Week 36

So, big news on the baby front ... I am now officially full term!!! It feels really good (and a little crazy) to know that the baby could safely arrive at any time now. Getting to the end of this week was really important to me because I wanted to make it to full term AND make it to my final baby shower on Sunday.

This is the fourth for those keeping score at home. It was hosted by my fabulous aunts Wendy and Lana and they did a really beautiful job. This shower was mainly for my friends and family in Paducah and it meant so much to me to have everyone there. We had cake and I opened a ton of presents. I got lots of great gear and some adorable little outfits.

My grandmother claims I will wear this baby out changing its clothes, because I've already bought so many clothes on my own. I would just like to say in my defense that when we found out the baby was a boy, there were only a couple of sad little onesies left after I sorted out the girl stuff. I just felt so bad for my little man that I might have slightly overreacted. But whatever so my baby will be the best dressed baby boy in Paducah...there are worse fates.

Anyway, the shower wasn't the only party this weekend. My family kept it going all weekend because we also had a surprise housewarming party for my cousin Michael. He just bought his first house and after the party, it will be filled with lots of kitchen supplies and more laundry detergent then he might ever use.

The other positive development this week was we found a pediatrician! We had an interview with another doctor who had come highly recommended by many of my friends and he was just as wonderful as they had described. He's opposed to the overuse of antibiotics, he is very supportive of us using an alternative vaccine schedule, and he seems generally passionate about the care of children. My favorite moment was when he said, "I try to practice 21st century medicine. I'm not going to do something just because it's been done for the past 15 years." I almost hugged him. So, yeah! - our baby has a doctor.

Our home improvements are also moving along nicely and we finished painting the two front rooms. Since my aunt was in town for the shower, we took a few more runs through Surplus City and TJ Maxx and picked out drapes and accesssories for several of our rooms. Everything is really coming together and it's so exciting.

The only blip this week was that my mother was diagnosed with BOTH strands of the flu (no it's not swine flu!). The best part is she got the flu vaccine, which justifies me further in never getting said vaccine because it's freaking pointless. She feels pretty bad but we've quarantined her in her bedroom and no one else in the house has gotten sick, so I think we're ok.

Two Downs:
1. My hips and lower back are really starting to hurt, especially at night. If I don't do my yoga, it's difficult to sleep through the night.
2. I'm starting to get frustrated with my limited range of motion. It sucks feeling like a turtle on its back half the time.

Two Ups:
1. I'm starting to get really excited about the baby actually being here and in my arms. I'm even excited about labor and delivery (yeah, yeah it hurts - I know!).
2. Other than the hip and back pain, I still feel really great - no swelling, no heartburn, no nothing.

Paducah Baby Shower

Paducah Baby Shower from hollandnm on Vimeo.

Week 35

We had another busy week this week. The biggest news is we closed on our house on Friday! After a couple weeks off, we are officially homeowners again. Everything went as planned and they even got started on the bathroom redo earlier than we thought. By Friday evening, everything but the floors and walls had been completely ripped out. It was so exciting to see that project getting started because I cannot WAIT for the result.

We also started painting and by "we" I mean Nicholas, Mom (despite her broken toe), and Ron. Over the weekend, the nursery was painted and they put one coat on the living room. We managed to squeeze this in along with a trip to Tennessee to pick up my new dining room furniture I bought off Craigslist for a steal!

There were also a few developments on the baby front. I interviewed a pediatrician, which has been on my list for awhile. Unfortunately, it did not go well. My first sign that this was not going to be a match made in heaven was when I said that her practice had a reputation for being antibiotic-happy and she laughingly responded, "We probably are!" If that wasn't enough, she went on to describe herself as a "lazy toilet trainer" and opined that the immunization system is perfect like it is. Needless to say, I'm hoping the interview this week goes better. Another major to-do item I checked off was Infant CPR. Ron, Nicholas, and I attended an American Heart Association training and I feel much better prepared should the unthinkable happen.

On top of it all, I had a lovely shower on Saturday in La Center with my Nanny and her friends. Everyone was so sweet to come celebrate with me and so generous to give such great gifts. I had a really wonderful time.

One Down:
1. I'm reinstating the downs for this week not because I'm feeling bad but because I need an outlet for my frustration. I really, really need strangers to stop commenting on my belly. I get it. I'm pregnant. You think I'm going to go "any minute" or that I'm about to "pop." But guess what? I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK!!! Keep it to your dang self!

Two Ups:
1. It has been so exciting to start organizing and putting the nursery together in our new home.
2. Despite several warnings from relatives, I have not put on a ton of weight at the end. In fact, my weight seems to have stabilized.

Too cute not to share

Baby Steals

Since it seems every other friend I have is either pregnant or just had a baby, I thought I'd include a link for one of my favorite sites to find little baby bargains (especially for all of you that don't have the pleasure of living near Surplus City!)

It's called Baby Steals and they put up a new deal on a product every day - it can be everything from baby clothes to strollers to bibs to you name it. They post at 9am mountain time and you have to get there quick for the really high demand items because they only have a select amount.

Nicholas was in charge for awhile but I took over after he'd always announce they had some great item I'd wanted followed quickly by - "Oh, never mind they're sold out."

La Center Baby Shower

La Center Baby Shower from hollandnm on Vimeo.

Week 34

We had a lot of exciting developments this week. First, we got our car seat installed by the fire department. I was determined not to be one of those people who procrastinate the big tasks until the last minute, so it felt good to get that done.

Even more exciting, I found a doula! My mom was off for spring break so she got to come with me to meet her. I had all these official interview questions printed out but they basically got thrown out the window after the first few minutes. In a nutshell, she shares all my values and opinions about birth and we got along amazingly well. I'm so excited to know she'll be there to coach and support both me and Nicholas.

As if the perfect doula wasn't enough, Nicholas and I went to have maternity photos taken on Saturday. We took several with both of us in matching black shirts and then she took a roll of me wrapped in a long cheesecloth. The photographer was really great and I'm so excited we got to document my belly in a really beautiful way - although I know y'all are boiled over by the beauty of our weekly shots in front of the door. ;)

That night my Aunt Lana came to town with her family for Easter and we scheduled a walk through of the house so she could see it. For those of you who have not met my aunt, she is quite the force of nature. She channels all this energy into interior design as her day job and has lovingly agreed to design our new house for us. It is really amazing to see her at work, but just to give you an idea. She arrived around 5 pm on Saturday and by that night she had already picked the paint colors for the living room, dining room, nursery, a bathroom, and our bedroom.... oh and we somehow managed to get to Surplus City in time for me to buy a couch and loveseat, Home Depot to pick out fixtures, tile, and a vanity, AND to TJ Maxx for pillows, bathroom accessories, and towels. It was pretty wild.

It's amazing we all had any energy for Easter Sunday, but we did and had a wonderful time with all of the family. The Easter Bunny even came that morning, which was VERY exciting, especially since I'm guess it's the last year I'm going to be getting a basket. :)

Two Ups:
1. I'm only doing ups this week because I still feel pretty great. I'm so grateful that it seems wrong to search for things to complain about.
2. The baby is super-active, which is really great because I never have to wonder if he's doing ok. The giant moving lump on side of my belly I think is a pretty good sign. :)

Week 33

Well, dang, since I don't have any huge life changes to report this week, I feel a little lame. I did have a really nice week, which involved upteen trips to Surplus City. It's gotten to the point where one of the employees expressed concern that I might actually give birth in the store. ;)

I had a nice afternoon with my Nanny one day. On Saturday, we ate breakfast with all of my family and Nicholas got some fishing in. That night Nicholas made dinner for my mom, Ron, and their close friends the Orr's and the Blythe's, which was a lot of fun.

Other than that, we're just trying to wrap a few loose ends before the birth. My goal is to have nothing else on my checklist by the end of next week and I'm proud to say we're right on track. We bought a bunch of supplies over the weekend and I washed my first load of tiny little baby things. It was pretty adorable, although I'm sure it will be less so around load 3,498.

Two Downs:
1. The same area I've been complaining about - around my ribs where all my organs are smooched up - is getting more sensitive by the day.
2. I get tired sooo easy. I can't make more than a couple of trips around Surplus City without desperately needing to sit down.

Two Ups:
1. Despite a few days last week, I'm sleeping pretty well, which I am incredibly thankful for.
2. My hormones have been giving me a run for my money. I can tell almost from the second I wake up if everything will be sunshine and roses or if I'm going to want chew razorblades, as my mom used to say. Sometimes if I take a nap I can reset myself as the case may be, but I hate being a slave to my moods. I'm sure Nicholas would give that a firm second.

Critter Capture: Part Deux

Critter Capture: Part Deux
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas

First, it was Peter the Possum behind the house.

Now, it's Randy the Racoon in the attic.

My next guess is Miss Scarlett in the Library.

Critter Capture

Critter Capture
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas

On this episode of the new reality show starring Sarah and Nicholas, The Paducah Project, we have a very special guest start - Peter the Possum!

I swear I couldn't make this stuff up.

We've been hearing scurrying, scratching, and general hijinks coming from fireplace and attic for several weeks. My mother claims she's been hearing this "critter" for quite sometime and has been meaning to call my Grandaddy Bud to help her take care of it. Well, Maggie must have been the extra push she needed because she was NOT standing for it and would freak the hell out every time the critter made a sound.

We called Daddy Bud who told us he would bring us his trap (which of course he already owned) and informed us it was likely a raccoon. While advising us on how best to lure the critter, he informed us that "coons LOVE marshmallows!" Who knew.

Well, Nicholas and Mom very excitedly sat up the trap and would check it every day. It was actually Maggie who first realized the trap had worked and caught up our dear friend Peter the Possum. They were both very excited, although I have to say Nicholas was very hesitant - notice who is standing closer to the trap in the picture.

Ron decided the only logical solution was to drive the possum in his car across the river to Southern Illinois, thereby guaranteeing the possum could not return and making it officially "Illinois's problem." He was pretty insistent, so him and my mom drove Peter to Illinois. Apparently, he was a little hesitant at first and they literally had to dump the trap out before he got the hint and scurried off into the forest.

Sadly, that night we continued to hear critter noises. My mother now feels Peter was probably an innocent bystander and has reset the trap this time upstairs in the attic.

Critter Gate continues.

I'll keep you all informed.