Asher's Journey Earth Side

Well here we are, already a week postpartum and I realized the story has yet to be told.  I love reading birth stories and so I am going to share mine.  I apologize if there is too little or too much detail.  Can't please 'em all ;)  But be warned it is lengthy.

Saturday 10/3:  Woke up about 6:30 to realize that my water had broken...or so I thought.  There was no major gush, and in fact it just seemed to trickle annoyingly all morning.  The doctor had said to call if my water broke, and so I did.  Of course they told me to come in right away.  I didn't particularly want to, since my goal had been to labor at home as long as possible, and I wasn't even having contractions at this point.  So Ben and I decided to be rebels and ignore the advice and stayed home.  

*side note* My mom had come the Tuesday before.  We had been trying everything to get this baby to come, because the last thin we wanted was for her to have to go home before he was born!  Leading up to Saturday, I had tried bouncing on an exercise ball, clary sage essential oil, accupressure points on my ankles, walking, spicy food...and aside from a few twinges, nothing happened.  

Back to Saturday.  We layed low that day, eating, relaxing, playing Skip-bo, talking and we took a few walks.  Early labor contractions started at some point, but were about 10-15 minutes apart and lasted about 30 seconds and weren't that intense.  Ben and Mumzy can tell you, I did not feel like walking, even though they were convinced it would help speed things up. Sure I wanted the baby to come, but physical activity was not sounding like the way I wanted it to happen.  As it turns out, that is what pushed me over the edge.  

Around 6:30 pm, Ben took Sierra up to a friends house who was going to keep her for a while.  While he was gone, my mom convinced me to take another walk around the cemetery.  We were commenting on the contrast of the impending new life in the presence of so many who had died.  While slightly macabre, it is a beautiful and peaceful place...perfect for labor walking =)  Contractions sped up quite a bit from 10 minutes to about 2-3 minutes apart and lasting a little longer, and were a bit more noticeable.  When Ben got back, we packed up and went to the hospital, which was about 30 minutes away.  

By about 8:30-9, I was checked into my room, confirmed my water had sprung a leak,  I was dilated 5 cm and contractions were pretty regular, though not unbearable.  Now I just had to wait for the doctor to come break my water the rest of the way.  

At 10:30 or so, the doctor finally came in and broke my water.  And then the real action got started.  We realized then that had we come in earlier and had them break my water then, we probably would have had a baby much sooner than we actually did. Oh well...live and learn.  

Right away, Ben and I got to put into practice all of the techniques for med-free pain management that we had gone over and over.  For the most part it all worked.  Every contraction, I just zoned out, concentrated hard, relaxed and kept my breathing steady.  I didn't anticipate how much a deep gutteral moan would help during exhaling, but it did.  At one point I got in the tub with jets and it felt so good.  But the doctor wanted the baby monitered every half hour or so which meant getting out of the tub (their portable waterproof moniter wasn't working so well).  And getting out of a tub, drying off, getting to the bed and getting the monitering started was really difficult when stopped by several contractions along the way.  Finally I decided the tub just wasn't worth the back and forth.  My next favorite (if you can call any part of labor a favorite) position was on the birthing ball.  In between contractions I would bounce, and when one came on, I would put my arms around Ben's neck (he was on a stool opposite me) and hang my weight on him.  Super tiring for him, but really helpful for me.  Something about the bouncing helped my body when I couldn't just lay and relax anymore.  

Around 2 am, I finally felt ready to push.  Unbeknownst to us, Bambino was face up and was not in a very good position for coming out quickly.  That led to three hours of pushing.  THREE.  HOURS.  PUSHING.  Definitely the most challenging thing I've done.  In addition to being incredibly tired (kept dozing off between contractions), my muscles and body were so not ready for the intensity that was contained in those three hours.  But I did it anyway.  And somehow my body mustered up the energy.  It wasn't until the last hour or so that I had some serious self-doubt.  I kept telling them I couldn't do it, and I wasn't strong enough, and I was so tired and JUST GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME!!!  At one point, his heart rate leaped up to 190 and they were worried he was in distress.  They almost had to use suction to get him out, but when I heard that, I gave all my last bit of energy into pushing and he came out a few contractions later.  

Oh the sweet relief of feeling his slippery body enter this world and be placed on my chest.  The adrenaline took over and the chaos of the nurses and doctors fussing over me and the baby made for quite a welcoming party.  I remember hearing the doctor say, "Check and make sure he is actually a boy." And I may or may not have slightly panicked that we might have a girl after all the prep for a boy.  But there he was, in all his glory...totally boy. My mom asked his name, Ben and I looked at each other and said, "Asher Warren."  There was laughter, tears, and a very shaky me stroking my baby's cheek as he lay there screaming with the fresh breath of new life.  

His stats were: 

7 lbs, 11 oz.  

21 inches long

healthy, with no complications.

The rest really is details.  Birthing the placenta was miserable.  The Uterine massage (or rather torture) every 15 minutes was terrible.  But I had my baby.  Ben was so exhausted that he passed out sleeping.  My mom went home to sleep and I was there in the bed dozing on and off, holding tightly to my now-sleeping baby.  

Feeding went really smoothly from the get-go.  He latched on after a few tries and after a little bit of a learning curve, we got a good system down.  After a few sleepless nights in the hospital (he kept coughing up amniotic fluid and then choking and gagging on it, which is not a fun sound when you are drifting off to sleep), we finally were cleared to go home.  Of course there are lots of other fun things about the hospital stay...but I shan't bore you with the details.  

A few shoutouts:

Nurse Kathy--We were her only patients that night...and she was so attentive, respectful, sweet and motivational.  She didn't bother us at all except for the intermittent monitering she did every so often.  She chatted with my mom which was actually a helpful distraction between contractions for me.  When I apologized for being a pill because I was so disheartened during the pushing, she said I was amazing and not a pill at all.  Basically she was awesome. 

Mumzy--It was such an honor to have my mom there.  She was an integral part of the team and really made it a doable experience.  From fetching ice water, heat packs, rubbing my legs and arms and propping me up during pushing, to the encouraging words, asking questions I didn't think of, and not letting me give up...it was such a blessing having her there.  I have had to go through a lot of significant events in my life without my mom there recently and so it was comforting to have her presence at one of the most important events.  Her and Ben meshed well and made for a really smooth team. 

Ben--I couldn't have done it without him.  Seriously, the most amazing birth coach and partner ever.  He held my hands, stroked my hair (which i love), read me scripture, kept me hydrated, reminded me that the pain was good and meant things were doing what they were supposed to.  He stayed present with me even though he was exhausted.  He was calm when I was on the borderline of losing my control.  He didn't try to fix it...because there was nothing to fix.  He was just there for me.  He laughed and cried with me as we welcomed our son into the world.  I will forever savor those moments because we had faced and accomplished an incredible feat together, and were finally face-to-face with the fruits of our labor.  It will be an ebenezer in our relationship, marking a really sacred time for us.  

This was my team.  In addition to those present, were all the friends and family who were praying and cheering us on.  We are so blessed to not only have such a strong support network, but also have an incredible community to welcome our son into.   

Ok...now on to pictures!!

This was the day before...I went to goodwill with my mom, and while I was in the dressing room, realized how popped my belly looked. 

Saturday morning, I decided to straighten my hair while having mild contractions. 

Who knows why...

Still smiling...obviously things hadn't started getting super intense yet.  

So I had a plan to wear my own clothes during labor, but their gowns were SO comfortable (albeit hideous), that I just went with that.  

Here we are just a few short hours later...the position that helped the most.  

Just moments after he was born.  You can see he had quite the conehead due to being in the birth canal for THREE HOURS.  poor guy.  Went back to normal by the next day.  

Mimi went over to calm him while he got weighed and measured.  

In the postpartum room...all settled in.  First family selfie =) 

Finally he got his hair washed.  It was all matted and gross.  

Then it was adorably sticking up all over the place.  

Ben's family came to visit.  So fun to have them meet him for the first time. 

The team.  Amazing. 

This picture is Asher...

This picture is Ben as a newborn.  

Crazy resemblance, right?  

All ready to go home! 

Obligatory going home picture =)

Sleepy milk-drunk smiles.  

This melts my heart.  He is such a good daddy. 

His cavernous yawns are pretty much the most adorable.  

And that is what I am doing right now...yawning.  So I shall wrap this up, and will post again soon with a life-post-birth blog.  

stay tuned. 

The In-between

I know that I kind of left you all hanging with my last post.  And I am here to let you know that my life isn't all insecurity and depressing thoughts...  In fact, those kinds of things are not prevailing at all.  Very real, very powerful...but not prevailing.  

So here I am...two-ish weeks from my Estimated Due Date.  Based on a recent doctor's appointment, things are looking good and heading toward the finish line!  Bambino is nice and comfy and low in my pelvis, my body is all ready  to do this thing at any time.  While she didn't want to give me a specific arrival time obviously, she said she wouldn't be surprised if he was born in the next week or so.  

And so I find myself in this beautifully frustrating place of in-between.  I told Ben that at this point, it seems like carrying this baby longer isn't serving much purpose.  I mean, he is fully developed, a good weight, ready to be born (by all measurable qualifications)... I'm basically a little nest for him to wait until that magical moment my uterus decides it is ready to vacate him.  While the anticipation is mounting, I can't really say that I'm hating the limbo.  I am still sleeping pretty good at night, feeling okay (aside from minor aches and pains), and haven't experienced any cramping or other kinds of pre-labor discomforts.   I don't want to rush something that isn't ready to happen.  

But I also am so looking forward to meeting this little guy face-to-face.  I guess it is still surreal to think that I will be his mom.  That he will depend totally on Ben and I.  That I won't have to give him back at the end of the day.  I have spent so much time with other people's kids that it is hard for me to picture having my own.  

BRING IT ON!

We recently went on vacation to Michigan with my family (yes, I did travel at 36 weeks...and yes everything was fine).   Not everyone was there, but we enjoyed the time we had!  unfortunately, I did not pull out my camera to take pictures that often, so there really isn't a great representation.  

There is nothing like sunset on a lake

Large Baby bump...It is strange to me that I don't remember life pre-bump.  

Amy and I and our bumps...6 weeks apart.  So excited for our kiddos to be close in age!  

It was quite fun to spend time with these guys!  Always enjoy good bonding with them and their kiddos. 

On to other life things...

Kind of blurry, but a friend snapped this of Ben and I when we were out to dinner the other night.  I thought it was cute. =)  

Pepper bounty from our garden.  Used our Purple Bell peppers in some Sweet and Sour Chicken, still pondering ideas for jalapenos, and decided to string up the red chiles and dry them out! 

And now for the OTHER exciting news in our family...

...drumroll please...

My little (not-so-little) brother, Joe is ENGAGED.  

that is right. He is getting married. 

MIND. BLOWN. 

I can hardly believe that he is at this stage of life. 

In our younger years, Joe and I didn't always get along so well.  He was annoying, I was bossy and the combination just didn't jive most of the time.   By the grace of God, we are both able to pull memories from our childhood that were positive and hold sweet experiences for us. 

Over the years, we have been able to move past those not-so-great dynamics and actually become friends.  Joe went to the same high school I did, and we had a lot in common because we had the same teachers and similar friends. 

He then went to the same college I did...and again, we had common ground.  Sure we still have our sibling moments when we bother each other, but it hasn't seemed to hinder the positive growth.

Our friendship developed and we share conversations about life, relationships, school, God and ourselves.  I have come to really appreciate the man Joe has become.  He is wise, godly, funny, lively, musical, thoughtful, cautious, adventerous... 

I always knew he would make someone a fantastic life partner someday. 

In fact, the only thing I'm mourning right now, is that I am no longer his go-to girl.  He used to always call me up for advice or just to get my perspective...and now that will change.  But I am used to it.  After all, he is brother number 3 to go through this...and each time I have gone through a period of feeling replaced...only to realize that it is right and good that I am replaced and that it doesn't mean our friendship is over...just that it has different parameters.  (it helps that they have all married great women!) 

This kid...

pretty fantastic. 

And he also knows how to have a good time...which is definitely a plus!

This is the girl he is marrying...Heather.  

Isn't she just adorable?!

For a little bit of background...Heather and I have been friends for quite a while.  

Here is a bit of our history...

We roadtripped across the country with her sister Tasha. 

She made us matching beanies...(obviously she is a talented knitter or crochetter) 

We climbed mountains in Colorado together! 

We ate at a really random little diner with a giant stuffed Elk head behind us. 

We sang "Jar of Hearts" together at a painted piano in Downtown Saint Paul (before I ever knew I would move here).

She serenaded us in the dog park with her ukelele

we tanned our pelts at the beach

These are just a few of the snapshots of so many good times Heather and I have shared together.   So many conversations, laughs, crazy times and just building a friendship in general.  I am so so grateful to have her as a part of our family now.  She will be a fabulous addition.  Not to mention, she and Joe are MFEO (meant for each other)

 =)  

So here is to new and exciting changes in our family all across the board!  2015-2016 is a big year for us, and like always, God has proven faithful...I have no doubt he will continue to be! 

  

Insecurity and its Ugly Head

I know my last post made it seem like everything is great, dandy and fine.  Which, for the most part, it is.  But there are also underlying dynamics about this season which are catching me off guard, even though their refrain is all too familiar.

*fair warning...word vomit about to ensue.

My point in sharing all of this is I want to do this parenting thing well...  Not perfect, not without flaws...but genuine, honest, forward and onward.

I don't consider myself a pessimist, generally speaking.  And I am really not an optimist either.  I like to think I am a realist.  Looking at things realistically, evaluating and preparing accordingly.  However, I do have this one thing I do, and it is particularly bad right now.

Inside my head and heart, I prepare myself for the worst, or at least allow the worst to be a realistic option.  I do this so that the worst can't blindside me, because I already considered it and made plans to deal with it.  For example, if I am hosting a party with mixed friends and family groups, I lower my expectations for how well the dynamics will mesh.  That way, if the group doesn't jive, and people don't seem to have a good time...well, I expected that, so I'm not disappointed.  Makes sense, right?

Well, Ben and I were talking about it last night and I realized that I have been doing this big time for becoming a mom...and a stay-at-home mom, to boot!  I have heard so many stories about how exhausting and thankless and stressful being a mom is.  I have heard how it will strain my marriage, I will be disgusted with my body and will wear sweats 24-7 and maybe get a shower once a week.  I have heard how depression will settle over me and I may have trouble bonding with my baby.  I have heard that doing laundry, meals, tidying, errands etc...will not be accomplished in a timely or complete manner because it is all to much to juggle.  I have heard that alone time with my husband will be practically non-existent for at least the first year.  I have heard that I shouldn't have too high of standards for my children or myself in the discipline department, because it just isn't realistic.


And maybe pieces of that may very well be true at various times.  And just maybe it will all happen at once.  I don't know.  But I find myself preparing for that.  Trying not to assume I will be exempt from any of it.  Unfortunately, in the process, I resign myself to the fact that I am not even capable of better.  I want to prepare Ben for this kind of mom/wife I am sure to become.  That if he expects anything better than what I described above, he wil be sorely disappointed...so start preparing now, buddy! Slowly all the confidence I had, all the excitement and anticipation of being a mom is clouded over by the really depressing reality that seems to be inevitable.   It sucks me down into a really unhealthy spiral of self-deprication, insecurity... and ultimately the mantras I find myself repeating in an effort to be prepared end up becoming truths in my life.

I already kind of got the "Don't be fooled, you aren't exempt" reminders on facebook for stating a particular standard for myself and my child in a certain aspect of parenting.  So I realize what I am about to say may very well bring out those well-meaning reminders that I am not above it all, and I may as well pull my head out of the clouds.  But in people's efforts to be realistic and prepare me (which, as you can see, I do plenty of myself), they don't always balance that with the positives of this mommy thing.  I know they mean well, and really just want to share their war stories.  But where are the joys?  The accomplishments?  The encouragements that if I have a goal or standard to stick with it, because goals and standards aren't bad.  The truth that I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me.   The rejoicing with others in their accomplishments, even if it is our area of struggle.  Or supporting others in their moments of doubt and discouragement, and not flaunting that we have that figured out.

I don't want to be that wife and mother up there that has been layed out for me.  Like I said before, I know aspects of it will be true...but they don't have to define me.  Challenges will arise in my relationship with Ben, but it doesn't mean we have to let them bring lasting tension and distance between us.  I will be tired and feel like crying at times, but that doesn't have to translate into depression.  My body will be different, but that doesn't mean I will automatically resent my baby or the pregnancy process or hate myself every time I look in a mirror.   It may be hard to get done various chores, tasks and errands on a set schedule and perfectly every time.  But that doesn't mean I just give up and assume I'm not capable of a tidy house or yummy dinner.

It could mean those things if I let it.  But it doesn't have to.  In fact, I want to make some statements for myself that may come across as arrogant or ignorant or naive or whatever.  But hear me out...

~I will take a shower as often as I need to.  Mainly because showering is calming, rejuvinating and I love being clean.
~I will leave my baby with a trusted friend or family member for date nights because I refuse to have my world revolve solely around the little guy.  I mean, it took the two of us to make him, and we are a team, and I can't kick my teammate (and friend, and lover and confidant and supporter) out now.  
~I will invest in time with my baby, even if that means sacrificing folded clothes or having mac-n-cheese for dinner here and there.  And if baby is sleeping or otherwise occupied, I will make an effort to fold the laundry and thaw the chicken...because Ben and I deserve clean clothes in our drawers and some protein in our bellies too.
~I will remind myself every time I pass a mirror that this body grew and nurtured a precious human life for 9 months.  And each imperfection that my biased eyes see is actually the perfection of how intricately and amazingly God made my body to do this and they all combine to tell a beautiful story.  And I will believe my husband when he tells me I am the most beautiful woman to him, not only because of my outward looks, but also because I carried our son and there is no other woman who meets that criteria.
~As my baby grows into a toddler, I will have certain expectations and standards of behavior, because that is my job as a parent.  Even if it is tough and yields few results and feels pointless, I will press on.  Because if I (we) don't do this hard work of teaching and journeying through the selfish, ungrateful, angry, disrespectful moments with our kid...we are ultimately doing him a disservice as his parents.
~I will accept help, because I don't have to do it all alone or prove anything to anyone, and I don't believe I was meant to.  That is the beauty and purpose of community, family, and loving like Jesus loved.
~I will allow myself to be encouraged by my support system.  When they speak words of truth and uplifting encouragement, I will choose to believe them.

My life won't look perfect.  I will struggle.  But I want to commit to stand strong against what the Enemy is whispering in my ear.  He wants me to believe that this will be miserable or overwhelmingly hard.  That the joy will be overshadowed by the monotony and drudgery.  This is a big step for me, because it leaves me open to the unknown.  For if I don't expect the worst, I may very well get caught off guard and hurt.  I guess that is where I find God...waiting for me in those moments.  Offering yet another opportunity for me to seek Him out and rely on his strength to accomplish those things I stated above.

I am so grateful for my husband's presence through this messy discovery.  He has confidence in me.  Confidence in God in me.  He doesn't think I'm crazy (even though I might be).  He doesn't write me off as hormonal (even though I definitely am). He has grace for me when I have very little for myself.  He has adjusted expectations, hugged me through meltdowns, spoken words of truth to me and at the end there was a foot-rub.  I don't deserve him, but I am very grateful for him.  And I can't wait to be a parent with him.


Sorry that was long...but I needed to write out some of my thoughts and where I am at.  I can already tell this will be an ongoing journey for me, and I will probably reference this post in the future when I lose sight of all the things I just wrote.

Life these days

Well I can tell you, it is flying by.  Only two more weeks of my summer nanny job.  Only 6 more weeks until Bambino joins us!  I can hardly wait.  I didn't realize it was possible to still have the baby arm ache and baby fever when the reality that your very own baby was coming so soon. But I have it.  Every time I peek into his little cozy corner outside our room.  Every time I fold up a little sleeper or tiny pair of socks.  I can hardly believe this is happening and that I will be a mother to my own baby.  One who no one else knows yet.  One who I know the best of all... by his hiccup patterns reverberating deep in my belly, his jabs and rolls as he rearranges in his tight little nest, by his little tap-tap response when I push on his feet.   It truly is amazing.

Someone recently asked me if I was tired of being pregnant.  And the answer is no.  But allow me to qualify that statement.  I am tired of not being able to function as I normally could.  Simple things have now become complex tasks or I have given up all together.  My brain simply cannot remember things that should be the easiest to recall.  Yes, I have had moments where my husband reminds me twice not to forget the gift for the party, and not five minutes later, I walk right past it by the door and don't realize I forgot it until I arrive at my destination.   Yes, I got all the things ready to bring the dog with me one day, and then as I was leaving, walked outside and tied her up to her cable, told her to be good and drove away.  Yes, I get up every few hours in the night to go to the bathroom.  Yes, I have to roll out of bed, squat to retrieve dropped things, have Ben help me put on shoes and underwear, do gymnastics to shave my legs (or just go prickly).  And Yes, I lumber about like an ox, fall into bed like a beached whale, flale my arms to get up like an upside down turtle and often forget that my belly extends too far and get caught between things I used to be able to slip through.

 But this process...this mind-blowing, life changing, intricate, ever-changing, mysterious process...I am not yet tired of.

On to 34-week (almost 8 months) stats:
-Bambino is getting close to 5 lbs, measuring a little bigger than my Estimated Due Date
-He is head down and will hopefully stay that way
-This means most of his kicking and jabbing is done up by my ribs
-He gets hiccups about 2-3 times a day
-He is most active when I am resting, and especially when I lay down to go to sleep at night and just wake up in the morning.
-I am sleeping pretty good, but sitting is getting more and more tricky, as I need pretty good back support.  You should see me in church, I have my foot stand, a cushion for my back, my water bottle and a blanket because it is SO COLD in our sanctuary.
-We have been practicing relaxation and breathing techniques...Ben is taking the coaching seriously...it's so cute, and gives me supreme confidence that he will be an excellent birthing partner!
-His little cozy corner is shaping up quite nicely
-I have been grateful for lack of swollen feet, heartburn and some other unpleasant things that often come with pregnancy.  My biggest "complaints" are general weariness, some back discomfort after sitting too long in bad positions, inability to eat very much at one time, and those pesky Braxton-Hicks contractions that tighten up my belly and make things generally uncomfortable.


I shall get some pictures posted as soon as I can...they are currently downloading, and there are a lot to sort through!

In the mean time, I am going to go grocery shopping.  Because it is my day off, I am feeling motivated, and I have learned that if I am feeling motivated, to jump at the opportunity, because it might be a while until it returns...

One fabulous weekend while my brother was here, my cousin Justin flew out and we met up with Randy (who is Justin's cousin and also lives in MN now), and we went up to a friends lake house for a day or two of boating and lounging! 

Thanks again, Justin for the hookup ;)

We took Sierra...and she hung around Randy a lot, because he gave her the most attention. 

She was being so crazy though.  Everytime someone would jump in the water, she got all concerned and would pace and whine and would have jumped in too, so we had to tie her with a tow line.  And she would fervently watch the skiier/wakeboarder until they were back in the boat.  

Seriously though...she couldn't just relax.  It was cute though, I think she felt the need to rescue them. 

Keeping an eye on the double skiers

Gorgeous sunset

Randy slalom skiing while holding his dropped ski under his arm.  

After being on the boat, Justin serenaded us with some amazing trumpet echoing out over the lake! 

This is what Sierra would have done the whole time if we let her!  

Overall, it was such a fun few days...perfect summer weekend! 

Baby bump doin' its thing!  I think I was early 7 months here. 

Celebrating Tanya's birthday on a dinner boat cruise on the St. Croix.  

I love my dear friends!

Our riverboat.  Don't know what is going on in the botttom of the picture...

One of the reasons I love them...they know how to have a good time...even with pre-lit sparklers!

One of my 4 showers was hosted by some ladies from church.  It was so tastefully done, delicious food, perfect outdoor weather...

A snapshot from someone else's perspective.  

One of the gifts from my in-laws was the cutest pair of Nike shoes that match a pair that Ben has.  TOO adorable.  I can hardly handle it.  =)

Fischer and Violet, the kids I nanny for the summer!  Enjoying Minnehaha Falls!

Went with Joe and Rose to a Pentatonix/Kelly Clarkson concert.  Interesting combination, but it was fun.  Not to mention we got hooked up with the most amazing tickets/seats because Kelly's keyboardist and Musical Director is an old friend of mine.  

PTX doing their thing.  They were wonderful.  It was fun to watch them put on a show and to hear their amazingness live! 

Although we agreed that it would have been better in a smaller venue where people weren't so loud =)

Oh yeah, got to meet this pretty lady.  Who is also expecting a baby too!  She is sweet.  And meeting celebrities isn't as crazy as one might think.  She is super down to earth and sweet.  could definitely see us being friends ;) 

  

Her singing with Jason (my friend) playing in the background 

Cute wall hanging my super talented cousin Bethany made for Bambino's cozy corner.  

My very hard-working husband using his bubble level to make sure he hangs things straight.  Love him. 

So our baby corner is kind of hard to explain, but this picture kind of shows what we are dealing with.  Our technical front door is non-functional (although it is a super awesome door).  We have a separate entrance.  Anyway, this little nook was the former entryway in some other lifetime.   It is basically an extension off of our bedroom, as our doorway is just to the right of where I'm standing to take the picture.  The actual door to this whole area is behind where I'm standing and leads to the living room.  I'll try to get more pictures someday.   Basically it is a strange set-up, but it works.  And we have a blackout curtain that can section off the baby nook from the rest of our room.  This was the only space that worked, as we wanted to keep our guest room a guest room.  Turns out, it is super functional, adorable and has easy access from our room.  

Amazing the kinds of shelving and storage out there that lends itself well to small spaces.  

My talented friend, Crystal, took some maternity shots for us.  I loved how they turned out! 

Sierra was so cute.  This picture has become a favorite of many who have seen it!

This mess used to be my fish oil capsule bottle.  Before the dog got curious and broke her super long spell of being really good while I'm gone.  She chewed the bottle and popped the gels on my entryway rugs...and as much as we tried to clean it and air it, the distinct fishy odor remained.  So we had to toss the rugs and start over (they weren't nice enough to pursue more expensive and lengthy means of cleaning).  

*sigh*

No more vitamins on the counter.  Thankfully my prenatals are in a glass jar...or else I would have been out a fair amount of money too...

My dear friends (previously mentioned on the riverboat dinner cruise), threw me a sweet baby shower too.  I didn't get many pictures, but it was children-book themed.  All the food matched a book:  Deviled eggs made with green herbs and proscuitto (Green Eggs and Ham),  Fruit skewers with green grapes and topped with a strawberry (Very Hungry Caterpillar), Bowl of colored goldfish crackers (One Fish, Two Fish)...and others.  It was so cute and fun!  

In all, it has been a full month or so.  I'm caught between living in the moment and savoring all the good things...and living in anticipation for this baby's arrival and the next piece of the adventure.  Overall, I am feeling incredibly blessed, content and grateful for what life is, who God is, and for each step along the way! 

au revoir.