No little man yet

No little guy yet.  But I am actually really excited about last night.  It gave me an opportunity to see what labor is going to feel like and to practice my hypnobabies.  Which most certainly does help.   Didn't take them away completely but definitely helped.  Though I have to say when I had the tapes on in the background I was able to drown them out almost completely.  So I will most certainly have them playing constantly while in labor. 

Today Isaac and I get our date day....still once a week while we wait for little guy to arrive we are going to be going out to lunch, breakfast, dinner, ice cream something with just the two of us that we never do until he arrives since when he gets here who knows when we will be able to go. 

Not sure what we will do but whatever it is will be awesome and wonderful since it will be just the two of us.  I will be staying away from everyone else today.  I just want us to have some nice quiet time together. 

Oh you know just timing contractions

First of all for all you pregnant readers definitely look into the app called contraction timer.  So easy to use.  So for the past several hours I have been having pretty constant contractions.  Spaced out anywhere from 3-5 min to waiting 10 minutes then back to 3-5 minutes.  They seem to start in my back then make there way to the front then to my back again.  Do they hurt?  Oh yes.  Do I think I can manage?  Yes I do.  When they first started I was getting them every 3-5 minutes and still needed to do my hypnobabies so I decided this would be a wonderful time to practice.  So I decided to do it and I was able to relax and be at peace during the contractions.  I also just went to the bathroom and saw some pink cervical mucus.  I'm assuming it's in part from the rest of my mucus plug that has been coming out and in part that I worked a 8 hour day booked back to back not stopping along with we had sex tonight for the first time in 2.5 weeks.  I wasn't planning on a orgasm during sex but it happened and low and behold on came the contractions pretty much immediately so I'm believing its all that and will go away in time.

But we are ready to welcome little man any time he wants to come into this world so we aren't scared at all.  I do think I'll be going to bed now and if I wake up with myself in full force labor then it's off to the hospital we go.


Our boxer has been acting really weird today though.  He was sitting about 4 feet away from me just staring at my belly, this is before we even had sex and the actual full on time-able contractions started.  I told Isaac to look at him and he saw it too he was just staring directly at my stomach. So I said Optimus(his name) whats wrong he runs over and sticks his head on my stomach then tries to dig his face in so hard that i had to yell at him to stop because it hurt he looked at me and tried again.  I told him to stop so then he just set his nose up against my stomach and just laid there.  And then after I started getting the contractions he has been following me around the house crying.  So very strange.  I'm not quite sure what to think about it.  But I guess we will find out soon enough if he's predicting labor or if he's just being a little extra clingy for some reason. 

Time to be real

As I sit here on the back porch home from a long day at work I put on some worship music and watch Ezekiel dance to it from within. It brings tears to my eyes.  I am so amazed.  This whole journey has been one of wonder, excitement, constant fear and joy.  Such a roller coaster but of a different kind.
 I think about labor and cry with joy! I can't wait to meet this little man. I have loved and do love being pregnant....at the same time I am so ready to meet this little man and welcome him into the world.

I also think I have reached the too pregnant for public stage. I have NO patience for people. I can't pretend to care about what your saying as I cut your hair and have a braxton hic, feel like I can't breathe, am trying not to throw up and all at the same time while I feel like I'm going to fall over from lack of sleep.  I love people.  I love my job and I love my coworkers.  But not anymore, at least not right at this moment.  All I want to do is hermit away and rest and be by myself.  I do believe I may not do anything Sunday but stay home and spend the entire day home and with Isaac. Got to get the two of us quality time while we still can.  We still need to have our date for the week.  I am not sure if I had shared before but I want to go out on a date once a week till the baby comes starting last week since who knows when we will be able to do it again.  

So I haven't talked in a while on how my hypnobabies has been going...but I think this next section will cover some of it.  I have done it faithfully since 26 weeks.  I have not missed a single day.  It has made me excited for my birthing time.  Excited for when my water breaks and my pressure waves(contractions) start.  I'm not worried about the pain.  I'm ready to embrace it knowing that each pressure wave will bring me closer and closer to meeting my amazing little man.  I am just so excited!  

I know practice most definitely has made a difference.  I think about holding him and just get tears in my eyes.  I am so ready and so excited!  

Major Nesting

So the past few days I have just wanted to get everything done.  Though yesterday I just had no energy to even try.  So I listened to my body and rested but then today really got on it.  The nursery is now completely finished...everything has been washed and is ready to go.

I also just had this overwhelming feeling last week that I needed to pack my hospital bag.  So I finished that yesterday, minus buying another pair of yoga pants and putting some things in there I can't do till right before we leave.  I say I'm pretty on the ball.

Tomorrow I plan to vacuum out my car so we can put in the car seat bases this weekend.  So we are getting all set and ready to go. 
I also had another midwife appointment today that went very well.  She went over and approved my birth plan.  She also seemed to very receptive and familiar with hypnobabies as well.  I am loving the support from the midwives I am getting on this.  Just in case anyone is interested I want to share my birth plan I turned in, I tried to keep it simple and to the point:

Devin and Isaac's Birthplan:

I will be using self-hypnosis(hypnobabies) during my birthing time. Therefore I may not be immediately responsive to questions during pressure waves. I would prefer nurses who are familiar with this technique or who enjoy natural births. I also do not want nursing interns or training to be taking place in the room with us during my birthing time as I need the environment to stay calm, quiet and peaceful.

My requests during my birthing time are as follows:

• I do not want to be asked if I am in pain or would like pain relief. If I decide on this route I will let you know.
• If you ask a question and I do not immediately respond I am in hypnosis so please wait until my pressure wave ends and my eyes open to converse. Or speak directly to my husband or dula. Because of the high level of concentration, I request low lights and quiet voices.
• Please no continuous IV. A Hep-Lock is fine.
• We would prefer intermittent monitoring and being free to move around as much as possible.
• I would prefer warm compress/counter pressure to help reduce the risk of tearing. I do not want an episiotomy, but am willing to discuss its necessity should the occasion arise.
• Please refrain from any medical interventions not previously agreed upon. We are happy to discuss any measures which may be deemed medically necessary prior to their implementations.
• Please help keep the environment calm and relaxed when it’s time to push. Use soft voices and allow Devin to listen to her body’s cues and push in the position preferred, provided baby’s HR cooperates.
  For Baby:
• Immediate skin to skin contact after birth
• We request delayed cord clamping(we are not donating or storing the blood)
• We would like to immediately establish nursing and bonding time as long as possible before any shots, weights or measurements are given.
• We plan to exclusively breast feed so please no bottles or pacifiers unless discussed with us first
• I would like to hold off on immediate/same day bathing of baby.

Thank you!

Little man is measuring directly on track and everything looks great.  I will continue to go for weekly appointments now as they check for pre-eclampsia and just keep an eye on him growing on time. 

So for now here are two different pictures from yesterday and today...its funny how depending on what I'm wearing how different my belly can look.

Yesterdays:

 Today:

I guess when it comes down to it now we are officially ready to welcome little man into the world as soon as he is ready to come.  Though of course I want him to take his time, though like I said before with how uncomfortable I feel I might be doing everything in my power to have him get here sooner rather than later.  

36 Weeks

Fair warning the first half of this entry is probably going to be mostly ranting and complaining.  I of course since starting this blog have strived  to try and stay honest and raw with my emotions so here you go:  This week has really been an emotional roller coaster.  I just feel so run down and exhausted all the time.  My emotions are everywhere.  I almost killed Isaac over a reeses peanut butter cut I had set aside for myself that mysteriously went missing and of course....he didn't eat it though I was at work all day.  Yes I know I already sound pathetic haha. 

But even beyond that getting comfortable in bed is something that happens few and very far between.  I get sleep in intermittent intervals.  Maybe an hour or two then I'll wake up wide awake,  and fight to go back to sleep.  I always feeling like I have a very full bladder but only a little trickle will come out.  That's one of the things I am definitely looking forward to the most about getting my body back.  Being able to empty my bladder. 

I also have been having some very real crazy vivid dreams.  A lot about going into labor and meeting my baby boy.  Those are always so pleasant and make me so happy.  But then some not so nice ones.  I had a dream Saturday night that Isaac had cheated on me and when I woke up I was so incredibly angry at him I had to literally do some breathing exercises and keep repeating to myself it was just a dream to keep me from wanting to punch him in the face as he laid next to me.  Even several hours later I was still feeling emotions from it.  It was absolutely insane. 

Work is getting so hard.  It's hard to stay on my feet.  Its hard to keep up with the schedule I have and even harder to care about my clients lives unless I've been doing their hair for a while and have a relationship with them already.  I have a few clients I may have done once or twice who keep saying I can't wait till you get back from maternity leave I will be booking back with you asap and to be quite honest I just feel like laughing.  I have clients I have worked with for 4.5 years and trust me they are going to be the ones getting in my appointments first not you since I just met you.  But I just smile nod and say don't worry you'll be in good hands while I'm gone and I'll see you when I get back.  I did decide that for my last two weeks(starting June 1st) I will go down to a part time schedule 4-5 hour days.  I just want to try and keep little man cooking for as much as possible. 

Isaac doesn't know if or how he will be able to get a schedule that will work for us with the baby.  Not that I'm surprised because since he started in March the times he gets off have been so sporadic.  He's almost never home before 6 and sometimes even later.  I had to pick him up from work at 11 pm the other week!  But he loves it and I love seeing him happy going to work.  Its been almost 2 years since he walks in the door and I can say how was work and he responds great with a smile!  I always told him I would rather him be happy in what he does then to take a job based on money.  Money is here today but gone tomorrow.  He is the provider for the family so whatever he wants to do/works out I will run with it.


So now that I'm done complaining.  Life really is so good.  In just a matter of weeks we will be meeting our beautiful baby boy.  I am so excited!  Nervous, but excited.  Everything is ready to go and in a week I'll be term and he can come whenever his little heart desires.  Though I'm still going to try and keep him in there a little longer.  Though I was talking to my sister yesterday and told her that I say that now but with how uncomfortable I feel within a week I might be praying to God to get this baby out of me.  She laughed and said she remembered those feelings. 

So all in all things are going very well, very smoothly.  I'm just trying to listen to my body and give it what it needs.  Rest, relaxation and calmness. 

Pushing His Way Out

Today I only worked for 4 hours.  I thankfully wasn't even very busy but by the end of those four hours I was so uncomfortable and in pain it was hard to walk.  He felt like he was trying to push his way out of me along with possibly laying on my spine at some points.  Not comfortable at all.  I only have 18 more days left of work.  But normally those days are 8 hours and jam packed to a point where I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it.

I can not believe how fast time seems to be flying.  In 4.5 weeks I'll be at my due date.  In just 1.5 weeks I'll be what used to be considered full term(37 weeks) but they are now calling it early term and then 39 weeks is preterm then 40-41 is term.  Which I'm still counting 37 weeks as full term since this is A-it's a semi recent change B- babies don't get that memo.  After 37 weeks its free game when they want to come since everything is fully developed.  I really hope he stays in there until I hit 39 weeks since my Mom booked tickets to fly up and I would love to have her here for when I go into labor.  But at the same time I will be ready and so excited whenever he makes his debut.  As long as he waits the next 1.5 till June 1st.  Once I hit 37 weeks I'll feel "out of the woods" so to speak.  It seems so weird to think that I have constantly felt like if I can only get to this date.  Now if I can only get to this date......soon once he's here I know it will be if only I could go back to that date.  I'll wish he was tiny forever.


So for now I will just keep on trucking along.  Trusting God that he is definitely in control and that His timing, His plan His everything will work out just how it should.

Here is a video of little man rocking my stomach all over.

I'm Suddenly Crazy

I mean it.  I feel like I have lost my mind.  Things that never use to worry me before ever suddenly are occupying so much of my mind and energy.  Its ridiculous.  Suddenly everything needs to stay clean, neat and organized even more so then before.  I have to make sure all the finances are together to a T.

Things that I was always like Oh it will get done or It will all work out NO I have to make sure it gets done right now.  It's a little exhausting mind and body wise.  I'm trying very hard to just let it go but yeah not working so well.

That being said my boobs have started leaking.  Not just the colostrum but it looks like some milk too.  I've heard of that happening for some women where there milk will come in before baby arrives but not that often.  Kind of shocked me when I went to take a shower and low and behold boom it squeezed out while showering.    I guess it just proves little man is getting even closer to arriving! 

So for now I will take a deep breath and try and just relax get stuff done but not stress myself out while I do it.  We will see how this goes. 

Finally Finished

I had started knitting this baby blanket back in August of 2013 after we hit a year of trying to conceive. I called it my by faith baby blanket. Yet Over the month's of continually being disappointed I eventually put it away. It was too hard to look at and work on. That is until October 2014 when we received yet another positive pregnancy test and I decided to pull it back out and go forward on faith knowing that if God wanted this pregnancy to continue it would. I know a lot of you may not have followed me from the beginning so you don't know this part of things but since the few days before even receiving that + test I was bleeding so when the + came it looked as though we might loose this pregnancy as well, I had continual bleeding but I kept telling myself if God wants this baby to continue nothing will be able to take it away. So I knitted on praying this would be our take home baby(we had miscarried in August a few months before) so now here it is finally finished a testament not only to God's faithfulness but also a reminder of the journey it took to get here. I hit 35 weeks today and in just a few more we will be welcoming our little miracle with open arms and lots of kisses.

Lost My Mucus Plug

I'll just go ahead and put the TMI warning now: It happened while I was at work but don't worry I'm not going to post a picture, though I will admit to having one I was very grateful I had my purse handy with me.  I felt like something was hanging out from down there....that's really the only way to really describe it so I went to the bathroom wiped and out came this greyish/yellowish tissue onto the toilet paper really thick, hard and rubbery and was over an inch long.  I took a picture of it so that I could send it to my sister who is a labor and delivery nurse and asked her if this was my mucus plug that I lost.  She said she isn't sure but that that is what it looks like so probably.  I also sent the picture to a friend of mine who is a Dr who just had her baby a few months ago and she agreed as well that that was what it was.  So of course this doesn't mean I am going to go into labor any second... I'm not having contractions, cramps or blood and Ezekiel is moving just as normal as always.  But I do have to say I think it's a combination having sex Thursday night where I orgasm-ed followed by hours of contractions, being so busy at work not being able to sit down much and he is so low now especially today I felt him constantly pushing, punching and clawing at my cervix.

I'm excited but of course kind of nervous.  This shows that my cervix is definitely starting to dilate.  Though a few weeks ago I had asked my midwife about loosing my mucus plug and she said it would be completely normal to loose it around this time but for me to call if I see any more spotting/bleeding that they want to know about it. 

The LAST thing I want it to have my water break while I'm at work.  I really hope he stays in at least until 39 weeks.  Just let me get to when my Mom is coming in.  Of course we will be thrilled to welcome him into this world whenever he is ready but he needs to stay cooking for at least a few more weeks. 

It is getting really hard for me to work the schedule that I have.  I don't move as fast as I used to at all...not just because I'm bigger and move slower but also I feel like I have to really really concentrate on what I'm doing.  Pregnancy brain has moved beyond just forgetting things.  The fluid haircuts and colors I used to do without an issue now require a LOT more concentration and are just really hard for me to do it as smoothly as before.  I have to really  concentrate, not that that's a bad thing but it is pretty exhausting. 

So that being said I have the next couple days off and plan on just resting, relaxing and trying to get myself ready for the next 5 days of work. 

I will admit i stopped and looked at the calendar and if I make it to my planned maternity leave then I have 19 days left of work.  It sounds so little when I say it like that but man that one day can just be a doozy. 


As to my rib cage....still very bad/sore.  Still pops in and out of place when I cough, sneeze, or even just laugh too hard.  It is definitely not very fun.  But I've said it once I'll say it again so very worth it!

Like an Old Lady

I really don't know any other way to title this post.  I am falling apart and it makes me laugh and is so worth it at the same time Holy COW!  My rib is definitely not just a plain pulled and definitely has something going on with that rib cage.  Any time now I cough or sneeze I can feel my rib pop out of place but then it pops right back in place.  That and it's accompanied along with the intense pain. Thankfully just a dull pain on a regular basis but if I take a deep breathe, laugh, sneeze or cough severe pain like I'm being stabbed in the side with a pop. And feels bruised from the outside constantly.  Can't put any weight on it while sleeping...I prop pillows all underneath me to cushion it.  Heat helps tremendously.  I had filled a sock pad . I think I'm just running out of room for everything.

In other news I did not really have a very restful sleep last night at all! 

 

TMI Warning

Since my stomach getting bigger sex hasn't exactly been on the table super often.  There are not a lot of comfortable positions to do it in when your carrying a 5 pound bowling ball type shape on your stomach, can't lay on your back ect;  Not to mention just the hormones maybe creating a lack of desire....okay no maybe about it definitely creating a lack of desire.  Well last night I wanted sex.  Like REALLY wanted it.  And this is the first time in over a month I have actually wanted it.  So we did and it was AMAZING!  One of the best orgasms I have ever had in my life.  BUT that being said I will NEVER want to do it again until we are ready to try and get Ezekiel to come into the world.  Why you ask?  I started having contractions about an hour later.  Not braxton hicks.  Actual contractions that would last 1-2 minutes and come every 15-20 minutes until 3 in the morning they finally died off.  So lets just say sleep did not come easily for me at all. 

End TMI

Then this morning when I woke up at 6:30 I needed to go to the bathroom so I rolled over to go and got the worst charlie horse I have ever experienced in my life.  It was worse than the contractions.  My entire right calf muscle knotted up so bad you could see the little knots and my foot curled up into a handicap position.  I couldn't unfold it I couldn't lay it flat.  I started crying I was in so much pain.  I couldn't even massage it to make it go away.  Not fun to say the very least.  Not fun at all.

I told Isaac now that we know sex can make me have contractions once we hit 37 weeks maybe we should practice abstinence till we are ready to have the baby.  He said "Or we could you know just have the baby".  Which is definitely true but I really hope to hold out to 39 weeks so that my Mom can be there for the labor.  I know I really don't get much choice in the matter but I'm still gonna hold out with prayer and hope. 

So that's what is going on with me lately readers.  Hope you all are doing well yourselves.  I can not believe how close we are.  So very close.  I'm so excited but I feel like right now we are in the it's so close but so far away at the same time stage but I know it will fly by.

Feeling Like An Old Lady

Today was my first day back at work since my maternity leave.  I only worked 4 hours and even then didn't have a really full book but by the end of those 4 hours I was just so incredibly exhausted already.  Getting around is not as easy as it use to be.  There is no such thing as walking a straight line anymore just a simple waddle.  Okay more like a penguin style waddle.  I did pull/bruise a muscle on my left side which hurts insanely even just when I take a deep breath.  If I cough, sneeze laugh or even just try to take a deep breath to clear my throat I get a insanely sharp pain where I feel like I'm being stabbed in the side.  My midwife took a look and said there really isn't anything they can do about it just for me to take benadryl, Tylenol and to ice it or use heated compresses whichever gives me more relief.

I can not wait for this beautiful little angel to get here.  I really am crossing my fingers though that he doesn't come early  though.  I really want my Mom to be able to be there.  At the same time I know I will be ready and waiting to welcome him into the world whenever he is ready to come. 

I did find that some clients were already booking for when I come back with my current schedule so I wrote my boss a letter letting them know my hours were going to be changing for after the baby comes.  Though I'm not sure how exactly that is going to take place beyond going down to a very limited part time schedule.  We are going to wait till after maternity leave to play around with the schedule, let Isaac talk with his boss and see what we can work out.  I really don't have any idea how things will pan out since even still the earliest he has ever gotten off/home has been 6pm but a lot of the time even later.  On Friday I had to go and pick him up from work after he worked a 14 hour day and got off at 11pm.  But I am not going to worry about it.  Isaac has been gaining favor with his bosses and I'm going to put my trust that God will pave the way...He always does.  And see where to go from there. 

In other news my mother in law started her chemo.  She has good days and bad days.  But her attitude is an absolute inspiration.  She doesn't know how, if or when she will be able to come up to visit after the baby is born.  So that's one thing we will definitely want to do is make a few trips down there as much as possible with the baby before she starts radiation and can't visit. 

And here are a few more pictures:

Mothers Day: Maternity Photos and Baby shower

I remember this time of year last year.  It was a time of sadness.  A time remembering that I just lost my first pregnancy and that I would not be a mother.  my heart was broken and I felt so very undone.  But my how the tides have turned.  It really brings to light the scripture Psalm 30:11" You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy."  

Lord thank you! Thank you for your victory!  Thank you for your blessings!  Isaac and I are about to enter a new stage in life. A new chapter.  We waited so long for this.  We prayed so hard for this and here we are! 

I look back on my post last year from Mother's Day and can feel the desperation there.  Can remember way too clearly the brokenness I felt every single day.  But Lord you have called us out of that sadness into a chapter full of celebration!  And we praise you Lord!

Speaking of times of celebration yesterday we had my baby shower.  Just a very intimate beautiful shower.  My friend did an amazing job putting it all together!  And my sister did an awesome job taking the pictures that we wanted to take.  After the shower we went to a beautiful park over here and took maternity pictures.   

So I wanted to share some of the pictures:

Maternity Photos:

33 Weeks

Yesterday I hit 33 weeks pregnant.  At the beginning of pregnancy I felt like time was just dragging on oh so slowly.  But now I feel like it's flying by!  I can not believe that in just 4 more weeks I will be full term and little man could technically come any day!  It is such an exciting experience.  I absolutely love it!  I may get tired.  I may have to deal with things that if I weren't pregnant I wouldn't have to deal with such as swollen feet-they have started to swell on a regular basis now, constant exhaustion, waddling instead of being able to walk in a straight line.  But I love every second of it.  I wouldn't trade it for the world. 

So far vacation has actually been super productive.  Not necessarily relaxing.  But that is going to change starting today.  I got everything done that needed to be done: grocery shopping,  house cleaned, errands run, laundry done and then we put together that amazing out door patio set.  Which Is where I am currently writing from.

So tomorrow will be a day of just complete relaxation.  I plan on doing nothing and just reading, watching tv and playing a few computer games I haven't gotten to in a while. 

I do want to share the basket I made for my baby shower hostess.  She loves pink camo so I found these wine glasses: 

http://www.amazon.com/Pink-Camo-Wine-Glasses-Set/dp/B00B0OO5FG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430866786&sr=8-1&keywords=pink+camo+wine+glasses

And put together a basket with those, a few bottles of wine and some scratch off tickets.

My Mom and Sister will arrive on Thursday!  I can not wait.  I am so ready to see them!  Though I am sad it will only be for four days I keep telling myself they will be back next month.  Wow, next month I will have a baby!  This is incredible!

Thank you Lord for your many blessings!  Thank you for providing for us and pouring out into us like never before.  We are so blessed to be coming upon this next chapter in our lives.  We continue to ask for wisdom, peace and direction in regards to the future.  We also ask that you would help us to be a blessing to all those around us.  We thank you and praise you Lord.  In your holy name.  ~Amen. 

1000 Things

I feel like there are a 1000 things on my mind and in my heart that I want and need to pray for.  But I just don't even know where to start.  I take comfort in the fact that Matthew 6:8 says: ".... for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."  I will start to pray then just feel so very overwhelmed.  Like I don't even know where to go with my prayers.  

Father you see my heart.  You see me overwhelmed and worn.  You see my heart wanting to pour out into others along with myself and my family.  You see how Isaac and I are wanting direction for our lives as we start this new chapter in life.  This amazing beautiful but scary new chapter.  God you are the creator of all things.  You see the future you know where you want us to be.  You know where you have called us to go.  Lord right now I make my requests known to you without a lot of rambling, without a lot or words.  God I ask for direction for Isaac and I.  For wisdom and to be good stewards over what you have given us.  I ask for healing for my Mother in Law who started chemo a few days ago.  I ask for favor for Isaac with his new job.  I ask for peace for my family as we continue to heal with the loss of Nathan.  God I ask that you would guide us just one step at a time.  I ask that you would open the doors for us you want opened and  close the doors you want closed.  God  I ask that you would forgive me for any faults I have: pride, anger, anything that has tried to sneak into my life.  God  I thank you for this amazing day this amazing opportunity you have given to us to go out and love others and to be a blessing to them in any way that we can.  We thank you for it Lord.  ~Amen

Today begins a lovely 9 days off I'm going to have.  I am so incredibly excited for it.  What do I have planned?  Absolutely nothing for the next 5 days!  We got patio furniture yesterday so I plan to just sit out on my back patio read a book and enjoy the birds singing and the bee's flying around.  Sounds so peaceful.  In fact I'm sitting out here right now as I journal this.  Then my family and friends fly/drive into town and will be here till next Monday.  It's going to be so wonderful to see everyone but even just as awesome to celebrate little Ezekiel coming into the world.  I can't believe back in December we started planning this baby shower and now it's finally come to the week of.  Time certainly has flown by.  I'm not having a very big shower.  Less than 20 people.  Just close friends and family and it's going to be just so perfect.  And I'm so grateful that my sister is also going to do maternity photos for us when she gets into town.  And the weather is just absolutely perfect for it all!  So wonderful!

How is pregnancy going?  It's going really well.  I throw up my dinner almost every other day but all in all it's so worth it and not something that is making me frustrated, except when I'm leaning over the toilet.  I have had a crazy amount of discharge: nose mucus, cervical fluid ect; it has expanded exponentially and therefore makes it really hard to keep food down when I cough  because of the drainage then end up gagging myself then end up throwing up.  So I had to start taking some benadryl and Clariton.  They don't work amazingly but they do help at least.  So I will continue with that and hope everything will just get better.  I Know it doesn't help either it is spring time after all so pollen is everywhere.  Yesterday my amazing husband earned himself a gold star by painting my toe nails for me since I can not reach them anymore and they were sooo bad.  That's about all I have to report.  

I'm just really looking forward to this next week off so I can recoup and get ready for the final stretch of the race.  I have to say I can't believe when I go back to work I'll have just 3 weeks before I'll be full term.  I have a ton of friends/acquaintances ect who had to do fertility treatments and it seems that 37-38 weeks is the magical number where all of them are having their babies.  I think that is very interesting since we all did some sort of treatment, most of us had some sort of spotting or bleeding.  It makes me wonder if it correlates at all with stuff.  Either way we want to be prepared and ready at any point in time once I hit 37 weeks.  I have 3 friends on standby who can drive me to the hospital if my water breaks and Isaac isn't home.  Otherwise I'll labor at home until he get's there and can drive me himself.  

So that's pretty much it for today.  I think I'll probably journal a decent amount this week or maybe just one big entry with lots of pictures at the end of vacation...who knows.  I don't really care.  I'm just so excited to rest.