Incubator Update

This morning I woke up feeling humbled and grateful.

A month ago yesterday, a close girlfriend of mine, Laura, lost her baby girl during childbirth.    

Just looking at that on "paper" makes me cry... and I can't imagine what she and her husband and their family have been through over the past month.  

What their story has done for me has been a true intervention of God in my life.  It is something amazing that I will always be grateful for.  And it is so hard to explain.  Parents and friends everywhere I go, at this point in my pregnancy, all ask "oh my goodness, I bet you're ready to be done with this, aren't you?" ... and people go on and on about how uncomfortable it must be and how when they were pregnant they were counting down the days until the baby would finally come - for me, this is the humbling part.

Because of Laura's story, I am in some strange way so grateful for every sore back, swollen foot, heartburning chest and little kick (or roll) that this boy gives me.  He is utterly the most important thing in my life (next to Jason) and he hasn't even taken a breathe of air yet.  At the same time I am filled with sadness for the friends and family around me that have had to suffer a loss.

I pray he makes it here safely... and I'm trying my hardest not to be too antsy about his arrival because I feel he is safe right now, tucked away in my belly.



...

I had a doctors appointment on Friday and found out some interesting information.  As of Friday, I was 70% effaced and "1 and a wiggle" cm's dilated.  Dr. Carter doesn't think I'll make it all the way to my due date, and thinks we should expect him somewhere around the 16th or 17th.

We shall see... I will take him whenever he wants to come - no pressure little man. You come when you're ready.

...

Jason started "nesting" this weekend and boy am I grateful for it.  He SKIPPED a hunting trip to spend time with me and he helped so much - we now have everything in that nursery washed, from binkies to blankets.  

We super-organized the closet.
     All the short sleeved onesies are together, and the long sleeved onesies, and the collared shirts, and the non-collared shirts, all sorted by size.  Even all the tiny socks, tiny pants, and little hats all have spots in their dresser drawers.

I packed my hospital bag.
    (something I've been putting off, I think, because I don't want to cosmically "rush" him into coming).

Jason installed the car seat bases.

We went together for one last big shopping trip at Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby and Target to get all the little things we think we might need.   We have no clue what we're doing.  It's comical.

I put together the Fisher Price (can you believe it?! - yes, fisher price) rainforest mobile and installed it to the crib.

Jason moved the mobile I made and put it over the changing table.

Jason secured the changing table to the dresser.

Jason put together the infant swing while I wrapped Christmas presents.

I made a diaper and feeding tracker.  Hopefully it'll help 2 sleep deprived parents not screw up their future kid too bad.

Jason helped our neighbors put up Christmas lights on their house!
     As much of a scrooge he pretends to be, I think he secretly loves this time of year too :)

I went and saw the new Twilight movie with some girlfriends of mine (does that count as nesting?!)

We setup the baby monitor.

My girlfriend, Ramie, put together this amazing "care-calendar" where she'll orchestrate all our friends/family on a meal planning calendar if they want to bring us food during the first couple weeks home.  AMAZING.

The nursery is ready.
The house is almost clean.

It was an incredibly productive last 2 days.

So now, we're just trying not to be too antsy and are waiting for our little guy to keep growing and getting fatter and stronger each day.

xoxo, cyndy.