Monday, January 10, 2011

35 weeks.... wow how time flies!

**Keep reading below this post - there are a few new ones posted in chronological-ish order updating our past month and a half since Thanksgiving**

So here I am - all almost 30 extra pounds of me.  I was 34 weeks 4 days when this picture was taken and as of tomorrow I'm officially 35 weeks (although I tend to get to Saturday and upgrade myself from one week to another if you want to know the honest truth... that is, by the time I get to work this weekend, I'll be saying I'm 36 weeks if someone asks).  You'll have to forgive the quality of the picture, it's from my phone because it is all we had with us at the time.

Things are going well.  We had a doctors appointment on Friday of last week and I have one more two week break between appointments then I'll be on to weekly appointments.  Everything measures well and the head is still down so all is good on that front.

We met with the midwife in the practice because my doctor was over delivering twins so it was really exciting to get her take on everything.  She really spent time with me answering questions and talking to me about different options.  I was able to explain to her what was important to me in the way of my birth and get her opinion on if my doctor was as supportive as he says of all those things.  Even though he says he is, I'm sure it's easy to just seem to agree, right??  It was good to hear from her that in her opinion he will go with me in the way of my non-medicated preferences and he really isn't too pushy with interventions unless really necessary.  I'm not going to really expound upon what my plans are for birth other than to say that it will hopefully be what I want it to be.  I'm not against interventions, I know they are necessary in some instances, but I'm also not going in looking for interventions.

I only worked two days in a row this past weekend because of the way I had written my schedule so Mike and I could spend time in the mountains with my family who was up there skiing.  Even after two days in a row, I was exhausted.  The one problem with weekend plan is that you have to work all three of your shifts in a row.  Luckily, I have switched shifts with people here and there so I only have two weeks of actually doing 3 in a row which will be nice.  And scarily enough, I only have 14 shifts left at all!  I'm only scheduled through February 12th and while I'm sure I could get added to the schedule if I wanted to, I'm fairly certain that I'm not going to be asking for extra shifts anytime between now and then.  Since 32 weeks, it has really hit me working 12 hour shifts.  I think I was so lucky to feel so good throughout this pregnancy that I was blind sided when I really started getting exhausted again.  And even today, I was so spent that I didn't accomplish much but did take a nice nap this afternoon.

The downstairs room is all done and furniture is moved - all except the mattresses.  We are getting our furniture delivered this week and the only thing left to buy is a mattress for the baby (who won't be sleeping in that for a couple of months - more on that later) and a glider.  We are having quite a time choosing between gliders.  Part of me wants an upholstered one because it will integrate so easily in to our furniture after being in the baby's room and part of me really likes a wood one we saw while shopping at BabiesRUs today.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!

I'm going to keep nesting now - more later.  I PROMISE!!  (I know, most of you don't believe me, but I'm trying... I even have a list of entries I want to make to catch up on the past month or so of what's been going on!)

Baby shower with work

I really wish I could explain what it's like to get together with the girls from work (well, and the boy that has joined us, too).  It's mass chaos - but wonderful, fun, almost organized mass chaos.  My baby shower was no different.  To try an explain, take for example the baby shower I hosted a year or so ago.


If you are counting, that's 7 adults and 9 children.  My mom was there behind the camera so she almost evened it out to just as many adults as children, but you can imagine what a house with no toys and no baby-proofing the fun we had that day.  In all honesty, it was so much fun, but it just is an example of the craziness of our get-togethers.

At my shower we didn't get a picture of all of us, but the final count was somewhere near 13 adults and 10 children, I think.  It was so much fun and I really have a blast with everyone from work.  The kids all get along so well and I can't wait to add my own to the bunch!  Here are just a few pictures.  I didn't have my own camera so I'm stealing these from my friends who posted on Facebook.

I'm in love with owls and really want to incorporate them in to the nursery somehow so this cake was very appropriate!  Our nursery colors are pale yellow walls with all the accents currently brown and green.  If we add a little girl to our family, I have already seen some adorable pink owls to add to the wall!

This is what the craziness looked like but it doesn't do it justice.  There were clearly children off in the distance somewhere with adults chasing them too because I know this isn't representative of the 23 people who were actually there.  Either way, though, my friend Erin did a fabulous job hosting and I couldn't be more appreciative!

Here I am enjoying time with the ladies at work.  You can definitely see the belly but can't fully appreciate its size, I know.  

Christmas Trees in Colorado

I was cancelled one day at work and it turned out to be the same day Mike was set to go cut down our Christmas tree with friends of ours.  This is the an annual tradition started by the couple that are responsible for introducing Mike and I but normally I'm not able to go because I worked the night before or I worked that day or something like that.  Last year Mike and I made it to cut our own tree but missed meeting up with the group because he had to work that morning.  So the fact that we all made it together this year was really special.

The day started early with Mike making his famous spiced apple cider to take along for the day.  He made me a special thermos since I wasn't able to actually drink his version.  I hear it was good though - and my own non-alcoholic version was great, too.  We built a fire and searched for the perfect tree, hung out with the dogs, ate some fabulous snacks, and overall just enjoyed time together.  One of the couples won't be in Denver and Mike and I clearly will be chasing a little one, so it will be a different experience next year to be sure!

You can never quite tell what the weather will be like the first weekend of December in Colorado.  This year has been very warm and very dry so we had to search to see any snow.  Last year, though, we trudged through 6-8 inches of snow left on the forest ground that had been there for a couple weeks because there was normal December weather.  It was just brisk enough this year to make the fire a nice addition but not too cold so we weren't enjoying it - as you can see from the pictures.

Mike enjoying the famous apple cider from a McDonald's cup - alongside his beer.

Trucker was worn out by trying to keep up with the other 2 dogs that were there that day (and his shoulder was hurting from arthritis).


Mike and Andy chillin' by the fire


Ashleigh and Melissa doing the same


The best tree we have ever cut down


Smoky the Bear is always there for the photo opportunity


The tree fully decorated with Trucker sleeping next to it (taken from my phone)

Allison Lewis Photography

A while ago, when Mike and I decided we'd be going home for Thanksgiving, I decided to contact an old college friend, Allison Lewis, owner of Allison Lewis Photography, to see if her and her family would be in Atlanta for Thanksgiving.  She is an INCREDIBLE photographer and I was so excited to see if she'd be interested in or even able to take pictures of my nephew for a Christmas present for my sister.  Along the way I thought we'd get a couple of pictures of my sister and I (I don't know the last time we had professional pictures of us taken other than at our weddings) and a few of Mike and I as kind of maternity shots.  Thankfully, not only were her and her family in town, but she said she'd be thrilled to take pictures while we were both in the same place.  

Now, let me explain - we live in Colorado, they live in Birmingham, yet we met up in Atlanta to get pictures done...  I know it's a funny way to do things, but I would do it again in a heart beat.  My sister was worried about how Tilden would react but he was wonderful.  Allison truly has a gift for photography that includes getting toddlers to feel comfortable with her, even when they are normally shy around new people.  She also was pretty good at getting Mike and I comfortable with pictures.  We both were feeling a little self conscious but she had us warmed up by the end and we ended up with some fabulous pictures of us as well.  Here are just a few from the day - all pictures courtesy of Allison Lewis Photography.

Mike wasn't all too sure about picking me up, clearly
 



I absolutely LOVE this picture!
Thank you so much, Allison, for being willing to come out in the freezing cold weather to take such fabulous pictures!  I know my sister is planning on using you again and we will be, too, if you'll have us!  And any of you in the Birmingham area, get in touch with Allison - you won't regret it!

Home for Thanksgiving

Mike and I went to Atlanta for Thanksgiving to spend our last trip out of state with my family.  They actually have been getting cooler weather than we have and our trip home was no different.  We stayed with my sister and spent plenty of time with my mom and stepdad, too, along with time here and there with other family and friends.

Thanksgiving day we went to my aunt and uncle's in Peachtree City to get to catch up with the whole family.  Needless to say, it's near impossible to successfully catch up with 50 or so people, but we really tried.  And I think there were one or two people who Mike hadn't met before and the majority of the rest he had only met once or twice.  So overall it was a great day.  Again, since I didn't have my camera, I'm stealing from my family members who actually took some pictures.  :)

I'm not sure what the goofy look on my face is all about here...


I love my cousins!  I really wish that I were closer to home to spend more time with them.  My sister (on the left) and I are the oldest of 23 grandkids so I have watched these ladies grow up - one is a senior in college and I used to spend LOTS of time babysitting her and the other is a senior in high school - I can't believe she's about to start college!

One thing that would have been great to get a picture of would have been me and my cousin Ashley.  She and her husband welcomed their first child, beautiful Savannah Lea, just a day after Mike and I left Atlanta so we just missed getting to meet her.  So after my nephew and Savannah, Baby C/Baby Naughton (whatever you'd like to call it is fine with us) will make great-grandchild #3!  Congratulations, Ashley and Jacob!  I can't wait for them to get to meet each other this spring and have a play date (as much of a play date as you can with a 2 and 4 month old I suppose).  :)

My fabulous sister also hosted a baby shower for me while I was at home and my family chipped in to get me and Mike and awesome BOB Revolution stroller.  We decided on the chocolate and blue combination.  Leave it to Mike and I to specifically wait until it was on sale, too.  According to our friends are REI, these strollers never go on sale and are not eligible for using the 20% off coupons they have.  So thanks to snooping by mom and my stepdad, we found out they would be on sale at the end of the year clearance!  So we held off on buying until the sale started and ended up saving 15%.  Turns out, Amazon and BabiesRUs were having the same sale so I guess we weren't too special but hey, we're just glad to find it on sale!

I can't find where my mom has posted any pictures, so I'm stealing these again from family on Facebook.  (I really do take my own pictures, I just didn't while we were in Atlanta.)
The hostess with the most-ess and another of my beautiful cousins... again, when did they grow up enough to go to college?!?
The black dress hides the actual size of the belly!
I'll work on locating more photos from the shower because I know my mom took plenty... once I find them I will definitely update the post (or just create a new post).

Thank you, Jenni, for an amazing shower and for having Mike and I in your home for Thanksgiving!  We had a great time and I could go on for days about Mike and Tilden playing together, but I think that's another post altogether.  We love you!!