38 wks and 1 week to go

It's hard to believe that next week, if all goes well, we will have brought a living breathing baby into this world.  It's hard to imagine the emotions that we will feel that day, but I know they will be immense.  At the same time I remain a little anxious and held back as the delivery day approaches, as a defense mechanism I'm sure.  I do think everything will go well, but at the same time, I cannot be certain. 

The past few weeks I have been a little ill having had a stomach virus twice, (what luck?), and had to have an IV as I was dehydrated which caused contractions.  Luckily they were not true labor contractions and I'm not dilated or softening.  She needs to stay warm and cozy for another week!

Nick and I attended a baby care class last week along with three other couples:  a girl and her bestie because the father refused to attend such a class; a woman and her know-it-all husband who mentioned it is not necessary to set your water heater to 20 degrees prior to baby's arrival; and another couple about our age.  Nick turned out to be an outstanding swaddler.  The nurse was a little disappointing.  She asked our group, "Is this everyone's first baby?"  I looked at Nick and did not answer her.  In my mind I thought of Elizabeth McCracken's quote, "No, my first baby was stillborn," but I didn't want to get an F in the class, nor did I want to scare any of the other moms.  Plus, what did I know, maybe they were in the same boat as me. Before anyone answered the nurse said, "Well what would you be doing here if this was your second?" 

In the past few weeks I've attracted a lot of attention from strangers.  It's really weird!  I don't know how many times I've been asked if this is my first, and still I don't know how to answer that.  One lady in WalMart stopped mid stride and told me that I had to be having a girl because I was carrying so high.  I confirmed her belief and then she told me that she'd pray for me, but not for me, for God's will...

So in the next week we will be completing the baby's room.  Nick has worked so hard on the flooring and it's all starting to come together now.  I've finished packing for the hospital and doing what I can around the house (Nick tells me to rest but I'm antsy.)  One more week... I hope it goes by quickly!

Here's a 4d picture from our 37 week scan: 

The sonographer said she has a head full of hair, long legs and is healthy!  Her eyes are opened in this shot.

I think she's going to look a lot like her dad.  : )

32 weeks = 8 months

8 months and it is finally starting to feel like this is really going to happen!  Nick and I are really excited and just hope for a healthy delivery (which will be by C-section).  These past eight months have gone really smoothly.  The baby is progressing perfectly, and I've not been sick or too uncomfortable.  I will say that it is just starting to get uncomfortable when I try to go to bed at night, but nothing too bad.  All worth it of course.  It seems like it's been awhile since we lost Andrew, but I still think of him every day.  The other day I actually wondered if what happened with him would not have happened, maybe we wouldn't have this baby now.  And she feels so very special to us already. 

Last weekend was our baby shower with a few close friends.  It went really well.  My mom decorated and cooked all the food, and it was wonderful to have all of our very closest friends together. Kimberly and I made the cake the day prior (golden vanilla cake with homemade fondant icing.) 

The pictures of the caterpillar and butterfly cakes are from my family baby shower.

My family held a shower for me on January 22nd.  They utilized our theme (Eric Carle art) and decorated in hot pink and lime green.  The food was delicious.  My Uncle Randy made the butterfly cake, and my cousin Jacki made the caterpillar cupcakes.