What a wonderful weekend!!

Sorry I have been MIA lately.  I definitely feel that I am struggling to keep up with blogging right now as there is SO much to do before puddin' arrives.  Plus, our internet connection at home has been crap (darn it, AT&T) lately.  However, it's working right now and I have a TON of pictures to share from one of the best weekends ever.

On Friday night 4 of my closest friends (and one darling, darling baby) arrived to spend the night in preparation of my baby shower on Sat.  We had a wonderful night hanging out, holding the baby, and catching up on life.  These are all of the "up north" girls, and I am always amazed that we can spend so much of our lives in separate places and still fall back into such wonderful friendships so easily. 

Saturday morning we were able to all get ready before all the guests arrived at 11:30.  We had fabulous brunch foods including mini crustless quiches (must get this recipe), 3 different kinds of muffins, fruit salad, and desserts galore.  There was lemonade, OJ, champagne, and fancy water.  I have to say it was all completely delish. 

With the 3 hostesses (and 3 of my 4 bridesmaids)

Preggers!  I'm 34 weeks this day and S is 24 weeks.  We were married 3 weeks apart and are having babies 10 weeks apart (plus we've been besties for 29 years!!)  (Oh yes, my belly is huge!!  I am measuring about two weeks ahead and it just keeps growing!  Yikes!  Not sure what I'll look like at the end!  It is also really, really high)

Sissy posing (just wait until you see what she made me for the shower- y'all are going to DIE!)

Baby Lucy!  She's 6 weeks old and just darling.  B changed his first dirty diaper over the weekend while she was here.  He also cudded with her for 2 hours on the couch- true love for sure.  He's so ready to be a daddy!  (Can I mention that Lucy's sibs are Eloise and Penn???  K&S have done a great job with their kids names!!)

An absolutely fabulous quilt made by one of my mom's best friends.  It's got a darling chick pattern on the back- I just love it!  Pud will love tummy time on this!

The shower was so wonderful.  I got to catch up with a lot of friends and Pud got some wonderful gifts.  We are definitely getting "set" for all that is to come.  The only thing we don't have a lot of is clothes which is fine b/c I want to know what sex Pud is before buying tons.  I definitely prefer pink or blue over yellow and green, so we'll just wait until the arrival to shop!  We do have a week's worth of gender neutral outfits until mom, B, or I can get out to get a few things.  Plus we have white onsies and blankets if Pud decides to spit up/poop on everything in the first day or two!

Saturday night my mom, aunt, cousin, and S all spent the night.  We had a low key dinner at home and just chatted until we were all exhausted.  B went to the local hockey game with his brother and sis-in-law who were in town for the shower and E&J.  They had a great time too.  Sunday morning my family all left after a good walk and we spent the afternoon with Blair's family watching basketball.  After a great dinner on the grill, E&J left.  N&K spent the night as they didn't leave until Monday morning, so we got to spend some more time catching up with them.  It was really nice. 

A wonderful weekend with family and friends.  I really couldn't have asked for anything better.  I was amazed by the generosity of people and the love I have for all those that were able to come.  It really was so special for me. 

Tech question

Does anyone out there have an iTouch?  I have CME $$ (continuing medical education) for work that I can spend however I choose and have to spend this year's before June.  I am attending a conference at the end of April however it costs next to nothing so I still have tons of leftover money.  I don't want an iPhone b/c work won't pay for the phone usage, and I have little desire to switch to AT&T ( I adore my tmobile account!), but the iTouch would be great for all the medical apps (lab values, pharmacology, asthma extenders, etc) plus I could use it for all my personal stuff as well. 

I just wondered if any of you have it and like it or if you have it and hate it.  I'm wayyyyyy behind the times in a lot of this techie stuff and would love any advice you all have!!  Also, we have a PC at home not a Mac, but this still works with it just like a iPod, right? 

Thanks, ladies!

Feeling (slightly) better

Ladies, I must thank you for all your kind and supportive comments from my last post.  It wasn't the easiest to write as I had no idea what to expect in response when I put it out there.  All of you were so nice in expressing your thoughts, and I really appreciated all of you telling me how you did during labor.   We need to make some decisions now and hearing all your thoughts has helped me to realize that one way or the other, I can do this and the prize at the end is totally worth it. 

In other news, we had a great weekend here.  Friday night we went to a friend's house for dinner and another college friend came over with her two kids as well.  There were 5 adults and 4 (and 1/2) kids there and we had a great time catching up.  Saturday B ran in a 5K and finished in 24:22.  That is BY FAR his fastest time ever.  I'm so proud of him.  There is a 25K on my due date (cuz who really delivers on their due date?) that he's going to sign up for (it's about 15.5 miles) and he's, hopefully, going to do that at sub-10 minute miles as well.  I have a feeling he'll do it around 9:30s.  He's come so far in his running, and I love that he's found such joy and structure in it.  We spent the rest of the day cleaning around the house and then had 4 other couples over for our "supper club" dinner.  The theme this time was Irish Fest.  We hosted, so we were in charge of the main dish.  We ended up making the Shephard's Pie from Gourmet and it was soooo delish.  Everyone loved it.  Actually, all of the dishes were good.  We all had a great time eating, drinking, and watching basketball.  Quite a few people did Irish Car Bombs- ugggg.  I wouldn't do them even if I wasn't preggers.  They do not appeal to me at all. 

This a.m we went to church and then my brother and his girlfriend came down.  There here now with their darling pup, Bella.  We went to lunch and have just been hanging out since.  I'm going in the kitchen next to start dinner (Lemon Chicken with pasta and asparagus).  It's so nice to see them.  They brought Pud some darling gifts.  So sweet!  I can't wait til it's here and can use them!

Also, I had an apt with the midwife on Friday and it went really well.  They baby is still measuring two weeks ahead, consistent with where it has been.  We were able to feel where the head, back and feet were.  It's actually head down already!  My weight is good (thank goodness for that!!) and the heartbeat is great.  Really, it's just a downright healthy, growing baby.  Two weeks until our next apt.  At this time we're 33 weeks along, so I just have to imagine that we're pretty much good to go now!  Yea!!

So, that was our weekend - fun (with lots of basketball- Go DUKE!!).  Hopefully you all had a great weekend as well.  I can't wait to read tomorrow morning and catch up with you all.  And, honestly, I really, really do appreciate all of your kind words from my freak out post!!!  Mwah! 

No way, no how, this is NOT happening.

Warning:  This is NOT a light and fluffy post

So, we started our childbirth classes last week.  They meet for four weeks, two and a half hours each and you go over all the things you would think you need to know about- stages of dilation, stages of labor, pain meds, all the new baby stuff, monitoring, breathing, positions, care of the mom after, etc, etc.  I've been a pretty non-plussed pregnant woman for the most part.  Not much of this really phases me.  The first time I had contractions (just Braxton Hicks!!), B thought I should call the midwife on call just to make sure I was okay, and I totally blew it off.  I waited until the next day during clinic hours b/c I didn't want to disturb her at home (I take call and I know how it can be).  Even though I had a few long ones and more than 6 in an hour (both of which are stuff you are supposed to call for), I knew I was feeling fine and not in labor, so I didn't call. 

I always knew I wanted to have a midwife, and I wanted to have a relatively natural delivery.  I am definitely not one who is going to walk into the ER knowing that within an hour I'll want an epidural.  I've always been relatively open to having the baby drug free, and also aware that you never know what will happen, so you kind of have to take everything that comes at you.  Really all I think about is that I want to deliver a healthy baby and will do whatever it takes to make that happen. 

So, tonight we go to class and we're watching the second birthing video.  Last week's- no biggie.  I've seen the actual labor and birthing process twice (in nursing school), so I have a good idea of what happens.  This week - HOLY CRAP.  The video scared the living daylights out of me.  I don't know if it's because it's so imminent and getting very, very real, or if it's because the one they showed tonight was more in "real" time (ie- it showed her starting her labor at 4 p.m. and working all the way through her actual delivery at about 2 in the a.m (and 10 hours isn't far from average)).  Plus, she did this completely naturally, so you could see the pain in her face, in her body, in her hands.  It was truly a wonderful video in that it was incredibly realistic, honest, and showed all the true aspects of labor and delivery.  I wish I could do a better job of describing it to make you all realize how scary this was.  I am FREAKED OUT.  I have no idea how I am going to go through this process and make it out on the other end alive.  I wish I could say that I realize that I am being overly dramatic, however, I left the class crying because I am now so scared about the delivery.  I love this baby and want this baby, but I don't want it to come out of me.  No way. 

Have any of you delivered without an epidural?  Can you PLEASE leave me a message so I can shoot you an email?  Most of my friends have had c-sections or used an epidural, and while I'm not necessarily against them, I wasn't originally thinking that way, and if there is anyone else out there who went natural, I would love to know.  Also, any words of encouragement (or telling me that I am completely crazy and need help!!) would be appreciated.  I know that women have been doing this for thousands of years and do this all over the world without assistance from drugs, doctors, etc but that is rational thought, and right now this brain of mine is not being rational.  It's just too terrified. 

(Can I add that my mom is in Guatamala right now on a mission trip for two weeks, so I can't talk to her about this?????  Why this of all weeks?  Sometimes you just need to talk to your mom, you know?)

Prenancy updates

1.  We're 32 1/2 weeks along.  7 1/2 weeks to go! 

2.  I'm measuring two weeks ahead and have been for awhile.  It doesn't mean much apparently.  Per the midwife, it doesn't mean I'll deliver early and it doesn't mean I'll have a big baby.  They don't worry at all unless I start measuring 4 weeks ahead. 

3.  We've done two childbirth classes and a breastfeeding class (more on that in another post)

4.  My shower is at the end of the month.  I cannot wait to see my friends and family!  They're all coming here, and I'm super excited to show them the nursery and the house since most of them haven't been here yet.

4.  I got a darling black and white dress for said shower.  I really like it and will probably wear it the next week to church for Easter as well. 

5.  I wish we had another ultrasound- I'd love to see what Pud looks like now.  I do have to say that if we had another one, I'd have a really, really hard time not finding out the sex.  I'm DYING to know now. 

6.  We bought two packs of diapers over the weekend.  Yikes!  First foray into that world.  Does anyone have opinions on brands that they want to share?

7.  What were your favorite sleepers/jammies for the first 3 months?  I'm starting to get to the point where I need to think about what Puddin is going to wear, and I know that in the first 3 months Pud won't be in much more than sleepers.  (Though it is going to get a frickin awesome 4th of July outfit!!!!  I cannot wait to pick that out!!!)

8.  I'm starting to have backaches towards the end of the day now.  It must be the weight bowing me forwards.  I'm trying to have good posture (or at least think about my posture quite often!).  I'm also waking up a lot in the middle of the night to change positions from side to side to side again.  I usually don't have to get up to go to the bathroom until 5:30 or so, so that's a bonus!!

9.  Today Pud was moving around like crazy.  LOVE it.  Though sometimes I have to push on it a little bit to get it out of my ribs (and B seriously thinks I'm going to smoosh it), I could literally lay around and just focus on my belly and feel it.  It definitely absorbs you and sucks you in.  It makes you love it!!!  I cannot wait to cuddle with it when I also don't have to hold onto my own belly at the same time :)

Reason #1,000,672 why I love my husband

Because when mom's not looking, he does the sweetest thing ever!!

(This is on the inside of the dresser drawers in Pud's dresser)

A litte background.............

Blair and I aren't very cheesy (or schmoopy as he would say) in general; however, occasionally when we say I love you, we'll add "Lots and lots?" and the other will say "forever and ever".  So imagine my surprise when I open up the dresser one day to find out that he painted the insides white and then bought stencils to spell out this saying for Pud.  Seriously, I love this man!!!!!!!!!  He's going to be such a wonderful daddy!

But I NEED it............................

So, I can't post the actual picture on here (the website won't allow it), but I need you all to see this picture that I am absolutely in love with.  I truly, truly want it for pud's nursery.  There are two thing that are stopping me.  One, it's obviously a girl in the painting and we don't know what we are having.  Two, we already know we want a monogram over the crib, and that is the only spot in the room for a piece of art.  Oh, we also would like another piece of his work to hang above our mantle, and right now, we absolutely cannot afford two giclees in the sizes we would want. 

BUT, STILL, I WANT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I swear I look at this picture at least every two weeks.  Sooooo, I want to put it out there for any of you to pick up if you have a baby girl and she is the delight of her daddy's eye or if you are going to have a baby girl someday, star this one in your reader as I think nothing could be cuter!!!

hramiec hoffman is the artist (he's a local artist in our "up north" wonderland) and the painting is called Daddy's Home (near the bottom if you hit all paintings).  Doesn't it just steal your heart???  Can you see why I am just so in love???  Fisherdog is also perfect for those who love Goldens- it's too cute!! 

There are a few we are considering for above the mantel (but really I'd love two for above the couch too).  Ahhhhh, I only wish I had an unending supply of cash.  Alas, staying within our budget and saving for college are MUCH more important!!!

Have I told you?????

That I am 85-90% sure this baby is a little boy?  I'm not exactly sure why, but I just have stronger boy feelings than girl feelings. 

ie- Love boy announcements, can't find a girl one that I'm drooling over
I think the 20 week ultrasound has more of a "boy" look than a girl look
The nursery is blue
Pud is measuring bigger than the week (I'm 31 weeks right now yet it is measuring at 33 weeks), and I'm likely to think that boys measure bigger than girls (though I have NO scientific evidence to back this up)
Boy names are SUPER easy for B and I and girl names are much harder.
B and one of the besties have both had dreams in which I had a boy.
Plus, boys seem to be all the rage lately.  I know many more people having boys than girls.

So, that's my story.  I will truly be shocked in the delivery room if they tell me it's a girl (excited of course, but SUPER shocked).  Soooooo, what do you think?  If you didn't find out with your kids, were your feelings right?  Do any of my justifications above make you agree with me?

Okay, so this is REALLY weird.  After I wrote this post two women in the hospital on separate occasions asked me when I was due and what I was having.  When I told them I didn't know, both of them said "Oh, it's a girl".  One lady has worked in day care and has taken care of over 100 kids and she said she has never once been wrong regarding the sex.  I said "really?  I have more boy feelings than girl feelings" and she said "honey, don't fool yourself.  It's a girl."  Weird, weird, weird.   

Photo tag!

MCW tagged me to play along in a photo tag. 

Here are the rules:
Open your 1st Photo Folder
Scroll to the 10th photo
Post the photo (no cheating) and the story behind it
Tag 5 or more people

Picture #10 for me was a close up of part of my wedding bouquet.  I wasn't thrilled with my bouquet or my bridesmaids' bouquets when they arrived at my house.  They were definitely not what I asked for or expected.  Luckily the bestie's dad has an awesome garden and let me steal hosta leaves from his garden to collar the bouquets (as I had originally requested from the florist), so we took apart all the bouquets and re-did them.  They ended up looking great and I was happy in the long run after everyone helped calm me down and solve the crisis!!

Okay, girlies, now it's your turn to participate!!

One Preppy Day 

HB & HB

Mrs Preppy (hoping it's a pic of baby A!!)

Pink in a Sea of Blue

Pink Preppy Lilly Lover

Family heirlooms

This cradle was made by my mother the summer before she delivered me.  She was a teacher and had the summer off so decided to make a cradle for her first baby who happened to be me.  It has now been through me, my brother, 5 of my cousins, and 5 family friends.  Definitley well used and well loved.  It's still in wonderful condition and is as sturdy and safe as one built today would be.  I got a new mattress for it, but the sheets and the blanket hanging on the back are also original to the crib. This will stay in our room next to the bed until it's time to move Puddin into it's real crib.  I cannot wait to lay our babe into something so precious.  I'm hoping it'll like the rocking motion! 

(Yes, I am aware that babies should not sleep with loose blankets.  Don't worry- it's a cuddling blanket for Pud and mom!)

Tagged!

Elle over at The Complete Prep (love her) tagged me with the Happy 101 Award in which I am supposed to list 10 things that make me happy and to try to do at least one of them today.  Then I'm supposed to tag ten of you to do the same, so here goes:

1.  Easter Candy :)

2.  The sunshine.  It's been sunny and warm (high 40s) here for the last 3 days, and I am LOVING it.   Seriously, ladies, spring is coming!!  I'm hoping that there are daffodils planted somewhere in our yard- we'll see!!

3.  Watching golf with B on tv.  It's always sunny, warm and green wherever the golfers are, and I adore rating the golfers on their outfits (PS- Anthony Kim- get rid of the weird rhinestone belt buckle- monograms are a wonderful thing, but not when they done in rhinestones around your waist!).  Only a few weeks until The Masters!!!!!!!!!!!

4.  Feeling Puddin' kick.

5.  Being able to put my feet up after a long day.  I have definitely realized the benefit of relaxation in these past few weeks.  Stretching, too!

6.  An amazing husband who is fantastic in the kitchen.  Last week he made ribs in the smoker and then finished them under the broiler.  They were SO good.  He definitey impresses me weekly with his culinary skills.

7.  A good back scratch

8.  The Amazing Race

9.  Water (drinking it and being around large bodies of it)

10.  Duke Basketball!!!  ACC tourney this week and then it's on to March Madness.  There is a good chance they'll get a #1 seed - if they win the tourney, it's pretty much a sealed deal!! 

Tell me, what makes you happy????  Springtime?  Easter?  Good meals?  Puppy dogs?  A great deal on a Lilly dress??  I hope you can think of at least one thing on this Monday morning!

My Easter Candy Downfall

One of the docs brought two big bags of the Cadbury Mini Eggs into the office today.  DEFINITELY my Easter candy weakness. The hard shells, the creamy chocolate, yumminess x 10.

 Well, that and

black jelly beans.  Don't make fun- I think it's an inherited trait as both my grandmothers LOVE these as much as I do. 

What are your favorite Easter candies???

Fun feature

My cousin, Sarah, is an amazing graphic designer.  She lives in Philly but works for a company out of San Francisco (where she lived for a few years before moving out east for her husband to go to med school and residency).  She designed our Save the Dates for our wedding, our wedding invitations (still make me drool), and our moving announcement.  While she definitely has more modern taste than my uber-preppy, traditional self, her ability to translate my ideas onto paper is amazing.  I don't even have to give her much direction as she just "knows" how things are supposed to look and then does it.  I love that she can vary her work from one style to another seemlessly. 

I'm so excited to let you all know that she was featured in a blog this week and show you her work. 
Oh So Beautiful Paper (a new blog to me) featured her save the dates as well as her wedding invitations.  I'm so proud of her work and just wanted to share with you all!! 

If you want a completely custom invitation or announcement for anything, I would definitely recommend contacting her.  Yes, she's my cousin, but she's also amazing at what she does!!

Any good suggestions?

My baby shower is the last weekend in March, and I need to figure out what I am giving the hostesses.  I have a few ideas in mind (that I cannot share here as they occasionally read) but would love to know what you think constitutes a good hostess gift for someone who is throwing our puddin the most awesome party! 

All three of the hostesses were bridesmaids in the wedding- for that gift I gave them Herve Chapelier totes, pearl earrings, and monogrammed stationary. 

Please, please share your thoughts, ideas, or things you have previously done/received that have gone over well.  Thanks so much!!