40 weeks: the waiting game

She's due tomorrow, and conveniently this is my Dr's weekend to be on call (although the other 3 OB's in the practice are really great I want my Dr to deliver my nugget) so I'm really hoping for a timely baby (but kind of knowing in the back of my mind that after the kind of kid I was there's no way I'd be lucky enough to start out with a timely baby!).

Everything (and everyone) is ready and waiting......

....all for this tiny person.

Brooklyn, I hope you know just how very much you are loved.


Here's a little mini belly progression over the past 40 weeks....

14 weeks

20 weeks

24 weeks

29 weeks

34 weeks

39 weeks

Here's to hoping I don't have to take a 41 week photo! Ha ha!

Almost finished

As in finished with the nursery, finished with the holidays, finished with being preggers, and finished with my job.

That's a lot of stuff to be finished with all at the same time!

I think I'm actually going to really miss being pregnant. Once I got over the getting fat part and the human growing in my belly part, it has been quite incredible to get to know this little girl and have her as a part of my every move and breath. I also feel like it's been a very easy pregnancy. So I am spending these last 24 days (give or take) really trying to remember and enjoy every squirm, kick, and hiccup session she has, as there's no guarantee that I'll ever get to experience this again.

We have been blessed to have so many wonderful people who have wanted to celebrate the coming of Miss Brooklyn. Some of the women from our church threw a shower for myself and another gal who's due a week after I am and also having a girl. I was humbled that there were women there who I really had only seen at church but never really met that came to celebrate our little nuggets. We are glad to have found a loving church who truly act as the Body of Christ.

With family and many friends being halfway across the country several of my mom's friends gathered at my parents house for a Skype shower. They all mailed gifts to our house in Oregon prior to the party and then they enjoyed food and drinks at my parents house in Texas and we logged on to Skype so we could visit and open gifts. My mom and Melissa, one of my friends here in OR, even schemed and had cookies and pizza delivered so I didn't miss out on the food part of the shower. :)

Mom posing with the TV (me!)

The wonderful folks at my office are even throwing a little soiree for Brooklyn and I later this week . I'm telling you we're going to have one spoiled little girl on our hands! *I'm sure my mother is reading this and grinning from ear to ear knowing that I'm about to get some serious payback for the years of brattiness I put her through.*

It's bittersweet as it's kind of a shower/retirement party. I know 30 is a bit early for retirement but I've paid my dues. Ha ha! Just kidding! But seriously, because both my job and Daniel's are very much 40 hour a week plus lots of after hours events, we decided that I won't be returning as the alumni director after the baby arrives. I'm pretty sure the last time I was completely unemployed was when I was 15, I have always had a job... or 3- even through college. We are lucky to be able to even have the option to have me work or not work as I know many new mommies don't get a choice and have to return to work whether they want to or not. After a few months with just us 2 all day long who knows, I may just see if I can't find somewhere I can work part time.  

Daniel's parents came to visit us last week, we did a lot of shopping and football watching. We always have so much fun when family visits! They of course came loaded with things for Brooklyn, because that's what grandparents do! The bag of goodies included among many adorable outfits, her first articles of OU gear. I was wondering when those would make an appearance as my mom had sent Baylor onesies and the "B is for Baylor" book I think the day we told them we were expecting. I see many Saturday outfit changes in the near future, and most likely a child who'll end up not attending either school as payback for the schizophrenic school loyalty. I can see next year's Christmas card... Daniel in an OU shirt, me in a Baylor shirt and Brooklyn in a onesie that says "Whichever school is cheaper or gives me more scholarship money" 

We finally are putting the last touches on the nursery. Clothes are washed and put away, diapers and wipes are ready and waiting, glider is in, hospital bag is packed, and I only have a few framed prints and such to put up over her dresser and we are ready.

So picture a collage of framed art above the dresser on that blank wall.

I ended up using more pink than I thought I would :)

The closet is filling up fast!

All we need now is a tiny human. Hmmm, that's funny to think just now that this past nine months we've been preparing for this little girl- fretting over fabrics and colors and brands of baby shampoo, meanwhile God's been working creating the most exquisite thing that will be in that nursery, forming every wrinkle, eyelash, and muscle just as it was meant to be. What an exciting thing to be a part of.

I think that's where I'll leave it for today, and maybe I should every day - in the Creator's perfect hands.

33 weeks and another nursery project

Less than 7 weeks to go (unless she's late or early)!

Here are some fun facts for ya:

Today I am 33 weeks & 4 days.

On the scale: So far I have managed to pile on 25 pounds over the past 33 weeks and am fearful that with the holidays upon us that number may jump drastically over the next 6 1/2 weeks. I have been lucky up til this point and don't have stretch marks....yet. I'm sure there's still plenty of time for those to appear.

Cravings: Lately anything that's bad for me, breads, mashed potatoes, but mostly sweets. You should see me in the bakery/bread section at the store. Daniel had to drag me away from the tables filled with cakes, pies, muffins, croissants, and coffeecakes. Apparently I was circling the tables with crazy eyes. (Which is why I'm fearful of spending my last weeks pregnant in the midst of the food over-indulgence season)

Symptoms: I think I've been really blessed in that this pregnancy hasn't seemed near as bad as what everyone warned me about when it comes to aches, pains, and sleeplessness. I don't take naps, no swollen ankles, I don't need 80 pillows to be comfortable, I'm not up every hour to pee at night, and until now have been able to do all the things I normally do and function at work and home at my regular pace. If the delivery is anything like the past 7 1/2 months have been, I could definitely do this again.

Things I miss: I'm sure this will make me sound like an alcoholic but....wine. I'm really missing being able to have a glass of wine with dinner.  And as of this last week, I miss being able to walk up a flight of stairs and not be winded, and being able to bend over and get up off the floor with ease.

Looking forward to: Finishing up Brooklyn's nursery (just a few more projects ;) surprise!), and getting to finally meet her!

As you know, I'm on a make everything yourself kick, maybe it's my version of nesting. This week's project is a set of clothes sizing rings for Brooklyn's closet. I already had the paper, paint and Modpodge, all I needed were the rings and sticker numbers! I bought wood "O's" from the craft store for $1 a piece and the stickers were only $1.50 so this project only cost $6.50 (yay for no sales tax in Oregon).