time for some fun

We're all settled in and waiting for the fun to begin!

my due date

2.22.13... my due date. 

It feels surreal that it is finally here! I thought I might wake up feeling different somehow... maybe with amniotic fluid all over the bed? Or buckled over in pain? Nope - just another normal morning of maternity leave - waking up way too early, taking Penny for a walk, eating some oatmeal and lying in bed thinking of how best to spend the open day ahead. 

Since I'm being induced tomorrow morning, the only difference between this morning and every other morning is knowing that today is most likely the last day of my life that I'm not a mom. That after this day, everything I know will change and my life will become something completely new. Our new life begins tomorrow.

I feel a sense of calm about it, which is not like me at all. The day before a big presentation, test or life event I'm usually a ball of nerves, a terrible stress case and ready to throw up at any second. But today I feel happy, ready and at peace. I know the next 72 hours will be a roller coaster, but for now I just feel like what is meant to happen will happen, we will get through it and will soon be holding our baby boy in our arms.

Brian and I went out for our "last supper" last night and I'm so happy we did. We talked a lot about what's to come, how we feel and some of our hopes for our son. We know we won't have the freedom to do things like that as often as we're used to, but it feels good knowing that we are in this together and ready for the next phase of our lives. We've wanted to be parents for a long time and I feel like we're going to make a great mom/dad team!

(very) soon-to-be mom & dad!

In 24 hours I'll be checking into the hospital!

it's happening

Saturday, Feb. 23, 8 a.m.

Unless I go into labor before then (seems doubtful since I haven't felt a single contraction, but I guess you never know...) that's when I'll check into the hospital to be induced.

Just 3 more days until I'm a mommy, and I can finally say I'm ready! Well, as ready as I'll ever be. I can't wait to see his tiny face and meet my son for the first time.

1 week to go!

Some days it feels like I've been pregnant for just a month, and other days it feels like I've been pregnant for 13 years. Today, it feels like 13 years. I'm pretty sure that it's because instead of taking naps and getting massages, I spent the first 5 days of maternity leave scrubbing my house, cleaning my blinds, organizing every drawer and throwing dinner parties.

My sister warned me: that's exactly what she was doing when her water broke with her 2nd baby. But I have this overwhelming urge to get this house sparkling clean before we bring the baby home. I mean, I don't want him sleeping in our bedroom full of dust bunnies! I don't think that's unreasonable. But I guess the status of my pajama drawer and how clean the oven is doesn't affect him whatsoever. I just can't help myself. It feels amazing to wake up every day and not have to be anywhere. I can get stuff done. Imagine that.

But today it's caught up with me and I'm promising myself and my husband that tomorrow I will not exert myself whatsoever. I plan on sleeping in, getting a pedicure, getting my eyebrows done and starting a new book. And it sounds amazing.

39 weeks!

maternity leave, part 2

The time has arrived - the moment that preggo girls dream of. Walking out of the office on Friday and knowing that you won't be back on Monday, or Tuesday... or any other day with a huge belly between you and your keyboard. Maternity leave. Aaaaah.

I decided to start maternity leave at 38 weeks to give me at least a little time to rest up and get the house in order before we bring our son home. I feel like I've been GO GO GO the past few months and I'm really looking forward to having some free days! I'm hoping for at least a week off before I go into labor to check some stuff off my to-do list. Fingers crossed!

I'm sure at least one day will be spent getting all my disability/leave paperwork in order. If someone could come up with a how-to sheet with an easy to follow diagram of when/how to apply for what kind of disability/leave at what time, I would love them forever. It's not easy. In fact, it's a nightmare.

The highlight of my last day at work was lunch with my co-workers at The Counter. It's the next morning and I'm still drooling over how good my burger was. If I had it my way, I'd have eaten a cheeseburger every day for the past 9 months.