34 Weeks (+ 1 day)

Overall I'm feeling pretty good these days. Rolling over in bed is a little painful and challenging, but nothing like before. Breathing is definitely hard and sometimes I have to push on my belly to get this boy to move because he gets way up in my ribs or in an akward spot on my hip bones... but that's just par for the course at this point, and I'm happy to say I really do feel pretty good. I started having some Braxton Hicks contractions today. I had them a couple months ago, but today was more painful... but definitely bearable and not bad enough to concern me. It only happened sporadically about 3 times, so nothing to worry about. But I do know I need to start taking it easy. I've been burning the candle at both ends and I think it's time to slow down... well, maybe after this weekend! :) It's hard to believe that we'll officially be full-term in about 2 1/2 weeks! Craziness!

For Mom & Mike...

Apparently, tomorrow (June 5th) is National Doughnut Day and Krispy Kreme is giving you a FREE doughnut!

My mom has been known to make it through 11 of a full dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts in one day, so one freebie probably won't cut it for her... but I must say, I don't even like doughnuts much, but this picture is even getting my mouth watering for a Hot & Now. :)

Want $ back for Online Shopping?

I just signed up for Ebates. Basically if you bookmark the Ebates site, and follow their links to all the stores you already shop at online (there are literally hundreds!), you get a percentage of your purchase Cash-Back! It's free, simple and the way it works is that all the stores pay an advertising fee to Ebates for the publicity, and that way Ebates can send me/you a rebate check. If you want to sign up and give it a try, click here and you'll get a $5 bonus and I'll get a bonus too. They mail the checks 4 times a year, so it will just accumulate a balance and send you a check each quarter. Worth a shot! :) Just be sure that you start on the Ebates page and use their links to the other stores (don't just go directly to Target.com or something) so you're logged in and it will track your purchases.

What a difference a year makes!!

This picture was taken exactly one year ago from this weekend. These are all of my dearest friends from MWC and their ever-expanding families. I remember thinking last year how huge our group seemed considering we were just 7 single girls back when we met Freshman year of college in 1997. But as I get ready to see most of these friends again this weekend for my baby shower, I realized that we've grown significantly just since then! Lily & Luke were in their mama's bellies, but now they are here and Joshua is on the scene too... plus Elsie's little girl will be showing her face in just a few weeks and my little boy a week or so after that! 5 new babies in just one year! 7 has become 23...and I know we're not done growing! I am so blessed to have friends that I consider family. I'm excited to see them all this weekend!! (Except we'll miss Dr. Amy Brown... but hopefully her summer visit to Virginia Beach the 3rd week in July will be just in time to meet BabyW... who knows, we've always joked that she should deliver our babies... mine might be as close as she's gotten yet!)

Today's Adventure

Well one of my biggest fears just came true: I got stuck in an elevator. Of course this had to happen when I'm practically 8 months pregnant. Reason number 1001 why I'm ready to leave this place! The elevators here at work are always acting up, but I've never actually gotten stuck before. Unlike the weird lady stuck with me, I managed to stay pretty calm and in control. We were stuck on the second floor. I tried pushing all the other buttons but nothing would budge... so I used the emergency phone to call security. They answered, but then took like what seemed like forever to show up. Meanwhile, it was getting really stuffy and hot and I was trying to make small talk with this odd woman who just insisted on barging in front of me and pushing the buttons herself and then telling me we needed to call security again and tell them to hurry. LOL. I'm the pregnant, claustrophobic one, and she's freaking out.

So when we finally heard some voices outside the door, she starts banging on the door and it opens.... halfway. We get ready to walk out and the door closes again! She tells them "it's scary in here" and they open the door again and tell us to hurry up and get out. While these 3 guys make jokes about how they are surprised the phone even worked and how other elevators in the building have issues too... I just decided I was done with them so I walked down the stairs to the first floor, took care of what I was originally headed down for, and then slowly walked my prego-self back up the 3 flights to my floor...

So now I have to decide... for the next 6 weeks... do I risk taking the elevators again, or do I just huff and puff up the stairs... hey, maybe all the extra exercise will make BabyW. come early! :)

Just a few...

Things I am looking forward to in about 6 weeks...

1. Meeting our little boy!
2. Not having heartburn after just drinking water.
3. Being able to breathe.
4. Sleeping on my tummy.
5. Sleeping on my back.
6. A REAL Margarita!!
7. Not always having spots on my shirt right below my belly that I can't even see (from unknowingly resting my belly on dirty/wet counters, or whatever).
8. Not coming into work!!!
9. Seeing Mike with our little boy!
10. My wedding rings fitting again.
11. Buying toilet paper in bulk at Sams and actually having it last a while!
12. Exercise (did I just say that?!)
13. My pants not constantly falling because I have a huge belly pushing them down and a flat butt that won't hold them up.
14. Being able to cross my legs again.
15. No longer wondering if my water might break or I might go into labor while at work.
16. Random strangers saying my baby is cute instead of my belly.
17. Did I mention meeting our little boy?

Counting Down...

Have you ever seen Design Remix on HGTV? It's where they basically redecorate a room in the house using items they already had from other rooms. Well... that concept is working quite well for our nursery! This weekend, Mike switched the brown curtains from the guest room with the bamboo panels we had in the nursery and it made such a huge difference! Now it's softer and browner... and they will help block the sunlight since the nursery gets full-sun all day long. Hopefully that'll help keep it cooler and darker so BabyW. can sleep! We are also using the bookshelf from the office and a funky blue light from the kitchen! Nothing like FREE decorating! Even so, another weekend has passed... and I still haven't reupholstered that glider!!! Just 6 weeks left! Yikes!

We did have a great weekend though... Saturday night we had our "End of an Era" party with a bunch of couples from church. Since our kid-free days are almost over, we wanted to have one last "adult" party at our place. Everyone brought over one of their favorite meals to share and we had some Margaritas, Daqueris, Pina Coladas (all baby-safe versions of course!) and had a great time. Then yesterday, Mike and I had a date-day together. We ate lunch at Watermans (where we had our Rehearsal Dinner), watched the airshow at the beach and then spent the afternoon at the Aquarium. We even had time to come home and relax a little (which for me meant a nap, and for Mike meant watching the Stanley Cup Finals!) It was a really fun way to spend the weekend, especially as the next two weeks are full of baby-stuff, and then we'll be halfway through June and BabyW. could arrive anytime! :)