Family outings before 3 becomes 4

We've spent the last couple of weekends doing things that we know we won't be able to do with a new baby in the house. We've taken Joshua to see movies, gone to the park, out to dinner at his favorite places, etc... Eric and I have also been spending a lot of time trying to prepare him for a new baby in the house but you never really know how much a 3 year old comprehends. It has helped that my sister-in-law had a baby 6 weeks ago so he has seen a newborn up close and seen some of the changes his cousins have had to adapt to. He still seems excited about a baby sister, so hopefully it won't be too traumatic a transition. He loves to hug and kiss the baby bump and constantly tells Lily he loves her through my stomach.

Last week we took our annual trek down to the Fort Worth Botanical gardens and into the Japanese garden in particular. The fall colors are gorgeous in that particular garden and wonderful photo opportunities abound. There are also a ton of Koi to feed, much to my son's delight. We actually took family portraits there last year at this time and decided to make it an annual event, professional photographer or not.





Thanksgiving was a low key affair this year. My parents are in town for the duration. My dad will travel back and forth to Midland but my Mom is here until at least Christmas to help me out with Lily and Joshua. I am so glad they are close enough and have flexible enough schedules to do this....it will be so much easier to have her here!! We spent a wonderful day over at my in-laws house for Thanksgiving day and have spent the rest of the weekend putting up Christmas decorations and relaxing. The house is now suitably festive for the holiday season and I won' t have to worry about dragging out the tree and ornaments while recovering from a c-section and being horribly sleep deprived. Our special treat for this weekend was to go see the ICE exhibit at the Gaylord Texan resort. If you have never been....GO! It it pricey at roughly $20 a head but so neat to see that it is totally worth it. This year's theme was The Grinch and it was spectacular. Joshua loved it and even went down the ice slide. I think I could have stayed in the cool 9 degree temp until my c-section on Wednesday. I was finally comfortable!!








I had a check right before the holiday last week and everything was still status quo. I go in for all my pre-op stuff on Tuesday. I have noticed today that she has visibly dropped since yesterday. I can actually take a full, deep breath again! Although I am starting to get nervous about the impending surgery and the transition of a family of 3 to a family of 4, I am more than ready to be done with being pregnant and meet my little girl!

Still counting...

Tomorrow I am 37 weeks. I went for my 36 week appointment on Friday and everything looks pretty good....and nothing is happening! I know I have a scheduled c-section but the part of me that is tired of being pregnant is more than ready to get this show on the road! I have had so many people tell me to relax and enjoy this time to sleep and pamper myself. Problem is, when you are this pregnant sleeping through the night is not an option. I am up at least twice a night to go to the bathroom and have so many pillows to try to keep comfortable laying down that each time I turn is a major undertaking. My feet, ankles and hands have started to swell and staying in any one position for very long is uncomfortable...sitting or standing.

One good thing from my visit, I have been put on half days at work for the remaining week and a half. That will hopefully ease the back aches! Dentistry is not kind to your back to begin with. Having to sit further away from the patient because this beach ball attached to my middle is in the way seems to magnify back pain exponentially! My last day is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and then I am off until the end of February!

My to do list is done. I can't believe it. When I made out a list of all we needed to accomplish before Lily's arrival I didn't think we'd make it. Here I am ahead of schedule. All of myChristmas shopping is done! EVERYTHING is wrapped and ready to go. All of my Christmas baking is done and in the freezer waiting for the appropriate time to be set out. My carpets are cleaned, my bag is packed....I almost don't know what to do with myself. It felt wrong to be sitting on the couch just watching tv yesterday. I know that's what I'm supposed to be doing at this point, relaxing, but I can't seem to wrap my nesting fevered head around it! Even Eric is done shopping and that is a major accomplishment! For those that don't know my husband well, he is an infamous procrastinator! I didn't think I'd heard him correctly when he said he was finished as well. I'm not sure where he is hiding his bounty of gifts as I haven't seen one enter the house to be put with the rest but I suspect the trunk of his car is being well used at this point.

I guess there is nothing left to do but sit back and enjoy the Thanksgiving holidays! Seems crazy that it's only about a week and a half away. It might be easier to believe if it wasn't 80 degrees outside. How is it that October was cooler than November so far? I am ready for one heck of a cold front and a freeze! Thanksgiving in shorts just doesn't fit my ideal!

The countdown begins....

Tomorrow I am 36 weeks and counting....oh how I'm counting. The past week and a half or so, I have really hit the uncomfortable stage of things. I can't stay in any one position very long before I have to shift and move around. I don't think comfortable exists at this point in pregnancy. It seems like I am up every two hours at night to either shift around or go to the bathroom...I guess it's just a way to get you prepared for the long, late nights to come.

My nesting craze is still in full swing, but I have gotten an amazing amount of stuff done. All of my Christmas baking (two types of cookies, a double batch of toffee, and beefstick) is done and in the freezer until the appropriate time. It has been very odd to be in the kitchen making these items and not have Christmas music or movies on in the background. I have maintained my usual no Christmas music/movies until after Thanksgiving through all of this but it has been difficult. I am a creature of habit and something seems off when Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin or Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving is on in the background instead. Joshua is also very confused...."where did all the cookies go, Mommy?" It's hard to explain making things in advance to a 3 year old.

With the exception of a few gift cards, I am done Christmas shopping! I have never been done this early and it feels strange and liberating at the same time. Everything I have at the house has been wrapped, tagged, ribboned and is ready to be placed under the tree. I have a few things that have been ordered on line that I'm still waiting on, but that only constitutes a couple of items and the wrapping time on them will be negligible.

I have packed my bag for the hospital for the most part. I know I have a scheduled c-section but my sister in law was caught unsuspecting at 36 weeks when they had to deliver her first early. Ever since, I have made sure to have everything ready to go prior to my 36 week appointment. The car seat, bassinet, and all major baby items have been assembled, cleaned and are in the nursery ready to go. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone...she'll be here before I know it!

Halloween

Halloween was a lot of fun this year. Joshua really got into it. We watched Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin early in the month and he was ready to go trick or treating right then and there. He picked out his own costume this year and gleefully ran from house to house. He even said Trick or Treat and thank you. Last year he would stand frozen on the doorstep until they took pity on him and gave him a piece of candy. He would then flee into our arms and want to be carried to the next house. Not this year. My feet wore out before his did! We went over to Eric's sister's house so he could trick or treat with his cousins. We live in a very small gated neighborhood and the neighbors keep very much to themselves. There aren't many kids around here either. We left a bowl of candy on the doorstep with a sign to please take one and we had candy left when we got home...maybe I didn't get the good candy!

Joshua chose to be Buzz Lightyear this year. Apparently a very popular costume with the re-release of the Toy Story movies in 3-D. He got to dress up on Friday for preschool and trick or treat with his class and there were 4 Buzz's running around...two of them girls! I think the preschool ended up with 6 Buzz Lightyears all in all. We have taken him to see the movies and he loves to run around saying...to infinity and beyond! He'll crouch down while saying the phrase and then jump into the air at the end. It's super cute but I can't get him to do it for the video camera!



With as much fun as he had with Halloween, I am really looking forward to Christmas this year. He's at just the right age for the magic and wonder of the season. Speaking of holidays, I am busily working through my to do list. I have 1 month before Lily's arrival and I have accomplished so much! I have everything ready for her arrival with the exception of actually putting the infant seat bases in the cars and setting up the bassinet. I have all the linens washed for it, just not set out. I've washed all the outfits, blankets, bedding, and toys that I've gotten and have her room fully set up and ready. I have everything for my hospital bag, I just need to pack it. I have had the carpet cleaned, done most of my Christmas shopping and wrapping, and even done some baking ahead of time. This weekend I have made and frozen a batch of Christmas cookies and toffee. I've got one more batch of cookies and probably another round of toffee to make plus our seasonal beef stick. I am waiting on a few items that I have ordered for presents to arrive and I have a couple people left on my list. I may actually get it all done before she gets here!