37 weeks

37 weeks. FULL TERM!! It is so crazy to think that we could have a baby any day now. I'd rather it not be this week because my boss is on vacation still and we really don't want to have to close an office if I go into labor, but after Friday, game on :) 

Honestly, I think this part of the pregnancy is really fun - all fears are gone, knowing that baby girl is developed enough to do well at any point now, and just waiting and wondering when our big day is! I know I'll really miss this....feeling her kicks and tumbles and having indescribable anticipation for meeting her. We're getting the last few things ready and doing those things that we know will be put off for a while - going to the movies, out to dinner, and trying to sleep in, although 7:30 on a Saturday after waking up 5 times for bathroom runs and fake (yet strong enough to wake me up) contractions overnight may not count ;) That's OK, I'll take it.... a thousand times over. This pregnancy thing is so incredible and it's only going to get better from here. I never knew we could LOVE a little mover (who we've never met) THIS MUCH!

We had a great 4th, relaxing at my parents' with my inlaws. Dad made a bunch of BBQ (because that's what he does for fun, on his gigantic cooker the size of a boat that stays parked in our backyard)! Great, relaxing day with good people! Jeremy's birthday is July 4, but he was in Gainesville with friends and Scotty because, I guess, they're more fun than a 9 month pregnant sister. Happy Birthday to him!

 My father in law, Mike, who LOVES our dogs and will only swim in the pool if Buddy can swim too :)

And that is a 37 week pregnant belly.

My body is playing tricks on me - I'm feeling cramps and pressure and spasms that I can't even describe; not painful but like nothing I've felt before. I realize I'm carrying a huge watermelon baby, but it's just amazing what goes on in these last few weeks. I have my weekly appointment tomorrow, so I'll keep you posted! Pray for us as D-Day approaches!

This past weekend, we also got to spend time with some of Brett's family, which was wonderful.

 Waiting for dinner

 Kelci, Luke, & Sloan with their Pop-Pop

 With sweet Kelci, who kept randomly coming up to me saying, "Let me see yo baby" while lifting up my shirt, followed with a "Oh, gettin' bigga." Everytime. 

Danny loves Patti...

This week, one of my very best friends got engaged! Patti and Danny are perfect together, and I'm so excited for them and can't wait to help them celebrate!

Patti and I have been friends since college, where we were in KD together. She stood next to me in my wedding, begged me weekly to have a baby until I was pregnant, and I'd like to take credit for harassing teaching her that it is not "unladylike" to drink beer from a bottle ;) She is now an attorney in Orlando, and has already spoiled my baby girl rotten. Best wishes to the soon-to-be Mr. & Mrs Chapman! Love you so much!

Baby Mason James!

Mason James arrived 7-1-11 at 6:32 a.m., 5 lbs 7 oz! Welcome to the world precious baby boy!

Beautiful momma and baby are doing very well!

Lucinda was due July 27, just 2 days after me but her little blessing decided to make his debut a few weeks early! He is perfect and healthy and I got to snuggle on him this afternoon. Holding sweet Mason was so surreal because he's about the size of our bun in the oven!

So, this weekend, the drapes will be hung, my hospital bag will get packed, and diapers will be stocked....just in case. Ya never know.

36 weeks

I am 36 weeks pregnant... THIRTY. SIX. WEEKS!! Do the math folks, that is NINE MONTHS!

 Less than a month until my due date, and my body is definitely trying to prep me. I had a little episode Friday night....swollen feet and 2 hours straight of contractions (pressure, uncomfortable, but not painful) every 3-5 minutes. Sitting with my feet propped up and drinking 3 glasses of water didn't change them, so I reluctantly called my OB. He said if taking a warm bath didn't stop them, I'd need to be checked, but thankfully they stopped, I'm still pregnant, and mom was still able to go to her girls' weekend in the Keys the next morning :) 

Needless to say, we had a low key weekend around the house and I was forbidden to walk the bridge while mom is gone! I was able to spend all day with sweet Hunter and got some good pictures.

 She loves the dogs and they LOVE her :)

Maggie doesn't leave Hunter alone. She loves to play with her and is so gentle, it's precious! I've always thought that Maggie will be great with the baby, but seeing her with Hunter let's us know for sure.

 Hunter adores Brett too! She helps him with anything and everything she can...

 And HAD to sit on his lap after dinner!

Only Brett was allowed to hold her hand to the car ;)

Home stretch!

This picture is from a few weeks ago, but it's one I love and I guess I overlooked it before :)

Well, I am 35 WEEKS along now! For some reason, I have been so looking forward to being 35 weeks pregnant. I know it isn't full term, but it's pretty darn close (as in, this baby girl will be FULL TERM IN 3 WEEKS!) and I see so many children at work, every single day, who were born well before 35 weeks and are perfectly healthy, thriving kids. I really have no reason to worry about having a premature baby - my pregnancy has been perfect, my mom had great pregnancies, our family history is pretty healthy (and mom reminds me of all of these things often :) but when you work with children everyday and see so many who were born prematurely or with congenital disease, it's hard not to think about it. 

Now, my worries about having a preterm baby have gone by the wayside and so have a lot of my concerns about childbirth... because Brett and I went to our childbirth class at the hospital on Saturday :) It was a good class and gave us both an idea about what to expect in the hospital and how to suffer through  manage the pain ;) The instructor had us squeeze a handful of ice chips in our palm for 1 minute and practice our breathing (to simulate a contraction) and I thought "Well, maybe I won't need that epidural after all" until she said "This will just give you an idea of progressive pain. A real contraction is about 100x worse." Great. My name is staying on the hospital's "may go for" an epidural list!

Also, I almost forgot to mention that we had one more ultrasound last week. I know that each time I say it's the last one, but my OB/Gyn practice is pretty big, so lots of providers = lots of opinions. The last OB I saw said I needed to see a perinatologist (high-risk OB) to check the baby's heart (since I had parvovirus) and everything was completely perfect! She weighed in at 5 lbs, 6 oz. Here's her profile...

Later that week I had my routine checkup with Dr. Pare, and he said all is well! He put my mind at ease when he told me he'll do my delivery, and I go back next week and then weekly after that!

I'm still feeling pretty good, except that my feet HURT! They aren't swollen or puffy, but at the end of the day, they just ache like I've run a marathon barefoot! She is still moving so, so much and I'm having a LOT of braxton hicks contractions. Nothing regular, painful, or in a pattern, so we're good :) We are finishing up the nursery decorations, organizing baby things galore, and enjoying our time together. Each day I realize, more and more, that we are about the start the most amazing journey of our lives and we couldn't be happier. I know Brett will be a perfect daddy and I just can't wait to watch him with her!

Until then, Maggie and Gus are still our babies :)

Lucinda's Shower

This past weekend we celebrated mom-to-be Lucinda (and baby boy on the way) at a great shower! She is due July 27 and will be delivering at the same hospital as me...who knows, maybe we'll be hospital next door neighbors!

Beautiful momma!

Baby Gator boy and girl, coincidentally due just 2 days apart. We think they're already a match made in heaven! Looking forward to many momma dates, pool days, and Gator games!

Unrelated, but this is me with the first washed load of baby clothes :) Lots of pink, lots of soft, lots of TINY! Brett is already convinced we're going to lose outfits because they're so small. He gave up on folding tiny onesies and matched up itty bitty socks!

Whoa belly!

This is my view looking down....sitting on the couch, 8.5 months pregnant, feet propped up, Mack on my lap. Just in case you thought my belly is small, you were mistaken :)