BIIIIIIG update

Okay, I keep avoiding posting because I haven't got pictures off my point and shoot, but it just keeps getting later and later!! I have sooo much to say! I don't even know where to begin.

I am now 36 weeks preggo- we can't believe how this has flown by! We had an ultrasound today to check his size. (Since I was boarder line gestational diabetes, they check to see if he's getting really big and want to induce early). I was so nervous about his size, but he's totally perfect! He's only 6lbs, 6oz right now (in the 60th percentile)- they predict that by due date he'll be 7lbs 6oz. I am soooo happy. I have been mentally preparing myself for a 10lb baby for the last few months, and now the idea of having a tiny 7lb baby sounds ahhhhhmazing!!! :) Oh, and we are so in love. I know I'm totally biased, but he just looked soooo cute today! He was a little squished in there! His head was tucked down, and his hands were up against his cheeks. His lips were all puckered and he kept making little sucking movements with his cute little mouth. Nick and I kept giggling every time the ultrasound tech would show his face- she even said "oh my gosh, he's totally smiling at us!". His head is down, and lately it seems like his little bum is always poking out my left side, and his feet are jabbing me on the right side towards the back. He was seriously beautiful, and I am so amazed we have been blessed with this little guy (and by the way, he's definitely all boy!). I dream about him every night- and I am overwhelmed with emotion when I think about what it will be like when they first put him in my arms. It is coming at us fast, and the reality of being considered "term" next week is starting to sink in!

We're feeling pretty prepared for him. We've been going to the centering classes at Swedish Ballard. We'll be delivering with an amazing group of midwives that we love and trust completely. We've also hired an incredible doula that will be there through it all. She's just the nicest person- taught childbirth classes for 20 years, had three natural child births of her own, is a retired occupational therapist, and then went back to get her doula certification.
For those who don't know, a doula is a labor support person who attends to the emotional and physical comfort needs of laboring women to smooth the labor process. They work as advocates for the parents and work as a team with the mother and father to ease the pain/discomfort during labor.
It is a huge weight off our shoulders just knowing that she'll be with us- and she has a wealth of knowledge on different coping mechanisms and ways to ease the pain. My goal is a natural med-free birth, although we're remaining open minded to other options since we know that we can't predict how it all will go. Still, I know that I'll have a better chance of getting there with her helping us. After meeting her for the first time, Nick said, "it's weird cause I feel completely comfortable with her being there for the whole thing, even though we just met her". And I totally felt the same way. She'll either meet us at the hospital, or come to our home while I labor there first (they really encourage you to do a lot of your early laboring at home). We just feel relieved knowing she'll be with us.

And we are checking off the list of things we need pretty quickly. I am overwhelmed by how generous our family, friends, church and coworkers have been in preparing for this child. I am writing thank you cards as fast as I can, and still, things keep coming in for the little guy. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for all the support we've received!!! Our life is truly blessed by amazing people!

Nick and I have done a ton of work on the bedrooms downstairs. We've made 4? trips to Goodwill with the car packed- and it feels so good to declutter before he comes! Nick has done some amazing work on the baby's room: put up wainscoting and a chair rail all the way around. We gutted the closet, and he painted it and put up new rods (which, oh my gosh, made it look amazing! crazy what a can of paint can do!). We moved a crib, dresser, and shelf into the room, put up curtains, hung pictures... and the glider just made it in last week. The first night we got it in we sat in it together and read all of Parker's baby books to each other. I've washed all his clothes and have them on hangers-in order by size- neatly hanging in his closet. The bedding is washed and on his crib- complete with the waterproof pad. Diapers are in the drawer, blankets washed/folded. We just need him. :) The other day Nick said, "This might sound weird, but I find myself going into his room at least once a day and just sitting in the rocker for a few minutes". I laughed and said, "I totally do that too!!". So now, every night we just find ourselves hanging out in there- talking about our days and playing with his toys. Um yeah, we're pretty excited.

I'm staying reeeeally busy, which is good, because the time is flying by this way. My schedule has been "boy band crazy" for the last month or so- cramming in as many portrait sessions/meetings with 09 brides as humanly possible. I've just got a week or two more of chaos, and then I've pretty much cleared my schedule. I'll be taking off all of April and May from photography, and then starting back up with weddings and portraits in June. I'll be taking off a full 4 months from the hospital, coming back at just one day a week for the 5th month, and then going back to my 2 days/week in September. I'm a little nervous about how I'm going to juggle my schedule and mommyhood this summer, but Nick is incredibly supportive and keeps encouraging me. He says, "Don't worry- Parker and I will find stuff to do while you're at weddings. We need our boy time." I know it's going to kill me the first time I have to leave him for 8 hours, but I know it's going to feel good knowing he's just hanging out with his daddy. I am so lucky. SO lucky.

Okay, since I've already written a novel here, I'll stop for now. I still have more I want to say, but it's late and I'm going to bed to cuddle with my hubby and dream about our little guy. :)