And this is when we freak out.

So, using the December 6 due date, we have less than 60 days until due date. How is that possible? I feel as though this must be the time that mommies-to-be (or at least first time mommies-to-be) completely freak out. :) This week has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster, for many reasons, but I feel like I'm panicking a bit. I keep telling myself that if she comes today, we have the room ready (even though she won't really be sleeping in there initially), and we could always go buy our car seat. We're going to be fine. Then I think of things like this:

I have no idea what I should even pack in a bag for the hospital. How can I be a mom when I don't even know what I need to take care of MYSELF (and my husband) in the hospital (much less what we need to take for the baby)? So, this week I printed about 4 checklists I found online and realized there are things I never would have thought of to bring with me. Like a nursing bra. I don't think I would have thought about even buying one until we got out of the hospital. Hehe. I'm so prepared.

I have to have the air vents cleaned out. Yes, I've decided that a baby can't come home to our house until the air vents are cleaned. I don't know why I've decided this. I think it's probably just a good thing to do occasionally. But it's become this weird kind of obsession. I know, though, that I'll either have to schedule the appointment on a Friday afternoon or wait until after Thanksgiving when I'm off for a few days before baby (hopefully). And really I'd like to have all the blinds replaced before baby, too, but I don't see that happening. :)

I haven't organized Baby E's closet! I hate disorganized closets. We've been just collecting gifts and clothes given to us by friends in the closet with no rhyme or reason. Logic tells me that I should wait until after showers to wash and sort and organize and hang (or fold) clothes. However, when I walk in the room, I think, "Wow - this is looking super cute, but I know behind those doors is a bunch of stuff I haven't organized!" Thankfully, my fabulous friend Amy offered last night to come over after my first shower and help me with some of that.

When am I going to decorate for Christmas? We can't not have the house decorated for her first Christmas. I know I can get it done. I will just need Jeremy to put the pieces of the tree together, then I think I can probably do the rest. The problem is, I have no idea when I'm going to do that. Sometime in November, I guess.

I have so much to do! Yet, I don't feel like I know what it is. Is that weird? :) With getting the nursery ready, at least I knew what needed to be done: furniture, painting, bedding, etc. I know decorating. I don't know raising a baby!

In all honesty, though, we are very excited. I just feel a few of the panic notions every now and then. :) So, if I'm around you and act crazy, it's because I am and probably because I have a million things running through my mind, most of which are irrational. I apologize in advance. ;) In the meantime, we're just here...living this crazy dream! Love you!

The Old Man is 30! ;)

Well, Jeremy's birthday was last Friday, and we had a great weekend celebrating. Friday I picked up his Double Doozie cookie cake. If you've never had one, it's basically two cookie cakes stacked with a layer of icing between. They are absolutely ridiculous, but he's always wanted one, so I splurged. :) That night we celebrated with Mom, Alyssa, and the boys. We had a great time!

Saturday, I surprised Jeremy by taking him to Galveston to visit Moody Gardens and have lunch. My energy level is waning a bit these days, so that's pretty much all I was up for, but we had a great time. Got to see some great animals and pretty landscaping. We went to a place called The Spot for lunch, and it rocked! We ordered Shrimp kisses (shrimp with pepper jack cheese, wrapped in bacon and fried) as an appetizer, and we each ordered a burger. Jeremy's was some kind of hickory burger, and mine was called the Zach. It was a burger with cheddar cheese, chili, and Fritos. I know - sounds weird, but it was AWESOME! We had a really great time just spending the day together. We stopped at IKEA on the way home to get a bookcase for the nursery that I'd spotted online, and that was insane - certainly enough to knock me out the rest of the day, so we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching movies and some TV.

Then we got to celebrate with Kenny, Lynn, Tracy, and Lynn's niece and nephew on Sunday (still eating the cookie cake). :) And had a great time staying up late with some friends after pizza and games Sunday night after services, since we had Monday off. Monday was a great day. We didn't leave the house, and I got a lot done but got to relax some, too.

We've got quite a crazy schedule coming up. Next week my friend Erika will be in town, so I think I'm going to spend the day with her on Thursday, and she'll spend the night Thursday night. We leave Friday to go up to Amarillo to visit Gamp and Granny. Hopefully, the flight won't abuse my poor swollen feet too badly. :) The rest of the month is booked up with various events around here. We've got Slade's birthday the first weekend in October, and we head to Phoenix for my friend Susan's wedding the following weekend. Looking forward to all the fun things we have planned - just hope this baby cooperates. :)

I've got a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, so I'll keep everyone posted!

On a sad note, we lost a very dear friend last night. Mickey Suttle passed away yesterday about 5 pm. He is a wonderful Christian man, and he will be missed by many. He was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in June. Please remember the Suttle and Fontenot families in your prayers during this time of grief. Mickey's gone from this earth, but he will now be freed from earthly suffering and will go on to live his eternal dream. What's your eternal dream, and are you living in a way that you will be blessed with it?

23 Weeks

Well, I'm 23 weeks along now (based on December 12th due date). My doc won't really commit to a due date these days. He just says sometime between December 6th and 12th, so whatever that means. I'm not holding my breath for Baby E to arrive either of those days, but whatever. :)

So for those (mostly family who don't live here) who've asked if I'm showing, I figured I can throw a baby bump pic in there every now and then so you can see the progress of my big-as-a-barn-ness. :-D Actually, I've been lucky. I didn't start actually gaining weight until last week - probably attributable to my thyroid hormone dosage finally getting stabilized (after I found out I was pregnant) and the fact that I finally got my tail into the gym a few times a week. My belly's been growing for sure, but the scale finally showed it last week. I'm hoping I'm able to keep the gain under control. The pics of me were taken on Sunday, so at 23 weeks exactly. Apparently, it's kinda obvious now, as strangers have started making comments or offering congratulations. :)

I've been really blessed to have an easy pregnancy thus far. I never really got sick, the fatigue has somewhat faded (although, my stamina isn't quite normal - I still get worn out pretty easily), and overall I've felt pretty great! My feet have started swelling, and although they got really bad a few days last week, I've really upped my water intake and started trying to prop my feet up under my desk at work, and I think that's helping. Hopefully, I can coast through the remaining 17 weeks or so without anything crazy happening. :) My next appointment is the 31st, and I will have my glucose test then. I've already done one, as they wanted to do an early screening for me, due to my starting weight and thyroid issues. That one came back fine, so I'm hoping this one does, too. I asked the doc whether I'd get to have another ultrasound, and he said, yes, at 37 weeks. Boo. Oh, well. :) Anyway, I know all that is boring to most, but just wanted to share the latest on the health front.

I was so excited to finally feel her move about two weeks ago. The doc had thought it would be before that, so I was a little nervous, but I felt her one morning and she's been rolling around in there ever since. :) This past weekend I was lying on the couch at one point and just happened to notice that I was able to see one kick. Finally, last night, she stayed moving long enough for me to have Jeremy come over and be able to feel her. I had been hoping he'd be able to feel her soon, and last night he was just barely able to. So cool! :)

The only other baby news we really have is that the nursery is coming along nicely! The painter was able to squeeze us in last week, and it turned out fabulous! The wall colors are actually a bit more turquoise than they look in the pictures. They've got a little more green in them. I love how it looks with the bedding! The only furniture we're waiting on is the chair, which should be in within the next month or so. Then I will start figuring out where to put things on walls. I'm so hesitant to put holes in the walls until I know for sure where things are going to go. Anyway, here are a couple of shots of the nursery (well, the furniture, walls, and bedding anyway). :) It's definitely a work in progress. :) By the way, our theme is vintage amusement park/carnival. I know - it's weird. :) I'm really excited about how it will turn out, though. I've got some old-looking photographic prints to hang on the walls of ferris wheels, skeeball, carousels, etc. So excited!

So, until I have something else to say...go live your dream! :)