39 Weeks and Waiting...

No Lucy yet! Although, (TMI warning here) I do think I may be losing my mucous plug. Yum! Rob and I walked today around the local library grounds, but still no contractions (as far as I know). I basically spent the entire walk talking about every single little thing I am fretting about: how I'm worried the epi won't take, that I'll tear something terrible, that I won't be a good mother, that I'll suck at breastfeeding, that my dogs will feel neglected, that I won't want to return to work in April, that Lucy won't like me when she's 15... I just went on and on. Rob just spent the whole time telling me that everything would be fine, of course! I'm just so nervous not knowing when this is going to happen. This is almost worse than my last two week wait... I said almost because that was absolute torture!

So, here I am in all my completely 39 week pregnant glory (ha, ha...right). This may be the last photo of me pregnant with Lucy! Who knows?

Final pictures of Lucy's room, I finally got the rocking chair from my mom's house, put up some sheer curtains and added a lamp. I really like how it turned out and feel like the pictures just don't do it justice because it looks so much better in real life. I think Lucy will love it!

And, just for fun some pictures of the crazy snow we had over the past couple weeks...or as our newscasters liked to call it "ARTIC BLAST"!

"So we keep waiting

Waiting on the world to change"

-John Mayer

Lucy Watch 2008 Continues...

No Lucy yet! Christmas was wonderful, I hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas Eve and Christmas day as I did. On Christmas Eve Rob cooked a absolutely beautiful dinner for my mom and myself. To start we had cheese fondue with foccacia and cauliflower. For the main course we feasted on roast duck with a pomegranate gastrique (like a clear sauce for those as non-culinary as myself, I just had to ask him again what it was called...I could just call it delicious I suppose), twice baked potatoes (my favorite, I had five...YES I did say 5! Three for me, two for Lucy, blame her the little piggie), sauteed spinach and individual then truffle cakes with pomegranate whipped cream for dessert. Um, can you say AMAZING? So good. I swear when Rob cooks it is like eating out at a 5 star restaurant, in my own home!

After dinner we went to the Christmas Concert we attend every year on Christmas Eve. I was so afraid I would be in the hospital and miss it, and my mom was convinced that I should stay home and rest, but I assured her I was fine and off we went. It really "makes" Christmas Eve. It is a lovely concert with an extremely talented Portland pianist and an array of other artists. It is truly amazing. If you are a Portlander I cannot emphasize enough that you go to a Michael Allen Harrison concert, and try and make it to the Christmas at the Old Church concert next year, it is truly fabulous and makes my Christmas season every year all the more special.

Christmas morning was wonderful with yet again a culinary masterpiece by Rob for breakfast. He made his own lox this year and we had lox and bagels, poached eggs on spinach and bacon with toast. Yum! My mom came over again to join us and we opened presents. I got a ton of lovely things, and we even stuck to our budget this year which was really nice. My favorite is a silver bangle bracelet from Rob and Lucy with a quote on it that I will use as my end quote for this entry. To finish out the day wee had dinner at my mother's (again more delicious food!) and then went home and enjoyed a quiet Christmas night together in front of the fire.

As far as I know I haven't been having any more contractions, but honestly I don't know what they feel like if I am! I'm having a lot of stomach and back pain, but I'm just not sure. They hurt, that is for sure, but I don't want to get my hopes up that Miss Lucy is on her way so I keep thinking that it is just pain and not contraction pain. We'll see what the doctor's office says on Tuesday at my appointment. Although, my doctor is now officially out of town and I my appointment is with her colleague who I had a bad experience with last year, (see entry Doctor Debbie Downer), we'll see if she behaves herself this time! We'll also see if I've gained any weight from all the wonderful food I've had lately. I was down a pound last week so I think my highest weight was offically 34 lbs, which isn't bad at all if I do say so myself. My goal was to keep it under 40 and I did it. Whoo hoo!

39 week picture to come since I had Rob take it tonight but have to download it onto my other computer and then transfer onto this computer...and I'm just too lazy to make the trip upstairs!

Think easy labor thoughts for me!!!! We are so anxious and so excited for Lucy's arrival!!

"A mother holds her children's hand for a short while but their hearts forever"

-Quote from Rob and Lucy's Christmas present to me

Lucy Watch 2008...

No Miss Lucy yet! I was all excited last week with my continued progress only to visit the doctor today to find...nada. Same as last week. 1 1/2 dilated. BOO. I was so ready for her to come this week. We're just dying to meet her! I've done a ton of walking, I'm not working (which is such a relief) and Rob and I have been doing lots of, er, extra curricular activities...every day. Lucky dog!

On the up side at least now my chances of spending Christmas in the hospital are slim to none. That is a plus because I just love Christmas. We're just hoping she comes soon because we are so excited and anxious for her grand arrival.

Rob's bet was yesterday, Monday the 22nd, and he spent all day talking to my stomach telling her to come out. Pleading really, he hates to lose a bet. My bet was this Friday, so I guess there is a chance that I could still win. However, it really bummed me out to schedule my induction with my doctor today for January 14th, in case she really does decide to hold out in there the doctor wanted to be all ready to go. I don't know if I can stand the suspense that long. Come on Lucy!

So not much to report here. I'm feeling better than I have in well over a month. Relaxing at home, sleeping in, being pampered like I am really does a 9 month pregnant girl some good! Rob cooks me everything, cleans the house, drives me everywhere (due to the 14 inches of SNOW out there)... I'm pretty much waited on hand and foot. I was so stressed at work that this just feels so wonderful, so at least if Lucy came in the next couple weeks it would be to a completely relaxed person rather than one all stressed out and overworked. I think this will also make such a difference in my delivery. If I had gone into labor last week with the stress of work and everything, I just don't think I would have the strength that I'm storing up now!

Once the Christmas craziness is over I'll keep the updates more frequent because... I don't have anything else to do. Whoo hoo!

"The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part."

-Tom Petty

The Past 9 Months...

"Feeling fat last nine months but the joy of becoming a mom lasts forever."

-Nikki Dalton

Childbirth Class...

Rob and I finished up our childbirth classes last week and aside from looking absolutely horrified at the first (rather graphic) birth video I thought Rob was being quite the trooper about it all. We had gotten through the classes without him running away screaming, so I had thought we were all good, until the last class in which we went over post-labor issues.

Rob being the studious student that he is, was coloring in the people on the "labor techniques" flier while the teacher happened to be going over what to expect post-birth and pulled out the mesh undies for all to look at. Rob being engrossed in his coloring didn't really pay attention and me, feeling that this was an important part of the class started subtly elbowing him in the side...just in time for the teacher to pull out the (dum dum dum) PAD. Ah the post-birth pad, which bears and amazing resemblance to a king sized down pillow:



Rob happened to look up right at the moment the teacher pulled out the pad and exclaimed:

"Where does THAT go???"

The teacher laughed at him and demonstrated how said "pillow" fit into the mesh undies, and not very well if I might say so myself, the pad dwarfed those poor mesh panties.

Rob: "No really, WHERE DOES THAT GO?"

Everyone laughed but Rob told me when we got into the car that he was totally serious. He cannot imagine how something like that fits into a pair of panties. I think the hardest part about the childbirth classes were not the videos full of full on naked ladies naturally birthing their babies, not the class on placenta or c-sections, but the horrific realization that there will be a necessity for a full on king sized pillow to be shoved into my fancy mesh panties. Poor guy!

Had a doctor's appointment today. I am now 1 1/2 centimeters dilated, 60% effaced and my cervix is midline (whoo hoo)! I suppose all of this means she could come tomorrow or she could come in two weeks. Who knows! I'm hoping before Christmas but not in the middle of the upcoming huge snowstorm (the third one this week, unheard of in Oregon) because I'd like to actually MAKE it to the hospital and not have the baby in the freezing snow on the side of Highway 26, not to mention my doctor, who I LOVE, is OUT OF TOWN the December 26th through January 4th (the nerve of her, going on vacation). My bags are packed and ready to go so come on Miss Lucy, we're ready when you are!

Lucy's Room - complete except for my rocking chair we need to get from my mom's house.

Super cute moses basket for beside our bed/ downstairs:



The crazy SNOW and our Christmas tree!


And, drumroll please, my massive self at 37 weeks knocked up!



"Think of stretch marks as pregnancy service stripes. "

-Joyce Armor

SNOW!

So, as an Oregonian I am used to our newscasters promising snow in the wintertime and always being disappointed. This past week they've been swearing up and down that snow is coming and I've been skeptically watching the sky for the past couple day. Last night they SWORE snow would be here by this morning. Well, when I awoke to pee at about 5:00 I eagerly looked out the window to see...nothing. DIRTY LIARS! I went back to bed, disgruntled, that I had let them get my hopes up once again.

Fast forward to waking up at 8:00 (to pee again...of course) and what do I see when I look out the window. SNOW! And now here at 11:30 it is still snowing like CRAZY. Newscasters are predicting anywhere from 3-6 inches, which honestly is unheard of on the Willamette Valley floor. We had our company Christmas party planned for today and we're obviously giving it a pass as they're shutting down freeways and requiring chains on all major highways (we're in Oregon people, you may laugh but EVERYTHING shuts down for 1 inch, let along 3+!). It is so funny because every time we actually have snow the news programs always give the storm a name "Winter Storm 2007" or "Blizzard of '03", this name for this storm is is "Artic BLAST!", which sounds like a slurpee flavor to me but I'm sure the news stations think it gives the storm a certain je ne sais quoi? Non?

So we're holed up at home, all warm and cosy with a fire. I'm working on washing all of Lucy's 0-3 month clothes and blankets because I may have forgotten to mention this but I am ONE CENTIMETER DILATED! I know I could stay this way for weeks, but I found out at my appointment on Wednesday that I am 1 cm dilated and also some percentage effaced (this is why I shouldn't go to appointments alone, once she started talking about the dilation I totally didn't listen about my percentage of effacement). My doctor definitely thinks if I keep going at this rate Lucy will be here early. I even went as far as to comment, "Wow, I'm so glad I'm done with work on the 19th!" and my doctor laughed and said "I can't guarantee you'll even make it that far. Who knows!" EEK! How freaking exciting!!!! Although on the flip side I totally called Rob from the car on my way home panicking that I haven't packed my bags or washed Lucy's clothes or trained my temp for maternity leave. So much to do!

Armed with this knowledge my mom and I went out on a slight baby shopping spree yesterday (that and a little Christmas shopping too). I had returned the pack n play that I had bought since it ripped when I tried to put it together and I didn't really have any options for her to sleep in our room or downstairs, so yesterday my mom and I found a super deal on a this adorable, plush moses basket and stand at Home Goods (love the bargain shopping!) that will work great, and it totally portable to bring downstairs and into our room (and to Grandma's house when I go back to work). We also hit the mall and Babies R Us. It was crazy but I now have bottles and burp clothes and feel closer to prepared than I did before our "spree". We also finally got around to going to the fabric store so I could buy some super soft minky fabric to line the burp cloths (old school cloth diapers from Babies R Us) with using my new sewing machine I got for my birthday. I'll post pictures when I get them done!

So my next appointment is Wednesday, and we'll see if I've kept up the progress or not. I haven't had any contractions, which my doctor was very impressed with, although I had to remind her I might not even know what they are. Sometimes my stomach hurts but I always pass it off to the extra 35 lbs I'm lugging around!!

I have a funny story about our final birthing class and Rob's reaction to the post-labor discussion we had that I will save for posting tomorrow because according to my boss, we might not even be going into work (did I mention Oregon SHUTS DOWN when it snows? True story!).

Lastly, I will leave you with my most pesky pregnancy side effect right now...presenting my sausage legs/feet:



GROSS!!

"A grand adventure is about to begin."

-Winnie the Pooh

More Bump Pictures...

As promised, more of my photoshoot with Jenn. Enjoy... I know I did!

" A baby is God's opinion that life should go on."
-Carl Sandburg

Lucy's Room (still in progress)...

Here are some pictures of Lucy's room, which is still in progress, but we're getting there.

Side Note: When I logged on to Blogger today I looked at my ticker and it said "24 Days Left"...oh dear lord, PANIC!!! I cannot believe that we're almost to the end of my pregnancy and that we could basically meet Miss. Lucy anytime now. It boggles the mind. I'm so excited, but still cannot believe it. They're actually going to let us take a baby home? Like for real? Wow...

Lucy's Room Before: Was my home office, pre-real estate market crash. And then a couple months ago it was cleaned out completed to get ready for the arrival of Miss. Lucy M.



Lucy's Room Now: Still have some finishing touches that need to be attended to. I desperately need to go out and find a crib skirt. I am obsessive about bedskirts on beds but haven't found a plain white one for a crib. Also, I'm thinking about a rug to add some color...green maybe? I still need my rocking chair, the rocking chair my mom used (an antique my dad bought her from 1700s) is being reupholstered for me for Christmas and will replace the old one that is in there right now (just in case). Rob designed the closet, and he's very proud of his work. He put all sorts of little shelves and pull outs and baskets in as a surprise for me one day when I was out of the house. It really is great, aside from being STUFFED with clothing and other fun stuff! The decals are from Esty seller Badass Custom Decals, who was SO generous to send us 8 extra birds to put around the room!! I still need to find sheer curtains to put up on the window and a couple other knicknacks, but its definitely getting there!

"A baby will make love stronger, das shorter, nights longer, bankrolls smaller, homes happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten and the future worth living for."

-Unknown

Quick Preview...

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know we did and I ate entirely too much turkey...and mashed potatoes...and sweet potatoes...and well, just about anything that was put in front of my face. Pig! And for all you voters out there...you're all terribly kind but terribly WRONG... I've totally put on 35+ lbs now. Yes, I certainly have. I'm attributing this to the fact that I just had three baby showers (with lots of cake), a birthday (with lots of cake) AND Thanksgiving (with lots of everything), but still...I'm SO going to hit 40 lbs. any day now, like maybe my next doctor's appointment on Wednesday. EEK!

Here are a couple of my favorite maternity shots from my fabulous friend Jenn (jenniferlynnphotography.blogspot.com). More to come in a slideshow format along with pics of Lucy's room!

**Please note, the picture with candy and cheesecake, which have been my #1 cravings as I don't usually like sweet stuff, was an idea shamelessly stolen from the maternity shoot of Jill at babyrabies.com, one of my favorite bloggers. Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?*

"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything."-Aaron Siskind