would you even ask this?!?)

How much weight have you gained? (like I'm going to tell anyone that)

Look at you...Pregnant... (you've seen me everyday for the last 6 months. What gave it away now?)

Some days I wonder if the gloriousness of my belly is making people forget manners or temporarily lose all ability to make a kind comment. Oh well.

28 weeks and counting...

So I've been looking back at pictures of my pregnancy thus far and I am amazed at how much my body has changed so far. I guess when you live through the growth, you don't fully realize the amount of change happening. Here are some pictures of progress so far:

8 weeks

18 weeks

28 weeks (and no longer showing my belly, thank you very much)

I'm very interested to see what the 38 week picture will look like. Yikes!

getting ready

It seems so incredibly strange to me that Luke will be here in *appx.* 12 weeks. Keith and I have really tried to start getting ready for his arrival and I think that sometimes we may actually be ahead of schedule. I should actually say that Keith is predominantly the one who is getting things ready. He has definitely caught the "nesting" bug out of the two of us. He's cleaned the garage (and broken the garage door in the process), initiated us buying furniture and bedding, helped my Grandpa put up the chair rail, and hasn't stopped yet. Now he wants to know what he can do to help with the decorations in the room. Slow down sweetheart! Let me catch my breath!

Anyhow, here are some recent pics of the progress in Luke's room:

Also, here is Keith's attempt at practicing how to hold a baby. At least Rosco was a willing participant...

a new year

People come up with all kinds of New Year's resolutions...and I've typically never been one of them. Sure, I could say that I need to lose some weight or start being more organized or clean my house better than the year past, but if I haven't started yet, what is going to motivate me now? Well, this year, I turn over a new leaf.

I am going to *try* to commit to this blog thing.

Please notice that I said *try* because who knows what will happen in 3 months when our little peanut makes his debut.

I wanted to add a new picture of us. This was our Christmas Card picture for this year and I was so excited to get a semi-cute belly shot. Enjoy!

i'm too excited to sleep!

We get to go to our first doctor's appointment tomorrow and I am so excited! It's been almost three weeks since we tested and the time seems to have dragged along to this point. It will be so nice to finally get a *definite* answer! (although if I don't think its definite at this point after such a long cycle, I must not understand NFP, God, nature, and all other kinds of things)

a confession...

I have to make a confession...I almost stole the school cafeteria cheeseburger of a seven-year-old today. I felt so possessed to eat the hockey puck-like food, that I *almost* took it and ran. When I realized how crazy that sounded, I restrained myself and stepped away from the burger. These cravings could become an issue.

Solution: Keith took me to In-n-Out for dinner and I feel much better. Problem solved!

growth

Jill gave me this amazing book: The Pregnancy Journal. It basically goes through everyday of the pregnancy and explains what is happening with the baby (our baby!), my body, and it also gives helpful advice about coping with pregnancy and parenthood. One of the best parts is that there are spots to fill in my moods, cravings, weight, and other important stuff I'll want to remember later.

The entries for the past two days in the baby section have been so amazing to me. Two days ago, the size of the amniotic sac was the size of a grape. Yesterday, our child was about the size of a sesame seed and today our baby's heart was supposed to start beating. Our child's heart was beating. Wow...it took me am moment to wrap my head around that one. I am just constantly amazed that within the next eight months, we will have a baby.

and baby makes three...

Well folks, it's (semi) official. We're going to have a baby in about 8 months. I mean semi-official because for some reason, I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that there is life growing inside of me. Also, I don't necessarily accept the test results of peeing on a stick. I'll feel much more reassured that this isn't some freak occurrence went the doctor says that we are *for reals* pregnant.

I am completely overwhelmed, excited, surprised, nervous, and so many other emotions that I can't even begin to express....except one more: nauseous. I've started to get this feeling at certain points through out the day where I have to eat something for fear I might hurl. Wow, this could lead to a great time!

Today was a very insightful day to me as to what could be coming in the near future. I was at Target with Andrea looking at the baby stuff. I picked up a newborn sleeper and realized that something that size would be coming out of my body in 8 months. Holy crap! I think the hormones are starting to do something because I got teary at the thought. Who cries in the baby section at Target? Apparently me.

Another realization: If I didn't already have horribly crappy directionality skills before, I think that our child or my sudden constant sleepiness has rid my brain of whatever skills in that department I had left. (Mental note: Definitely get navigation system in my next vehicle!) I would like to apologize to Andrea for getting us lost, err, taking the scenic route, through what I believe was Tempe.