Weeks 33-34

Advice Request

Since this blog is for 2 weeks, I have two pieces of advice that I would like.  PLEASE either comment on the blog, facebook or tell me your advice because I really want it J

1) I want to breast feed.  Is there anything I can do to prepare myself ahead of time so I can have the best chance of success? 

2) What are things we should pack for the hospital that we might not think of?  A friend who just had her baby told me to bring our Boppy pillow, which I would not have thought of, so it made me think, I bet there are other things I wouldn’t think of as well!  Send them my way.

How I am feeling 

I am feeling busy!  J  That is why I am combining weeks 33 and 34 on this blog.  We have been very busy getting Lilly’s nursery ready, hanging out with out of town guests, working on shows we are in (or directing in my case), getting back into the swing of things at work and working our second jobs.  Don’t get me wrong, we love it and wouldn’t trade all of the things we do, but it gets hard to sit down and write a blog!

Other than busy I am feeling great!  I am so thankful that I have had such a great pregnancy so far (knock on wood).  I really hope that I can say this every week.  I really like being pregnant, especially when people use the word “cute” to describe me more than any other time in my entire life!  People are so sweet.  I just hope “cute” is not code for gigantic and I am just oblivious! 

Here is what I look like at 33 weeks, including a picture of Darren and I at our baby shower:

Here is what I look like at 34 weeks including a picture of me after our Murder Mystery performance:

Baby movement:

I think she has dropped a little because I am feeling her much lower than I used to.  But then again, I am feeling her higher too!  I guess she is just bigger J  According to all the books she is almost 5 pounds at this point, and I think it shows.  Her movements are definitely much more defined at this point and easily visible.  My ribs are definitely a target, especially when I am sitting. 

The midwife that I saw on Monday was able to tell me that her feet are on my left side right now.  This makes a lot of sense because I am constantly feeling movement on that side and you can see little bulges pretty frequently.  I love to picture her stretching her little legs out and making herself comfy.  I watched her for almost 15 minutes straight the other night.  My belly was just swirling around and she was swimming or dancing or whatever she was doing.  I felt so connected to Lilly at that time.  It’s also great when Darren can see her and connect with her that way as well. 

Shout Outs

Big shout out to Kelly D. for loaning me the mother load (haha – pun completely intended) of maternity clothes!  You are so wonderful!

Also, a shout out to Matt and Antonia H. who welcomed their new baby boy Joseph last week!  We are so happy for them!

I don’t think the term shout out is enough to express how appreciative Darren and I are to the following people. 

First to my mom, Kathy, my sister, Susan, and my niece, Brianna, for driving all the way from New York just to see us and be here with us for our baby shower.  We love   you all so much and Lilly, Darren and I are so lucky to have you in our lives.  It truly meant the world to me that you came. 

Next to my best friend, Jess L, for flying in from Boston for the weekend to celebrate with us.  You are always there for me and I love you for it.  Lilly is going to love her Aunt Jekka! 

Also, to Kelly L for making her absolutely amazing cupcakes for our baby shower.  You have truly not lived until you have tried one (or four) of these!  Thank you for making our shower that much sweeter J

Last, but certainly not least to our amazing North Carolina family: Michelle, Chad, Carissa and Jared S. for organizing and hosting our baby shower.  We are so thankful to have you in our lives.  We know Lilly will be so loved by all of you!

Overall, we are just so thankful to everyone who came to celebrate with us at our shower and to those who could not make it but were still thinking of us.  We could not ask for better family and friends!  Here are some pictures from the shower:

Nursery:

Drum roll please…the nursery decorating is DONE!  Yay!  I know we are still missing a crib mattress, but the decorations are done!   Hehe.  We had so much fun doing it and creating Lilly’s cozy little space.  It’s amazing to walk in there now and think that in just 6 weeks we will have a baby girl to go with this room!  I sit in the glider sometimes and just imagine what it will be like to hold her and cuddle her.  

   

Labor and Birth:

I spoke with one of the midwives at our practice about the placenta encapsulation and she told me that she actually did this herself when she had her baby and she is a huge advocate of this practice.  This made me feel really good about this idea.  I am still not positive, but I think I am going to do it.  I know it’s very odd to most, and I am ok with people thinking I am odd.  J  Maybe other women reading this blog will research this and decide to do it themselves, the word will spread and this practice will become much more mainstream and acceptable in time.