Fully Baked But Not Ready to Come Out of the Oven

Due date come, and due date almost gone. It sort of feels like someone skipping their birthday.

Our baby is fully baked as the pregnancy ticker states today at exactly 40 weeks, however, she is so comfy in mommy's tummy so is not ready to come out. We want to meet Emily more than anything else right now. Hubby says when she is ready, she will come. Mommy agrees, but is just saying that because it is the right thing to say. MeeMee who is visiting for Emily grand debut is just hoping it is sometime soon so she will be here to meet her granddaughter.

My third cousin's baby was due yesterday, and a friend of mine's baby is due today like Emily, but all three of us have no baby news to report. We've all gone on long walks and been more active than usual from how it sounds. My friend may have already drank castor oil...YUCK!! I'm hesitant to try any of the wives' tales or myths other than walking because I want Emily to come when she feels ready. She is moving an immense amount right now and all this evening. I've shed a lot of cervical lining, had a few contractions, and am dilated 2-3cm as of yesterday morning. I believe she will be coming in the next couple of days. Can't wait to meet you little girl!!! Come soon if you can. =)

Fluff, Plush, and Cuteness Galor!

I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I've given myself a new project to work on these past couple of days. It's to find wardrobe and props for Emily's newborn photo shoot. An acquaintance of mine is a photographer and going to take the pictures. She has props, but I've been thinking about all the small details like what fabrics and backgrounds should go with each wardrobe change.

Here's just a little taste of what's to come...colorful tulle (jelly bean to be precise), flowers, ribbon, cozy fur, handmade cocoon by Emily's MeeMee, and a touch of winter. It still is winter even though it feels like spring and summer.

Hoping all the pictures turn out of so sweet and one's hubby and I will treasure forever. How could we not with them being of our little angel who we are just DYING to meet for the first time?!?!

March Birthday

March Graphics

It's not official, but it might as well be. Emily is going to have a March birthday. There is no way this first time mommy is giving birth in less than 6 hours. That might be unheard of even. If the 6 had a 1 in front of it, then maybe.

Actually, it's been fun not knowing if she would have a February birthday like her daddy or a March birthday and have it to herself. I love even numbers, but now the whole 3 for March and year 2011 have pretty much made that not matter so much. It could be cool if she had 3.1.11 or even better 3.3.11 as her birthday. Whatever numerically it turns out to be, what is most important is it represents one of the best days of hubby's and my life.

Yesterday, I said I was closing the Guess Emily's Birthday game, so I'm headed to do that now. Again, good luck to everyone because I am still the only one out. I take that back, hubby and my good friend Eva are out too. Hopefully hubby and I will be better guessers in life for Emily's sake...LOL!!!

Any Day Now

I'm only posting this because currently I'm feeling an immense amount of movement from Emily and tons of pressure. It's be a pretty productive day at our house. Hubby and I got a walk in, some cleaning, a healthy dinner, my hospital bags are more finalized than they have been, and now contemplating watching the Oscars or something else. Hubby is watching the Knicks vs. the Heat, so he's happy (well...as long as the Knicks win).

On a side note, I have to mention that when I call my parents now, they think it is THE call. I have to just laugh because I image what it must like to be on the receiving end of the phone when a full term pregnant lady is calling me. Still playing the waiting game, but I think it is coming very, very soon with the way I have been feeling this evening. Last chance to place your guess about Emily's birthday. I'm closing the poll tomorrow. Good luck! I'm a little sad I already lost. She deserves her own month though, and only one other special lady in the family has a March birthday. Emily would be sharing it with one of her great-grandmothers who I know wouldn't mind one bit. In fact, she would be delighted.

Beach Baby

Emily is a lucky girl to live so close to the beach. Hubby wanted to do a maternity photo shoot all on his own. Truth be told, I'm getting more and more into professional photo sessions after our engagement, wedding, and now first baby...but money isn't growing on trees. We are going to have Emily's newborn session done by a professional though.

We love the beach and it was a gorgeous February day yesterday. We should have gone earlier when the sun was above us instead of setting and in my eyes. Below are the best of the photos. I'm a little upset with myself that I today thought of what would have made a great photo, but maybe we will have one more chance this weekend. If not, hubby definitely captured Emily in my belly. Great job, babe!!!

Sun in my eyes. I tried my best.

Love this one! Props to hubby for thinking like a photographer. =)

Another photographer's angle.

Calmness. We won't have that for much longer. ;)

This is always a mommy's favorite photo.

Emily, we hope to live out here one day.

12 days and counting.

I love you so.

Daddy wanted in just one picture. ;)

Too bright not to wear my sunglasses.

P.S. It was very windy out there, so our props wouldn't work.

The Waiting Game

The official countdown is 12 days, but I still feel strongly that it is going to be less. Being pregnant for 38 plus weeks is like having a present (literally right in front of you) that you are not allowed to open. Yesterday was the first day I felt like hubby and I were just waiting for contractions and labor to begin.

The weather has been gorgeous this entire long Presidents' Day weekend, and I haven't taken advantage except for a couple walks around the neighborhood yesterday. My right foot still swells after being on it too long or when I try to cram it into a shoe that is (NOW) too small. My cute sneakers didn't fit my foot yesterday. That was sad.

Still more to cross off the B.B.T.D.L., but it is much less and manageable. Something not on the list is going to the beach, which hubby and I are going to try and do today. I'll let you know if we make it.

Baby Shower #2

What woman doesn't love a party in her honor? What woman doesn't love many parties in her honor? For the modest woman, it might be a little overwhelming. I'm talking baby shower parties though...and if you are having a baby shower, chances are you have had a bridal shower to prepare for all the fanfare.

My bridal shower was planned by my mother, and it was the most fabulous and memorable celebration! Naturally, I wanted my mom to plan my baby shower because she is great with all the details and organization. Well, this time the party was going to be on my turf and not hers, so that meant I had to get involved in the planning process. I initially thought this was going to be my ONLY baby shower because I only had one bridal shower.

Guess again!?!? I've been lucky enough to have friends and family that care so much about Emily entering the world that I've had THREE baby showers. But right now, I'm here to report on Baby Shower #2.

My dear friend from church, Kristin, wanted to host a baby shower for me at her home. She also attended my first baby shower, and I told her that she could have co-hosted that one. Nope, she had to out-do herself and plan one ALL on her own with the ladies from church. I was sort of nervous about so many women I didn't know being invited to a baby shower for me who they hardly knew. The turn out delighted me and the generosity of the ladies was beyond imaginable. It is true that ladies go ga-ga over babies (even if they aren't born yet). It was also ironic that not one gift was repeated and the sizes of clothing were varied between the two parties, so Emily's ever growing wardrobe will stretch from birth till 9-12 months.

I'll let the pictures show you all the fun we had...

Kristin and Me

Elegantly decorated

Amazingly delicious party favors handmade by Kristin.

The recipe is Giada DeLaurentis' Lemon Ricotta Cookies.

Prizes for the games the cute boxes filled with Hershey Kisses

meaning "Her she is!" Do you get it?

Kristin's gourmet spread. EVERY THING was made from scratch!

I want to go into a party business with Kristin. =)

Yummy cupcakes and the flowers were a darling touch.

Guess that baby food was hard even though I had just played it recently.

I opened so many gifts. Most of the pictures turned out blurry, so below is only a sample.

Strawberry outfits...just adorable!

The Hooter Hider!! What a laugh.

Emily's first talking stuffed toy. It's a dog named Violet.

A custom onesie for Emily with matching burp cloths and bibs.

All the ladies

The Nursery's Grand Reveal

YAY!!! Emily's nursery is finally complete! It was supposed to be 100% ready on January 15th for the baby shower, but instead it was only 50%. With only two weeks until the projected due date, I've got the nesting vibe again today. So does hubby, but we'll get to that later.

Instead of writing about the nursery design, I've decided to let the pictures say it all. Mommy and Daddy absolutely LOVE it! In fact, I sat in the rocker for about 20 minutes just admiring my daughter's tranquil, serene, and totally adorable room...I also needed to rest my feet. ;)

Safety First

Today hubby and I learned how to properly install Emily's car seats. We went to the Kohl’s Gear Up 4 Safety Inspection Station, and some lovely ladies gave us a super informative lesson for the dos and don'ts about car seat and accessories safety.

Hubby and I tried to install the infant car seat that attaches to the stroller two nights ago. All I did was put the seat belt thru. Props are in order for me because the lady told me I did it correctly. It's the tightening of the belt that is the tough and tedious part. You really need to put some muscle into it. Hubby did a fantastic job of that. Our instructor seemed like she was hitting on him at times for how good he was at making the seat secure. We had fun with the whole process. Now I'll be cruising around with not one, but two car seats in the back seat.

Why two? Well, we learned that Emily's shoulders have to be above the opening for the top of the harness straps. Our infant carrier straps are one inch higher than our convertible car seat. If Emily happens to be short, we will have to bring her home in the larger car seat...go figure!

I feel like a real mom now driving around with car seats. Afterwards, I had lunch by myself at Chick-fila and saw tons of moms with their babies and toddlers. My hormones brought on watery eyes thinking that will be me one day not too far off. Well...I'll be eating chicken while Emily will be my company.

Last info about that car seat inspection. We've bought or been given all the child car accessories, so I loaded them in the car last night for the inspection. Thank goodness I didn't waste my time setting the mega mirror, the roller shades, and the seat protector (this one I took out of the packaging) up. Our inspector said it was all a waste of money because they are all safety hazards in the event of an accident. Here's the breakdown:

the so-called seat protectors won't protect my leather upholstery, the mega mirror for the head rest may hit the baby during a collision, and the roller shades can fall of the windows or be pulled on easily. I'm hesitant to return the mega mirror because I want to see her. The instructor also brought up a good point that if you did see something wrong with your baby while you were driving, you may panic to pull over and cause an accident. She said new moms will develop the "mom instinct" once their baby is born and get a feeling when something isn't right. Moms don't even have to see their baby, they just know to look. She said you do not want to be distracted while driving, so it is best to go with your gut feeling and not the mirror. I'll let you know what I decide when I figure that one out.

All in all, I totally recommend that all new parents have their car seat inspected to make sure you or hubby installed it properly. We also were required to practice putting a doll into the car seat and removing it. Again, if Emily comes tomorrow, we are even more prepared for her. As each of our childbirth classes, CPR class, and now the car seat inspection passes, I feel more and more confident about taking perfect care of her.

P.S. Our second childbirth class last night went over the stages of labor and the medicinal options available. I told hubby on the way home that I know feel more at easy about going into labor. I'm really going to try hard for as long as possible not to take any medications. Not confident I will make it all the way, but want to try for Emily's sake and so I can be mobile.

Week 37 Begins...YAY!!!

Why would I want to post about this week particularly you might be asking? According to Your Belly This Week on thebump.com, "Today brings two beautiful words: full-term. Now, whenever baby's born, [s]he's likely to thrive. Also thriving? Your nesting instincts, which are behind those sudden urges to bake, clean, or embroider a onesie. (Feminists, take your issue up with nature, not with us.)" In addition, "Baby's now the size of a watermelon! Your full-term (yay!) baby is gaining about 1/2 ounce a day and getting his [her] first sticky poop (called meconium) ready. [S]He's also brushing up on skills for the outside world: blinking, sucking, inhaling, exhaling, and gripping (it's getting strong!)."

I read that in one of my weekly emails today, and thought it was perfect to post and fun...interesting about the sticky poop. You learn something new everyday as the saying goes, and it is 100% true.

As for the nesting, I'm in full force today with The Hubster. He and I have energy after attending our 3 hour family and friends CPR class this morning and picking up some baby playtime equipment I ordered a while back. Late this afternoon now, we FINALLY finished the nursery walls. I hung the wall mirrors and flowers Tuesday, and today, hubby helped install the wall shelves. We accessorized them together...how cute that Daddy helped. =) I'm currently taking a break from installing the wall decal. Some parts are very thin, and one lost its stickiness. I may have to cut it off...=( Now I need to finish the job so I can post pictures or the masterpiece. I'm off!

Diaper Bag Time

One of the last big ticket items to buy before Emily's arrival is a diaper bag, or baby bag as they are sometimes called. I just L.O.V.E. handbags, so this should not be hard for me at all. Well, guess again? It is only hard because I can only afford to buy one, and really I only need one.

Currently, I'm texting hubby about this decision, and he actually picked the one I now think is my favorite. Didn't think that would happen.

Now I'm asking for your help. Please tell me your top 3 choices for ME. Remember it has to look good on me and with the stroller. Not sure that I really care anymore if it goes with the stroller. The other requirement in my mind is that it is versatile for all the seasons. That isn't possible usually with most clothing and accessories, so not a big deal there either. We are headed into spring and summer when Emily is small, so I want color not all black or brown. Need to buy a bag soon, so start sending me your input. Thanks!

P.S. Diaper bags are expensive for just DECENT patterns and fabrics. Why am I sounding surprised in today's market?

Click on the image to make it large.

Why Me? Why Now?

Can you believe I have been pregnant for 8 full months (257 days), and now I am sick? It is probably just sinus congestion, but it was terrible on Wednesday after work and made me stay home the next day. The doctor said today that if I want to I can take some over the counter meds, but not this lady. I'm going all the way to D-day with no medications. Emily is going to be chemical free for as long as possible.

Bella keeping her sick Mommy company. She's always affectionate,

but especially when Mommy is laying in bed.

The Home Stretch

Saturday, I officially entered my ninth month of pregnancy. It has flown by since I've been modeling a bump. The first trimester seemed long, and for good reason.

What's been going on...well...

-I'm slowing down, less motivated to do house cleaning, run errands, etc.

-Still haven't taken the week 36 picture (hopefully today)

-Fatigue is creepy its way back in the pregnancy

-Took first of three childbirth classes last night

-Had the muscus plug discharge this morning (gave me a little scare that Emily was planning to come real early). The doctor's office said this does happen and she is still

fully protected by the amniotic fluid and might not come for weeks still. I'm just supposed

to watch for signs of preterm labor and time contractions if they come.

I want to meet Emily more than anything, but she's needs more time for her brain to fully develop, and I need more time to finish our childbirth classes.

B.B.T.D.L.

I don't always have pictures to post with my posts, so this is part of why it takes me so long to post. Today, a fellow pregnant friend posted her To Do List. Hence, B.B.T.D.L. is my "probably annoying to some" acronym for Before Baby To Do List.

Here is my current break down of to dos before Emily arrives...

Nursery To Dos:

1. Hang mirrors & wall art (maybe need to buy nails which is setting me back)

2. Hang wall shelves and accessorize

3. Mount wall decal

4. Organize clothes & blankets in closet, as well as, empty last of my stuff out of the closet

5. Make lamp shade

Note: If she made her debut today, her nursery is ready for her. Sheets washed, all furniture set up, black out curtains hanging, and the changing station ready. She is sleeping in our room and her bassinet has been waiting for her too.

For Emily To Dos:

6. Take childbirth classes (next 3 Mondays)

7. Take CPR class (a week from Saturday)

8. Install car seat & all accessories for baby in car

9. Redecorate Emily's bathroom once everything arrives

10. Buy final essentials (i.e. diaper bag, cloth diapers, cloth wipes, crib mattress pad, sheet saver, breastfeeding pump & accessories, the swing)

11. Clean/sanitize the entire house (always on the list)

For Mom To Dos:

12. Finish thank you notes

13. Finish packing hospital bag

14. Make birth announcement

15. Get a mani/pedi (end of this month)

16. Rest & relax

For Dad To Dos:

17. Make meals to freeze

18. Plan & go on a baby moon

Some items on the lists are not as important as others obviously. If they get done, they get done. Just this week (#35), I've come to the realization that I can't do it all like before. My body is needed more by Emily right now that it is by me who wants to run errands, finish projects, and stand or bend to clean. Hubby has been super supportive and overly generous with checking that I have enough water in the evening or if I want a snack. He will take off my shoes if it is not possible to kick them off. He gives me a boast off the sofa. It's too funny that he's been offering me only one of his fingers for leverage as a joke...haha! He knows I'll say, "I'm going to break it. Give me your arm." He keeps doing it anyway. It's all in good humor and puts a smile on my face. He does lots of little things, and they are ALL the little things that matter most.

I've been going strong up until today. I took my first day off work since the first trimester due to swelling feet. Truthfully it is my right foot that has been swollen including the ankle since Tuesday. The weather for January & February thus far has been insane. Tuesday it was in the low 70s. I wore flip flops to go out and meet a friend for lunch. My right foot looked huge after walking, so I went home and put it up. Wednesday was jeans, college T-shirt, and sneakers day at work. Thank goodness!!! Wednesdays are always my intense moving around at work day. It wasn't until I got home and hubby was there to take off my shoes that I noticed the enormity of my right foot. I put both feet up high on a pillow, took a nap, then made dinner, and then back to bed I went. I called out of work today to rest my body. Not a bad day to miss either because it has dropped 20 degrees in temperature since yesterday and it is rainy. My doctor's appointment is tomorrow and then I'll probably go to work to make up for today.

Up to this point I've been blessed like my mom was when she was pregnant. However, I knew she had water retention at the end and had to stay off of her feet. If my plan to work until almost D-day is to be successful, I needed today off and lots of prayer. My chin is up, and I'm still in good spirits...not to worry! ;)

How cute!

Thought this would make a cute picture to look back on one day. I was in Emily's nursery unpacking her new clothes to wash, and had to try this onesie on her. It just may fit on her birthday at this rate. It is 3-6 months too. I just love, love, love babies and all things small like puppies, so here is hoping she stays small for a long time. =)

P.S. I still have yet to wash her clothes. They better not shrink!

3rd Trimester Babble

How does time pass so quickly? I've been busy yet not. I've been tired yet not. I've definitely had swelling hands and feet...no doubt about it. My wedding and engagement rings no longer fit. Hubby and I attended a tour of the hospital tonight, and he forgot to wear his wedding ring while mine don't fit to wear. He said to me, "We look like an unmarried high school couple." Compared to the ages of the other parents-to-be, we looked young. The weird thing is all my friends from high school have already had babies, and I'm the oldest by months. It must be the city life.

There are a couple little things I wanted to journal for Emily so she will know what I experienced when pregnant with her. She can have fun seeing if she experiences the same symptoms when she is pregnant one day. The first is that this month I have consistently cried to the song Marry Me by Train. It started that day I drove to Orlando to exchange Emily's dresser. Now every time I hear the song, I start tearing up and then streaming tears. This is of course always in the car while I'm driving. Not a convenient time to cry. I also was watching Ellen one day (don't really watch that show, but it was my day off and I actually rested), and I cried my eyes out to one of the band The Script's songs. Days later now, I can't recall the title of the song, but it made me think of Emily.

Besides crying as a hormonal side effect, I've had pelvic realignment as I'm referring to it. For about two and a half weeks, I've heard cracking in my pelvis when I roll out of bed 3-4 times in the middle of the night and early morning for bathroom visits. A new mother told me a couple months ago that the waking up in the night to go to the bathroom would only get worse as I got closer to Emily's due date. I thought, "How could it be more than 3 times a night?" Well, I'm up to four times and five by the time I wake up. That is just absurd!!! Last night I only woke up twice (I think). I've been trying to remember to do Kegel exercises at least once a day, so maybe that is working just a little. Here's hoping. Before I forget to reassure everyone...my doctor told me Friday that the cracking I hear is okay because my pelvic ligaments are loosening to prepare for Emily to make her way thru the birth canal. It doesn't hurt me, but I fear it is hurting Emily since her head is now completely down and in my pelvic region.

Oh...that reminds me, I never gave an update on my week 34 doctor's appointment. It was last Friday. Really, I was 33 weeks and 6 days. My bump measured 34cm...right on track. Since Emily was in the oblique position two weeks prior, I asked the doctor to check her position again. The doctor pushed in really deep on both sides of my pelvis (a little nerve wrecking considering I never push hard on Emily). The doc said Emily's head was right in position to make her way safely out if I were to go into labor right then. This is not to say she would or hasn't moved since then. Trust me...Emily moves frequently these days. I regret not tracking the times of day and how many times she moves, but that is all a bit much. The most she moved at one time within 10 minutes is 126 times. That was unbelievable. She is most active at night still. I absolutely can't get enough of watching her move or really roll across my belly. It makes me think of an alien. See what television and movies do to our brains over the years. No television for Emily for as long as possible. I'm hoping two years...we'll see.

Lastly, this past Sunday after going to church and running an errand, I felt tightening in the front of my belly. It was the same strength throughout, so I assumed I was experiencing my first Braxton Hicks contraction. It happened two more times that day and not again since. Maybe it was Emily moving, but I still doubt it due to the even consistency of the pressure. Whatever it was, I'm glad it went away. Emily has to stay where she is until AT LEAST week 37 when a baby is considered "full term."

That's all for now. Please continue to play "Guess Emily's Birthday." I've enjoyed looking at all the predictions. Only 5 weeks and 3 days to POSSIBLY go. I'm so excited!!!

Baby Shower #1

Who ever imagined having more than one baby shower for the same baby? Not I! My first baby shower included my family and close friends. My mom came down from Maryland to host it with my M.I.L. from central Florida, but secretly...I was piecing everything together because it was at my house. Several friends had never seen my house before and everyone wanted to see the nursery, so it was best to have it at my house.

All I can say about this shower was that I was overjoyed to have my family present and some of my dearest friends. Each of them out did themselves by showering Emily and I with not only their presence but all the presents. I couldn't believe the amount of gifts!!! If Emily decided to make her appearance today, I think we would be ready for her because we have the essentials...clothing, diapers, wipes, bath products, blankets, burp cloths, bibs, carseats, stroller, toys, and books. Thank you so very much to everyone who attended and sent gifts from afar. Emily, Daddy, and I are truly grateful!

Now enjoy the pictures that captured the festivities. One last note, it must be said that the games were fantastic fun (Thanks, Nana!), the food and punches were delicious (Thanks, Grandma Mimi!), and the decorations were adorable (Me).

Guess That Baby Food!

How Big is the Belly? (String works best to have only 1 winner.)

Poopy Diaper game. This guest is having way too much fun...LOL!

Memory game. The guests are deep in thought.