6 months oh my!

My little boy is 6 months old now! Where in the world has the time gone?

Jackson continues to amaze me every day and I just love watching him grow into a little boy. The biggest change I've noticed over the last 4 weeks has been his motor skills and ability to sit up by himself. Not only does he enjoy sitting up and playing with toys but it makes bath time a lot easier!

Just last night I watched Jackson playing with his gumball machine toy and he surprised us by picking up the ball (about 3 in in diameter) and dropped it into the opening of the gumball machine! He also can clap his hands to the "patty cake" rhyme and has figured out how to put his toe in his mouth. I'm such a proud mama!

My job is going well, but I'm still having a tough time being away from him during the day. I miss simple things like the way he smells and holding him in my arms. I absolutely live for the weekends and our special morning time when Sean, Jackson and I can sleep-in together. I love when he wakes up next to me and coos and touches my face to wake me up too.

The other day he was sitting in his high chair when I came home from work and when he saw me he threw his hands in the air toward me. It just melted my heart!

Well the holidays are here and we have really enjoyed spending time with family and friends. For Thanksgiving we traveled down to La Grande to see my mom's family. Jackson napped during most of our meal but he did wake up in time to try some swee potatoes and a little dollop of cool whip. My mom gave him an early Christmas present - his very own wooden rocking chair. Since he was still a little wobbly sitting up at the time my mom used a scarf as a seat belt to keep him upright (grandparents are so smart!).

This weekend Sean, Jackson, and I are moving into our own place. Up until now, the Rae's have graciously let us stay with them while we have been transitioning back home.

My dad surprised us all when he told us he was planning to retire in Richland in a few years and was going to buy a house. We'll be his renters until he is ready to come down here. Needless to say, we are very excited and so grateful to have such wonderful families!

5 months old

Jackson turned 5 months old this week! I need to get him on a scale to see how much he weighs, but we do know that he is almost 27 inches long. He is growing through his clothes so fast I can harldy keep up!

It has been three weeks since I started my new job and Jackson has taken very well to spending the weekdays with his Nana & Cappie or Grammy & Randy. Sean and I are so thankful that he is being watched and cared for by the best!

Just about 2 weeks ago we started him on baby food and he has been doing great. So far he's tried rice cereal, oatmeal, applesauce, peaches, pears, sweet potato, and peas. Feeding him is really fun but we both get covered in food because he thinks it is really funny to blow bubbles with food in his mouth!

Jackson is also starting to sit up on his own (although mostly hunched over resting on his belly) and he also discovered his feet! He hasn't pulled them in his mouth yet, but I'm sure that's not too far away.

He is also becoming much more interactive and starting to make new sounds. So far we've heard a little "da da" and "mmmma". I don't think he realizes what he is saying yet, but it's very cute anyway!

I can't believe the holidays are just around the corner. This Thanksgiving we plan to go to La Grande with my side of the family and spend Christmas here in the Tri-Cities. For now I just can't wait to see what the rest of month 5 has in store.

Love you baby boy!

4 months old

Dang it I got lazy about updating my blog again! Jackson is now 4 1/2 months old and weighing in at a hefty 20 lbs.

I can't believe how quickly he is growing and learning. He is like a sponge! Some of his biggest accomplishments in month 4 have been learning to "johnny jump" and roll over by himself! It is the cutest thing to see him bouncing and giggling in the door way!

It's a good thing that my mother-in-law, Dawn, kept her johnny jumper from when her kids were babies. It may be almost 30 years old, but it works like a charm! The new ones in stores just don't work quite the same... believe me... my mom and I have tried about 3 other brands but none of them are quite as springy.

Well Halloween is almost here and I can't wait for the festivities to begin! We had a fun time going to the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago. Jackson had his first hayride and trip through a corn maze. We are planning to dress him up as a tiger (as long as he hasn't grown out of his costume) and the Rae's are having a Halloween party so that should be fun!

Growing up so fast!

Jackson is about 3 1/2 months old now and learning so many new things! His biggest accomplishment this week was learning to roll over from his back to his tummy. He's doing a lot better about tummy time and doesn't fuss about it as much. He's also starting to reach for toys while he's on his belly.

Every morning he gets up with me and sits in his chair while I get some coffee. Then we usually spend some time playing on the floor or reading books. The look on his face while I read to him is precious - he is just mezmorized by the colorful pages!

Over the last few weeks he's been taking a little bit longer naps and doesn't cry for very long if I put him in his crib. When I'm really struggling to get him to go to bed I just take a nap right alongside him. He loves to cuddle!

3 months old

Jackson turned 3 months old this week. The "little" guy is around 19 or 20 lbs! My arms are getting stronger by the day :)

Last night he went on his first church outing to hear his Nana's singing group perform. The music was wonderful and he was an angel baby. He even spoke up and babbled when the pastor asked the congregation to voice any joys or need for prayers. He was showing off all the new sounds he can make and it was very cute!

Jackson is also gaining a lot of strength in his neck and back (although he still hates tummy time). He loves to be pulled up into a sitting position and also enjoys the view when he's standing up.

Earlier this week we moved Jackson's crib into a separate bedroom so he can have a quieter place to sleep. Sean and I don't have to tip toe around at night anymore too! I keep the monitor next to me at night so I can hear all his grunts, hiccups, and cries. During the day we have the webcam set up so I can check on him while he naps. Such wonderful technology we have!

Love you baby boy,

~ Mommy

12 weeks old

I can't believe my baby Jackson is almost 3 months old! Just in the last week or so he's been developing such a personality and likes and dislikes.

He loves sleeping next to mommy & daddy in the morning. I usually pull him in to bed with us after he's slept in his crib all night and I can usually get a few more hours of sleep that way. When he is ready to get up for the day he just smacks me in the face a few times :)

We found out this week that he loves watching tv. I almost feel guilty letting him watch tv in his swing, but he gets so tickled and just laughs and shouts the whole time. It's very cute!

Jackson is using his hands a little more this week and gets excited when we give him a blanket to chew on. I can put him in one of his swings or baby chairs with a few toys and his blanket and he'll keep himself busy while I get a few things done.

I'm still struggling to get him to take naps during the day. He gets so mad when he gets tired and really fights falling to sleep. He seems to only need 2 or 3 cat naps lasting 30-45 mins if I'm lucky.

Being back home has been great already. Jackson gets to play with his cousin all the time and has been spoiled by his grandparents. He even got to go swimming for the first time and absolutely loved it!

Love you baby boy!

- Mommy

11 weeks old

Seeing as it has been 2 months since my last post I've got a lot to cover!

First of all, Jackson is doing absolutely great. He's a very happy, healthy boy, and so loveable! Over the last 11 weeks he has really been growing. At our last appointment (Aug 12th) he weighed over 15 pounds and was 25 inches long. According to the charts he is in the 97th percentile. He's growing through his clothes already too... now wearing size 6month!

Jackson is also sleeping through the night now. In fact, last night he slept for 9 hours straight, woke up and ate at 7am and then slept in until 10am! A huge improvement from waking every two hours for a diaper change and feeding. Everyone who told me that "things will get better" was totally right.

So far he really enjoys his nightly baths too. Either Sean or myself usually get in the tub with him and he just gets very calm and likes to "swim" in the water. Afterward he gets in his jammies and nurses and then goes right to sleep.

He is also very active and vocal. When he wakes up in the morning he has plenty of happy shouts and ah goos for me. Lots of big smiles too! Can't wait until he starts giggling and laughing!

Overall he's a pretty happy guy unless you put him on his tummy for too long. He starts to scream after about 5 minutes but we're working on it every day.


In mommy & daddy news, we made the decision to move back to the Tri-cities. We are leaving Duvall this weekend (Aug 28th) and headed back to our hometown to raise Jackson with both sets of grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins!

The decision wasn't easy, but with the cost of child care alone it would have been almost impossible for us to stay here. Sean was fortunate to find a job very quickly which helped solidify our plans. I put in my notice at my job and I'm still looking for the
right opportunity to come up. Right now, being a full time mom and wife is my job and I'm happy about that!

Love you Jackson,

- Mommy

Jackson has arrived!!

This post is quite a bit late, but the good news is Jackson has arrived and is doing great! Here are a few quick updates since I only have a little time before he wakes up from his nap :)

In my last post I mentioned that I was getting induced, but as luck would have it I started going into labor around 8pm on June 11th while all my family started rolling into town. Talk about good timing! At first the pain just started as cramping and then started growing stronger and stronger. By 10pm Sean and I were headed to the hospital. Once I was admitted the nurses found that my water had already broken or was slowly leaking so they needed to keep me there until baby was born. I continued to have really strong contractions for a few hours while we waited for the anesthesiologist to arrive. It felt like days had passed before he arrived, but the epidural really was a life saver. I don't know how women go without it. A few more hours passed and by about 6am I was at 10 cm and ready to push. At 6:40a.m. Jackson made his way into the world and weighed a whopping 8lbs 13oz, 21.5 inches long!

I was discharged from the hospital on the 13th, but I only stayed home for a few hours before I spiked a bad fever and had to return to the emergency room. The next few days are now a blur, but unfortunately I got a urinary and uterine infection and had to be hospitalized for 48 hours. It was really not the way I pictured things starting out. Anyways, Sean and both our families were a huge help in my recovery and I can't thank them enough!!

With all of that behind me now I am finally enjoying being a mom to Jackson... and he is just amazingly perfect! He's growing like a weed already. He is 2 weeks old and already put on 2 pounds :) This is of course because he wants to eat every 1 to 2 hours. Right now he naps most of the day and isn't the best about sleeping at night. He wakes up about every 2 hours with a wet diaper and ready to eat. Last night he did have a 4 hour stretch of sleep, so hopefully we are getting the hard part out of the way.

Baby is waking up now, so I've gotta cut this short even though I could go on forever about how great Jackson is :)

Almost... but not yet

Well the end is finally in sight. Yesterday Sean and I went in for our last pre-natal appointment. We packed the car with our bags and cameras just in case :)

I let the doctor know that I was a little worreid that Jackson had slowed down quite a bit so they hooked me up to the fetal monitor to check on him (fortunately we didn't have to go back to the birth center for this!). After about 5 minutes Jackson was dancing like a crazy man and his heart beat looked/sounded wonderful. I just needed some reassurance I guess!

Afterward the doctor did an exam and said I was about 2 cm dialated... just like last week. He also said that because I'm in week 41 that I need the baby out by the following week before we risk him getting too big or other complications. We talked more about setting up an induction and now we are scheduled to start at 6am on June 12th. I'm still nervous about the risks involved but I'm hoping and praying that since I've had a very healthy pregnancy this far that everything goes well.

After all was said and done we walked out of the doctor's office with a little bounce in our step because we finally knew that we're going to get to meet Jackson very soon! I was also pretty pleased to find that my weight gain had finally plateaued, thank the Lord!

We headed to the grocery store to pick up a few snacks to pack for our hospital stay. We even got in line with Safeway's most annoying cashier, but I was still in such a good mood that I didn't snap or cry when she said, "oh honey you are very pregnant." Yes that's right... but not for much longer!!

Sean and I continued our celebration by making some cookies last night... well it was mostly Sean doing all the work since I needed to put my feet up. But... here are some of our final pictures prior to being parents:












Well I guess this is it for pregnancy blogging. Both our families are coming in to town today, so let the madness begin!

Forever pregnant

Well folks I'm still pregnant and today I'm officially one week past my due date. I know most women are late with their first babies and I guess I'm going to be one of them.

Sean and I have exhausted the list of ways to get labor started. We've come to realize that Jackson will arrive when he's ready and that there is no amount of pineapple, walking, or spicy food that will get him out sooner.

I've taken care of almost everything on my to-do list, including getting the carpets cleaned (thanks Mom!), worked on the baby book, and even cleaned my car (thanks sweetie!). Now if only the contractions would start.

This afternoon I'm going in for my last pre-natal appointment so I'm hoping for the best. Sean and I are thinking about scheduling an induction today. We've been weighing out the pros and cons and it really is a last resort but I also can't afford to be using up all my maternity leave waiting for baby to get here! Agh, decisions decisions. I'll have more to update tomorrow or later this week.

Today's my due date... still waiting!

Well today is my due date and I'm still blogging, so baby isn't here yet, but he should be very soon! We're in the middle of a warm weather streak and I believe Seattle is under a heat advisory. Needless to say, pregnant women hate being hot and I'm one of them! I spent most of the day napping in front of my fan and eating popscicles on the couch. Oh the life!

I just got back from my "40 week" check and it was quite the experience for Sean and I. Since everything is still fresh on my mind, here goes...

We arrived to my doctor's office about 15 mins early to our appointment and we were greeted not by smiling faces but the look of surprise. One of the medical assistants tells me that she just left me a message on my phone about rescheduling since the doctor was out delivering a baby. I figured this would happen at least once since he is an OB/GYN but not on my actual due date! But since we were there they offered to let us wait a few minutes to see if he would be done soon and if not we'd go across the street to the hospital to have one of the nurses at the birth center do a "quick check". Sounded easy and we were flexible since we didn't have anywhere to be.

After waiting for a little bit, we were instructed to go to the hospital and check in at the birth center. We arrive and then we got admitted to the actual hospital and had a room set up for us. This wasn't what we were expecting at all! Once in the actual birth center we could tell that they were extrememly busy and understaffed. The nurse manager came in to the room and strapped me to the bed with a fetal monitor and the other monitor that checks for contractions. Sean and I were frustrated because we were told that we were just getting a quick check to see if I was dialated any more than last week. The nurse told me they wanted to monitor the baby and I for about 20-30 minutes and would only do a "check" if I was having contractions.

Despite getting the run around it was pretty cool to hear Jackson's heart rate and also see that I was having some small contractions that lasted a few seconds. I wasn't able to feel them, but at least they are happening! The nurse also said the baby looks to be very healthy too, so we are very happy about that!

Luckily I ended up getting to see my doctor after he finished up delivering the baby next door. However, he said I was about 1-2 cm dialated and about 75% effaced. No progress from last week :(

My doctor gave us some info about scheduling an induction and I'm thinking about it but really on the fence since there are some risks involved. I just want Jackson to get here safely... but sooner rather than later please!

Anyways, that's about it for now. I'll get a picture posted shortly.

Come on Jackson!

Week 40... can't believe it! The last 9 months have really flown by. I'm down to the last few days, well hopefully!

At our last appointment on May 27th the doctor said I was about 90% effaced and 1-2 cm dialated. Hopefully things keep progressing and I'm not this way for quite a while. I have another appointment in a few days so we shall see.

Sean and I have been trying out several ideas for jump starting labor including: 5 mile walks, running stairs, jumping jacks, lunges, driving in his truck on bumpy gravel/dirt roads, drinking raspberry tea, and eating spicy food. Bascially I'm going through boot camp to get this baby out.

My friends at work laugh that I'm getting more exercise while pregnant than ever before. Very true! For all the walking Sean and I do I wish I had some great legs to show off. Nope! Completely swollen and bloated with water. Oh well, keeping active will make recovery easier I guess.

Here's a picture I took of my swollen hands after an afternoon walk. They get so large it hurts to bend my fingers.

This week was also my last week of work. It was kind of bittersweet. I'm definitely looking forward to sleeping past 5 am and not having to iron dress clothes and wear heels every day, but I'll miss my friends!

Hopefully this is one of my last posts before Jackson arrives. If not I'll have more info after our next appointment!

- Kelly

Counting down the days

Well according to our calculations, I am now in my 39th week of the pregnancy. At this point, who cares how many weeks the doctor says I’ve got left… I am ready now!

Words cannot describe how exhausted I am these days. My daily cup of coffee doesn’t even make a dent in my sleepiness. I'm starting to get that really pregnant look too.... everything is swelling - feet, ankles, legs, arms, etc etc. Oh I can not wait to be done!

I’ve got about 5 more days of work before my maternity leave kicks in, so maybe I’ll get a day or two to sleep in and rest up before Jackson arrives. If he comes sooner I am totally fine with that too!!

Just like I was anticipating feeling the baby’s first kicks, I am patiently waiting for the first contractions to start. Unlike a lot of women I’ve talked to, I haven’t experienced any Braxton hicks contractions. Guess I’m just lucky?

At my last doctor appointment the doctor determined that I was about 75% effaced but not quite dialated yet. Heart beat and blood pressure are still doing good.

Jackson is starting to settle down and when he does move around it's slow stretching movements. People are telling me it looks like he's dropped down a little too. I don't feel a difference I just know I look giant.

Sean and I are still doing our nightly 2.5 mile walk and it’s getting harder each time. Sean is still being wonderful about keeping me motivated and upbeat. It's so easy to just complain all the time, but he helps me keep things in perspective!

On nights that I don't just plop into bed after our walk I’m also following up the regular routine with a few sets of jumping jacks, squats, and running up the stairs. Sounds painfull, but it actually isn't at all!

This week I celebrated my 24th birthday! My mom and Randy came into town and we had a great time celebrating! My mom treated me to a pedicure and it was so relaxing that I fell asleep in the chair, haha! It just felt great getting my fat feet massaged.

I also had one final baby shower at work. Since there are so many newborns and pregnant women in the office we had a group baby shower. I got one of the new “Johnny jump ups” and a highchair! We have nowhere to put anything at our house, so it's all stacked downstairs. Wherever we live next will need more closet space!

That's all the updates for now. I have my next appointment on May 27th so hopefully I'll have made some "progress" by then.

Here is the most recent belly picture:

Maternity Photos

Last weekend, Sean's younger brother took a few maternity photos for us. Thank you again Dustin!

week... ?

Sean and I went in for another doctor appointment last Monday (5/11). Baby and I are still doing great. I just keep telling myself that Jackson is doing all the weight gaining... not me!

The doctor told us that we were 36 weeks and 5 days pregnant. Somewhere along the way we managed to go backward a week or maybe we have been off on our counting, but nonetheless I'm about ready to pop so whenever Jackson decides to get here will be fine with me!

Here is the weekly belly photo:

Over the last several days I've had a lot of family in town. My mom, Randy, and Kristine came and visited on May 14th so we could celebrate my mom's birthday. My mom got to show off her new car and also delivered some essentials, ie. car seat, bath tub, diaper pail, and baby rocker. We had a nice dinner w/ family that night and although it was a short stay, I'll see them again next week for my birthday!

Sean's mom and Dustin also paid us a visit and also droped off more baby gear: crib, changing table, the other car seat, and our stroller. All our wonderful gifts we couldn't stuff into my car on the way home from the baby shower! It looks like Babies r Us unloaded a shipment at my house!

In more exciting news, Dawn and I went shopping over the weekend and picked up the last few things on my list, including the crib bedding. Check it out:














I also gave in and bought a few new maternity shirts to get me through the last few weeks and also a few nursing bras/shirts for when Jackson arrives!

Can't wait for him to get here! More updates early next week after my next appointment.

- Kelly

36 weeks

Although I'm late getting this posted and now closer to finishing week 37, here are the updates for week 36:

I went in to the doctor on Monday, May 3rd for a regular pre-natal check up. My uterus was measuring 36 cm and Jackson's heart beat was loud and clear! I told my doctor how I've been experiencing some really sharp pains in my pelvis, to the point where rolling over in bed and walking short distances brings tears to my eyes. The doctor did a check and found that I was about 50% effaced but not dialated and that I definitely have a head down baby. Great news, except his head is what's making me hurt so bad! From here on out I'll be seeing the doctor every week.

Also this week my hands and feet have swollen to the size of sausages and I can't get my rings on and off very well. I don't want to go without my wedding ring, but it's just getting too tight!

My belly is giant and gets heavier every day! Here is the picture from week 36:

In other exciting news, Lance & Jenny had their baby on May 8th at about 6:40am! Welcome Logan Alexander Rae!! Hopefully we'll get to meet him soon and have a cousin to bring along too!

week 35

Week 35 is now complete and I am officially 9 months pregnant today. Only a few more weeks to go!

My belly is starting to take on a new shape as Jackson continues to put on more weight and drop down further. His little feet love to burrow under my ribs and I think he takes joy in bouncing his head into my bladder! I imagine it's like a pillow for him. Another week of hiccups too, which I hear it's pretty common since babies are gulping and swallowing fluid.

Earlier this week I went out with my friend Ashley to get a pedicure. Now I see why so many pregnancy books suggest going to get your toes painted... it's because it's relaxing to have your swollen legs/ankles soaked and massaged and also because you can't reach your own feet!

Another thing I've noticed over the last week or so is that I'm hungry more often, but I can't eat big portions. I'm craving chocolate all the time now too.

I have my next appointment on Monday and then I'll be seeing the doctor every week until I deliver. Getting very excited!

week 34

Week 34 is done! Just a few more weeks until baby gets here!

I am pretty sure that Jackson has run out of room because all he does is stretch and wiggle around. I can feel every movement he makes and I have a pretty good idea of where he is positioned most of the time. He particularily likes poking his butt out, causing my entire belly to get hard on one side! He has also been getting the hiccups at least once a day and I hate to say it, but it drives me crazy!

As for me, it's getting harder and harder to stay active. I dread getting out my chair at work to walk to the printer or bathroom. Sean and I have kept up with our nightly walks although it's taking more to convince me to go! He now just shows up with my socks and shoes (and then helps me put them on) before I can even argue about how I'm too tired to walk. What can I say he knows me well! :)

Last weekend my friends from work threw me a baby shower! I forgot to take pictures, but it was a great time with the girls and good food too!

Well I think that's all for now. Jackson and I are hungry, so off to the kitchen to find a snack!

week 33

Ahh sorry this post is a few days late again. I'm starting to get a little lazy I guess!

Let's see... week 33 was a whole lot like the last several weeks - very exhausting. I think it's true what they say about the last few weeks of pregnancy and how they prepare you for sleepless nights once the baby arrives. I haven't slept through the night in over a week because I've been waking up every few hours with terrible leg cramps or the sudden urge to go to the bathroom.

Sean and I went in for another prenatal check up at the beginning of the week and Jackson is still doing great. I measured at 33cm and his heart beat was loud and clear! Jackson has been doing some crazy acrobatics the last few days but he was head down when the doctor checked his positioning.

After our appointment, we headed across the parking lot to the hospital to pre-register and check out the birth center. It's a small hospital, but it has 5 private birthing rooms complete with showers and tvs in each room. Oh yeah, and a record player for the real "old school" moms I guess. I'm just hoping that I'll be in and out of there as quick as possible!

As for other updates, Sean and I did some spring cleaning / nesting last weekend. We rearranged our bedroom to make more space and started unpacking baby clothes and other items. After a few breakdowns and a pulled muscle or two, I feel a little better about being prepared for baby to arrive. I'm having a hard time balancing my need for organization and the fact that we may not be living in our place past July, when our lease is up.

Well I think that's about it for week 33. Here's the belly shot:

week 32

Sorry for the late post, but I've just been too tired in the evening to update my blog. I haven't been sleeping well at night so any chance I get to snooze I try to take advantage of! I don't have a lot to report for week 32, other than Jackson is still moving around all day long and especially active during the middle of the night.

Sean and I had dinner with my boss and co-workers on Thursday night and they threw me a surprise mini-baby shower. My boss and his wife are also expecting a baby right now and just found out that they are having a girl! Their first kid is a 2 year old boy, so they gave me a lot of his hand me down clothes!

I have a check-up next week, so I'll have more updates then.

Belly picture coming soon...

week 31 & baby shower

Today marks the end of week 31. Overall it was a great week!

Here is my big belly. It's getting so heavy!

The biggest news to report is that I did get to go home for my baby shower! I was a little worried about the weather preventing us from traveling, but we made it to and from eastern Washington just fine. Dawn & Jenny hosted a great party for me and I was more than just a little spoiled!

I had a great time seeing family and it was nice to spend a few days relaxing. Here are a few pictures from the shower:

Here's the cake that Dawn made. It matched the invitations she sent out and tasted great!

Some of new onesizes. Jackson better be ready to play dress-up for the first 6 months!

Jenny and I are about 3 weeks apart and both having boys!

week 30 recap

I went in for my prenatal check up yesterday and baby and I are healthy and doing well. My blood tests for glucose came back normal and my weight is back on track. I only gained 1 pound over the last 4 weeks! Hallelujiah! I went in feeling especially heavy (just having eaten a foot long subway sandwich) and thinking that I'd gained at least another 8 pounds and expecting to be in trouble again. The doctor said I should continue gaining about 1/2 - 1 pound a week from here on out.

Jackson also had a good strong heartbeat; about 142 bpm. It was cute... when the doctor first put the doppler on my belly, Jackson kicked at it a few times! I bet he just can't wait to stretch his legs.

Speaking of stretching... my uterus is now measuring about 30cm, which means it is ballooning up under my ribs now. It's no wonder why my ribs feel bruised and hurt when I press on them ... Jackson lives under there now. There isn't much I can do about the discomfort unfortunately.

My next check up will be in 3 weeks and it will also be time to pre-register and tour the hospital. This is getting very real now!

In other news, I'm still feeling gigantic and wobbly and I can barely put on my own shoes. Sean had to help me put on socks last night, haha! Heck I can't even see my feet when I'm standing. I also found out this week that I can't park my car in compact spots anymore because there isn't enough room for me to sqeeze out of the car! Pregnancy has definitely taken over my brain... I even rationalized scurrying (scuffling) to get in line before someone at the grocery store so I wouldn't have to wait any longer. It was one of those awkward moments where you make eye contact with the person and you both know you are headed for the spot... yeah well I had no shame at all!

This weekend, Sean, my friend Ashley, and I are going home for my baby shower. I can't wait to get away for a few days and spend some time with family!!

here is the week 30 baby bumb picture:

Big Mama

Well week 29 is over and all I can say is that I FEEL HUGE! I honestly feel like I am the size of an elephant and the most awkward human being alive.

It's not just the mental aspect of knowing that my face is round and my stomach enters the room before the rest of me, but my belly is so heavy that I have a hard time standing up for a long period of time and it hurts to lift my legs or get out of bed. Even rolling over in bed is hard too!

In baby news, Jackson has been a sweet little guy this week, keeping himself busy squirming and pushing around inside of me. Even though the jabs in the ribs kind of hurt it's also reassuring to know it is a sign that he's doing good. Both Sean and my co-workers are getting use to me saying "OOH hey!" and they know it means baby is bouncing around.

I think Jackson can feel when Sean or myself put our hands on my belly because he either starts going wild or gets really shy. Sean snuck up on him last night while I was sleeping and put his hand on my side. Jackson just started kicking and pushing like crazy and Sean said he felt a foot or maybe an elbow moving underneath my skin. I fortunately kept sleeping! :)

Another thing I've noticed this week is all of the random parenting advice and questions coming from strangers. In my job I meet with and interview a lot of people. All of a sudden my meetings started going longer because people want to ask me questions about my theories on parenting or give me tidbits of advice. Just today a woman was telling me how Jewish children on the eastcoast are raised. I just do a lot of nodding and saying, oh how interesting!

Thank goodness no strangers/interviewees have reached out to touch my belly! I would freak out! Oh, and I also hate being called the words "preggers" and "prego". If a candidate for a job calls me that they are automatically off the list to get hired!

Until next week, here's a picture of me on the futon in all my glory:

movin' and groovin'

Hello again! Just finished my 28th week and things are pretty much the same as the week before. I've been very tired and my back and ribs are hurting from all the extra weight I'm carrying around. Right now Jackson should weigh about 2.5 pounds and is going to be growing rapidly from here on out. I already feel like I'm stretched to my limit!

Just last night I started feeling Jackson squirming around and dragging his foot along the inside of my belly. I put my hand on top of where his foot was and I could feel him moving around. It was a new and very bizarre feeling... not to mention how weird it looked from the outside seeing the heel of a foot moving under my skin! (If you need to see what I'm talking about, check out this video I saw on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKnoPvQWIBU )

Today at work I was able to show my coworkers his kicking. He was active enough that you could see my shirt moving up and down. He did more of the pushing and squirming up above my belly button, which is new territory for him since he usually likes to kick down low. On the drive home I experienced the first kick in the ribs. Ouch!

Here's my weekly belly pic, I'm getting huge!

Kelly = exhausted

Another week flew by again and I feel like a zombie. My daily routine of going to work, coming home and making dinner, spending time with Sean, walking the dog, studying for my class, going to bed and waking up to do it all over again is really becoming a challenge. It's no wonder the weeks are flying by... I'm in a haze and the days all mush together. I really could use a vacation, but now is not the time. Gotta save all my time off for when Jackson gets here!

I am really looking forward to the baby shower my families are putting together at the end of March. I can't wait to show everyone how big my belly is! I feel enormous already and I know the little guy still has to triple in size before he's ready to come out.

Jackson is kicking and moving pretty much all day long now and unfortunately gets really active when I lay down to go to sleep. Some of his kicks are very strong and make me jump in my chair a little bit. I still think it's so cool to see my belly move as he is jabbing me in the sides.

Not a whole lot of other updates for now, except I'm so thankful that the temperature outside has been cool and it's not late summertime right now. For someone like me who isn't use to sweating or even needing to wear deoterant (really, I don't ever sweat or smell!) I am getting overheated all the time now and using anything in sight to fan myself off with. It's funny becaue one of my co-workers wears her ski jacket all day long and then there is me, wearing a short sleeved shirt and red in the face!

Until next time... here is the week 27 belly shot.