The nursery...groceries...pictures...storm

Dean went and picked up the crib this weekend and set it all up for me! I put the bedding on it right away, of course. I REALLY love how everything looks! We're about done with everything in the room. We just have to paint a wall shelf white and hang it up (and put some stuff on it.) I bought a hot pink accent rug today but it's still rolled up in the packaging...I'm trying to decide if we need it or not. I also picked up some fabric baskets...one for the dresser/changing table area and three for the top shelf in the closet. We were going to paint some dark brown baskets white, but I figured this would be a lot easier! I posted a couple pictures of the crib...once we get everything done, I'll take more pictures of it all. Dean really is great for humoring me and being okay with such a pink, GIRLY room. So I went to the grocery store a little bit ago to get stuff for sloppy joe's tonight. I always go with a mental list of what I need, but since I've been pregnant, I seem to always buy one random thing that is not on my list. I always tell myself that I'm not going to do it, but somehow I always find something. It usually has to do with ice cream or chocolate...once it was fruit roll-ups...today it was apple butter. I'm not even positive I've ever had apple butter, but for some reason, I decided it sounded good...and I've heard good things, so we'll give it a go.

Jamie needed a full-body profile picture of me for an invitation idea (baby shower), so Dean took several of them last night...they turned out kind of cool, so I'll post a couple of them along with my regular belly picture.
On a different note, I hope everyone stayed safe during that crazy storm on Friday...how scary! I had no idea what we were in store for! I was leaving Ping and Lindsey's house at 189th&Harrison and heading to our house at 156th&Fort. I honestly thought I would be able to make it home before it started, so I left...even after they suggested that I wait it out at their house. How bad could it be, I thought? It usually only takes me about 15 minutes to get home from there. As soon as I turned onto 192nd, I saw the clouds lowering and swirling and also saw how dark the sky was. I started to panic, but it wasn't raining yet so I kept going. Just before Center St., it started to get super windy and then the rain started coming down. I couldn't see anything!! They were reporting 90mph winds on the radio...I didn't know what to do, so I called Meghan, hoping that she would be home so I could stop driving...no luck! Just past Pacific St., I saw things flying in the air and then I felt my car getting blown to the side. I ended up pulling over just before the Dodge overpass...there were over a dozen cars stopped all around, so I figured if anything happened, I would have people there to help. Worst case scenario, I decided that if my car (a SUV) blew over, I'd rather be stopped in a grassy area than driving through the storm on the road. As soon as I pulled over, I called Dean, crying, because I didn't know what to do...the storm hadn't reached his office yet, so I don't think he realized how bad it was! Storms have always fascinated me but having a 360 degree view of the rain, wind, hail and hearing the sirens sounding while my car rocked back and forth was a bit too much for me. Obviously, I wouldn't want to be in that situation anytime, but being pregnant added to the stress and fear. I ended up sitting there for less than 10 minutes before I headed back on the road...bad idea. It was still pretty bad out, but I couldn't find another good spot to stop so I just kept heading towards home. By the time I got there, it had stopped. All in all, it was probably the stupidest thing I've ever done...but I did make it home!

Oh HAPPY Day!

After Dean got home from work today, he came into the room and said "Guess what?" I knew it had to be something good because he had a huge grin on his face and his nostrils were a-flaring.

My first guess--"You're...pregnant!!" Nope.

Second guess--"We won the lottery!!" Nope.

Ok, what?

THE CRIB IS IN!!!!!!!!! YAYYYY!!!!!!

Originally, they told us they would contact us in AUGUST to let us know how much longer it would be...we were thinking we'd be lucky to get it before PIP got here, SO this is very exciting and a great surprise. The crib is the last piece of furniture we were waiting for. Interesting what thrills me these days...

We have a PINK nursery!

I've been itching to get on here to give a couple updates...our Internet was messed up for a while (we were trying to block our wireless from our Dub-T neighbors down the street and ended up booting ourselves off...oops.)

So anyways...yes, we now have a PINK room in our house!!! (The color is called "pink mist"...very light.) It's my new favorite place to be...I'm sitting on the glider in the nursery right now facing the closet full of little girly clothes. Perfect. Dean's parents came over this past weekend and helped Dean paint the room...a HUGE THANK YOU to them!!! We so, so, so appreciate the help!

Dean also put up a white chair rail around the room and it all looks so great! I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I did some painting as well...don't worry, it was in front of the open patio door with several breaks...I painted the dresser and nightstand white...that's all! Dean still needs to do a few things with the chair rail...filling the nail holes and he wants to paint them with a brighter white...they look a little gray, but honestly, there are going to be so many different shades of white in this room, it really won't matter!

Just today, I received the crib mobile in the mail! Her bedding set doesn't have a matching one, so I looked on eBay and found one that matches the colors of the bedding perfectly! It's an octopus with little fish, which has nothing to do with the whole flower theme of the bedding, but it's SO cute! It winds up and plays a lullaby. I actually got tears in my eyes when I held it up and watched it spin. Sigh.
We TRIED registering this weekend (we went to SuperTarget and also want to go to Babies R Us) and it was just completely overwhelming! We're going to take a breather before heading to Babies R Us. We had no idea what we were doing!!! I sort of had a freak-out moment and had to ask Meghan what in the heck I was doing! I asked her and also Erika to possibly look over our registries once we were all done to see if we were missing anything important and if we had things on there that are useless. They have both been giving me pointers all along the way...things that they wish someone had told them, things that they KNOW we'll want to have, etc. Like I said before, real-mom advice is the best kind of advice out there...I can't ever get enough of it, so thank you!

Jamie, Lindsey, and I have been trying to figure out a date for my shower! August is a little too crazy for everyone...we tried for a couple different dates, but looks like we're going with September 7th...third time's a charm, right?

We signed up for the Prepared Childbirth classes through Methodist Hospital...we start Monday August 4th and it's once a week for six weeks. I've heard from a few people that half the classes are pretty boring and stupid but the other half is actually quite helpful. We'll take anything that makes us just a bit more prepared and knowledgeable!

I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I'm still feeling well for the most part! I'm getting bigger and rounder everyday! The arches of my feet have started to ache...from the extra weight, maybe?? It just kind of feels like the bottoms of my feet are stretching out too far when I walk. Weird. PIP is still squirming around at the same times everyday...it's like clockwork! A few nights ago, I looked down at my stomach and the right side was about an inch higher than the left...it was one of the weirdest things I've ever seen!! Dean thinks she was scooting her little butt up in the air. As we become more and more prepared for her (well, as prepared as first-time parents can be), we've become more and more anxious and excited for her to get here! Only about 3 1/2 months to go...can you believe it?!

A bunch of random things, as usual...

We have a name picked out...for my belly button. Dean has named it the "fun-meter!" It's never an innie anymore...it's either flush with the rest of my stomach (typically only in the mornings when I wake up) or it's sticking out enough to see it through my shirt. Dean calls it the "fun-meter" because we've noticed that the harder I laugh, the more it sticks out. It's pretty funny. We were at Lowe's the other day picking up stuff for the chair rail for the nursery and for some reason, I was laughing and it was sticking all the way out. Dean kept poking at it and we were both cracking up in the aisle like a couple of crazies. People probably thought we were nuts!

Yesterday afternoon, I went over to Ping and Lindsey's house...Lindsey (my sister-in-law) dragged two huge Rubbermaid totes full of 0-3 and 3-6 month clothes that Haylee wore when she was a baby. We went through it all and she let me take whatever I wanted! THANK YOU to both Lindsey and Miss Haylee for letting us borrow so much!!! It'll really help!

Speaking of Haylee, she is going to be the best big cousin ever! She's 3, going on 4, and is SO excited for her "baby cousin" to arrive! Before we found out the sex, Haylee INSISTED that it was going to be a girl. She wasn't going to have it any other way. She tells me all the time that she wants to hold her "baby cousin" and play with her and share her toys with her. So sweet. Just to give her an idea, we told her that by Halloween, the baby would be here, so now she tells me that the baby is growing like the great pumpkin. She seems to be pretty fascinated with my growing stomach! Just about every time I see her, she says, "Your tummy is getting big." So matter-of-fact...little kids are awesome. One time, I told her I liked her new dress and she responded, "Thanks. I like your belly." Hehe.

I think I have decided on a paint color for the nursery...surprise, surprise, it's PINK! I originally thought about doing two shades...a light one above the chair rail and a slightly darker one below, but the room is so small that I thought maybe that would be overboard. So as of right now, it's going to be a very, very light pink. I've read that a soft pink like that is very calming and soothing, so that's good! Dean wanted to try and get everything painted this weekend...we're also painting a dresser, wall shelf, and nightstand white. I can't wait to see it all!

We've gotten all the major things for the nursery...the bedding came and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! It's even cuter in person! I can't wait until the crib comes so I can set it all up! The glider is also here and I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box. The color is perfect! In the picture online, it looks a little yellowy, but it's a very light neutral beige. I decided to put it together myself because all the reviews online said it was so easy. I still managed to mess it up though. I used two screws that were too long and they poked through the bottom. Boo. You can't see it though. We also got our stroller/car seat set. The stroller is massive!!! I think I could fit in it! We like the set though...great color, feels very sturdy, and seems easy to use.

I can hardly believe that I'm nearly 6 months along already...it's gone so FAST!!! I'm still feeling really well. Still dealing with the pesky tailbone pain, but it's not constant, so it's tolerable. My lovely zit problem...everytime I think I may have won the battle, a new one pops up somewhere. Today, there's a new one on my shoulder. Who gets pimples on their shoulder?!? Gross.

A fun new thing...PIP has found my bladder...she likes to tap dance on it...it's a wonderful feeling. She's still very active...always while I'm lounging on the couch after work in the afternoons and when I read in bed before going to sleep. It's so fun to sit and watch my stomach move! She's stubborn already...when she moves, I try to get Dean (or anyone else) to feel or watch my stomach, but as soon as someone does, she gets stage fright and stops. I swear she knows that people are watching!

I haven't been sleeping as well lately...I told Dean that I think it's happening to slowly get me used to functioning on light, broken sleep. My allergies have been kicking my butt, so that adds to the crappy sleep too. I'm going to survive though...I really don't have anything to complain about! Overall, I really do feel GREAT.

We bought a crib!

Dean and I went to the Mart yesterday to finally make a decision on a crib. It didn't take us too long to find one we both liked...we went with a white one and had it ordered!!! I am so excited about it! I'm just hoping it doesn't take forever to get here...this particular brand was named the "top pick" in the Baby Bargains book that Meghan lent us, but it's unfortunately also known for slow delivery. Of course I'd want it sooner than later, but as long as it gets here before the baby is born, I'm good with it.
And guess what else we got!?!?! Remember how I talked about a super cute light blue elephant we saw at the Mart and how I was planning on getting it if we had a boy? Well, I looked around some more and they had a PINK one!!! One more thing...I just won that bedding I like on eBay!!! It was the whole crib set(not just the regular one, but the "Ultimate" set)--quilt, fitted sheet, crib skirt, and special thick padded bumper with removeable covers--and this particular auction included the matching valance and an additional fitted sheet. I got it all for $86 (shipping included)!!! I looked it all up online to see how much all of that would have been regular-priced and I would have paid over $250 without shipping! Hooray for bargain-hunting!!!!

MEGHAN HAD HER BABY!!!

I got a text from Meghan at about 10 last night but I didn't see it until about midnight because Dean and I were at Angie and Brett's wedding (I was a wedding photographer for the day!)

Her water broke and was at the hospital and she had just started the pitocin. They told her it would be a minimum of 12 hours!!!

Heidi Leigh Gonzales was born this morning at 8:30! She's 7lbs13oz and is 20 1/2 inches long. It sounds like mom and baby are both doing well! She's sooooooo cute!!!

CONRATULATIONS MEGHAN AND CHRIS!!!!!!!!!!!

Bedding and stuff...

For some reason, girl bedding has been more difficult to pick out! I've been looking at different websites for a couple months now and nothing really sticks out. I originally wanted to do light pink and dark brown, but I don't like the sets I've seen so far. I'm posting a picture of one I found a few days ago...it's completely different than what I thought I wanted, but I like it!

I've noticed that every time I walk into the nursery (eventhough it's basically an empty room right now), it just feels happy and bright because of the way the sun shines into the room. This bedding matches that...it's so cheerful-looking! It's a little crazy...but, no worries, I have a vision in my head of what it's all going to look like.

I'm also posting a picture of the glider we're going to get...not too exciting...they all basically look the same! I figured i'd jazz it up a bit with a pink blanket or throw pillow. More people are starting to notice that I'm pregnant...my customers at work are still a little hesistant to ask but I get a couple brave ones each day.

You should see my belly button...it has a mind of its own! When I wake up in the morning, it's an innie, but as the day goes on, it starts to pop out...by the end of the night, it feels like there's a gumdrop sitting on top of my belly! It's pretty funny! I'm sure it'll eventually just stay out all the time.

Meghan (who is still anxiously waiting for her baby girl to arrive) and I went shopping yesterday! We both found some cute long-sleeve zip-ups. It was fun to run around for a little bit...she said she's up for being my shopping buddy anytime...this could be dangerous! She has had this horrible rash, basically all over her body, but there's really not a whole lot she can do about it...it's even in between her fingers!! She showed me her legs and it looks like she's covered in mosquito bites. I would PASS OUT. I have absolutely no willpower when it comes to itching...I would most likely go crazy

ULTRASOUND!!!!!!

We had our ultrasound at 9:00 this morning and we found out that we're having a:

GIRL!!!

I'm soooooo excited!!! I didn't care either way, but I was so anxious to know! It'll be fun to be able to say "she" and "her" instead of "the baby" or even better, "it."

My bladder was nice and full when we got there...I didn't think 24 ounces of water was really that much, but after about an hour, I started to change my mind! YIKES!

As soon as the image of the baby popped up on the screen, I got all teary-eyed...I didn't expect that to happen! I thought, "Oh GREAT. I'm going to cry through this whole thing and not even be able to see anything!" I got over it though. It was just so amazing to SEE!! The last time we had an ultrasound, it was just this tiny little blob and now it looks like an actual baby. It was so cool! We saw her flailing her little arms and legs all over the place and we even saw her opening and closing her mouth!! The ultrasound tech let out several giggles during the appointment--she said we have a very active baby! She kept wiggling all over the place! It was fun to feel her moving and getting to see the same movements on the screen. Dean and I are wondering if we're going to have a crazy little baby...she'll be like her cousin, Haylee! Later on, in my regular appointment, my doctor said an active baby is a good sign...all that movement shows that there's healthy neurological development...if that's the case, then kick away!

The ultrasound tech let me go to the bathroom after she was done doing all the different types of measurements so we could get some different views of the baby. At that point, she hadn't told us what it was yet. When I came out of the bathroom, Dean said he thought he knew something I didn't know! After a couple minutes she captured a picture that showed that we were having a girl! I guess while I was in the bathroom, Dean said something about how he thought it was a girl and she said she thought so too, but wanted to get a clearer picture just to make sure. Dean said earlier during the appointment, he noticed there "wasn't any business" in between the legs.

Right after the ultrasound, we went to our regular appointment...well...not RIGHT after. We had to wait for my doctor, of course. A nurse practitioner came in and asked me all the usual questions...she said my ankles look good. Weird. We got to hear the heartbeat...it's at about 150 bpm. She also measured my belly...this was the first time I'd had it done. She said everything is looking great!

We waited a little while longer for my doctor...when she came in, she said she had another patient who was in labor at the hospital! She looked at my charts and like the nurse practitioner, said everything was looking good...weight gain, blood pressure, etc. She also said everything from the ultrasound came back great...the only thing that she saw was that the placenta is sitting low, which apparently is not an issue right now, but it's something they're going to keep an eye on. She said I'll have to have another ultrasound at 30 or 32 weeks (can't remember which one) to see if the placement of the placenta has changed...if not, she said it can cause issues with delivering the baby...it's basically in the way of where the baby would need to come out. If that's the case, I will have to have a c-section. I'm not too worried though...we'll deal with it when the time comes. I'm just really happy to hear that everything else is great, normal, and healthy!

We got some really cool pictures...I want to try and scan them onto here...last time I took a picture of the picture and it was kind of fuzzy. I'll see if I can figure it out! We also got a DVD of the ultrasound...our first baby video!

Dean and I went to lunch after the appointment and then he had to head to work, so I called my mom and we went shopping!! We just went to a couple stores...TJMaxx and Marshall's. I REALLY needed to get some shopping out of my system!!! It was so fun! I only spent $65 and got all kinds of cute things...and I'm proud to say that not everything is pink...we have a nice variety so far. Dean should be happy about that! Between my mom and I, we did some damage, but we didn't go overboard...I don't think. It'll be fun to hang everything up!

One more thing!! Everyone keep your fingers crossed for my friend, Meghan! She's due at the end of this week and is pretty miserable and so anxious to have her baby!! She's been a trooper through her whole pregnancy and is just ready for it to happen already!