This past weekend was what felt like our first official "all baby weekend." We had a shower with Kyle's family all day on Saturday and then an eight-hour birthing class on Sunday!

The shower was great. His family is amazing and there is definitely no shortage of excitement or love for Olivia. We came home with more then I could have ever imagined, including the car sear and the highchair! My favorite part of the shower, though, is that his sisters took a picture of the nursery to the cake woman and had her frost flowers onto the cake that look just like the flowers that are on the nursery walls. So touching.

Birthing class (I write birthDAY class almost every time I go to type this!) was long, but good. ALL day was a long time to spend in an itty-bitty education room at the hospital, but we were surprised how quickly the time passed. I guess when its information you feel like you not only want to have, but HAVE to have, you tend to be a little more engaged. All I know is that I'm thankful I wasn't the woman who's water broke DURING class! I guess not really DURING class, but on the dinner break from the class she was headed up to visit a friend in the maternity ward and her water broke on the elevator! She was 35 weeks. Needless to say that sent shock waves through our class. Talk about being at the right place at the right time, though, right?

As we approach 33 weeks, I'm feeling good. We've gotten most of what we wanted to get done before she is born and have a few more to check off the list (including the completion of our addition! -- hopefully!!) in these next several weeks. Although, Kyle keeps making me feel like we have less time then we probably actually do because he is convinced that Olivia is going to come early. Last night he asked me to start working on packing our bags for the hospital. I think his fear of that comes from several areas. He was 2 weeks early (because his mom was determined that he wasn't going to be born on his Christmas Eve due date and ruin Christmas for his older sister), my sister was 6 weeks early (my mom was 40 and considered high(er)-risk), a good friend of ours has been in and out of the hospital with pre-term labor contractions and their due date is the day before ours (her and her boyfriend have had lots of problems including her moving out for a time= lots of added stress), and then this woman from our birthing class! I'm not feeling the earlyness, but like he said...you never know, I guess.

Olivia. Thats going to be my little girl's name. Now that we have decided "for sure", it makes me feel like I know her even a little bit more. We've been trying it out at home and it feels just right:)

She's a little stinker already. Little Miss. Active that's for sure. The last two Drs appointments she has played hide-and-go-seek with the Dr's doppler. Literally, last week she moved five times before the Dr. could get a good read of her heartbeat! The Dr. was cracking up! I'm beginning to wonder if this is a small peek into my future. Her Daddy can't sit down for more than 5-minutes and I'm thinking she may have inherited that gene.

I just set up a "meet and greet" with the pediatrician we are interested in. Do you think I need to set up more than one? I've heard you should interview a few, but everyone raves about this practice so I'm assuming I'll feel the same way. Maybe thats not a safe assumption?

Left to do: washing clothes, attending all of our various classes, showers (!), pre-registering at the hospital, final preps!

By special request:) The ever growing belly...


11 weeks

16 weeks


23 weeks 3 days



28 weeks 3 days

And that was 2 weeks ago...I've definitely grown since then:)

So, I know its been awhile. Not sure if anyone is still paying attention - or ever really was (except you KP!) - but I figured some of this is for me so I should probably get back into it.

So, I'm closing in on Week 30. Wow. Its really sneaking up on me. For all the planning I have done and "prepping" I continue to do, it just seems like time just keeps going faster and faster. I'm not complaining, in fact, as I continue to get more and more uncomfortable I'm finally beginning to be able to picture, and look forward to, what its going to feel like going back to not being pregnant and, of course, meeting my little girl:)

We registered her for school this morning. Felt rather weird to be signing on the parent/guardian line. I don't quite feel like one of those yet, but I'm sure that, too, will sneak up on me. We are taking her to an adorable little center around the corner from our house that is owned by the Jewish Community Center. I wasn't really into the daycare idea, until I walked into this place. Its warm, the teachers are special, and best of all, it really feels like a school. She can go there until pre-K and then even after that for after-school and summer programs. One more thing checked off the list!

Next, a pediatrician. I have had several recommendations from friends and family so now I just need to figure out how to decide. I trust all of the people that gave me these tips so how do I know who to ultimately choose? If only the pedi. I had when I was kid was still practicing - I loved her.

I'm feeling pretty good, but definitely big. The belly is starting to get more and more cumbersome and, boy, am I a klutz. I've tripped, stumbled, and dropped things more times than I think I ever have in my entire life. And I definitely feel off-balance. That in combination with all of this snow and ice...sucks.

Happy New Year! It's a GIRL!

What a whirlwind the holidays were. Not only did we have the typical holiday madness, but we got to experience the joy of finding out that we are bringing a little girl into this world.

We ended up opening our envelope Christmas Eve, just the two of us. The excitement and anticipation had built up so much that we could hardly stand to wait another minute! It was such a surreal moment. The doctor had written a note that read "Two lines between legs GIRL, Merry Christmas:)". She had written GIRL large enough that both of us honed in on that life-changing word at the same time. Nothing could have been more amazing.

Inside the envelope were three pretty distinct pictures of her girl parts. The doc had them labelled for us and everything -- just in case.

Since then we have spent a lot of time in the nursery, putting together furniture, painting, putting up wainscoting, and I've been making adhesive vinyl wall art. Pics to come...

So, I'm counting down the hours until I get to find out whether my baby will be wearing dresses or suspenders (for those of you who don't know my dad -- the suspender thing runs in the family)! I keep playing that soon-to-be-moment over and over again just imagining what its going to be like. Obviously we will be SO thrilled either way, I just want to know!

Kyle has to bring home the envelope tomorrow night since hes off work Thursday and Friday -- how am I going to stay away from it?! Hardest. Two. Days. Ever.

I love feeling the baby kick. Its so relaxing and reassuring. I'll admit, there are times -- when I'm trying to sleep namely -- that I'd like it to cool it, but there really is nothing like it. Its getting to the point now that I can even see my belly giggle when it really gets going. I could stare at my belly for hours.

AND, we bought our first pieces of baby furniture last night. God bless Kyle. I started to get stressed last night when I realized the furniture I had originally picked out was junk. I hadn't really read the reviews I guess because once I did I realized quickly it wasn't the way to go. So, Kyle made me jump in the car at 9:00pm to "just go look" at Babies R Us. We ended finding the crib and a "baby" armoire that was on clearance. With the coupon I had, it was a deal that was meant to be.

Now we have the wainscoting on the wall and two of the four pieces of furniture and I love it. The nursery is starting to come together and I can start to picture my little one all cozy in there. Now, I just have to find out which way I'll be decorating!!

Kyle felt the baby kick! Not the most sentimental moment, but still a milestone.

We were in the $1 movie theatre (which costs $2 now) watching "The Hangover" and the baby was going crazy. He got to feel the "pop, pop" a couple times.

Very fun.