Week 34

With only 6(ish) weeks to go, the most common questions right now are, "are you ready?", "are you nervous?", "is the baby's room done?". The answer to all of these is NO!

I'm totally not ready, because I have no idea what to expect - although after talking with Annie and Sara, I have a better idea now. But still, I'm just not quite sure what to be ready for! This whole parenting thing seems to pretty much be a "learn as you go" type deal.

Because I don't really know what to expect, and can't picture in my mind how things are going to go, I'm really not very nervous either. I'm just not sure what to be nervous about! Of course giving birth isn't going to feel very pleasant, but knowing the amazing outcome makes it all worth it! So if anything I'm more excited than nervous :-)

As for the baby's room... Since Dave has been traveling so much, and I can't move around furniture on my own, the baby's room has been at a stand-still for the past few months. We're going to have a couple more baby showers in a few weeks, and after those I'll have more things to actually put away and sort. My wonderful mother-in-law is going to come down for an extended weekend to help which will be so much fun! For now, the photo below shows "the baby's room" at this point in time! At least we have a wonderful crib! The matching dresser/changing table is coming soon, so that will help with providing a place for us to actually put things! Until then, the crib is our baby gear storage space...

Week 33

Babymoon!!!

Thanks to wonderful Uncle Todd last weekend we got to go on a "Babymoon" to Calistoga Ranch! I had never heard of a babymoon before, but when I called up the resort to book our stay they asked if it was a special occasion. I told them that it was going to be our last getaway before our baby is born. "Oh so its your babymoon" was the cheery reply. So Babymoon it was!

We arrived in the afternoon and pulled up in front and were promptly greeted by someone who opened the car door for me, unloaded our luggage onto a posh golf cart and valet parked our car. There were a lot of Mercedes around - our Exterra was a tad bit out of place ;-) After checking in we were shuttled to our private "lodge". The photos tell the story of what we arrived to!

What the photos don't tell are the posh, yummy robes (there was even a hair scrunchy in the pocket of mine!), the complementary mini bar (you bet I raided it before we left!) the luxurious bath tub and the wonderful view (no better way to start a Satruday) and the free cheese and wine tasting (wine for Dave - cheese for me!)

This place is so nice ("nicer than we are" according to Dave) that when we left for dinner they came and cleaned our room! All the trash was emptied, our cheese platter cleaned up, the toilet paper and Kleenex re-folded. They even took care of Dave's dirty clothes that he left on the floor from his shower by scooting them into the closet! Other noteworthy things that happened were the smoke alarms going off after Dave took a shower before dinner, and a 2.6 earthquake at 2am (practice for when the baby is born!). All in all, it was amazing and uber relaxing. I only wish we had an extra $500 so I could have spent a day at the spa!

Perfect afternoon snack!


"Champagne" for the prego


"Salud!"

A tranquil afternoon

Calistoga Sunset

Cool mural in Calistoga

Outdoor shower - so exhilarating!

The view we woke up to

My Dearest Annie

I just can't sleep I'm so incredibly amped!!! I can't stop thinking about you with baby Rowan suckling on your chest. I can't imagine what it feels like to have that sweet, precious little boy life you have been carrying around for the past 9 months in your arms! I am literally sitting here crying just thinking about you gazing into his beautiful eyes, taking in each curve of his face, smelling his brand new skin, feeling every inch of him. YOU and Chris made that little person! What an incredible thought! Your amazing body has created LIFE!!! I know the road has been a bumpy one - but you have dealt with each disappointment, worry and setback with the knowledge that it is all worth it! Wow - how worth it!!! My mind just can't get itself wrapped around the knowledge that you are a mom! I keep thinking back to that first time we hung out together, just the two of us. I came over to your little garage house and I think we had Trader Joe's pizza. One of the first things we talked about was kids. It wasn't hard to find common ground on that topic! Now your dreams have truly come true! 1.11.11!!!! How incredibly LUCKY is that!?!? And Rowan is a beyond perfect name. Your baby has a name! I know that might sound weird to some people, but when you don't know the baby's gender its a big deal! 6 pounds, 6 ounces - such a little guy! Oh, how I want to see him! I want to see you with him! I just looked at tickets for this weekend (I have Monday off), but they are $700 :-( I know you will be so over-run with friends and family, but I just want a glimpse. I just want to see him, touch him, smell him, listen to his little voice (no I wont lick him). A BABY BOY!!! You have a son! You are a mama! You have made Chris a daddy! You are just so amazing!!! I love you!

Love,

Razzle

Week 31

We are now into the single digit countdown of the weeks until our little sweet baby's due date! Only 9 weeks to go! As I suspected, November and December flew by with the holidays and family. Some days I feel like the next two months will fly by too, while other days I think that this last little stretch is going to drag on as I get more anxious and excited to meet our baby! These days little Brinker moves around like crazy. He/she has probably been moving around just as much this whole time, but I can really feel it and see it now. Including hiccups! It used to be that I would feel my little one the most when I would sit down and relax. Now this kiddo is kicking and squirming while I go grocery shopping, teach, and putz around the house! One of my favorite games it so feel around and try to guess what body parts I can actually detect through the skin of my stomach. Its crazy to think that this next generation is hanging out just beneath a thin layer of skin a tissue! I can feel him/her, and see the movements baby is making... I feel so close, yet so far from knowing this living little being.

Belly Pictures for this week!