38 Weeks!

Only two weeks to go...or a month. Either way, I think I'm pretty ready for Spike to be born. The nursery is all set up (see previous post), our bags are packed for the hospital, the car seat is installed in my car. I'm working 3 more shifts next week and then I'm DONE with work (woohoo!). Rob and I decided to spend our (possibly) last Saturday as DINKs (Dual Income No Kids) sleeping in, making waffles, and playing Scrabble. I must be almost done being pregnant because the pregnancy-mush-brain is fading. I beat Rob even though I couldn't use the Q. He claims he "let me win" because he could have gone out a hand earlier but didn't, something about practicing for playing games with kids...well, that was a poor decision because I DOMINATED! Here is a picture to prove it!

Installing the curtains

I DOMINATED!!

38 Weeks!

From the bleachers:

And now, the SUTSF:

And that's the view from the bleachers for now...

36 Weeks!

This week is very significant because it means we can officially have our baby at Mercy Hospital. If you deliver before 36 weeks, you can't go to Mercy because they don't have the facilities for high risk babies. In celebration, Rob made brownies and decorated them to say 36-Mercy or Bust!

36 Weeks

Mercy or Bust!

My co-workers also threw me a surprise baby shower today at work! I had no idea it was coming but it was tons of fun and saved me from my boring lunch of plain tomato soup.

Sherrie, Angela, myself, Mikki, and Rachel

A few of the express care staff

We've almost finished the nursery. I'll post pictures once I get these curtains sewn and hung. I'm fighting with my sewing machine right now, so it might be a while.

We had an appointment yesterday and everything looks great. I've gained exactly 30lbs, am measuring right at 36 weeks, Spike's heart sounds good-130bpm, and I'm GBS negative! Now we just wait for the contractions to start....

35 Weeks!

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I've been working almost every weekend and the time I do have off has been spent getting everything ready for Spike's arrival. I had my first baby shower a few weekends ago and came home with more baby stuff than I knew existed. Then I was invited to join the "Banana Box Exchange" created by a few friends of mine who have way to many baby/kids clothes. Once the child outgrows his/her clothes, they are added to the exchange and sorted in boxes by gender and age. Then whenever anyone needs clothes for their kids, they just take the corresponding box! I think there are currently some 40 boxes. That's a lot of clothes. Needless to say, I have enough 0-3 month onesies and sleepers to not do laundry until Spike outgrows them! Here are a few pictures from the shower:

Sharon, myself, and Priscilla all wore the same color shirt!

Crazy baby relay race

I had to chug 2oz of chocolate milk from a bottle...harder than you think.

I've also been reading up on childbirth. I read a great 1970s natural childbirth book that I found for free at school last year. I've also been plowing through Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth, parts of The Birth Partner (that Rob is reading), and all the booklets that we get from classes. I feel like nothing can truly prepare me but it doesn't hurt to try! I've also been reading other baby books like Baby Bargains that tells you the best deals and best brands for all the crazy stuff you "need" for baby. Good thing I seem to have an abundance of time at work to read.

We've attended a number of classes lately: an all day Saturday Birth Journey class, a Breastfeeding class, our pre-natal group, and Rob went to Daddy Boot Camp (which I'll let him tell you about). Good thing all these classes are free. Most have been helpful and at least reinforce what I've read and learned in nursing school.

We ALSO had our first professional photo shoot a few weekends ago (no wonder I feel like I've been super busy). Cathy Davis is a freelance photographer who lives in Falmouth (www.cathyclicks.com) and she met us at the beach to document some of Spike's in-utero life. She was absolutely wonderful to work with and we got some great shots. For those of you who haven't seen them, they will be at this website until October 20: http://www.cathyclicks.com/slideshow/#/page/2ae9/ Let me know if you want one, we will be ordering them soon!

This weekend we are heading to good old Westborough for another shower (thanks to Steph) and to spend some time with Meg and Dave Rezac (who are also expecting!). I can't wait to see all the hometown friends and show off Spike-although s/he currently just looks like an overstuffed abdomen. Speaking of abdomens, here are the two latest belly shots at 33 and 35 weeks (we missed 34). Getting bigger!

33 Weeks

35 weeks!