What a difference a month can make

Today marks the one month mark until our little Lucie's due date!  What to do with this month before her arrival? Here's our list:

• Celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary on July 12
• Celebrate Lucie's arrival at our Baby Shower on July 15
• Finish washing all of Lucie's clothes
• Prepare some meals to stock up the freezer
• Fit the car seat and have it checked at the fire department
• Loads of finishing up of projects at work

We are in a good place in terms of necessary preparations for baby, but there are lots of little things still staring me in the face.  The weather is supposed to be more in the 80s next week than 100s so hopefully that will give me at least a day to do some cooking and get the freezer stocked up and ready to go.

Now obviously I understand that Lucie is not guaranteed to arrive in a month, but it's a fun landmark nonetheless.

Growing Bigger Everyday

Our little gal is already growing up fast. This week she is almost 5 pounds and approximately the same size as a butternut squash.  She has her very own rock concert every night around 7pm where my belly is bouncing all over the place.  Tonight we were out walking Archie and the sun was setting in just the right place that James was able to capture the picture below.  I think it's pretty neat :)

I'm feeling hot, hot, hot!

It has been pretty warm the last few days (90s and even up to 100!). As a result of the increased temps my feet essentially doubled in size. Ugh! This is one of those pregnancy symptoms that I was hoping to avoid but lo and behold- my giant feet have erupted.

What they don't tell you is how painful it can be to walk on these suckers. I step out of bed and it's like pins in the bottom of my feet. Fortunately Archie is a fair weather dog and has zero interest in going for walks when the temps get too hot so my recent ailment has not impacted his walks too greatly.

James has been great and always offering to get me a drink or run to get something I need to avoid being on my feet much at night.  Just spending a few hours each night on the couch with my feet up has given me a whole new appreciation for all the mommas assigned to bedrest.  How hard it must be to sit or lay all day!

The temps are forecast to break next week so I'm sure the swelling will go down then.  My blood pressure has remained great (low even) so Lucie and I are doing well on the couch- eating ice cream, drinking lemonade and watching tv.

Love to all! And stay cool!

Two Months to go!

I can't believe that we only have two more months until Baby Lucie arrives. In eight short weeks she might already be here in our arms.  This seems like a good opportunity to list what we need to accomplish over the next several weeks.

1. Finish assembling crib and purchase mattress
We were a couple of screws short on the crib so they are in the mail and on their way.  Once we have the screws we will be ready to rock n roll!  Perhaps this weekend we'll make a trip to Babies r Us and pick up the mattress so we will be all set to go :)

2. Buy some diapers
I'm starting to feel a little anxious that I don't have any diapers. We've got everything else we need to bring baby home except for diapers.  I doubt we'll have any problem getting through them!

3. Install car seat base
We have our car seat purchased but the base needs to be installed in our car.  The local fire department will check that car seats are installed properly so I want to be sure to have it checked out in plenty of time.

4. Wash clothes
We have been very fortunate to have been gifted a lot of clothes for our little girl already.  Now I just need to decide what to wash in preparation for baby's arrival.

5. Finish nursery (this is a big one!)
Are you waiting to see pics of Little Lucie's new room?  Well me too!  It's coming together but there are still a few projects outstanding:

• Hang book holder
• Purchase and hang curtains/drapes
• Create art for her walls
• Purchase a mirror
• Line her dresser drawers with something fun and colorful
• (***) Insert 100 other things that I am probably forgetting here

As you can see, we have a few things to do.  I guess I had better go work on some of these, huh?

Love to all!

Mover and Shaker

Our little Lucie has been dancing up a storm!  As she grows bigger and stronger everyday, her moves are starting to become bigger and stronger as well.  My whole belly shakes when she wiggles around and I can see her arm or leg move across my belly when she makes a big turn.

James was feeling her move the other day and asked, "Is that you or her?" I replied, "It had better be her otherwise I think I might have a snake in my belly."

We are now officially in our third trimester- hooray!  It's so hard to believe we're 3/4 done baking our baby.  I am very fortunate that it has been such a smooth journey thus far.  It has kind of lulled me into a false sense of security about labor and delivery.  I have this [insane] notion that since everything has been so easy, labor will likely be a walk in the park.  Current Mommies- pick yourselves up from the floor, stop your laughing and please continue to read :)

We have started to take our baby and birthing classes which is exciting and depressing at the same time.  This means that pregnancy is quickly approaching an end and I really have enjoyed it to this point.  James and I both find ourselves saying, "Wow, Lu will be here to do this with us next year!" and we even talked about making a list of "musts" to do before her arrival this summer and neither of us could think of anything [at least not that I can do while pregnant] that we couldn't make work when she arrives.  It's exciting to think of her arrival but I also love our special time together feeling her move and shake in my belly.

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mother's Day!  I'm not quite sure how I officially fit into this holiday as a mother-to-be, but I feel very special to be recognized.

As I wrote in the card for my mom this year, you truly cannot imagine how much your mom loves you and how much they have worried and sacrificed for you until you are (or are soon to be) a mom yourself.  I feel so grateful to have so many amazing women in my life to lean on and learn from as I embark on this journey myself in a few short months.

For all of the fabulous, strong, loving and wonderful women in my life- thank you!  You have made an impact on my life and will therefore also make a difference in Lucie's life.  What a lucky girl! Love to all XOXOXO

My furry shadow

Archie has done some pretty funny stuff the last month while I have (apparently) been on a blogging hiatus.  He follows me around the house everywhere, and I do mean everywhere.  I feel prepared for mommyhood because I haven't been to the potty by myself this entire pregnancy thanks to Sir Archibald.

He sits my my lap a lot and sometimes rests his head on my baby belly.  The funny part happens when Lucie gives him a kick or a jab and he feels it.  He has actually been "kicked" and gotten off the couch and moved to sleep on the floor because of it.

We have a baby doll that we are using as a prop to try and teach Archie to not eat the baby but so far it has proven him a total failure.  He has ripped the clothes off the doll, eaten the hat, and on at least two occasions grabbed the doll around the belly and given it a death shake.  Now you might think this would make two new parents nervous- and you would be exactly right!  Obviously it was never the plan for him to stay home and babysit Lucie or anything, but I'd like to think he would not try to eat the socks off her feet.

If fair Archie does not improve his behavior we may have to opt for a private training session.  I feel bad for him because he's been our furbaby the last two years so it makes sense that he'd have a difficult time adjusting to his demotion down the household ladder. I think once Lucie gets here he will love her just as much as mom and dad already do.