Wierd

Is it just me or is it a little...strange...that the most exciting bit of developmental news the baby ticker at the top of my website chooses to share for this week is that the baby's fingernails are growing nasty long and need clipping? Seems to me they could have found something a little more pleasant to share.

According to the landlady....

Hi Bean,
Our landlord and his wife came over a few minutes ago to look at the leak we've had in our roof. The wife was a midwife in India for 20 years and a nurse here in the US before she retired a few years ago. She looked at my tummy and asked when I was supposed to be due....she says she doesn't think I will make it 8 more days. We'll see how good she is. :) She also picked some plants in the yard that I am supposed to boil and strain out the water and put it in my hair to give me energy until you're born. I'll give it a try, I can use some extra energy.
Our camera lens that has been in the shop is supposed to get back Thursday. I have been stressing about this for a while because the whole reason we bought the lens was to take pictures of you....so I was worried it wouldn't get fixed in time. I am so glad it will be in soon! So you gotta at least wait to come until we get our lens back! Also, your Oma gets here Monday, so we were thinking Sunday sometime would be a nice time for you to be born....just mentioning it...of course if that's not good for you, we understand....
And...last night at the gym when I got off my treadmill the guy after me apparently was looking at my distance and time that I had walked...and he said he was embarrassed because I walked farther and longer than he usually does. He said he'd have to step it up a little so as not to be outdone by a very pregnant lady. Glad I am doing my part to encourage the physical fitness of other gym members. :) The best part about being pregnant at the gym is that the 19 year-old trainers have stopped harassing me about buying personal training sessions. Guess they figure I'm out of their league.

Happy Birthday, Opa!

Hi Opa,

Sending birthday hugs and kisses your way!

We are going to celebrate your birthday when you come in a couple of weeks, and I'm excited to share some ice cream with you....my momma says that's one party I had better be a guest at or she'll be a bit upset...not to mention huge. :)

Love, Bean

View from the front....

Bean,
Things look a little different in our car now! There is a giant carseat in the middle of the back that will soon belong to you! Our friend Scott put it in for us this weekend and made sure you'll be all nice and safe.
Yesterday I put together the pack-and-play and rearranged some things in our bedroom to make space for it. This is where you'll sleep for the first month or so...or until you are sleeping a little longer between feedings. Your daddy had the idea to put the back half of it in the closet since our room is pretty tiny, and it worked pretty well. It will be like a little cave for you. :) I put the little sheets on and got a basket on my bedside table ready with diapers and wipes for late-night diaper changes. Beaux took no time at all to find the new "toy" and was thrown out of it at least 5 times yesterday. I finally propped our box fan inside of it (which definitely has to be blowing on my pregnant self every night to reduce the sweating) and that has kept him out so far. Hopefully when there is a baby in there he'll stay far away. Either that or the two of you will be very good friends!

We Graduated!

Hey Bean!
Yesterday was our third and final childbirth class, and we got our official "certificate of completion!' We took a tour of the family birthing center to sum up our class, as well. The rooms there are great, nice a big, and your daddy was most thrilled with the mini-fridge, DVD player and wireless internet. Our teacher (an RN) showed us everything about the room...how the beds changed when it was time to deliver, the stirrups, all of the different lights, how they could change the mattress to something more comfy after you're born, the shower, and lots of other features of the room. What I have loved about the class is that our teacher has been so good at explaining everything we will encounter at the hospital and during your birth, so I feel much more comfortable knowing what is coming!
At the end of class we always have a "rehearsal labor," and that's when we get on the floor with the blankets and pillows and birthing ball and I practice my breathing and your daddy has to massage my back! :)
We have learned that neither of our phones get much reception (if any) at the hospital, so keep that in mind, Bean fans, and check your email for news!

38 weeks

Bean, you only have 13 "official" days until you're due! Can you believe that? I remember seeing the little number on my iGoogle homepage in the 190's...time has flown! You are in week 38 now. You're as long as a leek, but much heavier, that's for sure! You should be a bit over 7 lbs by this point. You still have some occasional hiccups, often for a loooong time. Last night you were hiccupping away and I put my tummy on your daddy's so he could feel them. He was very surprised how hard you shook my whole tummy. Those little lungs of yours were getting a workout! You are still moving quite a bit...fewer kicks and more stretches. I haven't had as many contractions this week as last, but when I go walking I usually get quite a few during and after. Yesterday my left foot was actually small enough to wear flipflops other than my black tevas, too! I was so excited to get to put on a cute pair. Not sure what the reason for that was, but I won't complain! Maybe this weekend we will put together the pack-and-play we plan to keep in our room for a while, and we're getting the carseat installed, so you will be in good shape, little one!

In other news, we have finally decided on a name....as long as it fits when we see your little face. Don't let your fans get too excited, though, because we're keeping it a secret until you're born. We want to at least have something to add suspense until you come, since everyone already knows you're a girl. More fun that way! Nope, we're not even sharing the initials. Okay, well I will tell you the third initial. L. :) The rest you'll have to wait 13 days for! Every time your daddy says your name he follows it up with, "That's a cute name, huh!" I love that he says that!

Keepin' Cool

Here's what your daddy and Grandbob did tonight, Little Bean! They installed a ceiling fan and light in your nursery. This was more of a job than it sounds, because there was no light in the room previously, so they had to get up in the attic and rewire some stuff, drill a hole in the ceiling, fish the romex through it, and install a box. The fan looks great and it will be so nice to have a light AND a breeze in there! You will love it!

Yeaaa...we can bring you home now!

Look, Bean!!
Your carseat got here today! Now we can bring you home from the hospital when it's time. On Friday a friend is going to install it for me, and we'll be all ready to go cruising! Hope you love it, because you'll be spending lots of time in this little contraption! Good thing it's such a beautiful color, huh! :)

No news....

Just got back from the doctor, Bean, and you are listening to your Oma in Wyoming, who told you to wait until Sept. 1st to come (interestingly that seems to coincide with her arrival here in TX)....nothing is going on yet. I go back next Wednesday for my next appointment. The doctor could feel your head so he knows you're in the right position, but I already knew that...my tummy is definitely full enough of baby now that I can locate all of your anatomy. :)

Beach Bums

Hey Little Bean!
We had the best weekend at the beach. Our family (11 in all...well, 12 counting you!) stayed in a beachhouse on Crystal Beach. We drove through lots and lots of rain to get there, but it was dry at the beach. Saturday Megan and I swam in the ocean, which was nice and cool! It was lovely floating around...until we were talking and not paying attention and a huge wave hit us from behind. It almost knocked the wind out of me and we definitely got faces full of saltwater. We took a nice loooong walk on the beach, as well. Last night we ate at a little seafood restaurant, and then we filled every square inch of the beachhouse floor with air mattresses, futons, and couches with sleepy people on them! Actually I slept pretty well last night..I chose the spot next to the bathroom, so I woke up every time someone had to use it, but frequent wake-ups are normal for me. It was nice and cool and I was tired out from all the swimming and walking, and I guess that did the trick! This morning we ate yummy french toast and bacon and fruit and then hit the beach again. After all the swimming we could handle we hung out on our porch, enjoying the cool breeze. It was a relaxing weekend and fun spending time together! We drove home through another big thunderstorm, which I am hoping is headed our way here at home, because my flowers would love a shower!
Aunt Karen felt my tummy and told me that I am indeed having some occasional contractions when it gets all tight and hard! We'll see what the doctor says tomorrow!

Your first guitar...

Hey Bean!
Been meaning to tell you that you already have your first guitar!! Of course it was a gift from your Grandbob and Grandsue. I think Grandbob is hoping you'll inherit a bit of the Lahmeyer musical talent and be pickin' away in no time! Grandsue said she's pretty sure you'll probably have a banjo to go along with it before too long so you can take after Grandbob!! My favorite part about this guitar is when you press the whammy bar it makes a hilarious noise and says "whhhhhhhhhammmmy!"

Up EEEEArly!

Well Bean, this is day #2 I am up way before the sun. I have woken up so early both days...and only after sleeping a couple of hours because I can't fall asleep. Guess you can tell I am a pregnant mama! :) Yesterday morning I was lazy and surfed the net in my recliner with the cat. This morning I cleaned the kitchen, did some laundry, sorted some mail, and tried to be a little productive in the hopes that I can tire myself out and sleep a bit before I have to get ready for our childbirth class today. No midmorning nap today...After class we're headed to the beach to spend some time with family! Yeaaaa! I am sure I am going to be disappointed that the ocean is MUCH too warm for my taste (pretty much every body of water in Texas in August is bathwater warm....yech), but I am still looking forward to floating around a bit in the waves!
Thursday was your daddy's first day of "real work" where he gets paid like a doc and not a tech!! Yea, Daddy!! He has already noticed the difference in the amount of work and responsibility and comes home a tired boy from checkin' all those eyes! But he is definitely relieved to finally be the real deal.
Tonight we did some shopping for him to take advantage of the tax free holiday...he got new socks, a new pair of khaki work pants, and new undershirts. What can get more exciting than that? He did drool over several pairs of new running shoes, but he doesn't have quite enough miles on the ones he has to get new ones yet.....The funny this is that he actually outshopped me, which might be a first. We were in Kohl's and then Sport's Authority strolling around and I actually had to start whining because he was still going strong. Definitely not typical. :) Before our shopping adventure we celebrated our "workin' man" by eating out at Chipolte, and I asked for the MILD green salsa...I had been up with heartburn the night and morning before after eating hot salsa at Taco Cabana, and I was not reenacting that again. Of course the guy making my tacos did not listen and put the HOT salsa on....so I was already popping heartburn medicine before I took my first bite of taco. He should know better than to mess with a pregnant lady like that.....so far so good, though, no heartburn yet!

Showers

Yikes, I just realized I forgot to post shower pictures of my latest showers! My church friends had a shower for me at Ms. Shelly's house on Sunday(8-3) and on Saturday (8-2) I had one with my Winship friends (the school where I used to teach) and several other good friends. They were both so nice and I had the best time, and of course felt very loved and pampered. The top picture is the church shower and the bottom is the hostesses from Saturday's shower, which were my teammates from when I taught 1st grade! I love all of these gals!!

More pictures of church shower....click here...

More pictures of Winship Friends Shower...click here...

Daddy's Turn!

Well Mama has been having lots of fun with baby showers and today was finally your Daddy's turn! His office at work surprised him with a little shower today. They had lunch and treats and he got lots of goodies! Books (my favorite!), clothes, a giftcard and a great camo bag so he can feel manly carrying your knappies. It was very sweet and he had lots of fun celebrating!!

37 Weeks

You are 37 weeks today, Bean! That makes you officially full term! We don't mind you waiting the remaining 3 weeks, though. Your Wyo Granny gets here on the 1st, so we officially give you permission to come anytime around the 31st so she can see you in the hospital! But of course we know you'll come when your little beany self is ready, and that's exactly what we want! Your daddy is banking on you coming early. We'll see! You are well over 6 lbs by now and as long as a stalk of swiss chard. You're still wiggly and flaunt your little bootie by pressing it out as far as it can go, and I also have lots of pressure very low on my left side from what I assume to be your head and hands. Thankfully I am back to sleeping fairly well both nights, but do lots of moving around trying to stay comfortable and keep random body parts from falling asleep. Also my feet and ankles are pretty much swollen 24/7. They used to be small when I woke up in the morning, but even that is a thing of the past now. I am glad the pair of flip flops that still fit me are my fav Tevas. Here is a picture we took tonight...I promise I really don't have that many chins, it's the fisheye lens, honest! :)

Brown Baskets

I dyed the white canvas baskets brown. I love them! They show up on the white shelf now and match the other wicker ones. Yeaaaa for Rit dye! I also dyed a onesie and a receiving blanket that need some embellishment, so my little mind is a spinning as to what I'll do to make them more interesting!

The Doc

Hey Bean!
Nothing happening again this week. I go back next Monday....same time, same place.
We are fine with waiting the remaining 23 days until you're due...We still have childbirth classes to attend, a carseat to get, a couple of parties we want to attend, a trip to the beach to take.....so we are perfectly pleased keeping you in the oven for a bit longer!
My OB did help us pick a pediatrician today, so I am working on a "To Do" list for the hospital so your daddy can call as soon as you're born to get the pediatrician and you added for coverage. We also bought some snacks last night at Target to take to the hospital. You can see where our priorities are...we don't have one thing packed except the snacks. :) I also made an email list so your daddy can announce your arrival. That way he can do it all at once and won't have to make a gazillion phone calls, especially with his gimpy phone that only works when it feels like it. So, Bean fans out there, be sure we have your email address if you want to be contacted! I think I have most people's....and in about 23 more days, keep your eyes on that mailbox!

Gettin' our educatin' on....

Saturday, Little Bean, your daddy and I went to "Prepared Childbirth" class. I wasn't real excited to go, and everyone had been giving us a hard time about it saying things like, "It's not like you're going to remember that stuff anyway," so I was kinda wondering if it'd be a waste of a Saturday morning. But...it turned out to be great! The room was so nice and relaxing with chairs that reclined, peaceful music....and best of all...snacks! Our teacher is an OB nurse there at the hospital and is wonderful. We learned lots of things about birth and delivery, I learned how to get up from the floor and out of bed without hurting my back, I learned important stretches (that I keep forgetting to do...yikes!), Matt learned some massage techniques (practicing that was my favorite part!!), and we learned all the options we have in the hospital that I wasn't aware of. We both left happy with how the class had gone, and I feel a LOT more comfortable with the hospital and the idea of you coming out, little one! We are even excited about the next couple of weeks (all but getting up early on a Saturday).
After childbirth class, I decided I needed some big comfy pants. Pretty much most of my pants and shorts are now on the snug side, and I was dying for some that were baggy and roomy. We didn't find anything great at the mall, so we moved on to Sports Authority and I found some yoga pants on sale that are oh-so-comfy. I of course sported them the rest of the day.
My new activity the last half of last week and all weekend has been a daily nap. I am not much of a napper, but I have been sooooo tired and still having nausea randomly, so a nice siesta seems to do the trick to keeping me functioning. Alie and Beaux are loving this, of course, and I always have two little accomplices chilling with me on the bed or in the recliner. Your daddy is being a good sport about putting up with my wussiness and today did lots of chores while I snoozed....mowed, trimmed, washed and detailed both vehicles, fertilized and put insect spray on the yard....I did wake up in time to wash the floor mats in the truck and give the dog a bath. That was my big contribution today. :)
Tomorrow is my 37 week check-up. I am not feeling like anything has changed, so I am sure it will be uneventful. We are being brave going so early on a Monday morning, because they turn off the AC in the building over the weekends, so it is still not caught up on Monday morning, so I can already guarantee we'll be sweating.....But your daddy has Monday morning off and we wait a much shorter time when we get in early at the doctor. Luckily I have a new water bottle that I'm in love with...so I will fill it full of ice to stay cool!!

Nursery...with rug

Here are some pictures of the rug in the nursery...I promise it looks even cuter in person. I love it!! I can't decide if I like the little decals on the white bookshelf....the decals themselves are neato...I am just wavering on whether I like them on the shelf or not. The only other thing I plan to do is dye the white canvas baskets on the big bookshelf a dark brown color. I think they will show up better darker. I bought rit dye today, I just need to do the deed...it's kinda a messy job, so I have been putting it off.

Bad Kitty

Beaux has been very interested in the ongoing nursery changes since we started...yesterday he couldn't take it any longer...He climbed into the crib to check it out. Of course he got promptly thrown out by Daddy, but we did have to take some pictures first. :)

36 Weeks

We made it to month #9, Little Bean!!! Today is the 36 week mark. You are apparently the size of a crenshaw melon...whatever that is??!! You weigh a bit over 6 lbs. You are losing the fur and wax that protected your skin for the past 9 months.

You aren't kicking hardly at all, but doing an awful lot of pushing with your hands and feet. It's hard for me to ride in the Ranger these days because I can't breathe very well when I am sitting up that straight. I am continuing to have some nausea and also feel like I am forgetting everything...it sometimes feels like I am reverting to the first 3 months I was pregnant...I am waking up 3-4 times to pee in the night, but this past week I have been sleeping much better, so that is good! I also wake up whenever I change sides in the night. It takes a lot of energy and momentum to shift my body to the opposite side, so I can't do it in my sleep anymore. Whenever I roll over it wakes you up, so you wiggle around a little bit before we fall back to sleep. I've gotten to love those little wiggles in the night. :)

We took some 9 month tummy shots this week....probably will be some of the last we get of you on the inside!

At the doctor....

Bean,
I had my 36 week checkup today. I hadn't been in 3 weeks, so I was anxious to see how much weight I'd gained and how your heartbeat sounded. Good news all around....no more lbs (for me, I am sure you've been growing!), your heartbeat sounded good, and my doctor said there is nothing going on labor-wise. So I will go back again next Monday to get checked again.
Daddy came to the doctor, too, since he has Monday mornings off. While we were sitting in the waiting room you started rolling around in my tummy and we could see the whole bump move from side to side. I'd seen that once before, but your daddy hadn't yet, so I was glad he was there for it! We were both laughing watching you do that. It's amazing how much my entire stomach can move now!!
A funny story...I had been having a really sore throat only on the right side for a few days, so I asked the doctor to take a look. He said there was just some food particles stuck in the little holes in my tonsil....I was kinda grossed out, but he and the nurse said it was really common. So he got this little brush and started trying to poke it out, but it was making me gag too much. So he sent me home with the little brush to do myself. It was funny, though, because he said tool that works best out of anything is the pap smear brush and he laughed because he said you can't just get that anywhere. So he thought I'd come to right place to get tools to fix my tonsil. So I have one of those in my purse to clear up my sore throat. :) Matt says he gets them all the time, too, but he was not about to put that brush in his mouth. Haha.
After our appointment I was not feeling the greatest because the AC was out in the office and it was super hot in there, and I had been sitting on the exam table for a while, which is kinda hard on a pregnant mommy's back....so Matt took me to Panara Bread for some breakfast and a coke and some VERY cold air conditioning...it was lovely!!

Rug, etc.

YEaaa! You have a new rug in your nursery, Bean! I love it so much. Your Mimi got it for you and it is the cutest rug ever. Unfortunately I am much too lazy to push down the footrest on the recliner and go take a picture right now. Soon, I promise! It is even better than what I had in my mind, which is awesome! Alie and Beaux especially love it. Beaux slept in the nursery on the rug all by himself last night and Alie keeps trying to dig on it with her paws because she doesn't understand why it's so shaggy. :)
Yesterday I went with your mimi to pick out new tile, counterops, a tub, and cabinet hardware for her bathroom remodel. They are getting that upstairs all spruced up, so you will love spending the night over there, Bean! Last night Michael and Tiare were in town, so we met them and the Rennebergs at Chuy's (yippeeee!) for dinner and chatting, which lasted late into the night. Sadly that Chuy's Special (my favorite dish there) gave me heartburn (or it might have been the bowlfuls of creamy jalapeno dip...) and I woke up at 5:30am pretty uncomfortable. I finally fell back asleep for a little while, but I am a tired girl today. I have been having nausea before bed and sometimes during the day...Aunt Karen says this is very normal in the last month....But I felt yucky last night at bedtime, too and had a hard time falling asleep.
The fun part of today was a baby shower! My favorite Winship (school where I taught for several years) friends hosted it and it was absolutely beautiful! There were little baby bootie favors, gorgeous flowers, the coolest diaper cake (Matt is just amazed by it!), yummy brunch food, sweet friends and lots of gifts for you, Bean!! Alie and Beaux even got a little gift.....I have pictures, but once again, too lazy right now to upload them.
Tonight we are celebrating our friend Todd's birthday, and he says the menu is shrimp, crab, and steak. Sounds like a man meal if I ever heard it. We love that Griffith crew, so we are excited to get to spend time with them!!
In other news, I am a tired mama and ready to see if I can get a little nap in. I am not much of a napper, but I will give it my best shot. :) I have a feeling I know a dog and a cat (who ARE very much nappers) who will be thrilled to join me. They are both exhausted from following me around and exploring the nursery while I put all of the new presents away. :)

Oops....

Just a bit of advice, Little Bean....I'd suggest that you never let me give you a haircut. :) I decided yesterday to shave Alie because she was hot and itchy. It was going fine until the blade guard came off (of course right down the back of her head and neck) and I accidently took a swipe with just the bare clippers. Oops. So then I was stuck finishing the rest of her that short, too. Let's just say she looks less than lovely....Matt is calling her the dingo. (Hope she doesn't eat you, Bean!!) I am hoping it grows out soon....She also didn't make things any easier for me. I was having a hard enough time sitting on the pavement to shave her with your big mass in my tummy, and then whenever you start trying to cut her she rolls all around. So she pretty much got a hack job. I tried to cover up as much as possible with her bandana, but I don't think we'll be fooling anyone. Oh well, at least she's still sweet, as you can see from the last picture. Just look at that tail waving around!!!