HOLY CRUD!!! 40 WEEKS TODAY!!!

We are officially 40 weeks pregnant and I can't believe it. Today is our due date!!! OMG!!!! I have to admit that I have been praying to the Lord Almighty that baby Miles would arrive early, but that has obviously not happened. I can't believe how different I feel this week than I felt last week. I am really dragging now and all the pressure on my girlie parts is starting to lose it's appeal!!! I am having one heck of time breathing -- my Midwife was cracking up the other night becuase I was literally out of breath from putting the turkey in the crockpot and hitting start!!! It also feels like baby Miles is trying to burrow his way out through my belly button. I swear I'm going to rip open at the navel and he's going to just pop out. I'm also just down right exhausted. Between frequent middle of the night trips to the bathroom and prelabor contractions I'm finding it increasingly difficult to get any sleep. I've now taken to napping 2-3 times per day. It helps a little. I guess it's all just preparation. More importantly, though, I just can't wait any longer to see him!!! Jason is experiencing the same anxiousness. We're just both so ready to see his beautiful little face and hold him in our arms. Jason tries to coax him out every night with promises of tons of love and playtime, but he only kicks and rolls and punches!!! He's so not ready to leave his cozy little womb. Sigh. I wish I weren't so darn warm and cozy.

Well, now we just play the waiting game. Maybe he will come today, maybe not. All I know is that every day that goes by feels like 2 days and I hope that he decides to join sooner rather than later!!! I'll post a belly pic later today -- I'm gigantor!!!!!

WEEK 40: BABY PREPARES FOR BIRTH

Now officially full-term, a baby born this week will weigh in the neighborhood of seven and a half pounds and measure anywhere from 19 to 22 inches. But many babies check in smaller or bigger than this and are both perfect and perfectly healthy.
At 40 weeks pregnant, this is the moment your baby (and you) has been waiting for! Now officially full-term, a baby born this week will weigh in the neighborhood of seven and a half pounds and measure anywhere from 19 to 22 inches. But many babies check in smaller or bigger than this and are both perfect and perfectly healthy. The first thing you're likely to look for when baby makes his or her dramatic (and possibly fashionably late) entrance: proof positive that he is actually a he, or she is actually a she. That major mystery solved once and for all, you'll also notice that baby (besides being cute as can be — and yours!) is wearing a little leftover travel dust, consisting of blood, vernix, lanugo, and amniotic fluid. From your baby's perspective, you'll look a bit blurry (babies at birth can focus only about an inch away), but that's okay. With all the tears of joy you'll probably be shedding, your baby will look a little blurry to you too.
You'll notice your little one is still curled into the fetal position (though his or her arms and legs may flail a bit). That's because after nine months in such cramped quarters, it'll take a while before your baby realizes that he or she has room to spread out. And because it's the only position he or she has really known, it's a comforting one to be in. (That's also why so many newborns like to be swaddled, it reminds them of your uterus.)
Be sure to say hello to your new arrival. Your baby is very likely to recognize the sound of your voice — and that of your partner.

OOPS -- I FORGOT ABOUT THE CLOSET!!!

I realized that I didn't inlcude pictures of baby Miles' closet in the nursery set. We are still using the top shelf as storage for extra boxes of diapers and storing large gifts that we haven't pulled out of the boxes yet. He has a really great array of clothes in many sizes. There are some seriously adoreable outfits and footsies in this collection!!! We were so blessed to be gifted so many wonderful things. We have two clothing bins on the bottom left. The far left bin is for his newborn things and the one next to it is for 0-3 months. Once he grows out of those sizes we will shift the bins to 3-6 and 6-12 months. The green bins are toy boxes. We have a few toys in one of the bins, but we anticipate filling those bad boys with the cutest and greatest toys around. Wrapped around to the far right is a vibrating baby chair and his other monkey hamper. You can't see it, but we also have more blankets hung on the backside of the closet door -- oh and we have smaller bins on the clothing bins to hold his shoes. We can't wait to start making use of the wonderful items in this closet!!! I am so excited to button him into some footsie jammies!!!!

ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY UNCLE JAYBO!!!

I absolutely adore these prismacolor drawings of baby jungle animals!!! They are so unbelievably cute with their chubby little legs and diapers!!!! They are so perfect in the nursery and I swear that we would have spent a fortune on these if we bought them!!! But -alas -- we did not!!! We were so blessed to have a brother/uncle who was generous enough to dedicate his time and talent to making these beautiful original pieces exclusively for our sweet little Miles. No one else will ever have these drawings in their nursery!!! YAY!!!! Thanks, Bo!!! It means the world to us!!!

THE NURSERY IS DONE!!!

I know it took us forever to get the nursery complete, but we took our time and wanted to make sure that we posted pictures of it in its finished state. It has been about 95% complete for the last 2 months -- it just needed a few extra touches -- but now it is totally finished (minus his gentle giraffe which is on it's way). We chose a jungle theme, but opted to mix and match from different companies and patterns. We liked the idea of a nursery that was unique and not 100% out of a catalogue. The 3 framed pieces of art were hand drawn by Miles'uncle Jaybo (I will post bigger pictures of them) and are absolutely gorgeous. They really completed the room and gave it that personalized feel. Credit goes to Nana Bee for the "to die for" Crib, Changing Table/Dresser, and Rocking Horse. The room has such a rich and warm feel with these pieces and they are top notch quality!!!! We put Miles' name on one of the walls and a quotable quote on the other. The quote says - "Every child is a story yet to be told...". We also adorned the walls with jungle animals stickers and dots and hung japanese lanterns over the rockers. The rockers once belonged to Uncle Jaybo who gifted them to us a few years back during a move. We have grown to really love those rockers and they are now a part of baby Miles' room. There will be many a day and night feeding in those chairs!!! We repurposed a few items -- there is a towel rack/shelf that we used to hang blankets on. That is also home to his adoreable hippo and gentle giraffe (not yet pictured). The hat boxes are being used to store rattles, teethers, and small toys and there is a wrought iron etage that we have converted into a book shelf. Under the etage we have a monkey hamper which is a being used as a stuffed animal depot. We have a second monkey hamper in his closet which is being used as a hamper. What else???? Oh yes -- we hung a cage from one of the corners and there is a monkey hanging playfully from it. We also threw down a super soft sheep skin rug and added decorative pillows to the crib. It has been such a fun process and we took our time collecting items here and there for the room. I love the fact that it's totally a baby boys room, but done in an elegant way. It really has everything that we wanted and now the only thing missing is him. For now, I will continue to count the days until he arrives and enjoy sitting in his room reading to him while he nudges me not so gently in the ribs!!!!

38 WEEKS PRENATAL APPOINTMENT

We met with our Midwife last night for our 38 week prenatal appointment and baby Miles is soooooooo ready to be born!!! He has already engaged and, according to Renee, is sitting at Station 0!!!! For anyone who doesn't know what that means -- and I'm sure most people don't -- Baby Miles has dropped down into my pelvic girdle and his head is lined up with the ischial spine!!! Basically -- once I am fully dialated and effaced Baby Miles will only need to move a small distance through the birth canal and out!!!! Renee and Jason were both able to feel the baby's head with their fingers -- which is very very exciting. Jason has been so involved in this whole process and I don't know any other daddy out there that can say they were able to feel their baby's head in the birth canal before labor even began. Needless to say, Jason was also very excited about this. We are just playing the waiting game now -- hoping that each day that arrives will be THE day. Of course, Baby Miles will come when he's good and ready, but we can hope for sooner than later. His heartrate was a brilliant 140 beats per minute and he sounds as healthy as ever. As for me -- I am having pre-labor pains on and off -- contracting and dialating slowly. I have been enjoying each sensation as they come -- knowing that every time I have them they bring me closer to meeting our wonderful little bundle of boy. I know that the rushes will get stronger and more frequent and I am really looking forward to the time when they signify the big "event" and aren't just preparation. For now, I am enjoying day #2 of maternity leave and balancing preparation with relaxation. Today -- it is my goal to get the bedroom dusted, vaccuumed, and deep cleaned!!!! Tomorrow -- the bathroom!!!! ANd I do believe that a nap is in order!!!

38 WEEKS

Your little one isn't so little anymore — weighing in at close to seven pounds and hitting the height charts at the 21-inch mark (or less). Your baby's lungs and fetal digestive system continue to mature, too. All systems, almost go!
Only two more weeks (or plus two more, max) before your baby makes his or her appearance. And what an adorable appearance that will be! Your little one isn't so little anymore — weighing in at close to seven pounds and hitting the height charts at the 21-inch mark (or less). As you prepare (best you can) for baby's ETA, he or she is also getting ready, big time. Vernix and lanugo continue to shed from your baby's body into the amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows that amniotic fluid (yum yum?) and some of it winds up in his or her intestines where it — along with other shed cells, bile, and other waste products (triple yum) — will turn into your baby's first bowel movement (meconium) and perhaps your first diaper change.
Your baby's lungs continue to mature as more and more surfactant is secreted (remember — it helps prevent the lungs from sticking to each other when your baby begins to breathe…definitely a good thing). At 38 weeks pregnant, all systems, almost go!

OH MY POOR SWOLLEN APPENDAGES!!!

I am swollen, swollen, swollen!!!! Yikes!!! I have sausage fingers and shrek feet!!!! I think I will ask Jay Jay to rub my edema!!! ;0)!!!!

MUST HAVES FOR DA BABY MILES - AMAZON.COM

If anyone is still interested in getting a little something for the sweet baby Miles we still have several items left on our AMAZON.COM registry!!! We have a few necessities left to get (baby monitor and playyard) and several items we'd really love to have for when he arrives (pee pee tee pees, larger diapers, nursing cover, diaper changing pad, etc.) I moved everything from our Babies R Us page over to AMAZON so that everything we need could be found on one easy to use site. If you're thinking that baby Miles couldn't possibly live without a super cool monkey hamper -- then by all means -- surf over to AMAZON and save our little boys life!!!!! ;0)

I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE'S ONLY 3 WEEKS LEFT!!!

I really can't believe how fast this pregnancy has flown by. I am shocked that we only have 3 short weeks before Miles' estimated birth day. It seems like only yesterday Jay and I were charting out our fertility and praying for positive pee sticks!!!! Now we're tying up loose ends making sure that everything is ready for us to welcome our little guy home. My nesting instincts have kicked into full gear and I have been going non-stop with the OCD cleaning!!! The compulsions are strong enough to wake me up in the middle of the night!!! I literally cannot fall back asleep until I have taken care of whatever project has me up at the moment. We cleaned and reorganized the garage this weekend so that we could hang the baby's stroller and travel gear and his entire closet is organized by size. I cleared out two of the drawers in my dresser so that I can keep diapering and breastfeeding essentials in our bedroom as well -- and all of this was just this weekend. I'm a little embarrased to tell you what we've already accomplished in the past several weeks. Let's just say that we may be the most prepared first time parents on the planet. We've even begun making crockpot meals everyday and freezing several dinners at a time so that when the baby comes we will have an entire freezer worth of dinners to get us by for the first couple of weeks. Of course, there are still a few things that we need get squared away -- but we will get to it!!! For now -- I'm just going to try and enjoy these precious last few weeks. I'm going to miss having this baby all to myself. Those kicks -- as painful as they can be -- are so special!!!

37 WEEKS PREGNANT!!!

With just three more weeks to go and at about six and a half pounds (though weight and height vary from fetus to fetus), your baby is doing just fine. You can expect weight gain to be about half an ounce per day. (Boys, though, are likely to be heavier at birth than girls. And here's a bit of boy baby trivia to back that one up: Moms carrying boys tend to eat more than moms carrying girls — a foreshadowing of teenage refrigerator raids to come.) Since your little one is considered full-term at 37 weeks pregnant, if your baby was to leave the wet nest this week, he or she would likely thrive. That's because Mother Nature and you have done such a fine job. So what's keeping your little one busy while waiting it out until D-day? Practice, practice, practice. Your baby is simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on his or her thumb, blinking, and pivoting from side to side (one day you feel the tushy on the left side, another day it has swung around to the right side). All these are skills needed for his or her next gig — starring as newborn.
Here's an interesting fact: Your baby's head (which, by the way, is still growing) will, at birth, be the same size circumference as his or her hips, abdomen, and shoulders. And guess what's making an impression (literally) these days on those shoulders and hips: fat — causing little dimples in those cute elbows and knees, shoulders and hip, and creases and folds in the neck and wrists.

36 WEEKS AND 5 DAYS BELLY PIC

So week 36 passed us by and we completely forgot to take our belly pic. So here it is at nearly 37 weeks!!! Chicago decided that he wanted to get in on the action this time!!! There he is looking lovingly at the belly that is Baby Miles. Ok -- he's probably looking at me -- but I can pretend. Truth be told -- Chicago has had no instincts about this pregnancy whatsoever!!! He has been completely oblivious. So it's not always true what they say about dogs "sensing" the pregnancy. All Chicago knows is that the house keeps filling up with more toys that he's not supposed to play with!!!! As for the belly -- WOW!!! Look at how big that little bitty boy has gotten. Everyone says that I'm carrying small -- and I know that I am -- but wow do I feel big!!! As you can see I'm starting to swell a little bit. My face looks a little puffy here and I can tell you that my hands and feet are slightly puffy as well. I never would have guessed that swelling could "hurt". My hands, feet, and legs feel really tight and uncomfortable. I have gained about 30 lbs. as of our last prenatal appointment and I must admit that watching that scale climb is starting to freak me out!!! There is no way I have gained THAT much weight which means that baby Miles must weigh 20 lbs!!!! LOL!!! We are scheduled to meet Renee again tomorrow night for our 37 week check-up at which point I will weigh in again. Supposedly, Miles is putting on a half pound per week at this point. WOW!!! He'll be 21.5 pounds at birth!!!! I will update soon about the baby's status. Last we listened -- his heart rate was superb and he Jason could feel his tiny little butt in the upper left quadrant of my uterus. His head is still low in my pelvis and his feet are jammed ever so nicely in my right rib cage!!! We'll find out more tomorrow!!!! Until then!!!!

WE BUILT AND INSTALLED NANA BEES TRAVEL SYSTEM!!!

This past week, Jay Jay and I have been house sitting for Grandpa and Nana Bee while they've been 6,000 miles away soaking up Aloha in beautiful Kauai, Hawaii!  But not to fear -- even though we haven't been at home to hone in on my compulsive nesting instincts -- we were able to get a nesting fix by putting together the Travel System that Nana Bee purchased for her house for Baby Miles!!!  We wanted to surprise them by having the Stroller built and the car seat installed for their return!!!  We had a ton of fun putting this super cool travel system together.  It's a pretty bitchin' set of wheels!!!  It's a jogging stroller as you can see from the tires and is a very cool black and charcoal grey color with lime green piping.  This car seat also came equipped with the latch system which made installing the base a snap and firmly holds the base in place without the use of seat belts!!!!  Baby Miles hasn't even arrived yet and he already has two sets of smokin' wheels to get around in, and his very own chauffeurs!!!  The kid has it made!!!