The Countdown Begins

...or continues really. I've been counting down for months now. But! Only 8 more weeks until we meet our daughter. Some major changes are coming for our family, and it's exciting to see where God will lead us. We toured the hospital last Thursday, checking out labor and delivery and the fabulous new postpartum wing. I've been in major nesting mode and went through all of the papers that have been piling up in our house, tossing and shredding and filing. I've also started an updated address list so I can print out labels and stick them on birth announcement envelopes before I leave for the hospital. I'm ready to pack my hospital bag, but Luke says it's too early. So I wait, because I'd unpack it 20 times before then because it'll have something I want now. We've scheduled pediatrician consultations, and it's just a matter of hoping I have the evening off on those days, or else I have to reschedule them. Did you know they schedule a month out, and only in the evenings?! Geez. I hope it's not that hard to get appointments when our daughter is sick. The baby shower is in 3 weeks, with a friend's wedding the weekend before. February is filling up fast, because we're trying to cram as much in while I'm still feeling good, with what my schedule allows. Once March hits, we're bunkering down - no more out of town, although we've pretty much stopped that already. I'll have two weeks off of work before my due date, in hopes that it'll be enough time to get the house cleaned and in order before she arrives. My checklist was shrinking for awhile, but it's growing again! It happens at night when I can't fall asleep (which is almost every night now) - I keep tacking on things I want to get done.

So, off I go to try and check a couple things off the list before work tonight.

Blog Beautification

Luke is going to start building a custom design for this site, but until then, I'm borrowing a template. Isn't it cute? I lost the pregnancy ticker in the transition, so it's now at the bottom of the page because I couldn't figure out how to embed it at the top.

And, since Luke never posts on here, and it's really just my blog, I've changed the name. It might change ten more times as I work through my vision for this site. I'm trying to figure out what direction to take it. You'll still be able to read about our daily life here...the content won't change.

Love to you all!

Pregnancy

Woes:
heartburn. the inability to breathe fully and deeply. active baby when i'm trying to go to sleep. swelling in my fingers. having to get up to pee 3 times a night. balance issues. not being able to carry heavy things, requiring more trips back and forth. having to eat tiny little meals all day long. people asking if i'm sure i'm not having twins, or triplets. being told how large i am every day. forgetfulness. lost ability to count. itchy skin. gas. restless legs. waddling. needles. weird dreams.

Joys:
God's blessing. feeling the baby move for the first time. learning that we're having a girl. the realization that i'll be "mom" and he'll be "dad". hearing the heart beat for the first time. increased metabolism. calling it a craving makes it okay to eat ice cream every night. foot and back massages. tiny little clothes. nesting. reading to her and playing music for her. seeing the joy on other family members' faces. praying for her. the automatic bond between all pregnant women. not being pregnant in the middle of the summer. anticipation and eagerness. long talks at night with the hubby about our daughter.

Bloggie Carnival

I've discovered this great website
It has almost 1000 links to giveaways on the web. The best one of all? The one from Nurse Mommy with a giveaway for the Bumbleride Indie stroller. I've been eyeing this stroller for months now, ever since we found out we were pregnant. I still can't decide on strollers, because I'm just not sure what our needs will be, but this one is at the top of my list right now. It's so cute and multi-functional. Plus, the reviews have all come back as quite positive for this brand. I'm hoping to win this stroller so that I can try it out. Luke is hesitant because he thinks it's too pricey (I should show him the Bugaboo...he'll change his mind then). Fingers crossed!

New Recipes

Since my pregnancy cravings are quite random, it's always interesting trying to find food to cook that will still sound good four days after I go to the grocery store. Last week's craving was Indian food, so today we're finally getting around to making a chicken curry and some roasted potatoes to match. I wanted to make fresh naan, but I ran out of time, so later in the week I'll make naan and hummus. Yum!

Boredom

I'm thankful today for my job. Many days are very hard and long, but at the end of a hard day's work, I'm thankful for my husband who rubs my feet and puts my (large) pregnant self to bed. And I'm thankful that the day passed quickly. I have 4 days off in a row this week, which is an unexpected blessing, because I am in dire need of some quality R&R, particularly because I don't sleep well at night these days. However, despite being at home resting, I find that I'm quite bored here. People at work always ask how long I'm going to stick it out, because they see me growing bigger each week. They think I'm crazy for not sitting on my couch, eating bon-bons, as some have affectionately referred to the glorious life of the end of pregnancy. It's because I'd go out of my mind crazy with boredom! Work keeps me distracted, and I like my job. I can't imagine how painfully slow these last two months of pregnancy would be if I were at home all the time.

On another note - I've been catching up on Luke's blog. I've been a bad wife and haven't read much of it. I may be biased, but I think he's quite talented as a writer - he expressed himself well, in a style that I enjoy reading. My writing style is boring - I really need to get him to write on here and record our daily life, because it'd be much more entertaining. Or I should just change the title of this blog, since it's really just my blog, where you can read about our life from my perspective only. Anyways, I stray from my point. He's been trying to develop a new hobby, find new meaning and purpose in his life, and writing has become that. He always talks about doing something more creative with his life than working in grey-cubicle-land. I highly encourage this, but I also pray that he sticks with his day job until he writes a best-seller. I know this has become a struggle for him - he's not really happy with his role at work, and corporate America and Luke just don't seem to mix well, despite how well he does and how hard he works. It's not his passion...it's simply a means to an end. I wish I could see him happy in his work.

The Latest Doc Appointment

I'm going in this morning for my glucose test, bloodwork, my rhogam shot, and a check-up. Lots of needles. Ick. 28 weeks is not fun. Luke's cooking me breakfast right now, and then I have to drink this syrupy "fruit punch" drink - at least they let me take the stuff at home, instead of waiting in their office for an hour. Wish me luck!

The Nursery

Our nursery is coming along finally! The theme is birds (everyone knows my love for them), which will be so precious for a little girl.

Artwork from p.carter carpin on Etsy:



Bedding from JCPenney:
We also found a cute blue striped rug on sale at the Pottery Barn outlet (yay for bargains!!).

Here are three cribs we're trying to decide between:

JCPenney

AP Industries

Restoration Hardware

Fabric that I just found that I'm considering purchasing:

I can't wait to meet her and enjoy her room with her.