Once I Was Pregnant . . .

Well, I still am . . . but by request of my long-distance, beloved family, who hasn't had the privilege to see my bulbous tummy in person . . . here is the picture journey of my "growth":

About 20 weeks - just found out I was having a boy!

During our anniversary "stay-cation", rocking the maternity jeans, about 22 weeks

Around 28 weeks at the Pittsburgh baby shower . . . and pretty popped (or so I thought!)

Preggo Pose before the shower . . . little did I know how far this would go . . .

"Monster" baby shower in Chicago - about 30 weeks

In Utah, yet another baby shower filled with love, at 32 weeks

Hiking with that big, big belly . . . getting swollen feet, hands and face

At the BYU Creamery (every pregnant woman's dream)

And then the final pregnant vacation at the beach - at 36 weeks - four weeks to go!

So now I'm just about 37 weeks . . . it could be any day now! But, with my luck, I will probably have to wait it out until the bitter end . . . exponentially swelling and feeling uncomfortable, but also growing with anticipation and excitement to welcome this little guy into our lives.

It's crazy how a pregnancy will take over your life.

Go figure.

Why?

I'm sorry, but I think that Sugar Ray is one of the stupidest bands ever. Wait - you know what - I'm not sorry . . . their songs are repetitive and annoying. So WHY are they still on the radio? I have had to change the radio station several times this summer because some random radio DJ still insists on playing this song. Why? Does anyone actually sit and listen to the annoying, throat-scratching vocals of Mark McGrath? Are we that hard up for songs to play on the radio that we need to result to this? I think not.

Ugh - judge for yourself (and trust me, it pained me to even give this video a hit on youtube):

Breast-feeding 101

You'd think because I am the oldest of 11 children that I know a ton about babies - I guess in some respects, I do . . . but then again, I have never given birth, breast-fed, stayed awake with an infant all night, or been the primary care-giver for another living thing. (I mean, even with "my cat", my mom still did a lot of the feeding and litter box changing.) So, even though I do have experience with babies and kids, I still feel pretty anxious about everything that is coming my way in the next month or so.

To soothe some of my anxiety, I decided to go to a Breast-feeding class to shed some light on the subject. It was funny to see all the semi-clueless, young-ish moms-to-be huddled around the presenter begging her to show us how to work our own bodies. (Because, honestly, apparently it isn't always that easy.)

The first blow was that the lactation consultant that was suppose to teach the class had an emergency and didn't show up. Bummer. So we watched a video of moms enjoying the true bliss that is breast-feeding. Seriously, these ladies were smiling and laughing and crying happy tears about the joy of breast-feeding . . . which might be true sometimes, but I want someone to keep it real! I want to hear about what to do if my baby won't latch on, and what to do for sore nipples and what I should do if I start crying tears of pain, instead of joy. What then?? Luckily, after the video was over, we did have a good presenter, that although she wasn't a lactation consultant, did have some good information for us that was a little more "real".

At the end we had question and answer time, which at first was slow to get started. However, we did have a spicy mother-to-be in the back row that got the ball rolling with some candid questions - then we were able to wrap everything up quite nicely, with all our questions answered (except the questions we don't know we have until we have a newborn baby in our arms).

Afterwards, I went up to the woman who really got the questions going: "Thanks for starting the Q&A back there. You know, sometimes it's hard to be the first to ask the questions."

"Oh yeah, I mean, I just want to know what to do! All I'm saying is that this sh** better work!"

Although I was slightly surprised by her word choice when referring to breast-feeding a baby, I have to agree: This shiz better work.

Let's Start at the Very Beginning . . .

A very good place to start!

Yes - it has been a month since I have actually posted . . . I admit it. Swollen-pregnancy fingers just don't type as fast as you want them to!

The spring/summer has been a blur:

(With a few pictures to come once I get a new memory card reader)

May - my dear Uncle Bruce passed away - which gave way to lots of family time as we celebrated my his life, Stevie's (my little, 6'3 brother) graduation, Baby shower in Pittsburgh

June - More baby shower fun in Chicago, Robbie's birthday, School ended (finally!), visit from my sister Eleanor, family reunion in Utah

July - Continued Utah visit, Even MORE baby shower festivities, back to Chi-town, set up nursery, Church Girls Camp, Holden Beach, NC for some R&R . . . which brings me to now

Robbie and I are currently at the beach, which is awesome. And I am currently ridiculously swollen from the knee down and from the elbow out, which sucks. Fat fingers, fat feet - no fun.

However, it is worth mentioning that I am now 35 1/2 weeks pregnant - almost to term - which means that this little guy will be here soon!