Now I get it...

Now I get it. I totally get it. I know what it means to say you "feel as big as a house" and you're tired of pregnancy and when will this baby EVER come out of me??? I know what women mean when they say that your legs are swollen and your fingers look like sausages! I know what the sleepless nights and the backaches and the cravings for chocolate ice cream EVERY DAY that you are trying to avoid because you don't want to deliver a 10lb baby is like. I know how scary it is to think about the fact that even though you are whining about this baby being in you the thought that eventually it HAS to come out of you and you have NO choice in the matter is so much more disturbing! I know what it feels like to wonder if you need a seatbelt extender on the airplane and to be told to put your seatbelt in the car "under your belly" when you are wearing a thick wool jacket and there really is no way to find "under your belly" let alone get the belt under there. I now know that going to the bathroom 3 times a night is not something that only crazy people do and waking up with an ache somewhere new is almost a game that you can play at this point. I know what it's like to feel like an old lady because by the time you reach the top of your stairs you are totally winded and just want to sit down but then when you go to sit down you realize you really aren't comfortable there so you go to lay in your bed at 6:00 in the evening! I know what it feels like to not be able to tie your shoes and not be able to see your toes.

And yet somehow when I go to bed at night I still sit and wait to feel the baby move even though I have felt her do it a hundred times before. And I find myself singing songs and rocking in the glider in the baby's room just because. And I even start to cry at those sappy songs on the radio and picture Troy dancing with her when she's 3 or something silly like that. I even start to get sad that the baby is growing too fast already when I look at clothes that won't fit her anymore next year. I don't even know this little person in my belly and yet I love her so much. Now I get it. I totally get it.

Less than 6 weeks

I am sorry that I don't have any pictures but I wanted to put up a little post just so you didn't think I forgot about you. Things have been crazy around her the last two weeks! I have been sick, Troy has been sick, we both got over our sicknesses, mine came back and besides that I had a baby shower and celebrated my 24th birthday. What an insane time in our lives! My coworkers threw me an absolutely beautiful shower with tons of gifts, an awesome cake, great food, and such a nice time with everyone. I felt so overwhelmed because I knew they threw showers but I had no idea the extent that they went to. Also, since i have only been working there since late October I felt somewhat unworthy of all of the fuss. I suppose that working at a daycare center does lend itself to having people around that enjoy babies and showers! It was such a great time and I just continue to feel so blessed that I was led to that job through all of the changes that took place last fall.

My birthday was this past weekend and I was thoroughly spoiled once again by my amazing husband Troy. He took me out for an awesome dinner at a restaurant in downtown Libertyville called the Tavern where he had a cake delivered from the bakery across the street and gave me some great smelling perfume, a BEAUTIFUL diamond ring and a couple of other sentimentel gifts. I couldn't have asked for more. On Saturday we went out to grab a yummy dinner with my family and back to my parent's house for some awesome cake and ice cream. I got some great presents there too. I couldn't have enjoyed me weekend more!

The baby is still kicking up a storm. I am starting to get the "you look like you're going to pop" comments, which I can't argue with. Every once in a while Troy looks at me and is startled by how huge my baby "bump" is getting. This baby is about 18 inches long by now and over five pounds so I guess I shouldn't be surprised by my increasing belly! I am enjoying the pregnancy but am really getting ready for this little kiddo to come out of me! I am getting nervous though about the whole labor and delivery deal. I have been reading up and sometimes I am more nervous after I read about it than I was before. It's also getting weird because I am to the point where I could go into labor at any time so I feel like I need to get prepared with a bag to bring to the hospital and a plan for afterwards. Oh and another thing, names! How do you name a baby? They are going to carry this name with them for the rest of their lives! Ahhh! I am getting a little stressed about it and we have a great girls name with a good backup and our boy's name is good too but it's still a hard decision. I guess we'll figure it out, right? Well, until next time, go out and enjoy a McDonald's coke for me - my one craving that I will not let myself indulge in until after March!

We officially have a baby's room!

Well this weekend Troy and I have been busy little parent-to-be working on getting our little baby's room together. We were so excited to find out on Saturday that Babies R Us actually had our crib and dresser in stock rather than us having to order it and wait for a couple of weeks like I thought we were going to. The only problem was that since we were expecting to have to order the items and wait for them to come in, when we found out that they were there at the store we didn't have any plans for how to get them home and more importantly how to get them up the stairs! The dresser alone came fully assembled and weighed about 140 pounds! We were so fortunate that Steven and Jennifer we able to come out right then and help us. Without their help we couldn't have gotten the furniture home this weekend. Thanks guys!!!

I have been working on the room all weekend and I haven't gotten it finished (obviously no decorations yet since we don't know 100% for sure whether it's a boy or girl) but we got most of the stuff out and I did my first (of MANY I'm sure) load of baby laundry! How exciting!

2 Months To Go!

Wow has it already been over two weeks since I posted? I can't believe how the time has flown by. It has been so incredibly busy here that I just feel like January is disappearing (which is ok with me because that means we're getting closer to D-Day... delivery day of course).

Troy's parents were out here a few weeks ago to hang out and buy us our glider and we had a great time. After many hours and at least 10 different stores we finally found the glider that I was looking for to match the crib and dresser. Yay! I guess it's true that persistence really does pay off. We had a fun time seeing the new daddy put it together and got some great pics all throughout the night. We even got to dress daddy up, which is always a fun way to torture him!





California was also a blast. It was so great to see all of the family again. It had been over 2 years since I had visited out there and I hadn't seen a lot of the family since our wedding in 2005. The baby shower was so much fun, from playing dirty diaper games (which were really melted chocolate bars) to getting tons of awesome presents... I couldn't have asked for more! We got tons of adorable clothes and some great goodies like a video monitor from my aunt and uncle, a baby swing from my grandparents, and our stroller and car seat from my parents along with other wonderful gifts. Thanks to everyone for making that day so special for us! I will get some pictures up of the shower soon!

Right now I am fighting a cold has been bothering me for over a week now and it's getting a bit depressing. It's really hard not being able to take any medicine and I think that is actually making the cold last longer and spread down to my throat and chest since I woke up yesterday with a slight cough and it is gradually getting worse. Troy is away this weekend at Willow's High School winter camp... I miss my sweetie :( Can't wait for him to get home tomorrow night.

As far as baby news goes I went to the doctor yesterday and at 31 weeks (only 9 to go!) the baby is head-down and in birthing position. The doctor told me that 96% of babies stay this way so it's looking good that I will have a normal delivery which I was really concerned about since both of my 20 week ultrasounds showed the baby as breech. I am finally starting to not be quite so worried all the time and am letting some of that stuff go. I am getting pretty tired of the pregnancy and Troy and I both are just ready for this little baby to get here! Whenever I go to a doctor's appointment my students ask me if I saw the baby and why I didn't get the baby out. I think they think there is a big zipper or something so I can just open it up and look at the little squirt. Too bad there isn't :(

Hopefully next time I post my cold will be gone and the temperature outside will be above -2 degrees. As for now, it's colds all around!

Happy New Year!

Wow I can't believe how fast every week seems to be going. I remember back in the fall when each day seemed to drag by and now it's like I can't even keep up with how fast life is moving! Troy and I had a great Christmas just hanging out with my family for the day. New Years Eve was quiet with Troy and I just staying home and video chatting with Troy's parents for a while and then falling asleep... at 11:30! How lame are we??? I can't really believe we did that, definitely a first for us. I don't know what Troy's excuse is but I'm sleeping for two! :) Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! We are so excited to see all of the family that will be visiting and that we will visit in the next 2 weeks! Yay!

Merry Christmas!

Me and the baby at 26 weeks



show off!



Another 26 week side view.
In case you don't count your time by weeks that is 6 1/2 months.



Thanksgiving



A picture of Trucker Troy on moving day... I couldn't resist!



And in case you haven't seen her, this is our kitty Rizzo :)

Wow where has the time gone? I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post! Sorry I am such a slacker lately. Things have been great but busy around here with Troy and I both working a ton and all of the festivities around the holidays. I'm getting really excited about Christmas! Only 2 more days! This year is strange since it is our last year as a couple without the baby. I am really trying to enjoy all of the moments especially right now since things will be different in just a few months. It's kind of scary to think of the big changes that will be taking place so soon. I am so excited to have the baby but to be honest I am a little sad to be losing some of the couple stuff that go away when it's no longer just the two of you.

Thanksgiving was great. Lots of yummy food and as always a fun time with the family. I remember early on in my pregnancy when I was so sick I was talking (ok almost crying) to my doctor about my nausea and I said I hoped I would be ok by Thanksgiving. Amazing that it's been so long since those days when at the time it felt as if they would never end! I'm feeling great now, completely morning sickness free. I do start to feel a little gross once in a while when I stay up too late but with me being as tired as I am we are rarely up past 10 anymore! I feel like such an old fart!

I am definitely popping out at this point to say the least. I went shopping with my friend Traci a few weeks ago and I asked her if people could tell I was pregnant by looking at me yet and she laughed at me. It's like you don't notice the changes in yourself as much because you see them every day but then you see someone who hasn't seen you in a while and it's obvious that you have definitely changed! It's fun and I am really enjoying being so visibly pregnant at this point. The last month has been drastic as far as that goes. At this point I'm just a week or so away from being in my third trimester and the baby is already over a foot long and about 2 lbs or so. No wonder things are growing!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with your friends and family. The next few weeks will be really busy for Troy and I so I will be able to get some more postings up soon. Troy's parents will be visiting us in the first weekend of January then we will be going to California for our baby shower the second weekend. January will be such a fun month! I can't wait! Until next time, take care! Love you all!

Holiday Fun

I thought you might get a kick out of this. It is me in the middle, my cousin Becky on the left and my cousin Amanda on the right. You have to check it out!


http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9622879287


(courtesy of my Aunt Lisa) Love you Aunt Lisa and all my wonderful cousins!!!! :) Can't wait to see you soon!!!!!!!!!