36 Weeks...

36 weeks. 4 more to go. One more until I am considered full term!


Ok. I think it has hit. This baby can come any time now. We don’t know when. It might be next week, might be 4-5 weeks from now. Who knows. Ahh!! I just want to know.

Still no news on my friend Kelly either. She is due 2 weeks before I am…Saturday the 9th. She also had her first a week early, so she is itching to have the baby too. She said she’d like to wait until Feb at least….so 3 more days and she’ll be happy. She has a Dr's appointment tomorrow too...we both go to the same Dr. so hopefully she'll have more news tomorrow.

Baby news to share though…Tiffany over at Colorado Mama had her baby girl on Sunday the 27th!! Lily Anne :) She is adorable…you need to go to her site and see the pictures of her new bundle of joy and her big sister Mikayla. Too adorable.

I go to the Dr’s tomorrow to find out if anything is going on. So hopefully I will have some news or info tomorrow night to share.

My parents are currently on a cruise to the Panama Canal…so I have been notified that I am not allowed to have the baby until the evening of the 9th of Feb…when they get back :)

Though I am at the point where I have had enough…I would really like to wait until the 19th of Feb to have the baby. See we have a class going on at work that started yesterday and finishes up on the 15th, so that would be perfect. Class would be over, work would be done being busy, Monday is a holiday and no one would be here at work, so I could come to work that day, relax and get some things done and then prepare to be out for a while…and I’d have the baby a little early, but not too early. So we’ll see. That would be a perfect world and we all know, that babies don’t really follow the perfect world schedule.

Jimmy and I are getting our cars detailed next Wednesday so that they are nice and clean and then we can go and get the car seats installed by my friend Tim (Kelly’s husband) who is a state trooper and certified in car seat installation. So for all of you that live on the east coast…be expecting a severe snow storm or at least enough snow to make the roads all nice and salty so that our nice detailing jobs will not last long…that is my history of washing my car and detailing it. It always seems to rain or snow the next day so my car no longer looks clean!

So the plan for getting everything completely done and ready is the end of next weekend the 10th. This weekend is touch up weekend on the main part of the basement, we have some paint touch ups to do and we need to clean the floor and get up most of the dry wall dust. Once that is done, we have the appointment with the carpet guy to have the carpet installed on the 9th. Then I can set up the swing and pack and play in the basement since it will all be finished except for the bathroom. Then once that is done, we can move the vanity and toilet that are sitting in our living room in boxes down in the basement to be put in the bathroom. Also Tucker’s crate can go back in the basement and out of the living room. Then I just need to shampoo the carpet in the living/dining room and baby’s room and we are set! Then the baby is safe to come at any point after that. So I don’t think I am going to start packing a bag or doing anything else more preparatory until that weekend. I might be kicking myself if the little one decides to come early. But you live and learn I guess.

Now though…if the Dr seems to think that there is a good chance the baby is not in it for the long haul…then plans will undoubtedly change. So only time will tell. We also have the ultrasound on Friday to check the baby’s size…so I am expecting to know A LOT more at my appointment on Monday the 4th after she gets the US results back and all.

Adios :)

An Update!

Check out Amanda's National TV Debut! SHE ROCKED!!!

Amanda on e!

I want this MIXER!!!

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

I have been wanting one of these forever!! (not to mention yellow is one of my favorite colors!!)We don't really have the counter space to have one now...but if I win one for FREE then there is no way Jimmy will say no!! :)

Watch e! Entertainment News TONIGHT!!!

Ok all…now some of you might care about this and some of you may not…but I am telling you anyway :)

There are about 5 people from home in Delaware that I still keep in touch with all the time. 3 of them are triplets…3 girls. We have been friends since we were in kindergarten together. Their parents are like my 2nd parents, so much so that I refer to them as mom and dad. Well why am I telling you this you ask… Well there was this challenge on e! Entertainment channel called Ryan’s Red Carpet Challenge here is the link….

http://www.eonline.com/on/shows/redcarpetchallenge/

Where you can enter a video to try and win a trip to LA for the Golden Globes to be on the red carpet with Ryan Seacrest and interview 2 celebrities. Well…Amanda (the oldest triplet – lets call her triplet #1) entered and won! Now I am sure you are like…well the Golden Globes were like 2 weeks ago and the show was cancelled due to the writers strike. Yep. Well in place of that they are having her come out this weekend for the SAG awards and do the same thing.

So...here is the scoop…TONIGHT on e! Entertainment News at 7pm est they are going to feature Amanda’s (#1’s) winning video (Samantha (triplet #3) plays a role in the video as well and is the person Amanda selected to go on the trip with her to the red carpet and show). Then this SUNDAY on e! Entertainment channel between 5-6pm est, on the red carpet pre-show with Ryan Seacrest, you will see Amanda interview 2 celebrities.

Here is a picture of Amanda (#1)...I don’t have access to my personal pictures here…I found this one from an article where she was a model in a picture for a magazine at home…it is a good close up so you know who to watch for!

We are all so excited for Amanda (#1) because her entire life she has wanted to be an actress, so much so that she moved to NYC, then to LA to try her hand at it all…and then eventually gave up on her dream and moved back home to DE and finished college. Well now she has a big break! National TV!! So please tune in and watch, it should be entertaining :)

35 Weeks...35 Days...

So here I am at 35 weeks...which means there are only 35 days left. Just a little over a month...on Friday it will be exactly a month until my due date. I know I say this every week, but I can't believe it! Time is flying so fast!

For REAL ONLY 35 DAYS!! I can't wait to find out who this little one is and what they look like. It is so exciting and a tad bit scary at the same time. My parents are leaving on a cruise of the Panama Canal on Thursday and won't be back until the 9th. So I have been told I am not allowed to have the baby until at least the night of the 9th. So we'll see. I am hoping to make it to the week of the 18th...but only time will tell (oh and the ultrasound that I am having on the 1st might tell us a little bit better too) So stay tuned!

The good news is, my wonderful parents came down for the day yesterday while Jimmy was at work and helped me paint. We painted the entire basement (minus the bathroom) - molding, doors, ceiling, walls and all. And if I do say so myself it looks freaking awesome!! Here are 2 pictures of it, the first one is the only decent one I have here with me, the 2nd one is what all the remaining pictures looked like...don't know why my camera got all funky with those, but you can still get the jist.

So now all there is is about an evenings worth of touch ups (the kind you don't notice until everything is dry and you are out of the "I have been painting for 4 hours" induced haze) and then we are ready for carpet baby!! I can't wait until the carpet gets in and we can actually spend time down there...I can set up the pack & play crib down there and we can rest easy that the hard part is all done before the baby gets here. Joy o JOY!

Oh, then there is the purchasing of the sectional couch we want. Not sure when that is going to happen money wise...but we'll see. I am sure Jimmy will be all over getting the couch once his big TV is up and on the wall :)

We are not rushing on the bathroom, since there is only the 2 of us in the house all we really need is the one full bath upstairs to survive. So maybe a little every weekend until the baby comes we will chip away at the bathroom. It shouldn't take us too long to finish, we just have to prime, paint, put in the flooring, put in the sink and toilet too. And it is such a small space it could be done in a day, but we'll see. The part that is going to take a long while is tiling of the shower. But there is no hurry for that.

So that is my excitement from the weekend.

Adios :)

Roni @ Weight Watchen Scale Giveaway!

I have been thinking about asking Jimmy for a food scale for my birthday so that once the baby is here and I have to stop eating all of these extra calories I can be more accountable for the exact amounts of what I am eating...well here is a change that I could win one instead of having to get one for my birthday!!

Check out Roni's site for more about the giveaway!

Check out Roni’s new contest! I can win a Nutritional Smart Scale from Eat Smart and so can you! Click here for details!

Motivation...

Ok...so...here is my news. I am signing up for 2 races or should I say one race and one TRIATHLON!!

I am so excited to get my butt back in shape and get these baby pounds off once the little one is here and I needed some motivation. So when Jeannie over at Points and Pounds posted about doing the SheRox Sprint Triathlon in Philly in August I thought how perfect it would be!! I was going to do an all women's sprint tri last year, but it sold out too quickly so I didn't get in. Probably a good thing though, because by the time it came around I was almost 3 months pregnant. So not only will I get to compete in my first sprint triathlon...but I will get to meet one of my wonderful blogging buddies...Jeannie!! :) It is a two for one!!

So this one in Philly is going to be great because, my parents live in Wilmington, DE which is about 15-20 min from downtown Philly. So we have a free place to stay with the baby and the dogs for the weekend and Jimmy can bring the baby along to cheer for me and Jeannie!! :) I haven't signed up for it yet, because we are still using most of our disposable income to pay for the finishings of the basement (of which I will be posting some pictures of later...it is finally coming together!). So after the basement is all paid for (about 3 weeks or so from now) I am going to sign up!! So I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is not full by then.

The race I am signing up for is part of the Zooma Series. It is a 10K in Annapolis, MD (about 20 min from our house) and here is the best part...it is a JOGGING STROLLER 10K!!! So it is a race that the baby and I can do together!! How cool is that!! It is in the beginning of June, so I have from March until early June to get back to running 6+ miles. Totally doable. And it will help me to get my butt in gear and out and moving with the baby and the really cool jogging stroller we are getting. Another really neat thing...the baby gets its own race t-shirt!! I am sure they won't make them in the 3 months size...but at least I can save it for when he/she gets older.

So that is my motivation to get rid of this baby weight, PRONTO. I can't wait to start running and working out and really sweating again. Don't get me wrong I have been going to the gym 3 times a week since I joined the new gym by my house, but when your heart rate is only allowed to get to 140 bpm - there really isn't much calorie burning or sweating going on :)

So now...just to wait the 5 more weeks (or less...I hope) until this little one makes its appearance. Then a week or 3 after, I can start with walking until about 6 weeks and then it is working out full force. So until then...I have the excitement and motivation of looking forward to getting back into shape.

Adios :)

34 weeks & a Surprise Shower!

34 weeks...ok...so on Monday it was 34 weeks...THIRTY FOUR weeks!! Three weeks until I am considered full term! woah.

This morning I woke up with a feeling that the baby is way too big for my stomach...when it moves so does the shape of my stomach, it is weird. I plan on working up until the baby comes...but we'll see how that goes. I mean I really have to in order to get paid and all, but I might try and swing four 10 hour days and take Friday's off until then. I am just so beat when I get home from work.

I had a Dr's appt on Tuesday and she said all looks good. I got a prescription for another ultrasound to check the baby's size. I am not supposed to go until 37 weeks, but made it about 2 days before I hit 37 because of work. I am sure that will be fine.

After my next appointment I go every week until the baby is here. On Tuesday she said that next time they start the internal exams and as she put it...she will find out then if I am 'in it for the long haul' or if she thinks the baby will come early. My friend Kelly who is due the 9th went today (we have the same Dr) she is 36 weeks and the Dr told her she is already 1.5cm dialated!! She had her son Jack a week early, so we'll see.

There could be a new baby here any time!! (Kelly's that is!) That excites me very much, because it has been a really long time since I have been around a very very new newborn and never for an extended period of time, so it will be nice to hang around her as much as she will let me (since we are neighbors too :)) and learn.

My friends threw me a surprise shower on Saturday!! It was great!! oh and it was at MY HOUSE!! Who has a surprise party thrown for them at their own house!! My best friend Meghan planned the whole thing and had it at my house, because her place is small and she and Jimmy thought that our basement would be finished (it should have been) by then. But oh well...there were like 25 people there, crammed, but everyone came!! We got almost everything we needed...well of course some multiples and some stuff we aren't sure why we got :) but all we needed to get after the shower was another car seat base, a seat protector for the car seat, our stroller, and a few other small odds and ends.

I already ordered the car seat base and seat protector from Target, because we got 2 gift cards from there and I had to return some duplicates to there...don't get me started on them and their return policy, I was there for over an hour fighting with them to return stuff that I got more then one of THAT WAS ON MY REGISTRY! They have a new policy that without a receipt they can't give you your money back or a credit at all. You can use your drivers license twice in one year for up to $20 in items back without a receipt...and that is it. I finally got a store credit and had to use my license only once. But mark my word, I will never register there ever again for anything and I am spreading the word to everyone I know about it and telling them to not do it either. It was unreal and they definitely are not out to make the customer happy.

Anyways...we have a few things to return to Babies-R-Us and then we will use that credit and a gift card we got from there to order our stroller and we'll be all set! I need to start thinking about packing a hospital bag sometime in the next 3 weeks or so too. I need to figure out what all I will need or not need to bring with me.

Here are some pictures from the shower...

The yummiest cake...yellow cake with Mint Chocolate Chip Filling!! (my Dad came up with the saying...funny funny man!)

A quilt my Mom made...hand embroidered!

Me and my Mom

Me and my Girlfriends from College (non-bball)

Me and my bball girls from college (we still all play together...except I am sitting this season out! :))

I will have some exciting news...well to me and Jeannie :) exciting...either tomorrow or Saturday night to post. I have had so much to post about...but between work and being so tired I just have no motivation to sit down in front of the computer when I get home after I sit in front of it all day at work. But I will do my best to post again before Monday. I hope everyone is doing well!! I am going to try now and go to make some long over due comments to all of your blogs!!

Adios :)

33 Weeks

33 weeks...7 weeks to go! The countdown is nearing its end. Less then 50 days. It seems like just yesterday I was saying I was just under 100 days!

I am incredibly excited. A little nervous, but excited. If I sit and think about it for a while, it seems overwhelming, but I know it will be amazing and well worth it. I can't wait to see what this little one is, what it looks like and how amazing it is. And to find out why it is so in love with the ribs on my right side!!

The baby has been all up in my ribs for a long while now...and it is getting to be a tad bit annoying and uncomfortable. I am curious as to how the baby is laying exactly. Since it feels like its head is in my ribs...I wonder if it is head up and feet down...or breech. But another weird thing is that it is all on my right side...my left side is all soft and squishy, but the right side is hard as a rock and all baby. Kind of weird. I don't know if it is normal or not, but my Dr hasn't seemed concerned yet, so I am not concerned...just a little uncomfortable!!

ok...so the basement...here are 4 pictures of what is done so far. Tomorrow is the crown molding and base molding. Then hopefully on Thursday the doors will go up and the outlets and switches will be wired in. Then we can start to paint and put the floors down in the bathroom so that we can install the vanity and the toilet. Then will come carpet and Jimmy's new TV on the wall...we are almost there!! I am glad that it will definitely be done before the baby gets here. :)

The main part of the basement

Looking from the main part toward the stairs and closets

Looking at the outside wall of the bathroom and into the laundry room

The bathroom/tub

So tomorrow is my work baby shower. I am very excited. I don't know how many people will be there, since 2 of the people I thought were coming told me today that they wouldn't be able to make it. But I am sure it will be nice and a fun time. I will definitely take some pictures of the loot I get and share it all with you!! I can't wait to start filling in the baby's closet and getting things all put away in the dresser and stuff.

Today was a great day...Jimmy's part time job at my work finally came through and today was his first day! He really seems to like it so far and I love being able to see him during the day some. He is too cute all dressed up in his khakis and all too :) He is only doing this 30 hours a week until the baby comes (well until I go back after my maternity leave). Then after that he will do maybe one day a week if he can since he is staying home with the baby. The extra money between now and then is going to be wonderful...to first buy the carpet and sofa for the basement and then put the rest of it away to stock up our savings for the baby and the future. Everything seems to be working out wonderfully. I couldn't be happier!

Tonight I had dinner with 4 friends from my old job. It was so great to see them all. They gave me some really adorable gifts too. It was too sweet of them to do that.

My old boss is one of my good friends who came tonight (which was a surprise) and she is the kind of person that shops at all of the little boutiques and all. She got us 2 adorable outfits, one that had a little shirt that had a picture of a sun and then it said SHINE next to it...like Sunshine :) it came with an orange little sweatsuit outfit. It was soooo adorable!! She actually took that back to get me a bigger size, because she wanted the baby to be able to wear it longer. So once I get it back I will take a picture of it to show you all.

I also got from her a little giraffe blankie, a little pajama outfit, a taggie blankie, a book, rattle and bib set. It was all so cute and way more expensive then anything I would ever buy for the baby, but it is nice to have some items like that from people that mean a lot to you.

One of my other friends gave us 2 little outfits and a pair of orange cargo sweat pants for the baby. My friends are way too wonderful. I am so luck to have them all in my life.




Well I need to get off to bed. It is way past my bed time.

32 Weeks...etc...

32 weeks...8 weeks left...OMG...!!!! I am getting so incredibly excited. Now just to see if these last 8 weeks pass slow or quick. These last 2 weeks have passed incredibly fast with all of the holidays and days off of work...I mean this week is almost over too! Before I know it I will be writing about 33 weeks! And since they consider you full term at 37 weeks...that means it could really be 5 weeks. Ok...enough of that talk, there is way too much to do and that just freaks me out a little bit! :)

So I had my last monthly Dr's appointment today, now I am on to every 2 weeks (twice), then weekly until the baby comes. As of today I am still measuring 2 weeks ahead. She said she isn't going to worry about it for another few weeks and at that point she will just send me for an ultrasound to check on the size of the baby. She then asked me how much I weighed as a baby...and I couldn't remember, but I knew I wasn't little...so I called my mom...and yep 9lbs 5oz! HOLY SMOKES!!! Please no...please please please no!!! It didn't seem to have a significance or matter to me before, but now that I know this baby has to come out of me...I'd much rather, a 7lb baby, then a 9lb one!! Though all I really care about is that it is healthy...but I really don't want to think about the size!!

On New Years Day Jimmy and I took the dogs on a hike in the woods in a park by our house. They had so much fun. Running through the woods chasing each other and running in and out of the water. I have never seen them move so fast! Tucker is the youngest and had severe hip dysplasia at 6 months old and had to have surgery on both of his hips, but boy it hasn't slowed him down one bit!! He was scaling the almost vertical banks near the creek. I love seeing that, it makes all of the money we spent worth while. He is so hysterical. Every time we go, I keep saying, I need to bring my camera, because all of the fallen leaves in the woods were so pretty, so this time I remembered!! The fallen leaves have lost most of their color, but I got a few good pictures, though not one very good one of Tucker because he can't stand still for more then a hundredth of a second!! What was even better is that I got my exercise in for the day, without feeling like I was working my butt off and when we got home the pups were exhausted and I got a lot done without them following me around all night :)

Here are a few of the pics...

Here is my cute hiking partner Jimmy :)

The 3 pups having a blast!

Mack by the creek

Tucker constantly on the move! :)

Chloe in the leaves

Ok, I think that is all for tonight...I will have more to post tomorrow or Friday as I will have a basement update (with pictures!) and possibly some exciting news...if Jeannie can convince me of doing something she talked about in her blog today (Points and Pounds). :)

Adios :)