Friday, February 26, 2010

Survey time

The last three things I ate:
1. Corndog(dinner)
2. Pasta(lunch)
3. Cap'n Crunch Oops All Berries (breakfast)

The last three songs I downloaded on itunes:
1. 12 Days of Christmas Straight No Chaser
2. Boom Boom Pow Black Eyed Peas
3. Gunpowder adn Lead Miranda Lambert

My fav three TV shows:
1. NCIS
2. Chopped
3. Challenge

Top jobs i've had:
1. Barista ( I love this job) I've done it for 8 years and it's really the only thing I enjoyed as a job.


Fav sports (to watch)
1. Baseball
2. Basketball
3. Figure Skating (the olympics)

Fav candy:
1. Cookies and Cream Candy Bar
2. Skittles
3. Gobstoppers

Fav stores:
1. Border's
2. Barnes and Noble
3. Wal-Mart

Fav movies:
1. Up
2. The Notebook
3. Little Mermaid

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Dreams

So I am beginning to really believe that pregnancy causes some vivid dreams! Several times in the past few weeks I have woken up thinking that my dream was something that just happened. The latest was a few days ago.

I had a very realistic picture of going into labor and giving birth to Sarah! It started out with my water breaking in our bed (a small fear that I have). Then Ryan and I headed to the hospital calling our moms on the way. My mom didn't answer and his mom did. She was there for the birth and my mom made it right before Sarah made her debut. She was born at 5:16 AM. So now I am really curious to see if any of this is going to be true for our baby! This dream felt so real that I woke up and went into Sarah's room totally expecting to see a newborn sleeping in the crib. It's funny the tricks your mind can play on you.


Total topic switch. I have come to the realization that I am so BLESSED to be able to stay at home and enjoy the last few weeks of my pregnancy. I have been reading about all these women stressing out over maternity leave and if they should go back to work at all. I am so glad that I don't have to deal with this. When I lost my job at 8 weeks pregnant I thought it was going to be the end of the world. I looked around for several months but no one was really willing to hire a pregnant woman who may or may not come back to work after the baby was born. Eventually I did find a seasonal sales position for the Christmas season which allowed us to add to our savings.

Luckily we are able to make ends meet with only Ryan working and I can stay home and take care of the house and sleep when I am able. (During the day because night time sleep is a thing of the past.) I have a very understanding husband. He never pressured me into taking a job just so I would be working. He wanted me to find something I loved to do or to stay home. I struggled with feeling like I wasn't contributing to our family for some time but he made me see that I was being silly. My contribution was making sure our baby was growing healthy.

I have plans to be a stay at home mom (SAHM) after Sarah is born for at least a year or more. I truly feel that I am lucky and more than that blessed. God really is providing for us in the best way for our family!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Manhattan Weekend

Our weekend in Manhattan was a much needed break from our regular weekends of boring-ness. We got into town Saturday afternoon and within an hour or two realized that we wouldn't be leaving right away because of weather. That wasn't too much of an issue though because we had a place to stay for the night and people to catch up with. We spent Saturday night in Ryan's old apartment with his former roommates and some other friends.

It was a night filled with pizza, card games, and Mario Party 8. It was almost like being in college again. I really enjoyed being able to just hang out and not have to worry about anything. We stayed up past 3:00 AM. (This is a common occurrence for me ever since I hit the third trimester but not for Ryan) However I had people to talk to and no chores to do!!

Sunday we went to church and listened to our friend Josh preach. I fell in love with that church! The service was celebrating their second anniversary and it really touched me. One of the speakers talked about how God was telling her to make a commitment and just choose to follow Him. That's exactly what I needed to hear.

I have been complaining about how hard it is to find good Christian friends to relate to ever since we moved back home in June. I now realize that I was "church shopping" to find friends, not to follow God or serve Him. If I just allow myself to listen and follow God the friends will come in time. God didn't have us move back here to be all alone. He wants us to have fellowship and community. We just haven't been seeking Him in the right way. Now I know that we are ready. I am so thankful for The Well's message this past Sunday!

The rest of the day consisted of lunch and dinner with friends and it was nice to spend time with another married couple who is at a similar life stage as us. Sometimes I feel so much older than my 23 years because most of my friends are single or childless. I know that it's possible to still be friends with those people but sometimes I just want someone to talk to about how scary being pregnant can be. Or someone to talk to about my anxieties about taking care of a person and being responsible for their upbringing. So when I get the chance to talk to people at or almost at the same stage as Ryan and I, it's like a breath of fresh air.

Well that turned out much more whiny than I intended so I'm out!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

35/35

Today marks 35 weeks of being pregnant. That also means there are only 35 days until our due date!! It's so close now! I am so ready to meet Sarah I can barely contain my excitement. Back in July when I first found out I was pregnant, this point of pregnancy seemed a long way away. I could barely imagine what it would be like to have a big belly, let alone try and envision what my future child might look and who they would be. Now all I think about is whose features she will have and if she will have my stubborn streak or Ryan's patience.

We had our first weekly appointment today, complete with my first internal exam. Let's just say that it's a good thing I like my OB because if I didn't this appointment would have made me really dislike her. It was more than a little uncomfortable. Luckily she was quick and understanding. The best part about the appointment was that my doctor did say the internals are kind of optional unless I have been having lots of contractions or other labor signs. I don't have to have them at every appointment.

We toured the maternity ward last Monday and it was a great experience. I am very content with our choice of hospitals. The labor and recovery rooms are great and I agree with most of their policies. The visitors policy is slightly strict due to flu season but I have a feeling that I will appreciate having a visitor limitation after the baby is born so that I don't get overwhelmed.

How far along? 35 weeks
Total weight gain? 35 lbs
How big is baby? 5 1/2 lbs or more
Maternity clothes? yep
Stretch marks? yes :( on my thighs but not my tummy
Sleep? On my side or sitting up. I miss sleeping on my back.
Best moment this week? Seeing my friends in Manhattan and sharing the baby bump with them.
Movement? Tons! Sometimes I think she is practicing yoga or soccer. She seems to try and break Mommy's ribs a lot.
Food cravings? Whatever is on TV usually looks good. I try not to give in too much. I want to eat healthy these last few weeks, so it's easier to eat healthy when Sarah gets here.
Labor signs? No, but a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions when I overdo it.
Belly button in or out? Still flat surprisingly, unless Sarah is wiggling right behind it or I laugh.
What I miss? Sleeping on my back
What I'm looking forward to? Meeting our daughter. I am so impatient!
Milestone? Our 35/35 marker!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Stranded by weather

Ryan and I arrived safely in Manhattan only to realize that we wouldn't be leaving as soon as we thought. The storm that was supposed to move in on Sunday night happened to come in a whole day early and it made road conditions nearly impossible to drive on this morning. Our original plan had been to leave after church/lunch. But the radar is saying that we should wait until tonight after dinner or later. I'm okay with this because I would much rather have a safe drive than chancing a spin off the highway again. So until further notice here I am in Manhattan getting to spend some time with friends.

EDIT: As of sometime past midnight, Ryan and I are safely home in Lenexa. I will update more about this weekend later.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Nothing too new

We had our doctor's visit today and all went well. We had to see a different OB today but she was nice and helped us out by giving us the names of some pediatricians. The next appointment starts the internal exams. How fun. (laced with sarcasm)

In other news I had my second baby shower this past Saturday and it was a lot of fun. I was able to see friends from out of town and just spend some time reconnecting. I miss being able to hang out with whoever whenever. So it's always great to have a reason to see everyone.

I am proud to say that all of my thank you notes are in the mail! I finished them yesterday night and put them in the mailbox. It's one of those things that no one likes to do but it's got to be done. Especially since Ryan and I were fortunate enough to have generous friends and family! We really don't have any big things let to get for Sarah. Just some last minute small things. I was shocked at the amount of things people bought for her. I will try and put up a few pictures of the showers later when I get the memory card from my mom or sister.

And lastly a survey for your enjoyment...


How far along? 33 weeks
Total weight gain? about 30lbs
How big is baby? About 4 lbs
Maternity clothes? yep
Stretch marks? yes :( on my thighs but not my tummy
Sleep? On my side
Best moment this week? My baby shower. I loved seeing all my friends.
Movement? Tons!
Food cravings? Candy
Labor signs? No, but a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions when I overdo it.
Belly button in or out? Still flat surprisingly, unless Sarah is wiggling right behind it or I laugh.
What I miss? Sleeping on my back
What I'm looking forward to? Our maternity ward tour on Monday of next week.
Milestone? Still being pregnant.

Friday, February 5, 2010

No more childbirth classes

We had our final class last night. Our course was a 5 week course with each week covering a different topic. This one covered postpartum recovery and newborn care. I would highly recommend that any first time parent take a class like this. Even though Ryan and I are from large families and have been around babies forever, we learned a lot. Granted the last night about how to change diapers and such was a breeze for us!

In other news, the second baby shower is this weekend! It seems like there isn't much left to buy for Sarah but I'm sure we will still find things that we need once she arrives. I made our appointment to tour the maternity ward and I am kind of excited about that! We will sign all of the paperwork needed so I don't have to do that while in labor. Then we get to see the nursery, deliver rooms, and recovery rooms. I'm glad that I will at least get to see the place before I get there.

In two weeks I will be in Manhattan!! I cannot wait to see my friends again. It seems like it has been forever! We have a doctor's appointment this Tuesday and hopefully she gives us the green light to go away for the weekend.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Baby Shower

So our baby shower was this past Sunday and it was truly wonderful. My mom, Ryan's mom, and a family friend organized the whole thing. Every last detail was perfectly planned out. We had great food and played some pretty neat games.

We had sandwiches, fruit salad, and chips. For dessert we had cupcakes that matched the purple and green theme of the shower. I really enjoyed playing the games also. We did the string game where everyone cut a string that they thought would fit around my stomach without being too big or small. My mother-in-law got it perfectly! We also did baby items A-Z and played a memory game with our diaper cake.

The best part about the shower was getting books to read to Sarah! Everyone brought a children's book to start building her library and I have to say it was my favorite thing about the shower. There are so many great kids' books out there.

I got a lot of great gifts as well. After the shower Ryan and I started putting the nursery together. Our daughter has TONS of clothes and toys now! The nursery is looking pretty good and I am finally feeling like I am ready for this baby to be here. The only thing we need is a car seat!