Birth Date!

Caution: BEWARE of the ONSLAUGHT of posts below!

With less than three weeks left till my actual due date, our boy now has a scheduled birth day!  If he has not arrived by then, our little guy will be born on Monday, October 4th!  My actual due date is Saturday the 9th, but unfortunately the week Brett was given off work was the 4th - 9th.  We DO NOT want to spend Brett's only week home waiting for our baby to make his grand entrance, hence we'll be inducing Monday morning if he has not arrived by then.  We're somewhat doubting that I will make it to my induction date on the 4th, but even if I do, that only gives me TWO more weeks!  CRAZY!!!!

37 weeks

9/21/10 Update: After having scheduled my induction a week ago, the hospital called today to say they are full on the 4th.  So... I will now be delivering on Tuesday, the 5th... if all goes according to plans. :)

Some Recent Faves

In the midst of unprepared baby madness, I've had little time for most other things (blogging included, obviously!).  Here's my list of a few new treasures getting me thru these last few weeks.

•  Neon Trees

Oh, how do I love these folks?!  They get me going when all I really want to do is settle down on the couch and clear out my tivo list.

• Leggings

Refreshingly cool + uber-comfortable = the BEST way to get thru an Arizona summer while pregnant

• Blue Bunny Mint Grasshopper Ice Cream Sandwiches

A newly discovered HEAVEN on Earth.  For real.

• MAC Fluidline Eye Liner Gel

To quote from MAC's website: "the precision of a liquid liner with a silkier, softer finish" "goes on foolproof"  Love it!

• "These is My Words" by Nancy Turner

Not done yet, but could very possibly end up being one of my new faves

• Amazon

Not the rain forest, the website.  Thank you Amazon for free 2-day shipping on any item I could ever want, for not charging tax, and for somehow amazingly getting my purchases to my doorstep the morning after I've ordered them.

• 
  
  Watermelon

I can't even begin to count the number of watermelons I've single-handedly consumed over the past month.

• High-waist belts

Fitting right above my belly bump, I can still feel slightly fashionable while this boy rolls around inside me.

• Hoover WindTunnel U6485900 Self-propelled Vacuum

A quick shout-out to the best vacuum EVER.  My most dreaded chore has instantly become my most favorite.  Seriously.  But with my new vacuum's self-propulsion, dirty carpet light indicator, and superior edge suction, how could vacuuming NOT become my most favorite chore?!

A HUGE thanks to this random list of items for making my day.  What are your recent faves?

Got Belly?

Much thanks to my cousin's wife Libby who snapped these maternity photos for us.  She's super talented and did a great job, especially considering the circumstances.  FYI: we'd been running errands all day long so our clothes/hair/makeup/etc. were beyond haggard, it ended up being one of the hottest days of the summer so we were dripping sweat, and we were interrupted mid-shoot by a monsoon so the second half of the pics were taken while hiding under shelter from the pouring rain.  Heat, wind, and rain do not make up ideal circumstances, but she did a great job of making due.  Thanks again Libby!

*Photos at 33 1/2 wks*

Changes

And so it begins.

Last Sunday, in preparation for our new arrival, I was released from Primary where I've taught the Sunbeam class for the last THREE years.  I've been in Primary so long I actually had no clue where our Gospel Doctrine class is taught and mistakenly ended up in the new member and investigator Gospel Principles class for Sunday School.  Oh well! When I went to say goodbye to my class, they asked why I wasn't going to be their teacher anymore.  I explained I had to start taking care of my own baby now.  They didn't seem too thrilled.  Oh how I love those kids!  Teaching the Sunbeams has been one of the funnest callings I've ever had.  Challenging and exhausting at times? Yes.  But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I've learned so much more from these children and their pure sweet testimonies than they could have possibly learned from me.  I really will miss it. So now I transition to Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society, where it's fun to socialize with adults again, but where it seems unbearably quiet and where we don't ever get to sing "Popcorn Popping."

My Three Sunbeam Classes (missing several absent kids)

2008

2009

2010

Another change: Friday was my last day of work, and it could not have come soon enough!  My initial plan was to work up until the baby was born, but as my due date got closer, and my nerves grew more shot I realized a change of plans was in order.  I decided to set my final day as the 17th, giving me two weeks before my induction date to prepare, relax, and recharge.  I'm now wishing I gave myself even more time because I still have so much to do in such little time.  As of now, I don't have any set plans for if/when I'll be going back to work.  My plans are to "wait and see."  I will definitely not be going back full time, but if I feel a day away would be a good thing I might consider going back 1 or 2 days a week.  Only time will tell.  For now I am concentrating on all the other changes and adjustments that are headed my way with the arrival of our little boy.  Can't wait!!

Oldies But Goodies

"It takes a long time to grow an old friend." - John Leonard

It is so fun when friends can go many years apart, and yet re-connect in a matter of minutes. Last week I was able to meet up with some of my best friends from high school at a baby shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival of our friend Sarah's little boy.  It's been six years since we were all together, and it was so fun to catch up with each other.  Definitely brought back alot of memories!

With Morgan Peterson, Savannah McCoy, and Sarah Cali

What a coincidence that Sarah, Morgan, and I are all due within 3 weeks of each other!  Definitely NOT planned.  Even more fun, we are all pregnant with our first and are all having boys!

Me at 33 wks 0 days, Sarah at 33 wks 3 days, and Morgan at 35 wks 6 days

Thanks girls for a great time!  It was so fun to see you all again.  I've missed you!

"Friends are always friends no matter how far you have to travel back in time. If you have memories together, there is always a piece of your friendship inside your heart." - Kellie O'Connor

B is for...

...babies, boys, and boats.

I feel so blessed to have such amazing in-laws that truly are my second family.  Being in Arizona, we really miss them all and look for every opportunity to catch a quick visit.  Brett was busy busy busy with work, so I took a solo trip to Utah for a combined family shower with Bridget and a family reunion/bbq out by the pool.  Although I was only there for under 48 hours it was still so fun to be with the family again.    

Brett's cousin Sarah is starting her own party planning business and did all the decorations for the shower.  Bridget and I are both having boys, so Sarah did the whole thing nautical themed.  She is so talented and everything turned out A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!    Thanks Sarah for such a cute shower!

No pics of the family reunion except this one.  I couldn't resist sharing it, because I thought it was absolutely ADORABLE.  To say my nephew LOVES swimming would be an understatement.  Look at that face!

Thanks again to the Blasers for such a fun short weekend.  LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Carpet Overhaul

Remember how we spent weeks destroying our house putting in wood floor so that it could look like this...?

Well, apparently we didn't like our rooms that clean and organized, because a month later we did this...

so that we could do this...

so that we could get this.

Yes, over the course of a week we moved EVERYTHING from our family room, office, nursery, and master bedroom into our living room, kitchen, and garage so that we could pull out our dirty old carpet and put in beautiful new carpet.  Was it worth it?  Definitely.  Do I love it?  Definitely.  Was it slightly overwhelming, distressing, and exhausting?  DEFINITELY!!

A few things I learned along the way:

1. We have WAY TOO MUCH crap!
2. Remodel your house BEFORE you ever move in. It's much easier to do when you're not trying to live in it at the same time.
3. Don't undertake a large project (or several) while pregnant. It just makes you MORE anxious, tired, uncomfortable, and emotional.
4. Don't EVER begin a large project when you are 7 months pregnant and still haven't chosen a name for your child, chosen a theme for your nursery, purchased a single baby necessity, read a single baby book, completed a birth plan, set up a registry, or researched a pediatrician. There is simply too much to do in too little time without creating more work for yourself. Talk about STRESS overload! (Note: I have since accomplished several of these things and am STARTING to feel just SLIGHTLY more prepared.)

Our house (and life) are back to normal and I couldn't be happier.  Happy that we are finished, happy that things are back in place, and happy that we have beautiful clean carpet to put our little man on.