39 Weeks

Nursery Rhymes

Our first test of the new color!

Time to start! Chloe came to help :)

Let's see it Daddy!

Helpin' out. No VOC paint is amazing!!

Grandma Sherry mastering the "no tape cut-in!"

In just a few short hours with the help of Grandma Sherry & Grandpa Bob, the painting is complete!!

My sweet handyman putting the changing table together.

We had to test it out!! :)

Walls painted & furniture assembled

Fun, easy project for the walls - coordinating fabrics pulled tight in embroidery rings

Finished project, ready to hang

Ryan putting up the new light fixture - fits with our circles theme of the room

If you've never been to Garbe's Lighting you've got to go!

Ta-da!

Our new chair from Sunshine - so comfy! Creamy white fabric with teal and brown leaf/floral patterns with brown velvet "drizzle" overlay

Ryan and his Dad putting up the new crown molding - what a project!

Cutting/sawing, coping, nailing, painting, caulking oh my!

Handling the beast of a table saw!

The bedding all put together! Bacati Collection from Target

The reading/feeding nook :)

Cream Shag rug, ottoman, yellow frame, blanket, & black out curtains from Target

Chair from Sunshine

Owl lamp from Furniture Row/Bedroom Expressions

Changing table all decked out with new baskets!

stocked up on swaddling blankets :)

Drawers full of onesies, gowns & burp cloths

diapers galore :)

3-6 month clothing

The beautiful crown molding all completed! You two did an AMAZING job!!

cozy blankets hiding in the new storage ottoman

cuddly sleep sheep from Evan

Ingenuity bouncer - Mother's Day gift from my Momma

Little boy shoes

Little girl shoes

All packed & ready to go!!

Childbirthing Class

Ryan and I had our Child-birthing class a few Saturdays ago! It was so much fun. Our alarms went off bright and early and I moaned and groaned and pleaded that we could go back to sleep. Nights have been really rough for me lately. I wake up 4 or 5 times on a really bad night – either flying out of bed to stretch the charlie horses out of my calves, to pee for the thousandth time that day, or from my aching back or hips. Delirium feels like it has started to set in! Ryan was so sweet that morning, telling me women have babies all the time without ever attending a child-birthing class – reminding me that cave-women's babies turned out just fine! I have been really anticipating the class though so I peeled myself out of bed. We dropped our furbaby Chloe off at Grandma’s house (my Mom) and headed to St. John’s.

The class was from 10:00-5:00 with instructor Jo Nell. She was so sweet and such a wealth of information! We were all given booklets that seem to be like the Bible of childbirth...it is stuffed full of information and pictures that leave you with very few questions. We watched several videos throughout the day then we would have a question and answer discussion after each viewing. A few of the videos showed the process of childbirth, ranging from drug-free birth, C-Section, water birth & with drug intervention. They were very interesting! The only two that Ryan and I got squeamish while watching were the steps of an Epidural video and the C-Section.

This class is what solidified my hopes for a drug-free birth!

One awesome tool that we learned a lot about is breathing techniques! Who knew something so natural could help you so much. It helps contractions work better by bringing more oxygen to your uterus. It also helps relax your abs and other muscles surrounding the uterus which aids in the baby's decent. Finally it gives you focus! It is a proven relaxation technique that distracts you from the pain.

We spent a good portion of the class learning different breathing techniques with our partners. Once we had practiced them for a while we did an activity! We all sat on the floor with our partners sitting behind us. We were instructed to find our focal point, and over a period of 90 seconds Ryan was told to pinch the sensitive area on the back of my arm. He was told to either do it in short bursts to mimic quick contractions, or long drawn out squeezes to mimic longer. I fought the pain with my breathing and focus until the time was up. Then Jo-Nell told them to pinch us as hard as they had before but without us breathing/focusing...there was a resounding "OWWWW!" from all the women in the class!! It was a completely different pain! It was such a neat experience, and it really gave me a boost of confidence.

At one point in the class she asked for volunteers for the Empathy Belly. She said she only had three so be sure and raise your hand if you are interested. I was sure there would be more than three volunteers so I waited like a contestant on a game show for the go ahead to shoot my hand in the air! When it came time for the volunteers I grabbed Ryan's hand and raised it high...only to look around and see that he was the only one!! I looked at him and told him it was fine if he didn't want to, but he smiled big and said "of course I do!" and went to the front of the class. What a guy!!

Jo-Nell had him raise his arms high in the air and breathe out all the air in his lungs. At which point she wrapped him up tight in a Velcro corset. She then put the 33 pound belly on for him! There were two pockets under the belly where she placed 7 pound weights to sit high and rest oh so comfortably on his rib cage. The she positioned the 6 pound weight pouch to sit directly on his bladder. She finished it off with a cute little denim smock :) He was such a good sport!! As she attached everything in the back he stood there in front of the class with his hands on his new boobs....haha I said "stop that mister!" and he jerked his hands down and laughed, not realizing what he was doing. He had the class rolling the whole time. She had him sit in a chair, take off his shoe and sock, put them on the ground and then pick them back up and put them on. Then she had him get on the ground and lay on his side, only to instruct him to roll to the other side then get up to a standing position on his own. As she was talking to him she was strategically placing items all over the classroom floor for him to pick up. After he finished all his tasks we continued with class while he wore it for over an hour. All the guys were patting him on the back and thanking him for "taking one for the team!" I was so proud :)

After we finished class we had a tour of the St. John's Labor and Maternity ward where we will be having the baby! It was very comforting to talk about the processes and see where we'd be staying.

The class was awesome! We loved the instructor, and felt like we learned so much valuable information in one day. It was a great experience to prepare us as much as possible for the baby's upcoming debut!!

10 Days and counting!!

To Epi or not to Epi?

My entire pregnancy, Ryan and I have talked about how great a natural, drug-free birth would be. But always in the back of my mind lingered doubts that I could handle it. I talked myself out of it long before I had information to make an educated choice in either direction.

After this class I know that I want to try to have a natural birth with no Epidural! Jo-Nell did her darndest to not steer us in either direction based on her personal feelings. But when there are so many risks and possibilities of problems, it isn't a hard choice to make!

Based on what I have learned, here are the advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

• Very Effective Pain Relief
• Gives Mom a chance to rest
  (I'm sure there are more, but this is pretty much all the book views as advantages)
  

Disadvantages:

• Numbness in legs for up to 8 hours after your baby is born
• Often will offer areas of incomplete relief - I have been reading so many stories of only half of the woman's body going numb but being able to feel everything on the other half.
• May cause fever (which will require more medication), itching & nausea
• May lower your blood pressure (which will require more medication and constant monitoring of baby's heart rate)
• IV fluids are required to try and help maintain blood pressure - these fluids may cause shivering
• May cause a slower labor which could lead to pitocin (more medication!) to speed up the process.
• May decrease ability to push effectively which could lead to assisted delivery (C-Section)
• Backaches/headaches for days or even months/years after birth
• May interfere with a baby's attempts at breastfeeding because the baby is woozy from the medication.
  

The video of Epidural Placement gave me the shivers! The needle goes into a membrane in your spinal column, and a catheter is inserted and is left in your back the entire labor process. The tube is taped to your back and is attached to a machine that pumps morphine into your body. (I've had morphine in the hospital before...it's great! But if you are like me and you have been avoiding taking even a baby aspirin your entire pregnancy, the thought of my baby having morphine before its even born really freaks me out!)

This video is not the one we got to watch in class, but it shows the process of getting an Epidural.




The risks, in my eyes, outweigh the advantages. However, I have never experienced the pain of childbirth - I have nothing but the utmost respect for women who have endured this blessed event no matter how their birth process took place!

I will have an Anesthesiologist on standby if I feel I have made a decision I can't stick with. Also, because I have tested positive for Group B Strep, once my water breaks I have a window of approximately 2 hours to have the baby without mandatory induction. After that a possibility of Pitocin might have to be discussed. I have read that the contractions from being induced with Pitocin are close to unbearable - another reason an Epi might be welcomed. Heck, if this (not so) little one ends up truly being 10 pounds I might even have to have a C-Section. But I'm staying positive and praying for a healthy baby no matter how it happens.
There are so many possibilities, but for the first time in my pregnancy I have a very strong will to give it everything I've got and try with no medication! With my Husband holding my hand and guiding me through the pain, I think I can do it! Thank you for the kind words of encouragement, Moms, Grandma, family & friends....I appreciate you being such great cheerleaders and supporting me no matter what!

Baby Shower

Cara threw me the most amazing Baby Shower this past Saturday. It was such a beautiful, thoughtful shower - I know she put every ounce of herself into making it just perfect. I felt so loved!

The invitations were adorable, Cara found them on Etsy and I fell in love with them - perfectly neutral with a touch of whimsy :) And of course it represented the bird theme I am so enamored with!


















Cara and I collaborated ideas for a few weeks and then the closer the shower came the less involved I became. Cara had TONS of ideas and I could tell she was running around like a mad-woman making them all happen. The girl had to have gone to Hobby Lobby at least 10 times! I tried to help where I could. We had picked some fun shower games and we went on a super fun shopping trip and got all the goodies for our guest favors. I wrapped them all up and then spent a few days making Owl fans
:)



















Shower guest goodies!









































The end result! Thanks Ryan for your help with all the cutting!! :)

























Before I knew it the Shower day was here! I arrived at Cara's and Joenna was parked next to me and we walked together. She made me the sweetest OU diaper cake!!! It was adorned with crimson and cream ribbons and there was little Sooner onesies, bibs and toys tucked in each layer. It was topped with some lavendar baby bubble bath and two glass Dr. Browns bottles! Ryan LOVED it to say the least!

























April made the most beautiful, elegant diaper cake - she even called Ryan and found out the name of the Nursery paint and went to Lowes to get a paint swatch so she could match the ribbon. I don't know if I have it in me to tear it apart!

I walked into the Dillon's to welcoming hugs from a house-full of the women I love the most.
The dining room was full of delicious hor d'oeuvres.




































There was homemade bruchetta, mini quiches, fruit and veggies galore, cheese ball, mini piggies in a blanket and...

























THE most adorable cupcakes &...



















cake I have ever seen :)



















Cara, Evan and Connie made a delicious slew of beverages for the occasion - the lemonade and sangria were big crowd pleasers!

We all joined together in the beautifully decorated back yard. Cara rented tables and chairs and put together cute centerpieces. Each table had a bouquet of flowers with a little bird, a tiny nest of roses and daisies, and an adorable bird house. She made little signs that said "cool yourself off" to put with the owl fans.




































Cara the wonderful hostess had some great games planned. Each guest had a teeny clothes pin and the one rule was not not say the word "baby!" If you neighbor said it you could steal their pin...whoever had the most in the end won a prize!
Then Cara passed out twine and each guest cut out enough twine that they thought would fit around my belly. Some guessed waaay too small (thank you Mary Lou for the tiny string!) and some guessed waaay too big! Sirikit guessed EXACTLY right. It fit around my belly and met end to end. She got a fun surprise and Asti won a prize for the worst guess :)



















The sweet sleepy owls that held the twine together.



















Neda trying to make a decision...Asti in the background guessing that I might be having triplets?



















Joenna being her adorable silly self!



















Mary Lou and her sweet tiny guess :)



















Mom, Meggan & Mandy making their guesses...they were SO close!!



















My Grandma having a ball!

Then we had a Nursery Rhyme game. Can you finish the riddles? Some of the provided answers seemed questionable and caused much Rhyme Debate!!
























(click to make it larger)



















Sherry, Connie, Mary Lou & my Grandma racing to win!
My Grandma immediately told me she was going to win this game :)
It was a three way tie, but she was right!!



















We also guessed how many "eggs" (M&M's) were in the jar! Cara slaved over them counting each candy one by one!!! How adorable is she?
Everyone wrote down their guesses...Olivia won! My Mom came in a close second :)
There was 1,111



















We munched on them as they were passed around!



















My Beautiful cake!!



















Sarah over-nighted me her gift from California. Its a hand made scrapbook called Baby's First Year! She made the adorable cover with Momma & baby owls on the front and wrote the sweetest note. I decided to read it out loud but only made it half way before I started crying :*)

“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for”

We made a time capsule to give to the baby on it's 18th birthday! My Grandma made a beautiful book about Uncle Steve - I will cherish it forever.



















Cara made me a Mommy Survival Kit. It was PRECIOUS!

• Hershey hugs and kisses - for you and the baby - you both deserve them

• Penny - for your thoughts

• Pen & Journal - to write down the special moments and thoughts

• Mirror - to reflect on who you are in this baby's new world

• Marbles - for moments you are sure you've lost yours!

• Rubber band - flexibility is the key to motherhood, and to stretch and grow with your baby

• Lifesavers - to save you on "one of those days"

• Tissue - to dry those tears - baby's and yours

• Starburst - for a burst of added energy

• Eraser - to remind you every new mom makes mistakes

• Candle - for when you are burning one at both ends

• Cotton ball - for the times you can't hear yourself think

• Rope - in case you get to the end of yours

• Tootsie roll - to remind you to let the small stuff roll off your shoulders

• Aspirin - for when all else fails - take two

• Cotton swab - for better listening

• Foil - to remind you motherhood makes you shine

• Glitter - a glimpse of how the world looks through a little one's eyes
I hope I didn't forget any! It was so sweet of her!





































April got me a Boppy! Yaaay!



















Sil got a "give peas a chance" onsie - too cute! I love how several of you incorporated my peas theme :)



















Sweet books & teddy bear from Grandma Smith! Sherry, Mom & Grandma all went in on a Little Hoot pack n' play...it is perfect!

We got so many WONDERFUL, thoughtful gifts - thank you ladies from the bottom of my heart!



















Stealing a moment with Aunt Meggan







'

















saying hello to our little ones!
























My Momma (Grandma-to-Be!)



















My feathered ear-ed cousin Mandy!

























Our beautiful next door neighbor Grandmas, Mary-Lou (Cara's Grandma) & Rosemary (my Grandma)


























Momma in Law & Grandma-to-Be Sherry


























Auntie M

























Cara, Me+Baby, Connie, Mary Lou



















Aunt Meggan decorating the Time Capsule

























My beautiful cousins



















The Parrett ladies behind our Matriarch



















Belly kisses!

























The cool handmade toadstool by artist Jenny Pauk
adorned by Petey the Peacock :)



















Sassy enthralled by my daisies and balloon from Ashboo



















Mommy mobile stuffed with goodies - I can't say thank you enough!!

























Thank you SO much Cara & Connie - I love you two so much