33 Weeks

So... 7 weeks to go and I'm not sure how much more room I can give this little one. I feel B-Dub constantly now, even when it's not moving. I know it has some more growing to do before making his or her debut, but I'm not sure where it's going to fit. I have my last appointment in Grand Rapids next week, but still need to call the place in Traverse City to make sure they can take me in. Hopefully I can get to that tomorrow.

I'm finishing my last two weeks of full time work and planning to move Oct. 1. I'm definitely sad to leave Trinity UMC and it's getting harder to see everyone that is stopping in the office. I really did love my job and planned to stay there for quite a while. I'm happy that we were able to work out having me do things remotely, about 10 hours a week, until December with an obvious break in November. We still have to figure out what I'll do, but I know it will all fall into place.

We had our first shower this past weekend with Matt's family in Alpena. It was great! It was great to see everyone and I know they were happy to get to see my belly. I guess people like to see that sort of thing. We now have a way to get the little one home from the hospital (a car seat) and later we'll have a place to feed our peanut (a high car). Up until this shower we literally had nothing. I've had a friend at Trinity give me some stuff and got a bag of clothes from another friend, but we're starting to feel a little better now that we have big 'things' to look at. We're only looking at them because they will remain in boxes until October when we hopefully have a place. I CAN'T WAIT TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER!

At work everyone asks about our 'plans' and I just got tired of answering that we weren't quite sure and are figuring things as they come. The responses I get haven't always been positive or encouraging. But over the weekend talking with family was different. Everyone was great! Our family seemed to understand that we're doing what we have to and the best thing they can do for us is support us and give us encouragement. I appreciate our families so much - we really are so very blessed.

Always on the go!

I know that Meadow soon appreciate not living in two places and traveling every weekend. She was excited at first, but I think it's gotten old now. She misses her dad too.

My next post will probably be from TC in our temporary home!!!

-Laura

My Patriotic Baby

Hello,

Well it has been a little while since I last wrote but I am excited to get caught up.

Above is a picture of a pregnant Laura on 9/11/11 in Grand Rapids at a memorial of the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. There were 3,000 flags on a snow skiing hill that had a flag to remember everyone who died in the September attacks along with a short biography. Laura sometimes has to drag me to things but I always appreciate the experience...everytime. She definitely exposes me to things that normally I wouldn't think I would care for and I appreciate her for that.

We got a great bit of news this week. We found some help with Laura's insurance through December and are so very grateful for it.

We have also had great news with friends that have just had thier third child. Brian (the best man in my wedding) and Mandy his wife, have been great friends and we are very excited for thier blessing. In true Brian fashion he told of driving his wife to the hospital and getting pulled over. After telling the cop "water broke...contractions 3 minutes apart" the cop told him to be safe. At this point in the story, a thought flashed through my mind...

How much further along than Laura was Mandy? A few weeks...OMG!!! It hit me that we are getting close. Seems like we have been so focused on trying to get a few things locked down like housing, insurance and other stuff that it never sunk in fully. Well Laura moves up at the end of the month, we have a bazillion things to still get done but its fun to know how much closer we are than I have even realized. I'm sure the next couple weeks will be crazy with work, finding housing and generally getting ready. Quite a journey. Have a great week!

30 Weeks

I really can't believe how quickly 30 weeks have gone by. It really seems like just yesterday I wasn't pregnant. I was shocked when at my last doctor's appointment they said I'd start seeing them every 2 weeks. Every two weeks sounded scary at the time, but I think I had more questions at my last appointment then all the others before combined. So I figured that's why I need to go every two weeks now.

My appointment this week was great. The baby is doing great, all my tests have been coming back good, my weight is good and I'm feeling decent. All of which is also shocking to me. Although, I've wanted to have kids, I've been terrified to be pregnant...still am. I'm amazed that everything is going so well. I really do try to be conscience of my emotions and try to be calm and relaxed as much as possible. Hopefully it's doing some good. Matt and I have so many things up in the air, it would be so easy for me to just freak out. I think I hide it well in public, but I'm pretty emotional. I keep tell people that I think if I weren't pregnant I wouldn't be handling everything so well. Thanks B-dub.

Granted, Matt does miss most of my day-to-day issues (lucky guy), he gets some glimpses and has been great. A few weeks ago I told him that I wake up in the middle of the night all the time on my back and it worries me. They say you're not supposed to be on your back because of blood circulation to the baby. I never know how long I've been in that position and worries me from time to time. It's getting better, I think it's because I'm bigger and rolling around in the middle of the night now knowing it, doesn't really happen now. Matt was in GR this week and woke me up in the middle of the night saying, "Laura, I think you're on your back." I actually had just woken up a few minutes earlier, so I was awake already, but wasn't on my back. I told him I wasn't and that it was ok. It was super dark and I knew he couldn't see me and probably couldn't tell what part of me was what, but I just thought it was so sweet. It had been forever since I mentioned that to him and he still remembered. :)

FYI for family that are asking - we are registered at Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby. I'm sorry they are both in GR and not in Northern Michigan, but it was the best we could do and you can get stuff online.

Really, only 10 weeks left... amazing.