Baby Shower #2

This past weekend I had another wonderful shower with family and some local friends. Mom's friends were so gracious and did a beautiful job, and yet again, we feel so blessed! We now have most everything we need, and I think the baby has more clothes than I do ;)

 The fabulous hostesses!

Opening gifts... this is part of the nursery bedding!

 Kacey, Kristen, Darly, Courtney, me, & Tanya

Me at 31 weeks with Ali at 26 weeks

 Back at our house, a few of us relaxed in the pool while the dogs swam and played!

 Me with Gus - he doesn't quite understand that he doesn't fit on my belly anymore :)

Khoury, Scotty, Jeremy & Brett in the hot tub after golfing during the shower.

Another wonderful weekend getting ready for baby, and we are getting so impatient! Just can't wait to hold her :)

30 weeks

Oops, I'm a little behind :) Here is a 30 week picture...

I also got to finally spend some time with my very special friend, Tanya. Her twin sister Katrina is my forever guardian angel, and we have been friends since we were 6. Although we don't see each other often enough, we can always pick right back up where we left off! She is extremely well-traveled and independent and kind of the opposite of me :) For my family who remembers her from the "olden days," she just finished her masters program for aquaculture? after living/researching on a boat in Fiji (click that for a link to her blog) for a year, going to school at Auburn, and then living in Panama for several months doing more research. 

And then a crawfish boil :) I feel like these always kick off summer for us because when both of my brothers are home and crawfish are in season, my parents get talked into a package of 70 pounds of live, wriggling crawfish delivered for a little bit of Lousiana here in Florida. Makes us miss our crazy cajun family :)

And then there were 3!

No, not us yet :) Brett's cousin Ian and his wife Lauren welcomed their little blessing,

 Aubrey Helen Bladergroen on May 16, 2011.

She was 8 lb, 6 oz and 21.5 inches long and BEAUTIFUL!

Ian and Lauren live in Savannah, so we haven't been able to love on baby Aubrey yet, but we can't wait to meet her and one day soon watch our little girls play together :)

 Mom, Dad and Aubrey getting ready to leave the hospital....in the outfit mommy went home in when she was born!

So perfect and lovable!

29 weeks and Mother's Day

Things are moving right along! I am 29 weeks pregnant now and I'm still doing really well, but I think I've been introduced to a little bit of the fatigue that everyone kept asking me about ;) I'm not sleepy tired, but after being on my feet all day, I just can't wait to recline and prop my feet up after dinner....for 2 reasons. It feels good for my legs/feet, but also because when I do, the baby moves (and I think salsa dances!) SO MUCH now! We can see my belly moving on the outside and can feel her head, butt, knees and elbows... it's making us very anxious to meet her!

This is a 4D picture from my ultrasound today... how perfect is she?! Dr. Pare wanted to do one more just to be sure everything was still OK since I had parvovirus in the 1st trimester (scary, but everything is fine!). She had her left arm across her face most of the time, but we were still able to get this great profile image. It was a little last minute and Brett wasn't able to get off work, so my mom came with me and we have all fallen completely in love. I can't wait to hold her and kiss those chub cheeks...

She is 3 lb, 8 oz and at the 70th percentile. Nice and healthy! She is measuring at 30 weeks, so we'll see when she makes her debut!!

Also, here are a few pictures from last weekend, mostly from Mother's Day. We went to a birthday party on Saturday (forgot my camera) and to a friend's graduation party that evening. 

 With Cherelle at her graduation party

 Brett's mom and sister came over and spent the day with us at my parents' house for Mother's Day. We lounged by the pool, caught up on the royal wedding pictures in People :) and went on the boat.

Me (29 weeks), Brett's mom Michelle, and sister Kacey

 Me and mom... I have some big shoes to fill :)

 The boat ride definitely put the baby to sleep until we stopped and were rocking, then she was kicking and moving so much! They got to feel her moving :)

Celebrate

This past weekend, we were very busy and had lots to celebrate. We went to the farm Friday night after work, and the next few days follow :)

 Hunter and her mom and dad were also at the farm Friday night, so we got to spend Saturday morning with her. She loved playing with the dogs, chasing butterflies, dressing up in Courtney's accessories, and Brett ;) She's so fun - at one point, she came to swing with me on the wooden swing under the huge pecan trees, and she said (with her hand on my belly) "So, what's the baby doing? When will I know her?" We hadn't talked to her about me having a baby since I saw her a few months back (remember that previous post?) At just 2 1/2, it's amazing that she remembers and understands this pregnancy... I just love her!

She walked in those heels like a pro!

This is her giving Brett her "sweet eyes." She just walked up to him and gave him the funniest, flirtiest look...we took several pictures, were pointing and laughing, Brett was cracking up, and she never broke her little flirt session. So funny!

LeeAnn & Cheney

Saturday night we went to the beautiful Honey Lake Plantation for LeeAnn Adams' and Cheney Simmons' wedding. It was so much fun; we had a DELICIOUS southern dinner and got to visit with great people!

 My family outside the church before the reception

L to R: Scotty, Jeremy, Mom, Dad, me (28 weeks along), & Brett

Scotty and Jeremy hadn't seen me in several weeks, and when they did, they just cracked up! They call me "fatty" and think my belly is hilarious - they were shocked at how much I've grown. They don't really like to feel my belly or the baby kicking, but we convinced them to just for this picture :) They are so excited to know the baby, but think this whole pregnancy thing is a little weird... typical little brothers.

 Me and Courtney after the wedding

 Sunday, we went to Gainesville for Kacey's (Brett's sister) graduation. She graduated from UF with a degree in civil engineering and it was also her birthday, so again, we had lots to celebrate!

A few alumni back "home" in the Swamp :)

We headed home on Monday, and then I had my 28 week checkup at the OB. This was a big visit for me because now I'm in my THIRD TRIMESTER!! I can't believe it :) The appointment went really well - the midwife could feel that the baby is head down so I'm hoping she stays that way. Also, she told me it's time to register at the hospital and sign up for our tour and birthing classes...it's getting real! My labs were perfect: no anemia, good blood pressure, and I passed my glucose tolerance test (rules out gestational diabetes)!! This is such a relief because I had to drink some REALLY sweet dextrose solution, then wait an hour to have my blood drawn. It didn't taste as bad as I expected, but made me pretty nauseous. When I left, I had to get some dairy queen to coat my stomach :)

Just for fun...the dogs love the farm too :)