Monday, May 21, 2012

Mommy Moment - Full Term!


Since it's taken me a week to upload this last 'baby page', I am now over 37 weeks and am therefore, full-term! We've made it! Baby is getting bigger by the day and is very active... so much so that I think sometimes he's trying to work his way out on his own! My hospital bag is packed (well, almost) and we're ready whenever he decides it's time! Although I think I'm going to miss having him squirming around inside my belly all day, I'm getting so ready to meet this little guy... to see what he looks like, what his personality will be like, how BIG he is :) It's exciting that we've come so far and any day now he will be out in the world!

I'm excited to say that once baby gets here, I'm going to transition into being a stay-at-home-mommy! I won't be going back to work - at least for the first year. The company I work for has been so generous as to allow me a job back whenever I want - on a full or part-time basis, which I think is really awesome. This will allow me to stay home as long as we can make it work - or I can go back for a few days a week here and there if I want. It really gives me a lot of options. I'm excited to spend time with my baby and not feel like I was cheated out of time with him when he's so little. 

I've transitioned from reading about labor and delivery stories (I'm not going to say I'm an 'expert' on the topic or anything, but I'm as prepared as I think I can possibly be... I'm keeping an open mind) to taking in as much information about breastfeeding as I can. I'm determined to make it work - I know it's going to be a challenge, but I'm ready to face it. Like labor and delivery, breastfeeding is one of those things I can't really practice... which kills me, but I'm trying to get as much information as I can so there are no surprises and again - I'm keeping an open mind. I know the benefits will far outweigh any struggles I face, so I know it will be worth it in the end. 

Since I'm going to be staying at home with the little Olive, I've also chosen to use cloth diapers-

I chose to go with Bum Genius Elementals - they got great reviews and they are an All-In-One diaper (meaning I won't have to use any 'pocket inserts' or anything, just throw the whole thing in the washer) and are One Size, which means they have multiple snaps that will grow with baby and we won't have to invest as much in buying new sizes. We are probably going to start off with disposables for the first few weeks until we get the hang of parenting (and the All In One diapers I chose seem really big for such a little bum!) but then we'll transition to cloth - If you have used cloth diapers and have any words of wisdom, I'd love to hear it! Wish us luck!


...and just for fun, I wanted to document what's happening inside my belly at this point in time - here's a little video of baby's dance party yesterday afternoon! 

Friday, May 11, 2012

Showered with Love!

Since my mom and step-dad came to visit last weekend, I finally have some photos to post of my baby shower in Wisconsin! It was such an amazing day spent with family and friends - who SHOWERED us with love and gifts! Baby Olive is going to be the best-dressed guy on the block! :) There was so much time and thought put into the day by my mom and sisters - how blessed I am to have them!

 The decorations were based on Eric Carle (the same theme as the nursery!) and my sister, Janessa, even made a caterpillar out of cupcakes! So sweet! (and those caterpillar balloons were my favorite!)
One of the most special keepsakes from the day are the 'wishes for baby' cards that every guest filled out. They are a series of writing prompts that turned out to be so unique and fun to read. I think it's so fun to be able to show baby boy someday the hopes and wishes that the people who care about him most had- before he was even born!
Janessa was also up until the wee hours of the night the night before the shower baking mini chocolate chip cookies to fill these sweet little 'carry out boxes' for favors!
The other activity that guests participated in at the shower was the 'Onesie decorating' project. (I'm really not into the traditional 'shower games', so this was a perfect alternative) Every guest was given a onesie (or a bib) and using Heat-and-Bond created a design of their own out of fabric pieces. We had some templates available, but so many people came up with very creative ideas on their own, too! Baby boy now has a ton of onesies - each one very unique and special! (Seriously, they're SO CUTE!) Both activities were so fun because the kids and adults alike could participate - and were so good at it! I can't wait to see baby boy dressed up in his adorable onesies!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone that was there to celebrate - and a HUGE THANK YOU to my mom and sisters for putting in so much time to make it perfect! I love you guys!
And because somehow my mom and I didn't get a photo together on the day of the shower, here are a couple of shots from Easter the next day with my family :)

THEN...
After we returned to Indiana, it was my turn to host 'Bunco night' at my house (yes, believe it or not, I joined a ladies Bunco group... and LOVE it!) When the ladies showed up at my house, they surprised me with another impromptu baby shower!! They brought everything from the food, to the cake, to the gifts (more adorable outifts!!), to the balloons, to the confetti! It was amazing!! (Needless to say, not much Bunco was actually played... :)
Not only did Mary make the DELICIOUS cake from SCRATCH, but Katie crafted up a little stroller fruit bowl! What amazing, creative friends I have!! (and are those little socks not the CUTEST thing you've ever seen?!) It was such a fun night, and I'm truly grateful to have found such a great friends in this group of women!