Not the Hospital Trip We'd Anticipated

It is currently 3:22 a.m. I successfully slept for oh, about three and a half hours. Welcome to the end of pregnancy, right? Seems like a good time to share with you some recent events.

It has been a bittersweet time recently for Bill and me. I had my last day in the office on Friday. Saturday, we woke up to a beautiful, sunny day and we were headed out to lunch with friends. As we pulled out of the garage, Bill checked his cell phone voicemail and said a few choice words. Honestly, I thought it was something related to his new post as the President of our Homeowners Association. I was shocked when he told me what he'd just heard on his message. Seems a friend of ours had a heart attack that morning and was at the hospital in a coma. What? Bill and Karen had worked together for 20+ years and are dear friends. Karen and her sister, Linda, had planned to come over just the evening before to see the nursery. This just wasn't happening.

Bill was so upset - he started driving like we were still going to go to the Ram to have burgers and drinks. Everything went slow motion from there. I said, "Let me call Jessica and let her know what is happening - we need to go to the hospital." In the voicemail, Karen's husband had asked Bill to share the news with people from work. We started looking up contacts on his phone and making calls. My thoughts immediately went to Karen's daughter, Courtney. She is just a sophomore in college. Karen has excitedly shared with Bill more than once that she and Scott were our exact ages when they had their one-and-only daughter. I prayed for Courtney - prayed this wouldn't be the day she'd lose her Mom. When we pulled up to the emergency room (ER), I think we were both in a daze that we were at the hospital for a reason neither of us expected. Upon checking in, we learned Karen was in critical care and were sent to the opposite side of the hospital.

For me, this walk was humbling. I've been pretty nervous about my upcoming stay at the hospital. Walking those cement halls toward critical care, I thought of Karen and her fight for her life. I will be checking into the hospital soon for something I've been designed to do and I get a pretty cool prize in the end. Karen was here for a very different reason. We were frightened to get to our destination - nervous about what news we'd hear. Nothing about this story sounded positive.

I am so thankful and encouraged to share that Karen's process toward recovery has been more than amazing. Her cardiac care has involved reducing her body temperature; a procedure designed to protect her brain and allow her more time to recover. She has a ways to go for sure, but her progress so far has been nothing shy of a miracle. I was blessed to be able to help their family in a small way by setting up this CaringBridge site for Karen where you can read the details of her recovery.

Karen, we are thinking and praying for you constantly and know you can do this. Scott told Bill today that you have some things for the baby, but he wants to wait to allow you to give them to us yourself. Karen, we know you'll be holding our baby soon. And we'll be here - waiting for that day.

ALS Walk - It is That Time of Year Again

Katherine Lee Wallis - 7/29/55 - 6/12/07

Hard to believe, in less than one month it is time again for the annual ALS Walk in Tacoma - September 25, 2010. Mark your calendar now.

DETAILS HERE. Our team name is again KATHY'S CREW.

I am hopeful you will consider:

a) Joining us again for this walk.
b) Join us for the first time (it really isn't too long) OR
c) Make any size donation to the ALS Evergreen Chapter. Seriously, even $5 helps and it is tax-deductible.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The ALS Evergreen Chapter was a God-send to my Mom and my family. They provided such complete care and assistance to our family from her time of diagnosis to her passing. There are people right now suffering from ALS who need our help. We can no longer save Mom, but we can support her memory and help others. But, even if you can't afford a donation - please consider coming out to walk. It isn't a difficult walk, it is fun and it means the world to our family. I miss my Mom every day and it is events like this that help me cope. Every year, someone new participates and I just can't tell you how meaningful it is to me.

I will warn you. This baby is due September 10 and the doctors have said they'll let me go only one week over. I do plan to be at the walk, but I won't be able to be my normally organized self in terms of planning, invites, directions. So, please if you would like to participate, visit the link, mark your calendars, take note of directions, etc.

We hope to see you. We will be there with Mom's newest grandbaby. Baby D's first event in support of her Grandma - surely not her last.

For more on Mom's story, visit her blog.

38 Weeks: Holy Moly

I cannot believe tomorrow I am 38 weeks. Time sure flies. It has been a while since I posted a picture of the belly progress, so here you go! And yes, I'm in my jammies...



Tomorrow is my last day of work for FOUR MONTHS. I have never not worked that amount of time since I was in high school. Although, soon baby will be here and I will have a very important job.

Stay tuned!

Love for Baby D's Nursery

Thank you to Lauren of WithTwoCats for doing such a thoughtful post on Baby D's nursery on her website.

Check it out here.

I was so touched by this. It has been rather fun having Jahjong go from about ten hits per day to almost 300 just on Monday when Lauren submitted the post to her site. Who would have thought some green paint, fun fabric and owls would be so popular? We just feel fortunate for the support to us and our Baby. What a fun way to welcome her into the world!

This just adds to the excitement of late. There are so many changes happening in my life and things really seem to be coming together. I just accepted a new job and actually start at the beginning of my maternity leave (September 1) although I won't technically begin work until January 1. I have been doing human resources work since 1998 and this will be a first for me venturing into something outside of HR. This will be a promotional opportunity with a small law enforcement/firefighting pension board. I am incredibly excited about this opportunity.

I have limited days in the office in my current position. I'm winding down my days at the bargaining table, finishing performance reviews and meeting with my staff in close-out meetings. I cannot believe I soon start four months off of work. Even more amazing, we will soon be welcoming home our new baby girl. So many changes, but everything feels very right.

As the gal who always prides herself on being prepared and organized, I am embarrassed to admit I hadn't started packing my bag for the hospital until today. It made my Aunt Sue very worried and Bill has been on me too. Don't worry guys - I'm now officially getting ready.

Nursery Reveal

With less than three weeks until the big due date, I can officially say the nursery is now complete! I cannot even express what a fun and loving way this has been to prepare for the arrival of our little girl! I have never put together a room from start-to-finish and it has been so fun! I could not have done it without help though - and specifically the on-going assistance from my dear friend, Marcie.

Advice. Start with one piece to get you going. Mine was a quilt block made by my Grannie years ago. I loved the orange, pink and green colors and everything launched from there. Then, I saw this Amy Butler quilt and asked my friend Evelyn if she could make something similar for Baby D. We used the fabric lines throughout the room to really pull everything together. Then, I saw Nora the Owl on Etsy and this launched the owl theme I had no original intentions of beginning!

Don't listen to everyone. Some people told me they they thought the colors were a weird combination. Some thought it odd when we painted the room green for a little girl. One even said the room was "too bright." Remember, everyone is different. Go with your gut and stick to advice from those with similar tastes. Having a baby brings a load of advice and not all of it is information you need to listen to!

Money. Come up with a ballpark budget and start socking away money monthly. I would also look around and seek out the help of friends and family. Often people want to help and everyone has their different talents, whether it be helping paint, sewing skills, decorating advice or assistance with craft projects. This hands-on help can save money along the way, is incredibly helpful and also begins the love and support toward your baby. That is truly the best part.

Use coupons and discount codes. I used ebates.com whenever I could for on-line purchases. I rounded up coupons from friends and did searches for discount codes. Anything to save a buck!

Space out the pricier purchases. As you'll see through the resource listing, I wouldn't say putting this room together was exactly "cheap." This is our first baby and we are older parents who have been waiting a long time to do this. I can also be "picky" and had my mind set on certain ideas. We could have easily spent even less. I chose expensive fabric I just couldn't pass up for the chair and ottoman, the pendant light was a little pricey and we probably could have just made the curtains. But, when the dresser was only $25.00 and the chair was found on the side of the road, it gave us a little room to spread out our money. There were a few items I fell in love with that I did pass up because I just kept researching. You are very likely to find something similar or even better at a lower cost. Don't give up!

Be creative. We could have easily driven up to Land of Nod and furnished the entire room for thousands of dollars. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure it would have been adorable. However, it was much more fun (and satisfying) to think through each item and try to refurbish furniture and incorporate handmade projects.

Research different ideas. I'm not advocating "copying", but sometimes you can find ideas from Google image searches or even crafting websites. One example is the baby's mobile. I saw a similar version on-line for $185.00. With a little patience and soliciting the advice of a crafting friend, we were able to make one in the exact fabrics of the room for less than $20.00. I also don't mind saying that I think our version is even cuter!

Here is where we started. This was our spare room. It housed the sewing machine, craft supplies as well as a spot for overnight guests. Specifically, our nephew Tanner referred to this as "his room".

We pulled EVERYTHING out. The bed moved next door as well as the sewing machine and craft table. All the craft supplies in the closet went upstairs to the "man room" (sorry, Bill) and a bunch of things went to charity.

Next came the painting. Bill painted the ceiling a cream color.

 

Marcie and Anna painted the walls.

Room color - Mythic Paint - Australian Adventure.

Then, the projects slowly started. We purchased the crib and I made the skirting. Marcie and I found a fantastically priced cherry dresser that went through a major transformation.

Old dresser now becomes a sweet dresser/changing table.

Dresser - flea market ($25.00), Mythic Paint - This Little Piggy, Drawer Pulls - Lowe's.
Changing Pad - Bed, Bath and Beyond, Changing Pad Cover in Orange ($14.99)
Shelving - Target, white spice rack shelving ($12.99)
Mirror - Ross scratch-and-dent ($15.00), painted with white spray paint.
Stuffed Owl - Gift (free)
Picture - VinylWallArt.com, Pretty Pink Owls in a Row (about $20.00 with framing)

Chair and ottoman for those late night feedings.

Wall Art - Bed, Bath and Beyond, wall flowers in white, ($19.99)
Chair and Ottoman - Chair: Roadside find (free) / Ottoman: Antique store ($25.00). Slipcover: Annie Selke fabric in Pearls Pink, ($125.00). Handiwork by Jonnita (free).
Wall Art  - Handmade by Grannie, Quilt Piece, (with framing about $12.00)
End Table - antique store ($30.00), Mythic Paint - Olive You
Lamp - Target, Owl Lamp ($39.99), new lampshade, Marshalls ($11.99)
Curtains - Land of Nod, pink multi-ruffle curtains ($39/panel) - fabric on top sewn by friend.
Pillow - Target, Owl Decorative Pillow (gift)

Crib.

Wall Art - Etsy, Sweet Bird and Branch wall decal, ($39.00)
Wall Art - Target, Oopsy Daisy Too Owl Wall Art  ($19.00)
Lighting - Land of Nod, orange pendant "Hangin' Around Lamp" ($89.00)
Rug - Amazon, T-Shirt Raggy Rug in Pink ($60.00) (price increased significantly since purchase)

Crib - JCPenny, Jenny Lind Crib in White, ($179.99)
Crib Skirt - Handmade by me, Amy Butler Midwest Modern 2 - Fresh Poppies Ivory ($20.00)
Wall Art - Amazon, bird monogram removal wall decals (can't find reference) ($20.00)

Under-crib clothing storage.

Bookcase.

From this.

To this.

Bookcase - antique store ($30.00), Mythic Paint - Olive You and Australian Adventure.
Wall Art - Handmade by me, Felt/Fabric Mommy, Daddy and Baby Owls (with framing about $20.00)
Fan - Amazon, Minka Aire Retro Fan in Pink  ($60.95).
Rug - Amazon, T-Shirt Shaggy Rug ( $70.00) (price has been increased since!)
Piggy Bank - Amazon, Stitched Piggy Bank in Orange ($12.99)
Clock - Gift from Grandpa Brad and Grandma Deanie, Orange Clock (free).
Picture frames - garage sale (two for a dollar!).
Stuffed animals - Etsy, Nora the Owl ($23.00)

The quilt.

Quilt - Handmade by Gram-E, Amy Butler - Midwest Modern 1 & 2 (gift)
Owl Pillow - Target, Circo Love and Nature Owl Pillow (gift)

Baby D's initials.

Details.

Burp Cloths, handmade by me with fabric scraps (free)

The mobile.

Mobile - Handmade by Sara and me, Felt/Fabric (about $5, using fabric scraps).

Baby Sleeping Sign, handmade by friend (free).

There you have it - nursery completed! We'll enjoy these photos as I'm sure once Baby D arrives, it will never again look so put-together. Be sure to let us know what you think. Please leave a comment!

37 Weeks: Rounding the Bend!

Week 37: Baby is the size of a watermelon!

This pregnancy is considered full-term, meaning Baby D is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world… meaning careful refinement of the blink, suck, inhale and exhale. Meconium, which we’ll find in her first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines. As I worry about giving birth, I need to consider what it’s like for my little one. During the journey out of my womb, Baby D will produce more stress hormones than any other time in her life!

We had a doctor's appointment today. I found I tested positive for Group B Strep. It really isn't anything to worry about too much. It does mean I could pass it along to baby so during labor they will treat me with antiobiotics through my IV. Dr. S wasn't too worried today about baby's size. She said her belly measures small (something they watch when concerned about large babies) and she again mentioned her long legs! Long legs and small stomach - Baby D sounds like a supermodel! She said she doesn't think a c-section is necessary at this point, although they will keep monitoring my progress. Baby has now dropped as far as she'll go before delivery - now I know why I've been a little more uncomfortable this week. I was at an off-site meeting yesterday and at one point we were at the bargaining table almost two hours. When I went to get up I had this awful pain shooting down the inside of my legs. Dr. S said that is likely the baby pressing on my sciatic nerve. Good times.


Oh, the swelling. Fred Flintstone feet for sure. The above photo is yesterday after being in an all-day meeting and not enough elevating my feet. Bill has been great at giving me peppermint lotion footrubs. The swelling at times can be bad enough it actually hurts a bit, but it really helps. I don't have much longer left to work and I'm cutting back on my hours in the office given these difficulties, so hopefully my feet will do a little better. My favorite quote of the week. This was an e-mail from my Aunt Sue remarking on my swollen feet: "HOLY SH**!!! Now that's what I call swellin'! It doesn't even look like your foot. Looks painful though. Hope it gets better REAL soon. Love ya, Sue." That's my Aunt - she tells it like it is!

As uncomfortable as all of this can be, it still isn't awful. Yes, I don't move very fast. Yes, picking up something off of the floor can be a bit of a chore. Yes, I have to do creative adjustments of pillows to get a good night's sleep. And, speaking of sleep, yes, I am snoring like a logger and keeping my husband awake. Even with all of that, it is crazy there is about a seven pound baby inside me. It really could be a lot worse. It still never fails to be a miracle to me.

Expecting a baby girl always means fun gifts. Look what arrived today from my good friend, Carin. Carin gets an A+ for creativity. Love it!


Last Monday, we had a tour of labor and delivery at our local hospital. I had the fortune of being there almost three years ago when my nephew was born. However, they've done an extensive remodel since that time. It is amazing - it is like a whole new hospital.

Not much longer. And yes, I'm getting very nervous.

Baby Noah

I ask for your prayers today for my friend Rebecca and her family.

I recently shared about Rebecca, but I want to remind you. Rebecca and I went to high school together. She lives in Italy now and we stay in touch on Facebook and reconnect during her intermittent visits home to see her family (who still live in town). Rebecca and I were so excited to find out that we were pregnant at the same time - due within about a week of one another. We've shared all of our pregnancy concerns and woes from morning sickness to gestational diabetes testing. She came out for a visit recently and we were able to connect live. Bill and I had Rebecca and her son Kai over for dinner.


We also got together with some other girlfriends, including Renee who is also pregnant.


I was shocked to hear that Rebecca delivered her baby prematurely on July 22. Her son, Noah, was born not only premature, but with serious health issues and has been in the care of Children's Hospital in Seattle. I later learned that Rebecca never did make it back to Italy after all.

I am so saddened to share that Baby Noah passed away last evening. My heart breaks for my friend. I have felt so connected to Rebecca during our pregnancies, it just crushes me. I am thankful she had the time she did to show great love to her sweet little boy. Thanks for sharing this time in prayer for sweet Baby Noah and for my dear friend, Rebecca..

Nesting?

I don't know if what I'm doing is what would be characterized as nesting, necessarily. Bill and I talked about this in class this week. How will we know? I'm always nesting!


Call it what you will - I'm getting ready for baby. I've been washing up blankets, clothes, her little diapers and cloth wipes.
For those interested in cloth diapering... Below are size 0 Kushies for when she is little (on the left) and Thirsties Size 0 covers (on the right) (She will graduate to BumGenius all-in-one diapers about three to four months).


We will certainly use disposable wipes, but will try to use cloth whenever we are home (you just toss it in with the dirty diaper anyway). I bought tons of baby washcloths on E-bay). Perfect!


I've made dozens of burp cloths this last year for others. Several months ago, I was at the sewing machine late into the evening and Bill asked, "When are you going to make some for our baby?" Well, I finally did and Wilson helped.


I whipped up about ten burp cloths this weekend. I used scraps from the quilt Evelyn made and I have to say - they are pretty darn cute.




Every time I sew with that chenille it looks like it is snowing in the sewing room and it seems my belly is a the perfect lint magnet.


I'm feeling alright. I'm obviously uncomfortable at times and sleeping is becoming more and more challenging. I've actually found sleeping on the couch to be the most comfortable for some reason. I have been very tired lately. I wish there was a way I could fit in naps during work this week as I have this weekend. I have some off-site meetings this week that can go late - this could get challenging.

Love for the Nursery

Bill and I know WE love Baby D's nursery. That little room can bring us peace as well as excitement about the arrival of our little girl. It does feel good when others tell us how much they enjoy it as well. How excited was I when Lauren from http://www.withtwocats.com/ contacted me yesterday to say she'd like to do a post on her site when the nursery is complete? Love that! Lauren, you made my day!

Lauren is also a first-time Mom. She put together her daughter Violet's nursery in a small space in her home. (For those that know me, you know I LOVE the name Violet! Good choice, Lauren). Baby Violet's nursery is a sweetly decorated room with a clean design. Lauren is a blogger who writes about her family including adjusting to life with a new baby, home renovations and design including inspiring "idea boards". I've enjoyed following her blog - from reading about her birth story, decorating ideas, to her struggles with breastfeeding.

In regard to Baby D's nursery, the main thing we're waiting on for the room in the quilt. Evelyn reports it is almost done. Once we have that, Marcie and I will set everything up for our amateur "photo shoot". Then, I'll do a post showing everything in the nursery - before photos, progress pics, links to the stories behind the items and a resource list of where we found the items and their related costs.

I'll be sure to share with you links once the nursery gets posted on Lauren's site. Stay tuned!

Peek at Baby D

Turns out 36 week ultrasounds don't really show a whole lot. Baby D is head down (as we want her!), so we could only see the back of her head and little bum. We did see a glimpse of her face, but didn't get a great shot. The technician pointed out she's got a tiny bit of fuzz on  her head, but not much hair at all. So crazy that in just a few weeks we'll be seeing and holding her and not have to stare at fuzzy photos and videos. Wow.

While the doctor guessed by feeling my belly Baby D is six pounds, five ounces.... the tech's measurements show she is six pounds, eleven ounces. We're relieved and thankful she is a healthy size, but Baby don't feel the need to grow too much these last few weeks! Go easy on your Mama please! :-)

Nursery: The Chair and Ottoman are Done!

About a year ago...Bill and I had recently begun trying to have a baby. We kept it pretty quiet, but I did share with a few close friends and Marcie was one of them. Marcie and I had finished a five-mile walk and were driving home on a late summer evening, when we saw this chair on the side of the road with a big sign that said FREE. We drove past it, turned around, checked it out again, then finally decided to stop to take a closer look. We thought it would perfect for our future nursery. Next thing you know, we were hauling it into the Jeep next to Libby.

When I got home, Bill wasn't quite as excited as we were. We were not yet pregnant, we had no nursery, and he was a little worried that the chair could be smelly (it was found outside after all) and wasn't too hip on bringing it in the house. We left it in the garage for a while and later brought it inside. Turned out, it was in great condition and not stinky at all. I sprayed it with a little Febreze for good measure and we put it in the spare room.

Fast forward to Spring 2010. We were pregnant. We were planning a nursery. Marcie and I were at an antique store in Bothell. We found an ottoman for $25.00. We called Bill and turns out it was the perfect height to go with the chair.

I chose some great fabric at Joann's and solicited the help of super-crafty Jonnita to help us make a slipcover for the chair and ottoman. Guess what she finished recently? I cannot even express how much I love it. She did an AMAZING job. I love it that it was a great deal. I love it that it has adorable fabric I was able to pick out. I love that the slipcover is handmade and absolutely LOVE that it was made with care by someone so excited about this coming baby.

Here it is! The chair and ottoman. Hooray!





PS: See the little gadget on the side table? That is an I-Home. It lights up and projects glowing color around the nursery. We'll be downloading white noise, womb sounds and lullabies for Baby D. Thank you, Karen and Ann for the awesome gift!

35 Weeks: Classes are Done!

Week 35: Baby is the size of a honeydew melon.

Baby D’s senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through my stretched belly, her tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing our lullabies! Growth (at least inside my womb) is starting to slow, and I will likely notice baby descending (dropping) into my pelvis at the end of this month allowing me to get a fuller breath for the first time in several months!

Pregnancy is still not comfortable, but I'm not yet at that stage where I'm ready to be done and can't handle it anymore. I take things day-by-day and definitely some days are easier than others. Funny how things like picking up a dropped pen seem like no big deal in my mind, but I hear an audible groan when I bend over. Yep, sometimes I forget that I'm pregnant.

Bill was fortunate enough to join me last week attending a class on breastfeeding at the hospital. As much as we got several laughs throughout in response to text messaging with his buddy, watching live videos of appropriate "latch-ons" and instructions to blow up pink ballons and draw on an areola and nipple with a Sharpie - it really was an informational and valuable class. We were a little shocked at the maturity of some of the other participants, but like Bill said - at least they came to class! It isn't like it is required.

All joking aside, I am very nervous about this process. Throughout my pregnancy, I can honestly tell you I wouldn't do ANYTHING to risk the health and safety of this baby. The benefits of breastfeeding can't be denied and I really want to give it my best shot. The instructor was very open about the difficulties and it did make me pretty nervous. However, I know that being nervous about it isn't going to make it any easier. It was good having Bill there to see it doesn't always come "naturally" and there are a lot of steps to work toward making it successful.

Last Saturday, we had all-day childbirth class. After seeing how nervous the breastfeeding class made me, I wasn't exactly looking forward to this one! However, Bill and I really enjoyed the class and we again got really valuable information. Here are some of the things we learned that we found particularly interesting:

EPIDURAL: Gone are the days of having to wait until you are dilated to a certain amount to get an epidural. At least at our hospital, upon check-in you can notify the nurse that you are ready and she can start preparing the supplies and contact the 24-hour anesthesiology to get your epidural started right away. Also a thing of the past, is reaching a point where you've progressed too far for an epidural. Our nurse explained it is a slightly different process, but you can still get an epidural at 10 centimeters dilation. HOORAY! Do you even know what this means to me? What excellent news!

EARLY LABOR: How interesting to learn that a warm bath early in labor can stop contractions! The nurse explained hospitals often do this when they are very busy and need to stall labor a bit for a progressing mother. Therefore, at home if contractions are 20 minutes apart, I am not to take a bath. However, a warm bath when I am farther along can speed things up. If contractions progress to ten minutes apart, I can take a bath before I come to the hospital. I like this news too! I can get in a bath at home before going to the hospital (if labor progresses in this fashion, anyway).

COMING TO THE HOSPITAL: Obviously, if my water breaks, we will go straight to the hospital, but likely we will have early labor at home. For me, I'm not instructed to go to the hospital until I am dilated to five centimeters. However, the nurse explained that if we are feeling extremely uncomfortable or nervous, we don't necessarily have to wait either. Good news!

EPISIOTOMIES: The frequency of episiotomies have decreased by about sixty percent in the last decade. Physicians now find that controlling a small tear is a better option than automatically doing an episiotomy and recovery is actually quicker for the mother. Sounds good to me, but also so interesting. I was still under the impression they almost always did this!

BRAXTON HICKS: The nurse asked us if we were having Braxton Hicks contractions. I didn't raise my hand. She explained what they felt like and said most of us were likely having them and just didn't know it. When she explained what they felt like, sure enough, I have been experiencing that feeling. I just thought it would feel more deliberate. She explained that the constriction and tightening can be felt across the belly or just in one spot. It can often feel like the baby's foot or hand pressing out, when it is really the uterus tightening. How interesting!

Overall, similar to my gestational diabetes diagnosis, I always feel better once I have information. This class dispelled many rumors for me and gave me up-to-date information about labor and delivery in 2010.

I am so fortunate to go through this process with Bill. He is already so supportive and it meant a lot to me seeing how interactive and interested he was in the classes, wanting to make this process go as smoothly as possible - for all of us. We were each asked to share the highlights of the pregnancy. The highlight for me was sharing the news with our friends and family. I had been so sick and it was difficult not being open about it and to get to share our wonderful news knowing our pregnancy was viable, was just amazing. Bill's highlight was finding out Baby D is a girl and putting the nursery together. He also said that walking into that nursery after a not-so-good day has been really encouraging for both of us.

I love my husband and am getting pretty excited to meet this baby. But, I still have a lot of work to do. The car seat hasn't arrived yet and there are little loads of laundry to wash. And we really need to pack our bags. So, Baby D, just hang tight for now, OK?

And... we had an appointment this afternoon. Dr. Sorenson guessed that the baby weighs about 6.5 pounds right now and her prediction for delivery is that she will be over eight. Yikes! She is keeping watch on my swelling. My Mom had eclampsia with me, convulsing during childbirth and almost died. It can be genetic, so they are watching for signs and symptoms with me, but so far, no problems. How about the GREAT news? I found out one good thing about gestational diabetes. We get another ultrasound! They want to monitor her growth due to my diabetes. Be expecting a new picture of Baby D on Thursday! I can't believe I get one last peek at her before delivery day.

Have a great week!

One HOOT of a Baby Shower!

Taryn's drawing on my cup...

The night before the baby shower at Marcie's I wasn't feeling too great. My feet, ankles and calves were swollen and I was feeling pretty stiff and sore. I had this great idea! I took some Tylenol (doctor-approved of course), propped up my feet and Bill came to the rescue with a peppermint footrub.  Then I got to thinking, I wonder if I can wear the full-length "Fiji-style" dress I wore to one of my bridal showers? See 2008 shower at Aunt Sue's....


Hooray! Dress still fit, perfect for a summer shower and hides the swollen extremeties! Feeling better about things! Course it does look a little different now (sorry blurry photo, but this one does show the belly).


Back to the shower... So proud of Marcie and Taryn. Remember, the cupcake bites I enjoy making so much? Well, Bakerella is coming out with a new cupcake "pops" cookbook this fall with no other than OWL CUPCAKE POPS on the cover. Can you even stand it? So, the gals made them and they were adorable!


You've seen the pictures of the nursery. As I've said, I hadn't intended to have a theme and then I started seeing things like this.


I mean, they're everywhere...


Taryn is the original owl lover, so she had fun!


It just never stops... Owls, who knew? So cute!


Baby D is definitely going to be stylin'. Lots of Daddy-love wear!


To be continued... Waiting on more pics from my friend who took lots of photos. I will update later!

34 Weeks: SWELLING

I posted on Facebook last night that I had faced a dilemma I'd never come across before. I HAVE NO SHOES TO WEAR! I take that back, I HAVE NO SHOES TO WEAR TO WORK!

My poor cousin faced swelling in her legs, ankles and feet early on in her pregnancy. I was beginning to think it wouldn't happen to me - WRONG! I had a little trouble in early July and bought a new pair of shoes. Oh, they were like pillows on my feet. Then, I left them at a family member's cabin over three hours away. I've struggled since and by the end of last week, it started to get worse. Monday, my sister-in-law came back from the cabin and returned my shoes. Guess what? They NO LONGER FIT. I tried wearing them yesterday secretly hoping they'd just stretch out. Instead, I found my swollen feet had simply conformed around the straps of the shoe. I took them off to elevate my feet underneath my desk and couldn't even get them back on! Bill and I went into town that night and got some Epsom salt and I did a cool water soak as I'd read on-line as a possible remedy. I elevated my feet afterward. I drank a bunch of water. I noticed a bit of relief, but still - I could not wear one pair of the many shoes I own - other than flip-flops.

I went to Macy's today at lunch out of pure desperation. The saleswoman measured my foot. Seems my foot hasn't grown in length - just width. We tried several options and nothing worked and she kept asking, "Can't you just wear flip-flops to work?" NOOOOO. I manage human resources. We coach supervisors on talking to their staff about appropriate dress attire. Good excuse or not, I just can't do it.

She found me a shoe. It is very wide. It is comfortable. It can be casual or dressy. It has an adjustable strap across the top part of my foot. It is actually cute. And, it was NOT on sale. With tax, it came to $125.00! Let me remind you, it is highly unlikely this shoe is going to fit me post-baby. This was a major violation for me. I don't like spending money on something that isn't going to last and it really makes me choke to buy a shoe not on sale. Shoes always go on sale - you just have to wait. Unless, you are in my situation and can't. Thus, my purchase.Let's do the math. If I wear these shoes every day until the baby's due date, these shoes will cost me $3.48 a day. Now, baby could come early which will raise the cost. Baby could come late, which will lower the price. And maybe, just maybe, with a little help of that adjustable strap, I'll be able to wear them next summer.

One can only hope.

PS: I had a hard time getting my wedding ring on this morning. I think it is next to go.

Mobile-LOVE

I've mentioned before that I've gotten some nursery decoration ideas from that crafting site that rhymes with "betsy" - you know the one. I found this owl mobile for sale that I just fell in love with, but no lie, it was $185.00! Crazy.

I decided it would be even cuter if I could make one that actually matched the colors of Baby D's room - not to mention save about $175.00. Unfortunately, I was a little nervous to take on the task myself. I recruited the assistance of my talented friend, Sara. We spent our second evening tonight on this project and I have to say - I love it! It is just perfect and way cuter than the $200 version, if I do say so myself.



Bear with me on the photos. It is very difficult to photograph a swaying mobile with little fabric owls turning every which way. If the pictures don't do it justice, just know - it is adorable. Thank you, Sara! Plus, this was a great excuse to catch up with you. Love you, friend!








PS: Some have asked where the post is on the shower... Still waiting on pics from my friend. Coming soon!