Waiting on the World to Change

Only three more days until the calendar page flips to January. Time flies when you're having fun...or getting ready to have a baby. Matt and I can't believe that we get to meet our Bunky in just three weeks (or less...hopefully not more!).

December has been a blur, which is the main reason why we haven't provided many baby-related updates on the blog. So, allow me to catch you up:

• We have sailed into the home stretch; I'm now at 37 weeks and counting!
• In early December, Bunky was in a breech position. Feeling that it was highly unlikely that the baby would turn before delivery, the doctor scheduled me for a C-section on January 6th.
• In mid-December, we visited the doctor to find that Bunky had turned into head down position. The doctor was as shocked as we were and responded to the news by canceling the C-section. Matt and I responded by having celebratory doughnuts. Our due date responded by returning to its original schedule: January 15th.
  
• We made some final preparations for Bunky's arrival: installing the car seat, washing the clothes that will be needed in the first few days (thanks, Mom!), attending a four-part childbirth class, and packing the hospital bags.

Here are a few photos from December:

36 weeks, 6 days...what a belly!

A family photo in Bunky's room. My mom and dad came in early December to pitch in on baby- and house-related projects such as washing Bunky's clothes and painting our hallway. Boy, were they a HUGE help!

Celebrating Bunky's diving abilities, a new head down position, and a canceled C-section.

The hospital bag...a work in progress.

Pardon the computer terminology, but Matt and I now feel like we're in "Standby" mode. We're just waiting for Bunky to come along and start up our new family. We're nervous, to be sure, but we're looking forward to meeting our little one far more than we're scared about the challenges that lie ahead (and we know there will be plenty).

We can't even begin to wrap our brains around what it will be like to see that sweet face, hold those little hands, and kiss those precious feet. Perhaps that's how it's supposed to be, though...we can't picture those things now because they will be far better than we can imagine. So Bunky, please know that mommy and daddy are waiting for you to change our world...for the better.

A letter to my soon-to-be ex ... Sleep.

Dear Sleep,

We've had a good run, you and I, but it's over between us.

Naturally you're going to have some questions as to why I'm ending things, so I'll be honest. There's someone else in my life. Well, not yet, but soon. It's not fair, I know, but I have to make a choice. I can't give you both equal attention.

I thought we'd be together forever. Sometimes it seemed I could never get enough of you. Inevitably, I took you for granted. I neglected your needs. I ran out on you. But you were always there for me, day or night.

I still love you. Now that we're ending things, I realize I love you more than I even knew. Hopefully you'll find it in your heart to forgive me. Maybe we can even hang out again sometimes. But I know it'll never be like it once was. I'm going to miss you.

 Love,
-Matt

The Countdown Begins: One Month to Go!

If plans stay the way they are right now, Matt and I will meet our son or daughter exactly one month from today. Wow!

Although my due date is technically January 15th, our little one is currently in a transverse/breech position (head up and body across the belly). Because of a certain condition I have, it is not extremely likely that the baby will move between now and my due date. And if he or she doesn't move, the safest delivery method will be through c-section. Given my situation, the doctors feel that it's best to deliver the baby around 39 weeks instead of having me wait the full 40 weeks.

So, I'm tentatively scheduled for a c-section on January 6, 2011. If the baby turns and assumes the head down position between now and then, my surgery will be canceled. If he or she stays put, then we'll likely be parents one month from today. That reality is almost overwhelming.

Matt and I are both excited to expand to a family of three. We've both wanted this experience, and we're one month away from it happening. The next few weeks will be filled with anticipation that will be unlike any I've ever experienced, so I'm going to try to soak every moment of it in.

Let the final countdown begin!

A Snowy Saturday

We used the occasion of an early December snowfall on Saturday to capture some photos outside the house. With her baby bump and white shirt, Erica  looked like a snowman. She completed the look by adding the traditional "lumps of coal" for buttons.

Showered with Love

During November, Matt and I visited a total of 4 airports: Raleigh-Durham (RDU), Baltimore-Washington (BWI), Reagan National (DCA), and Nashville (BNA). The main reason for our airport tour was a good one: Matt and I traveled to our hometowns for baby showers attended by both of our families and many dear friends. All of our travel was tiring, to be sure, but it was worth it.

Our first trip was to Catonsville, Maryland, for a shower hosted by Matt's sister-in-law Michele. We were blessed to receive lots of great things for Bunky, including plenty of clothes to outfit him or her during the first few weeks of life, several blankets, and tons of children's books to add to our library. It was great to see so many people, including those from as far away as Schenectady, New York. Here are just a few photos from that event:

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" was the theme for the Catonsville shower.

Me with Michele, Denise, and the great food they made for the shower.

A quick photo op with the shower attendees.

Matt and I posing for a quick photo once he returned from his guys' lunch during the shower.

The very next weekend, we flew from Raleigh to Nashville, Tennessee, for a baby shower hosted by my sister and cousin. It was another great event at which we received lots of other great items to jump start our life with Bunky, including our stroller, high chair, and swing. Once again, it was great to see so many people there, including some from as far away as Chicago, Illinois. Just a few photos from our Nashville shower are below:

Me with my sister and cousin Karen (the hosts) as well as my cousin Darlene (who was a big help before the event).

Me and My Mom at the great table of shower goodies.

Me with my cousin Kayla who is having a little girl a few weeks after me (in February 2011)!

Guess who's excited about getting a bottle set?

Coming off of both weekends, I was a bit overwhelmed by the generosity that so many people showed us. As I looked around the room at both showers, I couldn't help but think of how blessed our little Bunky is to be surrounded by SO many people that love him or her already. Matt and I count ourselves thankful to be bringing our child into an environment like that and know that he or she will be all the better for it.

Bunky's Room is Ready

Lessons learned while transforming the office at our home into a nursery.

1. It helps to have help. (Thanks, Dad & Denise.)

2. Putting together a crib is not as difficult as I imagined.

3. Putting together a changing table is considerably more difficult than I imagined.

So now our child has his/her own room. I can't even say as much.
 

Dad hard at work.

Notice the false sense of optimism.

I also learned what an "accent wall" is.

Dad loves the pictures over the crib.

The glider. No assembly required.

Showing off the monkey clock from Spain.

Catching Up: Weeks 26 - 30

Well, it's clear that things have gotten a little busier lately. I've had less time to do lots of things, including updating the blog. Today marks Week 30 of my pregnancy. I still remember the days of Weeks 8 and 9 when Matt and I were getting excited about getting close to double digit weeks. Now, it seems crazy that we have experienced 30 weeks and only have 10 left to go.

Based on ultrasounds and what I'm feeling, Bunky looks really healthy and is extremely active. So, we feel blessed. And overall, I have been doing pretty well, which is another blessing. I've definitely started to feel the physical effects of the third trimester, but those things are annoyances at this point rather than setbacks. Here's an attempt at getting all caught up:

Weeks 25 - 29:

• Bunky had the hiccups for the first time (and it definitely wasn't his or her last time!)
• We registered at Babies R Us. What an overwhelming experience!
• I discovered that I couldn't see my feet when standing straight up
• We visited Nashville to have some fall fun with my family
  
• We went to our first baby class (which Matt posted about below)
• I hit my third trimester!
  
• We finished getting the basics for Bunky's room with a crib mattress and changing table
• We had two ultrasounds with good reports
• We found out that Bunky was in the 80th percentile for weight (as of Week 28)
• We took a tour of the Labor & Delivery unit at the hospital

What's happening with Bunky in Week 30:

• His or her eyes are fully formed and are blue in color (they may or may not change after birth)
• The eyes are also gaining the ability to track light from inside the womb
  
• About 1 1/2 pints of amniotic fluid surrounds Bunky, but as he or she grows in the coming weeks, that amount will decrease
  
• Baby is around 16 inches long (about the length of a laptop computer) and weighs nearly three pounds.
  

As I write this, Matt is busy painting Bunky's room with his dad and Denise. Crib and changing table assembly will be next on the list. By the end of the weekend, we should have Bunky's room painted and set up with furniture.

Things are getting VERY real for us these days. My belly is much bigger (photos to come), and we're able to feel Bunky much more now. It's also November, which sounds lots closer to January than previous months have. We're trying to soak in our last few weeks before Bunky's arrival, but we're also looking forward to the day when we get to see that precious face for the first time.

More to come!