The Big 4-0

Hi there. Yep, still here. But not for long! Thank heavens for long tests at the doctor to let me hear and see my little one, and to post her eviction notice. Non-stress test and growth ultrasound were in order today. Blood pressure is still high, but not surprising after a month of mild contractions. We're both doing great, though, and baby girl is going to be a tall one! 98% percentile for her length. No wonder her little feet haven't moved from my side for months, they're too long to fit anymore!

So if I'm not in labor by this weekend, I'll go back for more tests on Monday (Halloween!) and have a firm induction date of Nov. 2nd. Still hoping for an October birthday, but we'll see how stubborn she decides to be.

In classy Myspace self-portrait style, here's our last shot together as one entity.

 6 days or less until we can hold her in our arms. Hurry out, little baby! We can't wait to meet you!

Still Waiting

Sorry my posts are kind of one-note these days. You know that feeling when you've run out of excitement? How you spend so much energy anticipating Christmas coming all year that by Christmas Eve you're sort of spent and almost numb to the reality of it? I think I'm at that point. I feel like it's never going to end at that I might as well give up being excited too, because I just don't have the energy for it anymore. It's a weird feeling. 

I think it goes without saying that there's still nothing to report. I had some pretty painful contractions off and on last week, but they've mostly subsided now. Why things would slow down at this point is beyond me. I'm still measuring ahead and on track for an Oct. 22nd due date, but I'm still in the record books as Oct. 29th, meaning that if she's stubborn and doesn't want to come, I wouldn't be induced for another 3 WEEKS!! Oh boy. On the agenda this week: get in 20 hours of work, finish her costume, and walk as far as my little swollen feet will allow me. Anyone know where I can get my hands on some castor oil?

Daddy's Girl

I love when Sam says things to me like, "I hope you're ok with no longer being the only girl in my life."

Or when he goes first to my tummy instead of hugging all of me so he can love on his little girl.

Or when he whispers sweet little things to her in French that I don't fully understand.

Or how excited he gets to hold her, to fuss over her, and to have her here.

I've never been so happy to be replaced. :)

Home-Body & Halloween Stuff

So this week began my "Maternity Leave" or my first few days transitioning to work outside the office. I plan to continue working from home until my due date and then pick it back up at least part time once the baby comes. It's amazing that it has worked out in such a way that I can work from home. I am extremely grateful for my co-workers, modern technology, and God's hand for this.

It feels good to be needed, but it does make me feel guilty for leaving. I know that's silly, I'm pregnant, like due in a week and half pregnant, but it's hard to shake that lazy feeling since full-time work has been my life for the last almost two years.

All this being said, I'm so grateful that my to-do list is basically a to-done list, and aside from work, my days consist of keeping the house VERY clean, actually making homemade dinners again, getting some walking in, some reading in, and working on some fun crafty stuff that I never seemed to have the time for until now. It's pretty nice, I'm not going to lie. Some projects I'm working on:

- Alexis' Halloween costume. More on that this week. Just you wait....
- Finding a Lumina pumpkin to paint (or just a regular pumpkin painted white). I'm digging the spiderweb pumpkin that looks like it could be done with a permanent marker.

 - Making one of these. Looks pretty easy and I'm game for any simple Halloween decor.

 - Hanging rope spiderweb on the back deck.

The biggest thing on the agenda: being patient. I'm now officially full-term by whichever due date you go by. I've been in sort of a false labor for over a week now and have progressed a lot as of my last appointment. The same will probably be true this week. I just wonder how long this can go on before the real thing hits.

et viola - 38.5 weeks. Could I get any bigger? (Please don't answer that)

 

Nesting

I can't say that lately I've had the ridiculous urge to clean and organize my house....because I ALWAYS have the ridiculous urge to clean and organize my house. I'm kind of a freak about it. if I went through a pregnancy version of it at any point, I didn't notice.

But the last few days I've definitely been feeling a mental nesting, if you will. Like a sort of urgency make sure everything on my to-do list is ready and that all my plans are in place before time runs out:

- pre-register at the hospital
- make sure all my office work is moved to my home computer and all maternity leave assignments have been delegated and reviewed
- decorate for Halloween
- get my manicure and pedicure scheduled for this week (so excited!!)
- go on a nice date with Sam
- have at least a few days at home sans work to read, rest up, go for walks, do a final deep cleaning of the apartment, etc. 

I think if she wanted to come next week or later, I would be totally fine. That would give me a few days grace period to accomplish all the above. But strange as it sounds this far along, I hope it's not sooner. What am I saying?? Watch me go into labor tonight.... or not.

What a Weekend

I love to see the temple, I'm definitely going here someday.

When this happened, it was evident to me that the Provo Tabernacle was a sacred and special place. I can't wait to see it as Provo's SECOND temple. Tears accompanied this announcement, you can be sure.

Some other highlights from General Conference:

- I shouldn't feel ashamed or guilty about starting our family before we have a house, a solid career, or other "prerequisites" that the world tells me we need, because I remember now why I felt like this was the right thing for us. We're making a righteous choice and it's ok that we don't have a "fancy nursery or a designer crib" as Elder Andersen put it so well. Even the Savior himself came into the world in a lowly stable. Little Alexis will start with more than that. She will of course have all her needs met, an eternal family to be welcomed into, and all the love in the world. Really, what else matters?

- Being busy does not necessarily equate to being productive. Am I spending my precious time (that I seem to use up so quickly every day) on that which matters most? Food for thought.

-  "It's better to look up." - President Monson. What a clever, eternally cheerful, and inspired man to give us all such great advice when we want to hang our heads.

Really, I just loved all of it. Can't wait for more tomorrow. Conference, fall coming, baby coming. Seriously, could October be a better month?!