Baby Shower!

This week flew by and I never got to make a post to tell you all about my awesome baby shower! First, girl Tad got some absolutely wonderful things and she is so super lucky and spoiled already! It was nice to have so many people there, both in person and in spirit!
My BFF threw the shower at her mom's house in Durham, and three days before the shower her mom fell and got a compound fracture in her collar bone. ooops. It still turned out to be a great day and I am glad that her mom was still able to be a part of it all!
We didn't play too many stupid games, we ate good food, and we had a delicious cake. And of course, all the attention was on me and Girl Tad. I call that a perfect party!
As soon as I get the pictures, I will add them!

Also, expect a weekly update soon - you won't believe how HUGE I've gotten. She is a growing machine. They say that she will add 1/3 to 1/2 of her birth weight from here on out. Holy crap - where is she going to fit??

Who Wants to See Our Nursery?!

It is still a work in progress, but check out girl Tad's beautiful pink and green nursery!! It is hard to tell, but the walls are an awesome light green color. Her bedding is super bright pink and white, and her furniture is "cider." I love how it is coming together!

Cleaning out the Nursery!

That's what we did today! We might even paint tomorrow... I will post pics if we do. I think Andrew is starting to feel some of my anxiety - we have to get it finished! I will be fully term in 9 weeks... holy smokes! And my due date is only 12 weeks away :)

I had a regular appointment on Thursday, the last of the monthly visits. I will go every 2 weeks until 35 weeks and then start going every week. Everything looked great with girl Tad and with me - good bp, good pee, good weight, all around we are perfect!

Girl Tad has been moving around like crazy. She loves to hang out right in my ribs - there is always a foot right under my right rib cage. We have definitely been able to feel some actual body parts poking out here and there which is cool and creepy at the same time. The kids in my class are even starting to notice her movement patterns if I am wearing a fitted shirt. It is pretty funny!

Andrew and I toured the day care that is right beside my school last Friday. If I work next year (still many discussions away from deciding about this one!), it is REALLY where I want her to be. We put her on the waiting list for next fall, and we are pretty sure that there will be a spot for her in August. However, we are really hoping that a spot will open up before March so she can just start there when I go back to work after my maternity leave. It isn't too likely though (they only take 6 infants) so we have been researching our other options. We actually got an email yesterday from the Primrose School that is close to our house so we will be checking it out this week. I worry about her being all the way in Durham because it is a good 25-30 minutes drive from my school and Andrew travels so much. I would just feel so much more comfortable with her right near where I am. We'll see how it all turns out!

This week, girl Tad weighs 2 pounds and is the size of a head of cauliflower. Her brain activity continues to increase too... big shocker there! I am sure her brain is quite active :)

How far along? 27w5d

Total Weight Gain? 12 pounds

Maternity Clothes? Almost completely. Even my regular gym clothes are getting tight - I think I am going to have to switch to Andrew's t-shirts for the gym.

Stretch Marks? Nope. Although my stomach is super itchy and I think that may be a beginning sign. I have added in another daily cocoa butter application, but I think it may be out of my hands. **fingers crossed they stay away**

Sleep? I wake up multiple times a night and switching positions is kind of a production. Totally worth it :) She always moves around when I wake up at night, as if she is telling me to get comfy fast!

Best Moment this week? Seeing our friends from VT who haven't seen this massive belly since June. They had such nice things to say!

Food Cravings? Still spicy food, clementines, granola bars...

Sex of baby? Baby girl

Belly Button? Still the number one object of my fascination. It is so gross. Completely flat, and the top is starting to poke out, especially if I have just eaten. Andrew thinks it looks like the knot on a balloon. It is also SUPER itchy all around it. Ew.

What am I looking forward to the most? Painting the nursery and setting up the crib. Picking out cute accessories for our little girl. And of course, meeting her!
Milestones? I don't know if this is a milestone or a best moment this week (and I really don't know that anyone cares), but we got an AWESOME deal on a great breast pump. The Medela Pump In Style Advanced is supposed to be one of the best, and the one we liked best retails for about $280. The one a step above the one we liked best retails for about $330. Somebody at jcpenny.com made a huge mistake and marked down the pumps to an incredible $149.00. Someone alerted me to the great sale, and I ordered it immediately (the step above one - the Metro bag if anyone REALLY cares). Less than an hour later, they were marked as "currently unavailable" but my order had already been processed. It shipped 12 hours later and was here on Thursday. What an incredible score and huge money saver!

And now for my belly... check out how big it is getting! I look exhausted because I was! I have been working some insane hours these first few weeks of school and I come home ready to crash. But you get the idea!

Hello Third Trimester!

Holy cow! We have officially entered the third trimester! As in, only 92 days until my due date! Eeeeek! We are so close to Girl Tad's arrival... and there is still a LOT to do! Like... pick a name?! Still working on it folks, give me some time. I am the most indecisive person in the world, and I am supposed to pick a name for my kid?!?! It could definitely take awhile!

I promise a more detailed post after our doctor's appointment on Thursday - I will update with the nitty gritty that I know you all crave!

23w1d and our baby is an over-achiever

I would expect nothing different from her though! I had my monthly appointment today and everything looks great with Girl Tad. She is measuring 6 days ahead, so 24 weeks exactly. What can I say... she is as anxious to meet us as we are to meet her! Andrew and I both had a brief moment of freak out today when we realized that we have only one more monthly doctor's appointment, and then they jump to every 2 weeks, and then every week! It seems like time is flying by!

She has been amazingly active the past 2 weeks, and it is so amazing to feel her moving around. She is kind of stubborn, though, so Andrew has only been able to feel her once. Every time he puts his hand down, she stops moving! He must have a calming effect on her! :) I have been seeing her move at random times from the outside too, which is pretty neat. This morning, she kicked 4 times in the exact same place and my stomach poked out each time. It was really cool.

Girl Tad is still nameless... but we are working on it! It is HARD to pick a name for a baby! We want her to have a classic, but not old-fashioned name. I also don't want her to have to be known with her last initial throughout elementary school, so we are looking for something that is not overly popular. We will be narrowing down the top contenders soon enough!

I am already proving what an organized and non-scattered mommy I will be by forgetting to register for child birth preparation classes. Oooops. Just in case the fairies can't make it (I am convinced that magical fairies are going to come get her out!) I want to be prepared. I was looking on-line to sign up today and realized that ALL of the classes are full. I called the scheduling lady and she was nice enough to put me in an already full class that starts the very beginning of November. It meets twice a week for 2 weeks, for a total of 8 hours. I also signed up for our birthing center tour (October 6) and our breastfeeding class (October 20).

Other exciting news: my wonderful BFF Katie is throwing Girl Tad and me a baby shower! I am so excited and so lucky to have her. October 10th will be the shin dig and it is sure to be a classy affair!

Baby Girl Tad is still growing like a little weed! It is so exciting to me (for some strange reason) that she weighs over a pound now! She is about to start packing on the chub! My updates are kind of whack now because one has gone to monthly (this month your baby is the size of a papaya) and the other says she is the size of a large mango. Wasn't she a mango 4 weeks ago?! Either way, I can definitely tell she is getting bigger and next week I am excited to see the changes in my little eggplant :)

Now the nitty-gritty:
How far along? 23w1d (and baby girl is measuring 24 weeks)

Total Weight Gain? 8 pounds, only up .2 pounds in 4 weeks (and I swear I am eating Mom!)

Maternity Clothes? Yep! My regular shirts are getting too short so I have some longer maternity shirts that are lovely. I also bought 2 non-maternity fold-over waist skirts at Target that are sooo comfy - I think they will be my staple when school starts.

Stretch Marks? Nope. Thank you Palmer's Cocoa Butter.

Sleep? I wake up to pee at least once a night. I am finding it harder to get comfortable. Murphey uses my belly as a pillow. It is pretty funny.

Best Moment this week? Seeing Baby Girl move all over the place INSIDE!

Food Cravings? Anything spicy. Seriously. Hot sauce = YUM. I am such a cliche!

Sex of baby? Baby girl

Belly Button? Seriously getting ready to pop out. The top is completely flat and it is SO shallow. Andrew things I am obsessed with it and he may be right. It is the weirdest thing ever.

What am I looking forward to the most? Andrew feeling her move more consistently. It is the coolest thing ever and I know he is excited to feel her more and more!
Milestones? Getting started on our nursery. She has beautiful furniture and bedding picked out. I am ready to paint and start decorating. Also 24 weeks is known as viability week, which means baby girl has a good chance of surviving outside the womb if she were to be born. Don't get any ideas Girl Tad - we want you to keep cooking!

And now.... the belly! We went to Nags Head for the week of our anniversary and this picture was taken after I trudged up the dunes at Jockey's Ridge, hence the wind-blown look! :)

Meet our Baby GIRL!!

Baby Tad is a girl!! We couldn't be more excited, she is absolutely perfect! The ultrasound tech gave her soaring marks (What can I say, she is a perfectionist like her mommy!) and she is 100% healthy. Andrew and I are already so in love with her! I get giddy every time I think about the fact that the baby growing in my tummy is a SHE baby! She doesn't have a name yet, but we are working on it! I can't wait to start buying her little tiny pink things... she is going to have a closet full!

We now PROUDLY introduce you to our beautiful daughter... she is absolutely amazing!

Tomorrow, Tomorrow!!

Tomorrow is the big day! FINALLY! Patience is a virtue I do not possess! :)

Not only am I super stoked to hopefully get a money shot of Tad and start doing some serious shopping, but I am also really excited to see him/her again. At this ultrasound they are going to check all of Tad's vital organs and make sure everything is developing properly. I am sure they will find a very large brain! :)

Speaking of milestone developments, research has shown that babies at about 19 weeks gestation are beginning to hear. As soon as I read that, I started talking to him/her directly. I may have even sung Tad the famous banana song. (Don't know what I'm talking about? Call me, I will sing it for you!) Feel free to call and I will let you talk/sing too!

Tad is growing away - I hear I can expect to get bigger and bigger. S/he may be moving around in there, but I am having a hard time distinguishing movement from bubbles! This week, Tad is THIS big.... much more appetizing than a turnip or onion! (Its a mango people!)

How far along? 19w (holy moly, almost half way there)

Total Weight Gain? Official weigh in tomorrow - my new love of vanilla ice cream with blueberries and granola may affect the outcome! :)

Maternity Clothes? Still just pants... and bathing suits!

Stretch Marks? Nope. I don't want to say too much for fear of jinxing it!

Sleep? Again, what?! I do sleep with an extra pillow under my bump now. Super exciting, I know.

Best Moment this week? Duh. Hopefully finding out what parts Tad has... and seeing him/her again. Also we are going to order our nursery furniture this weekend. (I will post more about nursery plans soon!)

Food Cravings? Peaches, Carnation Instant Breakfast, Egg Sandwich (Plain egg, salt, pepper, wheat bread). YUM!!

Sex of baby? 22 hours to go!

Belly Button? Still "shallowing" out. Ew.

What am I looking forward to the most? Tomorrow's ultrasound (I bet you didn't know that!) and SHOPPING for baby Tad! Believe it or not, I haven't bought ANYTHING yet. I plan to remedy that this weekend in a major way. (Mom is coming!!)
Milestones? I bet you can't guess!

Wanna see a pic of my bump? The look on my face is because it took the camera awhile to take the picture - I was kind of over it!