.... and counting

Baby Shower Number Two, First Baptist Church Ben Wheeler

Perfect size, handmade quilt. I LOVE this blanket.

Another handmade, tiny little jacket

Super frilly dress from Grandma "D" (which is what Chris' mom

wants to be called)

Chris' mom, Chris grandmother, me and my mama

 

 

I share these pictures because one, reading all these words sometimes, without pictures, is boring ( I know this....) and two, I know you want to know what's going on in my world. At least, I guess you sort of do, or you wouldn't be checking in on me here. BUT, I am seriously feeling huge these days. And I wish I was one of those "it's all belly" kind of gals, but I've gained weight everywhere. From my baby toe to my triple chins. Bah, I'm really trying to work past the point of not looking like myself these days, but it's hard.

 

It's taken me nine months to but on these almost 40 pounds and I'm wondering if it'll take nine months to get it all off. Plus the additional ten pounds that I weighed when I got pregnant.... Um, that's fifty pounds and it sounds like a lot.

 

...

 

In other not so whiney, self-deprecating news, my sister has convinced me to have a garage sale this weekend, SO... of course at 37 weeks pregnant that's what I'm doing. On Labor Day weekend. She's helping me. And my mom is helping me. And I recruited a sophomore from the youth group at church to help me. So, I'm hoping for a smooth day. Yes, one day is all I can handle. I'm not doing an all weekend sale. We have an entire room packed with furniture and boxes and stuff to sort through, which is why I'm taking off work Friday: to sort and price with my sister. Hopefully, this won't take all day long because I'd like to organize, sort and put away more baby things. Hang some stuff. Rearrange. Again...

 

So, that's what's upcoming.

 

This last weekend, however, was just as cram-packed. I can honestly say, going to work is sort of a relief from it all! At home I'm constantly cleaning, washing, preparing, cooking meals to freeze and running to and fro.

 

Saturday was my baby shower at church. We are so blessed and this little girl is already so loved. Chris said our living room looked like Babies-R-Us exploded. I just have to find a place to put it all!!  I am grateful, but it's overwhelming. Diapers and wipes are stacked to the ceiling. And, while it is my current plan to cloth diaper most of the time, I know we'll need disposables every now and again, especially during those first two weeks. I'm not even going to try to cloth diaper a newborn. Plus I hear that early poop is disgusting!!!!!!!!!

 

Add the shower gifts to the boxes and bags of things my mom brought over for the garage sale and viola, we could open our very own thrift shop. Additionally adding to the "this is just life" feeling is the fact that our pastor and his family are leaving our church and moving to pastor a church in San Angelo, Texas. September 1st is their last Sunday. And of course we wanted their chest-of-drawers (cause you know we didn't have one) and of course we wanted the day bed their daughter decided to leave behind. You know, I just liked it better than the one we had already taken out of storage and hauled to our house from my mom and dad's...

 

Yesterday, Chris and I led worship, where I found it terribly hard to sustain any note longer than a half note. My breath support was minimal and I struggled to stay on top of each word- spitting them out, before gasping for another breath. I think I'm done for now with that whole singing thing. I have to get control of my lungs and diaphragm back! After church we rushed to our final birthing class at the birth center. This session was on everything AFTER baby is here.

 

Daily, as I scratch things off my "to-do list" I add three more. I am trying to have our house completely stocked for those first few weeks when I don't leave and don't want to explain to Chris what shampoo I'm needing or where to buy my face lotion. I'm buying more toilet paper, paper plates, contact solution, hand soap and laundry detergent than I ever have in my life. I'm trying to have all those "just in case" things on hand as well: herbs, supplements, ice packs....

...

 

Tomorrow night is our final session with our doula and Wednesday our weekly midwife appointments begin. Not much longer now!