Baby C.'s Nursery

I know a few of you have not gotten to see how we have set up Baby C.'s Nursery. It is not 100% done, but close enough for me to share with all of you what it looks like now. We just need a few more decor items for the walls, and I got some wood letters that spell out his name that will go over the changing table after he is here (still trying to keep his name a surprise). I am working on some cross-stitch needlework that will go up once it is done, but since it will also have his name, and birthday on it, it won't be ready to be hung up till he arrives either. The glider rocker is also still in the living room since we both love sitting in it so much, so that will also move into his room once he gets here. A lot of work when into transforming this room, and we are so happy with the results! Below I am going to post the evolution of this room since we have moved in, and then two videos, the before (empty room), and after (what is looks like today).

Here we are standing in the kitchen looking at the landing to the 3rd floor (door and stairs leading up are on the left), and you will note there is no door to the guest room/Jill's office, that is why there is a curtain there, so when guest came they could close it for some privacy. It was painted yellow when we moved in.

This is looking in the room from the entryway, the closet is on the left, as is the nice built in book shelf, and my old small desk.

The guest bed is in the only corner of the room that does not have door, etc.

In February 2008 I had enough of the yellow, it was too bright, so I painted the room blue, changed the position of the bed, and got a new and bigger desk. I put an Ikea dresser that was in the attic in the room for storage of craft type things.

Now to see the room cleaned out an empty! I had a lot of stuff in the large closet, it took a lot of work to clean out this room and find a new home for everything. The bed went to my parents house, the rest went up to the now shared office space on the 3rd floor, that also went though a lot of redecorating. I did a post a while back when the new carpet went in, I will have to do a tour of that space as soon at it is finished, which it almost is, just a few more details and it will be wrapped up.

Now finally what you have been waiting for the video tour of the room as it is today! I forgot to point out in my video the great carpet squares we bought, it looks almost like wall to wall carpet, but you can just pick up the 20"x 20" carpet square if something gets spilled on them and bring it right to the sink to clean, then let it dry and use a few new sticker dots to put it back in place! We ordered them from Flor, we picked out "sweet dreams" in carmel.

37 Weeks - Full Term!

Baby Boy is fully cooked! I can't believe that after counting down his arrival in months, we now are counting weeks! He could decided to make his appearance any day in the next 3-4 weeks! Greg is of the opinion he will come early now, I am still planning in my head for him being over due. I admit I am getting frustrated that the simplest of thing have become so difficult. I can't do much, and I hate seeing things around the house that I should be able to clean, but just can't reach. Greg does so much already I am not going to make him scrub some spot on the carpet just because it is driving me nuts. As I type Greg is working hard on some house projects, mostly working on trim work on the 3rd floor window, and in the new hallway between the baby's room and our bed room. We got a lot of work done a few months ago, then we got busy and some finishing projects got put on the back burner. Good thing we (aka Greg) got so much of the hard work done long ago before it got so darn HOT, he is not enjoying working so hard this weekend with the heat and humidity.

On Friday work had a baby shower for me and another woman who is about a month behind me. I knew it was coming, and was glad that I had someone to share the spotlight with. Greg came in with me, the whole company got hot breakfast served, and they presented us with big baskets full of clothes, blankets, stuffed animals and more. I am so lucky to work at such a great company! After I emptied out the basket to wash all the clothes, etc I put it on top of the changing table. We had the door open and were letting the cats explore the room a bit, when I came in later in the day to find that Maverick found the basket, and decided it was a great place for a cat nap!

The Mosses Basket

A few of the things that came in the basket

Maverick likes the basket

37 Weeks! Getting big!

As promised later today I will do a post of the baby's room, with video!

36 Weeks!

Or if you want to get real technical today is 36 weeks, and 5 days. We had our weekly apt yesterday afternoon, this week I saw the midwife, same one we saw our very first apt back in February, since my OB is on vacation this week. Nancy is great, and it now I know for sure that next baby we are going to see one of the midwifes vs. the OB for our check-ups. My OB is great, but I think I bore her with my average, normal pregnancy, and I feel a bit rushed each appointment, and really with such a great pregnancy I would like to work with someone who is a little more on the warm and fuzzy side, and all the midwifes I have talked to/worked with at the practice give me that warm and fuzzy feeling. Nancy was happy with my "sample", as she could plainly see I have been keeping myself well hydrated in all this heat. I have gained 1 pound since last week (right on target), she did not say out loud my BP only that it was good. Baby's heat beat sound nice and strong at ~155 bpm. She tested me for Group B Strep, which if I test positive for means I will need to have antibiotics (via IV) when I do go into labor. So let’s hope that comes back negative! She said the baby's head is down nice a low too. I think he has been for some time as whenever he gets the hic-ups I feel them down low.

Come this Friday when we hit 37 weeks Baby Boy C. is considered FULL TERM! Yes after Friday he is welcome to make his entrance any day now! I won’t get my hopes up for an early baby. I am going to go with the mindset that he won’t come till he is overdue at 41 weeks and that way if he does come early it will be a pleasant surprise. We have everything we need for his arrival, except we have not packed bags to be ready to go to the hospital yet. Greg seams more concerned about this than I, as I figure we live only a few miles from the hospital, he or anyone else in my family can gather up anything we forgot or find we need and bring it over to us.

This weekend I promise we will have photos up of the nursery, maybe even a before and after video tour. Here is the latest belly shot for your enjoyment. Oh and one of Greg and I at a wedding that we attended in CT this past weekend. I am not sure when we will have the photos from our photo shot at Lynch Park, but when they come in we will be sure to post our favorites.

Baby C.'s Coming Home Outfit

At our baby shower my Mom presented me with the knitted sweater, booties, and hat that my Grandmother (Mimi) had knitted for me. It was the outfit I wore home from the hospital on May 7, 1978. Since in 1978 ultrasounds were not commonly used, it was unknown if I was to be a boy or a girl, so my Mimi used yellow and white yarn to knit my outfit. Now Baby Boy C. will wear the same outfit home from the hospital that I did! Yes he will look a little gender neutral, but we don't care, I am excited to have something so special for him to wear.

Here is the sweater set today:

And here is what I looked like wearing it back in 1978! Not the clearest photos, they are Polaroids and 31 years old: click on the photos to make it bigger and easier to see.

35 Weeks!

We made it to 35 weeks! Only 5-6 more weeks (or less) to go! We are now going to the OB every week until D-Day! Yesterday's appointment was still a whole lot more of the same: blood pressure was 124/76, sugar and protein levels are fine, and I have now gained 23 pounds.

So let’s talk about what I don't like about being 35 weeks pregnant in August: SWELLING! My feet have been swollen for some time now, and it is rather painful to stand for long periods of time or sit in a chair to too long as well. I almost lost it during a breastfeeding class we took at the hospital last week, it stated at 6:30 and ran till 8:30, my feet were killing me so bad I wanted to just get up and walk out of the room, but rather than be rude, and in the hopes of learning something we stuck it out. However my 2 cents, that class could have been an hour long and gotten all that info to us in half the time. Then just late last week the swelling moved to my hands in a big way, they were swollen enough already that I had to take my rings off a few weeks ago, but now carpel tunnel has set in on my left hand with a vengeance. I wake up and it takes me a few tries to be able to make a fist. I knew I needed to get a brace, but waited till after my check-up yesterday to do so. OB agreed, and told me to head over to CVS and pick one up. I will say that after just one night of sleeping with the brace I do see some improvement.
So here are some photos of my ugly swollen feet (complete with flip flop marks, they hardly fit) do note that at least my toes look nice (pedicures are a must for me in the summer), and my lovely over night wrist brace:

Sorry for all the complaining, when it does come right down to it, I would put up with all this and so much more for our little guy. I can't believe we are finally in the home stretch and will get to meet him soon! His nursery (photo to come soon) is just about done (just decorating to finish), and we have everything we need for when he gets here. Greg and I talk about it a lot the excitement of getting to meet him, and how we wish it was sooner. I think once we hit that 38 week mark I am going to do all the things they say can get labor started: lots of walks, spicy food, etc. Strange thing is I am not worried/scared about labor, see I know it is going to hurt, so what is the use of worrying about it now? Greg is ready to help me the best he can, and I will do what I can to manage the pain, its not going to be fun, but we get a BABY when it is all over!

Here are the latest belly photos:

34 Weeks

35 Weeks

On Friday afternoon Greg and I are meeting with a photographer to take some photos of the two of us and the belly! He is a friend of Tom's from college and just getting started out, so he gave us a great price! We are going to have them done at Lynch Park just like we did with our engagement photos. I can't wait to share them with you all.