Merry Christmas!!!

26 weeks!

Realization

Today I got hit hard with how soon Miss Amelia will be making her appearance. Sounds crazy, I know but in my mind, it's S-O-O-N. Though I understand from all my friends that the last month or so will feel like F-O-R-E-V-E-R!

I decided that with 5 community Walk MS events taking place during my maternity leave, I REALLY need to make sure I'm on the ball. It also doesn't help that my manager is taking over my events for me. Anyone having to take over for me would stress me out, but it's a whole new level being MY BOSS. So, I decided to do a week-by-week plan for after the New Year about what I want/need to accomplish each week. Umm, SCARY reality check that was! Eleven, yes 11, weeks is what I am giving myself to definitely be here with hopes that it's 12 - 14 weeks. Well, that's what I say now when I'm not wishing every moment for this child to be out of me. And please, don't ask me what happens if someone decides to show-up early.

So, that little project was like turning on a HUGE lightbulb and made me want to run into a dark closet and hide. I am glad I did it but ugh, I think my anxiety level has tripled. Lord, help me!

Then, I log onto here for whatever reason and see that my little ticker on top says "about 99 days to go!" Excuse me, WHAT?!?!?!? I'm less than 100 days from my Estimated Due Date? Dear Lord, again, help me! And yet again I will say that I realize that my perspective on this will change and I'm sure I'll be wishing the days to fly by, but for now, I'm freaking out.

And, while I've known this all along, the idea that I'm going to be responsible for a tiny, helpless human being in possibly less than 100 days. A human being who can't tell me what she wants and will just cry and scream at me and leave me praying for sleep. Umm, what we were we thinking? I know I love kids and I really wanted to have our own but seriously, am I capable of doing this? Too late to turn back now, I know. I guess I'll figure out. Actually, I guess WE will figure it out - Shaun is not getting out of this one. :)

Alright, that HAS to be the end of that freak out...

Today is our 3rd anniversary. We're going out to dinner tonight at a place called The Bearded Frog. I had to laugh because I realize that we also considered The Belted Cow. What funny names for places that are regarded for having such phenomenal food. The last three years have flown by considering I can recall details of our wedding day so vividly. I am a lucky woman with an amazing husband. A husband who will be the best daddy to his baby girl. I look forward to the things that we'll experience in our next year of marriage and all that awaits us many years down the road. It's with him by my side that I'll survive the next 99 (or so) days and hopefully do it without losing all my dignity! :)

A wintery photo shoot

Here's a few photos our friend Kathleen Landwehrle took for us down in Stowe one COLD Sunday afternoon...

Where did we get all this stuff?

Maybe I'm nesting. Or maybe I'm just tired of the messes. Either way, I'm trying to clean up the house and my continual realization is that we have too much stuff!

I wouldn't call myself a pack rat but I love memory reminders. I have recently come across boxes in the basement with pictures that flooded me with memories of high school, college and even elementary school. Among the photos are awards, stuffed animals, t-shirts and other items that remind me of a life that past not that long ago but feel lifetimes away. But where do you draw the line? Looking at all this stuff is amazing for me but at what expense do I continue to take up space in the basement? Is it okay to keep some of these boxes in the corner to pull-out every once in awhile and once I'm gone, let someone else throw them away?

Having a semi-finished basement is a fabulous place to store as much as we want without people seeing it. However, I don't want to think of that as my savior because when we DO finish off the basement, we'll have a kid, or two, to manage while I weed through it all. Then I might toss things I don't want to get rid of because I don't have time to deal with it. But maybe that's the answer?

Ugh. I don't know. I just want a clean house for the New Year that stays clean for more than a day or two. I want ONE closet in our bedroom. I can do without the one on the bedroom floor and the one growing out of the tub in our bathroom. I want a kitchen counter that doesn't get covered in crap when Shaun comes home from work. I want things have a place. I want to get back to the days where I would clean-up every Sunday and it only took an hour or so to do the whole house.

I guess I want a lot. And, sitting here telling you about it isn't helping clean the house. So, off to organizing I go.

25 weeks

24 Weeks

Update

I'm 24 weeks and 1 day today. I had a regular appointment with my OB today. She confirmed what I suspected - Miss Amelia is breach. Not a big deal with so far to go but hopefully that kid isn't too comfortable and will change positions before she doesn't have enough room to spin around. The only reason I'd like her to move now is because I think it would be easier for Shaun to feel her kick. Oh well, hopefully she'll be a good girl and not have to be forcefully encouraged later on.

I get to do the glucose test at my next appointment. Oh what fun!

I am battling yet another cold. Grrr! Tonight is Shaun's holiday party at Topnotch. I am looking forward to sleeping in the comfy bed and seeing some old co-workers whom I miss. Tomorrow we were supposed to meet a friend of mine who is a photographer to do a holiday card photo. Since it's going to be so darn windy we've rescheduled for Sunday. Hopefully the snow we got today will stay and the sun will come out and play with us. *Fingers crossed.*

Off to the party I go. I am taking the camera and my "24 weeks" sign so we can get a pic of me in my dress. :) I'll post it tomorrow.

Things we've gotten already

I haven't had a shower yet (a baby shower - I shower everyday *smile*) but we already have quite a few things from some great friends who have passed things on from their little ones.

A pack-n-play and extra stroller from Sandy & Bryan

A bassinet from Yael & Josh

(plus TONS of maternity clothes)

A baby bathtub, seat, mirror, bottle warmer, bottle rack, papasan chair

& wipes warmer from Rey & Ann.

Along with some really cute outfits & the sweetest pair of shoes!

I think there's something missing but that's the most of it. It's amazing how much stuff is needed for such a little person! :) Oh well, thankfully we have very generous and helpful friends that are helping us out.

Moving things around

I love the way we had our house setup but when it really came down to it there wasn't a place for a kid to play. Especially with bigger toys like exersaucers and walkers. So, I was inspired to make some changes. While the real dining room table doesn't fit into the kitchen area as well as our old one, it did allow us to create a room with space.

We moved the older, smaller table into the fireplace room, which was the dining room and set it up as a computer desk for the iMac. We then moved the bigger, newer table into the kitchen/nook space as our regular table. That table is monstrous so it wasn't as good of a fit but it works. Now in the fireplace room we have the old table setup with the computer, a futon and a big space in the middle of the room to play. Now we just have to find a rug. And Shaun doesn't want a braided rug. He wants a soft rug. A rug soft enough to sleep on. Yea, we'll see about that.

Bigger, newer table now our everyday table.

Kitchen with new table setup.

Fireplace setup with SPACE!

(the little rug will go - I was just seeing how big (not at all!) it was & so will the pile of towels and blankets)

23 Weeks

Finally some color - no black or gray!!