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Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Mackenzie Burgess Photography (the Bump Shots!)
Getting SO Close!
We have completed 34 weeks (half way to 35 as I write this blog) and it is hard to believe how little time we have before we are joined by Monty. His movements are changing so much. We have gone from hard repetitive kicks to more purposeful "stretches" where he holds a limb out as far as he can and holds that position. He is constantly stretching into my ribs and diaphragm so breathing is becoming a challenge. I feel like an old lady or heavy smoker sometimes! All part of what is "normal"- or at least so the books say!
I have started having what I can only assume are Braxton Hicks contractions as well. Again, this is normal as my body is just gearing up for the real deal! They are most frequent early in the morning or late at night (as my body wakes up or slows down) or it may be possible that like his movements that is just when I am most aware of them because I have slowed down to stop and attend to the sensations.
The holidays have had us busy for sure. We celebrated Thanksgiving with Chris' family before the holiday. We enjoyed each others company and had a great time going through old family photos after dinner. I most enjoyed seeing the pictures of Chris with peroxide blonde hair (what guys will do in college for a girl!?! haha!!) and pictures of his cousin Jason (who is a vegetarian now) eating chicken wings. Chris brought a camera, but I guess we were caught up in chit chatting and playing with pictures of old that we forgot to take some current ones! I think my mother in law did....
Since we knew I wouldn't be able to travel during the Christmas holidays, we went to Augusta for Thanksgiving. We had a great time at my Aunt Lisa's. They cooked a fantastic meal which was served as a long table on the outside deck. She kept the rules of not being allowed to sit next to your spouse, so conversations stretched down the long table. My cousin Mackenzie took some great pictures!
After eating we watched football inside (I will never forget the awfulness of the Jets playing the Patriots for as long as I live!) and played some games. We had some really good laughs with Mad Gab and then got very serious and competitive playing trivia.
On Friday Chris and I went back over to the Burgess house so that Mackenzie could take some "Maternity Photo Shots" of us. I will make a separate blog for those images since there are so many, but it was an amazing experience. Anyone who knows me well, knows I am not big on nudity so the idea of belly shots freaks me out just a bit. But the whole thing turned out fantastic and I was so glad that we took the time to take those pictures!
On Saturday we did a "mock Christmas" (since the Harris family won't be able to make it back to Augusta for the holidays). We opened presents while Luke napped on Grandad and when he woke up it was time for him to open his presents. It worked out perfect. We finished with a Christmas meal and then got back on the road to Atlanta. We did take a few pictures of present opening (always more when there is a baby in the room, so Luke got most of our shots!).
After the mock holiday celebration, we returned home. Chris and I went to the Saints game for the FIRST TIME EVER on Thursday. Yes. We have had season tickets for YEARS but something always comes up and I can't go to the game so Chris sells the tickets. It was so glorious to be in the dome when we beat them! No, it wasn't a pretty victory but we still walked away with the W! RISE UP :) To make the event more special (and guilt free) we both had off work for Friday and stayed in a hotel downtown. Thursday night games are just TOO LATE to do it any other way!
Sadly my grandfather passed away that night. We went to Augusta on Sunday for the wake and the funeral was held on Monday. I stayed on Tuesday to help my mom tie up some loose ends from the funeral (closing out accounts, returning items, etc). While it was a difficult weekend, it was nice to be able to see all of my extended family together.
It has been a busy time for us indeed. I can't believe that next year we will be sharing all of the holidays, football games, and family times with our child.
I have started having what I can only assume are Braxton Hicks contractions as well. Again, this is normal as my body is just gearing up for the real deal! They are most frequent early in the morning or late at night (as my body wakes up or slows down) or it may be possible that like his movements that is just when I am most aware of them because I have slowed down to stop and attend to the sensations.
The holidays have had us busy for sure. We celebrated Thanksgiving with Chris' family before the holiday. We enjoyed each others company and had a great time going through old family photos after dinner. I most enjoyed seeing the pictures of Chris with peroxide blonde hair (what guys will do in college for a girl!?! haha!!) and pictures of his cousin Jason (who is a vegetarian now) eating chicken wings. Chris brought a camera, but I guess we were caught up in chit chatting and playing with pictures of old that we forgot to take some current ones! I think my mother in law did....
Since we knew I wouldn't be able to travel during the Christmas holidays, we went to Augusta for Thanksgiving. We had a great time at my Aunt Lisa's. They cooked a fantastic meal which was served as a long table on the outside deck. She kept the rules of not being allowed to sit next to your spouse, so conversations stretched down the long table. My cousin Mackenzie took some great pictures!
On Friday Chris and I went back over to the Burgess house so that Mackenzie could take some "Maternity Photo Shots" of us. I will make a separate blog for those images since there are so many, but it was an amazing experience. Anyone who knows me well, knows I am not big on nudity so the idea of belly shots freaks me out just a bit. But the whole thing turned out fantastic and I was so glad that we took the time to take those pictures!
On Saturday we did a "mock Christmas" (since the Harris family won't be able to make it back to Augusta for the holidays). We opened presents while Luke napped on Grandad and when he woke up it was time for him to open his presents. It worked out perfect. We finished with a Christmas meal and then got back on the road to Atlanta. We did take a few pictures of present opening (always more when there is a baby in the room, so Luke got most of our shots!).
After the mock holiday celebration, we returned home. Chris and I went to the Saints game for the FIRST TIME EVER on Thursday. Yes. We have had season tickets for YEARS but something always comes up and I can't go to the game so Chris sells the tickets. It was so glorious to be in the dome when we beat them! No, it wasn't a pretty victory but we still walked away with the W! RISE UP :) To make the event more special (and guilt free) we both had off work for Friday and stayed in a hotel downtown. Thursday night games are just TOO LATE to do it any other way!
Sadly my grandfather passed away that night. We went to Augusta on Sunday for the wake and the funeral was held on Monday. I stayed on Tuesday to help my mom tie up some loose ends from the funeral (closing out accounts, returning items, etc). While it was a difficult weekend, it was nice to be able to see all of my extended family together.
It has been a busy time for us indeed. I can't believe that next year we will be sharing all of the holidays, football games, and family times with our child.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Finishing Touches
Hard to believe the pregnancy journey is coming to its final weeks. Seems we learned we were expecting only a few weeks ago. Now we are at most ten weeks away from meeting Monty. It could be as short as six weeks- and that would be considered a healthy little boy!
His space has really come together even more in the past few weeks. He has a mattress and changing table pad. The clothes we have already have been washed and sorted by age group/size and stores until needed. His crib bedding arrived yesterday. This weekend I gathered all of my 20% off coupons for Buy Buy Baby and bought a lot of big supply items. He has a stroller, carseat, base for both cars, and the pack and play. I have assembled most everything we have- which I'm not sure if that's considered nesting or just normal people organization (not letting it become a giant pile before beginning to tackle the workload).
Chris had been doing most of the baby reading lately. I think I'm burnt out! We have to make a list of his "first aid" and daily supplies to pick up but it seems we are a well oiled machine otherwise.
I would like to stockpile some frozen foods and collect crock pot recipes for easy meal preparation once he is here. My Aunt Sheila is already on it- helps to have a cook in the family ;) but I'm open to accepting more recipes!
My friend Stefanie has loaned me several DVDs for birth and care taking classes. Chris and I said we would watch together but I have jumped in to the videos that apply more directly to me. It's overwhelming to take in all the information thrown at a person- especially since plenty of families have their babies without doing a quarter of the reading and research we have done and they are fine.
I have browsed through the pediatrician information but its time to focus in on finding M a doctor. Hopefully I'll have that settled before Thanksgiving. We have an "open house" to attend for one of the primary groups next week.
Work has found a replacement therapist for me. It's actually an OT student I had with me for a semesters and we have kept in touch a bit. I have already started making some extra notes for her to get her through her first job setting and taking over the kids in the middle of the year. I know she will be great! They asked me to start maternity leave when the students leave for Christmas break. It's a few weeks before I am due but I know after being on break it would be hard to return to that fast paced therapy.
Not that I think much has changed- but below is a new baby bump picture from week 30 :)
His space has really come together even more in the past few weeks. He has a mattress and changing table pad. The clothes we have already have been washed and sorted by age group/size and stores until needed. His crib bedding arrived yesterday. This weekend I gathered all of my 20% off coupons for Buy Buy Baby and bought a lot of big supply items. He has a stroller, carseat, base for both cars, and the pack and play. I have assembled most everything we have- which I'm not sure if that's considered nesting or just normal people organization (not letting it become a giant pile before beginning to tackle the workload).
Chris had been doing most of the baby reading lately. I think I'm burnt out! We have to make a list of his "first aid" and daily supplies to pick up but it seems we are a well oiled machine otherwise.
I would like to stockpile some frozen foods and collect crock pot recipes for easy meal preparation once he is here. My Aunt Sheila is already on it- helps to have a cook in the family ;) but I'm open to accepting more recipes!
My friend Stefanie has loaned me several DVDs for birth and care taking classes. Chris and I said we would watch together but I have jumped in to the videos that apply more directly to me. It's overwhelming to take in all the information thrown at a person- especially since plenty of families have their babies without doing a quarter of the reading and research we have done and they are fine.
I have browsed through the pediatrician information but its time to focus in on finding M a doctor. Hopefully I'll have that settled before Thanksgiving. We have an "open house" to attend for one of the primary groups next week.
Work has found a replacement therapist for me. It's actually an OT student I had with me for a semesters and we have kept in touch a bit. I have already started making some extra notes for her to get her through her first job setting and taking over the kids in the middle of the year. I know she will be great! They asked me to start maternity leave when the students leave for Christmas break. It's a few weeks before I am due but I know after being on break it would be hard to return to that fast paced therapy.
Not that I think much has changed- but below is a new baby bump picture from week 30 :)
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