Birthday Celebration Weekend

After an exhausting weekend, I was ready to get to work so I could rest!

How crazy is that!?!?

It was my "Birthday Celebration Weekend" so it was jam-packed full of fun!
Friday night I chilled out in the LaZBoy and wrote a bunch of Thank You notes. I took this night to take it easy before the craziness started early the next morning.
The insanity began at about 5:30am Saturday morning when I crawled out of bed. Not only did I have to do the normal morning routine, but I had to spend a little extra time and effort since I was prepping for a "photo shoot." Yes, it was the day Bobby & I picked to do our "maternity photos"....I don't really know what else to call them, but they weren't really "maternity" pictures. They were really pictures of us and the belly. We had a friend take the pictures, and we used a couple of our friends houses and a nearby park. Since the pictures were all going to be outdoors...in August....in Austin, we opted for an 8am start time to avoid the worst of the heat. After 3 "costume changes" and 3 location changes, we wrapped up about 10:30am.....just as it was getting a little too hot.
We got some really great pictures, and the sunlight was just right!
(Thanks to G & T for all their help on this!)

After the photo session Bobby and I headed downtown to hit up the big sale at REI. We bought our BOB jogging stroller and a couple of extra attachments. Since we waited specifically for this Labor Day Sale, we saved about 100 bucks! We then enjoyed at nice lunch in the shade on South Congress. If you have not yet had a Mighty Cone, do yourself a favor and do it! Yummy!

We had a Dog Training appointment at 2:30, so we loaded up Bobby's truck about 2:15. Didn't get out of the driveway before we realized we had a flat tire...a really flat tire. So we loaded up Holly in the Mama car and headed for the appointment.
When we got back home I had to get ready for that night's girls slumber party...which included packing a little bag, and taking a big nap. Bobby went outside to change his tire, but couldn't find the jack. Instead he found a tool box full of oil from a busted bottle. So he completely cleaned out the tool box and back end of the pickup while he waited for AAA.

After a nice long nap, I made a stop at the grocery store to stock up on junk food for the slumber party, then headed that way. We talked and laughed from the moment we got there until 2am!! It was a great night of girl bonding, and exactly what I needed!

Sunday morning we got up had a light breakfast and headed our separate ways. G & I went to my house to get ready for an afternoon of more food and Wicked fun.
Brunch was at 11 with my family and G & J. Thankfully I had allotted 2 hours for Brunch at Chez Zee...and it pretty much took up the entire 2 hours due to slow service. Good thing the food was outstanding!!!
We then headed to UT Bass Concert Hall to see WICKED! It was so AWESOME, and I was so glad we had paid a little more for the good seats at this show. I highly recommend seeing this anytime you get a chance! I am sure it is amazing to see on Broadway in NYC!

After dinner and a few loads of laundry, Bobby & I went to bed early.....exhausted.

Now I just have to rest up this week before another busy weekend with my Dad in town for the Holiday weekend.
~~~

VOTE NOW!

Bobby and I are debating the colors for our next big baby purchase: the Jogging Stroller.

So help us out and give me your vote! NAVY or CHOCOLATE/BLUE

Week 34: Childbirth Preparation Class

Bobby and I attended an all day Childbirth Preparation class last Saturday. There was an abundance of really good information that we previously had questions about, or had not even thought of. Upon leaving we both felt much more informed and on information overload. We were definitely glad we took the class!

Some of the highlights discussed:

• Signs of pre-term Labor (most of this is definitely "TMI"....so I won't go into detail about here....)

Contractions: anything with rhythm, doesn't have to hurt. More than 6 in 1 hour = Call Doctor.

• Baby Movement Changes
• 32-33 weeks: movements change from kicks and rolls to nudges and stretches

• What to do if water breaks
• Call Doctor, be prepared to report what time, what color, if you tested + or - for Group B Strep (at 36 week appointment)
• After water breaks take time to shower, put on dry clothes, get towels and trash bags on car seat.
  
• Will normally deliver within 18 hours of water breaking
• Not everyone's water breaks on it's own

• Pain Medication Options
• Demerol and other similar narcotics
• gets into bloodstream through IV
• makes Mom relax, takes the edge off the pain, sleepy
• can make Baby sleepy (NO THANKS!)
• Once Mom is 8cm dilated or more, No Drugs
• Epidural
  
• Anesthesia Numbing Medication
  
• Want active pattern of contractions, around 3cm dialated
• Doesn't hurt that bad. Just a "stick and burn" and pressure. Takes only a few minutes.
• Anesthesiologist performs procedure. Leaves a flexible tube in epidural space for slow medication release.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidural_anesthesia
• Possible Side Effects: Infection at site (rare), Bleeding (rare)
• Anesthesiologist can dose down or dose up the medication. Also, Mom holds the power to release more meds with the push of a button.
• With the medication Mom may not feel the contractions so the doctor and nurses tell her when to push.
  
• Mom can still move around until baby gets real low.
  
• These meds do not go into bloodstream, and do not get to baby directly.

• Length of Stay?
• Vaginal Delivery = 2 day stay
• C-section = 3-4 day stay

• Postpartum
• Once pregnant, the placenta increases Estrogen in the body.
• Mom births placenta, but ovaries stay asleep = lack of Estrogen 7-9 months
• Sex Drive = ZERO for awhile, then Sex Drive will just be "different" for awhile
• Estrogen also acts like Serotonin.
  
• Serotonin deficiency can lead to Postpartum Depression
  

***Interesting addition to our "To-Do" list that had not been mentioned during this pregnancy before....

Tdap Vaccine (Tetanus Diphtheria Adult Pertussis) A/K/A Whooping Cough Vaccine

If a baby catches the Whooping couch in the first 8 weeks of life, the baby can die.
Apparently a few years ago several babies in Texas died from the Whooping Cough. Shortly after there was a huge marketing campaign promoting family members of newborns to get this vaccine. (I am sure you all remember.)
So it is now highly recommended that anyone who will be around a newborn, for extended periods of time, during the baby's first 2 months should have this vaccine ahead of time.
Since I have not had it yet, I can ask the nurse to give me the Tdap Vaccine after I deliver the baby. Bobby has made an appointment with his doctor to get the shot, as well as my Mom, Sister, Brother-in-Law, and Mother-in-Law.
It is not suggested that friends just visiting the baby get the vaccine. However, it is highly recommended that those visitors wash hands and use hand sanitizers when around the baby.
(I hate being that person who pushes the hand sanitizers on people, but I guess I will for Punkin's first 2 months.)

Funny side note...
Bobby's Mom does not live in Texas...she lives in Illinois. When she called her doctor's office to make an appointment for this vaccine, the nurse asked her "Why?" She told the nurse it was because she would be staying with her new granddaughter for a week. The nurse told her she didn't need that vaccine, but put her on hold to confirm with the doctor. The doctor also said that vaccine was unnecessary. But my MIL scheduled the appointment anyway...since Bobby asked her to.
So apparently, this is really just a Texas thing. And it's not a cheap Texas thing...the Tdap Vaccine cost about $65.
~~~

Happy Early Birthday to Me!

I got my beautiful Diaper Bag!!! Wanna see a pic?


And yes, I've already started packing it!! ;-)
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Girls! Girls! Girls!

YEA! I am so excited! Today one of my best friends K found out she is having a GIRL!!! Our little girls will just be 3 months apart....so they will HAVE to be best friends!
I was secretly REALLY HOPING she was going to tell me "It's A Girl!" but I didn't want to get my hopes up...so I kept saying "Boy". I am so glad that was WRONG!

Even the Happy Couple had it in their head that they were having a Boy....because that is what everyone kept telling them. So when they got the news this morning, she was immediately overjoyed with visions of pink dancing in her head, and his whole world was flipped upside down in an instant.
I know this has to be true because that is exactly what happened to Bobby & I a few months ago.

Since then it has totally sunk in for both of us and I can't even imagine preparing for a boy now. Girls are so much fun to shop for!!! Even Bobby is totally on board with having a little girl. He is already thinking of Daddy-Daughter days and fun things they can do together.

In fact, one of our favorite little girls stayed with us on Wednesday night for a few hours while her parents were busy. She and Bobby had a blast watching the Scooby Doo movie. She was standing on the couch and tumbling around with the pillows. Bobby got such a kick out of watching her laugh and giggle at Scooby Doo. I know he was seeing his future watching silly movies with his own little girl.
So Sweet!

It just so happens that K and I already had plans for a baby shopping excursion on Sunday. Well, now I know it's going to be an all-out PINK day!!! I am so excited!
Another good piece of news I found out today.... baby clothes and diapers are TAX-FREE this weekend!
http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxpubs/tx98_490/tx98_490.html
Sweet!

Happy Friday!!!
~~~

Week 33: Floating Baby says 50 Days To Go!!!

Wow! Between the overwhelming amount of new baby stuff I am trying to find a place for, and doing my first loads of baby laundry, it is all feeling very real lately.
We only have 7 weeks (at the most) before Punkin's arrival into our world, and the reality of it all has most definitely hit both Bobby and I in full force.

Maybe it was seeing the massive amount of baby stuff I brought home from the shower, or a combination of several events lately...but Bobby has really started getting serious about his Honey-Do-Before-Baby-Arrives List. He put the pack and play together and made a place for it in our room. He put the car seat in the car against my plea not to (so I wouldn't have to drive around with an empty car seat for the next 7 weeks). He said he'll feel better if its in and all I have to drive around with is the base...the car seat can stay at the house....for now. Next on Bobby's agenda is to get the hospital bags packed. I am normally the way-too-far-in-advance packer...but that is for VACATIONS! This time I was hoping to put off the packing for awhile longer (not really sure why). But Bobby has decided we are packing our bags as well as the baby bag soon...very soon.

My in-laws just made their travel arrangements for their visit about a month after Punkin's arrival. They don't get to visit very often so both Bobby & I are really excited about them coming to stay with us for a while.
My Dad just decided to come for a visit Labor Day weekend so he can help Bobby on some house projects we want to get done before Punkin arrives. I'm sure all that type of stuff will get put on the bottom of the priority list if we don't take care of it now.

I have been training people at work on the different aspects of my job. Basically letting go of all my projects, so they can start taking them over while I am here to help if they need it.

Bobby and I will be attending a Childbirth Preparation class this Saturday, and I just scheduled us for a Newborn Care Class mid-September.

And.............I'm ordering my Diaper Bag TODAY!!!!!

So the combination of all the baby related stuff going on in our lives right now is absolutely making us realize what a short window of time we have left.....
~~~

Week 32: Baby Shower - Dr. Seuss Style!

Yes, it’s official. I really do have the best friends in the world! I am not sure how I got so lucky, or if I even deserve them, but somehow I have them and I will NEVER let them out of my life!

In all my life I have never had a group of girlfriends. I have always had one or two friends here and there in every stage of my life, but they have come and gone with the years. I never really thought it was possible to have a group of girls that actually get along with each other all the time. Of course I have heard of such groups, but I doubted they could sustain the years and changes in each other’s lives.

Our group is still relatively new, but I do believe we actually have one of those groups. We bonded so quickly and easily, and have already overcome adversity as a group, which only made us stronger. We all fully intend to still be the best of friends in 10-20----50 years. I think if we all outlive our spouses, we would be totally cool living out the last years of our lives “Golden Girls” style. :-)

Going through these last 7 months of my life being pregnant, has made me realize just how important these girls have become to me. They are all so different, but each has the same goals when it comes to our group…. Take care of each other, and make time to be together. They have definitely taken care of me, more than they know. I believe the reason my pregnancy has been so easy and even enjoyable is due to the support and love I have received from my husband, my Mom & Sister, and my girlfriends.

I had the most awesome Baby Shower this weekend! It could not have possibly been more perfect! They went with the Dr. Seuss “theme” to go along with Punkin’s nursery theme (which was the big secret they were keeping from me). Everything was decorated so bright, colorful, and fun! My girlfriends made it perfect right down to the smallest details, and it went off without a hitch. Everyone seemed to have a great time, even the ones who walked in not knowing anyone there. There was a ridiculous amount of food (always is with this group)….all the food was bright and colorful, and there was even green eggs & ham!!! The cake had the “Oh Baby the Places You’ll Go” theme, and it tasted as good as it looked. I got to take home some truly gorgeous flowers decorated up Dr. Seuss style. Probably the biggest perk was having a neighbor friend of G’s take all the pictures so I didn’t have to pose for 10 different cameras. :-) We played several fun games, ate delicious food, laughed and chatted, and I opened a ridiculous amount of baby gifts for Punkin. She is one really lucky girl to be loved so much….and she hasn’t even made her appearance into the world yet!

I went through all the gifts yesterday and tried to organize everything in the nursery. After doing that, I feel like we are now prepared to bring a baby home. I am only saying that we could bring her home anytime, and we would be able to take care of her and meet all her needs….. I am not saying I am ready for her to be here yet. I have actually enjoyed my pregnancy and I know our lives are going to change so much when she arrives. I know it will all change for the better, and will be incredible….but I am not yet ready to give up what “free” time I have left. I fully plan to enjoy these next few weeks and soak up the time I have with my husband, family, and friends before the big change.

BIG THANKS to everyone who made Saturday so special for me! I am so Lucky to have each and every one of you in my life!!!

~~~

One Lucky Chick!!!

Almost all of the ladies that mean the most in the world to me will be gathered in one place tomorrow….and I could not be more thrilled!!!
My best girlfriends are throwing me a baby shower tomorrow, and somehow they managed to pick a day when most of my closest friends will be able to attend. There are a few that will be missed, but unfortunately that is almost always the case. Honestly, I am amazed at the amount of my friends that plan to attend. Not because they wouldn’t want to attend my baby shower, but because the location is about 30-45 minutes from most of their homes in Austin…not so convenient.

My girlfriends have basically been working on the details of this party since I told them I was pregnant….at 5 weeks along. Now I am 32 weeks along and the party is finally here!!! I know they love me and are having a blast planning this thing, but the fact that every part of it is a secret from me is driving me crazy…

· They had an initial planning session Happy Hour that I didn’t get to attend.

· I am sure there have been numerous email chains I’ve been left out of.

· Tonight they are all getting together to decorate, and of course eat and drink.

Not that I don’t appreciate all that they are doing for me, but I hate being left out of these special girl times with my best friends. I am so glad all the secrets will be over after tomorrow!!!

Honestly though, the fact that they have all done such a remarkable job of keeping details from me has me completely intrigued. I absolutely cannot wait until tomorrow!!! My week WAS going by fast…until this afternoon. Now it feels like the day is just dragging by just to torture me.

My big day tomorrow starts with a mani with my sister, then we’ll get ready for baby shower. On our way out of town we’ll grab some lunch so I won’t be devouring everything in sight as soon as I walk in the door. :-) The girls are letting me get to the shower early so we can take some pictures and chill before the festivities start. And then the mayhem will begin. I am sure they have some crazy, silly games planned that will have everyone laughing and having a good time. After the shower a few of us will crash another party where we’ll find our husbands having their own “good” time.

So yes, I am truly looking forward to a fun filled day with people I love!

*** I genuinely do have the most amazing girlfriends in the world. How did we get so Lucky to come together like we did? Now that we’ve come to this point, I know our friendship will never fade. We have so many years ahead of us to look forward to with big, little, happy, and even sad events. I feel so good knowing I have such an awesome circle of girlfriends to go through life with.

I Love You All So Much!

Thank you for Everything!

~~~

Week 31: Doctor appointment & Mosaic Fun

We had a doctor appointment on Friday afternoon with the Nurse Practitioner. Plus we had an extra sonogram since Bobby missed the last surprise one...so we invited my Mom to join us for it. She was so excited to see her first grand baby. After the appointment I showed her baby picks of Bobby and me that I happened to have in my purse. After seeing the sonogram in person she really thinks Punkin has my nose, cheeks, and lips. (I had chubby cheeks and lips, and so does Punkin.) ....we'll see in about 8 weeks.

The nurse said that everything is measuring exactly perfect and the baby is doing great. At this point Punkin is exactly the right size (including her head).....which makes Mommy very happy. The nurse checked to make sure we have chosen a pediatrician and talked with me about the few side effects I'm having. Of course everything is normal, and she said everything is progressing exactly as it should. Always great to hear!

In other news, I finally finished mosaicing the bird bath this weekend!!! The top part was already finished; but yesterday, with some help, I finished the base. We almost started grouting it, but remembered the glue has to dry for awhile before you can grout it. So the next step is to grout where we have tiled.....and let it dry completely. Last step is to seal it since it will be outside with water in it. THEN it will be DONE. Regardless, the time-consuming, hard part is DONE!
I sure hope the birdies love it as much as I do!!!

~~~

WEEK 31: Babies and Dogs

Just NINE more weeks and we will be bringing Punkin' home to an already full house....and I've been nervous about this for awhile now.

We have FOUR dogs:
- Red Nose Pit Mix - 100 lbs
- Australian Cattle Dog - 40 lbs
- Chihuahua Mix - 6 lbs
- Chihuahua - 7lbs

They are all high maintenance and each has their very own set of quirks and problems.

So a couple of weeks ago Bobby & I attended a seminar called:

Babies & Dogs Mini Seminar w/ Jyl

This seminar is open to the public and is designed for expecting parents, recently new parents, or anyone who has kids and wants to know more about dogs and how they see children. This class offers an overview on the different ways a dog sees a child from infancy up to teenage-hood and how this explains behavior issues that may arise.

We were pleasantly surprised that the seminar was very informative, and not just a sales pitch to get you to come pay lots of money for a dog trainer. Everyone asked a lot of questions and Jyl covered a good amount of quality information about getting your furr-kids ready for a new pack member. After class we stayed and asked Jyl more specific questions about our situation and she was more than happy to answer all our questions and offer some great advice. We probably stayed 30+ minutes after the seminar ended talking to Jyl. We really appreciated that she was not rushing and pushing us out the door, or telling us that we just need to schedule an appointment.
...So we scheduled an appointment with the main trainer: Lee Mannix. Apparently a very well known dog trainer....especially with aggressive behaviors. (Which is one of the main items we are dealing with.)
Our appointment last night was a 30 minute evaluation with Lee and all of our 4 dogs. He asked us lots of questions and picked up on our dogs quirks without us even telling him. He told us we are doing some things right, and some things wrong. But he did let us know that we were not the worst case senerio and our problems can be corrected. At first he wants to focus mainly on our Australian Cattle Dog - the agressive one of the bunch. He did express his concern for her around the baby/toddler, so she is number one priority.
We as pet parents have a lot of work ahead of us in these next two months to get our pack ready. Just another thing we have to take care of before Punkin' arrives. But of course it's for the best!
~~~

Week 30: Road Trip & Belly Rubs

Bobby & I finally made the trip to Lubbock this weekend to visit some of my family. I’ve been trying to work it into our calendar for months now, but it was getting down to the wire. Soon my doctor will tell me not to travel further away than 1 hour from him and the hospital I will deliver at. (Ha! Depending on the time of day/traffic….I live 1 hour away!)

So yes, we made the long, boring drive to Lubbock on Friday. And that drive is even longer when you double, no make that triple, the number of pit stops along the way....due to being pregnant (tiny bladder). What should have been about a 6 hour trip took about 7.5 hours. Ugggg! Fortunately the trip back to Austin on Sunday was better. For some reason the pit stops were less frequent so the trip didn’t feel nearly as torturous.

While in Lubbock we visited with my Dad, his wife, Amma (Dad's mom), an aunt, and my Papa (Mom's dad). Everyone was so happy to see me and Bobby, and especially happy they got to see me while pregnant. But since my family is not a touchy-feely family, they didn’t ask to touch my belly at all. One time Punkin' was moving around like crazy, so I did kinda force my Dad and his wife to feel of my belly while she was doing her gymnastics.

So No, the Belly Rubs didn’t come from within my family….. but rather a stranger working at Taco Villa. Taco Villa is the place everyone can’t wait to go back to when they’ve moved away from west TX. It is one of those places that you take for granted when you live there, but as soon as you move away you realize just how much you miss it. Anyway, when I went to the counter to place my order, two female workers came to the counter and one of them asked if she could touch my belly. (OK, at least she asked!) So my response to her was, “Ok, but I get to touch your belly first.” She was kinda surprised but agreed anyway, so I rubbed her belly before I let her touch mine. After she rubbed on my belly for a second she said, “It’s a Girl!” I smiled and confirmed that yes, it is a girl. She smiled a huge smile and laughed with her co-workers who didn’t think she’d be able to call it.

So yes, it happened….my first belly touch by a stranger. At least she was nice and fun about it.

After all the belly touching I turned to Bobby, he hugged me and told me I handled it perfectly. He knows exactly how I feel about strangers wanting to touch pregnant bellies. I really just don’t get it. No one would ever ask to touch someone’s non-prego belly. That is your own personal space….so why is it not considered your personal space anymore once there is a baby in the belly?

***Note to my friends….I am NOT talking about you! I am talking about people I don’t know! So don't get your feelings hurt. I know you are all touchy-feely people and I’d probably get my feelings hurt if you didn’t touch my belly!!! :-)

In other news, my Dad gave us a baby gift this weekend....the car seat. Bobby and I took it out of the box, learned how to snap it in and out of the base, and checked out the fit in our new Pilot. It's a big car seat, so it's a tight fit even in the Pilot. We determined it would have to go behind the passenger seat because there is not enough room for the driver if it is behind the driver's seat. Fun Stuff. :-)

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