31 weeks today...

31 weeks today.  9 weeks to go... OMW.  People keep telling me that the last month, month and a half will feel like time has come to a screeching halt, and I'm really okay with that.  There are still a lot of things to get done, details to work out, so I'll take all the time, "perceived" or not, I can get!

Here's what's been happening with our baby boy this past week, according to babycenter.com:

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

As a matter of fact, he HAS had a couple of "parties" in the wee hours of the morning, kicking and rolling all around.  He's pretty active nowadays, especially in the mornings up to lunchtime or so -- the way I sit in my computer chair gets him going, I guess.

Whattoexpect.com had a few other little tidbits to share:

Weighing in at three-plus pounds and measuring 18 inches long, your baby is quickly approaching his birth length — though he's got to pack on another three to five pounds before D-day. Also developing at an impressive clip: your baby's brain connections (he's got to make trillions of them!). He's now processing information, tracking light, and perceiving signals from all five senses. He's also putting in longer stretches of sleep, which is why you're probably noticing more defined patterns of wakefulness (and movement) and rest (when he’s pretty still).

I can tell you those oranges are not sitting in THAT formation in my belly -- I know there's ONE stuck up in my ribs permanently, it seems.  :)

childbirth education class #3...

Our 3rd childbirth education class was last night and it was just as informative as the other 2 have been.  We talked about a lot of different things last night revolving around a vaginal birth (I can hear the sound of some of you closing out of your web browser right...about...now.).

For those who are still with me, we talked about a couple of different breathing techniques: the slow, deep breaths -- in through the nose, out through the mouth -- that we use to "breathe through a contraction", and the short, shallow breaths -- like "panting" -- that we use to keep from pushing when we feel the urge before it's time.

As an exercise, Jackie gave us each a clothespin, daddies included, to put on our ear to assimilate the pain of a contraction, though, she warned us it's NOTHING like contraction pain.  10-4.  We only wish that's as bad as it was gonna get...

Anyway, Jackie would tell us that a contraction was starting and we'd clip the clothespin to our ear and then breathe those slow, deep breaths while she timed it for a minute.  Then we we'd take the clothespin off our ear because the contraction was over.  We did that a couple of times.  Piece of cake.  :)

We also talked about different exercises/positions that would be helpful once we got into labor contractions.  She mentioned that the ab ball was a wonderful tool to take the pressure off the lower back.  Also, to apply counter-pressure during a contraction around the hips was always helpful.  She said our husbands/coaches/whoever could do that by pressing in with hands on either side of our hips or by tying a sheet or piece of fabric around our hips and "cinching" it during a contraction.  Interesting.

But not as interesting as this little nugget of wisdom: she calls it the "labor dance" -- I called it the "middle school dance" in my notes.  :)  You know how you used to dance with a boy in middle school?  You basically had your hands resting on his shoulders and he had his hands resting on your waist (unless he was a good dancer and then he would pull you in close -- never dropping his hands inappropriately, mind you -- and you'd be able to just snuggle in...uh, but I never did that kind of dancing in middle school, nosirree.  I promise, Momma. :)

Aaaaanyways, this, in essence, is the "labor dance".  Jackie says the swaying motion, coupled with the gentle pressure that your husband/coach/whoever applies to your hips during a contraction is very helpful.  

And massages.  Yes, please. 

Jackie had us give our husbands a short massage last night to give them an idea of how WE would want to be massaged, etc. and then they turned around and did the same to us.  Kinda.  Gonna have to coach Jeff on that one a little bit.  :)  He gets in a hurry and goes too fast and the faster he goes, the more pressure he applies.  Okay, babe, not...so...don't be...so...OKAY, JUST STOP.  STOP.  Thanks for trying.  :)

After this fun, Jackie went into more detail about what happens postpartum after the delivery, including cleaning & stimulating the baby while having skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding within the first hour, giving the baby a bath after about an hour and a half, if we choose, etc.  It was all very informative.

Next week will be our last class in this Prepared Childbirth series.  We'll talk about c-section deliveries, some other miscellaneous things and then we'll take a tour of the hospital facility.  We're both looking forward to that.  Incidentally, we have to walk by the newborn nursery every week to get to our classroom so we know where that is.  And we always stop to admire the brand new babies -- so sweet.  :)

30 weeks today...

I'm 30 weeks today.  That means there are only 10 weeks of this pregnancy left -- if I carry to term.

OH.MY.WORD...

Here's what's been happening with our little guy for the past week, according to babycenter.com:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

And according to whattoexpect.com:

Your baby's height and weight haven't changed much in the past week, but the big news is your baby's brain gain. Until now, the surface of your baby's brain was smooth. Now, your fetus's brain is taking on those characteristic grooves and indentations. The reason for this change in appearance? Those wrinkles allow for an increased amount of brain tissue — a necessary change as your developing baby prepares for life outside your womb, and the street smarts he will need.

Another big change at 30 weeks pregnant: Your baby's bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells (before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells). This is an important step for your baby, because it means he or she is better able to thrive on his own once born (with a little TLC from you, of course).

So it's in with the new (brain cells, red blood cells) and out with the old (lanugo). Much of the lanugo — the soft, downy hair covering your baby's body — is beginning to disappear now because both fat and the brain are regulating your baby's body temperature (so no need for that furry coat anymore). But you may see a few leftover strands of fur on your newborn's back and shoulders.

Just like I did in this post, I'll  show some progress over the last 8 weeks -- at 22, 24, 26 & 28 weeks -- with photos...

...and now...

doctor's appts #11 & #12...

I had 2 more doc appts today, one at Wilmington Maternal and one at Carolina OB/Gyn.

The first was at MF and everything went well.  Our ultrasound tech, Melissa, was really nice and did her thing.  She took my blood pressure first and it was 110/70.  FABULOUS!  That's REALLY LOW for me.  I'll take it.  :)

When the ultrasound started, I was kind of perplexed.  This was the first time that everything just looked kind of like a mess up on the screen -- I couldn't really make out what she was looking at a lot of the time.  We found out later that's because the baby is facing my back bone.

Oh.  Well, that explains it then.

She and Dr. Wright (yes, I finally met *the elusive Dr. Wright*) both said that everything looks great.  The baby weighs 3 lbs, 2 oz -- a "beautiful" weight.  The kidneys were, again, an object of examination, not that anything is wrong, just that they are still larger than the norm.  In fact, Dr. Wright came in specifically to reassure us that they didn't see any cause of concern with the kidneys, that there was nothing to worry about but that it would just be something they keep an eye on until delivery.  After he's born, the pediatrician will probably take a closer look just to be sure there's nothing of concern to see.  I'm okay with that.  They are keeping an eye on things and erring on the side of caution so that's definitely reassuring to me.

Melissa could tell that he was very active today -- and I could, too.  He was kicking and moving, making it a little more difficult to get what she needed.  We didn't get any fun photos from the ultrasound -- mostly because like I said before, everything just looked like a mess -- but Melissa did confirm, yet again, that he is still a boy.  THAT'S the photo we got.  

Why do they think I need another photo of my son's teeny, tiny wee-wee?

**********************************************************************************

After MF, we headed over to the 17th St. location of Carolina for the 2nd appt -- just a "hop, skip and jump" from MF so that worked out well.  I saw Dr. Hall today who I'd heard great things about.  I was not disappointed.  :)  She was really nice and did her thing, too.  My blood pressure there was 132/70 which was more in the normal range for me and they were happy with that.

She listened to the baby's heartbeat and said it was good and strong.  She measured me and said I was measuring right around 30 weeks so that was right (30 weeks this Sunday according to my due date).  She checked my feet & legs for swelling and I mentioned that I had some swelling in my left foot -- not so much my right foot (unless it's the end of the day and I'd been on my feet a lot or out in the heat, etc.). She said that was great, especially for Aug 20 and the heat we'd been having.  Just told me to keep drinking lots of fluids which I try to be pretty conscious about.

So 2 good reports to start the weekend off right.  I'm happy.  :)

childbirth education class #2...

We went to our 2nd childbirth education class last night.  Everyone that was there last week came back so that was good.  We only scared off the sister-in-law that I mentioned in this post.  :)

Again, there was a lot of information covered in this class.  We talked about things to pack for our stay in the hospital, both for before & during delivery, as well as after delivery.  There were lists in the books that we got last week, but Jackie sited specific things that she thought were really helpful.  I made a special note of those.  Especially the one about the "hair tie for long hair".  :)

We also talked about different tools that we may or may not see during the process.  AND it was show-and-tell.  Yes, Jackie brought out things like an IV tube/syringe, an IUPC (internal uterine pressure catheter), a vacuum, a fetal scalp electrode...

It was not a real upbeat time in the class.  And then we went through some of the reasons for induction.

Kind of a downer -- even Jackie said that -- but still, it's a part of being informed and prepared and I'm glad to have the knowledge we learned last night.  Even if it's not all *rainbows & butterflies*.

Jackie did cover pediatricians in the area, too, and had nothing but good, positive things to say about each of them.  I think we've decided on our pediatrician -- one in the Hampstead area so it will be relatively close for us.  That, and we know other kids (and their parents) who are patients there.

shopping for mommy...

Saturday, I met my mom & dad in Raleigh for some shopping at Triangle Town Center.  We had a great time!  My dad tagged along for a little bit but was able to wander off at will to go to some other stores that he was more interested than, say, Motherhood Maternity.  Which was our first stop.  :)

My mom & I had a ball in that store!  We probably spent a good 2 hours in that store because they were having such a great sale and I was trying on all kinds of stuff.  And my mom kept coming back with more stuff for me to try on.  :)

I had actually made a list of some things that would be important in the future -- things like nursing bras, a nightgown/robe for the hospital, underwear (aka "draws"), etc.  I was able to get all of that and lots more at the MM store.  I picked up some more tops and a couple of comfy capri pants & lounge pants, in addition to the other things.

Our next stop was the food court -- time for LUNCH!  Mom and I had yummy meals from a place called Villa Pizza and Daddy got chinese.  That's the beauty of the food court, you know?

We headed down to see what GAP Maternity had but THAT was a wasted trip.  They had a little "closet" for their maternity clothes and everything was either black, white or beige, with a couple of dark purples or grays.  Ugh, booooring.  No, thank you.

Back out we went to check out some of the department stores (Dillards, Saks Fifth Ave, Belk) and Belk was the only one that even had a maternity section.  And I picked up a couple pairs of shorts in there.  YAY!  I've been looking for shorts for awhile.  Everything I've seen is way shorter than I want to wear -- these were like bermuda length.  Perfect.  I'll take 2 -- one in navy, one in khaki.

I think after that we decided that we needed some ice cream, having seen the DQ at the food court when we were there earlier.  Actually, they had a Chic-Fil-A at the food court, too, and I'd been telling my dad about their cookies & cream milkshake.  I think I talked him into that.  Mom and I got blizzards from DQ.  Mmmm.

After that, we ran over to Bath & Body Works because I needed to get some more travel size lotions plus I had a coupon.  :)  Our last stop was in Yankee Candle (it was on the way out) and I picked up some fall-scented tarts.  Can't wait to start burning/melting those.  :)

I would say it was a successful day filled with fun and good times with family, with lots of bargains thrown in.  :)  I am so grateful to my parents for doing this for me.  It was a wonderful day.

Here are some photos we took to document our day:

[me & Momma, photo credit: Daddy]

[looking away from the mall portion of the center]

[after a fun day shopping, 29 weeks pregnant;

photo credit: Daddy]

[after eating yummy ice cream :) -- LOVE these people]

[my loot!, photo credit: Daddy]

[us -- my fave photo of the day :)]

And yes...that was the FIRST attempt at a "self-portrait".  I've still got it.  :)

29 weeks today...

Good gracious, these weeks are going by so fast...29 weeks today!

This is what babycenter.com says has been happening this week:

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

And whattoexpect.com said this:

 

At 29 weeks pregnant, your baby is almost 17 inches tall now (nearly as tall as he will be at birth), and close to three pounds (a weight that will likely more than double — and may even come close to tripling — by delivery time). His wrinkled skin is smoothing out as more fat is deposited under the skin surface. This fat, called white fat, is different from the earlier brown fat that your developing fetus accumulated. Brown fat is necessary for body temperature regulation while white fat (the fat you have, Mom) actually serves as an energy source.

Which explains why your energizer baby feels so…well…energized! Space in your baby's living quarters is now at a premium, so you'll be feeling jabs and pokes from elbows and knees mostly. But those kicks will be more vigorous than before (and also less erratic) because your baby is stronger and excitedly responding to all sorts of stimuli — movement, sounds, light, and that candy bar donut you ate half an hour ago.

Luckily, your baby doesn't have teeth yet that would need a brushing after that sugary treat, but it won't be long before you'll need to buy that first baby toothbrush! You'll recall that your baby's baby-teeth buds formed weeks ago, but now the buds for permanent teeth are forming in his gums as well.

And back to those kicks, who's counting? Actually, you should be. Now's a good time to start doing a kick count twice a day to make sure baby's doing just fine (plus, it's a good excuse for a rest). Lie down (preferably after a snack) and keep track of your baby's movements. You're looking for at least ten movements in an hour's time (don't forget to count movements of any kind — kicks, flutters, swishes, rolls, and so on).

 

shower #3 (mini-shower)...

I have been remiss!  I should've posted this before now...

When we were in Lexington last (about 3 weeks ago), my mom and dad gave us a little mini-shower of sorts.  My mom has been stockpiling stuff since she found out we were pregnant, even more so once she found out it was a boy.  :)  So she had some "stuff" she wanted to just go ahead and give us.

It was fun -- a bag for each of us.  Jeff went first and then I opened mine...

Jeff got his own diaper bag!

...with denim diapers...

...and a cute little onesie!

I think he's ready, don't you?  :)

I got a bath-theme filled basket full of stuff (among other things).  :)

[26 weeks pregnant]

[photo credit goes to my Momma, with some editing by me]

We had a ball opening, unzipping and sifting through stuff to find our goodies.  Thanks, Momma & Daddy!  We love you both bunches and appreciate the goodies!

childbirth education class #1...

Jeff and I went to our first childbirth education class last night, Prepared Childbirth.  This was the first of a 4-week series of one-hour classes at the lovely (no, really) Women's & Children's Hospital of New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Our friend -- and phenomenal (so I've heard :) labor & delivery nurse -- Jackie is teaching the class and she did great!  I wondered how she felt about 1) teaching her SS teacher and 2) talking about such things as vaginas & discharge in front of him.  She said it was a little awkward, of course, but she's a professional so she did what she needed to do and told us what we needed to know.

It was a FULL hour's worth of information she threw at us so before we knew it, it was 8:30pm and time to go.  We talked about some of the basic terms involved with childbirth (anatomy, birthing terms, etc.), the different stages of labor, what to look for/note if this or that should happen, etc.  She gave us a book with the information so we had that to take our own notes in if we chose to.

I enjoyed the class and at this point, don't have anything to fear yet.  She was very upfront with how hard this childbirth thing is and how it is painful, but even with that, I'm not panicking.  Yet.

We still have 3 classes to go, so there's still time to scare me out of my wits.

There were about 15 folks in the class -- only one who was there by herself.  I was proud of the soon-to-be daddies that came with their mommies (including mine :) -- there were 5 of those.  One of the girls brought her mom since her husband had to work, and another girl brought her sister-in-law since her husband was also working.  Incidentally, her SIL made a good point: "This is an excellent class to take to KEEP you from getting pregnant!"  :)

28 weeks today...

I cannot believe how fast these 28 weeks have gone by!  We are 2/3 of the way there, peeps.  Whoa.

Here's what's been going on with the baby this week, according to babycenter.com:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

This is what whattoexpect.com says is going on:

 

At 28 weeks pregnant, your baby may be dreaming about you. Brain wave activity measured in a developing fetus shows different sleep cycles, including the rapid eye movement phase, the stage when dreaming occurs.

By now, your baby, who weighs in at about two and a half pounds and stands — or rather lies — at almost 16 inches (measured head to toe) has added blinking to his growing bag of tricks. (Outside in the real world, blinking is necessary to help keep foreign objects out of the eyes.) Other impressive new talents being added to your baby's roster in the womb include coughing, more intense sucking, and, perhaps most important, better breathing.

The good news is that babies born this week, though premature, have an excellent prognosis because their lungs have reached the point (for the most part) of maturity — so you too can breathe a little easier now. Of course, it's still best if a baby doesn't check out of that uterine hotel just yet — there's still a lot of growing and maturing to do over the next 12 weeks.

Amen.

 

We took a meal Saturday to a couple in our Sunday School class who just had a little one, a boy, this past week.  He was a cutie!  Weird to think that that will be us in just a few months...

doctor's appt #10...

I had another doctor's appt today -- I'm now going to my OB every 2 weeks (instead of 4) -- crazy!

Today's appt went well.  My blood pressure was relatively normal and according to their scale, I hadn't gained any weight in the last 2 weeks so that's great!  I feel like I have been gaining weight like crazy so that part of the appt always worries me.  I'm always afraid someone is going to mention it and tell me I've got to slow down.  So far no one has said a thing about my weight, God bless'em.  :)

I saw Dr. Vogel -- and a PA student -- today.  I think I may be getting close to meeting all the doctors now.  There may be 1 or 2 I haven't met yet.  And it always seems like there's a student following the doctor I'm going to see.  :)  I don't mind that, though.  Seriously, I think I've met 3 young girls in PA school.

Ashley (the student) checked my fundal height -- I'm measuring right on, she said -- and listened to the baby's heartbeat with the doppler.  She actually pointed out the heartbeat and the sound the umbilical cord makes -- never had anyone point out the subtle difference before, so that was kinda neat.  Both sounded very healthy.

Dr. Vogel mentioned that at this point in the pregnancy I need to be taking count of the fetal movement at some point each day.  Nothing official but just to count at least 5-6 movements within an hour's time at some point during the day when I know he's awake and will be active.  No problem there -- when this kid is awake, it's at least 5-6 movements, if not way more than that.  Even so, Dr. Vogel said that if at any time I can't count at least that many in an hour's time, I should give them a call.  After that, he looked over my chart and said everything is looking great -- "don't change a thing!".

Roger that.  :)  

do we HAVE everything?

I got an article in my inbox today entitled "Diaper-Bag Essentials" (from whattoexpect.com) and I thought it had some pretty good information in it.

That cute diaper bag you got at your baby shower (or bought yourself!) probably wasn’t meant to be stuffed until bursting at the seams. Well, the good news is that there’s no need to overpack and lug around a bag that weighs a ton. The following items are pretty much all you need when you’re out and about with your baby. Just be sure to restock when you get home, so you’re never without these diaper-bag essentials.

Diapers. Obvious, yes, but how many you pack depends on how long you’re going to be out, how old your baby is, and how he’s feeling. (if you’re heading to the doctor because your baby has diarrhea, for instance, pack several so you’re prepared for a maximum number of changes.) And don’t forget to follow the plus-one rule: Always pack one more diaper than you think you’ll need.

Wipes. Tuck them in a reclosable plastic bag or case to use during diaper changes. But don’t just relegate them to tushy cleanup. Wipes are handy for cleaning your own hands before and after diaper duty and can be used to remove spit-up and baby-food stains from clothes and furniture.

Diaper cream or ointment. It’s a good idea to carry around a tube of ointment or cream to use as a layer of protection to help prevent a diaper rash from developing — or to soothe your baby’s bottom in case one develops.

Changing pad. Most diaper bags come with a pad, so don’t leave home without it — especially if you’re going somewhere that doesn’t have a changing table (like Grandma’s house). If your bag doesn’t come with a pad, add your own, but choose one with a washable or wipe-off cover. In a pinch, you can always use a towel or cloth diaper, but be careful — they aren’t waterproof and won’t be able to adequately protect carpets or furniture.

Extras. Depending on how long you’re planning to be out, be sure to pack a bib, burping cloth, a ziplock bag for dirty diapers, and a bottle of formula if you’re not breastfeeding. Consider packing a replacement outfit for your baby if he’s prone to spitting up or tends to produce diaper blowouts (lucky you!). And don’t forget a bottle of water and snack for you. (And if the diaper bag’s doing double-duty as your purse, toss in a small bag where you can stash your cash, keys, and cell — that way you won’t be rooting around for your essentials when you need ’em.)

I do actually already have my diaper bag.  I registered for one at Babies R Us when we were there but wasn't "gung-ho" on it -- it was just there and I liked it the best of all that I saw in the store.  I knew I needed one so I zapped had Jeff zap it with the gun.

Since registering for that one at BRU, I was in a Walmart when we last visited my family and they had one that was PERFECT.  It was cute, not too big and most importantly, was the right color scheme.  :)  

Some of you know how I like to coordinate.

Due to that personality flaw trait, I snatched that bag right up (and removed the one from the BRU registry -- before anyone could buy it)!  This is what it looks like:

And if you will recall this post and this one, you will totally see why THAT is the perfect color scheme.

Ready to start filling it with all the stuff they said I need!

27 weeks today...

Well, I've made it to the 3rd trimester -- I'm 27 weeks today.  Can't believe it!

Lots of fun stuff is happening with our little one this week.  Here's what babycenter.com says:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother him, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

And whattoexpect.com has these things to say:

For a baby, it's time to trade in the old crown-to-rump measurement for a new head-to-toe standard. So what are your baby’s stats this week (which, coincidentally, is the end of the second trimester)? Fifteen inches — more than a foot long — and triple (or even quadruple) what it was in week 12. His weight is creeping up the charts as well, coming in at just over two pounds. More big news: Your baby may recognize your voice by now, so feel free to serenade your belly (start learning those lullabies!).

Your baby's auditory development (hearing) is progressing as the network of nerves to the ears matures. And even though the sounds your baby hears are muffled (thanks to the creamy coating of vernix covering those ears), he may recognize both yours and your partner's voices. So this might be a good time to read and even sing to your baby (or rather, your belly) — and a good chance to start boning up on those nursery rhymes and lullabies you'll need to be repeating (and repeating) pretty soon. And while you're at it, here's another way to have some family fun at 27 weeks pregnant: If your partner presses his ear to your belly, he might be able to hear the baby's heartbeat.

Your baby's taste buds are very developed now too (with more taste buds than he will ever have outside the womb, actually). Need a taste test? If you eat some spicy food (you hot mama, you), your baby will be able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid (but keep in mind that you'll have different mealtimes, with your baby's coming about two hours after yours). Some babies will even respond to that spicy kick by hiccupping. And although hiccups (which feel like belly spasms to you) may seem like they're disturbing to your baby, he isn't stressed at all. It's just one more sensation that babies need to get used to.

Wow, such interesting stuff!

Now that's perspective right there...

Jeff is steadily working on the crib and it's coming along rather nicely, if I do say so myself.  He's already got the front part of the crib done (sans stain) -- this is the part that will convert to the footboard of the regular bed.  It looks so great.  Now he's working on the curved sides of the crib -- a challenge, but I think he's definitely up for it!  :)  He really amazes me with this handiwork.

I, in the meantime, am doing things like getting us signed up for childbirth education classes.  We'll take a 4-week Prepared Childbirth class starting on Aug 11 (with our friend and lover of all babies, Jackie Parker -- she's an L&D nurse at the hospital), a breastfeeding class on Sep 15 and a Baby Care class on Sep 23 (Jackie's also teaching that one, yay!).  We'll also have 2 meetings with our doula, Kelley, in September.

Time seems so short and we're just cramming as much as we can into each day.  I hope we get everything done and ready before this kid gets here!