D-day

40 weeks...and still cookin'.

Dear Weston,

I guess you forgot to mark your calendar...or maybe you'll be like your daddy and have a hard time remembering birthdays.  But for the past nine months we were told that today would be yours...and you have not shown any signs of wanting to make an appearance.  I know it's comfortable in there and all, but I promise if you will just come on out, we will take good care of you.  There are so many people who can't wait to meet you, so you will always be the center of attention.  Plus, your Aunt Debbie REALLY wants to share a birthday with you.  

We've been reading you lots of books and one of our favorites is Oh, the Places You'll Go!  And you know what Dr. Seuss says about "the waiting place."  It is not a good place.  

So, come on little buddy...it's time to get this show on the road.  I'm ready when you are.

I love you so so much.

Love,

Mom

Redneck Girl?

Recently, my parents and my brother bought some land about 15 miles from where we live.  My brother and his wife are clearing trees to build a house and every once in a while J and I will drive out to look at the progress. (I'm not sure if this is a man thing or just a J thing, but he loves to drive around and look at "land"...try not to be jealous of the exciting life we lead...it's hard I know.)  So today, when asked if I wanted to go out there, my thought was "Ride around in a pick up truck on a bumpy gravel road when I'm two days from my due date?  Sure!"  Anything to get this baby moving, right?

And clad in my dress and flip flops I headed out thinking I would not be getting out of the car.  Well, as my dad says, "that's what you get for thinking," because when we got there, my brother happened to be out there working...and of course we wanted to get out and see what he was up to.  Well, in case you weren't aware,  flip flops don't mix well with ticks, snakes, or poison ivy (neither do I for that matter) so my bro offered to let me wear some boots he had in his truck.  

I only share that story to offer an explanation for this picture, which may be the most ridiculous pregnancy picture ever but was just too random not to share.

Classy, right?

And if you were like me and thinking the bumpy gravel road combined with the nine-months pregnant girl tromping around in ginormous boots might speed the labor process along...well, you'd be wrong.  

What I'm loving right now...

Dixie using Weston as her pillow

This furbaby has been extra sweet and snuggly lately.  I don't know if she senses something is going on or she just needs some extra lovin'.  Either way I'm not complaining.  Can't wait for her to meet baby brother.

Although J would never let me dress Weston this way, how cute is this?  I don't know if other mom's of boys have this problem, but it has been HARD to find cute boy outfits.  I swear every children's store I've been to is full of girly stuff and has a tiny corner for the poor boys.  If anyone has a suggestion on where to find cute clothes for boys, I would love to hear it!

I've got nothing but time on my hands lately.  So when I'm not obsessing over baby stuff, I'm also loving thinking about clothes that I will wear when I'm no longer carrying a basketball under my shirt.  Here are some looks I've pinned that I love...

Oh, skinny jeans, will we ever be friends again?

I'm thinking a skirt worn this high could be very forgiving of a few jelly rolls.

In other news, I went to the doctor today.  Baby seems content to just hang out and stay in his warm little space for the time being.  The doc thinks he will probably be a late arrival but we are hangin' in there!

To baby...

Dear Weston,

Thoughts of you have consumed me lately.  I have so many questions floating around in my mind about you.  What will you look like?  How will you act?  Will you be a good eater?  A good sleeper?  Will you be shy or outgoing?  Thoughtful or impulsive?  Will you be a planner like your daddy or go with the flow like mommy?  I don't know the answers to any of these questions yet, but I do know that no matter what they are...good or bad sleeper, cranky, shy, loud, quiet...you will be loved unconditionally.

I have so many hopes for you, my precious baby.  I hope you learn from us the importance of family.  I hope we can be an example of how to put God and others before yourself.  I hope you learn how wonderful it is to laugh and not take yourself too seriously.  I hope we can teach you to love selflessly, work hard, enjoy simplicity, be open-minded, stand up for what you believe, be independent, give to those less fortunate, be respectful, enjoy learning, and so so many other things.   There are so many things I want to teach you and show you.  I can't wait to take you new places and see your face light up when you experience something for the first time.  But most of all, I can't wait to just hold you and tell you how much I will always love you.

Get here soon sweet boy.  Your mommy and daddy are so ready to meet you.  We love you so much already.

Love,
Mom

Here you are at 39 weeks.  Your due date is exactly one week from today!

Missing out :(

If you know me at all, you probably know how much I love my family.  I have literally won the lottery when it comes to families.  They are the funniest, kindest, most loving, awesome people on the planet.  And all year long we all look forward to summer when we get together in the Ozarks for a week of card playing, river floating, no t.v.'s or cell-phone reception, visiting, laughing, hugging, and having fun.  Which to some people probably sounds miserable, but is seriously the best.thing.ever.  We call it "camp" and for as long as I can remember I've gotten excited about going every year. 

Except this year.  Camp week happens to be this week and this girl happens to be days away from having a baby and forbidden by the doctor from traveling more than an hour from home.

Last night I got a little upset thinking about how I was missing out on all the fun.  So I decided to look through everyone's camp pictures on facebook.  Then I decided to post some of them because they make me happy.  And let's be honest...other than waiting for contractions to start or my water to break, there's not much else for me to do.

Buying groceries for the week.  If you ever watched the game show Supermarket Sweep, it's like that on steroids.



Most of these pictures are stolen from my cousin Valla's facebook page.  Thanks Valla. :)

So much love in this room and so much fun.  I can't wait to take Weston to camp and continue this tradition with him.  I hope he loves it as much as I do. 

Lots of love to all my family.  I miss you all so much.

Why being pregnant is awesome...

Lately I've been feeling myself slip into the category of the grouchy hormonal pregnant girl who complains about every single ache, pound gained, and emotional issue...even though its mostly only to my mom or J.  But I don't like being that girl.  I've had to remind myself several times a day how blessed I am that I get this experience of our child growing inside me.  I have some friends and family members that I love dearly who, for whatever reason, know they will never get this chance.  Who am I to whine about how hot it is or that I can't cook dinner without feeling like I've run a marathon?  Those people would give anything to do what I'm doing right now.

So I've made a resolution to embrace everything about this experience during these final days.  All the aches and pains are a reminder of this gift I've been given.  I will cherish every kick and nudge.  I will not become upset at the number on the scale.  I will laugh about the crazy things I say and do to J when my hormones get the best of me (after the fact of course).  I will not just endure it, I will enjoy it.  And I will NOT complain...I hope.

With this in mind, I was trying to come up with reasons why, I think, being pregnant is awesome.  Here are a few:

•  Everyone wants to talk to you about it...strangers at the gas station, Target cashiers, old men at the mall.  The belly is like a sign that says, "Come ask me my due date and share your pregancy story with me...or your wife's, cousin's, daughter's, friend's story for that matter."  I love that.
• People do nice things for you.  One grocery store worker, after bagging my groceries, switched everything where each bag only had a couple of things in it so I wouldn't "strain the baby."  Drop something?  If someone else is around, I gaurantee they will pick it up for you.  I swear, if everyone could wear a belly around, the world would be a much nicer place. 
• Comfortable clothes.  Enough said.
• You pretty much have a free pass to eat and/or sit down and put your feet up...any time you want.
• Your husband has to do housework.  It's a rule. 
• You get to feel every move your baby makes.  When else will you be able to do that?
• And the most obvious: when it's over you get to hold your baby.  This little miracle that you will spend the rest of your life loving. 

What's more awesome than that?