HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

[caption id="attachment_259" align="aligncenter" width="336" caption="Welcome to Head Manor. (Insert howling wind and hooting owl sound effects here) "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_260" align="aligncenter" width="397" caption="Jack and Jill (Mr. and Mrs. O'Lantern) hope you will enjoy your visit."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_261" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Aaahhh! It's a gigantic woman! My costume is that of a very pregnant woman, and Madeline is dressed as a fetus. Dan was all decked out as a Wake Forest fan with a cold."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_262" align="aligncenter" width="336" caption="Jenn and Chris stopped by with Addie this morning. "What a cute little ballerina costume," you say. Nope..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_263" align="aligncenter" width="272" caption="...The Miracle Monkey has been spending her Saturday mornings DANCING! Yep. You read that right. I said Addie is learning to dance!"][/caption]

 Happy Halloween, everyone!

Only 5 more weeks until we see our Madeline!

Things No One Told Me, Part 3

I love books. If you didn't already know that about me, then we've never met. I will read anything with words on it, but books are by far my favorite. I also like to do things ahead of time and be prepared. Naturally, I want to read all I can about the baby and what's going on with her because I believe it will help me to take care of my body better while she's cooking, and be a better mommy when she's out of the oven.

The books that focus on what will happen to both of us during pregnancy have been, for the most part, pretty helpful and informative. I haven't actually been able to read much in the other one - the one about what will happen after the baby gets here - primarily because it's quite terrifying.

Here are some things no one told me, but the book is assuring me will happen:

• Once we come home, I will be in such agonizing pain that I will no be able to walk, sit, go upstairs, or use the bathroom for months - and it may not end there.


• Feeding my child will be such a painful and frustrating experience that I will give up and decide she can find her own dadburn nourishment.


• From the moment Madeline exits my body, she will begin screaming violently and will not stop, even to catch her breath, for at least three years. At that point, she will do nothing but throw angry tantrums, touch herself inappropriately in public, and swear at strangers.


• Dan and I might as well sell our bed because we will not sleep for another 18 years.


• Madeline will not actually fall asleep until she is a toddler, when she will wake up several times a night, every night, because of nightmares and raging fevers.


• Our child will have some sort of illness every single day from the time we bring her home. This one has to be true because there is an illness discussed on every single page in the book.


• Listed among the "Common Childhood Illnesses:"  Chicken Pox. Pinkeye. Ear Infection. RABIES....What the heck?????


• If I do not run a half marathon on a daily basis and if I eat anything other than wheat germ and organic spinach for the rest of my natural life, I will forever resemble a sumo wrestler because of how much giving birth will alter my body.


• The following things will make us bad parents:  having a clean house, watching TV, supplementing with formula, using disposable diapers, and telling her "no."


• I will begin to envy and hate my husband, and he become resentful of my permanent depression and no longer find me attractive.

Whew!! It's enough to make me want to leave her in there! Not once have I read anything, yet, about cuddling her, playing with her, singing to her, or seeing her smile for the first time. They just make everything seem so negative, like having a baby is more trouble than it's worth.

Fortunately, as I said before, I have friends and family to set me straight. I know that Madeline was sent straight to us from God and that the wonderful moments with her will far outweigh the struggles. And, thank God for my incredible, adoring husband who is already the best husband and father who ever lived. Thank you, babe, for doing everything you can to make me more comfortable and allay my fears!

In the meantime, I'm on my way to Barnes and Noble to pick up something a little more lighthearted to read. I'll get something less dismal, like something about the Salem Witch Trials, or the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. (or, not...)

34 Weeks

I had my 34 week check up with the new doc this morning (whom I still really like, btw) and everything is awesome as usual! Baby's heartbeat is strong, I'm healthy as usual, and we only have a little more than 5 weeks left!! Can you believe it??? Only a few more weeks until we get to meet our baby girl! I guess we need to get cracking on putting the nursery together, huh? My next visit will be the first of my weekly visits.

While we wait, and because fall is the nicest time of year with the best holidays, I've been looking at pictures of my friends' adorable kiddies trying out their Halloween costumes, walking in pumpkin patches, and checking out some of the fabulous foliage.(Check out the Henderson and Muldrow families on the right!) While looking at the pictures makes me giggle with delight, it makes me even more giddy to think that next year at this time, I'll be sharing this season with my own baby! I'll be dressing Madeline in some precious little outfit, taking pictures of her in the fall air, surrounded by pumpkins and brightly colored leaves, and wondering how in the world people can look at her pictures without absolutely gushing over her cuteness.

It'll be here before we know it!

Webster and Mrs. Head

Let's have a vocab lesson, shall we?

According to Mr. Webster:

weird (weerd) adj. : strikingly odd or unusual in character; strange.

surreal (suh-ree-uhl) adj: having the disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream.

 

According to Mrs. Head:

weird (weerd) adj: "There are diapers in my house."

surreal (suh-ree-uhl) adj: "And they're for MY kid!"

Third Trimester Dichotomy

On the one hand, I can't believe she will be here in about six short weeks. For that, I am overjoyed and a little nervous.

On the other hand, I am so ready to hold this baby I'm about to jump out of my skin! I want to know what she looks like, what it feels like to hold her and smell her sweet little head. I certainly don't want to rush anything  and I sure don't want to pick her before she's ripe, but the anticipation is starting to get to me.

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:25

I know, I know.

"Must Haves"

I've been reading a lot of magazines over the past few months, particularly those related to pregnancy and parenting. They're usually found in doctor's office waiting rooms, hair and nail salons, lobbies of various buildings, etc. I've been intrigued by what I've read and frankly, I'm amazed that any human being has survived childhood so far. Who knew there were so many things that a mom MUST HAVE before and after her child is born?

For instance, did you know that you will not survive parenthood without a decorative cover for baby wipes to keep in your designer diaper bag? Or that if you do not have in your possession at all times, a $40 plastic bag in which to keep a change of clothes, you are a terrible mother?

It gets worse. Infants, apparently, need lavender scented lip balm in order to develop properly. They also cannot function as normal children unless all their senses are stimulated by flashing lights and a medley of sounds 24 hours a day, even as they sleep.  And, does a bib that costs more than more than a small kitchen appliance really help ward off food spills better than a bib from Target? Really?? Yes, I have seen those labeled MUST HAVE, as well.

Thank goodness I have a close group of friends who are mommies, who tell me what the real "MUST HAVES" are.  They suggest a loving husband, supportive friends, and a willingness to go with the flow. Oh, and diapers. This little girl is already so loved by so many, and isn't that the most important need that should be met?

So, thanks for your advice, pregnancy magazines, but I think our needs are being met even though I don't have a decorative baby wipe cover. But, I did take your advice on one thing. I do have a birth plan. I plan to give birth to a baby girl named Madeline Grace and to love her for the rest of my life. How's that for a MUST HAVE?

Pictures, as promised!

Here are some pictures from last week's beautiful shower for Madeline. Thanks again, Jakki & Sheryl!

[caption id="attachment_236" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Yummy food, adorable cake."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_237" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="These should last us a day or two! :)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_238" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="With Jakki's precious Aubrey."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_239" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Jakki's so creative!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_240" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tiny and my lovely sisters-in-law."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_241" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Bouncy seat!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_242" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="I've heard you can't live without a Boppy, so I'm glad we have one now. :)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_243" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Basket full o' goodies!"][/caption]

"I Coulda Been a Contender!"

I thought it was just sensitive gums, to be blamed on pregnancy like everything else is. So, at Saturday's shower, I chewed my little quiches carefully, and we picked up some Orajel on the way out, just in case. By Saturday night, I couldn't function without Tylenol.

After enduring Sunday while thinking, "If labor hurts this much, maybe I'd like to be sedated (Ba-ba-ba-ba Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba, I wanna be sedated)," I got up Monday morning and found a dentist who would see me on short notice, who sent me to an endodontist who said that the infection was so bad I would have to take antibiotics for a week before we could even try to fix the tooth.

Great.

I'll spare you all the gory, nasty details and leave you with the knowledge that by the time it started to hurt, the infection had spread to my jaw. So, the nice endodontist gave me a prescription (which worked like a charm on the pain) and said if I had any facial swelling, to come back.

When I woke up this morning, I looked like this (sans the moustache, of course):

 

So, while it's been fun entertaining myself with Marlon Brando and Popeye impersonations, I have to go back to see the nice man who is going to do some things to my face that don't sound very fun at all.

I was concerned about all the meds I have to take, and the anesthesia, but I visited the new OB this morning and she reassured me that everything will be fine.

I'll be glad when my face returns to normal and my doctor's visits consist only of measuring my belly and taking my blood pressure again.

Baby Shower 2

Saturday brought another wonderful shower, hosted by my fabulous friends, Jakki & Sheryl.  We had a great time, an adorable cake, and some yummy brunch food!!

If you didn't already know, Jakki is not only Supermom, but also Superfriend. At any given moment, you can stop by Jakki's house and find it spotless, her toddler happy, and her face beautiful. She sews, she cooks, she bakes, she cans, she takes care of her home and family, and she does it all with a smile on her face. In addition to all that, she's a great friend. Jakki has a two-year-old and just gave birth three weeks ago, and still managed to get together with Sheryl and create a perfect shower for me! How she does it, I'll never know, but I know that I am so lucky to have those two as friends.

I would post some pictures, but the baby has eaten my brain and I forgot my camera. Hopefully, some benevolent soul who was there will offer to e mail me some pictures, then I can share them here.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Did you ever feel like your life was following the same story line as a movie? I've been thinking a lot about how truly blessed I am to have the life that I have, and I'm starting to think there's a reason I can watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding over and over again. I'll illustrate with some quotes from the movie.

I met my Mr. Wonderful, proving that I was not, "doomed to wander the planet alone."

 

 

At 31, just like the main character in the movie, I married a man who is so good to me I almost feel as if I don't deserve him (almost).



 

And, "a minute later I was pregnant." The couple in the movie even had a little girl. :)  Sometimes, just like Tula, I feel like I'm going to wake up and this all will have been a dream - "But, it did happen! It did!" And, I'm so glad it did.

I'm being a little silly, comparing my life to that of Tula and Ian. That was a movie script. This is real. What we have in our home is real love, real joy, and real faith in each other.  What a fabulous reason for  Big Fat Southern Celebration!

"OPA!" (That, apparently, is Greek for "Yeehaw!")

Baby Shower in Bama

This afternoon, I was able to have a great time with family and friends because my dear friend, Jenn, threw a perfect baby shower for our Madeline.

[caption id="attachment_216" align="aligncenter" width="563" caption="Awesome spread"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_217" align="aligncenter" width="418" caption="With my hostess and awesome friend, Jenn"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_218" align="aligncenter" width="439" caption="Football during a baby shower? Why not?"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_219" align="aligncenter" width="402" caption="So many cute clothes!!"][/caption]



It was also wonderful to see Jenn's little girl, Addie, all dressed up in her party dress!

[caption id="attachment_221" align="aligncenter" width="363" caption="Addie and Baby"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_222" align="aligncenter" width="497" caption="Say cheese, Addie!"][/caption]

 

Thanks so much to Jenn for making everything wonderful, and to everyone who was so generous to Madeline today!

We have arrived

As of Tuesday, we are officially residents of Birmingham. We really like our new house, and I'll post some pictures as soon as get everything squared away.

The move went pretty well, although we did have some minor events. A rock made a ding in my windshield on the way here, we're still waiting on a washer and dryer, the painters have to come and fix some spots of the ceiling, and we won't even talk about my nails!! The important thing is that we arrived safely and are getting settled, and we think this is going to be a great place to bring Madeline home to.

Stay tuned for pictures!