New Years Day and Shelton Family Christmas

Steve and I have been working hard on our house ever since we moved in back in May. Our main goal ever since finding out we were pregnant was to get the upstairs updated to our preferences. We have accomplished 99% of our goal. 

New Years Eve we spent at home. We thought about going out but decided to hang out at home since we are so close to our due date. I spent the night putting together baby swings, bouncers and bookshelves. I had run some errands earlier in the evening to get a mattress and crib sheets and the bookshelf. I sort of forgot it was New Years Eve and barely made it before the stores closed. I set up her crib with the bedding. We moved her clothes upstairs. I filled her dresser with clothes and added her monkey stickers to the wall. I guess in a way I was nesting which I have been dying to get her room done for the last month. We still have her closet doors and main door to sand and paint but she doesn't need those for quite a while. 

We stayed up til 12:30 and rang in the new year...2013!

On New Years Day we cleaned up our house since we were hosting the Shelton Family Christmas get together. Steve's brother Brian and his wife Christina had flown in from Conneticut 2 days prior so the family delayed Christmas for them. I enjoyed it since I had to work Christmas Day. This was my Christmas. We also were getting together to do family pictures that day up at the Capitol.

We met at the Capitol at 4 pm with the whole family and did lots of pictures. These will be my last pictures of me pregnant that I got. I never got around to taking a picture of myself. When I get these pictures I will post them. 

After picture time, we all headed back to our house for a potluck of appetizers and drinks. We all chowed down on yummy food and then settled down in the living room for opening of presents. We exchanged presents with our siblings and gave our niece and nephews their gifts. Claire helped open all of Emma's gifts for us. 

After we were done opening presents, we were all sitting in our living room chatting. I was sitting on a chair my grandma had given us when I felt something like I had peed my pants but just a little. I stood up and felt a big gush of fluid that I had no control over. I ran to our master bathroom and pulled my pants down....sure enough all the fluid had gone through my pants. I just had my water break at home!!! Steve came to check on me and I told him what happened. He told his family and from the bathroom I could hear them all cheer. I found my other pair of maternity pants to wear and went back out. Everyone was cleaning up and trying to help clear out our house. As they were all doing that my contractions became a whole lot stronger and painful. I felt like they were taking forever to get out of the house and when people were talking to me during a contraction I definitely could not listen. Steve and I finished packing our bags to go to the hospital in. 

See next post for story about our labor!

31st Birthday and End of the World Party

The Mayan's predicted that the world would end on December 21, 2012 which happened to be my birthday. What luck I have to have the impending doom the day I turn 31! In November Steve decided that we would have a party on my birthday to celebrate. I was hesitant of this because I would be 38 weeks pregnant and I had no idea how I would feel at this point. 

The morning of my birthday Steve and I went to our weekly baby appointment with Dr. Sharp. I opted to have Dr. Sharp check how my cervix was. We were dilated to 2 cm and effaced 60%. Emma's heart beat sounded strong and regular. I love going to my appointments so I can hear her. It's so comforting even though I can feel her moving all over. After our appointment we went grocery shopping for snack foods for our big party. Then spent the rest of the day cleaning the house.

We invited lots of people to the party and all of our family. Our house was decorated for Christmas and meant to have parties!

It was a successful party and very busy. The party lasted til 1am with the closest friends hanging out. We had  lots of food and drinks left for us to snack on. Thanks to all who came. It was quite a blast before baby Emma makes her appearance! 

37 Weeks

Wow, I am now 37 weeks along. It is considered term but now they call it early term only because they are finding out that babies that stay in the womb longer (past 39 weeks) still do much better. I would love for Emma to stay in til her due date but I am not going to lie, I am selfish and want her here a little earlier for other reasons.

I would love for her to come in 2012 so we can get a tax break (yes I know that is so lame) but I hear it's not too bad of one. Also, part of me wants her here before Christmas so I can celebrate with her and so I don't have to work Christmas day. And if she doesn't come for Christmas then I want her here before the 29th so she can celebrate my moms birthday and attend Steve's cousins wedding. Plus my mother in law wants to do family portraits. I would rather have a newborn than be 40 weeks pregnant in the pictures! 

The only reason I want her to wait is we have not finished her nursery. It was one of the last rooms on the list to do in the upstairs of our house. By now, I am getting anxious to have it done so I can get it set up and organized. I really need it done before she gets here! I have set up the pack n play in our room and stocked it with diapers and wipes. I even cleared out 2 drawers in my nightstand to accommodate sleepers and blankets. Diaper genie is in the corner ready to go. But I need the rest to be upstairs and ready. I got her car seat out and placed the base in my car. I am pretty sure it's in correct but I do need to go out and put the car seat in it and see if it's sitting correctly. I have to say I love the LATCH system, made for installing the base super simple. Unfortunately for Steve, we have to use the seat belt in his truck. I put the car seat cover on her car seat. So adorable! 

Steve has been working hard at work and not getting off until late in the evening which leaves him exhausted. And I am beginning to be not much help since it wears me out and bending in odd directions leaves me achy. I definitely will be helping with the painting as soon as it's ready for that. And yes, I will be the 9 month pregnant woman on a ladder. It's easier and more comfortable to be in a standing position than to be sitting and crouched over. I finally ordered her polka dot stencil online which should be here next week. So I am really hoping we get her room pretty much painted and floors in this weekend. Then during the week when I am off I can work on the polka dots.

I have washed lots of loads of laundry. Thanks to Marzena and all her clothes she gave me from her girls I had a huge pile of newborn outfits to wash! They are sorted and ready to go but all sitting in a laundry basket in my bedroom with no where to go yet. Her bassinet is full of her stuff. She has a basket full of hats and bows. Another basket full of socks and shoes and bibs. A big pile of blankets and any other item I drop in there. 

Emma's baby book arrived today from Amazon. I have to say I love having an Amazon Prime membership. Steve and I buy a lot of stuff online since we can find it cheaper there and most of the time we can find it as a Prime eligible purchase which means free 2 day shipping! I love not having to wait a week to get things. Anyhow, I was flipping through her book today and it is super adorable and I will definitely have to leave it out in plain site so I fill it in. I also bought a first year calendar that you can mark events on it and remember what happened! 

My ankles have started to swell and they stay swollen even after being in bed all night. My toes feel fat in the morning and I can make my skin pit when I push on it. My shoes don't fit quite like they used to. People have suggested support hose but I really don't want to buy them only because I have less than 3 weeks left. I have finally gained a pound but not sure if that's just the fluid in my ankles or actually for baby. For not gaining any weight with this pregnancy, I keep crossing my fingers that after I give birth I will be 20 pounds lighter. That will probably not happen but it sure sounds nice! I really hope that my heartburn disappears after I give birth. If it doesn't I will be very upset about it!

Sleeping comfortably is getting harder to do. I really want to lay on my back but the guilt kicks in and I have to turn to my side. My hips hurt like crazy and maybe it's because they are starting to get ready for birth. I swear sometimes at night they could make me cry they hurt so bad. I definitely have to have a pillow under my belly for support or it feels awful having my belly pulled in one direction. It is hard to turn from one side to the other with a belly out there. You have no idea how much you use your abs for until it doesn't feel good to use your abs. I get up every two hours to use the bathroom and with that I drink a bunch before I get back to bed because I am dying of thirst. It's a terrible cycle and I can't break it. 

At my 36 week appointment my doctor said everything looks great. Emma's heartbeat is super strong and regular. Such a reassuring thing to hear even though I can feel her move all over now. Dr. Sharp asked me if there was anything he can do to help alleviate any fears about delivery. Well, the only fear I had at that time was my doctor seeing my vagina! Isn't that just a crazy fear??? I haven't know Dr. Sharp that long and I know he does this daily but it still is freaky. Of course I didn't tell him that. I did tell him I know too much about labor and delivery and what can happen which only intensifies the fear. Then after my appointment I started to think how I scared I am to have Steve see me in that position, beet red face with pushing...what if I am a crazy person with labor and delivery. Oh the fears I have. Good thing Steve doesn't care and loves me anyway! 

Baby Shower #2

My best friends Becky and Shirley threw me a baby shower for all my friends to come to on December 1, 2012. I really wanted to have it at my house so I didn't have to go anywhere and haul gifts home. It definitely made Steve and I work harder and faster on our house. We got most of the upstairs done except for Emma's room and some flooring in the hallway. 

We had a great turn out of people from work and some of my older friends from college and childhood. It was fun to see everyone and chit chat. Of course, since we are now in a new home EVERYONE wanted a tour of the house. I really didn't want most people going through my house since it's not all unpacked but Steve did a few tours with some of our closer friends. 

Steve's sisters all came to the shower and all gave gifts again. They are all so excited for this baby to come. Robyn has put on all her notes that she wants to babysit. So I will definitely take her up on it!

My friend Marzena (seen at the back of the table) brought a ton of baby clothes down with her. Box after box was brought in from her vehicle. And she tells me that she has more!!! I have finally gone through the boxes and sorted by sizes and I am not sure we will have to buy any more clothes for Emma! Incredible how sweet she was to give us all the clothes!!! And she gave us toys and books and puzzles too!

 Shirley's mother Kim came to the shower too! She is so incredibly sweet to come and support Steve and I with Emma! I had my mother come so she could meet my friends and hang out with me. She is so excited to have another grandbaby! It is so fun to see how excited my mom is for Emma to come. Crazy how they act in the beginning, like it doesn't matter but as soon as our due date has gotten so much closer, she is much more excited and involved. I can't wait for my mom and dad to meet Emma!!! 

 Steve joined in at the party by being the tour guide and then hanging out next to me while I opened gifts. My niece Claire was the official gift giver. She lined the gifts up in row for me to open. Of course I couldn't open them fast enough for her line! All my friends bestowed upon us such wonderful outfits, swings, bathers, carseat and more! I can't even begin to say how thankful I am for everyone!

 My childhood friend Samantha and I, we have known each other since birth. So crazy to think that's almost 31 years of life. I was so happy she came to the party since she didn't really know anyone besides my mom and I. I love seeing Sam and catching up. 

 Finally a pic that shows my belly off!

 The cutest kids ever! 

 Steve's sisters and me

 Daddy-to-be and Mommy-to-be

 And my favorite girls in the world!

Thank you so much Becky and Shirley for putting together such a wonderful party. The soups were fabulous and I even got to enjoy them longer with the leftovers! Delicious hot chocolate and coconut cupcakes! Balloon garlands and flowers, balloons being popped by little hands! I loved it all and am so glad that I got to enjoy it with you guys!