Let the FUN stuff begin!!

Tomorrow I'll be 34 weeks pregnant!  Do you know what that means???  That means only 6 more weeks until I get to see the most magnificent creation in this world!  I am getting so excited because I can't wait to see what she looks like.  As she's rolling all around, I find myself staring at my stomach wondering if those feet I feel will have the cute little toe like me and my grandmother or if that booty sticking out will be like Ryan's.  I even woke up in the middle of the night (of the many lately) and was watching Ryan sleep with his usual arm up over his head as I situated my one leg out of the covers and began to wonder if she will sleep like us.

Although it is from 2 weeks ago, here is an updated baby bump picture.  No big changes, but still the same size and still the same third trimester pains.  So all my life I've wondered what this "heartburn" pain is that I hear so many talking about....wonder no more Wendy!  TUMS have now become my new middle of the night companion on the way to my one of many bathroom trips.  Waking up 3 or 4 times in the night have made "REM sleep" something hard to come by.  Surprisingly, all her moving doesn't wake me up when I do sleep because I'm so tired.  Ryan said he puts his hand on my belly during the night while I'm asleep and feels her moving all around.  I guess when I can finally get some shut eye, a little rocking and rolling seems like nothing.

Last weekend, January 15th, my girlfriends from Tampa organized a baby shower for me.  I don't know how to even describe what a wonderful day I had.  My friends, Melissa Haas and Sara Kilborn, co-hosted the shower and you could see how much love and thought they put into every little detail!  Everything was an elegant pink and black (just like my wedding).  The food was delicious, along with the adorable cupcake deserts.  As each guest arrived, they used fabric paint and stencils to decorate and personalize a white onesie for Madelyn.  They all turned out soooo good!  Everyone had their own creative idea and she will look so adorable in them.  I can't wait to put them on her!  We played the game where you are given a diaper pin, but others can take it if they hear you say "baby" (which Teneille won).  We also played the game where you memorize the baby items on the plate and have to write them all down (which Jenny won) and Rosie's name was drawn from the diaper door prize cup.  Madelyn got some amazing gifts too!  It took Ryan and I so long to bring them in the house, the generosity was overwhelming…and as we were sorting and putting everything in the baby’s room (we haven’t finished the room yet so he kind of made stacks and organized things) we just kept looking at everything and smiling!!!  We couldn’t get over how loving and generous our friends are! Our little Madelyn is going to be one cute princess…and very loved! We can’t thank everyone enough. I’ll never forget the shower!

      

Today we did our hospital tour and I am so glad that we did it!  The nurse told us all about the hospital (St Joseph's Women's) and the process from the moment you walk into the door until the time you go home.  Everything was so high-tech; the waiting room has a TV screen with case numbers listed of C-section births and what stage the mother is in (pre-op, surgery, recovery, etc).  Perhaps it's just the hormones or maybe because I'm starting to get nervous about the big day, but I almost starting crying in the middle of the tour because there was so much information to absorb I was feeling very unprepared (the accountant in me was freaking out).  But Ryan was there and he knew that this part was going to have to be all him because the day of I'm sure not to remember everything from this tour.  We toured each of the areas/rooms and even got to see the newborn nursery!!!!  There were three brand new babies in there that were so cute; it made all the anxiety go away immediately.  Then the excitement returned  :o)

Tomorrow I have my 34 week appointment, which should be just as non-eventful as the last.  They will just check urine, blood pressure, weight and belly measurement.  However, since I'm now attending appointments every 2 weeks instead of 4, it makes delivery day seem not so far away.  After 36 weeks they will be weekly and then I'm sure to get really nervous if I know me best ;o)  I post again after my 36 week appointment with Crystal River shower details (January 29th) and nursery pictures (furniture getting delivered February 5th)!  YAY!  I can't wait for both!!!!