Showered with Love

Last Sunday my sister along with some women of our church threw me a nautical themed baby shower for Adam.  We had a great time and received a ton of great gifts for little man.  Fortunately, I got a good variety of necessary items, like diapers and wipes, clothes, bathroom supplies and towels, etc.  After Sunday, while washing baby clothes and organizing everything I've decided that I'm ready for him to get here!  While I'm still a little anxious about how to care for two young children, I'm ready to figure out this new schedule with two, ready to embark on this journey with Johnathan, and ready to learn more than I ever thought I would. And most importantly, I'm ready to complete our little family.

Here are some pictures from the shower - and me at 32 weeks!

32 Week 3Ds!

Here is little Adam at 32 weeks... estimated 4.4 lbs, and according to Crystal, our ultrasound tech, his head is REALLY low, and he is in the perfect position for delivery! yay!

Here is Anna Rae at 32 weeks... Something tells me they are going to look just alike! :)

And here I am at 32 weeks!

The remainder of the doctor visit yesterday went pretty uneventful.  I did talk to the doctor about my crazy back labor contractions I had last Friday morning.  They came every 10 minutes for an hour straight, and were pretty painful.  I took a hot shower and ate some breakfast, and they eventually went away.  Thank goodness!  The doctor said he could contract all he wanted after 36 weeks! 

31 Weeks!

Here we are... counting down the weeks and days instead of months looking forward to meeting our precious little boy!  Recently I find myself coming to the realization I'm having a boy and freaking out a little.  I know at first it won't be much different from Anna Rae, but it seems I know nothing about "boy" stuff and I feel so unprepared.  I gravitate to girly items in a store, want to watch all the girly movies and shows on tv, and am partial to girl clothes.  Although I know Johnathan will make sure his son is "all boy," I want to be a part of that too.  The "boy" stuff I like is NASCAR, football, basketball, fishing, and a big truck... and that's about it.  But, then I started to think... Anna Rae plays in the dirt, just like a boy would, and probably gets just as dirty and loves it.  

In an online Q&A regarding this same matter, I read answers from mothers with boys.  Of course most of their advice was geared towards how to not get peed on, but in all honesty I could care less about the pee.  I read one that calmed my fears... "When he gets big enough for his boy-ness to matter, you will already be so intimately familiar with him, the person, that the rest will come naturally. Just be open to falling in love with your baby and discovering who he is."  I need to remember that I bonded the same with Anna Rae, and it wasn't just because I was a girl too, but as she developed a personality we developed a relationship, and it seems so natural now.  I know it will be the same with Adam.  

I'm also getting a little nervous about just caring for a newborn again.  I know some moms who think it will be easier the second time around because they've done it before, and in some respects I do feel that way.  But you also forget so easily... the labor and birth, the long nights and little sleep, breastfeeding fears, bouts of non stop crying and spitting up... and then there is a new element... potentially waking up Anna Rae in the middle of the night with his crying, so now we are having to comfort two children.  Oh, and I can't forget we have TWO dogs now, which in the grand scheme of things don't make much of a difference, but it all seems very overwhelming.  I'm sure all moms go through this, and now that I've written all this down I am even more glad that we haven't started building our house yet!  Ha! 

So there it is Adam.  My fears may seem overwhelming, but the thought of having you in our lives is such an unbelievable joy and a gift and I can't wait!  This is what life, and family, is all about!   

30 Weeks and A Little Firecracker is Growing Up

My little cucumber is moving right along... and moving all the time!  Today was our 30 week appointment, and everything is great.  I was curious to find out if he was still breach, although with all the kicks to my right side I figured he had moved.  And he has... the doctor pointed out to me where all of his body parts were... head was down, body to the left, and arms and legs to the right, which would explain all the movement happening over there.  I asked about all the cramping in my lower abdomen and sudden bouts of nausea, and of course everything is normal and I've got to push through it for at least another 10 weeks.  I've also already started feeling my pelvic bones moving, which really just feels like they are extremely sore.  The doctor checked today to see if I was dilated or effaced any, and no progress yet.  I was actually a little surprised to see them checking already, but of course didn't ask why.

Although I'm having some aches and pains, which is pretty typical at this point in my pregnancy, I am enjoying the last few weeks of my pregnancy, and savoring each moment.  I can't wait to meet my sweet baby boy, watch him develop a personality, and especially watch he and Anna Rae develop a relationship. 

And speaking of Anna Rae... this blog post is two fold... She turned 2 yesterday and we had a great party with the family.  Although it had been raining for the past 40 days it seemed, it rained a little on and off in the morning, but ended up being a beautiful 4th of July.  We had her party at my mom's house, and afterward we took her swimming... just me, Johnathan, and his mom and John.  It was nice, quiet, relaxing, and Anna Rae had a great time!  We got her a puddle jumper, and she loves it!  It gives her a ton of independence in the pool, and we are teaching her how to swim and she's doing a great job!  After the pool we all three took a short nap, ate pizza for dinner, then went to the Harness Track in Pinehurst to watch the fireworks... which of course Johnathan told her was all for her birthday!!!  She was a little scared when they first started, because of course she doesn't remember watching them there last year.  But once we reassured her that it was fun and pretty, and the fireworks weren't going to get in her eyes, nose, or mouth, I think she had a good time.  She told us afterward that she liked them.  Hopefully next year the weather and fireworks will be just as good!!!

Here are a couple pictures from her party... and me at 30 weeks!