T-minus one month!

I can't believe we are already in the home stretch! One month until our due date! Daniel and I went to Memphis last weekend to purchase 'a few' last minute items and ended up breaking the bank! Adorable baby clothes are the devil and impossible to resist! When we got back we had fun putting in the car seat, washing and putting away all the clothes, and organizing stuff! Only big thing left to do is pack bags! Oh, and pick a name. I'm sure you don't believe me, but we really are closer to finalizing the name. :) And I will let you all know when my mind is totally made up.

We've got our first 'weekly' OB appointment tomorrow. We are both anxious to see if any 'progress' has been made by the occasional contractions I've had. Probably not, but I'm excited anyways! I don't want too much progress because Daniel will be in New Orleans November 8-11! Several of my girlfriends have offered to stay with me while he's gone, just in case! Xerxes will probably be late like most first borns are, but it would be nice if he'd make an appearance before Thanksgiving. No rushing these things though!

The nursery is almost done except for needing things to hang on the walls. The Walter Anderson we received will most likely go above the crib once it is painted and framed. I'm undecided what else I will hang, but the walls look sadly empty to me at the moment, so I've got to work on that. I'm open for suggestions! I've posted some pics of the nursery in it's current state.



Please ignore the stickers on the dresser drawers! My feeble brain needs them to remember which drawer has what sized baby clothes!




The gestational diabetes diet is going fine. My numbers are always good unless I cheat. I always know when I'm going to fail, but sometimes I just can't resist that piece of french bread. French bread is definitely the worst offender so far. I am really sick of having turkey sandwiches with a side of carrots and cucumbers for lunch just about every day. We eat lunch at work most days, and it's hard to find things that are easy to bring for lunch that fit the diet. Thankfully today we have leftovers from dinner, so I get at least a day off from sandwiches. Just one more month and then I won't have to constantly think about what I can eat 6 times a day!

Farewell Jenny, Vic, and Madylan!

Jenny, Vic, and baby Madylan should be on the road to California today! Please join me in wishing them good luck and safe travels as the drive cross country with a week old baby, 3 dogs, and a trailer behind the truck! Talk about an adventure! We will certainly miss them! The girls went out for dinner last night as a second birthday dinner for Christina and as a going away for Jenny. We'll all just have to make a trip to California to visit one day!

Weekend at the cabin

Daniel and I drove over to the cabin Saturday morning to enjoy the wonderful fall weather and what could be our last trip to the cabin without a baby in tow! Although it did sprinkle off and on on Saturday, Sunday was just perfect! It's so nice to see blue skies again! I spent a good bit of Saturday relaxing in front of the fire and working on the baby's stocking. I definitely think I'll be finished before he gets here. Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Yesterday we went for a long walk through the woods and around part of the lake.

It was pretty chilly when we first started our walk, so Mom and I are all bundled up.


Freddie, Mom and Bailey


The Martins


Looking across the lake to our point although you can't see our cabin since the leaves are still on the trees.



Bailey had a blast swimming of course!



The often requested, rarely flattering, belly shot. Feeling big as a house.

Update on Baby Martin

Since Daniel was in California this week and didn't get home til about 2 am this morning, my Mom graciously spent her birthday going to OB appointment and childbirth class with me! Thanks Mom! Appointment went well. Sonogram confirmed our baby is still in head down position with rump and feet crowding my ribcage! He's been in the position for at least the last 2 weeks, so I'm hoping he's there to stay. They are estimating his weight to be 5lb 8 oz currently, so that's good news! He's still in the normal size range, so no giganto babies here yet! My doctor confirmed that the menstrual crampies I've felt very occasionally are most likely contractions, so I guess my body is gearing up! I sort of have a feeling I'm gonna go into labor before my due date, but that could just be nerves I suppose. Just in case, we plan to do some last minute prep this weekend. I plan to get all the clothes and bedding washed, a suitcase packed, and practice with the car seat installation. Maybe this is just more crazy nesting, but it's not like I can stop it, so we'll do it early to make me feel better. My blood glucose levels have been good and fairly easy to maintain. I am looking forward to some homemade french toast with blueberries and syrup and a huge bowl of Baskin Robbins Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream after our baby gets here! I've been able to have the occasional cookie or piece of cake without failing my glucose tests, so I don't feel totally deprived.

My friend Jenny gave birth to her daughter, Madylan, on Monday! I hope to see her in person this weekend, but from pictures she's a beautiful miniature of her Mom! Jenny, Vic, and Madylan will be moving to California in 2 weeks, so I've got to get some baby love time in!

And now for an update on the stocking. So Mom and I got all the threads separated, so I hope to actually get started tomorrow. From the number and tiny size of the threads, this is a very daunting task. I may join the ranks of mothers who have half completed stockings crammed in a drawer! Oh well, something to occupy my time and maybe keep me from wanting to re-organize the cabinets above the washer and dryer! :) I will try and take pictures to document my progress. Wish me luck!

We are heading to the cabin tomorrow morning. Since Mom and Freddie both had birthdays this week, we are looking forward to some belated celebrating with them! I'm also looking forward to some sunny, cold fall weather, a big pot of taco soup, and the first fire of the season!

More Coast Shower Pics

My mother in law Anna, me and Daniel


Me and Aunt Katherine


Madeline and Avery both loved the fountain in front of the house.


Lots of lovely gifts!




Our yummy lunch! Thanks Uncle Walter!






Our very delicious cake!

Call me crazy

Call me crazy, and maybe it is some form of crazy nesting instinct, but I have my heart set on making a Christmas stocking for Baby Martin. I looked through every available needlepoint kit online, and finally settled on this one. At first I thought maybe it was too girly, but I wanted something Christmas-y without including Santa, etc. This was one of the very few options that fit that description. I guess when he gets old enough to care, I'll make him a new one with whatever he wants on it. For now, this is what he gets! You'll notice this stocking has a place for the name at the top. I plan to have a name to put on there before Christmas. I really think we are getting closer on that front. Daniel is more ready to make the final decision then I am. Not sure what is holding me back, but we'll get there! I'll be doing the back of this stocking in velvet, so thought I might make some simple velvet stockings for me and Daniel. The question is, what name do I put at the top of ours? Susan and Daniel? Mom and Dad? Mommy and Daddy? Daniel and I were too weirded out by the thought to make a decision, so I'm open for suggestions.

Coast Baby Shower

Daniel and I drove down to Ocean Springs this past weekend for our second baby shower. It was held at his Aunt Katherine's house/bed and breakfast, Chateau Blessey. The day, the decor, the company, and the food was outstanding! I haven't gotten copies of all of the photos we took, but Sherri did provide hers! I look really huge in these pics. I guess that's because I am! Here's hoping I don't get much bigger! Baby Martin should be growing to fill up the space instead of the 'space' growing anymore!

It was much warmer on the coast than here in Oxford, but we couldn't have had a more beautiful day! I was so happy to get to spend time with Sherri and the girls!



Beth, who currently lives in Ocean Springs, was able to come! It was so nice to see her!


We dined on the front porch overlooking the beachfront! Uncle Walter made a wonderful meal for us! Boiled shrimp, pasta with marina, salad, fresh papaya, and bread! Lunch was followed by a wonderful cake! Yes, I did have a piece, and yes, it did make me fail my glucose test that afternoon. So worth it though! So delicious!


Daniel had planned to drop me off and go have man time with his brother, but instead stuck around to help out! He and Zach made wonderful wait staff!


After lunch we moved inside to open gifts. Madeline and Avery were a big help! They handed me presents and gave their expert seal of approval for each gift!






The wonderful hostesses gave us a beautiful Walter Anderson print to hang in the nursery! Let's hope Daniel can persuade our friend Rebekah to paint this one for us as well! She's the best!


Thank you wonderful hostesses! (from L to R: Mrs. Wavra, my MIL, me, Aunt Katherine, Mrs. Kortman, and Mrs. Wilson)


Besides 'working' the shower, Daniel also got to spend lots of time with the nieces. They sure do love their silly Uncle Daniel!


The happy soon-to-be parents!


*Next post will be about my newest project to complete before the baby comes!

The 'diet' so far

Well, I felt like I ate alot yesterday, but I also spent most of the day feeling hungry. I think I need to choose better proteins for my meals and snacks although I've done ones they've recommended. I seriously feel like i'm eating more carbs now that I was before. All my numbers have been great, so that's a plus. I may try being a little more lax this weekend to see how it affects things. Daniel and I are meeting Mom and Freddie at the cabin for the weekend. Cabin = good food, so we'll see how it goes. Below is what I ate yesterday.

Breakfast: mini whole wheat bagel with TBSP cream cheese and a slice of low fat cheese, decaf coffee with cream

AM Snack: 10 reduced fat triscuits with 1 slice of low fat cheese

Lunch:turkey sandwich w/cheese, mustard, tomato, lettuce, cucumbers and carrots w/ 1TBSP ranch

PM Snack: 6 nilla wafers with half a banana and 1 TBSP peanut butter
PM Snack 2: had to have some sugar free jello at about 5 cause I was freaking starving

Dinner: 4 meatballs, sauteed onions and peppers, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 2 slices cheese, half a hoagie roll

Bedtime Snack: 1 TBSP peanut butter, 1 sugar free chocolate/vanilla swirl pudding cup, 1 cup of 1% milk

I started today with a slice of bacon, an egg, and a mini whole wheat bagel with spray 'butter' and felt full much longer and my numbers were much lower than yesterday.

My dinner last night was a half a meatball sub with 2 meatballs on the side at a party to watch the game. Great food, sad game. I wanted a brownie at that party real bad, but resisted. Gonna be a long 2 months.

What are the odds? (stolen title and post)

After a crazy day of running to Tupelo for class, coming back to work and hitting up Kroger for groceries, I had to go to Walgreens for Keytone test strips (cause Kroger was out). Who should I run into while checking out? My friend Mary Beth over at http://nedandmarybeth.blogspot.com/. And what would she be wearing? The exact same maternity dress as me! We even both had green purses! I've always thought MB had excellent taste!



I would like to state, for the record, that we were not there to buy smokes!

Diabetic Teaching Class

Well, I just returned from my meeting with the dietician. Thankfully, looks like the worse thing I'll have to do is the testing 4 times a day. My level of exercise and my diet are both pretty good. A few of the diet changes I'll have to make appear to be: no more fruit or juice in the mornings, no more syrup (unless I use sugar free) if I do waffles in the morning, the addition of a protein with my afternoon snack, and the addition of a bedtime snack. I will of course have to limit my sweets, watch how sweets affect my blood sugar levels, make a note if I eat something extreme like cake after the test results. I'll be heading to the grocery this evening to make a few substitutions and will begin testing and tracking tomorrow morning. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

Well, I failed.

I took my second 3 hour glucose tolerance test this morning and I failed. I was on the borderline, but that makes no difference. If you fail even slightly you are considered to have Gestational Diabetes. I have to go to a Diabetic Teachings class on Wednesday to get my testing supplies and learn about my new diet. Isn't pregnancy supposed to be the one time you don't have to worry about dieting? Apparently not! So I'll be dieting, pricking my finger 4 times a day, and keeping track of what I eat and my numbers after testing to report back to my doctor. Along with that fun business, I will now have to go for more frequent appointments, sonograms, and will not be allowed to go past my due date...or at least not far past it. My friend Jenny who has been going through all of this as well, has steadily lost weight since starting the GD diet. If I do the same I won't have any weight to lose at all after having the baby. I guess I should be happy about that. I think I'll be having ice cream for dinner tonight.

Dear Lancome,

Dear Lancome,
Last time I got one of your fabulous 'free' gifts, you included a product I had never used before. In the last few months I have been using said product, and have fallen in love. So, today I get an email from Belk telling me you are having a 'free' gift giveaway again. What a perfect time for me to buy an actual container of the sample product that I loved, right? Uhhh...until I looked at the price. I'm just not sure I can justify spending $120 on moisturizer. Even if it does get me a fabulous free gift. Oh Lancome, why would you be so cruel as to hook me on a product that is ridiculously over priced? If only you would offer this product in your 'free' gift again, I would simply find a way to get my hands on lots of those samples. As it is, I guess I am just s.o.l. unless someone out there can help me justify that expense. Maybe I can just use a few times a week to make it last forever?

Oxford Baby Shower

My amazing friends threw me a baby shower in Oxford last weekend. It was wonderful to see most of my family and friends in one spot! They did a beautiful job with the decorations and the food was incredible! I'm still waiting for everyone to send me their recipes, so I can pass those along!

some of the wonderful food and the decadent chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting!


My lovely cloth diaper cake! Super cute!


Audrey and I (Happy Birthday Audrey!)


Bebe and Fred Daddy (Mom and Freddie) gave me a wonderful baby book! I've got to get started filling this in while I still have free time!


Xerxes is ready for his first trip to the cabin now! My cousin had shirts like this made for all the family a few years ago, and now onesies!


What is it about tiny bathrobes? So cute!


Most definitely not the most flattering photo of me. I pretty much live in a hot flash these days, but I had an especially bad one in the middle of opening gifts...hence the plate/fan.


A couch full of relatives!


On top of such a lovely shower, the hostesses bought me the car seat/stroller combo we had registered for! We will now be allowed to bring baby Xerxes home from the hospital!


I sure do have some good looking womens in my family! Thank you all for coming! From left to right: my mom, my grandmother Frances, my aunt Anne, me, my cousin Sallie, my cousin Kaylee, my aunt Havis, my cousin Jan, and my aunt Beth!


My wonderful friends and hostesses! From left to right: Audrey, Corinne, Jennifer, Lisa, me, Nina, Sage, and Natalie! Note to self: you are pregnant. if anyone says lets turn to the side for a photo, JUST SAY NO! :)


Daniel was very excited to have something new to put together! And look, he even read the instructions! We practiced strolling around the house and Bailey WAS NOT amused. I'm going to have to get her used to the stroller if there is any hope of her going with me when I stroll the baby. She was very scared of it!



On the baby front: I'm in week 30! Scary how fast time is flying by! Still feeling good. I've forgotten what it was like to take a deep breath or have my rib cage to myself, and I dream of the day I can sleep on my back again. All in all, still not too bad! Baby still kicks around like crazy and I sometimes feel like I'm crushing a foot or something when I lay on my side. Kinda freaks me out! Haven't taken my 3 hour GTT again yet. Maybe one morning this week, but since I have meetings most mornings, it's hard to skip out for 4 hours to do the test. And, needless to say, I'm not looking forward to the starving and the getting stuck 150970808 times. We are still in names discussions. Hate to say this, but we may just have to take the few we've narrowed it down to to the hospital and see what fits our baby when he arrives.

*Please say a prayer for my friend Rivers Collison who delivered a baby girl today (5 weeks early)! Haven't heard anything else, but praying all is well with Mom and baby!

Upwords Movement and Trisol

The group my friend Priscilla sings with has just released a cd. go here to listen or buy a copy. Priscilla is working on a solo album as we speak, so I'll keep you posted on that as well.

while I'm promoting my very talented friends, check out Trisol. My friend/sorority sister Tricia just started her own jewelry design company. she has some absolutely gorgeous stuff! I've seen some of her pieces in person, and they are even more stunning than the website shows!

enjoy!

Gone so fast!

This was the shortest long weekend ever! I started Friday night off by sitting in the car for 2 hours while Daniel bought a new shotgun. I'm trying to stay out of Wally World and grocery stores to cut down on my germ exposure. All I can say for that super fun 2 hours is thank goodness for my crackberry. Saturday Daniel went dove hunting all day, while I basically vegged. I did go makeup and shoe shopping, but the rest of the day was spent reading and watching movies. Sunday we headed to a friend's house to watch the game and eat some excellent smoked butt and sides! Monday we bought some new (deer proof) shrubs to go around the fire pit, cleaned the house, I made turkey chili to freeze, roasted a chicken, made sweet potato casserole, steamed broccoli and rolls for dinner last night and to snack on during the week. Yesterday wore me out! I needed a foot rub so bad by the end of the day, but alas, that is forbidden!

On the agenda for this 4 day work week: gym then Rotary Christmas Store meeting tonight, another daycare visit tomorrow, visit with potential pediatrician thursday, and here's hoping nothing on Friday! Saturday is my first baby shower, and I'm so excited! Can't wait to see all my family and girls in one place (minus a couple)!

On the baby front: I think we are getting closer on names. Still feeling great! The baby is super active and it just makes me giddy when he kicks the mess out of me! He definitely knows Daniel's voice and jumps around when he hears him as well! Oh yeah, I failed my 1 hour glucose screening, so I have to go back in for the 3 hour glucose tolerance test. Only 4-7% of pregnant women end up with GD, so hopefully I'll pass this time! My doctor was in no hurry for me to take it, so I guess I'll go in sometime next week.

The home stretch!

Well, I'm officially in the third trimester! Wow, the 2nd really flew by! I guess feeling good made all the difference. Scary to think how quickly this last trimester will probably go! No turning back now! Tomorrow is my second 1 hour GTT, so keep me in your thoughts around 8:45 tomorrow morning!