I really thought that these last few weeks would be long and torturous, but they just seem to keeping  flying by! This week baby is the size of a...

*!&%?#%*&!?!?! A pumpkin!?! They're not playing around with the cute, dainty little produce items anymore! GEEZ...

What's Baby Up To? 

• Her lungs have strengthened and her vocal chords have developed so she's ready to start communicating (AKA crying... good times)! ;) 
  
• Her eyes are either blue, grey, or brown right now but once they are exposed to light they will change! 
  
• She could already have an inch or so of hair! (I predict that we will have  a little goldilocked, brown-eyed girl...!)
  

How's Mama?
Symptoms: Mild contractions, very uncomfortable at night, and some cramping... During the day, I'm usually pretty good. I'm most uncomfortable once I've laid down for bed. Also, I can tell that she is sitting a little lower these days! Especially while driving, when I can feel every. single. bump in the road. Ouch! But really, even though it's not the most pleasant, I truly thought this stage of pregnancy would be way more miserable than it has been! I really don't have too much to complain about! :) 

Cravings: It was watermelon yesterday... nothing yet today! But the night is young... ;) 

38 Week Bump Pic: 

38 Week Dr. Appt: 
Went to the doctor's office today during my lunch break! I have already progressed slightly in only 4 days time! I am now at 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced! Woohoo! This baby is on her way out! :) I asked my doctor how big she thought she was... she said at the moment she estimates that she is in the upper 6 lb range and doesn't think that she will be any bigger than 7.5 lbs at birth! Sounds good to me... ;) 

Unless my water breaks or I start having contractions that are 5 minutes apart then I will just check back in next Tuesday. She said from there we can schedule a possible induction, but I have a feeling my little pumpkin pie will be ready to come out and see the world sooner than that! 

Other than that Daddy and I are just making last minute preparations. My bags are packed and in the car! I just got word that the lady I wanted to be my long-term sub at work is available and is going to take over for me when I leave on Friday! Yay! Such a relief! :) Everything is falling into place and we are so very grateful! This has truly been a great experience and I am so happy that in just a matter of days we will have a precious baby girl in our arms as a sweet reward for all of our efforts! Feeling truly blessed...

Only 2 more weeks (or less) to go! :) 

I had my 37 week checkup yesterday afternoon and it went very well! Baby's heartbeat is still strong and my blood pressure is just fine. My doctor checked my cervix for the first time, and I had no idea what to expect from that. Would I have started to dilate or have shown no progress at all? I have heard that first pregnancies typically result in babies that go past their due dates and lots of miserable mamas. 

BUT, I am happy to report that I am already dilated 2 -3 cm and am 60% effaced! My doctor said that was really great for 37 weeks and for a first pregnancy. Now obviously I could stay at that point for another couple of weeks, but she said that it was a good place to begin at, because it will mean less time laboring once my water breaks or contractions begin. 

She also, of course can't be positive, but said that she thinks baby will be here a little earlier than her May 12 due date! :) Great news all around! Hoping that she'll stay put for one more week so that I can finish my last week of work, but we will gladly welcome her whenever she's ready. 

I'm getting my hair highlighted and toenails painted this weekend, so anytime after that will be just fine! ;)

I'm getting so excited! Good job baby girl! You are making this look easy! XOXO! 

Woohoo! We made it to 37 weeks! Baby is now considered full term, so we are pretty much good to go and would be happy to welcome her any day now. Did you hear that Baby Girl!?! ANY. DAY. NOW. :) 

This week baby is the size of a...

Um...yeah... that's a tad large. If you could go ahead and start making your way towards the exit, I would greatly appreciate it! ;) 

What's Baby Up To? 

• Spends her free time practicing inhaling, exhaling, sucking, gripping, blinking, and memorizing Taylor Swift lyrics.
  
• Gaining about a 1/2 ounce each day. 
  
• Most of her vernix, the waxy coating that was protecting her skin, has now been shed. Getting cleaned up for her big debut! :)
  
• Taking in mama's antibodies to protect her from germs during birth. 
  
• She has developed more dexterity in her fingers and can now grasp onto small objects. 
  
• Sucking her thumb. :) 
  

She still gets the hiccups several times a day and also enjoys working on her high kicks. She's big enough now, that I can pretty much pinch her little feet when she kicks me. Mason says I shouldn't because it will scare her, but I think she knows it's just mama playing a game with her! :) 

How's Mama?
Symptoms: Cramping, occasional contractions, back pain from sleeping uncomfortably, and pretty much everything you would expect from being 9 months pregnant. Also yesterday my hip joint felt like it was disconnecting from my body. That was fun. Apparently towards the end of pregnancy, a chemical in your body called "relaxin"makes your joints and muscles loose to help the baby make it's way out. It is not very "relaxin' ". 

Cravings: Tequila. Vodka. Absynthe. ;) only kidding... kinda...

37 Week Bump Pic: 

I wouldn't say I'm to the miserable point just quite yet... but if baby happened to make an early appearance, I wouldn't complain.

How's Daddy?
Doing everything he can to keep Mama happy, which he is doing a great job of! 
Monday after work he came home and fixed the stroller/car seat adapter after doing some extensive research on the matter! Yay! Baby girl, we are set for some power walks around the neighborhood!

And then I came home today, after a long day of STAAR testing and there was a package addressed to Mason on the front porch. I called him about it and he told me I could go ahead and open it! It was the Lilly Pulitzer weekender bag that I had so desperately wanted from Target on Sunday! He knew I was disappointed to miss out on it, so he found it on eBay and bought it for me! 

Yay!!! I was so happy!!! Now I have the cutest bag ever to take to the hospital! :) And I am now officially packed and ready so seriously, baby girl... whenever you're ready... bring it! Although, I do still need to get my hair highlighted and toenails re-painted so if you could wait until after Saturday that'd be great. K. Thanks! 

Also, an update on G-Daddy: His heart surgery was very successful! He is now at home recovering and regaining his strength. He'll need it if he is going to make the trip to Dallas to come meet his first grandchild! We can't wait! :)

Only 3 more weeks to go!

I've always known Mason was going to make a great Daddy! Our baby girl doesn't even know it yet, but she is one lucky lady to be his...

This weekend he really out did himself and proved he is already in the running for World's Greatest Dad! :) Here is just a sampling of his loving acts from this weekend: 

• He cleaned the house from top to bottom while Mommy proctored the ACT test on Saturday morning. He was not guilted into this, nor did I even have to drop hints for him to help out. I came home to a vacuumed and organized home and the refreshing scent of bleach! Ahh.... ;) 

• We spent a few hours of our Saturday afternoon at Babies 'R Us cashing in gift cards and pick up the remaining items that we needed from our registry. You haven't lived until you start spending your weekends at Baby Superstores...

• He spent the majority of Saturday evening helping Mama put together the stroller and the adapter that connects the car seat onto it... which is virtually impossible and was EXTREMELY frustrating! 

• Then this morning, I mistakenly thought my Target opened at 11AM, but it turned out that is was just when their pharmacy opened!!! So by the time I figured this out, I was one hour late to the Lilly Pulitzer for Target event. I rushed over to the Mesquite store thinking I'd have more luck there than at the Dallas one. To my dismay, however, the shelves were pretty much cleared. I sent Daddy a sad face text, and again without being asked... he jumped in his car, headed to the nearest Target, and started scouring the shelves for Lilly outfits for our girl and then sending me picture texts for purchasing approval! I mean if that's not proof of a great Daddy -to-be then I don't know what is! 
  

On the left: Mommy & Daddy's combined Lilly loot that our little fashionista will have to wait a few years to grow into. On the right: Aunt Keisha also scored baby a Lilly dress at a Houston area Target! Thanks Aunt K! :) 

Anyway, just wanted to let the world know how incredibly blessed I feel to have such a loving, caring, and supportive husband and I can't wait to see what an incredible Daddy he will make! Battling crazy ladies at Target for Lilly Pulitzer merchandise is just the beginning! :) 

XOXOXO!

Oh... why hello there, 9th month!  So good to finally see you. I MADE IT!  Baby will be here in LESS THAN A MONTH!!! Ahhhh! :) :) :) Yay!!!! This week baby is the size of a...

Sounds about right... It definitely looks like a giant honeydew has set up camp inside my womb!

What's Baby Up To?

• She's getting closer to being able to breathe on her own. 
  
• Her skin is getting smooth and soft and her gums are rigid.
  
• Her liver and kidneys are in working order. 
  
• Her circulation and immune systems are also good to go! 
  
• She has added some fat to her cheeks! Awwww! :) :) 
  
• Her ears are extra sharp these last few weeks! (Better cut down on the gangsta rap songs played in the car... ;) 
  
• Her weight gain will slow down considerably this week! Thank you Jesus! We are both running out of room around here...
  

How's Mama?
Symptoms: Leg cramps in the middle of the night that cause me to have to quickly jump out of bed and stand up  in attempt to get rid of them. The other night I fell out of bed doing this. Mason thought I just randomly fell out of bed! :) Other symptoms include heartburn still, some cramping, and what I'm pretty sure are Braxton Hicks. 

Cravings: Breakfast foods. We've eaten breakfast for dinner several times this week. And we haven't slowed down on our popsicle habit either. Although I've been opting for the healthier fruit pops instead of the cookie pops. After all, bikini season begins right around the time I give birth, unfortunately... and I'm not really a tankini kinda gal.

Weight Gain: 20ish pounds. 

36 Week Bump Pic: 

36 Week Doctor Appointment: We saw my doctor this afternoon. I was expecting her to start checking my cervix at this appointment, but she said that won't begin until next week. She just checked baby's heartbeat and pressed around on my stomach. She showed me where the baby's head was, right above my pelvis... so baby girl is definitely head down! Yay! Other than that it was another pretty uneventful checkup. Ugh...we are ready for the action to begin!!!

Yes, we still have a few loose ends to tie up before she gets here, but if they had told me today that it was time for me to head to the hospital I'd have happily leaped across the street into the delivery room! Not that I'm looking forward that much to laboring...I'm  just so ready to finally meet our little honeydew! :)

4 more weeks to go!!! 

On Saturday, March 28th my sweet friends Adrian, Tara, and Brittany hosted another beautiful baby shower for me!

With pink and gold glitter decor galore and even a hot pink tulle table skirt made by Adrian's mother! 

Isn't that pink chair the cutest!?! I can't wait to sit baby girl in it for her photo shoots while modeling her outfit(s) of the day! ;) 

Such a sweet shower surrounded by more of the people I love. Thank you so very much to my dear friends for planning such a fun time and for everyone that could join in celebrating our precious pink bundle of joy who will be here before we know it! XOXO!

Getting to this post a few days late, because there has just been so much going on! While I'm grateful that the time is flying... O M G is the time FLYING! Baby will be here before we know it! Ahhh! This week she is the size of a....

Or maybe just as heavy as a coconut? Who knows!?

What's Baby Up To? 

• Her hearing is now fully developed and she responds best to high-pitched noises. 
  
• Growing new brain cells daily! 
  
• Continuing to beef up! (Will still gain about a 1/2 lb a week) :)
  

Not too many other updates for baby at this point she is pretty much finished cooking...just still has a little more growing to do.  

How's Mama? 
Symptoms: Still feeling pretty sleepy! Looking forward to the weekend so I can catch up on my Zzzz's. Being uncomfortable at night has now become the norm and makes me wake up several times during the night...causing me to want to take a nap as soon as I get home from school. 

Also, my heart burn is still an issue even WITH my magical heartburn medicine that I take every morning. Other than that though, I'm still doing pretty good! :)

Cravings: Nothing special this week. Although the Taco Bueno I just sent Mason out to get me is sounding glorious right now! ;) 

35 Week Bump Pic: 

The past 12 days have been a whirlwind. We have had two baby showers (one hosted by my girl friends and one at my school), traveled to Austin for a friend's wedding (which was my last road trip before baby gets here), and celebrated Easter. 

I have also been extremely busy at school getting my students ready for the STAAR test, planning the 6th grade field trip, and working on making 5 weeks worth of lesson plans for my long term sub. 

I have about 50 thank you notes to write and a million tiny details left to take care of before sweet girl gets here. 

And then this week, my dad, baby's "G-Daddy", (who lives in San Antonio) went to the emergency room after having chest pains and shortness of breath. He will have to undergo a triple bypass/valve replacement surgery tomorrow morning. I absolutely hate not being there for him during such a difficult time. Prayers and positive thoughts are greatly appreciated for a successful surgery and a smooth recovery!

Baby girl you have a little less than 5 more weeks, but I know you will be here in the blink of an eye and we are all so ready to meet you! XOXO! 

WE HAD THE BABY!!!!

 April Fool's!! ;) I really wanted to pull a fast one on some family members today... but Mason said no. Psh... some people just don't know how to have a good time... :) Anyway - I'm at 34 weeks today and that's no joke. Things are starting to get real over here...

This week baby girl is the size of a...

See what I mean? Things are getting a little tight over here with a gigantic squash lodged inside my uterus. Good times...

What's Baby Up To? 

• Her fat layers, that will keep her warm once she is born, are filling out making her more round!
  
• Her skin is smoother than ever! (My little botox baby!) :)
  
• As she grows the amount of amniotic fluid in her sac is decreasing so we should be able to see her body parts... (Hmm.. that sounds equal parts adorable and frightening...)
  

She is really beginning to get a little aggressive with the movements. One night I tossed my phone up in the air because she moved one of her limbs across the lower part of my rib cage and it totally freaked me out! She's definitely starting to explore the outer boundaries of her little bubble, but I keep trying to push her back towards the center. ;) 

How's Mama?
Symptoms: A little more tired now. I usually feel ready for a nap by the time I get home from work. Sleeping is also getting a tad uncomfortable. Flipping sides in the middle of the night is a little more cumbersome with a 5 lb brick tethering you down. 

Cravings: Nothing new, although yesterday I impulsively decided to buy like 10 greek yogurts in a variety of flavors to taste test. I'll let you know the results... ;) 

Weight Gain: 19 lbs... blah... but my belly looks gigantic to me today, so I'm not surprised! 

34 Week Bump Pic: 

I am a full-fledged pregnant lady now! People stop to hold doors open for me, cashiers want to chat me up about my due date, and students whisper "She's pregnant!!" to each other when I walk into a classroom. It's not so bad, but I'm pretty ready to have my old body (and wardrobe) back. And to have baby girl here obviously... 

This past week, I have been trying to get all the things that I plan to take in my hospital bag purchased and gathered. I don't want to be caught off guard and have to wear some scrubby old pj's! I mean, I'd like to maintain a little of my dignity while in the hospital... from what I hear I'll have none left after the whole birthing ordeal. 

Mason also installed the car seat in my car on Sunday! I'm telling you - this is getting real folks! Yikes! But overall, we're pretty much ready. Just want to give our little muffin a few more weeks to finish maturing her little lungs and then we're ready when she is! :)

6 more weeks to go! (I can't even fathom how much bigger my stomach can grow in that amount of time...)