sprint to the finish!

Well folks we're officially 37 w 2 d~!  That means baby is full term and labor is considered normal and welcome at any time (do you hear that Baby?!)  I was surprised to find out my cervix is already dilated some at our appointment on Friday.  That is awesome.  I've had friends who never dilated past 1 even when being induced and ended up with a c-section, so it's great to learn my body is revving up. I credit Baby Grabe who has been punching me where it counts on a daily basis lately =p  We also learned we won't go past our due date because of the gestational diabetes, so we know Baby will be here sometime in the next 19 days.  It seems so surreal.


Our bags are packed, the car seat is in the car, our ceilings are vacuumed... I think we're about as ready as we can be.  


I thought I'd post some of our maternity photos... some are a bit too racy for Facebook ;)  We had some studio shots taken at Jill Christine Photography when we were home for Easter, and my cousin Jenni took some amazing shots right before we left for Boca.  

Although I was excited to show off my naked belly for the studio shots, they really don't hold a candle to Jenni's work as you can see for yourself.

 I had a dream a while back that our baby was born on June 1st... which is this coming Friday.  I'm not going to hold my breath but I sure will be walking, bouncing on my exercise ball and doing other fun activities known to start labor :-D xx

are we there yet?

Holy 34 weeks~!  I'm sitting in my hotel room in Tuscon on my last trip for business before baby, kind of relishing in my alone time.  I spent the miserable 3.5 hour plane ride organizing my life via "notes" on my ipad: what to pack in my hospital bag, Dustin's bag, baby's bag...things we need to get done around the house before baby. Meanwhile Baby was kicking my diaphragm AND punching my bladder all at the same time :D

Last weekend we had a swanky little co-ed shower in Minneapolis and received so many more great gifts. Although I'm sort of a slug in the evenings anymore (I haven't been to the gym since Boca) I find energy to do the weirdest things. Yesterday I had a grand 'ol time cleaning out the cupboards in the bathroom in addition to washing all of Baby's clothes and putting them in their place, while burning a baby powder scented candle in the nursery. I may have even done a few puppet shows for the dogs with the tiny little outfits :~D  I'm sure they think I'm nuts.

This week will bring some fun starting with some Mommy and Me time tomorrow night!  Since we're so close, Mom is driving over from Phoenix after I'm done working tomorrow. She hasn't seen me since Thanksgiving and I've changed a lot since then :)  It will be a nice little treat just in time for Mother's Day.

what better way to celebrate an early Mother's Day than with Mexican food and Pedicures?! :)

Dustin and I have our final Lamaze class on Wednesday-- that six weeks has certainly flown by!  I remember people saying how much they enjoyed those classes and not understanding why... now I can say I would highly recommend them to any expectant couple.  We've learned so much about labor, each other, and what to expect from Baby. Dustin says the more he learns the more nervous he gets, but I'm pretty sure he's enjoying himself too. 

Only six more weeks to grow~!!! xx

Boca baby~!

Babymoon... check!  What a great--albeit short--trip it was. The first few days of my time in Florida were spent at the work meeting a.k.a fashion show I've been prepping for for months. I am really in love with parts of pregnancy (feeling Baby move always makes me smile) and other parts I could sure do without. My body being the topic of every conversation can be EXTREMELY taxing. Even though 99.9% of people are so sweet and say just the right things it's the one asshole who just won't quit at "are you sure there's only one in there?" that can send you to your room crying :*(  


DUSTIN TO THE RESCUE :D I'm so lucky. Really I am.  He couldn't be any more perfect.  I'm still obsessed with my big ol belly, and every time I present it to him he giggles and puts his hands on it.  He always tells me I look cute-- even when I see the pictures later and know he was lying.




What I loved most about our time spent together in Boca was watching HIM observe other families.  He said in regards one family getting into their vehicle: (kids ages 8 and 10 maybe) "Look at that, the dad didn't even wait for the kids to get in the car before getting in himself-- that's not very nice."  To another family on the beach: "that dad isn't very interested in playing with his kids."  

He also doted on me like he's never doted before... and trust me he's a doter. I did not carry one bag or open one door, and he was constantly reminding me to hold onto the railing while I went down the stairs :)

I married a very very good man, and I cannot wait to watch him in action as my baby daddy! <3

Third TRY-MUSTER

Yeesh.  31 weeks today and I am feeling every hour of that lately :(  I've renamed the third trimester to the third "try-muster" as I try to muster my way through with a smile.  I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes earlier this week; which was quite the jagged little pill to swallow I must say.  What that means for now is watching my diet-- essentially rearranging my carb intake so I have less in the morning and more towards the end of the day.  I'm also checking my blood sugars 4x's a day and recording them.  If I can't control the diabetes with diet alone I'll need to start taking insulin.


Even though I know there's nothing I could've done to prevent this (especially with my strong family history of diabetes) I can't help but feel so ashamed.  I guess I was looking for a reason to kick my sugar habit so what better way, huh? Thankfully once Baby is born this issue will go away; my dumb little pancreas just can't keep up with all the demands the pregnancy adds.  I keep reminding myself of my feelings a short time ago-- I would've given anything to be feeling every ache and pain that pregnancy brings.  I am still so grateful for this little life growing inside of me it really will be worth it in the end <3

OK enough of the pity party.  On the bright side I had my first baby shower last weekend on Good Friday!  It was so lovely to see everyone. Dustin's mom and sister traveled from the east coast, Grandma Shipman and Aunt Shanne from Springfield, MO, and a bunch of girls from the Grabe side and others I used to hang with back in the day :)  We received SO MANY nice gifts... the nursery is really starting to come together.  

Tomorrow I leave for my National Training Meeting in Boca Raton, and Dustin will join me on Wednesday for a little Babymoon getaway :D  I'm so looking forward to some R & R with my baby daddy.  We have a convertible rented for the week so any drive will be an adventure.  So far it looks like the highs will be in the 80's every day we're there... YAY SUNSHINE!!!

~Brace yourself~

So this wrist pain I've been having...?  It's pregnancy induced carpal tunnel, and I guess it's pretty common.  My left wrist flared up and in just a week's time my pain is at an annoying 6 out of 10; just enough to make a person super crabby.  What a weird thing but hey-- there are much worse things I could be dealing with.  One trip to Wal-mart (yes, it was the only place I could think of that was open after the Hunger Games movie Friday night) and I had myself two extremely dorky looking braces to wear at night.  It's a sexy look let me tell you.


Now, two nights later I can say I experienced ZERO waking up with numb hands every 2 hours, and my wrist pain is super minimal right away in the morning.  Who would've thunk.  I'm so happy to have a little relief!


Another reason to celebrate... we're officially 3rd trimester!!!  It seems like time has really flown and then again it seems like F-O-R-E-V-E-R until I get to meet my little booty shaking munchkin.  The house has been under major re-organization (how the heck did we get so much junk?!) and my personal favorite: cleaning.  This morning the carpet cleaners came to do both upstairs bedrooms and next weekend we bring the crib home~!!!! AHHHHHH so excited.  April is a super busy month, so it will be great to get that all set up.  I'm also looking forward to rocking in the rocking chair and dreaming of baby G :~)

my only complaint

I've had such an easy pregnancy... I really can't complain at all.  No morning sickness.  I had some headaches early on but attribute that to my neck being out of whack more than my hormones.  I haven't had skin/acne issues or any unusual hair growth... BUT I sure will be glad when the numbness and tingling goes away in my right hand~!!  It's driving me bonkers.


Today starts the last day of my second trimester already; can you believe that?!?  I feel like pregnancy relates somewhat to planning a wedding: there's a lot to do right in the beginning, then a period of time where you're kind of sitting and waiting with a feeling like you should be doing something, and then a complete sh*t storm of activity in the end. I feel a storm brewing ;)

the crib set up is complete!

This weekend we're moving the bed out of the guest room to prepare for the carpet cleaners, and we'll have the crib all set up before we go to Iowa for our very first BABY SHOWER on Good Friday :D  We received our first shower gift in the mail on Friday... a high chair compliments of Jim, Becky and Josh.  That thing was a part of our decor within 15 minutes of arriving at our doorstep, and makes me smile every time I walk into the dining room and see it.  It's times like these that I am so overwhelmed with all the blessings we have in life.  I'm so thankful for all of the gifts we've received... the biggest of which is doing back flips in my belly as we speak <3  Life is good; God is great, and who doesn't like a little numbness and tingling anyway ;)

Pop goes the Grabe~!

I believe I have officially "popped", at 25 weeks and 4 days.  Suddenly I can't get enough of my form fitting tops :)  I'm so enamored with my belly I don't even notice my big 'ol badonkadonk anymore! Even better news was our ultrasound report from last week.  Baby is up to 1 lb 11 oz which is right where s/he should be.  Additionally the fetal echocardiogram looked great so we've been discharged from the Perinatologist and follow up growth scans will be done with my OB visits...!!!  YAY BABY :)  Here's an amazing 3D picture of our little munchkin but don't go being a poop and think you know the sex just by looking at it. 

I'm excited to share my #1 favorite purchase of all time from Bellies to Babies.  I had never been at this particular consignment store and must say it was slim pickings compared to Nine.  One upside is B2B does buy your gently used maternity and baby clothing on the spot rather than on consignment, so I'm thinking that may come in handy in the future.


SO in my ongoing hunt to find cute maternity clothing (that may just be an oxymoron) for Florida I tried on the few summer items in the store.  I have this obsession with white pants and love the look of linen, so when I found these smock waist white linen pants I was super stoked.  When I tried them on my excitement continued to build--they were a perfect fit.  The ultimate climax came when I checked out and paid a whopping $6 for my gorgeous new white pants that retail at $85. THANK YOU whoever got rid of these~!! Little Miss Frugal (moi) walked out of that store proud as punch.


Now for the dirty confession.  Back in November, when I was so excited to be pregnant and scared to buy anything for baby just yet I purchased a maternity robe.  Insert buyers remorse here. It's not completely awful, but it's just plain 'ol black knit... and the only thing maternity about it is the tie is a bit longer than normal. I should've returned it, but I didn't.  Even though it works just fine and I'll be able to use it all the time as it's not *really* maternity I would've felt much better had I either A. purchased something similar for half the price at somewhere like Target or B. spent the $45 stinking dollars on something truly adorable from Victoria's Secret.  Live and learn I guess.  On the bright side it's black, so it will be nice to throw over my hospital gown hiding any "spills", and I'll be able to wear it forever.


So there's a peak and a pit of my maternity clothes shopping experiences to date. Happy shopping~!