my last biweekly OB appointment

Actually, there isn't anything to report. I know that should be a good thing, but it almost feels anti-climatic at this time.

Blood pressure is good. Took my Group Strep B test, and will find out the results at my next appointment.

BabyBaby is measuring at 35.5 weeks per the fundal height. If she wants to stay small, I'm not complaining. Her heartbeat is at 135bpms, so everything is looking good!

She's still head down, which is good, and no one's said anything about her still be posterior, so I'm going to assume she's spun around? I mean, I would think if she was still posterior, they would want to mention it to me to make sure I was doing what I could to get her to face the right way... right? Of course, I could always ask at my next appointment, but I keep forgetting. I did write myself a note for next time, so hopefully the answer is good!

I did ask about when they started internals. She told me 39 weeks, so there's a chance I could very well go into labor without any idea it's coming. Of course, she also reminded me that 50% of pregnancies go 6 days beyond the EDD. So much for my wishful thinking!

Oh, I forgot to mention -- I only gained one pound in the last two weeks! This is a good sign -- this means that BabyBaby is pretty much almost close to being her full-term size, and I shouldn't expect much more of a gain. This ALSO means that I maintained my goal of NOT hitting 200lbs during my pregnancy. w000t! Of course, I was just reading about this in What to Expect over the weekend, and they said that some mothers actually LOSE weight in their last couple of weeks.. HAHA I could be so lucky!

Other than all that, she said I can keep working, exercising, and doing everything I've been doing up to this point-- so looks like that means no bedrest is on the horizon for me. For shame... though I think I would go crazy. I'm already going stir-crazy and I still have permission to move!

The Nursery: Done & Done!

I finished up some final details today, but I can now happily say that the nursery is complete! All it needs is BabyBaby to come home, and we are ready to go!

Behind the door we decided to have the coat rack that used to be in our front hallway. Personally, I think it's going to work better here, to hold the baby bags and such when we aren't needing them. Plus it's white, so it just goes.

The bookcase is now home to all of the books we received from the shower, as well as a couple of baskets we have for the storage of items such as blankets and sheets.

And in this corner, we have one of the most comfortable rockers and ottomans ever... I like to call this Mom's corner.

The frames on the wall are the 3 different scenes from the wallpaper border. We didn't want to have to deal with wallpaper ever again, so we figured framing the pictures would just be so much easier.

The nightstand has become home to my books as of late. When I wake up at 5:30am and just can't get back to sleep, I have found that reading by the lamplight in the rocker helps. And can we talk about how adorable it's going to be when BabyBaby is big enough to sit in that chair?? Sadly I don't have a picture for the Hello Kitty frame yet but I'm hoping to have one made up as soon as BabyBaby is born.

I love the crib. I currently have the quilt hanging over the back for the aesthetic value, but I'll most likely move it either to the back of the rocker, or to the wall once the baby starts sleeping in there. Also, the bumpers will most likely come off - I attempted to put that crib sheet on while the bumpers were tied on and it wasn't happening. Untying them and retying them every time a sheet needs to get changed is not going to be fun, so I see myself losing patience with them very fast. But in the meantime, they look cute!

The closet is full. Seriously. I don't know where I'm going to put any more clothes. Of course, as of right now there's no rhyme or reason to them, but as soon as I get those Hello Kitty closet dividers, I'll have another task to take upon myself. I just hope they come sooner than later. =X

I think the dresser was one of the best purchases we made. And the fact that we found one where we were both comfy enough to use it as the changing table is another great plus. So the drawers are filled with onesies and sleepers and other items that I couldn't fit in the closet, while the top of the dresser is ready with the changing pad, the wipes, diapers, and Buttpaste. And let's not forget, BabyBaby gets her very own hamper!

And above the dresser we hung a white shelf I was able to find at the Christmas Tree Shop. I don't know how sturdy it's going to be, so for now it only has stuffed animals... and that's enough. Not to mention, those stuffed animals up there are just a portion of what she already has.

So there you have it! I think it truly has become my favorite room in the house now... I will go in there and just sit and look around and smile. SO excited!

36 weeks.

Where the hell has the time gone??!

36 weeks.... 28 days to go. 4 weeks. Just one more week, and BabyBaby is welcome any time!

And I'm ready. She's dropping lower by the day, I swear... there's a lot of pressure on what feels like everything in my lower abdomen and sometimes it's pretty uncomfy. I've had a couple of Braxton Hicks in the last few days, but nothing that's really got me thinking that something - anything - is going to happen soon. I have my 36-week appointment so hopefully they'll be able to shed some light on her current progress.

All in all, I think we're pretty much all set for her arrival. The nursery is more or less finished - just a couple more details to clean up, and I think it will be picture ready by tomorrow!

Loki approves of the nursery decor...

Today, my friend JW asked me what else we needed to get.... and I really think we might be all set. I'm looking at my registry now, and everything that's left on it is pretty ancillary. I might want to get another changing pad cover, and the Boppy pad liners for extra protection. The breast pump/feeding accessories can wait until we get home from the hospital and we're absolutely sure I'll be breastfeeding. We WILL need the high chair for sure, but that can wait until we get the registry completion coupon and she's at least 6 months oldish. The only other thing that I really really want that we didn't receive it a mat for tummy time. I know a lot of people just use blankets, but with the dog hair and everything that is inevitably going to be on the floor, the more protection the better. Sadly, we won't be getting that registry completion coupon until 2 weeks prior to our due date, but I do have plenty of 20% off coupons... hmm....

Luckily tomorrow is Labor Day, which means no work, and hopefully, no baby... yet. ;p Nothing is planned, and I'm ok with that! More time to focus on tying up loose ends around the house while we still can!

Recap: Shower #2 -- The Big One

And when I say "the big one" I mean it -- my mother and my sister totally outdid themselves again! That and there were well over 40 people in attendance...

I was asked to come over at Noon last weekend, an hour before the other guests arrived, so that I could see the magic they performed before anyone else showed up, and on my, what wonders they procured!

Clotheslines of baby clothes were strung all along the walls of my parents' family room... some of the stuff I had shown my mother over the last few months, most of it was a surprise...

Chris' cousin Laureen made the diaper cake...

... and a baby bootie bouquet. So talented and so awesome.

My friend Krissy had asked a co-worker of hers to make me a cake... yes, that is Hello Kitty wrapped up in a baby blanket. SO cute!

And then there was the BabyBaby cake:

Courtesy of Konditor Meister in Braintree, MA, the same place we got our wedding shower cake. And just as before, it was white cake with Strawberry Grande Marnier filling. And see that huge mound of frosting roses in the middle? Yeah, the WHOLE mound is one big pile of frosting. Crazy!

And don't get me started about the actual presents! Everyone was very generous...

WAY too generous... it took me at least an hour, if not more, to open all of these gifts! I started feeling bad because people had to leave mid-opening, and then I felt guilty for taking too long =(

A few key presents that I would love to note:

A quilt from my Niners that brought me to tears

a LOST-themed onesie, again thanks to Chris' cousin Laureen

Everybody Poops. A family staple.

If you want to see pictures of me opening present by present, the link to the Facebook album is here.

Speaking of Everybody Poops, my sister was awesome with this -- apparently, she asked guests to bring a child's book rather than a card to help build BabyBaby's reading library, and the amount of books we received was amazing! The best part was, not a single one was a duplicate- Yay spreadsheets!

This was just the beginning...

All in all, a great party - a little overwhelming at times, and I was definitely tired by the end of the day, but we are so thankful for the family and friends we have. Now if only I can get my ass in gear and start writing those Thank You notes...

Chris' Project: The Travel System

So apparently, it's no longer just a car seat and a stroller... it's a whole freakin' system!

From what I could tell, the initial assembly wasn't so bad, other than the fact that the wheels are held on by washers and clips, and said washers and clips were in the same bag as the wheels, yet being much smaller, they were almost thrown away with the trash and lost forever. And that could have been bad. BUT we eventually found all the pieces, and now all is well with the world.

Loki was not amused.

Taaa daaa!

The hardest part was trying to figure out how to snap the infant seat onto the stroller itself... it's amazing what you can learn when you read directions!