nursery!!!!!

before pics:

in progress pics:

after pics (room view):

each section individually:

 the "P" is up there only because i got it done before the "M"

i'm doing both so that i don't have to worry about painting it once i get home from the hospital

dr appt update

i have not thinned out any more than last time, but i am 1cm dilated.

39 weeks!

almost there!
1 week left...supposedly!
mom, dad, and ms. steph get here on thursday.
so exciting!!
i've kept myself busy with projects around the house to pass the time.

at my 36 week exam, i was 80% effaced.
this afternoon, i get checked again, so we'll see what progress i've made.
the baby has definitely dropped.

i can eat more now & breathe a little better.
my right hand fingertips are numb always & it's very annoying.
my lower back feels all out of whack.
my feet are swollen for real.







tuesday, we finished up our four week Labor & Birth series classes.  john got to wear the emphathy belly.  it was quite amusing.  this belly is no joke.  they pull a band around his chest super tight to simulate shortness of breath, then they strap on the belly, and lastly, they put a bean bag in between the belly and his bladder simulating the pressure the baby's head puts on the bladder.

john had a dream the other night that i had the baby without him there.  it was a boy, and i decided to name him larry belron.  larry being short of layrence (not lawrence).  :-)  haha.

i had a dream the other night that i had the baby at home all by myself while john was sleeping in the other room, and it was a boy.  weird.

i'm not ready to post pics of the entire nursery yet, but i will post this one.  now, just because i have the "P" for Preston up doesn't mean i know or think that we are having a boy.  :-)  i just did the P first and am now working on the "M" for Margaret.  we'll hang the right one up once the baby is born.

we had our first big calvary young adult event a couple of weekends ago.  it was a picnic at a local park.  john looking spiffy in his cooking gear...

he actually didn't grill at all.  he's just a model for his grilling tool holder apron that he's had for longer than we've been married and has never used.

some girls here threw me a shower a few weekends ago.  it was fantastic, and i will post pics as soon as i can get my hands on them.

mother's day weekend

my first unofficial mother's day weekend was fantastic!!  john is the greatest husband ever.  we got up early on saturday morning (a miracle for the both of us) and drove around from garage sale to garage sale.  the weather was absolutely gorgeous.  didn't find what we were looking for (bedside tables for our bedroom), but we really just had a good time hanging out and driving around.  :-)

sunday after church, we went to sonic (my choice).  came home, took a nap, got up at 5pm, spent the next 3 hours in the front flower beds with john doing some much needed weeding.  once again, it felt incredible outside and all the neighbors were out (having emerged from the winter season of staying indoors at all times), so we did lots of visiting as well as weeding.  we live near some great people.  two people that we hadn't met yet came by and introduced themselves.  i wouldn't have changed anything about our evening.  i loved every minute of it.  as for my mother's day gifts:  one of them i've already put to good use...

...an electric sander!  i <3 power tools.  he also gave me a laser circular saw.  can't wait to use that one!

i am loving all of the trees and bushes that are in bloom.  we've had some pretty ones pop up in our yard.  it's been kinda fun to see what springs up.

we had tulips and daffodils bloom along the fence in our front yard.  love it!  they died already but were precious while they lasted.

last night we had our first labor and birth class!  it was very informative.  there were 7 or so other couples, and they were all close to our age.  we behaved ourselves until the last 15 minutes of class when we started doing relaxation techniques.   i was sitting inbetween john's legs leaning against his chest doing some deep breathing techniques, and john kept laughing silently because i was putting too much pressure on his chest for him to be able to take any deep breaths.  we both got the giggles and had a hard time containing ourselves. 

35 weeks:

i'm significantly bigger than i was last week for sure.  i stay entertained with all the moving around he/she does.  5 more weeks til we get to meet our little one!  i cannot wait!  here's the baby bed:

for those of you who know my eating habits & likes, you'll be very impressed to know that i went on a fruit buying spree yesterday, came home and cut it all up (first time ever to buy/chop up a pineapple), and am very much enjoying some fruit salad.

don't be fooled though...this is my freezer drawer...

i <3 chocolate.

Spring has arrived in PA

i've been a terrible blogger.  please forgive me.

shreveport baby shower:

AWESOME!  i have an amazing extended family.   everything, the whole weekend, was perfect (with the exception of the heat and humidity causing some swelling - it made me glad to be pregnant in a cooler climate).  got to spend time with olivia and go bridesmaids dress shopping for becca's wedding.  also, got to visit john's grandmother and see a lot of my side of the family that i hadn't seen in a while. 

Thanks, Aunt Bitsy!

Thanks, Aunt Julie, Aunt Jay, Kristen, Megan, Erin, Jenna, Mitzi, and Cynthia!

Thanks, Ms. Steph!

Thanks, Mom!

it was SO fun coming home (PA) and with everything having been delivered while i was in louisiana! 


maternity pics with olivia:  (31 weeks)

unfortunately, laying on my back really flattened out my belly pretty much.  o well!  it was still fun!  thanks, liver.


33 week belly pic:

john's mom spent part of last week with us.  she brought the hot weather with her because it was in the 80s while she was here, and then when she left a cold front came through, and it's been in the 60s since.  we went shopping for gardening tools and got started working in our flower beds.  our poor yard looks (and has been) neglected.  our sweet, sweet neighbors have mowed our yard the last 2 weeks for us since we don't have a mower yet.  

i'm still working on the master bedroom...gotta finish up some small details in the nursery before i post any pics.  :-)

30 weeks

3/4 of the way there.

in 2 days, i fly to shreveport for my baby shower!!  yay!!

crib and dresser will be delivered friday.

i'm finding that i'm getting irritated more easily lately.  :-/  i hope that fizzles out quickly...for poor john's sake.

my project this week has been my master bedroom.  it's gonna be a lot of work, and i'm growing more tired more quickly.  my feet are really aching.  this should be interesting.

5 years!

yesterday, john and i celebrated our 5 year anniversary!  he took me out for a surprise evening on the 'spirit of philadelphia.'

 

we had a lovely dinner while floating down the delaware river.  some of the staff provided some live entertainment, and they had an audience participation competition that john was a part of.  shocking, right?  haha.  it was a lip-sync competition.

 

staff entertainment:

dancing:

it was a really great, special evening.  <3