So sorry -- 5 months!

I'm so sorry. I've been neglecting this blog. I'm horrible. Horribly busy that is! Busy adoring the most perfect baby boy ever made. I could spend hours just staring... and I do, which leads to not blogging. Sorry... :/

Anyway, where to start...

In 5 days, James will be 5 months old. How the heck did that happen? How is my sweet tiny baby already turning in to a little man. It makes me sad, but at the same time I love watching him learn about this big world around him. He has such a fun personality and I love seeing it develop.

Some milestones:

• We've mastered rolling from his back to his stomach. Rolling from his stomach to his back is a bit more challenging as his stubborn arm likes to get in the way, which makes him MAD.
• We can sit up for quite a while, but it's kind of a super hunched over sitting up... We'll get there.
• He likes to stand up and has REALLY strong little legs. I have a hunch he's getting a Jumparoo for Christmas, so that will REALLY make him happy.
• We have two tiny little teeth buds trying to pop out. They don't really seem to bother him too much but he likes to chew on ANYTHING and drools like crazy. We soak through multiple bibs each day.
• We are now in Size 3 diapers.
• We have started Rice Cereal and our first fruit was apple sauce. We will try pears in a few days.
• He was sleeping really well, but I believe we are now experiencing "4 month wakeful." His typical night is go to sleep 8-8:30, wake up 11:00, eat, go right back to sleep, wake up 3:00, eat, go back to sleep, wake up 6:00, eat, go back to sleep if it's the weekend and get up for good between 7:00-8:00. If it's a workday, we get up at 6ish. Not too bad and he goes right back to sleep, but he was doing a LOT better a few weeks ago and only waking up once... I hope that comes back soon.

His favorite things:

• the boob
• his peek-a-boo animal book. He gets SO excited.
• His fishy play mat, he loves grabbing the dangling toys.
• The light up little Einstein toy... aka Baby Crack. Crying babies are INSTANTLY quieted by this amazing toy... Seriously. You must have.
• FOOD. Anytime anywhere... feed me.

Most recent stats (as of 4 month appt on 11/13)
Weight: 14 lbs. 5 ozs. (he's gained 6 lbs.)
Height: 25.75 inches (he's grown 5.25 inches)
Head Size: 16.5 inches (his head is 2.5 inches bigger)

I think that's the major stuff. Other than that, he is just perfect. His coos and laughs are the best. He is such a calm and happy baby. People are always telling me he's the most well-behaved baby they've ever seen. He only cries when he's hungry or tired.

I knew as a mother I'd love my baby. But I had no idea it was this overwhelming all encompassing love. Life has so much more meaning and everything you do is for this little person. It's been an amazing 5 months. He's taught me so much about him and about myself too. I can't wait to continue growing with him!

Anyway, I'll work on getting better about the posts. :)

I am defeated.

All this time I've been taught about Darwinism and survival of the fittest. If it's true, why are there so many stupid people on this planet? And why are they allowed to reproduce? Enlighten me please!

So...

I feel like the worst blogger ever. If you don't know, I've started a daily photo blog so that you aren't completely out of the loop from my lack of blogging. You can see daily pics of the boy if you're interested at www.elysiaandthejamess.posterous.com. It's blogging I can do from my phone which just makes life easy, right?!

So, an update on us. James will be 3 months old this coming Thursday. I can't believe it. He's changed so much in such a short period of time, and it feels like he's always been with us. It's SO AMAZING. He has such a funny personality and it's starting to shine. He is holding full on conversations with me on a daily basis... what can I say, I have the smartest child alive. Of course our conversation is of me talking to him in annoying baby talk and him making cooing and coughing noises back at me, but it's adorable none the less. I recorded it today, but apparently I can't upload the file. Sad! It's probably a good thing though, I don't need to embarass myself by letting you hear my annoying babytalk voice. :)

But, as far as Mommyland goes, he's so amazingly and totally adorable and incredible. That is probably the worst sentence ever, but it's so true. I was meant to be his Mom. He's perfect.

I've been back at work since the end of August and am only working part time. I'm working out 3-4 days a week in an effort to find my pre-baby body somewhere. So far, it's hiding, but I will find it. :) I walked the Susan G. Komen Phoenix Race for the Cure 5K with some of my awesome ladies from work and it was a lot of fun. I'm going to try and build up my stamina to be able to finish the 13 mile Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon in January. Not committing yet, but I'm considering.

But anyway, Jimmy and I are planning our birthday party in the NEW HOUSE for Saturday the 24th. It should be fun, and I suppose I should mention we are all moved in to our amazing new house. So-- life is good. Best baby ever, new house, and a fresh start to another year. I can't believe I'm almost 25... phew. It's been a LONG year, but I'm loving where we've ended up.

I'm ALIVE.

I promise, I'm still here. I've been absorbed into the world of James. :)

He's 7 weeks old today! My god how time flies.

I'm back at work as of last Tuesday. I'm working 3 day weeks Tues-Thurs and am loving my 4 day weekends. If all goes well, we should be able to swing my part-time schedule until my FMLA expires beginning of December. I love love love being home with him, so being able to do this and be with him until he's 5ish months old is awesome.

So, let me tell you about my little man. He's amazing. Everyone tells me how beautiful he is. And they are sure to clarify that babies are not normally cute, but he really REALLY is. And I know it. He's Smart too! If I stick my tongue out at him, he will stick his out too... smart cookie right there. He's starting to smile and trying to laugh although it sounds more like a cough. The cooing sounds he makes are to die for! The kid only cries when he's tired or hungry and he will shut up the instant you stick a boob or a bottle in his mouth or swaddle him (depending on if he's hungry or tired, although the boob works to shut him up no matter his issue. :))

I'm so incredibly in love. I now know what this is all about. He is the reason I'm here and I couldn't be happier. Jimmy and I are adjusting to our new reality and it is perfection.

I will try to be better at uploading pics. I send them to my Mom daily.

Here is one from earlier this week - 6 weeks old.

A Week in Pictures

After 16 hours of labor, he's FINALLY here! Mommy looks like a HOT mess. :)

My beautiful boy.

Kisses from Daddy.

After his first bath!

The most precious boy in the world.

James' Birth Story

Jimmy and I went to the hospital at 9:00 PM on Tuesday, July 14th to begin our induction. After checking in and getting settled into the room, I was hooked up to an IV and to the external fetal and contraction monitors. At about 10:00 PM they gave me the first round of gel to begin to soften my cervix. When we checked in, I was dilated to about 2 centimeters and was still thick. I was given another dose of the gel three hours later at 1:00 AM, I had dilated a little more to 3-4 centimeters, yea for progress. I was supposed to receive another round of gel at 4:00 AM, but the nurse on call was in a delivery so I wasn't seen again until a new nurse came on the clock at about 6:45 AM. By then I was at 3 cm so they started the pitocin drip. I began to feel stronger contractions pretty much immediately. They were strong, but still relatively irregular.

An hour later at 8:00 AM, I was at almost 4 centimeters and the Dr. broke my water. The contractions immediately became worse and the Dr. told me I could request the epidural at any time. I was able to hold out for about another hour, but requested the epidural around 8:45. The anesthesiologist took a little while, but I had the epidural by 9:30 and was feeling much better. As soon as I was given the epidural I was put on oxygen. The nurse said it was just how the anesthesiologist preferred to do things, it was fine with me, but I didn't like the plastic smell. I was able to cat nap for a few hours and enjoyed my company. Jimmy's Dad and stepmom had come by to keep us entertained and we all just hung out for a bit.

At about 11:30, Jimmy and his Dad decided to venture out to get lunch nearby. The hospital food wasn't appetizing for them... The nurse came in to check me at a little past 12:45 and said I was at 9 centimeters. No one was expecting that, especially not me! Jimmy's stepmom immediately called Jimmy and his Dad and told them to get back here (they'd been gone almost an hour and a half). As I was being checked, the nurse had lost the babies heartbeat on the monitor from having me shift sides and all of a sudden three nurses ran into the room. Everything was fine, but it freaked everyone out a bit. The nurse propped me up in bed a bit to try to help him wiggle a bit further down the birth canal before we started to bear down. At about 2:00 she checked me again and I was at a full 10 centimeters. She had me prop up even more and turn on my left side to try to get him down lower. She came in about 20 minutes later to shift me to my right side, but every time we tried to have me lay on my right side his heart rate would drop, so we stuck to the left.

At 3:15 it was finally time to push! The nurse and Jimmy were the only ones in the room and he was thrown head first in to the action which he totally wasn't expecting. He was holding my leg and although he swore he would never watch, he ended up having a front row seat and couldn't seem to help himself. He kept looking and telling me the progress, he was an awesome cheerleader. After about 20 minutes of bearing down, the Dr. finally came in and got prepped. It was game time and my epidural had started to wear off. GREAT! I couldn't feel major pain, but the pressure was unbelievable. His heartbeat would drop drastically with every push and the Dr. and nurse would stop and watch the monitor to make sure it would come back up. It always did, but I was seriously freaked that at any moment they were going to yank me into the OR for an emergency c-section.

The Dr. told me that the cord may be around his neck or that the cord may be getting cramped in the birth canal so we needed to make the next few pushes really count and get him out ASAP. That was all the motivation I needed. I pushed like crazy and at 4:02 PM on Wednesday, July 15th, our little James Scott Labita was born. He was 8 pounds, 5 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long. With all the stress at the end of the delivery, he had ingested some meconium and had to have his lungs suctioned out. They let me hold him for a few minutes, but had to take him back to the nursery to keep an eye on his lungs and watch for any congestion from the meconium. They brought him back within about half an hour and said he looked perfect!

We were in the hospital until Friday afternoon and when we checked out he was down to 7 pounds 15 ounces. As of our first pediatrician visit on Monday, 7/20 he is back up to his birth weight at 8 pounds 5 ounces and is doing absolutely perfect! Breastfeeding was a bit rocky in the beginning while we both got the hang of it, but now he eats like a champ and the Dr. said he will be gaining about an ounce a day.

We have to go in tomorrow for his circumcision. With the stress from delivery, the Dr. preferred to wait until about a week to make sure he was in good health before putting him under any more stress. I prepared for a fussy baby for the next few days and I know I'm going to cry with him tomorrow. Wish us luck.

We are so absolutely and completely in love.

I'm having some issues with blogger, but will upload some more pics as soon as I can. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers, we are truly blessed with this amazing little boy!

He's Here!

James Scott
Born 7/15/09 at 4:02 PM
8lbs. 5ozs.
20 1/2 inches

More details and pics to come soon.

The End is Near!

My ticker says 4 days. I have shown NO signs of going into labor on my own. My body seems to be perfectly content holding this little man in me forever... If our little monkey doesn't decide to come on his own by Tuesday, I am scheduled for an induction Tuesday night at 9PM which means he will be here anytime between now and Wednesday.

In no more than 5 days we will have our baby. AH!!!

The Unprofessional World we live in...

I've thought about writing this particular entry for a long time... and since I'm bored today at work, here goes.

I've always known that I would go to college. It was never a question. My Mom had it instilled in me at the age of four that I needed to get good grades so I could go to college and be successful in life and it just was. There was never the option for me to not. And I loved school, so it was never a challenge. I knew that if I worked hard and got good grades, I'd go to college and be get a good job and make lots of money... haha... haha... ha.

No seriously. I thought that was the magic ticket. Good Grades = College = Good Job = Money/Success.

I also had this idea of grandeur that those illustrious careers held by all those college graduates were straight of the movies. Fast paced environment, uber professional, highly motivated, amazing companies with cool perks.

I've now been out of school for 3 1/2 years. Can I just say how wrong I was.

I graduated in December of 2005. We moved to Arizona at Christmas time and I had a job by January 4th. At an ad agency no less. SCORE! Yea, not so much. My boss was a NIGHTMARE and I immediately began to wonder, what the H is going on, this is not what this is supposed to be like, I worked my butt of to be here, why am I being treated like I'm stupid... This was more related to my boss than the job itself, but I digress.

Regardless, the last three years or so have taught me a few things.

1) Going to college will not make you rich... In fact, it will make you broke.
I went to school out of state. I went to one of the best Communication schools in the country and have a degree from the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication with an emphasis in Advertising. Meaning I had to learn all disciplines in Communication including the basics for broadcast, journalism, public relations, organized communication and advertising, but my main focus was advertising. This school has over 2,000 applicants to the school every semester and less than half are accepted. The ones that are not accepted after their sophomore year usually change to a "general education" major because by then, it's too late to refocus their studies. My advertising classes were HARD. I presented to actual company executives using actual budgets and actual campaigns that they then went on to select and use in the real world. It was intense... I loved it. My total education cost upwards of $110,000. While I had a lot of financial aid and scholarships, my portion of this was nearly $60,000. I deferred loans for a year, but now pay between $300-$500 EVERY SINGLE MONTH. For 20-30 years. Ouch. No one tells you that you will come out of college with more debt than you realized was possible. No wonder our youth are doomed from the start.

2) Going to college does not put you in front of the pack, it simply makes you eligible for the job.
Where you went to school and what you have your degree in mean NOTHING. As long as you can say I have a Bachelor's degree, employers don't give a crap! What do they really want... EXPERIENCE. What is the one thing you don't have when you're fresh out of college... EXPERIENCE. See my issue with this? How can you get experience if no one will give you a job??? No one tells you about this life dilemma in Sociology 101...

3) The "Professional" world doesn't exist.
You go through life thinking about working for these amazing companies and that the executives and employees of these companies must be so skilled and smart and have such amazing talents to be so successful. When in fact, these people have survived and thrived due to good luck and poor morals. These people are successful because they are good at deceiving people and tricking clients and consumers into thinking they know more than they do. I'm appalled on a daily basis at the lack of professionalism in the industry I'm in. I have no idea how some of these people have been working in professional environments for 20+ years and don't seem to have basic people skills. They can't write emails. They can't and aren't willing to learn and adapt to new changes in the industry and in technology. I'm baffled... daily.

4) Success is Luck.
You can work your pretty little butt off. All day and all night long. The man next to you can be lazy as a cow. But the boss man likes him. They're buddies. He gets the promotion. You don't. Such is life. It sucks and it's not fair, but I'm learning that this is more and more the case. And not just in my industry, this seems to be fairly common no matter your field... explain me that por favor.

Anywho, I think that's the end of my rant for now. Per request, I will be highlighting "Tips" every so often which will be inspired by my run ins with some of the aforementioned people. It should get entertaining. I have a few examples I will post about in a bit. :)

Huh.

Did you know that this is the difference in brain development in 4 weeks at the end of pregnancy? Fascinating. Our bodies do amazing things growing these little people.


http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/240_48590.asp

I'm STILL here.

I'm still here (at work) and Jace is not here yet. 39 weeks. I know I'm not due until next week, but GET HIM OUT OF ME! I can't sleep AT ALL. The first thing people say to me is "You look so tired." Yes I know I do. That's what happens when you can't sleep because you can't get comfortable and you have contractions all night long. But said contractions are not strong enough and not regular enough to be anything more than annoying. And add to that the fact that you have to pee 5 times every night and getting out of bed requires more effort than you thought possible... and last night the neighbors dog decided to bark until almost 1 am...

But anyway. Here we are. 39 weeks. I can officially say, I'm due next week. AH! Last week, the Dr. said they won't let me go past 41 weeks, so I suppose it's comforting to know that I won't be pregnant for any longer than 15 more days. At the most. But dear lord I hope it's FAR FAR less than that. The thought of having a baby scares the holy bejesus out of me, but the thought of being pregnant much longer makes me struggle with sanity.


On the bright side, this means I will see my Mommy in a few days/weeks. I haven't seen her since last September, so it's been a while and I'm glad she is coming down to spend time with me... oh and her new grandson I suppose. :) Can't wait!


Anywho, here is the latest pic from this AM. He's definitely dropped and he's heavy!

8 POUNDS!

38 weeks. I'm huge. My feet are swollen. I feel like I've been kicked in the crotch. Moving at all is a chore but staying in the same position hurts too. There is no happy medium. But I couldn't be more excited to be THIS close to meeting my little monkey. And that's what I've taken to calling him lately... is that mean? I think it's cute, and endearing...

Anyway, I had my Dr. appointment last Thursday. Sorry if this is TMI for some of you but, I'm a "fingertip" dialated and "still thick" meaning there is some progress, but not much. Which really... means nothing. The doctor said that he is by no means a small baby and guessed that he weighs about 8 pounds. Oh boy.

I was sent to the hospital after my appointment when I said he was moving, but not nearly as much as usual. I was hooked up for a non-stress test (NST) and baby was perfect, just sleeping. They gave me some juice and I got to listen to his heartbeat for about 40 minutes. He woke up toward the end and they said he sounded PERFECT. I was also having contractions every 3-5 minutes but couldn't really feel them, so again, progress, but not.

I got the final few things we needed this weekend including batteries for all the baby stuff, the changing pad and cover, and some stuff for me and my hospital bag. The only remaining to dos are to get the second car seat base installed in Jimmy's car and to get my hospital bag packed. I'm hoping I need that hospital bag sooner than later. Although no matter what, the end is in sight! He is a big boy, so hopefully he's ready to come out and meet the world!

Here are some pics of the nursery. We're in a rental, so we really couldn't do anything with the walls. I still need to hang up the football pics (need the frames still... oops).

And here is me at 38 weeks. He's starting to drop making it very uncomfortable to do anything... especially walk. And I have to pee every 2.5 seconds...

God Bless.

This video is from last night's premier of America's Got Talent. They were the last act of the night. Their story is truly inspiring. Their mother was in a head on collision with a drunk driver. She was in a coma for 8 months. During that time, her children sang to her and to other patients in the hospital. After 8 months, she woke up.

As some of you know, singing is near and dear to me. It's a passion I had for a long time and pursued heavily in high school. Unfortunately, I've lost touch with doing much with it since then, but I still enjoy sining in my car... :)

These kids have amazing voices and an awesome talent. I hope you take the time to listen to them and watch the video.

I can only hope that my children are half as great as these kids obviously are. You can see the adoration for their Mom in their eyes. It's incredible.

oh you.

Someone needs to tell GP that her stomach is hanging out of the bottom of her shirt and her goucho pants are permanently stuck in her butt crack. It can't be comfortable.

That someone should not be me.

That would not go over well.

At week 37, your pregnancy is considered full term, meaning baby is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world… meaning careful refinement of the blink, suck, inhale and exhale. Meconium, which you’ll probably find in the first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines. If (okay, as) you worry about giving birth, consider what it’s like for the little one. During the journey out of your womb, baby will produce more stress hormones than any other time in life.
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Full-Term. AH! Feels like such a milestone has been reached. And feels like I've been pregnant FOREVER! Which I have. I tell him nightly that he can now come whenever he wants... which means now. GET OUT! Just kidding (kinda).

Anyway, I'm more than slightly uncomfortable. My feet are super swollen and hurt, I can't sleep, I have to pee all the time, it hurts when he moves, I feel like I've been kicked in the crotch... I could go on and on. But all of that is irrelevant becuase I will be meeting my baby in three weeks or less. AH! Let me say that again... AH!

Nursery is mostly ready. I need to buy a changing pad and cover and wash a few more minor things. I need to get my bag packed and I need to find a dog sitter. Other than that, we are pretty much set. The house could use one more deep clean and I think I'm going to stock up on some freezer meals.

This weekend we installed the car seat, still need to install the base in the other car and put together the pack n play for our bedroom. I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep him in our room for the first few weeks while we get into the swing of nursing and understanding each others sleep patterns and all that fun stuff. We shall see. I'm usually a planner, but I've been pretty good about being nonchalant about all this and will be okay with learning it day by day.

Jimmy is getting excited I think. For Father's Day, I blew up some of his action shots from his football days at the University of Idaho to frame and put up in the nursery as decor. I didn't get to the store to get frames (long story), but I gave him the pics anyway. He seemed to like them. Anyone who knows my husband knows he isn't one to put his feelings out there, but I think I saw a hint of pride... :) I think it's pretty cool for Jace to have some action shots of his Daddy's glory days on his bedroom walls. Not many kids have a Dad who has pics like that!

And here is the pic from this week. My belly is starting to take on an odd shape.

My Banana.

This is my best friend. Her name is Anna. (Also in this pic is her husband Joey's finger...).

Anna and I "met" August of 2003. We were sophomores at Washington State and had both just moved in to the Alpha Phi house on campus. It was immediate love. Well, it was immediate drunken love. Her and I bonded on our walk home from a frat party and declared that we were going to be roommates. That semester and the following year or so were super hard for Anna and all I could do was be there the best I could. We shared a lot of great ups and downs in our time at WSU and I know I couldn't have made it without her.

That spring her and I drove down to Idaho to visit my Dad. He had no idea we were coming, that is the last "great" memory I have of him and I share that with her. She was there for me in every possible way that May and the following year after he passed away and she kept me sane. The next spring, Anna lost her Mom. While we both acknowledged that losing a Mom vs. losing a Dad are very different things and very different relationships, having each other to lean on was a life saver for both of us and made us even tighter. This is the root of our deep friendship, but all the fun we've had has made it even stronger.

Everytime we'd get in her car we'd play Usher's "Yeah" and roll down the windows driving around campus.

We'd ditch class on some days just to lay in our room and watch back to back seasons of Friends.

Working at the Fieldhouse as Beer Wenches selling beer tickets to old drunk alumni.

I started a lot of fights for her that she was too meek and nice to start herself... :)

There are so many more amazing memories I have with my Amazine Anna Banana Hammock.

She was a bridesmaid in my wedding, I was one in hers. She's been the best support ever during our loss of our first baby and through this entire pregnancy.

I just wanted to put it out there to the world that Anna is my best friend and I love her more than life. You mean the world to me. I love you!

Now come visit me dammit!

I'm officially 9 months pregnant today.

That is all.

Pics for this Week

Here is me in all my gigantic glory at 36 weeks:

From the side -

From the front -

Looking down -

36 Weeks - 28 days...

36 Weeks:

It's a good thing your baby's almost done cooking, since your body may feel pretty "done" by now as well. For one thing, you're doing the full-term pregnancy waddle, the result of hormone-triggered loosening and softening of your connective tissue. This is your body's way of getting ready to squeeze a big baby out of a small space. Unfortunately, those loose joints can lead to some pretty serious hip and pelvic pain — but hang in there! Try to focus on your baby, who is now about six pounds and 20 inches long, with soft bones and cartilage to allow a safer journey through the exit door. Most of his systems (from circulatory to musculoskeletal) are ready for prime time, though his digestion system — which has done only practice runs so far — will kick into gear as she takes her first suckle at the breast or bottle.

__________________________

28 days... 4 weeks. Wow. Really, it's anytime in the next four weeks and that's even freakier. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but he can come anytime after 37 weeks (full-term). So that would mean, he can come anytime after next Tuesday... as in 6/23... as in scary!

We finished up our shopping this weekend. I ordered the Pack N Play and the second car seat base. We got the mattress and bedding, put the dresser together, I washed all his clothes and towels and blankets. I think we are pretty much as prepared as we can be as far as "stuff" goes. Anything else shouldn't be too difficult to get once he makes his arrival and we have a better idea of what we will really need. I need to get a few last minute things for the hospital and get my bag packed and ready to go, but other than that, it's hurry up and wait time.

My hips and pelvic bones HURT. I feel like I've been riding a horse bareback... serious soreness. But I suppose that's a good sign and means my body is doing what it's supposed to... I suppose. Sleeping is difficult. Getting out of bed 3-4 times/night is a task and rolling over is an event. My back hurts. But, given all the other things I know I could be dealing with, I'll stop whining, I know it could be so much worse and I know that I've had it relatively easy up to this point.

Thank you so much to everyone and all their generosity for us and for our baby Jace. Jimmy and I are so incredibly blessed to have received all that we have for this little man. I'm truly so lucky to have such amazing family and friends. I love you all!

I'm working on uploading some pics. I will add them in as soon as my phone decides to cooperate!

Once we get the nursery in order (I need to organize), I will upload pics of that too!

A few things to never say to a pregnant woman:

"Are you sure it's not twins?"

• I have a huge stomach. I know. I'm growing a child.

"Are you sure you're only (insert number) weeks along? You seem so big!"

• Yep, pretty sure I know when I conceived. I'm sure.

"How cute, you're waddling."

• Waddling is not cute. And I'm waddling because I'm uncomfortable. Jerk.

"Your arms are bigger than Jimmy's!"

• Hahahaha. You. Deserve. To. Be. Punched. In. The. Throat. HARD.

"How much have you gained?"

• It's none of your business and I'm pregnant. I'm supposed to gain weight. What's your excuse?

"Hey Chubby!"

• If you weren't 85 years old I'd tell you where you could shove it.

"My brother's wife's cousin's sister had the worst labor (and go on to tell a horrifying story)."

• I'm scared enough about this empending labor thing. I don't need your input. Thanks!

"Are you planning on going natural?"

• Ok random man at the McDonald's drive thru. So not an appropriate question from a COMPLETE stranger.

I'm sure there are more, but these are a few from the last week... really, if you wouldn't say it to someone in a normal situation, please don't think it's appropriate to say to a pregnant woman. Cuz it's not.

35 and 35...

-- 35 Weeks --

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Something else that's moving at a mind-boggling pace these day: fetal brain development! There's a lot going on inside that tiny head, which is, by the way, still soft to allow an easier exit through the birth canal. And now that he's head-down in preparation for delivery, chances are your bladder is feeling the squeeze, causing you to leak a little every time you sneeze (or cough or laugh). One way to improve your body's holding power: Do lots and lots of those pelvic-floor exercises called Kegels. They can help strengthen your pelvic muscles (important now and postpartum).

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35 Weeks. Wow. Getting so stinking close yet still so far away. I've officially reached the get this thing out of me phase of pregnancy. Of course I don't want him out yet because he still needs to pack on some pounds and cook a little longer, but my body is so sick of being pregnant. It's so much work carrying around this extra weight, I'm so tired all the time, I have to pee too often, it's HOT... I could go on and on. So excuse my pity party. I am so happy and excited and thrilled to be blessed with this pregnancy and this baby. Sometimes I just need to whine. You understand, right!?!?!


So we had the family shower this Saturday. It was fine. Relatively uneventful. One of the mother-in-laws friends was apparently confused and bought us a pink and purple Care Bear mobile... I was confused, but I think I recovered quickly and said a genuine thank you... I think. Still confused by that one. I digress. Other than that we got clothes, bottles, blankets, and a few other cute little things. So I mark it as a success. Woo!


This coming weekend we will start buying the essentials we've yet to receive. I think this will be the pack and play, a mattress, and the bedding. We're also shopping Craigslist for a recliner. I'm thinking La-Z-Boy... we shall see. I really want a recliner as opposed to a glider, but don't want to spend more than a few hundred dollars, we shall see what we can find.


I've made a little website for once the little man is born... feel free to check it out here if you're interested.


Beyond that, tomorrow I will officially be 35 weeks pregnant with 35 days remaining until my due date... And with that, here's this week's pic.

You're not seeing things — at least not as well as usual. That's because your eyes are yet another part of your body that falls prey to those pesky pregnancy hormones. Not only can your vision seem less sharp these days, but a decrease in tear production can leave your eyes dry and irritated, especially if you wear contact lenses. Plus, an increase in fluid behind your eyes' lenses can temporarily change their shape, making some women more nearsighted or farsighted than usual. Happily, these vision changes during pregnancy are all temporary. Things should clear up as your eyes return to normal after delivery (so there's no need to change your prescription just yet). What's new with your baby? He's clocking in at five pounds and could be as tall as 20 inches by now. His fat layers — which will help regulate hisbody temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. This week, a boy's testicles start making their way down from his abdomen to their final destination: his scrotum (look out below!). While about three to four percent of boys are born with undescended testicles, it's nothing to worry about — they usually head downtown before junior turns a year old. In other baby-related developments, those tiny fingernails have probably reached the tips of his fingers by now — and getting ready for that first postpartum manicure.

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34 Weeks. That means 6 weeks left. That means I will have a baby in 40ish days. It's kind of crazy to try to comprehend at this point. Went to the Dr. yesterday and he said everything looks great. Blood pressure is good, I only gained 2 pounds in 2 weeks (YEA!), baby is head down (let's hope he's content and stays that way) and his heartbeat sounds great. No signs of any complications. My next appt is in two weeks on 6/18 at 36 weeks where I have to have some tests run and get my first internal to see if there is any "progress." After that I start appointments weekly. Oh boy!

Other than that, the little blurb above about eyesight... so TRUE! I haven't been able to wear my contacts since about 20 weeks, so my glasses have become a daily staple and I HATE MY GLASSES so this does not make me happy. I hope hope hope that my eyesight returns to normal ASAP after this little man gets her.

The baby shower last weekend was awesome, I love my girls and a huge thanks to my friend Katie for throwing an awesome shower. It was a lot of fun. The shower coming up this weekend (the "family" one) should be interesting. I'll let you know the details and what kind of fantastically offensive things come out of my mother-in-laws mouth next week...

Here is this week's pic. Enjoy!

Giving the man his way...

So, we'd discussed bedding quite a bit and had agreed to disagree. He told me to pick whatever I wanted. I said fine and being the semi-only-child that I am: [ I was an only child for 13 years and then gained my adorable baby brother (who's now almost 12... which makes me almost 25... sheesh... on to another happier subject.) I also tacked on four step-sisters, three step-brothers and a half-sister that doesn't know she's my sister (another story for another day) along the way. Now you see why I say semi-only-child. Even though I'm not technically an only child, I was for 13 years and by then the mentality is established, so I suppose I am one at heart.]

Ok, done with the random tangent. So I took it upon myself to try to create a sleek, modern nursery and somehow incorporate sports in to the decor without blantanly screaming "MY CHILD WILL BE ATHLETIC" (god I hope... please don't take after me...) to the entire world. I tried to ensure Jimmy that just becuase the nursery wasn't covered in footballs and baseballs that our little boy would still love sports. He was non-chalant about it and didn't seem to mind. I told him we'd go with an "All-Star" theme and use stars and then incorporate footballs in to it. Cute, right? I know!

So this is the bedding I had picked out:

Fast forward to this weekend. Hadn't talked bedding in a LONG time. Jimmy and I made one final trek to Babies R Us to finalize the registry and were walking through the bedding section. I showed him AGAIN what I'd picked out and he stuck his nose up at me. So, we began walking the bedding aisle. He of course zoomed in on the oh so manly sports bedding. It wasn't as hideous as some of the previous options he'd proposed, so I gave in.

Introducing our new bedding. I suppose it could be worse!

Kids say the darndest things.

This past Sunday I decided to go swimming at Jimmy's dad's house. Jimmy was gone for the day with his Mom boating on the lake so I was hanging out with his 11 year old neice, Sammy, in the pool. We'd been in the water for about 20 minutes and she gets this horrified look on her face. The following conversation ensued:

Sammy: Oh my gosh.
Me: What?
S: How can he breath!?!?!!?
Me: What? Who?
S: The baby, how can he breath?
Me: What do you mean?
S: He's under water and has been for a long time now, can he breath?
Me: ::Laughing hysterically::
S: No really. Can he breath?
Me: He's fine. He doesn't breath air like you and me. He's fine. He likes the water. I promise.
S: So, he's ok.
Me: Yes, he's fine. ::Still laughing hysterically::
S: So, if he doesn't breath air, how is he alive.
Me: Well, when he's inside my belly, he doesn't need to breath air yet, so he practices breathing, but he survives off of the nutrients and fluid in my body.
S: He breaths fluid?
Me: Well, yea, kinda.
S: So, he won't breath air until he's born?
Me: Yep.
S: Huh... that's weird.

I was dying. I love little kids. Their logic makes me so happy sometimes. It's priceless!

Honey Do!

Weeks 33-36 (Month 8): HoneydewBaby’s senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing your lullabies! Growth (at least inside your womb) is starting to slow, and you may notice baby descend into your pelvis at the end of this month. This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

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33 Weeks. Holy Moly. That means he will be full-term in 4 weeks. That means he could be here in less than a month and be perfectly healthy. That means I'm about to be a Mom. Holy Moly.

Do you see the counter on the right? Do you see it??? It's screaming 49 DAYS! That's until my due date. That's like barely more than a month. That's insane.

On the home front, the nursery is progressing. Still limited to a crib and a bouncy seat, but we've added a stroller and carseat to the mix (THANKS MOM!!!).

The dresser will be arriving sometime this week, thanks to the mother-in-law. We've got a decent stack of clothes going, a few blankets and some towels and sheets. YEA! Major purchase remaining to be made are relatively limited. I need to get the pack-n-play as I plan on putting him in this in our bedroom (it has an infant sleeper built in). And I really want a swing as Mom claims that this was the only item that allowed her to keep her sanity with me. And we still need bedding. But other than those, we are pretty well set. I need to go by the free and clear detergent so I can start washing all his stuff!

And here is this week's obligatory pic. Some say I'm huge, some say I'm normal... one thing's for sure, this kid is getting HEAVY! And he gets the hiccups A LOT. He woke me up Sunday at 4AM for half an hour because his hiccups were so out of control. I'm guessing he's going to hiccup like me... poor kid.

These poor children...

Can you imagine the emotional trauma that will be had when they decide to tell these two kids about this...

Click here.

Absolutely amazing and disturbing and appalling and...

What the heck is a jicama?

32 Weeks:

Your baby is taking up more and more space in your uterus and weighs as much as a large jicama -- about 3 3/4 pounds. (Length: about 16 3/4 inches, head to heel.)

This week, your body may start prepping for delivery day by flexing its muscles — literally. If you feel your uterus bunching or hardening periodically, those are practice contractions, otherwise known as Braxton Hicks. These rehearsals (typically experienced earlier and with more intensity in women who've been pregnant before) feel like a tightening sensation that begins at the top of your uterus then spreads downward, lasting from 15 to 30 seconds (though they can sometimes last two minutes or more). What's up with your baby? He's starting to get ready for his big debut, tipping the scales at almost four pounds and topping out at just about 19 inches. In these last few weeks, it's all about practice, practice, practice as he hones the skills he'll need to survive and thrive outside the womb, from swallowing and breathing to kicking and sucking. And speaking of sucking, your little one has been able to suck his thumb for a while now. Another change this week: As more and more fat accumulates under your baby's skin, he's becoming less transparent and more opaque. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Still have no clue what a jicama is, but hey, who am I to judge. So, he's right around 4 pounds, and gaining at least half a pound a week. Oh boy! I know he has hair, saw the "texture" of it on the ultrasound, but did anyone doubt that... I came out looking like Elvis, so the boy is doomed.

I'm feeling pretty good. Starting to get tired in this giant body that I'm so not used to. I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to have my body back... 8 more weeks! It's already HOT HOT HOT here in Phoenix. We're supposed to dip back in to the 90s for the next couple of days (YEA) given that we've been in the triple digits for almost two straight weeks now... I suppose that means I need to suck it up and go try to find some kind of bathing suit to cover my ginormous self. Oy, that so does not sound fun...

Other than that, nothing major to report. Awkward lunch Sunday with the mother-in-law and her husband. It was fine until he told me my arms were bigger than Jimmy's and then they proceeded to discuss how long it would take me to lose weight. He said 3 months, she said a year. Oh gee thanks... anyone want to start placing bets. I had to excuse my hormonal self to go to the restroom so I could cry. Then I ordered a soup and salad for lunch. Punks.

Then Saturday night I was accosted by two hippie tree-hugger friends of Jimmy's step mom at his sister's graduation party. I was showing them Jace's awesome pics and they decided to ask about how I was planning to deliver. I told them I'm not planning on a c-section, but things happen... I do plan on an epidural! They FREAKED. Went off on how it's not that bad and epidurals drug you and your baby and you are a horrible person for taking one and blah blah blah and do I realize I will be paralyzed... oh dear lord, they wouldn't stop. The one lady had 5 kids (one set of twins) all natural and couldn't believe I didn't want to experience the womanliness of childbirth naturally and how could I even think about drugs... it was freaking ridiculous. Someone finally came in the room and saved me. And then this savior lady told me she had four kids, three natural and one with an epidural. She said if I would have known how much heaven that epidural was, I would have taken it with the first three. That right there is my answer folks, someone who has done it both ways and she prefers door number 2!!! Epi please!

The good lord made those drugs for a reason and I will take full advantage!

Here is this week's pic... yes, I'm wearing the exact same thing from last week... I need to go shopping. It's difficult to find that motivation and it's getting hard to maneuver in the dressing rooms...

Jace has a face... and it's so CUTE!!!

This weekend we had our 3D ultrasound. Yes, the one I posed as a Mother's Day present for Jimmy's mom. It was awesome! So, without further adieu, here is Jace!

This is how he was laying. Bent in half with his hands and his feet in front of his face! He's like a little froggy!

He's had his hands in his face most of the time. Almost a smile!

More hands in his face, but this time he's looks like he's getting mad at us for poking him.

Isn't he precious! He has Jimmy's eyes and nose and my mouth and chipmunk cheeks. Just ask my Mom, I didn't outgrow those cheeks until I was 20!

He yawned A LOT! Must be so rough hanging out in there all day. He didn't want to wake up for us. He and Jimmy kept yawning at the same time!

His toes and foot! I love baby feet!

This is his foot up by his face. He has his big toe spread way apart from the rest of his toes... not sure what he's doing, but looks like he's gonna have my feet.

If you want to see all the 76 pics we took, you can view them here.

I LOVE THIS COMMERCIAL. It makes me laugh everytime.

Can't... Breathe...

31 Weeks.

As your baby's senses increase, his mommy's breathing room decreases.Chances are your diaphragm is feeling a little cramped these days. Okay, a lot cramped. That's because your uterus is pushing up against it, crowding your lungs and making it more difficult for them to expand fully. The result: Your body is spare on air, and will be until your baby drops near the end of pregnancy in preparation for birth. Your baby, however, is happy as a clam since he gets all the oxygen he needs through the placenta. Weighing in at three-plus pounds and measuring 18 inches long, he's quickly approaching his birth length though he's got to pack on another three to five pounds before D-day. Also developing at an impressive clip: your baby's brain connections (he's got to make trillions of them!). He's now processing information, tracking light, and perceiving signals from all five senses. He's also putting in longer stretches of sleep, which is why you're probably noticing more defined patterns of awake (and moving) periods and sleeping (pretty still) periods.

So... I can totally relate to the not being able to breath thing. As we speak, I'm pretty sure I have a foot jabbing in to my right lung. But that's just a hunch. Other than that, my rings are THIS CLOSE to not fitting anymore. I bought a fake one, but haven't worn it yet. They didn't have it in a size 6, so I bought a size 7... it's a little big (my regular wedding ring is a size 4.5). Swelling is still relatively mild, but my shoe wardrobe is now limited to my dressy flip flops and my regular flip flops. Pretty sure that doesn't fit well with the office dress code, but I don't care.

Other than that, nothing major. Found out I DO NOT have gestational diabetes, yea. Everything seems to be progressing normally and he seems perfectly healthy. I'm getting ramped up for my showers to come... yea!

So, I came to the conclusion yesterday that I probably won't see our little man again until he's born. I don't think I will have any more ultrasounds unless it is medically necessary. This made me sad. So, I started pricing out the elective ultrasound places, you know the ones that do the 3D/4D ultrasounds. I found one here who do them... it's a 20-30 minute session, you get to walk away with a DVD of the whole session and a CD of all the pics. Sweet Deal. And they're giving me an extra $20 off because their West Valley office is closing so I have to drive to the other side of town. My dilemna was how to pose spending $109 on this to the husband.

He walked right in to my trap! We weren't able to make it to the other side of town to see his Mom on Mother's Day. He was going to go out with her this week for lunch, but decided we'd head over there Saturday. I happen to have just found out that the place had an opening for an appointment on Saturday at 2:30. So, I slyly said, well, what would your Mom think about coming with us to a 3D/4D ultrasound? He always says she feels so disconnected from us, so what better way for her to feel bonded, right? He asked how much, I told him. He asked when, I told him. I then suggested we keep it a surprise and take her on the way to lunch on Saturday. He loved it... So, by convincing him it was his brilliant idea, I get to see my little boy in 3D this weekend. YEA! I'm so smart. :)

Here is this week's pic. He's getting big!

You're the BEST!

Happy Mother's Day. I love you!

My present.

I got this on Friday as my Mother's Day present from Jimmy. I don't get it delivered until Tuesday, but isn't it pretty!


Jimmy said it's a manly dryer, so he might do laundry. We'll see about that.

I LOVE it! We need a dryer so we got this, we don't NEED a washer yet, but will probably look to buy the matching washer in the next 6 months or so. According to the salesman (who doesn't work on commission), LG and Samsung make the best washers and dryers, so if you are in the market for a new one, these are AMAZING. They have awesome reviews and great warranties.

Oh, and if you're in the market, I highly recommend shopping at Best Buy. They don't work on commission, give their honest opinions, they price match and they aren't pushy AT ALL. And there is still room to negotiate with them. We got the guy to throw in the pedestal at $80 off.

It was a great experience and we were being pain in the butts with all of our questions.

So, yea. I saved a few loads of laundry to do once I get it delivered.

The Butterfly Effect

This made me giggle.

NO.

A man in the hallway, yes, the awkward hallway, and I just had this conversation:

Man: You're pregnant, right?
Me: Nope.

HAHAHA!

Oy...

As the weight of the baby starts to make me slouch over. And my gimpy walk makes a male coworker ask why I'm limping around. And I bump in to counters and doors and walls with this large stomach I'm so not used to... the longing begins to start for a body like this again...

This was at 14 weeks... I thought I had a "bump."

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

30 weeks...

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Your baby's brain is getting smarter by the minute, but for Mom, the only thing that smarts right now may be heartburn pain. These days you may feel as if you've got a flamethrower in your chest. Heartburn is one of the most common (and annoying) pregnancy ailments and here's why: The same pregnancy hormones that cause your body's pelvic muscles to relax so you can deliver your baby also relax the ring of muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach. The upshot? Food and digestive juices can head upstream from your tummy into your chest and throat — hence, the infernal inferno. Your expanding uterus, now exerting pressure on your stomach, only fuels the fire. And speaking of your belly, its increasing size is a definite clue that your baby is getting bigger every day, weighing in at over three pounds now. Also growing daily is his brain, which is actually starting to look like the real thing with those characteristic grooves and wrinkles. And now that your little genius can regulate his own body temperature and turn up the heat, he'll start shedding lanugo, the downy body hair that's been keeping him warm up until now.

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Well, I suppose I'm lucky in that heartburn is one thing I can say I have NOT experienced. Hopefully I don't jinx myself, but here's to hoping! I hear it sucks... :) Apparently, baby is getting smarter and his brain is growing, yea! I'm so hopeful that he gets the perfect combination of my smarts and Jimmy's athletic ability. I hope I DON'T pass on my legs, and I hope he DOES get Jimmy's perfect teeth. Other than that, as long as he's healthy!

Anyway, still feeling pretty good. Had a dr. appt yesterday and all looks good. I'm almost to the home stretch. TWO MORE MONTHS give or take. That seems so close yet so far away! Baby shower planning is officially underway. May 30th and June 6th. Getting excited!

Here is this week's pic.

Saturday Surprises!

Jimmy opened the front door to lay down some weather stripping and he found a big box! We're not sure how long it had been sitting outside the front door (we go in and out of the garage)... but YEA for Saturday surprises! *Side note... we never got back to the weather stripping.

We immediately took it upstairs and wa-la! Jace has a bed! Well, he still needs a mattress and all the trimmings, but it's a start...

And dear lord does this child get the hiccups. Must take after me (and my mother).

Picture and update to come tomorrow.

He's getting Squashed!

Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

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I know I'm a few days late updating, sorry Mom. You can quite harassing me now!

Anyway, 29 weeks. Baby is approximately the size of a squash and he's growing fast meaning he is starting to feel squashed in there. He has been really active lately and I feel him rolling around more than I feel actual kicks. Some of them are starting to hurt a little too!

We ordered our crib last weekend and we are going with Jimmy's mom to get the dresser this weekend, so two big purchases have check marks, yea!!! We're pretty much done registering I think. Well I am, I did it all online. I want to take Jimmy with me this weekend to do a walk through at the store to get any little extras. We've registered for most things at Target and a few little things at Babies R Us. It's amazing how much these little people require...

I think Jace scared Jimmy this morning. He had his arm around my belly when we were laying in bed and Jace was wiggling around. I didn't say anything because I was waiting for him to react and it took him a while. Jace kicked REALLY hard and Jimmy goes, "Was that him?" I was like no, my stomach just has convulsions... Yea it was him! He was like, "Wow, that's weird." Yea, tell me about it! He's such a dork.

Anyway, I am apparently having 3 baby showers! I was only planning on two, one work and one family/friend, but I realize the family/friend list was getting a little out of control. Then a friend called and offered to throw one, so now I get to have one work, one friend, and one family. Friend shower will be on 5/30, Family shower will be on 6/6, and I can't remember what day we talked about doing the work one...

Anywho, here is this week's pic. I was informed this morning that it's time to go shopping... apparently my maternity clothes are getting too tight... And if one more person tells me that I look like I'm ready to pop I'm going to punch them. I have two more months people! I am a short little person, I have a small little torso... he has no where to go but out. Leave me and my big stomach alone!!!

The Waver

When we first moved to the Valley in December of 2005, Jimmy and I both got jobs in the East Valley. Problem was, we lived in the Northwest Valley. This led to a fun/long/tedious commute. Part of this commute takes us through Sun City. Sun City is a community in which you have to be 55+ to live in. It's a cute and quaint community that often looks like it is straight out of the 1960s. Driving through Sun City is often slow and tedious but The Waver makes up for it.

I noticed The Waver probably within the first week of our daily commute over three years ago. He seemed so out of place. The Waver is a little old man. Probably at least in his late 70s. He runs (well, run is probably not the right word, but he's walking as quickly as his little legs will take him) down the same side of Olive Road at the same time every morning. And he waves at EVERY SINGLE car that passes him. He always has a smile on his face and looks into every single car.

I think The Waver is an amazing man. Not only is he still jogging when his little body looks like it takes so much effort, but he sees value in acknowledging every single car he passes. It's like he makes his own day better by knowing he has said hi to each person he passed.

Every time I see The Waver I can't help but smile. I wave back. Not sure how many people give him that acknowledgment back, but I like to.

I can only hope that when I'm that age I am still able and motivated enough to drag my butt out of bed, get dressed and run down the side of the road waving at everyone I see. It makes me realize how special that little acknowledgment can make someone feel.

So to you all... I'm waving!

Love you!

He has a name!

Your baby has started blinking and dreaming while you may be dreaming that the pain in your derriere will disappear!

The good news is your baby is settling into the proper position for birth, with his head facing downward (toward your body's nearest exit!). The potentially painful news is his head — plus the weight of your uterus — may now be sitting on your sciatic nerve, which runs through the lower part of your back, buttocks, and legs. This common condition (called sciatica) can cause sharp, shooting pain and/or tingling or numbness, starting in your rear end and radiating down the backs of your legs. The best thing to do for sciatica? Take it easy — and hope your baby changes position sooner rather than later. And speaking of your little work in progress, he's now about 2.5 pounds and almost 16 inches long. He's busy adding new skills such as blinking to an already impressive repertoire of tricks like coughing, sucking, hiccuping, and taking practice breaths. Your baby's sleep now includes the REM (rapid eye movement) phase — and that means he could be dreaming already (what do you suppose he's dreaming about?). Though his lungs are nearly fully mature (so both of you might breathe a little easier if he were born now), your baby still has plenty of growing to do.

So, I think we are firm on a name. Not that it's really been a debate, but Jimmy is so nonchalant about most things it's been hard to get any type of solid commitment. We were talking to my Mom on Skype on Friday and she asks if we've decided and he kind of does his shrug. And she says, "well, I like Jace." And he looks slightly caught of guard and says, "Jace?" Like he has NEVER heard me mention this as a nickname option. And I kind of give him the side stink eye (because OBVIOUSLY he never listens to me). Mom goes on, "Yea, Jace, like James Scott combined..." And Jimmy goes, "Huh." And since then he's been walking around telling people like it was his brilliant idea. But just for the record, Jace was MY idea and has been rolling around in my head for the last oh... 9 months or so. So boo on my husband for not listening to me, but yea for a name! James Scott... otherwise known as Jace.

So, 28 weeks... settling in to the home stretch. It seems like it's starting to drag but speed by all at the same time. It's a very weird feeling. Jace is rolling around and moving like crazy. Sleeping in is obviously not his idea of fun as he wakes me up at the butt crack of dawn to have a little dance party in my tummy. Not that I don't love it. It's the most bizarre thing I've ever seen/felt.

We went on the hospital tour this weekend. It was fine. I think most facilities are pretty much the same. The rooms seem nice enough and they are all single rooms, so that is nice. The maternity wing is pretty much totally seperate from the rest of the hospital, seperate entrance, everything. It's in the middle of Sun City which lends to the volunteer staff being very "wise" and making for a slow and slightly painful tour, but it was fine. The RN in the post-partum unit we toured looks right at me after her little speil and says, "I'll be seeing some of you very soon, won't I? What about 3 weeks?" I look right at her and say, "No, more like 3 months..." She looked slightly uncomfortable. I don't think I'm that big, but what do I know...

Jimmy's Dad and Suzie have been AWESOME and decided to buy us our crib. This is the one I'm 99% sure we're going with (in this color, Ebony):

Anyway, here is another comparison of the belly from 17-24-28 weeks. It's getting out there!

This video inspires me. I kind of "know" one of the women in it and she shared it with me today...

I often comtemplate the role of God in my life. I definitely see myself as a spiritual person, but I find myself being a critic of organized religion as a whole. I've been burned a lot by members of organizations who are supposed to be serving God. They've always come across to me as having a holier than though attitude and have sometimes been very judgemental. I also disagree with some of the "requirements" that go along with belonging to a church.

With that said, I think I could use a little more guidance in my life. I want to make sure that the message of God (whoever he or she may be) is not lost on me in my everyday life. I think I will begin looking into some churches near me to see if I can find one that doesn't impose a lot of these "requirements" on me. If I can find one with accepting members who will not judge. I feel like only good can come from finding a church to belong to. We'll see how it goes, but it's been something I've been chewing on for a while.

2/3 DONE!

Week 27:

Puffy? That's to be expected — about 75 percent of soon-to-be moms experience edema (mild swelling of the hands, feet, and ankles) around this point in pregnancy. That's because fluids build up in your body tissues thanks (or no thanks) to increased blood flow and uterine pressure on the vena cava (the large vein that cycles blood from your lower limbs to your heart). So while you may have a hard time squeezing into shoes or getting your rings on (or off), keep in mind that the puff factor is completely normal and temporary. As for baby, it's time to trade in the old crown-to-rump measurement for a new head-to-toe standard (that's 15 inches this week — more than a foot long!). His weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over two pounds. More big news: Your baby may recognize your voice by now, so feel free to serenade your belly.

He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Yea, we are 2/3 of the way there people! Wow. It's crazy to think about the end product in all of this. You realize that there is a baby, but I don't think you really REALIZE that there is a baby. Don't know if that makes sense, but it's the best way I can describe it. For me, I'm feeling pretty good. Noticing some mild swelling, but nothing major. My appetite is CONSTANT, but eating large meals is out. My stomach is getting crowded with all that baby in there and I can't eat all that much at once, which means I have to eat a little pretty much constantly. You should see my lunchbox with my daily snacks... it's pretty funny.

Baby is rolling around and moving like crazy. He had a few lazy days last week, but I think it was a growth spurt. The last few days he's been going nuts. You are starting to be able to tell where he is just by looking at my stomach as he sticks his back or butt up and it makes my stomach look all lopsided. Jimmy and I need to get on the ball here soon. I'm thinking next weekend will be a baby weekend. We are going on our hospital tour this coming Saturday and will most likely be signing up for classes through the hospital then. From there I think we will be heading to some baby stores to get serious about registering and picking out the essentials. Jimmy's Dad told us this weekend that they need to know what crib we want as they would like to buy it for us. :) That will help SO SO SO MUCH! So that makes me excited. And hopefully knowing that that is one cost we won't have to cover, Jimmy will be a bit more excited to take all of it in. He sees the prices and any sense of excitement he had goes away. He's such a boy.

Anyway, here is this week's belly pic. Since I can't hold my hand still, it came out a bit artistic, don't ya think...