38 w e e k s

While Colorado is in the midst of a record breaking heat wave and hundreds of thousands of acres are being burned across our state, my very pregnant belly and I have been lying low trying to keep cool and my swollen feet under control.  Each afternoon as the clouds roll in we pray for rain that will help ease the heat and fires, but the lightning is causing more forest fires than the firefighters can keep up with. It's been a sad and devastating couple of weeks here.

 We just heard on the news the other day that this is the worst time for babies to be born in Colorado because of the poor air quality.  Someday we'll tell our baby girl all about how she was born the summer of the fires. I want to be somewhere refreshing and cool...feeling the ocean spray on my face.  While we're suffering from a lack of rain, my sister in Florida hasn't seen the sun in a week and could probably float to work...  

I've been spending the hot days napping and simply thinking...and wondering if each little twinge I feel is going to lead to labor soon. I still don't know if I have my mind completely ready for what I am about to do, and maybe I really can't until labor has started.  Martin and I have been planning and preparing for a natural child birth and my greatest fear right now is that something out of our control will prevent us from having that experience. I've been trying to put my energy and fears into things I can control like practicing all of my optimal fetal positions that our doula has taught us, reading positive birth stories, and talking to our sweet baby about when she'd like to come out and meet us. 

I am so so thankful that we have made it to 38 weeks. I am so thankful that we have a healthy baby growing stronger and stronger every day and that I have this time off to enjoy my last few weeks of pregnancy. 

Okay baby girl, whenever you're ready, we're ready to meet you :)

A Water Date and 9 months

Our sweet baby girl will be here before we know it. She really could come at any time now, but she can stay with me for a few more weeks if she wants to :) Martin and I have been enjoying so much more time together now that he has a new job with much, much better hours. I feel very spoiled getting to see my husband during daylight hours and soon his little girl will be spoiled getting to spend time with her daddy too.  

Martin and I enjoyed a little date to the aquarium on his day off this week. I'm not sure if my swollen feet appreciated all the walking, but it was nice to get out of the house and away from the 100 degree heat for an hour or so.  We meandered in and out of wild, screaming children and both gave each other that silent look of, "Our child will never act like that" and then quickly realized that our lives are about to resemble those around us faster than we think. (...but seriously, our child will still never act like that ;)

I'm so grateful that during this last part of my pregnancy Martin has been able to be home more.  He has been so supportive, reading and researching how to be the best birth partner for me, giving me foot massages nightly, and saying sweet words when I start crying because I feel out of sorts in this body of mine.

We finished our natural birth classes this past weekend and I don't know if I would be able to do all of this without him.  I know he will be incredible during my labor and delivery and every time I think of him holding his daughter for the first time my heart swells with happiness. 

Packing the Infamous Hospital Bag

The time has come to pack the hospital bag. I don't want to be one of those couples that brings their entire house with them, but I also don't want to be in labor thinking, "I wish I had brought this_____."  Martin keeps asking if we can bring the cats...hmmmm  

Here's what I've come up with so far.

1. My pillow and I have a special relationship...it will be coming with me

2. Slippers 

3. Socks

4. Comfy clothes with a nursing cami

5. Travel toiletries, hair ties, and makeup

6. Baby girl's take home outfit

7. Blanket

8. Important documents: Insurance, birth plan, my own acid free paper for footprints

9. Camera

10. Cell Phone

11. iPod (CD with my playlists)

12. Gum and Mints

My chef husband is also planning on bringing a small cooler filled with our favorite drinks and foods (I'm SO thankful I can drink and eat as much as I want during my labor)

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Does anyone have any other must haves that I've missed that you found helpful during your labor? Or things that you think I won't need? I'm open to any advice :)

A Quiet Thundery Afternoon

This afternoon the dark clouds have quietly made their way across the sky. I love it when the apartment gets that dark light from thunderstorms.  

It feels quiet and peaceful.  The thing that makes me happiest is to lay in bed, close my eyes, and listen to the storm building outside my window.  

I felt bad laying with the fan blowing on HI cooling off my 36 week pregnant body while my poor cats stretched their bodies out as far as they could trying to get some relief from the summer heat.  I finally made myself get up and switch the fan to rotate...now we are all happy.

I remember in junior high when I got my Summer Thunder CD.  Everyone else was listening to Britney Spears and I was a big dork listening to thunder. There's something about quiet rolling thunder that makes me feel so at peace.  I don't really love the booming, shakes the windows, sounds like we're all about to die thunder. Just the quiet rumbles on a summer day. Oh, and add in the smell of rain and you have yourself the perfect afternoon.   

A Wedding Reception at Home

Last weekend I headed home for my twin sister's wedding reception at my parent's home.  I think we all kept thinking of that scene from Father of the Bride when Annie says she wants her wedding at home and George Banks imagines a tacky BBQ wedding with a bride and groom burger :)  But my family outdid themselves creating a beautiful evening full of twinkle lights glistening against a lake backdrop.

 My sister went through my mom's extensive collection of vintage bottles and vases and filled them with baby's breathe, hydrangeas, and roses. Simple votive candles filled some old Ball Jars and created the perfect centerpieces.

I love how my sister and her husband incorporated their love of music for all of their guests to enjoy...and I really love how she displayed the CDs in an old suitcase!  Thank goodness for Pinterest when you're planning a party :) 

 One of the big trees in the yard was wrapped in twine displaying photos of Kate and Bobby throughout the years. 

And of course what's a party without some entertainment and good things to eat? Bobby comes from a very musically talented family and his mom and sister both sang beautifully for the new bride and groom! 

June 9th was an extra special day, celebrating a marriage just beginning and celebrating my parent's 39 years of marriage! 

The evening ended with good music, friends, laughter and watching the sun set against the foothills. We watched as one of Colorado's largest forest fires burned in the very nearby distance creating a red ball of fire in the sky. 

Kate and Bobby were so lucky to have so many family and friends join them for their celebration. Some traveling across the country to share this special night with them.  It's so important to start such a special time in your life with the support and love of those closest to you.  

Congratulations again to Kate and Bobby! May your love for each other continue to grow each day and may you come visit us again really really soon :) 

Magic Hour

Here is the latest photo shoot of my sister and her new husband Bobby!  My sister and I had been envisioning for a long time taking pictures in a field during that magic hour. I think we finally captured the feel we wanted...plus to have such a beautiful couple to photograph makes it pretty easy :) 

Baby Shower

Summer has felt so far away since I found out I was pregnant...we were surrounded by pumpkins, fall leaves, and the anticipation of Christmas. Summer would be the time when we would meet our sweet baby and now we are exactly one month away from our due date.  Martin and I have been using the past few weeks to prepare and finish up last minute details, but one of the biggest events that I was looking forward to the most was my baby shower! My good friend Marlena along with my sisters and mom put together a beautiful afternoon full of pretty pink things with my close family and friends! 

One of my favorite gifts is my Blessing Bracelet. Each guest wrote out a blessing for me and the baby.  As they read their card out loud we strung a bead on a string to turn into a bracelet.  I'm to wear my bracelet until labor is over and use it as a focus...remembering all those women in my life who are standing behind me and supporting me as I begin this new journey of motherhood.