Jon and Hayes...

are so excited about Grady coming into our little world. OK, maybe Jon's a little more excited than Hayes.

I'm Done With Work!!!

I don't mean to sound like I hate my job. I absolutely don't. I just haven't loved going to work for about 3 weeks now. I've just been done mentally, and driving back and forth and sitting at a desk all day has taken a toll on my poor little feet. I would insert a picture of them here but they are just too frightening...and I think I'd rather forget all about them.

Anyway...yesterday was my last day of work for about 14 weeks. I cannot even begin to explain the excitement that is brewing in my heart over this realization. I was talking to my grandmother on the phone yesterday and told her I just can't imagine what it's going to be like to have 3.5 months off work. I haven't had more than 1 consecutive week off work since sometime in high school!

So, I know that I should be taking these next two weeks easy and resting my feet, but there's already a list coming together for all the things I want to get done while I wait on Grady's birth day.

Here's what is left to be done:

~Get car seat buckled into car. It's been in the car since Monday, but hasn't been buckled yet.

~Reorganize kitchen cabinets to accommodate bottles and baby whatnots. I know this may seem like a no-brainer and that we should have plenty of room for all his stuff since we just moved into this house, but we don't. I'm going to have to get organized.

~Clean out fridge and freezer.

~Buy a deep freezer to put in the garage. I'm such a nerd, but getting a deep freezer excites me to no end. I can't wait!

~Finish reading Peace Like a River by Leif Enger and start reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver.

~Relax.

We've really gotten so much done already. I feel like we wouldn't be in a mad rush if he decided to come a little earlier. We're so pumped to become this little guy's momma and daddy.

Still Breech at 37 Weeks

So, Grady has decided that he likes being in my belly head up, butt down. We went back to the doctor on Tuesday and had another ultrasound to check his position. He is most definitely still breech. We opted to have the scheduled c-section rather than attempting the version where the doc tries to turn him manually by pressing on my belly.

So Grady will be born sometime the morning of March 12, 2010. I have to be at the hospital at 7:30 a.m. so sometime after that we will meet our little boy. I've never anticipated anything quite so much. He's been growing and moving in me for months and we've been able to get peeks at his little face, but I'm sure those peeks are going to pale in comparison to seeing him face to face. Jon and I are both going to bawl! It's going to be awesome!

Here are a few of the things I'm praying for until his arrival. I'm praying that he continues to grow and mature at a healthy pace and that his lungs are fully developed by the time he's born. I'm praying that even in the womb he hears how much his momma and daddy love each other, and how much we already completely adore him.

I'm praying that my time with Jon is sweet sweet sweet from now until Grady arrives. The magnitude of this change is just now starting to hit me. I just want to so enjoy the few more days we have as just Jon and Erin without a child. I'm praying that my time with Jesus is even sweeter.

While I'm not too concerned about the actual surgery, I'm a bit concerned about the recovery. I don't do well with needing people to wait on me. I am praying that the Lord, and my body, constantly remind me that I've had major abdominal surgery and I just need to allow my body to heal in its time.

I'm praying for our first few days together at home, that we'll settle into a routine that works well for all three of us, plus Hayes, and that our time together will be oh so special. I know it will be!

Thank you so much for your prayers for us, as we wait for our little boy's arrival in less than two weeks.

Belly Pic 37 weeks

Jon's baby...

For those of you who don't know, soon after we found out we were pregnant Jon decided that he would not shave his face or head until the baby was born. I think this is a regretful commitment at this point, but since he is not one to go back on a commitment, he is now heavy-laden with extremely unkempt hair.

Jon named his beard the "Beard Fetus," and decided that if I have to carry a baby for 40 weeks, then so will he. He is so ready for the due date of his beard fetus, he can hardly stand it. We go back to the doctor on Tuesday and will find out if Grady is still breech and if we will be having a c-section. I think Jon's secretly hoping for that, since that means he'll get to shave his head and face a week earlier.

If you haven't been keeping up on facebook with the growth and maturity of Jon's beard fetus, allow me to enlighten you.

Jon and me about 10 days after finding out we were pregnant...no beard yet.

Jon at about 3 weeks...

Jon at 36 weeks...

My husband who was once clean-cut, now looks like a crotchety homeless man. I must say, I as well am hoping that Grady decides to grace us with his presence before March 19th.

Have you ever thought you were big??

...Only to find out you were going to get much much bigger?

Belly pic taken Sept 20, 2009 at about 12 weeks...

Belly pic taken Feb 18, 2010 at about 36 weeks...

My Three Favorite Boys

Subject to change upon arrival of Grady Daniel...

Jon, Hayes and Trace

35 Week Update

We are getting ready for this little guy to join us in the world population. We've pretty much got his room set up, all except his window treatment, which will be completed in the next few weeks. I'm feeling as ready as ever...and humongo pregnant. It's really been so much fun being pregnant, but Jon and I are both at the point where we are ready to have a baby to put in the crib. Here are some pics of me at 34 weeks and 5 days...along with one of Grady's room and me and Hayes.




We had a small couples shower this past weekend. We got lots of giftcards and a few other gifts. Jen and Dave were so good to have us all out at their house, and she planned some funny games for the guys to play. The first one was to race to drink Mountain Dew from a baby bottle. The second was to mold a baby out of playdough.

Jon's playdough baby

The best part of this past weekend was that Cullen and Ann came in town and spent Friday and Saturday night with us. It was so good to see them.

I went to the doctor today, but just had a nurse visit since my doc was on vacation and the PA called in due to bad weather. All was well. She couldn't tell if Grady had turned from the breech position, but said that they would most likely do an ultrasound at my next visit. It'll be in 2 weeks and after that every week. That means he will be here soon!

Hope all is well with you.

Erin

Baby Shower, etc...

This past weekend my mom came in town to come to my first baby shower. It was held at the church, and it was wonderful! I got so many much needed baby things. I told my mom that I was just so blessed with great friends here in Kentucky.

We got about 4 inches of snow this weekend starting late Friday night and into Saturday morning. It was beautiful, but because of the snow, the shower originally scheduled for Saturday had to be rescheduled to Sunday afternoon, but it went off without a hitch. I'm not big on being in the hot seat with all the attention on me...just not really my thing, but it was so much fun! We laughed, I learned more new things about babies, ate some really good cake and just had a great time. Below are a couple of pictures from the shower...and yes, they did make me sit in a rocking chair on a stage.


And this is the diaper cake that my friends Jen and Kelley made. Isn't it adorable!
I loved being able to come home and go through all Grady's gifts and get it all washed and organized. His room is coming together and I think it's going to be super cute. Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures this week. I'm still working on a couple of things, so I'll just post a picture of the final product rather than boring you with all the work in progress pics.

Below is a picture of my belly at 33 weeks and 1 day.
I will be 34 weeks tomorrow. I can't believe that I only have 6 weeks left. I go back to the doc on Tues for a checkup. I don't thing that Grady has done his final flip, but I'm still praying that he does. I'm not too good at feeling my belly and being able to tell what body part is where, but the kicks are still often down low, and his hiccups can be felt around my ribcage. So I don't think he's really changed positions.

I'm swelling pretty bad at this point...my feet, legs, hands, and face. My blood pressure is fine, so there's really no worries aside me being uncomfortable. I'm not going to lie. I can't wait to not be pregnant any more. I will miss him wiggling in my belly, but aside from that, I will miss no part of this process. I wasn't able complain a bit, until I started swelling around Christmas time. Since then, I've been sort of ready to be done with it all...plus, I can't wait to meet this little guy!

Hope you're all doing well.

Erin