blink and you'll miss it

So hard to believe we're approaching 34 weeks.  Lulu will be fully cooked soon.  And if these remaining weeks are anything like our past few weeks, she'll be 3 months old before we know it.  Time is flying!

For our friends and family who don't see me regularly, here's a big ol' belly for you to admire from a couple weeks ago. 

I thought I was doing pretty well on the whole weight-gain issue till I learned the shockingly horrifying news that I'd gained SIX pounds since my last appointment two weeks ago.  Oops?  I blame Valentine's for this, and the fact that I had a rather large basket of Hershey's Kisses and Crunch hearts on my desk.  (You noticed the past tense of that statement, too?  Well aren't you clever...)

Speaking of, we had a great Valentine's full of beautiful flowers, chocolate, and fun gifts.  All in all, it was an excellent manufactured holiday.  We didn't get any pics of the flowers when they were fresh, but here's a shot of them not-so-fresh.  I love roses that start out one color and turn another by the time you reach the tip of the petal.  So pretty!

Other than gestating and otherwise preparing for this baby, I'm trying to get things to a manageable place at work so others aren't so stressed by my retirement.  And we've got about 8.3 million projects on the homefront.  This reminds me, I'd better get back to researching camcorders.  If you have an HD one that you love, let me know!

daddy's got a plan

Mark was flipping channels the other night and stopped on that Asht*n K*tcher movie in which he plays the boyfriend who's gone home with his girlfriend to meet her family. 

Mark didn't watch too long before coming to me with a concerned look on his face.  He said he didn't like the idea of Marin bringing home boyfriends -- or having a boyfriend in general.  I laughed and asked what his alternative would be (because in my head, the alternatives were her being without a date ever or else "swinging the other way," neither of which sounded like a better plan).  Without a moment's hesitation, he responded, "Jesus could come back!" 

At least Daddy's got a plan, Cupcake....

in pictures

So I've got this fancy camera that I really don't know how to use.  But here are my first couple attempts at manual mode shots.  Santa and Frosty were excellent subjects.

And these next shots are of the nursery mostly and a couple of the house for those of you who've asked how things were coming along.

Here are the early stages of the nursery.  Yes, it is a bold, tarty green.  The first color we picked -- which was supposed to be a soft pastel green -- was horrific and eye-searing.  This is a vast improvement.  We left the original color in the closet and without the harsh flourescent lighting, it actually provides a cute little contrast. 

Here are the crib and dresser/changer.

Look at this cutie-patootie picture frame I found at one of my favorite retailers that perfectly goes with the bedding!

We found these dish towels when we went downtown for my b-day brunch last month.  We thought they'd look great done in embroidery hoops.  I'm still debating on whether and what color to paint said hoops.  And I'm toying with getting some other sizes with miscellaneous fabrics.  We'll see.

These birds also have a pink birdhouse friend.  We found them at a darling little store in Abilene when we were there for Christmas.

Enough of the nursery.  Here's our upstairs bathroom after getting rid of the icky wallpaper and carpet.  You know what really grosses me out?  Carpet in the bathroom.  Think of what must be growing in it!  Ew!

Last for now, here is our guest room.  Don't mind all the junk on the bed; it's mostly stuff for the hallway.  We're still working on decor but were so glad to get the room painted and furniture back in place.

T-minus-98

We have a mere 98 days to go till Lulu Cupcake -- I mean Marin Grace -- is fully cooked.  No telling if she'll feel inclined to stay inside that long.  I should probably be freaked out by how quickly this parenting thing will be upon us, but it hasn't kicked in yet.  You call it denial; I call it peace.

The painter is coming at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow to paint the nursery (along with the guest room and D.A.R.).  So excited for this step as it will allow us to start making decorative progress.  Our P*ttery B*rn Kids store is closing in 10 days, which is depressing since that's where we've picked out nursery bedding.  I keep hoping the overpriced curtains I want will go on an inventory clearance sale.  So far, no such luck.  

My goal for tomorrow -- because I've chosen to not qualify laundry as a goal till I'm at home full-time with an infant -- is to take my "big girl camera" out of the box and start learning how to use it.  This is thrilling for me...and a little nerve-wracking.  Don't judge me for being more nervous about my camera than about impending parenthood.  We all deal in our own time and in our own way, right?

a confession and a question

One of the glorious side effects of pregnancy is heartburn.  When you already have a raging case of acid reflux, the pregnancy-induced heartburn is the equivalent of pouring lighter fluid on a bonfire.  My doc advised me to lay off chocolate, mint, and dairy.  And wouldn't you know, I only want items from the restricted categories as of late.  I've justified that if I eat them in smaller quantities and earlier in the day, I will get them out of my system and have plenty of time to flush myself with water and Tums.  These are, of course, lies.  Sometimes I wonder whether I could possibly be a good mom when I am, at times, utterly incapable of making a good decision for myself.

It's getting harder to bend over, what with Lulu Cupcake nestled all snug in my ever-expanding womb.  She likes to hang out super low.  Due to space constraints, she's had to move up a smidge.  But whenever I bend over, there she is, getting squished and making us both miserable.  There are things I need to do in normal life that involve bending over.  Like laundry.  Which is a more acceptable solution: to request that Mark do all the laundry for the next 15 weeks, or to request new energy efficient front-loading machines (because a fancy new dryer would need a fancy new washer friend) that come with the taller base stands so I have to bend over less?

preggo in pics

August

September

October

November (Thanksgiving)

December

Later in December (B-Day)

Christmas pics to come, just as soon as I get them loaded...which may or may not be this year. 

I have LOVED being pregnant.  Even through the awful nausea and exhaustion, I felt such joy that this little life was growing inside me.  Our little Lulu Cupcake (aka: Marin Grace) is such a blessing already.  Mark and I are excited and proud to be her parents and look forward to her arrival this spring!

Banished

Let me just tell you, these little gems are DELICIOUS.  But they are no longer allowed in my home.  Why?  Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I've cleared through 2 boxes (with some help from Mark, but I have to accept the lion's share here) in the past 3-4 weeks.  And that's only because I exercised a smidge of self-control this week and we were out of town most of last week.

In case you were wondering, yes, I've gained more weight than is normal in this timespan and have now learned my lesson that a pregnant woman should not eat anything and everything her little heart desires -- especially if said little heart is possessed by a sweet tooth so large it could rival Mount Rushmore. 

Incidentally, because I'm too lazy to drag out the camera and take a picture of my now-empty box of cookies, I did a quick search online to see if I could find a photo.  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see these guys on sale at places like e*Bay and Ama*zon. After all, they are limited edition.  And thank goodness for that.  I'm not sure how long my will power will remain intact.

Our pitter-pattering little feet...

will be clad in black patent leather Mary Janes!

The doc was 90% sure about our little one being a girl.  I'm going to try to finagle another peek down the road, but the absence of "outdoor plumbing" and the presence of two little lines seemed pretty convincing.

Most importantly, Baby had two hands, two feet, an excellent spine, and a strong heartbeat.  She looks perfect and we can't wait to meet her this spring.  God is good and we are blessed!

Is there truth to the tale?

There's been a lot of talk and speculation surrounding whether or not we have Baby Boy or Baby Girl on the way.  We've got less than two weeks till we find out, provided he or she is feeling cooperative.  (Here's hoping!)

There are so many old wives' tales about how to tell if it's a boy or girl.  The one I am most familiar with is the heart rate.  I asked the doc today when she checked, and she said "it's 154 -- but that doesn't mean anything!"  We'll see...

Did the heart rate thing hold true for you?  What other tricks did you try?

Update:
Myra suggested I take some quizzes, so I've busied myself with that task.  Here are the results...
- 58% it's a girl according to Just Mommies
- 63% chance of a girl according to Childbirth
- it was a toss up at Parents
- the ancient Chinese birth chart says boy
- 53% it's a girl at Baby Gender Prediction

pop!

In case you were wondering, yes, I'm pregnant.  And no, it's not multiples.  But thanks for being shocked at how gargantuan I am already.  Really, it does wonders for my self-esteem. 

Just three weeks till we learn the answer to the boy/girl question.  I have no idea how to even try to guess whether we've got a he or she since I can't compare pregnancies and such.  But cast your vote in the poll for funsies!