We're Back

The blog is back. And….with a new name! The old title of “Here Comes the Son…or Daughter” made more sense back in the day before we knew the gender of our little one. In keeping with the Beatles theme, the “Day in the Life” reference (with New added in) represents just that. This is a whole new life: Max’s life, our life as a couple, and our life as it relates to work, family, and friends. It’s crazy, busy, and rolls along faster than we can fathom. And thanks to our little boy, it’s a whole lot of fun!

So much has happened since our last update. I went back to work in late April, our moms took care of Max for three weeks at home, and then he started daycare in the middle of May. He has adjusted to daycare very well. As I mentioned in a previous post, it’s run by my good friend Kristin’s mom, Marilyn. Marilyn is a master…she has been doing in-home daycare since her own children were little and makes it look easy (even though it is very, very hard work!) She is organized, energetic, positive, has eyes in the back of her head, and she treats the children with such love and respect. As a result…that’s how the kids treat each other when they are at her house. Every day when I pick him up, he is smiley, clean, and content. I can tell he is being taken such good care of. This gives me huge peace of mind.

I cried the first day I left Max there because I was going to miss him so much. But I also felt good that he would be able to spend his days in such a safe and loving environment. The first couple of weeks Max spent at Marilyn’s house, Kristin and Mark’s daughter Alexis, who is three years old, asked everyone to call her Angie because she was Max’s mom. Since then, she has changed her name back to Alexis, but still keeps a careful eye on Max for me J. Her little sister Brooklyn is so sweet to him too. What a lucky little man he is!

Work has been going really well since I’ve been back. It’s already been two months! I do miss Max like crazy and find myself glancing over at his adorable picture on my desk more than a few times each day, but working again has proven to be a good balance for me as a person and as a mom. A little bit of adult interaction each day goes a long way! I’m lucky to work with a great group of people too. Just a couple of weeks after I went back, Max started sleeping through the night which made the transition even easier. I almost hate to say that because I don’t want to jinx our good luck. Only a couple months before he starts teething though, and then we’ll see if we’re still feeling lucky…J

Lucky. Nate and I talk all the time about how lucky we are to have Max. We are lucky that he is happy, healthy, thriving and growing. We are lucky that we get to spend every day with a wonderful little person who, at such a young age, reciprocates love so effortlessly and makes all of the hard work seem like no work at all. Don’t get me wrong, we have had our share of sleepless nights, new-parent anxiety, and a plethora of emotional ups and downs that come with such a huge life change. But…the rewards of having Max in our lives far outweigh the challenges of adjusting to being a new mommy and daddy. We are learning as we go.

Max is changing in leaps and bounds. His favorite activities include laughing at his dad, shoving stuff into his mouth, and performing baby yoga during diaper changes (picture an arched back, stomping feet, and flailing arms – what’s that pose called?) At his four month appointment, he weighed over 15 pounds which is 50^th percentile for weight, up from 6 pounds and 5^th percentile at birth. Oh, and he’s also working hard on sprouting some new hair. Dark hair! There might be a little bit of me in there after all. Up until now, he has been all Dad in terms of his good looks.

Last week, he started rolling over. It happened in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm, and I assume the noise woke him up. Being the considerate young man that he is, he decided not to cry…but instead to work on reaching an age-appropriate milestone. Once he got over onto his tummy, he decided to cry for joy, I think. So then I woke up, saw what Max had done, called Nate to take a look, flipped him back over and off to sleep he went.

In addition to all of the changes with Max and me, Nate also started a new position at Best Buy in May. It’s on the dot.com side of the business and is luckily a fast-growing area of the company. In addition to being a new dad, he’s also learning a new job. Minus the exhaustion, I think he loves every minute! The days in this life fly by, so I apologize for my long absence from this blog. I’m going to try to write a new post at least every couple of weeks going forward to keep everyone up to date and also use it as a modern-day baby book of sorts. Lots of pictures to come, I promise!! For now, I’ll leave you with this cuteness…

Dear Max

Dear Max,

You are already ten weeks old. These have been the most life-changing ten weeks of your mommy's life. I have learned more about myself in this short time than I ever thought possible. I considered myself a patient person before I had you, but you have taught me that patience is the most important skill for a parent of a newborn baby to have. You have also shown me how to be truly present in each moment. You grow and change so quickly, and we will never get these precious moments back, so we need to enjoy them. And enjoy them, we do!! We laugh so much every day. Your dad and I love to laugh and joke around, and it has been so wonderful to watch you join in the fun. Life is too short to take yourself too seriously. You already fit into our little family just perfectly.

Being your mom has deepened my empathy for other people, especially parents and their children. Never again will I judge anyone else's parenting choices, as long as they are loving their children and keeping them safe and healthy. Before you were born, I used to roll my eyes at crying children in Target. I learned very quickly what it feels like to be the mom of a screaming baby at Target, and also realized there really is no one right way to parent a child. Each family needs to do what is right for them, and there are lots of different ways to achieve this. I'm happy to report that our last several shopping trips have gone remarkably well, as long as I keep the cart moving, every....single...second!

As you get older, it has been such a pleasure for your dad and me to watch your sweet little personality come out. It's hard to believe that's possible at such a young age, but the way you act has changed so much in just the last couple of weeks. You are so happy when you wake up in the morning; that's when you smile the most. As I get you dressed, I ask you if you are ready to start your day and you answer me with the biggest, sweetest grin. I take that as a yes. I hope you're still a morning person when you're a teenager! You also LOVE to talk (even in your sleep). I think you get that from your dad. Our house is filled with the joyful noise of you telling me all about the hot topics in a baby's life. Those ladies on The View have nothing on you. Daddy is so happy to see you every night when he gets home from work. He rushes right over and gives you a kiss every time. The two of you have your special night-time routine, and we call him the Bath Master. He wants to make sure that you never become "the smelly kid." Ha!     

You've also taught me the importance of cat-like reflexes (which you know I certainly do not have). Changing a little boy's diaper is a game of russian roulette. Do you take the faster but more dangerous route and do a quick change without a rag in place to shield you, or do the smart thing and take an extra moment to protect yourself? Well, I've done it both ways, and we might end up drenched no matter what. Sometimes in the middle of the night we go the easy route and end up paying the price. I flick on the light to change your clothes and am greeted with a huge smile. Of couse! You planned the whole thing.  

It has been incredible to watch how the people in our lives have responded to you and embraced you with all their hearts. Your dad and I are blown away by everyone's genuine excitement and generosity. We have had so many visitors since you came home with us...friends and family bringing meals for us and gifts for you. I have absolutely loved watching my mom and dad (your Papa and Lola) become grandparents for the first time. Lola told me she feels like she has known you for much longer than you have been here...almost like we were all connected well before we even found out you were coming. I feel that same way about you. I know that you were meant to be my baby. It was also fun for us to watch Lola change her first diaper since 1988. She's still a pro! Papa likes to lift up your arm and watch it fall when you are taking a nap. He says that's how you know if a baby is TRULY asleep. Your Papa is very funny...you will see that more as you get older. My brothers Brian and Darren are such proud uncles. Their faces light up every time they see you. Darren comes over to our house and reads you books from our childhood collection, and you always look around to see where that big deep voice is coming from. You love to cuddle up and fall asleep in Brian's lap. I think you are drawn to his gentle spirit.

Your daddy's parents, Grandma and Grandpa, are also over the moon for you. Grandpa loves telling you you're "SO BIG" and Grandma can't get enough of your "mushy cheeks." They babysat for you once so your daddy and I could go out to lunch and we came home and saw them huddled in the corner of the living room, just looking down at you while you slept in Grandpa's arms. They had the biggest smiles on their faces. Auntie Ashley and uncle Jason are a big part of your life too. They are your godparents and will be there with you when you are baptized in a few weeks. Your auntie Ashley is a dental assistant and hand delivered your first baby toothbrushes to you on Valenetine's Day. You are lucky to have two wonderful cousins, Madison and Aiden. Madison is so sweet with you and always giggles at the silly things you do. Aiden can't wait to feed you M&M's. That was his first question when he met you in the hospital. "When can he have M&M's?" Good thing you have those toothbrushes ready to go.

Your mommy and daddy's friends have been so supportive, and they love you too. They are all honorary aunties and uncles. We can't wait to watch you grow up with them and their children in the years to come. When you were four weeks old, your aunties Kristin, Kari and Tara and uncles Mark, Brian and Jamie threw you the most awesome baby shower, complete with delicious food, decorations and all of our closest friends there to meet you. There was a slideshow of your newborn photos and pictures of me while I was pregnant with you. Your dad and I were so proud to introduce you to everyone, and you loved being held for five hours straight!

Thanks for being in our lives, Max...you have brought us more joy than you will ever know. You are the best snuggle partner and the most wonderful son we could have asked for.  

Love, Mom and Dad      

Firsts

Sorry for the long stretch between updates. Mr. Max has been keeping me verrrrry busy. I never fully understood what women meant when they said that maternity leave was a ton of work, until I went on leave myself. Don't get me wrong, I know babies demand a lot of attention, but I thought that being off of work would still leave me some spare time to get things done. HA! Parenthood has been nothing if not enlightening. And awesome!

Max is growing and changing in leaps and bounds. I went through all of our pictures of him yesterday and he is now almost unrecognizable when compared with the little baby we brought home from the hospital. My tiny, delicate newborn has turned into a chubby, robust, smiling little man. And...a loud little man, might I add! We are already experiencing lots of those "firsts" I hear other parents talk so much about.

Rolling Over (Kinda)
When Max was a couple of weeks old, we started doing tummy time with him every day. To my surprise, he actually rolled from his stomach onto his back all by himself two different times. I know that the actual milestone of rolling over isn't counted until baby rolls from the back to the tummy, but I was still impresssed. Max hasn't repeated this in the last couple weeks, and I think it's because he is becoming more comfortable with tummy time and is no longer so desperate to find a way to put an end to it himself!  

Smiling
This has been the most heartwarming milestone for us to see. Max smiled at me for the first time a little over a week ago. The funny thing is that for the few days leading up to it, I had been doing everything I could think of to make him smile, because I knew that babies sometimes start to do so around one month of age. My funny faces and sounds were met with sighs, stares, grunts and hiccups, but no smiles. I guess I was trying too hard, because the first time it happened, I was just shifting him into a more comfy position in my lap when his face lit up. I smiled, and he smiled back again even bigger so I knew it was the real thing. It was so great! Also, I was sitting in the exact same spot as I was when I felt him kick for the first time while pregnant, way back in August. I just love that couch.

Date
On Friday, Nate and I went out and enjoyed the gorgeous day while his mom hung out with Max for a little while. Max slept almost the whole time we were gone, but managed to fill his diaper right before we got home just so Cindy wouldn't get too bored, haha! We went to a restaurant close by home and enjoyed a quick lunch and cocktail out on the patio in the 79 degree weather. This was the first time we had gone out somewhere just the two of us since our little guy was born, and it was so much fun! After so many years of being able to do what we want, whenever we want, this has surely been a change. But these times we get alone are all the more special now.  

There have been a lot of other fun things going on (including a wonderful baby shower thrown by our friends a couple of weeks ago) that I will write about in my next entry. For now, I'll leave you with some more recent pictures of Max...

We Are Sleepy

Well, here we are...almost four weeks into our parenthood journey with sweet Max. Talk about a crash course! When I was about seven months pregnant, I met with someone at my job who is a pediatrician, and he asked me how everything was going. I told him we were in the midst of our Birth and Parenting classes, and he laughed, saying not to worry...this baby of ours would teach us everything we would need to know. And very, very quickly. How right he was!!! There are so many aspects to being new parents that we have learned about over the last month that I plan to post about, but I'll start with the most obvious and frequently discussed of them all...sleep.

Sleep? What is that again? It's a dear old friend who is becoming a more distant memory each passing day. Although, I'm happy to report that we have made some progress here over the last few days after some trial and (a lot) of error. Sleep deprivation is something you hear about constantly from new parents, and it's no lie. But there are some smaller details rolled in that have been a surprise to both of us. The biggest one is that the lack of sleep we get isn't just from Max needing the usual feedings and diaper changes every 2-3 hours throughout the night. It's also due to the noises he makes when he IS actually sleeping. You'd be shocked at the decibel power of a tiny 7 pounder. He grunts. He sighs. He does this low, creepy Bevis and Butthead laugh: "Heh, heh. Heh, heh, heh!!" He sometimes squeals. He growls. He gobbles like a turkey. It sounds like the Como Zoo in our bedroom.   

So, what to do? Well, you can cry. Just kidding! Sort of. As far as the frequency of the feedings and diaper changes, that's a waiting game for the first few weeks. We learned that when babies are born, their stomachs are the size of a cherry. So, they can only eat so much and stay satisfied for so long. Luckily, as they grow, so do their stomachs...and hopefully, the length of time between feedings. This week, Max has started lasting as much as 4 1/2 to 5 hours between feedings about once per day. As for the barnyard noises, the solution that worked best for us was moving him out of the bassinet in our bedroom and into his own crib in his nursery. Max's pediatrician suggested this when he was 2 weeks old, but I hesitated to act on it.

I was worried I wouldn't hear him if he needed something in the middle of the night. I also sometimes do that crazy new-mom thing where I hold my finger under his nose to make sure he is still breathing. After a string of virtually sleepless nights, I began to think the doctor was onto something. The barnyard noises really faked us out for the first couple of weeks. We didn't realize that these sounds were normal for Max while he sleeps, and by jumping out of bed and picking him up at every oink or meow, we were actually waking him up and throwing off his schedule. So, we tried letting him sleep in his own crib this weekend, and it worked wonders. He is now free to make all the noises he wants while he sleeps...thus allowing us to sleep and not needlessly awakening him either. If he really needs something, he cries and the mommy/daddy radar kicks in right away. I also gave up my crazy new-mom breathing checks. Holding my finger under Max's nose can't be helping his airflow. 

Despite this progress, we still spend quite a bit of time awake each night. It's been a great opportunity to relive my childhood, teenage and college years by watching endless re-runs of Friends and Full House on Nick at Night. I remind myself all the time not to ever wish these days away. When Max gets older, I will long for the times when my sweet boy woke up in the middle of the night just to snuggle with me.   

I'll wrap up this entry with some of the pictures from Max's newborn photo shoot, done by our friends Kari and Brian. These were taken two weeks ago, and he already looks so different. Tired or not, everybody likes looking at pictures of cute babies.

Max's Birthday

The day before Max's birthday started out ordinarily enough. It was Monday morning and as I drove to work, I realized the shirt I had on was the same one I'd worn the previous Thursday. Great. But not as bad as the time I wore black socks with brown shoes. Anyways...

As the day went on, I noticed I was having Braxton Hicks contractions, almost constantly. I didn't think much of it, because they weren't painful at all. Plus, at my most recent doctor's visit, there hadn't been any progress from the previous week so I assumed Baby O was going to stay put until his due date or even after. I emailed Nate about the contractions, but added that nothing would likely come of it. Labor contractions are supposed to hurt, right? Famous last words.

As we were having dinner on Monday night, the contractions started to become uncomfortable, but still not painful. I laid down on the couch and started counting the time between each one. It was about 4 minutes...then an hour later, 3 minutes. The doctor said to call once they were less than 5 minutes apart and at least 45 seconds to a minute in length. Mine were close enough together, but only lasting about 20 seconds. I called the doctor at about 8:30 and he said to wait and see if they became stronger and more frequent, and if so, to call back again.

I continued tracking the contractions, and had to laugh when I looked at the sheet of paper I was using. Earlier in the night, the entries were neatly organized and labeled with pain levels. As time wore on, they became more sporradic and desperate looking. All the while, Nate was getting everything organized. He was much more convinced than I was that this was it. He even turned his truck around in the garage so it was facing out and ready to go, haha!

By 10:00, the pain was bad. I was doubled over and unable to talk through the contractions. They were also becoming longer (30-45 seconds) and only about 2 minutes apart. I called the doctor back and he told me to go to the hospital to be evaluated. At this point I started feeling a little teary because I was excited to meet Baby O, overwhelmed at the thought of what was happening, and emotional... knowing this would be the last time Nate and I would be a little family of two. 

We arrived at the hospital around 10:30 and they hooked me up to the fetal monitor, and another monitor for the contractions. The nurse noticed that Baby O's heartrate was "decelerating," meaning it was staying at a basline rate most of the time, but every once in a while it would dip down and pop back up. What they want to see is the opposite, accelerations, where the rate pops up occasionally, then back down to baseline.

They hooked me up to IV fluids and started oxygen to see if that would perk the baby up, and moved me into a labor and delivery room. Baby O's heartrate continued with the same pattern, and around 1:00, they told me I was far enough along for an epidural. Queue the singing angels right here. The epidural helped so much. I could talk, breathe and think again. It was wonderful, but we were still worried about Baby O and wanting to make sure he was okay.

At 2:30 my water broke and the nurse explained that there was a fair amount of mecomium, meaning Baby O had pooped in the amniotic fluid. This, along with the decelerations, meant that he was getting stressed out by the labor process. The nurse called my doctor at home, and he told her that he was on his way into the hospital so that we could figure out our next steps.

Dr. Shibley arrived and told us exactly what we were expecting: that a c-section would be the best way to make sure Baby O came out healthy and thriving. He was concerned that the baby wouldn't tolerate 8-10 more hours of labor well, and taking him via c-section was our safest bet. They started getting me ready for surgery and Nate and I snapped these pictures of eachother...the last ones before we became parents! Nate looks happy and excited, and I look...well, like I'd been in labor for a while (but also happy and excited!)

They wheeled me into the operating room at about 3:30 and started working to get Baby O out. The anesthesia took away any pain I would have felt, but I could still feel all of the pulling and tugging. This actually didn't bother me, because it helped me understand what was going on since I couldn't see anything through the sheet they hung in front of me. As soon as they pulled him out, I felt a big release of pressure and the nurse anesthetist sitting up next to Nate and me yelled, "A baby boy!"

They took Baby O away for a couple of minutes to suction out his lungs, weigh him and assess him. Everyone kept repeating that he looked great, and then came the sweetest sound...his little cry eachoed over to me and before I knew it, Nate was holding him up to my face. Words can't even describe what that felt like. He was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

Baby O was born 1.31.2012 at 3:57 AM, weighed 6 pounds even and was 19 inches long. Most importantly, he was perfectly healthy! Next it was time for us to decide on his name. We had picked out two boy names and only one girl name, so we had to decide between the two boy options. He looked like a Maxwell to us. Max for short. 

 

We stayed in the hospital until Friday, February 3 which was our original due date. Our days were filled with visits from nurses, OBGYN doctors, pediatricians, and many friends and family. Max also had lots of tests done and passed them all with flying colors. I hear a lot of new parents say they couldn't wait to get out of the hospital, and I can understand why because it is exhausting. I slept 30 minutes the first day we were there. However, Nate and I didn't mind it all that much. Being a first-time mom and dad, it was reassuring to have someone there 24 hours a day to answer questions, to make sure Max was doing okay, and to have time to recover from the c-section.

Boy, c-sections are no joke. The first time I got up to walk, it felt like I hadn't been out of bed in weeks (when really, it had been less than a day). But every day gets easier, epsecially since I've been at home and moving around a lot more. Plus, I am so excited and happy to have my little man at home and so busy taking care of him that I haven't had time to focus on my own discomfort. And of course Nate has been a huge help and has taken great care of both of us. All three of us are a little sad that today is Daddy's last day at home with us before he goes back to work tomorrow.

Today is Max's 2 week check-up. We're excited to see how much weight he has gained. When we left the hospital, he was down 8 ounces from his birth weight (which is typical) and at his first check-up the following Monday he had already gained 5 ounces back. That was a week ago today so we're hoping he is nearing the seven pound mark! I'll update again soon with more details about his first couple of weeks at home and how this new life of ours is going. We both feel like totally different people now, in a good way. So far, I would say that having Max is the most rewarding, humbling, exhausting and wonderful thing we have ever done. We are in love...

He's Here!

Maxwell Lee Offerdahl was born January 31, 2012 at 3:57 AM via c-section. He weighed 6 pounds, measured 19 inches long, and is very healthy. We just got home from the hospital today, so I'll post another entry as soon as I can with pictures and more details about our little man's birthday!

Come out, come out, wherever you are...

Well, it's obvious from this picture that we know exactly where Baby O is hanging out these days, so it's more the "come out, come out" part of the title of this post that rings true. Since he has dropped, it is much easier for me to breathe so I'm actually feeling more comfortable lately. Part of it might be mental too, knowing we're almost there. But really, we want him to come out because we are just so, so excited to see his sweet little face and hold him. I know he'll come when he's ready though. I do keep reminding him his due date is only 6 days away...just so he doesn't forget :)

Since we have no baby pictures to post on here quite yet, I thought I'd share some photos of the stuff we have ready for Baby O that I talked about in last week's entry.


Portable swing...the cute little owls on top sold me on this one.



Pack-n-Play in the living room...will double nicely as a nap spot and changing station during the day.



Crib bedding



Changing table in nursery

 

Baby O's sequined close-up

As you can see...we are ready to go. All we need now is a baby! However, we are also making sure to enjoy these last few days of quiet and sleep. It's surreal to think how much life is about to change...

38 Weeks, 2 Days, and So Ready...

We spent most of this weekend getting everything ready for when Baby O decides to make his big arrival. We don't know if my labor will start suddenly, giving us cause to dash from the house in the middle of the night in dramatic fashion, or if it will be a more gradual and relaxed occasion...but we are now prepared for either scenario. The hospital bag is packed, nursery set up, carseat installed, and we even have a note for ourselves on the door to feed Shady Lady before we leave (God forbid we forget that...she would be so disappointed in us. And hungry).

We also did a big shopping trip yesterday to get the essentials for the first month or so after Baby O comes home... a bouncy chair/swing, bathtub, feeding and diaper changing supplies, onesies, socks, swaddlers, and more. I did my first load of baby laundry to get all of the new stuff cleaned and ready. We even set up the bouncy chair/swing in the living room along with the Pack-n-Play my aunt Rhoda sent us. And I gotta say, after almost 9 years of living in an adults-only household just the two of us, it is SURREAL to see our house looking like this. But so, so exciting :)

On Tuesday, my awesome co-workers threw a shower for me and Baby O, complete with breakfast and a bunch of wonderful gifts. Baby O was so excited to get his boppie pillow, diaper tote, some wipes, changing pads, and of course...a Vikings onesie. We read through a list of different signs and symptoms that are supposed to tell you if you're having a boy or girl and of course...they were split right down the middle, so the mystery remains. Someone also adorned the door to the meeting room with a pregnant picture I posted of myself on this very blog a few weeks ago, haha! I'm very lucky to work with such a fun and supportive group of people who have shown so much interest and excitement through my whole pregnancy. Although I am really looking forward to having special time with my little one during maternity leave, I will also miss seeing the gang at work every day. 

Overall, Baby O and I are doing great. He still moves around a lot each day, but I can tell he's running out of room in there because the movements are more constricted than they used to be. He doesn't have quite as much space to wind up his kicks and punches as he used to, but he still lets me know all is well on a regular basis with hiccups, wiggles and rolls. At our last appointment, the doctor said his heartbeat and growth are right on target, and now it's just a waiting game until he's ready to come out and meet his mommy and daddy.  

Ultrasound & Baby Shower

On January 5, we had a 36 week ultrasound to check Baby O's position. During the appointments leading up to that time, we found out that he was breach. I'll spare you the clinical details, but because of the way I'm built, it is more challenging for a baby to turn head down if he is not already naturally facing that way. For this reason, my doctor ordered an ultrasound to see how firmly lodged Baby O's head was up in my ribs, check the amniotic fluid levels to see if it would be possible to do a external cephalic version (ECV) and hopefully, lessen the chances of a c-section. If you don't know what an ECV is, it's basically turning the baby manually from the outside...lots of pushing and pulling on the stomach. The risks are minimal, but it only works about half the time. I looked up some videos of it on YouTube just to see what I might be in for. Owie!!  

The ultrasound began, and we were surprised and happy to see that Baby O had somehow managed to flip head down on his own right in the nick of time (THANK YOU, baby!!!) Once that was confirmed, the tech took some addititional pictures to make sure everything else was okay, which it was. She estimated his weight at 5 pounds, 14 ounces and said she saw lots of hair! She even wiggled him around a little bit so we could see his hair waving side to side. So funny! My favorite part was seeing his nice chubby cheeks. Check them out:

In addition to the relief of knowing Baby O turned head down on his own, I've also noticed that the back pain I had for most of November and December is now completely gone. I'm not sure if this has to do with the change in position, or maybe my body catching up and building the muscle it needed to support my growing front-side. Whatever the reason is, I'm thankful, and a lot more comfortable most of the time.

Last Saturday, my mom hosted a baby shower luncheon for me, Nate and Baby O with help from Nate's mom. It was so much fun celebrating with our close family friends, as well and Nate's sister and our niece. We had a delicious lunch, played games, gave everyone a tour of Baby O's nursery, and he got lots of kind and thoughtful gifts. Nate even got a "Dad-to-Be" gift from his mom.  Everyone was asked to wear pink or blue to signal their guess for girl or boy. My mom, her friend Cindy, Nate's mom Cindy, and Auntie Ashley all wore blue for a boy. Mom's friends Dianne and Donna as well as our niece Madison wore pink for a girl (Madison's shirt was blue, but she assured us that her pink braid and ring means she REALLY wants a girl cousin, haha!) Nate and I ironically wore a nice gender-neutral yellow, even though neither of us knew about the dress code. This proves we REALLY don't know what we're having, even subconsciously. I promise it's not because we try to dress alike for important events. Here are some pictures:

Another fun part of the shower was the "What To Do" jar. Since all of the guests are experienced moms (except Madison, but she is a big sister), they wrote their best pieces of advice down and left some wisdom in a jar for us to look at when we are feeling frazzled. We were advised to take time for eachother, trust our instincts, love and stand by our child always, and enjoy every moment. We were also told to practice our nursery rhymes, that a good babysitter helps, when all else fails...scream, and that boys are crazy. Couldn't agree more with that last one. It must have come from a fellow big sister of boys! Thank you all for a wonderful day. Nate, Baby O and I loved every minute of it.  

Yesterday, we had our 37 week appointment. Although I'm not due until February 3, 37 weeks is considered full-term so that means I could deliver a healthy baby at any time. The doctor confirmed that Baby O is dropping down into position (which I have definitely felt the last few days) and is still head down. She didn't think he would make his appearance before my appointment next week, but qualified that with "never say never." Babies come when they are ready. I know Nate and I are ready!! 

Graceful Moments

Anyone who knows me well is aware that I'm not the most coordinated person. Hence, I tend to walk very carefully, especially outside in the winter. Being pregnant magnifies this, um, challenge...tenfold. A new center of balance has really put me to the test lately. Especially yesterday...

My workday went well, until I tried to walk out to my car at the end of the day. I parked in a different place than I normally do because Nate and I carpooled and the north lot is closer to the freeway I take to his work to pick him up (to be fair, when we carpool, he picks me up and drops me off 90% of the time because he is terrified of me falling in an icy parking lot, especially 8 months pregnant). Turns out his fears were justified.  

Back to the story...so, I had to cross the lightrail train tracks to get to my car. I looked to the right to make sure the train was stopped. You know, so I wouldn't get hit by it. In the two seconds it took for me to look at the train, I took my eyes off my feet. I think I tripped over a chunk of ice, or maybe the edge of the track itself...I'm not sure because I wasn't looking down. But that's all it took for me to come falling down like the London Bridge.

I fell forward onto my hands and knees, rolled over onto my side, then to my back. The best part was that somehow, my shoes also flew right off of my feet. The woman walking in front of me turned around with a very scared look on her face. What would you think if you saw a VERY pregnant woman laying on her back on a train track, shoeless? I assured her I was perfectly okay, got up, put my shoes on and kept walking. VERY slowly. (Don't be alarmed...Baby O and I truly are okay, the train was stopped, and headed away from me once it would have started moving again). No need for drama where there is none. But there's always a need to tell a funny story about someone falling, even if it's me.

It's amazing what your reflexes and your body will do to protect your baby, even before it's born. Even as I was falling, I somehow knew there was absolutely no way I would land on my stomach and hurt Baby O. I told Nate and a few of my co-workers that I would have sooner instinctively hit my face on the ground than my belly if I had to.

I've fallen one other time since I've been pregnant with Baby O, but it was much less dramatic, and thankfully witnessed by no one. The first time was also at work, as I was bending over to pick up a Starburst I had dropped on the floor. The carpeted floor, nowhere near a train track. I started bending over and never stopped...until I was on my hands and knees. Maybe it was the universe telling me to stop eating Starburst. Sorry, Universe.

In other pregnancy news...this Friday marks 36 weeks! We have a routine appointment tomorrow to check on Baby O, and I'll go every week from then on, until he's born. We are just overflowing with excitement!!! Here's the latest belly picture, taken this last weekend: