Not so lazy after all

*33 weeks, 5 days*

It was a very productive weekend. I got tons of baby laundry done and put away. I worked on cleaning and organizing the nursery (still a work in progress, but getting closer). AND, most impressively, today I put together the swing and high chair by myself! Yes, I'm awesome. Here are some pictures of my handiwork...

The Eddie Bauer high chair from a group of girls at work. Bear's checking out the newest piece of furniture in the dining room...

I was amazed at how easy this thing was to put together! Now we just need batteries and it'll be up and running.
I realized I never posted a picture of the dresser after it was delivered. Here it is with the new changing pad and super soft blue cover on top:

I'm pretty happy with how my organizing is going, particularly with the closet. Everything actually has a place, and we haven't quite run out of room yet! Note the plethora of diapers up top. I'm definitely feeling good about my diaper situation now.


We've got about six weeks to go, and I'm beginning to think we *might* actually be ready when he gets here!!

Lazy Sunday

*33 weeks, 5 days*

I'm feeling good these day - I feel so lucky that this pregnancy has been so easy. I'm not having any Braxton-Hicks contractions that I'm aware of. I mean, maybe it's like feeling the baby move in the beginning - it's happening but you just don't know what you're feeling...? I don't know. He moves a lot and sometimes I wonder what I'm feeling, but I'm pretty certain I haven't felt any contractions yet...

My back and hips are doing okay. I had a phase where they hurt like crazy, but maybe my hips have stopped "spreading" or whatever they're supposed to do. I bought a pregnancy belt or maternity belt or whatever they're called the other day at Motherhood Maternity, along with a few tops that were on clearance since the non-maternity tops that have been a staple in my wardrobe have pretty much reached their limit. I've yet to wear the maternity belt yet, but I think I'm going to try wearing it to work because I tend to have back and rib pain towards the end of the work day and in the evening. It's supposed to support the belly to reduce back pain, so we'll see! My fingers are crossed.

The third trimester has been pretty kind to me. I get tired but NOT the way I did in the first trimester, which is what I was expecting. Actually, I think nesting is starting to kick in. I'm in clean-organize-finish getting ready mode, for sure. I met with my boss on Friday to talk "maternity leave" (not technically ML since I don't have any disability coverage, bastards) and I'm officially taking 14 weeks off, almost nearly all paid due to having saved up vacation and sick time for the last two years... I made a "to-do" list and assigned responsibilities to each of us: calling the insurance agent re: life insurance (Ben), calling the lawyer re: writing a will (Ben), enrolling with a cord blood bank (both of us), choosing a pediatrician (me), packing a bag for the hospital (me), and PICKING A NAME FOR THIS KID (both of us, but mainly Ben - I have a list of *possibilities* now he needs to make one so we can pow-wow and come up with something). Lots of pretty urgent matters that still need attending to, so it's going to be a busy next six weeks...

At home, nesting *definitely* took control yesterday. I should have been exhausted because my mom and I went to the Cubs game (they won 9-2 - WOOHOO!!) and then went to Babies R Us afterwards to pick up a few things (changing table pad and covers, bassinet sheets, and a baby book to name a few). I got home and immediately took everything into the nursery and decided I needed to do laundry.... I did baby laundry all. night. long. I felt so productive and I can't wait to finish the laundry today. I think I'll finally have the nursery organized by the end of the day today, and that is an awesome feeling! Now I just need to finish my shower thank you cards and clean and organize the rest of the house.....

August so far

*33 weeks, 1 day*

It's been a little while since I've posted last, because I've been SO busy. Between August 1st and August 8th, I worked almost 70 hours in preparation for my much needed and deserved vacation to Piatt Lake. I had an OB appointment on 8/7 to basically get the okay to go away on vacation to the middle of nowhere, where the nearest hospital was an hour away, and not a very good hospital at that. Thankfully, there were no crises so I didn't have to worry about it!! At the appt, the doctor said things were still looking good - my BP is perfect, baby's heart rate's still in the 140s, and I'm measuring on target.

Vacation was delightful. The weather was the nicest I've ever experienced up there - sunny and warm every single day! I think it maybe rained once and it was while I was still in bed... We did a lot of nothing. I floated in the lake almost every day, played card games, ate a lot of food, and watched the Cubs and the Olympics in the evening. It was just nice to get a break from the grind of work and the stressors that come along with preparing for baby.

Ben & I enjoyed our last night at the cabin
My first day back to work was my baby shower there! It was great. The girls really did a great job - the food was delicious!! I got tons of goodies - finally some diapers, wipes, and bottles so my kid can poop freely and won't starve!! We are really so grateful for all the amazing and supportive people in our lives. I know I couldn't have gotten through everything without each and every one of them...

Kari, me, & Megan at my shower
The afternoon of 8/18 was another OB appt. Same as usual - great BP, heart rate still in the 140s, measuring well. I'm up about 18lbs, and by what I've read should gain about a pound a week from here on out, putting my total post-IVF weight gain at 25lbs. I feel good for the most part. Now it's just little discomforts that are starting to get to me, such as chronic constipation (I know, TMI - sorry) and the swelling in my left foot.

The baby moves like crazy all the time, and he seems to be the most active when we're laying in bed at night. It makes me laugh, because I try to imagine what body part is doing what, and how hard Baby K must be trying to get comfy. He pokes a lot on my left side when I'm laying on my right, so Ben rests his hand and just waits. It's usually not very long before the antics begin!

We still feel like we have SO much to do... Our priorities now are (really in no particular order) 1) finding a pediatrician - I have a few in mind, I just need to "interview" them, 2) getting life insurance and writing a will - I lump those together because they're so of the "legal" matters that need tending to, and 3) deciding on a cord blood bank and registering - I think we've pretty much decided to spend the money and bank the baby's cord blood... technology is an amazing thing as we've already beared witness to, so we think it's totally worth the cost.

There are a few other things on the "to do" list of course, such as finish cleaning and organizing the nursery, packing a bag for the hospital, and you know, maybe NAMING the kid... yeah, we're still working on that one!