Nesting vs Resting

I asked a good friend why I didn't have the nesting instinct and she told me she had nesting mixed up with resting and gave me some encouragement to hang in there and that if I had to gain 30 lbs I looked good doing it!  True friend, thanks LP!

I think my problem is wanting to accomplish too many things before baby gets here and then it becomes overwhelming... so I don't get anything done.

My "before baby" wish list would include things like...

• all Christmas shopping done
• all Christmas decorating done
• house clean
• make some frozen meals
• stock up on "stuff"
• finish filling out "before baby" parts in the baby book
• put the ultrasound pictures and other keepsakes in a photo album
• organizing all things baby
• getting the car seat/base together (of course this is not an option)  PC got this done as I was typing this post!  Yay! 

That's what comes to mind quickly... it's a longer list than that.  Really, does it matter?  Those things would be nice but at this point I just want to focus on getting this baby boy here safely.  My anxiety level is increasing daily and it's not about the actual birth, it's about being so close to something so precious and wanting it so badly.  Everyone says I will miss the kicks and movement and maybe so, but right now I can't think of anything better than seeing those kicks and movements with a little person in my arms.
5 weeks... until the best Christmas present ever and I'm having a hard time waiting!  I'm on an emotional rollercoaster right now and I appreciate y'all "listening" out in blogland.  So close...
  

Hallo-weenie-dog!

PC and I participated in our church's annual "T.runk or T.reat" this year by turning his sales-mobile station wagon into a (friendly) spider.  A cardboard face, styrofoam legs, webbing and a few decorations later... we were ready for all the kiddos.

We decided to take our biggest furbaby along for the adventure since he's the best with kids.  After an hour an a half of petting and greeting the little trick or treaters, he went over to the furbaby-mobile, climbed up in there and pouted... he had enough and was ready to go home.  Does this face say it all?

How a baby is going to fit in to these adventures I'm not sure, but it's going to be fun trying!!! 

Happy Halloween!

Birth Plans?

I really don't have a birth plan all written out and rehearsed in my mind.  However, with 6 weeks to go, I have started to think about what my ideal labor & delivery would be like.  I do not have the "only going all natural" mindset at this point... wish I did.  Being older and TTC for so long, I've heard all kinds of birth stories and I don't want to feel like I'm letting myself & the baby down if I totally have my mind set and it doesn't go that way.  I have been reading about Hypno.birthing and a lot of the theory and techniques just make sense.  My interpretation is that it's a way of "tricking" your mind and achieving a state of relaxation to reduce stress and tension that make labor pain more intense.  It also talks about letting your body and baby do what they are meant to do and using positive talk like instead of "d*mn you, contraction" the talk would be more "this surge will bring me closer to meeting my baby!"  I would have a hard time turning off the anxiety and mind-racing thoughts to get to the point of relaxation that the book describes... but it sounds so good and I'd love to try!  I do have some things in mind that I would/would not like for the birth experience and plan on talking through some of these things with the ob/gyn on the next visit.

I would like to...

• be free to walk, sit, stand, jump or whatever feels right during labor
• have ice chips or small snacks

I would not like to...

• be strapped to IVs or machines with limited movement
• be induced or given pitocin unless absolutely necessary

Epidural? It brings on a lot of 'what ifs' but -again- no definite mindset of yes or no.
I have already prepared my parents, close family and friends that I do not want them there until the baby is born.  My reasoning?  It's the one time I want to be able to be selfish... to totally focus on the baby instead of being distracted by worrying about others being comfortable or feeling guilty that they are not in the room with me.  Everyone except my mom is good with that plan.  Hopefully she'll come around.
The point of my post is to document my thoughts about the way I'd like to introduce our little one to the world but I will take ANY way that means getting him here safely.  That's the ultimate goal:]  

On another note, I am SO excited about so much good news with several IF blog sisters here lately.  Births & BFP's... doesn't get any better!

Baby Shower #2

This past weekend was the baby shower that my mom has been planning for several weeks.  She worked so hard and bought most of the food and decorations.  Thank you mom!  It was a small, casual get together at our home with family and friends.  It was perfect and a very special time!  Everything was decorated so pretty (or should I say handsome-ly for baby boy) and the brown and blue colors were great. 

As yummy as it looks! 

Blankets, bottles, outfits, monitor, toys, pacifiers, buggy cover, drying rack, pack-n-play, high chair... we are set!  (Well, except for a name!) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Loved the diaper cake... so Mac & PC... just missing a mini-laptop:]  

The punch was an idea from pin.terest and it turned out so yummy and cute!  

The time went by fast and PC joined me at the end.  Since he didn't get to open any of the gifts at this one, I had a special gift from me to him.  He's had his eye on it and was really excited.  Here's a look at it from the store... ready to run:] 

Sweet PC, he worked so hard on our yard to make it look great for the shower... spread wood chips, cut grass, made a trip to the dump with wood piles, boxes and such, helped me make a fall display and pressure washed the driveway. 

Thank you PC, and I know I haven't told you enough lately how much I love and appreciate you!!! 

Last,  here's my belly with 7 weeks to go!  Can he keep growing but my belly stop, lol?  I just want to hold this little boy that we have been waiting on for so long... home stretch, here we come!!! 

Thank you God!

First baby shower

This weekend, PC and I experienced our first baby shower.  Add it to the surreal moments list!

Every month, we gather at PC's grandmother's house for a dinner.  She passed away four years ago and PC's dad and aunt bought the house with the main purpose being to do one of the last things that she said... "y'all take care of each other."  The house is still filled with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren so it couldn't have been a better place to celebrate a new family member on the way.  She would have been proud:]

The dinner menu for the evening was lots of yummy sandwiches and appetizers.  The chocolate cake was sinful good!  I loved that it was the regular family get-together so PC was right by my side.  I hate attention so it helped so much to share the spotlight... even though the real spotlight is wiggling his way under my ribs right now:]  We received so many sweet and thoughtful gifts!  We had a 90 year old friend of the family to come who made us a crocheted blue blanket and told PC that was "to take to the hospital and if anyone sees a mistake, tell them it was made by a 90 year old woman who doesn't wear glasses!"  lol.  Will do.  He got a hooded towel that says "little miracle."  True words.  He got three tubs of butt paste and one container of boogie wipes, keeping it real!  Stuff to make our home safe, cute outfits, blankets, towels, wash cloths, soaps, lotion, diapers, shoes, gift cards and an ounce of silver Liberty Coin for his birth year.  Cool.  It was special and fun but overwhelming too.

My SIL did so much of the planning and I want to do something special for her.  I was really excited to send everyone home with a thank you gift from us.  It was a bag of popcorn and glass soda with a ribbon tied around it that said "About to POP.  Thank you for celebrating with us."  I saw the popcorn idea at another shower and added the soda pop to it and thought they turned out cute (will try to post pics).  I also gave everyone a candle with a poem about saying a prayer for the baby... an idea that came from pin.terest.  My niece calls this baby "Fred."  Before we knew it was a boy, she called him bigbird, then he became Fred.  I have no idea how it's stuck this long, but, since we don't have a name, everyone asks how Fred is doing.  My FIL put FRED on wooden letters on the fridge.  Funny.  We better get serious about a name or Fred is going to stick... and that's not one on our list!

The next baby shower will be hosted by my family & friends this weekend and will be held at our house, no stress there.  It will be small and casual, which is great with me.  This is all so sweet but I really don't need the gifts, I need this little boy, that.is.all.  Eight more weeks... then it's time for the REAL gift!