Sweater

Flashback to the early 90's anyone? So James and I were cleaning out our closet this weekend in an attempt to make more storage room and get organized for baby. We made some headway, but there is still much more to be done! But I digress from the point of this post! While cleaning out our closet (which does 'cleaning out the closet' sound like it should be a euphemism for something to anyone else?) - anywho, he found my old Sony walkman...like tape player walkman! After mocking me for not having a CD walkman in college, I grabbed it to see if it even still worked. And to my ears' delight, it did - and there was the debut Weezer album (circa 1994). Can I just tell you how I sat in the closet with my walkman blasting Weezer and flashing back to high school? I mean, it just immediately transported me back to my old red Toyota Celica and driving down to my best friend Brandi's house with the Weezer blasting. God, I loved that tape! I still know all the words.

*Sigh* Memories.

Special call to Miss Breezy and CindyLooHoo - we are so getting the band back together ladies! Get to practicing!

Shh...Shh...Shh..Shower

The Charlotte shower this past weekend was great fun! It was so good to see so many of my friends and co-workers, some of whom I hadn't seen in over a year! There was food a plenty (yumm, pigs in a blanket!), and gifts galore. I'm sort of sad to see all the parties end. Who doesn't love parties and baby gifts?! But, I will get over it (selfish moment!) - especially when Mr. Benjamin arrives! Here is my favorite picture from the shower - Miss Mackenna Grace (and her lovely mommy Jennifer!). I can't believe she's already 2 months old - time flies!

Special thanks to Helene for letting us invade her home; Miss Brooke for entertaining us all with her gymnastic and dance abilities; Breezy for the awesome dessert (even with everything you had going on!); and, Brooke & Tara for organizing it all so seamlessly!

Snore

I am so f*ing tired. Seriously, tired. Need toothpicks for my eyelids, tired. I'm also getting the 3rd trimester "cold" that is apparently common as the baby sucks all the nutrients from your marrow. I'm so over being preggo. Ready for labor. Bring on the labor.

7 Weeks...

There are only 7 weeks left folks, less than 50 days until B-Day! Can you believe it? I can't believe it! I don't think I'll believe any of it until I'm actually in the hospital in labor and facing down my fear of the epidural needle.

J and I have been loading up on the baby classes in the last few weeks - prepared childbirth, infant cpr, bringing home baby, and daddy bootcamp. We still have the pediatrician visit next week, the carseat safety class, and I'm wondering if I should take the breastfeeding class. The nurses suggest it, but really there are lactation specialists at the hospital so can't I just monopolize their expertise while I'm there after delivery? I mean, how do I learn to breastfeed when the baby is still in my belly? I mean, sticking a fake baby up to my nipple really isn't teaching me anything. (Not that that's what they do necessarily, I'm just saying...)

On a random note, I went to buy a new bra today because my boobs are growing (again). I just want to get one to last me these next few weeks, and then I'll buy nursing bras. Well, the stupid maternity store I went to tonight didn't have a size big enough for me. What's up with that? Do they assume everyone was small-breasted when they got preggers? I mean, we full-chested women get preggo too!

Luckily I have more exciting things to think about like the baby shower this weekend, so I don't have time to start really freaking out yet. It should be fun, and I'm sure there'll be yummy food! I got a little preview this week, when my office mates took me out to lunch for a mini-shower since they can't come to the one this weekend. However, it was the rainiest day ever and we all got drenched to the bone. Oh well, we still went into the fancy restaurant and ate lunch in our sopping wet states. Of course it stopped pouring like 15 minutes after we got seated, but then started drizzling when we were ready to leave. Go figure! I got some great gifts, and they made this adorable basket full of stuff I'll need - very cute, and a great basket!

Here's hoping everything gets done in these last 7 weeks before Benjamin joins us!

Touched

I meant to post this last week, but forgot - preggo brain anyone? So, I had my first belly blessing last week. "Belly blessing? What is this some new-age, hippie shit?" No. It was a belly blessing from a totally random Russian woman who came in to our office to get some advertising information. While I was helping her, she looked at me and said "I hope you don't mind, but I just have to do this." And then she proceeded to pull out a gold dollar coin and make the mark of the cross on my belly, and then place her hand on my belly and say a prayer in her native language. Typically I would have found this totally creepy, but honestly it was so well-meant and sweet - especially after I learned more about her background (I think she was originally from what is now Georgia) - that I really found it endearing. I'm saving the coin for Ben's baby book.

Bump in the Night

Okay, I am cracking myself up here, so I thought I'd share. I just had my first belly-to-body issue. I was going to look out on the porch to make sure the lights were on before I locked up and headed to bed, and I totally misjudged how big my belly is and how close I was to the door. Needless to say I belly bumped the door, and I gotta admit it hurt a little. Anyway, it cracked me up and Nixon is looking at me like I'm crazy for standing at the front door laughing. But seriously, it reminded me of when people accidentally walk into a glass door...totally that "hunh?" reaction. Hehe...

My belly has definitely shifted from the sides to an all-in-front position. Let's hope I can find the ever-expanding waistline just as funny in the next few weeks, rather than feeling like a hippo (which is honestly what I'm feeling like, especially at night when I'm trying to get out of bed to run to the bathroom).

Busy Bee

It's been a busy few weeks here at the "H" household. We had our first baby shower on August 23rd in my hometown. My mom and sis did such a great job, and it was so much fun! The food was yummy - the cake alone probably added 5 lbs to my frame, oh well! We actually had a huge turn-out of family and friends, so it was great to see everyone that I hadn't seen in forever! And the gifts - so many gifts, a mountain of gifts! I had the most fun opening gifts, not only because they are baby gifts (hello, super cute!), but also because our friend's 5-year-old daughter, Brooke, was my little assistant. She brought the gifts to me, helped me determine who they were from, and then we opened them together. She had such funny kid-like-yet-adult comments for everything, it just had me in stitches. To hear a 5-year old say, "Oh, you have to feel this fleece, it's so soft. The baby will love this!" is just a hoot! I love that kid! :) Here's a few of my favorite pictures from the party...and there were tons, which are all up on Ben's site...

Hello AF girls (shout out to Jen who's missing)...

My dad, me and my "tricycle". Yes, I know it's not technically a tricycle! When I was little, I loved this tricycle and rode it all the time! Until one time I left it out in the field and it sorta got run over by the tractor. Sadness! I thought it was trashed, but my dad had saved it all these years and he repaired it, repainted it, and gifted it to me for little Ben. How great is my daddy?

My parents came up this weekend to help us finish up the baby's room, and put all the gifts away. We washed all the baby clothes, finally made up the crib, hung the mobile, and organized...and we stuffed most of the gifts in the closet because I just don't want to have them out and about for the cat to lounge in until Ben gets here. I just know if I set up the pack-n-play that Nixon will be living in it and it will be covered in fur! Oh, Nixon...when will you learn that you are no longer the numero uno in this house. Here's a glimpse into Ben's Crib...all the updated room pics are on his baby site.