Wait a Second - Those aren't arm holes...

If you know me very well at all, you know I tend to have anxiety over new situations .. and just can't be trusted to conquer them on my own. (Have you met my father? We're quite similar!) This is something I have been working very hard on over the past couple years and thank God I married someone who is the most laid-back person on earth and can just roll with it - he's really been the culprit in reducing most of my anxiety.

Today I went in for a non-stress test. We had decided at my last appointment that this would be the best option (after I cried.. ha!) to make sure baby was doing fine and didn't need to come out yet. I got there super early because that's what I do and I have this theory that if I'm early, I'll get in early - at my clinic/hospital it tends to work every time!

I have NEVER stayed in a hospital before, been in a hospital gown, had an IV, been hooked up to monitors, or any of that fun stuff. While that may seem silly to most of you, I have been thinking about this and it has been making me a little nervous (see paragraph one on new situations). Plus, I was a little nervous about how the test would go just because it's always a little scary to have a test done, but Poppy has been SUPER active so I had a feeling everything would be just fine.

The first nurse was horrible - she basically threw a gown at me and pointed to the bathroom. My anxiety quickly turned to humor - Turns out, these gowns have holes in them for breastfeeding (quite the concept - I didn't know they existed). However, I didn't realize the purpose of the holes until AFTER I had attempted to put both my head and an arm through them. I just ended up in a jumbled mess and couldn't help but look in the mirror and laugh. That nurse probably wondered why it took me 15 minutes to put on the gown in the bathroom! The best part was that the gown was so huge on me, that the holes were on my stomach! But this is what happens to me when I'm left alone...

I really was not fond of this nurse. After a run in yesterday with an extremely rude lady at the medical equipment store who tried to tell me 20 times that my insurance wouldn't cover the breast pump that they had told me a few weeks ago they would cover, I was not in the mood for rude people. My first sign that I should turn around was when I walked in the door and (without looking up) she said, "What do you want?" By the way, she called my insurance company and what do you know - they WOULD cover the cost of the breast pump as I had explained to her 1,000 times. She then went on to bicker about how my doctor wasn't in their system yet, the auditor's would throw a fit about her crossing something out on a form, and how my insurance must be the only one still doing that because her daughter tried to get one covered about a month ago and couldn't and they are just so expensive. I felt like she wanted me to go into therapist mode and tell her how I couldn't imagine how heartbreaking that was for her and her daughter and offer to buy her daughter one (which is something I would probably do in my crazy emotional pregnant state), but instead I just attempted to smile and jotted her name down so I could complain about her to someone higher up later .. which I won't do because I am a "kill a person with kindness" kind of person so I'm more likely to take her cookies or something.

Back to the nurse... She didn't explain anything (and I like to have things explained very clearly..over and over.. until I understand fully) and for some reason my vocal cords were temporarily unavailable and instead of asking I just went with it. She asked me where the doctor usually finds the heartbeat and I showed her without hesitation - it's ALWAYS in the same place. She played around with the monitor forever, and I was starting to get nervous because I could tell she couldn't find it ... seriously, I think those few minutes lasted an eternity. I was about ready to grab it myself because for a brief second I believed after 9 months of being pregnant, I would suddenly be an expert at finding my baby's heartbeat. Then she said, "Well, I think we'll try the other side" and found it right away .. phew. Doesn't Poppy know not to scare me like that?!

Finally, a different nurse (who I swear was sent from Heaven) came in and said, "Oh my goodness. Let's get you a pillow and cover you up and here's the remote for the TV and why is this blood pressure cuff still on you?"  I had to look completely uncomfortable, but why I didn't just ask for a pillow I do not know. This nurse - I liked. The good news is, she's working this weekend so hopefully we'll be seeing her again.

I loved being hooked up to the monitors and hearing Poppy's heartbeat the whole time. Poppy got the hiccups and that was pretty cool, too. He/she was also SUPER active so I got to hear all sorts of sounds. I felt a few stronger contractions while I was there and the nurse commented on the monitor picking them up.

My doctor came in and said the results looked perfect. Poppy was doing just fine in my tummy - as I predicted - motherly instinct already. When I chose not to be induced last night, I got very emotional because I was so afraid if I made the wrong choice I would hurt Poppy .. but my doctor wouldn't let me do anything that wasn't safe and I feel pretty good about the decision now knowing that Poppy didn't need to come out yet anyway. I had a great talk with my doctor about everything - he's just certain baby will come this weekend and thinks it will be quick (he just didn't want me to cry again..). If no baby, we will chat on Monday and come up with a plan.

This was a really long post with a lot of unnecessary/boring information that you probably really didn't want to read. Benny says I can take a 5 minute story and turn it into an 18 page novel. I call that talent. I mostly typed it out because I'm out of room in my pregnancy journal (which for some reason didn't go past 39 weeks...whoever made that book had obviously never dealt with a Poppy) and want to remember every detail - so next time I'm pregnant I wont attempt to stick my head through boob holes. Don't lie - it's happened to you, too.

Calls from {Grandma}

Last night we were in the middle of supper when my phone started buzzing and I saw "Grandma Jaris" on the screen. I don't see that too often, but when I do - we're ALWAYS eating supper. She's one of the few people that I will interrupt supper for to talk to on the phone. I figure I have supper every night, but these conversations are special and are of much higher priority. I never know how many more of them I will get to have .. even though in my mind people don't get old and pass away (I think if I had a therapist, they would highly suggest this method of dealing with things - denial).

Even though I never get a word in, and if I do she doesn't hear it, I am always on cloud 9 when we hang up the phone. I think Grandma worries that she's taking too much of my time, so she tries to hurry (none of my aunts will believe this..) and is always saying, "Well, I'll let you go" while I'm prepared to talk all night. She always makes sure to say, "I love you, sweetie, and tell Benny I love him, too." My grandma adores Benny - he once visited her without me and she told him that if I ever broke up with him, she was still keeping him as a grandkid. I'm sure glad things worked out because that could have been ackward...

Last night I heard how excited she is to meet "Poopsy" as she calls "Poppy." She told me she's thinking about us every day and praying for that baby. And I'm sure she really is! We talked about her hip healing from her fall, my brothers, my dad, how I shouldn't be working at this point (ha!), and my cousin going off to college (and grandma doesn't know why she doesn't want to take her with).

My only regret is that I don't take the time out of my day to call her more often. I think about it all the time, but I really need to start doing it. I should probably just put a weekly reminder in my phone .. right now!

One of my very best friends in this world is my Grandma. I think she is a remarkable woman with the biggest heart. Some of my fondest memories involve her. I'll never forget the lazy days of hanging out at her house playing crazy 8s and WAR for hours and hours...baking cookies... going to the grocery store...sitting outside on the swing. If there's ever been a grandma to love and spoil her grandkids, Jaris gets the prize.

I feel so blessed that grandma will be here to meet Poppy - I wasn't always sure this would be the case. I only wish we lived closer so she could spend more time with him/her, but we will visit her as much as we possibly can and someday I'll get to share lots and lots of stories.

One of my favorite pictures of all time!

P.S. I'm her favorite. ;)

{Over} Baked Poppy Seed

I'm pretty sure if my tummy had a smoke alarm, it would be going off. Poppy - you are officially over-baked. Now in 10 days when you are STILL in there, I'll write your official eviction notice. Until then, I'm going to enjoy the last few kicks and hiccups as well as a clean house and quality time with your daddy. Turns out, I'm not the first pregnant lady ever to go past her due date (even though it feels that way...) but I think everyone was so determined I would "pop" well before the 22nd that no one can believe you are still baking. And making it this far is not so much a bad thing .. in fact, Poppy's had plenty of time to cook in there and get ready for this world out here. But, really, Poppy - how much more cookin' do you need?

Benny and I both woke up GRUMPY today. We both left work Friday with the mindset we would not be returning today, so it was extremely difficult to get out of bed. I kept reminding him that while he had to go sit in an air-conditioned office all day (his life is rough...), I'd be going in and out of the heat all day, getting up and down off the floor, having little kids come at me forgetting I no longer have a lap, and driving little kids to the dentist .. and I'm the one whose got the baby in my tummy! Good thing I absolutely love my job - I wasn't QUITE ready to say goodbye to my little people anyway.

I got asked at least 15 times at the dentist, "Wow! When are you due? You are going to pop!" to which I sighed and replied,"Yesterday." (Thanks for the reminder, right?!) One lady said, "You just look plain miserable." (Was it the fact that I was sweating profusely or that my shirt was stretched to the point it was almost ripping from me trying to keep my belly from poking out at the bottom that gave that away?) Really, I don't think I look or act that miserable... do I?!

So what do we do? We wait, and wait, and wait some more. Poppy will come when he/she is ready and until then there's not a whole lot we can do. I figure it's a few more nights we get to pray for a smooth delivery and healthy baby. Oh look at me being all positive - doesn't it just make you sick? I'm too exhausted tonight to even go on a walk, so I'm just sitting here staring at Pinterest (Benny told me I could NOT start making a "Baby Edwards #2" board) and chowing down chocolate chip cookies (that I baked out of boredom yesterday). According to Benny, he had 2 and I ate the rest. I may have a slight case of pregnancy dementia, but I distinctly remember him eating at least 3. Benny can't remember a time in his life where I didn't have SOMETHING for him to do, but I honestly don't even have a to-do list at this moment. Although, he could hang up our amazing maternity pictures that came in the mail today (Thanks, Ash!) but I'll let him get in a few more uninterrupted nights of playing NCAA football...

We cannot wait to meet Poppy. At this point, if Poppy is a boy he will not have a name for at least 24 hours or possibly longer because I've suddenly decided on a new name rather than the one we've had picked out for 3 years, and Poppy's father is not budging. This could get interesting. Especially because I pre-made a "Welcome Home" sign for BOTH possibilities - boy and girl - complete with names (oh yes, I need to have this baby SOON), so Benny isn't sure how I plan on doing a last minute switch-a-roo, but trust me folks, it is possible. I even tried to change our girl name - by one letter - the other day and he just told me to move on. I've had WAY too many weeks to think about this... And then today when I texted him another possibility for a middle name, he informed me I should probably stop adding to list and start eliminating. The longer this baby cooks, the crazier this mama gets.

Benny's co-workers have started asking if this is all a conspiracy for him to get some time off work and one even asked if any of them have actually seen me "pregnant" because they're really starting to think it's all made up. I am starting to think they might be right and that all the toddlers know what they're talking about when they say I just have a basketball in my tummy. My boss is neighbors with my doctor, so every time his car is not at his house she assumes he is delivering my baby and I get a text asking if I'm in labor. Today I had to inform her that I'm not his only patient and he probably also has a life outside of delivering babies...

Well, Poppy, we will just have to see what the doctor says tomorrow. Maybe he will send me right up to labor and delivery and we'll be holding you by the end of the day? Wishful thinking .. but I'm hoping I've at least progressed. If not, your dad might be grumpy about the blisters on his feet from walking so many miles with me this weekend. But you just do what you need to do - we'll be all sorts of ready to love on you when you get here! (Oh, and while your uncle Jerad thinks you're holding out to be the New Year's baby, your great auntie Joyce promises you'll be here by September...)

Waiting on a Poppy

39 Weeks - Taking a Walk around the Lake

Dr.'s Report: Still Pregnant. See a theme here?! There are far worse problems to have, though.. :)

I think Poppy's so tired of hearing when he/she can and can't come out, that he/she is just going to be stubborn and do whatever the heck he/she wants! BUT .. we have no more requests - except for maybe soon?! Mommy and daddy really don't want to go to work on Monday so we're really hoping for this weekend. I'm starting to think the toddlers might be right and it's just a basketball under my shirt. (That's a lot of he/she's .. another reason for Poppy to hurry up!)

My appointment went well this week - I'm still healthy, Poppy's still kicking away and that little heart's still a beating - BUT - the doctor was hoping to tell me that I had progressed and instead he told me, "We'll probably be looking at inducing around the 26th or 27th." Benny's only question for the doctor was, "When will my wife not be crazy anymore?" (I've been a bit emotional this week...) One of the guys from the Netherlands told him, "I don't know your wife, but I promise you she will cuss, scream, and punch you in the delivery room." He sure can't wait!

I had planned on today being my last day of work - it's getting incredibly difficult to get down on the floor and back up on my visits and the heat is killing me when I'm carrying 5 giant bags plus some to my car for each visit and going in and out of the office. It didn't help when the air conditioning in my office went out yesterday. Today there was some sort of oily substance all over the classroom floor and I slipped on it and had to grab the counter .. I nearly wiped out and would have landed flat on my back. It did hurt just because I'm sure I tensed every muscle in my body, but I was just glad I grabbed onto something! And on an added note, I don't know how you mamas with toddlers do it! Those little people don't realize I no longer have a lap and they sure hurt my tender belly. Not to mention, none of my clothes fit so I struggle every morning to find something that will cover my belly!

Earlier this week, I went to Hy-Vee after work to talk to my dad about my appointment and pick up a few groceries (I LOVE shopping with Benny, but we never get to buy anything unhealthy or unnecessary fun). And then I come home starving and craving something delicious (like Swiss cake rolls). I found my dad and the first thing I asked him was to tie my shoe. Why I even put tennis shoes on is a mystery to me - I never wear anything but flip flops in the summer AND especially when I'm 9 months pregnant and can't bend over to tie them. We stopped in the middle of aisle 3 and he tied my shoe and then told the people in the aisle that I'm his daughter and went on to tell them that this will be his first grandbaby! Ha. We were laughing so hard, he almost wasn't able to stand back up .. I'm a little concerned that Poppy needs to come soon or Grandpa will be too old to play. And side note - to the couple MAKING OUT in the frozen food aisle - disgusting. But I guess if frozen peas and tv dinners makes you feel romantic - more power to you.

The highlight of my week (other than hearing Poppy's heartbeat, of course) was hearing how Benny knocked his presentation out of the park. We had been SO worried about Poppy coming and him not being there for it, but it all worked out (like i knew it would but still had to stress over instead of just having faith because that's just what I do). I tried so hard all day not to text or call him (which really is hard for me) so he wouldn't think anything was up with Poppy. I didn't even call him after my appointment because I didn't want to interrupt. But of course, I had a voicemail from him as soon as he stepped out of the room wondering how the appointment went. He did receive a call in the middle of it from an unknown number and was a little worried it was the hospital calling. I got a little teary-eyed even hearing him talk about all the things his boss and the guys from the Netherlands and everyone said in regards to his presentation. He didn't get any sleep the night before so he was worried he'd be too tired. As he was trying to hurry out the door, I was hollering to take a yogurt for breakfast, drive safe, put his phone on silent, and to remember if he felt the urge to say "umm" to just pause! Ha. I'm sure that helped his nerves a whole lot. I had faith in him because he never ceases to amaze me even after all these years. I know he's a pretty smart fella, but he also works very hard at what he does. That's enough mushy gushy, but I really am proud of the person he's become and how passionate he is about everything he does in life. Poppy and I are pretty lucky to have him around!

Poppy's kicking/squirming away in my tummy. I've been getting some rather painful kicks, but I like knowing that he/she is moving around in there. Not to mention, those hiccups are powerful these days. Now it's time for Poppy to come kick away out here!! I'm just glad that my tummy has FINALLY stopped itching .. and I have been sleeping through the night - what a relief. I really have nothing to complain about - I feel great!

I've been walking..and walking..and walking waddling .. and doing all those things that will supposedly put you into labor. I'm pretty sure they just make them up to keep us pregos occupied when we're getting impatient waiting for baby. We're planning a long walk around the lake tonight once it has cooled off! Last night we went for a short walk by the lake and watched the sunset and then came home and watched "Friends with Kids." The movie is basically about how your life is over once you have chlidren (ha!) I'm pretty sure Benny was miserable when the baby had explosive diarrhea all over the dad .. and I mean ALL over. Totally predictable movie lacking any plot .. but super cute! I'm hoping I can wake Benny up early in the morning to go on a nice long walk around the lake (walking by the lake just makes walking more enjoyable for me), but he's already told me he's sleeping in until noon.

On the up side to baby taking forever, my house has NEVER been this clean. I LOVE this nesting phase .. now if only Benny would catch the fever. I'm driving him insane because no clutter can be out at all and I don't let a dish sit in the sink for a second. I've dusted, cleaned light switches, washed doors, swept, swept, swept again, vaccuumed, organized closets, finished ALL the laundry, and much much more! I'm thinking scrubbing cupboards this weekend sounds like a good idea. I'm on a roll...

That's all for now .. Unless your heart is set on reading a 40 week post, please cross your fingers, toes, arms, and legs that we get to meet our little one this weekend ..

Just waitin' on Poppy...

Goodbye Tummy, Hellloooo Baby?! .. Soon?!

One week until Poppy is due .. which means nothing - except the doctor has already said he will not let me go past 40.5 weeks, so I guess it does mean Poppy will be here before July is over! Ha! As I'm reaching the final stretch of my pregnancy, I've been reflecting back a lot on how fast the last 9 months really has flown by. I remember before Benny was on board with the whole baby thing, I'd tell him, "Well, it's not like you get pregnant and then a baby pops out. It's about another year before you even have the baby." Ha.. joke's on me because pretty sure it feels like I JUST got pregnant and now baby could come at any time. It has been such a fun time and I will definitely remember it forever, so I thought I'd look back at this journey we've had so far.

Benny and I had been talking babies for awhile .. okay, like forever .. but he just wasn't quite ready and I understood that. He did this thing where he'd tell me the percentage he was ready for a baby .. supposedly when it got to 100%, that meant it was a go. (For some reason, the percentage always went up after an ISU win..wish those happened more often). It wasn't until Halloween night after we had been playing with Lily that I received the following text, "I think we need our own little trick-or-treater for next year" that I knew he was ready. I teared up and showed the text to Robyn who smiled really big and probably said, "Awwww..." The whole way back to Spirit Lake the next day, I was ready to seal the deal.. ha! However, after much discussion (and attempting to plan around weddings..which was an epic fail), we decided that we would wait until January to start trying and we'd try until May and if we didn't have any luck, then we'd take a break from trying. Well... surprise! About 4 weeks later we found out I was 4 weeks pregnant! We have fallen completely in love with our little one over the last 9 months and I can't imagine how we will feel when we finally meet him/her (and find out if baby is a him or her!)

Here's how my belly grew and grew AND GREW over the last 9 months:

Months 1-9

1 Month Prego Vs. 9 Months Prego (Notice the shirt no longer fits!)

Some random shots from throughout my pregnancy!

 I'm so glad I kept this blog throughout my pregnancy to remember it all ... I wanted it all in one post so I could look back and read through all of them!

Two Pink Lines

Telling the Husband

Maternity Clothes

Christmas Morning Reveal

Cravings!!

Hearing Baby's Heartbeat

Week 14 Mark

Books to Read

Baby Bump

Insomnia Kicks In

First Movements

Month 5 Bump

First Kicks

Halfway There!

First Ultrasound

21 Weeks

Daddy's Excited

24 Weeks

The Crib

Nursery Projects

30 Weeks

4D Ultrasound

Maternity Pictures

Shower #1

Shower #2

Happy Father-to-be Day!

Crabby Pants

Built With Love 

38 Weeks

Things I'll miss about pregnancy:
1. Baby kicking!
2. Benny touching my belly and reading to Poppy (I suppose he'll still read to Poppy when Poppy gets here..)
3. Hearing our baby's heartbeat at appointments
4. No longer eating for two - won't have a reason for 2nds anymore! (like I need a reason...)
5. Planning the nursery - we've had SO much fun designing, building, planning, picking things out, etc.
6. Pants that don't button .. might try to wear those as long as I possibly can.
7. The suspense of not knowing whether Poppy is a girl or boy...
8. Side Hugs - I can't reach Benny in a straight on hug anymore, so I have to turn to the side .. it makes us laugh.
9. Nesting/Crafting Instinct - Although my house isn't any cleaner, it is more organized and I have become quite the crafter (and if you know me, you know I don't have a crafty bone in my body!)
10. All the questions/comments from my little ones. They crack me up!! They are so fascinated by my belly and say the funniest things.
11. Knowing baby is snuggled up in my tummy so close to me all day every day!

Things I won't miss about pregnancy:
1. Getting up to pee a thousand times a night. (Now I'll just get up to take care of baby!)
2. Running my belly into corners .. OUCH!
3. None of my clothes fitting!! (Including my maternity clothes now!)
4. Not being able to shave my legs or paint my toenails.
5. Non-stop tummy itching. Ugh. (probably my biggest complaint throughout the whole pregnancy)
6. Throwing out cake and brownie batter and raw cookie dough -- it makes me want to cry to not lick the spoon and bowl when I'm done ... but I won't put baby at risk!
7. Lack of oxygen.
8. CRAZY emotions - from rediculously happy to bawling sad in .2 seconds.
9. Peeing in the smallest cup ever made - if you've ever been pregnant, you know what I mean. 
10. 70 degrees feeling like 100 degrees

What we've done to prepare in the final days: (No matter how many times Benny reminds me we aren't moving into the wilderness for the next 3 months, I still feel like that's what I'm preparing for..ha!)
1. Clean, clean, cleaned the house! I am a huge fan of this nesting thing ... my house will NEVER be this clean again.
2. Installed the car seat
3. Packed and re-packed and re-packed hospital bags
4. Wrote Poppy letters from each of us - we plan on doing this each year for his/her Birthday
5. Started filling out parts of the baby book
6. Stocked up on paper plates and plastic silverware (We will be taking a 3 month break from dishes.. or at least that's my hope!)
7. Filled our pantry with easy-to-grab snacks.
8. Spent time together as a couple and with friends
9. NAPPED and slept in! I NEVER sleep in .. it's against my religion .. but I have been taking full advantage of it because I know I will never have a chance again! Haha.
10. Finalized daycare plans - which was a BIG deal for me...
11. Made a phone tree of who needs to be notified by whom and a list of people we'd like to contact right away before the news hits the press (aka Facebook). Made sure dad knows where our hospital bags are and the most direct route to the hospital from wherever he may be at the time. I kind of like to plan...


I've loved pregnancy and really didn't have many complaints - just a few small annoyances! We have been truly blessed to have a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy to this point and we pray that it continues (It's DEFINITELY the final countdown!) I know that this has not been the case for so many people who have had incredibly complicated pregnancies, so we thank God every day for how smoothly mine has gone and we give kudos to them for being so strong through all the trials of theirs. We try not to complain about the small things knowing there's always someone out there who has it way harder. That doesn't mean I don't get a little hormonal at times, but for the most part, we just keep thanking God for Poppy. We're starting to get nervous about baby's arrival, but we are so excited to meet our little one and know that we will learn as we go just as any new parent does. We already have the deepest love for Poppy and know it will only grow the first time we hold him/her. We are thankful for all the support, prayers, advice, etc. we have been given along the way ... Poppy will be here soon!

I really hope to keep this blog going with all of the excitement of watching Poppy grow, but you'll have to bear with me as we adjust to our new life plus one. It will probably take a backseat for awhile (or who knows..maybe I'll keep up!), but I will do my best to keep you updated. I thank everyone who has shared this journey with us and hope you have enjoyed reading because I sure enjoy blogging! I'm sure someone will get to Facebook before we do to post the exciting news and while I wish I could surprise you all with a "Poppy's Here!" post, I know that will not be the case .. too many excited people!!

36...37...38!!

Dr.'s Report: I'm still pregnant.

Baby and I are both still healthy and happy. We have decided not to be induced on the 17th after further discussion with my doctor. He said baby is at no medical risk and neither am I so we are going to play the waiting game. My guess is we'll have the baby that day anyway! Ha. He will probably induce around the 23rd if baby has not arrived yet. I NEVER thought I'd get to the point where I was ready .. I'm there.

Sleep ~ Still spending most of the night awake wondering how to make this darn tummy stop itching. Last night I slept through the night (other than the usual potty breaks) and you would have thought our baby slept through the night for the first time - we were so excited. I seriously thought Benny might buy me a cookie .. no cookie, though. I didn't feel any more rested and had to have a candy bar to stay awake at work. I worked late and came home and fell asleep on the couch around 8:30. And here I am at 3:45 wide awake!

Cravings ~ All I want is a chicken quesadilla from El Parian. Benny LOVES Mexican food but never gets to eat it because I"m not a fan, but all week I've been saying I want one every day and you think he'd be jumping at the opportunity .. but I have yet to get my quesadilla. I have also been EXTREMELY thirsty this week - I've been chugging water and can't seem to get enough. I think it's probably the heat! I also have been craving popsicles, blizzards, any cold treats!

How I'm Feeling ~ Great. Aside from a little lower back pain, itchy tummy, and being exhausted - I couldn't really ask to feel any better! Thankful I have no swelling and my blood pressure continues to be great.

How Benny's Feeling ~ If he were to write this, I would assume he would say, "Exhausted from my wife talking to me in the middle of the night. Anxious for Poppy to get here already so maybe my wife will stop making me do nursery projects. Nervous I'll be punched in the delivery room. And really hoping Poppy doesn't decide to come while I'm giving a 3 hour presentation to the Germans." He really is SO excited. I don't know how he's put up with me these last 9 months ...

Work ~ My sub starts training with me today. To be honest, this stresses me a little bit. I've been making list after list after list and have everything in a neat little binder for her. I'm what you would call Obsessive Compulsive about how my job is done so it's a bit terrifying to turn it over to someone else knowing in 3 months I will return to the damage. I'm praying I can train her well enough to at least be able to serve my families well because that's the most important part. I'm not going to lie - I won't miss the mass amounts of paperwork while I'm gone, but I hope I come back to it done correctly. I just have to let go and trust she's going to do a good job because I really have no control over it! At least I get to train her so I can have her do things the way I like them done .. like I said, OCD. I'm thinking I should probably be done working because it's getting to be a little much... the little ones don't understand I don't have a lap anymore and my tummy is very tender. Plus, getting up off the floor has become quite the task. But, I'm going to stick it out.. luckily everyone is very understanding! I'm just very thankful to not be on bed rest because then I'd really go crazy.

Contractions ~ Nothing consistent yet, but they are getting a little more painful. Let's get this show on the road.

Nesting ~ Yes! For some reason I'm obsessed with the dishes being done 24/7. You just never know when we'll have to head to the hospital. I can't let anything be left out so I pick up every day!

My maternity clothes no longer fit so I have to do laundry pretty much every day. Baby better come soon or I really won't have anything to wear to work. I think I'll live in my leggings and yoga pants (thank goodness for no summer dress code at work) until baby decides to arrive because jeans just do not sound comfy at this point. 

I know the 38th week is just beginning, but I figured I better get this done in case baby decides to make me very happy and come this week. I know, I know .. he/she will come when he/she is ready. My hope is I'll be posting a "Poppy {Insert Name Here} has arrived" post soon... cross your fingers!! :)

 

Built with {LoVe}

I had big visions for Poppy's nursery. I realize Poppy could care less about it, but it was something to keep me busy over the last 9 months. We hadn't touched the spare bedroom since we moved in, so I was glad to have a reason to do something with it. Benny and I had a lot of fun with all these projects (okay, probably more me than him) and really learned how to not kill each other  work together .. ha! It's so great to see that it's almost complete even though we'll probably be adding on here and there once Poppy is born!  Here are some of the bigger projects that we have completed so far.

Dresser

*I had a million different ideas for a changing table as the months went by. I knew I didn't want the traditional changing table and some of my ideas were just too unrealistic. We finally decided we were going to order a long dresser to put the changing pad on, but they were all SO expensive and were going to be too big for the space anyway. One night Benny reminded me that my childhood dresser was at my dad's house. I got really excited, but wasn't sure if the measurements would be right. I had to go over the very next day to measure and sure enough - they were perfect! I was SO excited to be able to use the dresser which is meaningful AND free. Benny worked hard to strip the finish off it and repaint it white and had to deal with my never-ending requests to touch-up spots. I ordered the yellow knobs off Ebay and even though they are a little more orange than I had hoped for, I still love them! It's already stocked full of diapers and supplies!*

Window Cornice

*See blog about the window cornice here: Window Cornice *

Footstool
*The ottomon that matched our rocking chair was going to about an additional $100 and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I had lots of ideas for ones to make, and then found this steal! A store was going out of business and was selling their shelving. This little shelf was on sale for $5.00 ... AND an additional 50% off. I snatched it originally to be used as a little bench right inside our front door as we had been searching for an affordable one forever. I had Benny touch up the paint with the leftover white paint, remove the top, and I added some foam and fabric that matched the crib sheet. I think when we're done with it in the nursery, I'll change the fabric and put it back in the hallway. This project probably cost me about $11 total as I had some of the materials already. It's now stocked with some reading material and will have my nursing stuff and anything else I might need during late night feedings!*

Closet Organizers

*I'm sure you've seen these on pinterest. I just bought door hangers from Walmart and painted them and used a paint pen to decorate them. Benny says if we have a boy I have to redo the purple ones, but I'm not going to. It's nice having all the clothes in the closet organized!*

Embroidery Fabric Hoops

I fell in love with this idea and it was EXTREMELY cheap. In fact, I'm not sure you could find much cheaper wall decor. Plus, I got to add some color to the room. I'm not in love with how they look right now - I think some rearranging or adding some other circles or SOMETHING is necessary, but we just had to get them on the wall to see what we wanted to change/add! Oh, and this is officially the FIRST clock to be hung in our house. How crazy is that?! Benny's mom bought us a beautiful one for Christmas, but we're still looking for the perfect spot to hang it. This mirror was a wedding gift and I've been in love with it from the minute I opened it, but we never put it up until now. It's perfect for the nursery because it has inspirational sayings all around it.

**We have a few more things to hang up on walls & a couple things that will have to wait until Poppy arrives -- like the name! After that, I'll post lots of pictures of the nursery! It's our favorite room in the house and I just go in there and stare at it a lot .. I know, I'm a weirdo!**

{Stars & Stripes}

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays - mostly because it doesn't seem crazy, just relaxing. I love sitting in a lawn chair, being with people I love and watching fireworks! I was worried about how I'd be able to handle the heat, but I drank LOTS and LOTS of water all day long and Benny forced me to sit down and relax with my feet up in between activities. It really wasn't too bad!

4th of July 3 years ago ..

And here we are spending our last 4th of July as a family of two!

 

Friday night we wanted to go to the fireworks but had no lawn chairs and were being super lazy - so we went and parked somewhere and waited and waited and waited. I kept telling Benny I was going to die it was so hot in his car so he'd turn the air on for a few minutes and then turn it off and I instantly thought I was going to die again. Finally they started, and of course, a big tree was blocking our view! We did end up driving around and finding a spot and caught the end of them .. Poppy went CRAZY during them. My tummy is so stretched out now and Poppy is so big that we can feel definitive body parts so that was quite entertaining! We got up in the morning and drove to Estherville for the flight breakfast and aerobatic demonstration. We waited in line forever for the breakfast and were almost up to the front when we realized we'd miss the show if we went in, so we got out of line and walked around and checked out the airplanes. The show was neat (nothing like the Sioux Falls airshow), but it was still cool to see. We got back to town and enjoyed some Subway and picked up some new lawn chairs at Wally World. We spent the afternoon just relaxing (and I cleaned light switches around the house..ha) and hanging out. Benny even got in a few games of ping pong in with Ryan. 

Then it was off to mini-golfing...which is one of the few activities I can still do - it's just a little ackward and I can't bend down to get my ball out of the hole!

                                          

*You almost can't see Ashlee behind that tummy*

And, of course, we have to take this picture every summer.. Nice hand, Benny.

 

 Benny just being Benny -- "Ok, guys, here are the current standings."

We kinda sorta like each other... sometimes...

 

Shawna and Ashlee hula hooping - I was going to give it a try because I thought I might be pretty good if I balanced it on top of my tummy, but I decided I'd just end up in pain.

 

We all enjoyed some pizza at Godfather's where apparently soft serve ice cream is NOT free - just for the record - and then it was off to Arnold's Park for the concert and fireworks. I skipped the go-karts...

Great friends .. even if Ben did almost put me into labor with his crazy driving.. I think I'll go for a ride with him in about 2 weeks when baby hasn't come yet!

Little Sis .. aren't we cute?! She's adorable!

The Love Birds

I LOVE being at Arnold's Park for the 4th .. quite the atmosphere!

Top it all off with a gorgeous sunset (this picture doesn't do it justice)

By the end of the night, I really wished I had a couch to sit on or at least a pillow, but I was thankful for Landon's little footstool. 

 All the boats out on the lake.

And since we're old, and pregnant, and have jobs .. we went straight home (okay, we got a little lost on the way) and went to bed! The fireworks didn't scare Poppy out, but hopefully they at least gave him/her a little encouragement...

The End. 

36 Weeks & Counting

 We've waited almost 9 whole months ... and we're SO close to the answer ... Boy OR girl?!

 When I put this picture on Facebook, there were 8 guesses for boy and 9 guesses for girl. (And one for healthy -- oh, Joyce!)

Well, at the end of every appointment our doctor would say, "Your goal is to stay pregnant until 36 weeks." Mission accomplished. We had a close call, but I'm officially 36w5d now so I'd say we are good to go.

How I'm feeling:

Anxious to meet our little one

No swelling - ring still fits!

Heartburn (just a little..)

COMPLETE exhaustion - I left work early every day to come home and take a very long nap and then still go to bed early. But I am awake from 3-5 or sometimes 3 on every morning so what do you expect?

Less contractions at the beginning of the week, but they are back stronger than ever now!

Holy backache!

Itchy Tummy 

(I feel like I've tried everything from different lotions to baby oil to olive oil to benadryl and nothing provides relief. So I just have to do what I can to keep my mind off of it so I don't scratch away!)

Cravings:

Milky Ways

Smoothies

Butterfinger Blizzards (homemade by the hubby)

(See a theme yet?!)

Chicken Quesadillas (from El Parian to be specific)

Overall, I feel pretty good okay. The heat got the best of me this week, but I've been staying hydrated and trying to stay in the A/C. Thank goodness I have the most flexible job and most understanding boss! The contractions are getting stronger now and occasionally even painful, but they go away if I walk around or change positions or drink water. Baby is very active which always makes me happy (even if it is at 4am). I don't feel kicks so much anymore, just lots of squirming. And I always have body parts poking out of me. Benny loves watching them move around.

Most of you already know we had a little scare at our weekly appointment. The doctor sent us in for an ultrasound as he was worried baby might be out of space and there might not be enough fluid left in there. I've been telling Benny for awhile now, "Baby could really come at anytime." But I think him actually saying it made me realize -- oh, yes, baby REALLY could come at anytime. Trust me, I'm thrilled to meet baby, but it's also terrifying. And for those of you trying to guess Poppy's gender, the heartbeat was 142. :)

I shook through the whole ultrasound and at one point thought I was going to be sick. It was not enjoyable like our other ones - especially because she wasn't pointing out cute little noses or feet - she was just getting measurements - and she was in a hurry. But mostly, it just hurt because my tummy is so tender these days. Anyway, in the end it all turned out normal and baby can stick around in my tummy for a little while longer (unless Poppy decides on his/her own to make his/her grand entrance).

Packing the hospital bags!

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other baby news, the car seat is installed and Benny put the stroller together (like we plan on going for a stroll anytime soon). We pushed it around the kitchen some and then I insisted Benny leave it there just so I could play with it. Ha! We're such freaks but we really are beyond excited for this baby to get here! We finished up some last minute shopping and used some gift cards from my showers to purchase some of the necessities we had left. It was quite the day! We had to go back to Babies 'R Us and take off our entire purchase and do it all over again because the lady didn't give us our 10% off, any of the buy one get one 50% off, or our other coupons.. what an ordeal! Our hospital bags are packed and ready to go at any time ... minus a few things we use every day. I've packed and re-packed probably 10 times just out of excitement.

Ready for a stroll?

We had an awesome weekend! We were so excited our friends Chris and Wendi came to see us and brought their adorable daughter, Emma. Wendi has been so helpful throughout my whole pregnancy by answering a million questions and giving lots of advice/moral support so I was pretty excited to chat babies with her. I've been dying to meet Emma forever and she's now 6 months old - definitely have waited too long. We had a blast watching Emma - she's probably the best baby I've ever seen - and Benny told me today he misses her! Ha. I'm also glad it motivated us to get our house clean!

Hanging out at the Barefoot

Since we know our lives are about to get crazy busy for awhile, we decided to go out and do some things this weekend despite the heat. We had some "AGCO fun money" from Benny's work to spend at the amusement park so we went there Saturday evening. I obviously wasn't getting on any roller coasters, so we walked through the mirror maze and laughed at my belly, ate GIANT ice cream cones, and I used the remaining money to buy my first "Okoboji" shirt. Ha! Saturday night we went to the Barefoot Bar and hung out with my dad, Tami, and a couple friends for awhile. We couldn't believe this was our first time at the Barefoot this summer. This morning we got up and went to church and then met with the pastor to discuss the possibility of becoming members and also to talk about Baptism. We already feel like we're part of the church family -- the man that said he would pray for our baby sought us out today and told us he's been praying! It was so sweet. And the pastor said the ladies at the church will make us a weeks worth of meals when baby arrives. Benny got everything done on his honey-do list, so we went back to the Barefoot and listened to the Dueling Pianos. It was kind of nice to just sit by the water (in the shade with a cool breeze) and listen to the music/talk to Benny. They have helicopter rides around the area right now and Benny REALLY wanted to take one, but they took one look at me and said I couldn't go. Lame.

And other than that, we've been playing with our new toys -- smart phones -- this week and are officially addicted to Words with Friends!

Addicted?

Testing out the new phone camera! I hope Poppy is as attractive as we are!

We are really looking forward to the 4th of July and hoping it won't be too hot for me to enjoy the festivities. Our next appointment is Tuesday so we'll see what the doc has to say!