Stranded at the drive in...branded....

I think only lovers of the movie Grease know what the title is all about.

Jim and I had the best date night ever, all for just $21.50 and just 5 minutes from our house.

We went to Haars Drive-In in Dillsburg, PA. Take a look at www.haars.com

to see the Pixar animated movie, Up! The movie was great!

This is my first drive-in movie in 25 years. 

Jim prepped for our date night, by packing 2 lawn chairs, a radio, a stepping stool to sit the radio on, snacks for the cooler, 2 blankets for the cool weather. He was absolutely prepared.

The cost to enter the drive-in is $7.00 per adult, $2.00 per child.

We hit up the snack bar, which seemed more like a restaurant, since it offered nachos sandwiches, all the way to an Oyster Sandwich!

I chose French Fries and Jimmy chose nachos...$7.50 for it all.

We sat in our lawn chairs at the front of our car and enjoyed the film, under a starry sky. we even saw a shooting star.

What a wonderful date night! I can't wait to visit the drive-in again! Thanks Jim!

Stretch Marks

I have gotten horrible stretch marks on my belly over the last month or two.  Everyday I get up and stare at them. I have lathered myself with every kind of stretch mark cream and cocoa butter known to man since the day I found out that I was pregnant, and still they came. I cautioned every pregnant friend to do the same. They are ugly and make me feel not pretty at all. Our friend, Mrs. Kaminski, called them Mommy Badges.  I guess I should feel good about that...but they are just so awful. Ugh....I am ungrateful, aren't I? I don't mean to be. I am so very grateful for this little one, just not these stretch marks. I feel like I want to hide myself away for the next 8 weeks, so nobody has to look at me, especially me having to look at me. :)

What color will our Baby's eyes be?

Looks like according to the odds, we have a 50% chance for a baby with brown eyes, a 37.5% for hazel eyes and a 12.5% likelihood that we could have a blue eyed baby.

My mom has brown eyes. My dad has mirky brown/green eyes. I have brown eyes.

Jim's dad has blue eyes. His mom has hazel eyes.

They had 2 kids with blue eyes and 2 with Hazel. Jim got Hazel.

I wonder how is works with hair color?

Jimmy wasn't always bald, ya know.

He had blonde hair growing up. I had light auburn. I think we will get a curly headed blonde.

Organized Mama

I may be the most organized mother-to-be in the United States. Today, I tossed 2 garbage full of stuff that we don't really need, all the while watching ABC soap operas. It was Glorious! 

I have only the laundry room left to do, and I have big storage plans for that space. 

I feel so successful!

There is "baby space" secured in a hidden nook within each room: a whole section of kitchen cabinet space for bottles, etc... the storage ottoman in the living room for diapers and wipes, and the entire bottom of the red cabinet in the family room for toys.

From last week to this week, I have mentally done a 180 degree turn for the better. 

I was feeling so very overwhelmed and now I am feeling so very... ready!

I wish I got the "nesting bug" quarterly. I mean, my house is always clean...but never this organized.

Ready for baby in just 66 days...

Ha...the baby knocked on my belly when I said that. I hope that means it is closer to like 50 days, and the baby has a sense of humor.

It's been one year

since I walked down the aisle with "Mr. Right". 

To celebrate our 1st anniversary, Jim and I headed to Baltimore inner Harbor to enjoy some time to ourselves.

We stayed at the Pier 5 Hotel, which is

 adjacent to the National Aquarium. The Hotel is right on the harbor, a beautiful setting. It was absolutely convenient to everything, easy in and out parking. The rooms were very nice. 

There is a Ruth Chris Steakhouse and a McCormick and Scmicks located in the hotel. I would surely recommend it to anyone.

We valeted our car, checked our baggage with the front desk and headed to the National Aquarium.

I had pre-purchased tickets, which turned out to be a good idea. When we arrived to pick up our convenient e-tickets from an 11:15 am entry, they were announcing that the next available

tickets were for 3:45 pm.

We scooted into the aquarium, visiting the australia exhibit. Then ,we made our way to the 4 D immersion show. They handed us our 3D glasses and we made our way to our seats.

One

 thing that I have learned in the last year of marriage is that Jimmy and I are cheesy kids at heart. We loved the Immersion show. They squirted water at you, shook your seat, poked your back. We laughed like kids and had a very good time.

After the show, we explored the aquarium, with the hundreds of other families that had chosen Memorial Day for a visit. It was packed and I have to say, we scurried a bit faster than we normally would. It was hot and that many people doesnt make for a great viewing experience.

We then found our seats for the dolphin show, which again we loved. 

I am never bored with watching the dolphins. It has fascinated me since I was a child. One of the highlights of my life, was swimming with the dolphins in Honduras. Their intelligence and agility amazes me.

After the aquarium, we headed back to the hotel to check in.  We relaxed for a bit, then headed to find a late lunch/early dinner.

On our drive down, I struck up a conversation about who "we" are; what kind of people "Jimmy and Stacy" are. What we decided is that "we" are people who don't appreciate an expensive meal over a scrumptious mom and pop place. 

So, we chose to eat at the CheeseCake Factory for our anniversary dinner, over a good seafood restuarant. We weren't let down by our meal. We ate appetizers and club sandwiches and, of course, cheesecake. I chose a divine lemon raspberry. Jim chose the sickeningly sweet chocolate 30th anniversary special. We left with overly stuffed bellies.

We spent a little bit at the Harbor shops...and bought nothing.

We headed back to the hotel and laid in bed and watched television.....It was wonderful!

Then, we took an evening stroll around the harbor. 

I swear that the baby did a full turn in my belly while we were on our walk. It was kinda painful and very wierd....and Jimmy told me that I was a wimp when I stopped suddenly and grabbed onto the metal handrails.

I might throw him out of the delivery room. :)

We were both tired and sweaty from the heat....so we spent the rest of the night relaxing at the hotel. 

This morning, we woke up and enjoyed our continental breakfast and headed home.

Happy Anniversary, Mr. Right...so glad that God threw you into my lap!

Wild Thing...you make my heart sing

And my entire belly move....and it is the most amazing and weird experience I have ever felt or seen. I could stare at my belly for hours waiting for it to jump and compress. It seems that tonight the baby is moving around at my top left and lower right. Not sure, but I think the butt and legs are on my left. It feels like there are smaller movements toward the bottom right, near my hip bone.

I hope that the baby is trying to turn, head down. I hope that he/she has enough room and can actually do that. I worry that my cord is too short or something and that is why the baby stays breech. I know...I worry about everything. Let me worry, just as you all have or will.  It is a part of becoming a mommy.

I just stopped typing to do my all fours and halloween cat arch exercises. 

I took off all my clothes last night and stood in front of our full length mirror....something I would never usually do...but did. I just wanted to watch the movement of my belly. It truly is the most surreal experience. There really is a little person inside there, growing, soon ready to make its debut. 

That wasn't sooo bad

I took my gestational diabetes test today. They give you a relatively small bottle of this sweet orange drink that I drank in 1 minute. I chugged it.  Then, one hour later they drew my blood.

It was a cinch.

So many ladies complain about this test and drink. The ladies on thebump.com are ridiculous with concern and feedback about how bad this test is.

I am wondering to myself, if they have such a hard time with this, what to me seems, "simple test" then maybe the majority of them blow everything else out of proportion. 

I mean, don't get me wrong, I am sure that labor really is "that bad" and I believe that it is "different for everyone". BUT, I have a few friends who, although be it hard, have made it through a natural delivery. HELLOOOOO....Jen gave birth naturally twice in 2 years...and the last one was even a surprise home delivery in the bathtub!  I watched Amanda give birth to Liam.  Heck yeah...it seemed that a delirium came over her after about 12 hours of labor in the hospital, but she did it, and very well, I might add.  Courtney said that when she had Taylor, it was too late to get the epidural, so she just pushed through it. My friend Cheryl is a labor and delivery nurse and I recall her saying that she felt that she had to "poop very badly". 

I also have had a few friends have to receive a C-section, and they too have made it out with no complications, with much less pain than I hear about so often. Spring did it 3 times. Cindy said it was a fairly easy heal when she had Erik. 

I wonder, will I be able to handle labor and delivery as well as they have?

I am starting to walk myself through the process in my mind. Beginning to visualize the labor that I want for myself and Baby Salter. PS:  Yes, I am including room for deviations from "the plan". But, I believe in going into it with some ideas about labor help and visualization for delivery.  

I definately am making Jim do the perineal massage starting at 37 weeks (GROSSED you all out, right?...well.....I say... whatever the heck helps.) I am going to hop on the birthing ball. I hope to labor at home for as long as I can, til my contractions are 5 minutes apart. I want to get in that huge tub in the delivery room. I want to take advantage of not being strapped to the bed with monitors for as long as possible. 

Ask me this all again in 10 weeks...maybe I will tell you a different story. Until then, pray that we have an easy remainder of the pregnancy and delivery.

Hospital Tour and Interventions

This week at birthing class, Dr. Winn, from my OBGYN practice, took the floor to teach us about birth interventions like epidurals, spinals, various drugs and c-sections! I have one word for it all: YIKES!  Wait, two more words: NO THANKS!....you may want to ask me again in 9 weeks though.

My goal is to go as naturally as possible, though I think everyone sets out with that goal.

I am going into delivery with that goal in mind, but with the understanding that I can change my mind at any time.

I have never even had an IV, so to hear that admittance into labor and delivery requires that you receive one is a bit scary for me.  Jim reminded me that the concern shouldn't be the small tube in my hand, but instead, the balling ball coming out of my whoohaa! Thanks Honey...for that wonderful reminder!

We really enjoyed the tour of the Women's Center, where we will be giving birth.

The Labor and Delivery rooms are very nice. But, I think the bed seems short. There is a pull out bed for Jim to sleep on. They also have a dvd player and cd to bring along a movie or music that may ease my labor.  There is a huge tub, in which I can labor in. I am also going to bring the birthing ball to help ease the baby into head down position.

I am wondering if all of this great stuff that I have available to me will be actually be out to use or if, in my pain, I forget all about it and just moan and cry.

I am also a bit concerned that our baby is still breech and that I would need a c-section.  If, due to my disc disease, an epidural or spinal will not "take", then I will need to be "put under" and Jim will not be allowed in the surgery. So basically, they deliver the baby and I don't know what it is until I wake up 2 hours later...WHAT? That is not going to happen. I am going to do every visualization, exercise, etc...to make a natural vaginal birth possible.

The post-partum rooms are also very nice. We can even bring in food to store in the kitchen.

Vaginal birth requires 2 overnights at the Womens Center. I have already begun to pack my suitcase and baby's suitcase. 

I am hoping that the next 9 weeks go by fast and that we get everything in place and ready for Baby Salter's arrival.

PS:  This week, I think we are having a boy.  

At our tour, we were broken up into 2 tour groups. Our group had 7 couples. 4 of the couples know what they are having...all girls. Statistically that means at least 2 of the other 3 couples will have a boy.  

I just cant wait to find out!!!!

A Wonderful Baby Shower

My Sister in law Kelly, and friends Val and Lori threw me a wonderful baby shower today. Many friends came to celebrate. The theme was the Teddy Bear picnic. It was beautiful and lots of fun! I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends and in-laws. The ladies made a clothes-line with cute little baby outfits. They had teddy bear cookie lolli-pops and a teddy bear cake, and wonderful food!I was incredibly overwhelmed when we brought the gifts home. Thank goodness that my mom was here to help me organize ( actually, she did it all...I helped her...I was so overwhelmed) and put everything away.Thanks ladies for such a wonerful shower and Thanks mom for helping me so much!

Getting ready for a big weekend

This is going to be quite a big weekend for Baby S and I. My mom is heading in on Friday afternoon to begin the festivities. I have a list of things that I need her help with. Heh....I remember a day when I would tell her that I didn't need her help...now I am asking for it! :) She is a wonderful mom and is going to be a fantabulous GramCracker! So Friday will be a day to help me organize the nursery and the "purple" closet with all of baby's stuff that I have acquired so far.

Saturday, we're yard-saling!!! I am going to map out a yard-sale plan. Hopefully, we will get some exciting deals and "acquire" some more.

Sunday is my baby shower, held at my sister-in-law Kelly's house, with the help of my friends Val and Lori. I am very much looking forward to it. I only know the date, time and place, so whatever the ladies have planned for me is a true surprise, which I am really happy about. I like surprises! I got a new dress for the day.

After the shower, Mom is going to help me to once again organize and put all of my new baby treasures away. She is staying til Monday.

Somewhere in the weekend, we are going to work in the flower beds and get some house stuff done.

Here's to a wonderfu weekend. I hope that the rain finishes out by Saturday morning.

Measuring Big!

I had my monthly OBGYN visit today.
I am now officially set to go every 3 weeks, and eventually down to every week.

Today was my first visit with midwife, Karen Kirby. She is the newest/youngest of the 3 midwives at my OB practice. I enjoyed my appointment with her. She seemed very warm and I felt relaxed with her, just as I have with the other midwife, Cindy Butzer.

There are 3 midwives and it is a must that each mom-to-be meet and get to know each one, as we don't know which one may deliver the baby.

At my next appointment, I am scheduled with Pam Kozick, the third and final midwife.

Update on me: BP is 128/86. A weight gain of 4 lbs for a total of 12 lbs. I am feeling healthy and the the doctors are very pleased with my progress.

Update on baby: Heart rate was 138. The baby was sleeping. Karen pushed and moved my belly alot today and she was able to feel the baby's head just under my right rib and feet below my bellybutton. Yep, still breech. But, I am determined to do the exercises that they have given me in order to get this baby to turn.

Today, I measured at 30 weeks!!!! Diagnosis: This baby is coming early( mommy is smiling...as long as you are fully cooked, you are welcome to come out) OR...this baby is big!

I asked how a weight gain of only 12 lbs could lead to a big baby. Karen said that since I had lost so much in the first trimester and gained it all back, the baby probably took most of that gain.

Let's go back to about 25 weeks ago when they told me that I had smaller pelvic bones and therefore I could have a small to average baby!! How in goodness sake am I going to push out a big baby???

Actually, I have had friends who have had this same type of measuring ahead visit, and they have either evened out over the remaining weeks or in fact gone early.

Whatever gets us a healthy baby! Geesh...I could be a mom in 10 weeks! My mom was right, I better pack my suitcase soon.

How Big is Baby: Month 7....yep...that's right!!!

Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

Yep, that's right...we have made it to the beginning of Month 7, today! We have managed to make it through 28 full weeks! Wow! I feel great. Baby is very active!

A surprise visit from two very special spirits and the heart of a grateful wife

Pam came to visit this weekend to celebrate her "Un" Anniversary. In tow, she brought along two VHS videos that she had found since she has been packing to move into her new house.

The first was a video from our 1993 senior prom. My goodness...we were so lame.

The second was a video of my 1996 college graduation. We pressed play, only to realize that the video was a still video of my parents back-yard...someone had placed the camera on my parents back steps and video'ed the same space for hours. We laughed and headed off to bed.

This morning, Pam put the tape back in and decided to rewind it, just to make sure that we didn't miss something. Lo and Behold, there I was walking down the graduation aisle, garbed in cap and gown.

The video panned to my family and friends in attendence.... and there were my Gram and my Nanny. My eyes welled up in tears.

I have had no video of them, no audio of their voices....and suddenly I did.

It's Mothers Day, and today was the day that God allowed my grandmothers a chance to come back to me in their own litte way. Today was the day that they let me know that they are always with me.

In the video, I open up a gift from my Nanny. I said something out loud to my guests like: "she is the reason I that I am here today, she dispensed my dad." How funny that I would choose to say those words and Pam would decide to play this video for me today...my first almost mothers day!

Jimmy also scored some big points today as well. I walked downstairs this morning. There on our breakfast bar was big bouquets of flowers and a cake with a card from Jim, as well as a planted tulip and a card that said Mommy.

I opened Jim's card first. It was beautiful, of course. It said: For the Woman I love to Love. He has the ability to choose really sweet cards. Below all of the flowery words, he wrote: Remember you asked if I was scared to become a parent? I am not. The reason is YOU. You make such a great wife. You will be an even better MOM!!!

How wonderful is my husband? How marvelous is he? How blessed am I to have him?

My Mommy card said simply: I love you , Mommy! See you Soon. Love Baby Grayson or Audrey.

Thank you Lord, for the wonderful and familiar old faces that I saw today and for the sweet face that I will be seeing very soon!

I have to stop yard-saling....but I can't pass up the deals

My Gram made me a yard sale junkie at a young age.
Yard sales for me were my special time with her, so they hold a close place to my heart.
I love the feeling of waking up early and heading out to find new treasures.
Of course, this year opens up a whole new yard sale genre for me: Kids stuff.
I drive by slowly and press the brakes only if I see toys piled somewhere.

Lately, I have been amazingly lucky at the nearby yardsales. I have found wonderful deals on toys, brought them home and cleaned them up and packed them in tubs by age appropriateness.
The last two weeks, I have been even luckier with my clothing finds. For .25 cents, I will fill bags of clothes for baby...no matter if they are little Carter dresses or Osh Kosh jeans with lil bugs on them. My kid will be the best dressed kid in town at a paupers price. If I don't have a girl...some wonderful friend will get the little dresses. If I don't have a boy, someone will get the dinosaur and whale jumpers.

I think thought that I will eventually have to stop this addiction...we are running out of space. :)

Baby Care Class: Part 1

Tonight, Jimmy and I headed to the Live Well Center for our first Baby Care Class.
It was us and 3 other couples, taught by Tammy, a nurse and the lactation specialist at Carlisle Regional Medical Center, where we are delivering.

I once again was surprised at how well my husband did at the class.

We watched a video about the general care of newborn babies.
We learned and practiced how to sponge bathe the baby the proper way. We took turns practicing the perfect swaddling technique, perfect for soothing a newborn. We also took turns diapering our baby and learning how to care for a boy baby and a girl baby's unique wiping needs. :)

Jim was a much faster diaperer. He was also a much better swaddler. He didn't have a chance to practice bathing, but was a helpful watcher. I, however, am a bit awkward with the baby.
Jim even knew how to re-clothe the baby back into this straight jacket of a shirt....I didn't.

Hence...the reason I signed us up for Baby Care Class, along with our birthing class, and eventually my breast-feeding class. Education never killed anyone, especially me.

The class was very helpful and informative.

We even learned the "scoop on poop". We now know that breast-fed babies poop ALOT, even more than bottle fed babies, and what color and consistency our babies poop should be.

We learned more facts about delivering at Carlisle RMC. Like the fact that Tammy will travel to our house, free of charge, to assist us with settling into life at home with the baby and breast-feeding. I felt comfortable with her and wouldn't hesitate to call on her for this help.

Overall, as we get through our classes, I feel more and more educated and empowered as a future mom. I am very grateful for that.

After class, Jim and I made our way home. I climbed the stairs and entered our bedroom, then master bath. Yesterday, I placed my Pregnancy Manual book on Jimmy's side of the bathroom sink, opened to the Expectant Father chapter.

Today, the final page of that chapter was held opened on my side of the sink.
The final page covered "emergency delivery", which oddly enough our friends just had 2 weeks ago at their home, in the bath-tub. There was a stick figure drawing of a wife giving birth in the back of a car and the husband grabbing handi-wipes. Jim had decided to hold this final page open with a pack of our own handi-wipes. He also penned a quick note on the stick figure page, it said only : "I AM READY!"

So, am I Jimmy....so am I.

Gram Cracker and Pop Tart

Since the day that we told my folks that we were expecting, giving them the book Grandma, Grandpa and Me, they have often asked aloud what we thought that the baby would "call them".

My in-laws already are called Nana and Pap.

My Aunt Linda has her own special name, as does my Aunt Bon. And, someday, my Aunt Robin will get her chance to ponder her "grandmother name".

My cousin David called my grandmother "Nammie" in his attempt to say Grammie...and it stuck for all the grandkids, except me. I called her "Gram". Everyone called my grandfather "Pop".

Last night, Jimmy answered a phone call from my mom. He said: "Hello Grandma...Hello Graham Cracker." He proceeded to tell his mother-in-law that he has decided that our baby will call my mom "Gram Cracker". My mom liked it.

She said "Well, Mike needs a good nickname too...He wants to know what his name will be."
Jim said he would have to think about it.
Our friend Val, who was over for a get together, quickly shot back; "Pop-Tart", which brought a burst of laughter from myself, my mom and Jimmy.

My mom told my Dad his new name. Guess what? He liked it as well.

So, I guess in a shortened way, Baby S has a Gram and a Pop just like Mommy did.

GramCracker and PopTart, you have just under 3 months to get used to your new names. I hope that you like them!

I dont want to work...I just wanna bang on the drum all day

and in just a few short weeks, that is what I will be doing.
Since my last day is June 9th ( really June 5th), I am thinking right now about the opportunity that allows for me to prepare our home for the BIG addition. Cleaning up, organizing...I will have alot of time for those things. It gives me about 7 or 8 weeks to really focus on getting the things done that are on my to-do list. Ah Yes....nesting is a beautiful thing.

I can also spend a few extra days at my parents after my Aunt Robin's shower on June the 6th.
It would be nice to enjoy some time with them alone before the baby becomes their sole focus of attention. hahaha.

Then, I can spend the last month with my feet up, since I know the hot sun might do a number on me.

I think the year has gone by so fast for me, because it has literally been filled to the gills with activity, which is my typical life. Always something going on; a party, weekend guests, a trip out of town. I am going to enjoy some true and perhaps final "me" time.

Near the end and also the beginning of a wonderful journey

Today, we were given a final end date for our work, June 9th. No more extensions.
This is an additional 30 days, as I truly believed that this would be our final week.
I have managed to be continually extended from August until June....10 months further than so many of my friends that lost their jobs back in August. I am grateful to have made it this far.

I am blessed with nearly 5 months of severance pay and the ability to collect the maximum of unemployment, which will allow Jimmy and I the opportunity for me to stay home with the baby until the end of 2009.

In so many ways, this is such a sad time for me. The last 9 years has given me the blessing of a great job with great pay, the ability to travel the US and meet great people, but most importantly the true blessing of amazing co-workers, with many that have become my dearest friends.

But, in a whole other way this just begins my next amazing journey, that of Mom. Only God could have timed this out so perfectly. I will have the chance to spend months of the quality time with my son or daughter that so many women don't get a chance to experience.

Still, I think about what I can do to monetarily contribute to our household budget and not put the entire burder square on Jimmy's shoulders. I am thinking of expanding on what I have been doing as a side job of wedding coordinating.

I think I do it well, and I think I could master the skill enough to make $ at it.
I have a business plan written up and I know the steps to bring a business to fruition.

However, I have to learn how a part-time job will affect my unemployment. I must admit, I am taking advantage of the blessing of unemployment as I step into the role of new mom.

Whatever happens, I am ready to roll with the punches.

Our first Birthing Class

One of the midwives from my OBGYN practice, Pam Kozick, possibly one that will deliver our baby, taught tonight's first class.
We learned about the stages of labor.
We learned about relaxation and comfort tools to pack in our labor bag. I will pack one of my favorite DVDs, some favorite CDs, and snacks.
We learned the things that slow labor, like a poor coach and too many people in the delivery room, or lying down when I should be standing and rocking.
Jim has to remember to pack chapstick and massage oils without preservatives.
We learned about different labor positions, like all fours and slow dancing/leaning. I can ask for a birthing ball. I can get a bath or shower, I can even give birth on a birthing bar or squatting ( sorry for the too much info...but gravity is what gets a baby out).
We practiced a breathing technique. Jim learned about the things he needs to do closer to delivery day in order to help me progress.
Basically, my biggest goal in labor is to remain true to what my body is telling me to do and to make sure that anything that could make me nervous or concerned is taken out of my way. My coach has to remain positive and focused on me. Jimmy did really well with that tonight.
Hopefully, my mom will sit back and just watch what he does and follow his lead.
The midwives do not want any "spectators" in the delivery rooms. They only want helpers.
And, I like and agree with that. They believe that anyone in the room at any time during labor should be there to assist the mother with labor, not visit or "just have a look".
So, listening to their knowledge, I think that we will ask that everyone but Jim and my mom wait until the baby has arrived before driving to he hospital and pouring into the waiting room. I do not want people to come in and visit me. I am someone who likes to be alone when I am in pain. And, I dont like people to be around me asking how I am when I feel bad.
I have this idea of what is going to make me comfortable, and knowing that there are people waiting for me to deliver the goods is not going to help me progress, only make me more nervous.
We will explain that as kindly as we can to everyone before the big day.
Thursday is baby care class. I am sure we will get some helpful pointers for after baby is born that we will also decide to follow or not. My mom will be here for the first week to help.
For now, I am starting to visualize what my delivery day looks like. I am anxious for the second class. I am very appy with tonight's outcome.

Baby Shoes that I didnt make...but loved to receive

My friend Steph Kelley may be one of the craftiest ladies I know...and I have benefited from her craftiness time and time again. Yesterday, she stopped in to my open house with a special gift for myself and my friend Amanda...my favorite...baby shoes.

She knitted these Charlie Brown baby shoes.

I am ready or her to make 100 pairs of these for Baby S. Arent they the cutest little gift ever?

Thanks Steph as always for brightening my day with your little surprises!

As I Sit here in my easy chair with my feet up

And I listen to Jimmy snoring on the couch, with the dog curled up next to him, on this lazy Sunday, I realize more than ever that I am blessed. Our baby is kicking around in my belly, happy with the extra serving of bleu cheese potato salad that I have eaten. There are thousands of people wishing for something that simple everywhere in the world: Someone to love them, a roof over theirs heads and all the amentities ( including the dog), and a life growing inside of them, half me/half him. Please Lord, let me never again take those things for granted.

I cannot believe that I am just 12 weeks away from my due date. I remember when I prayed just to make it to 12 weeks, then prayed to make it to 24 weeks, always praying that this little life inside of me would continue to grow, despite all of the worries that we had during the beginning of our pregnancy, despite the emergency room visits and the bleeding, despite the "50/50" chance that the ER on-call doctor gave us at 15 weeks, despite the hematoma that has now disappeared could have brought for us, despite so many things. Here we are, the place where so many times I worried that we would never make it.

I am getting super excited for delivery day. I am ready to pack my suitcase and stick it next to the door. I am ready for the pain...I am preparing myself for the worst X 10. I am ready for Jim to be oblivious to how he can help me during delivery and to probably make me a little, ok ALOT, annoyed. I am ready for the birth plan to maybe go off course. I am ready for the loss of sleep, though I keep hearing that is something you are always amazed by. I am ready for the advice of everyone to become unnerving, even when they just want to be helpful.

I am ready for that moment when Jim takes my hand and I give that final push, and for him to walk into the waiting room and tell everyone that we love..."It's a _____! I am ready to stare into the eyes of the most important little person in the world to me. I am ready to count their fingers and toes and decide who they look like. I am ready to say their name out loud so that the doctors can write it own on their birth certificate. Lord, I am ready for this gift that you have given to us... it is so much bigger than I imagined it was, just 28 weeks ago.