525,600 Minutes

How do you measure a year?

I didn't come up with that - I am a huge fan of Rent, the musical, and for some reason I love that song. (I'm actually a fan of almost all musicals). I had some quiet time just now with Campbell. She was supposed to be eating but decided to sleep instead, so she and I were just rocking in a chair in her room for an hour or so. Daddy was out running an errand, there is no TV in there, just some time to think. I started getting all deep thinking about 2008 coming to a close, and that's when those lyrics popped in my head.

2008 has been a monumental year for me. How do I measure this year? I think the answer is pretty obvious. This year has brought me two of the biggest moments of my life - my wedding and the birth of my daughter. Wow.

On March 15, Travis and I got married in Asheville, NC. Our wedding was, in a word, heavenly. :) It poured down rain that day. And I mean poured. I don't know of any little girls who picture their wedding day and envision rain, storm clouds, torrential downpours. I certainly didn't. But when that day rolled around and it was pouring, I didn't care one bit. (I was a little concerned about my hair, but we made sure I was covered and it turned out OK). The view from the mountain lodge where we got married was breathtaking after our ceremony. There were these incredible foggy rain clouds that started to part and made the backdrop more amazing than any sunset could have provided. I'll get back to the rain thing in a minute. Back to the wedding. It really was exactly what we wanted. It was intimate, it felt so personal, and it felt so "us." Our guests were seated around us in a horseshoe - like we were surrounded, literally, by our family and friends. Since it was dark and rainy outside, it made it feel even more warm and cozy inside. We had a ton of candles lit, and the decor was minimal - bare branches, moss, and candlelight. The only music was a single guitar. When I think back on this day, I hear the guitar playing Canon in D as I walked down the aisle. I see Travis' face at the other end, smiling so big, and looking so relaxed. He seriously looked so relaxed, so ready, and so happy. I remember exactly what it felt like after we walked down the aisle when it was over, and we had a split second alone to say, oh my gosh, we're married! I remember our first dance as if it's in slow motion in my head. It was just the most wonderful day. After all the planning, it turned out way better than anything I could've ever planned for. And after that...we got to hop on a plane and head to paradise for a week (St. Lucia). Our days there consisted of laying poolside, drinking poinsettas (cranberry juice and champagne) from sun up to sun down, eating brie and crackers in our room every afternoon around 4pm, scuba diving, reading books, telling stories from the wedding over and over, lounging in the hot tub until we were a wrinkled mess, and enjoying the first few days as husband and wife.

The other momentous event of 2008 was Campbell's birth. I probably won't go on and on about it since that's all I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. I was pregnant most of 2008 which was exciting and fun and scary and irritating all rolled into one. I thought I'd miss being pregnant because I enjoyed it for the most part. But now that Campbell is here, I don't miss being pregnant at all. And I enjoy the little things in life, like seeing my feet again. She changed our lives in an instant. We went from two to three. Back to the rain...it was raining on December 11. I think rain is our thing. We do rain! I usually hate rain. I don't like getting wet or cold or carrying an umbrella. But it seems like when there is a big moment in our lives, it rains. Not sure what that means, but like one of my favorite country songs...Bring on the rain, I'm thirsty anyway! When I think back on 2008, I think I'll hear Campbell's first cry. We didn't know she was sick in that first moment, and I just felt joy...and relief that she was finally here and crying. I'll never forget the time we spent with her in the hospital and how hard it was to come home without her. But only a few weeks out, that memory is being overshadowed by how happy we were to come home WITH her 12 days later. She made me a mommy and made Travis a daddy, something we have each always dreamed of. Life is good, and so much more full these past few weeks because of her. We also got the tax deduction that Daddy was so hoping for. :)

Also in March of this year, we lost Travis' grandfather to a short battle with cancer. He passed away within two weeks of his diagnosis. It was so shocking and tragic and such a loss for Travis' family. And for me too. I know Travis misses him dearly but we also know that we have another angel in our fleet. I wish he could've been here to see our happy moments of 2008, but we know he was there at the wedding, and helped watch over Campbell while she was sick.

So that's how I measure this year. I know I have a lot left to do in my life, but it's going to be hard to top this year. Tonight we may or may not make it up to see the ball drop. We will probably have a glass of champagne with dinner and call that our big celebration. And something tells me it might be the best New Year's Eve yet!

Grandparents Rock

Campbell is so lucky to have four wonderful grandparents and two great grandmothers who all love her very much. Either in person or via webcam, she's had the chance to meet all of them so far. My parents came down Christmas night and left this morning. I alluded to how much help they were in my last post - but allow me to elaborate. It was so wonderful to have them here to hang out and help out. First of all it was two extra sets of hands, which are quite useful. It's pretty amazing how heavy a 7ish pound baby can get, and how hard it is to get anything done when all you want to do is hold the baby. Extra hands can 'go get my water', 'let the dog out', and of course 'hold the baby.' Extra sets of hands did so much more though. Yesterday Travis went to Marion for the day to attend his brother's wedding reception. I spent the majority of the day on the couch, feet propped up, just staring at my baby and watching TV. Meanwhile my parents scurried around me, cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, organizing the pantry, hanging things on the wall for us, folding laundry, etc. It was awesome! After they left this morning, I ran the dishwasher, and I was thinking, man, I'm actually going to have to empty this thing myself! :) It was really, really nice to have the help around here. We had real meals, clean sheets on our bed, and a constant "oh my gosh your baby is so cute." What could be better?

And please don't think I'm only bragging about my parents. Travis' parents are wonderful also. Travis' parents are close enough that they can come often for shorter visits. Since my parents are in Virginia, when they visit, they stay the night and therefore the situation is more conducive to them being our live-in cooks/maids/nannies. Anyway, we've just really enjoyed having our parents around Campbell. I know some people's parents drive them crazy. Not the case here! Travis and I are quite lucky in that we both have cool 'rents that we enjoy hanging out with. And even better, that our families mesh well. Campbell's got a good thing going in the family department!!

I've got some pictures to share now. You'd think that with that intro, they'd be pictures of Campbell with her grandparents. Nope, that would make too much sense. In fact, I don't have many with the grandparents! :( My mom does - I'll have to get her pictures uploaded soon. Here are just some of my favorites from the last week. I think she looks so different from one picture to the next. But of course I think she's gorgeous in every one...

Campbell's First Christmas

While Campbell takes a quick afternoon nap, I thought I'd take a second to update the world on our time at home. Things are going so well! Campbell continues to amaze us with how sweet she is. She sleeps and eats really well for a newborn. Now...she's still a newborn. So if you stop by, you'll probably notice some circles under our eyes, and we may or may not be showered. But all in all, we're doing pretty well. My parents came down Christmas night and are here for the weekend. It's been so fun to watch them with their grandbaby. And even more fun to watch them cook and clean for us!!!!! :) It's nice to be taken of. Yesterday we met the entire Justice family, cousins and all, for lunch. The cousins were so cute at the end of the table, eating their chicken fingers together. It's crazy to think that one day Campbell will be down there with them! It was a big deal for her to go out on her first outing. She slept in her carseat the entire time (shew!) and we kept her covered up for the most part. Unfortunately we couldn't pass her around and let the cousins love on her - she's just too young to be out and exposed to all those kiddie germs. It took me forever to get myself and Campbell ready - I see why new parents always run late! Travis' parents and Nanny came over after lunch and got some extra quality time with Campbell.

She is very mellow - so far she's definitely got her Daddy's personality! She is super alert, especially at night after dinnertime. She'll sit there wide-eyed, sometimes for two hours at a time, just watching the world around her. Two nights ago, she stared at the Christmas tree for what seemed like forever, like she was in awe with it. What I wouldn't give to know what was going on in that precious little head of hers! I'm really enjoying playing dress up. It's like having the world's best doll. Travis and I gave her her first bath at home a couple of days ago and Campbell didn't even cry. We expected the worst, and were pleasantly surprised that she seemed to enjoy the warm sponge bath. I know these little details are probably really boring to anyone but us, but we sure are enjoying it and want to remember every second. I have been taking a ton of pictures, so after I take some time to upload them, I'll be sure to post.

Belated Merry Christmas to all! Now that we are at home and settled, Campbell welcomes visitors. There's only one stipulation - you must be well! The hospital drilled that in our heads - having a baby during the winter means being super strict about making sure our visitors don't have colds. So as long as you're healthy, give us a call, we'd love to introduce our sweet little angel to the world!

There's No Place Like Home

Home. Home Sweet Home. With our baby girl. What could be better???

Yesterday went really well. As expected, it took a while to get out of the hospital. We finally left around 2pm. Coming home was really pretty easy! Lexi was a little freaked out for the first hour or so. We let her sniff Campbell in the car seat, but she was still very curious. We put Campbell in the car seat up on the island in our kitchen, and Lexi paced around the island, whining and anxious. But since we've gotten settled and Campbell has been out and about, Lexi and Harley don't seem to mind or really even notice their new little sister! Lexi likes to be where we are - so she just kind of follows us around and lays down near us. She even laid on the couch with us and Campbell yesterday, only because we invited her up there. And she was unnerved by any noises or movement Campbell made. We are so glad we did all that training!!!!!!!!

The one wonderful thing about Campbell's stay in the hospital is they got her on a schedule. Actually I can think of two more wonderful things. The extra time gave me time to get a little more energy back and I'm getting around really well now. And also, I was able to get Campbell used to breastfeeding before we came home, and that can be a really stressful thing. She eats every 3-4 hours, which is fantastic for a newborn. I think she has smuggled a little stopwatch in her onesie somewhere because she really is like clockwork - which is great! I imagine that we had a WAY easier first night than most new parents. Campbell knew the drill - she went to bed and got up about three and a half hours later. Now did I sleep? Not really. I listened to her breathe, checked on her after every grunt and coo, and just watched her. But then Daddy got her up and brought her downstairs this morning and let me sleep in an extra hour or so, so I'm feeling OK now.

Gotta run - no more time to sit leisurely at the computer and blog. But things are going great and we are happy to have her home!

The Sun'll Come Out...TOMORROW!!!

Sorry for the cheesy title, but I'm so excited I could sing the theme song from Annie. Tomorrow is the big day - Campbell comes home!!! She was born on Thursday the 11th...and will finally come home on Monday the 22nd. That might not sound like a very long time, but I can assure you that this waiting period of 12 days has seemed longer than the 9 months I was pregnant. We have met other families whose babies have been there for months. So yes, we recognize that in the big scheme of things, we are so very fortunate and our stay at the hospital was short. However, it's all relative, and to us, this has been an eternity. It has been mentally and physically exhausting. We have been dealing with an insane mix of emotions - total and utter joy, fear, frustration and sadness. And hopefully tomorrow, all of those will disappear and be a distant memory - except for the total and utter joy. :)

Today we had to watch a video and sit through a class. Remember all those baby classes we took? We were already quite educated in baby care, but as procedure, we had to sit through some more. Anything to be one step closer to coming home! The nurses can't say enough great things about Campbell. They are just amazed at how chill she is, what an easy going personality she has, how rarely she fusses, and how long she sleeps. Other than the long naps, I'd say it sounds like she's going to be just like her Daddy. :) And we assume those long naps will be a thing of the past as soon as she gets home.

I have been in an awful mood today. Bad with a capital "B". Which seems crazy considering tomorrow it's all over and I can finally bring my baby home. I think just being this close to the end, I just hit a wall. I am so tired of scrubbing in, of driving to the hospital, of wearing paper gowns, of eating in the hospital cafeteria, etc. It's also been quite a challenge to keep myself on Campbell's feeding schedule since she and I aren't together all the time. Let's just leave it at that - my body is a bit confused. Hopefully that will go away tomorrow too. My mind has been racing about stupid nesting things. It's very weird to have this much notice about when the baby is coming home. I feel the need to reorganize everything one last time. I know when I wake up tomorrow, that the bad mood will be replaced with excitement. I just had one of those days where I felt sorry for myself and I was tired and just wanted my baby!!!!!!!

Thanks so much for all of your prayers over the last week and a half. Please keep them coming - they have certainly worked, and I'm sure we will need more as we tackle parenthood for the first time. We also won't breathe a total sigh of relief until we walk through the front door carrying our precious cargo...so that is my prayer tonight...just that tomorrow goes smoothly and Campbell is as happy to be at home as we are!

Like Mommy, Like Daddy?

Campbell Reese. Let's see whose baby picture she most resembles!

This is Daddy. He was very sick as a baby - decided to come over a month premature. But as you can see, once he got healthy, he really got healthy! And happy!

This is Mommy as a little baby.

I think these pictures are a little deceiving because in my opinion, based on the pictures, I'd vote for Mommy. However, in person, I see nothing but Travis in our little angel. She seems to have her Daddy's mouth and personality - she is so chill! I guess only time will tell, but we thought it'd be fun to compare her to our baby pictures.

Campbell had a great day today. We are getting ready to head back after dinner for an evening meal or two with our precious baby. We found ourselves worrying about EVERYTHING today. She got a little red and splotchy after her lunch. The nurse agreed, and we had the nurse practitioner check her out. The splotchiness started to go away, so she's most likely just got fair, sensitive skin like her Mommy. They'll keep an eye out to make sure it's nothing, but of course Daddy and I spent a good hour wondering what a rash could mean. We also worried about how much she was eating, how much time she was sleeping between meals (four hours!!!), and every little noise she made. I guess we are officially parents, so we can expect to worry for, say...the rest of our lives! As of last night, she weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz. That means at six days, she had not only gained back the weight she lost, but packed on a little extra! Good job, baby!!

The Penthouse Suite

Last night around 10:15pm, Campbell got upgraded to the Penthouse Suite! We were able to move her from the NICU to the NPCN, Neonatal Progressive Care Nursery.

The NICU

The NPCN - the Ritz Carlton of baby accomodations at the hospital!

What a huge milestone! We loved our nurses in the NICU and the care she received, but we were so happy to say goodbye to that chapter of our lives, hopefully forever. Progressive care is in the new Levine Children's Hospital, where the NICU was in an older wing of the hospital. In the NPCN, we have almost like our own little room. We have three walls, and the fourth is open, but has a curtain we can close completely. This is ideal for feeding Campbell and having some quiet family time. We have a cozy chair and a little table...room to spread out our things...and the flexibility to really be more in charge of her care. In the NICU, the babies are on strict feeding schedules. That was really nice because we always knew if we arrived at a certain time, we wouldn't miss a feeding. Plus, I've never had a newborn, but I know that "schedule" and "newborn" typically aren't used in the same sentence. But in the NPCN, we are getting more of a taste of what it will be like when she comes home. She can feed on demand and eat as much as she likes. The nurses are giving us the reigns (when we're there visiting) to decide when she needs to eat and what she needs. It's very quiet - there isn't a constant alarm going off, the buzz of all the scary NICU activity, people coming and going. We can really take more time to just enjoy Campbell and try to figure out how in the world we take care of this tiny little life. It's so funny - we arrived for one visit and they'd already changed her diaper, and we were honestly disappointed and a little irritated. Like, hey, that's our job!! I have a feeling that will change soon and we'd do anything to change one less diaper. We talked to Campbell's nurse practitioner this morning. There is literally nothing to tell us anymore. She is just healthy and happy and they are doing nothing but giving her a nice place to stay while they finish her meds and count down the days until she goes home. They are still saying Sunday or Monday. That is so soon - although sometimes it feels like lightyears away. We are tired of going back and forth and of the hassle of all the scrubbing in, wearing the paper gowns, etc. Patience is NOT my strong point, but I'm trying very hard not to get fed up with it. At least the end is in sight! She makes faces at us and has this hilarious little smile. I know it's not a real smile yet, just some sort of reflex or gas. But it is so funny - usually comes after she eats and is like a drunken smile. She is definitely not fussy and seems to be able to soothe herself to some extent, which I totally feel is something positive she's taken away from this experience. I'm sure all this will go flying out the window when she comes home, but for now, she seems to be a perfectly well adjusted 6-day old baby. And she is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ridiculously cute. We are so proud. Enjoy a few pictures below!

Campbell's jaundice is better, so she's off the blue light special. This was taken on Sunday - although we weren't happy she was jaundiced, isn't she adorable in her spa mask?

Long fingers!

So alert!! Last night she stayed awake after her dinner for a good two hours. Not fussy, not restless, just soaking up the world around her.

Enjoying a bottle with Daddy.

Campbell is rockin' the plain white tee.

T Minus 5 or 6 Days!

When Travis and I go back to the hospital tonight, we'll be heading to a different unit - the Neonatal Progressive Care Unit! She is being discharged from the NICU, she no longer requires that much care. In progressive care, they'll finish her antibiotics and monitor her until she's ready to come home this Sunday or Monday. That's right, we sort of have a 'bringing home baby' countdown!!! Of course that could change and we have to be ready to adapt. But the doctors really don't have anything to even tell us anymore! There's nothing new - she's just continuing to do wonderful and shows no signs of the infection. She was a little jaundiced so she had been on the 'blue light special' blanket (as Daddy calls it) and wearing her spa mask. The jaundice is OK now, so even that is gone! They removed one of her monitors, she doesn't need it. She's basically down to an IV and a little heartrate and breathing rate monitor, which seems to be standard. And that's it!! We so hate trying to juggle those wires when cuddling with our baby, so each time a wire goes away, we celebrate. Campbell continues to crack us up by insisting on pooping on us EVERY TIME we change her diaper. She is so alert and feeding so well. We are so proud of her!

On the way home from the hospital last night, Travis' Blackberry decided to go for a swim in a cup of water we had in the cupholder of the car. We just laughed uncontrollably for the rest of the drive home. Something that would normally be so frustrating was somehow hilarious to us. So poor Travis is at the Verizon store now. That part is not funny, I wish he could be here resting too. Oh and his car was making an AWFUL noise on the way to the hospital on the way to have Campbell...so we had it in the shop and picked it up today. Luckily it was nothing major and covered by the warranty. I tell you what, we have been tested this past week! But I'd like to say I think we're doing pretty well. Go Team Justice! hahaha

I've been hogging Campbell for the past 24 hours now that she seems to have figured out the whole breastfeeding thing. But the great thing is, she's so versatile! She also takes a bottle and that gives Daddy the opportunity to feed her. See her gazing up at him? It was love at first sight for these two.

Happy Mommy Thoughts

Hello all. Campbell wants me to tell you that she says hey, and she is extremely grateful for all of your continued support. It is working!!!! Our sweet little baby is doing amazingly well. As of this morning, her blood cultures are still negative, meaning they haven't found any evidence of the infection since her birthday. This is a good thing - it just means they keep running the antibiotic treatment and then she's all ours! I wouldn't say we're 100% in the clear yet, I guess there's always that chance that something could show up still. But the doctor told us that the more time passes, the less likely things are to take a turn for the worst. And on top of that, she's doing so well, they'd be very surprised if her condition moved in a negative direction.

This morning, Campbell got the green light to eat as much as she wants at each feeding. Before they were regulating her intake and increasing it at tiny intervals to make sure she could handle it. Our girl likes to eat (big surprise there) and she seems to enjoy her culinary freedom now. :) She and I have learned how to breastfeed - and while we're not experts yet - it seems like it's going to work. As a new mommy, at times I've felt pretty helpless feeling like there's nothing I can do for her while she's in the hospital. So emotionally, it's been very special to me to be able to feed her this last day or so. I feel like I can finally contribute something to her health and it's very gratifying. I do share with Travis too so he can have that moment of total bliss when feeding her and she's staring up at you. Of course he's using a bottle....but the bonding is the same. It's wonderful!

Yesterday when I said she pooped on us, I meant she pooped while we were changing her diaper, on the clean diaper. Three different times. Today she trumped that. She pooped IN Travis' hand and made a few noises that we were really proud of. hahahaha

She had her hearing checked by an audiologist today and she passed. So that's good, now she better listen! We also had a quick chat with our case manager and our social worker (assigned to every NICU baby). They both assured us that the fact they were sent to us is a great sign that she'll go home soon. Now, that doesn't mean earlier than expected. As far as we know, she has to stay until her meds are done, regardless of how un-sick she seems. But at least they think she's well enough to go ahead and knock out the administrative details.

We see so many tiny and very sick babies in there with Campbell and it reminds us that yes, we are in a bad situation, but we are still so lucky. I have to remind myself of these things when it's time to go home at night - I'm pretty much an emotional wreck. Or when we see new parents leaving the hospital with their babies. All of those things are tough to witness because I am so jealous. But hey, like so many of you have said so eloquently, this is just a few weeks in Campbell's life that we'll look back on as a distant memory when she's running through this house someday soon.

Off to rest before heading back to the hospital tonight. Whatever you're doing, keep it up, because our little angel is doing great and we know that all your support has something to do with that!

Campbell's Sunday Morning Update

Travis and I went home last night and tried to get organized. The labor and delivery was a very tough process to say the least, but it was nothing compared to how difficult it was to leave here last night. But...there's nothing you can do in a situation like this but just press forward. So on we go!

It was so nice to be at our own house. This afternoon we will pick up Lexi from the Bed & Biscuit where she's been since Wednesday. It'll be nice to have that baby home, and it's been great to not have to worry about her. We got organized last night for today. In theory you'd think, ok, well they can go home and catch up on some rest and get ready for the real fun when Campbell comes home. Well, that theory doesn't hold up. Since we want to breastfeed, when I'm not physically with Campbell, I have to be constantly working on things...I'll spare you the details. But that means we are up every 3 hours. I said "we" because this is a team effort and my sweet husband is beside me every second doing whatever he can and answering all my orders.

We got here at 8 a.m. today for Campbell's feeding. She wasn't too interested in me which is fine, but boy does she like to take a bottle!! We got initiated today...while changing her diaper, she decided to poop on us, and then poop on us, and then poop some more. It was very funny and something I know every new parent experiences. We made a mess - and then she topped it off by peeing on us. That's my girl!!!

We were there when the doctors rounded so that was great. They are terribly pleased with her progress. So far our prayers are being answered - the blood cultures and spinal tap still remain negative, meaning there has not been another instance of bacteria. The doctor said the longer we go with a negative, the better the outlook is that we won't see any more bacteria. These cultures were done on the 12th...so let's just hope and pray that we keep heading in this direction. She has a bit of jaundice. It's mild and that is typical even in babies that don't have any other problems. This morning they are putting her on a blanket to help with her jaundice, instead of the lights. However she may have to wear little eye covers if the billirubin lights are too bright. We'll know when we go back in for our next visit. It looked like a little white ski mask, so our princess might look like a bank robber... The doctor was very pleased with her and said if the cultures remain negative and she continues to do this well, we can expect her to move to the progressive care unit this week which is just a little more relaxed and we'll have more privacy. She even quoted a date - she said she'd like to say December 23rd she's going home. That of course depends on everything coming up roses between now and then, but that's a good goal. I told her we had a new sleeper that says 'baby's first Christmas' and we'd like her to be wearing it at home! The doctor thinks she will be. The 23rd seems like an eternity from now - but we'll got hour by hour and day by day and hopefully it'll get here fast.

She's got a big ole IV line in her leg. It makes Daddy and I cringe, but they swear it doesn't bother her. It's just big so they can give her all her IV meds and fluids that way and not have to change a little dinky IV every day or so. I guess anything looks huge on a little baby, and it''s never fun to see wires attached to your little angel. But the wires are decreasing, and Travis and I are getting quite good at juggling the baby with the wires attached. My mom made a good point, we are going to pro's at baby handling when we get home. If we can pass her off now while she's hooked up to stuff, imagine how easy it will be when she's just chillin'!?!?!

She continues to make us ooh and aah - every so often we get her good and awake and she just stares at us. Mostly at her Daddy actually, but I'm not bitter. I think he's easy on the eyes too, Campbell. Her eyes seem to be a very dark blue right now. So pretty!

We are so grateful for all the kind words. We know we have fallen off the face of the Earth - it's really hard to juggle this schedule and find any phone or e-mail time, especially when reception is bad here, cell phones aren't allowed in the NICU, we have to be at her feedings every couple hours, shower, eat, etc. Notice I didn't say sleep, we aren't really fitting that in schedule just yet. :) Welcome to parenthood! We appreciate all your messages and promise we are reading them and enjoying them even though you haven't heard back from us. I will try to keep this updated with news about Campbell. We promise we are taking pictures, but there are only so many angles we can photograph her from in our little corner of the NICU. And then of course there's that whole 'finding time to upload them' thing... For now, just take my word for it that she's absolutely adorable and getting cuter by the minute and I'll send pictures soon to show off our baby. Thanks again - keep the good vibes coming, so far they are working!!!!

Campbell Reese Justice

I've got about ten minutes to try and explain all the things going on in our lives right now...so here goes. On Wednesday night I was checked into the hospital to begin the induction process due to my high blood pressure. Thursday evening at 5:09pm, we welcomed our sweet daughter into the world. Her name is Campbell Reese Justice. She weighed 7 lbs, 5.8 oz and was 19.5 inches long. I was 37 weeks on Thursday, so she was considered full-term to the day. The delivery was a very tough one, and it was stressing Campbell out quite a bit. She came out with the cord wrapped tightly around her neck and her breathing was a little too fast. They sent her to the NICU for observation just to be sure. As strange as this sounds, thank goodness the cord was around her neck. Once in the NICU, they ran a variety of tests to make sure they knew the cause of her fast breathing. She was doing well, and we really thought she'd be back upstairs in a few hours. We found out on Friday morning that she actually has a Group B strep infection. This is something they tested me for, and because I was negative, they assume Campbell is fine. Well, she wasn't. The good news is that they caught it early. This type of infection is devastating if left unnoticed, and that's where the "thank goodness the cord was around her neck" comes into play. We caught it early, and they had even begun the antibiotic treatment prior to finding the infection as a 'just in case' measure of precaution. We have some amazing doctors and nurses in the NICU who are taking such good care of our little angel. She will have repeated bloodwork and even had to have a spinal tap yesterday to ensure the infection hadn't gotten into her spine. We will wait a few days to see the results - but the good news there is the treatment and prognosis are still the same. If the infection is more widespread, she should still be fine - just will require a longer stay due to a larger dose of antibiotics. She is off all oxygen, we are feeding her a bottle and Campbell and I are diligently working on breastfeeding. Daddy changed the first diaper yesterday and it was FULL of poop. He did an amazing job and has since helped me - together we've changed several poopie messes! We get to hold her and cuddle her and love on her, and sometimes she just gazes up at us. We love her to pieces and we are so grateful she is in such good care here and that her prognosis for recovery is so good. Just by looking at her, you wouldn't know she's sick. She may get to move from the NICU to a progressive care unit sometime this week. Best case scenario, we'll get to bring her home in a week or so. We don't deal in worse case scenarios around here - we are going to remain positive and just roll with whatever comes our way as best we can.

Travis and I are going home this evening. We didn't plan to go home as a party of two, so please keep us in your thoughts as this will obviously prove to be a tough night for us. And also please keep little Campbell in your prayers, she's such a strong little girl and she has a GREAT set of lungs. You should hear her scream!! We hope to hear that scream in the halls of our own house in the very near future. Once we are settled at home, we'll send out the pictures we have. We are off to go visit Campbell for her 11:00 feeding.

Baby Mama Drama

Before you read any further, let me tell the end of this story. Baby J and I are both fine and healthy. I am thankful above all else that she is fine, and that I am fine.

But boy, am I frustrated!!! It's been quite a day. Here's the story!

Yesterday I felt different, more uncomfortable. I was up on and off all night with a combination of contractions that hurt, and contractions that didn't hurt. But contractions nonetheless. So this morning I called my nurse, and we got called into the doctor's office. Travis and I went to the doctor, and were surprised to find out my blood pressure was super high. That alone is what sent us to the hospital today. The doctor said we had to go straight there to closely monitor my blood pressure, get some bloodwork done, and see what happens. She said she didn't think I was in active labor, but that something may have been starting.

Off to the hospital we went, at this point, kind of mentally preparing ourselves for having a baby in the near future. We were really relaxed, just a surreal feeling and an excited nervous. I got checked in, hooked up to monitors, and stuck with the dreaded IV. Gosh I hate that thing with a passion. Over the next four hours, my blood pressure slowly went down to an acceptable level. I had contractions somewhat regularly, but not enough to move things along. So within 5 hours of showing up, they sent us home. So yes, that meant taking out that dreaded IV that got put in and never used. Grrrrr....cranky. They made me go to the hospital, then they sent me home. Yes, I know they know what's best, and I had to go to make sure I was OK. Still, I was really bummed. My doctor made us think that I'd either go into labor, or they'd make it happen for me. But I guess it's great news that my blood pressure went down. I don't want to have a baby because my health condition is dangerous - I'd prefer to let Mother Nature decide 'it's time'.

No Monday Night Football for me. :( I am on modified bedrest. I am supposed to basically lay here and wait and not do much of anything at all. I go back to the doctor on Wendesday to see if my blood pressure is still OK. Who knows what Wednesday will bring. I have no clue if I'll be sitting here on my couch this time 3 weeks from now, still pregnant. Or the doctor said, hey, something's been going on, I could go into labor tonight and head back to the hospital. It's hard for this planner to just roll with the punches!

So in a nutshell, it's been an emotional roller coaster. Around noon today, I thought I'd become a Mommy tonight or tomorrow, and I was just really excited. The doctor told us Travis should go to the game and work tonight - she said I was absolutely not going to any game :( but that there's no reason he shouldn't go work. I'm glad he got to go. On a positive note, I'm not cold, and if I were at the game, I'd be freezing my tail off. :) My three girls (Baby J, Lexi and Harley) and I will sit here on the couch and enjoy some good football and the Wendy's I got on the way home from the hospital, Frosty included!!

A small sample of my 'in the belly' maternity pictures are posted on my photographer's blog (link below). For anyone but Sharon, I'd say, 'you couldn't pay me to get in front of the camera right now.' But Sharon is so amazing and I totally trusted her to take our pictures. You'll see why, she is so talented. Note: There are a few with the bare belly exposed. They are G-rated and very tasteful. Just wanted to warn everyone upfront in case a bare pregnant belly is just not your thing. :)

http://smittenphotography.typepad.com/smitten_photography/2008/12/bride-to-belly.html

Baby J is Getting Psyched for Monday Night Football

It's been a good weekend. Travis and I had an 'in the belly' photo shoot on Friday afternoon. Stay tuned for those - I'll be sharing them as soon as they are available. Just to clarify, we are talking about my belly, not his, although he was in a lot of the pictures with me and this humongous belly. :)

Last night we went to see "Four Christmases." We figured we should get out and see a movie in the theater while we can. Other parents are always telling us that - go out now - while you can. The movie was hilarious and we both loved it. I'm a huge fan of both Vince Vaughan and Reese Witherspoon...so I knew I'd love it. We binged on popcorn and enjoyed our date immensely. Today we got up and got ready for church - but ended up skipping it to go to Lowe's instead. Oops. Travis was feeling kinda nesty, and so we just went with it! He did some caulking in the guest bathroom, and we tackled some serious bathroom cleaning and laundry. You cannot imagine how happy this made me feel. To get those things done had me giddy (sad, I know). Then Travis headed to his CPA league basketball game (don't laugh, it's for real) and then to the stadium to get the Tampa Bay Bucs settled into the lockerroom for tomorrow night's game. I stayed behind for a nice long winter's nap. I'm resting up for tomorrow night. Yes, at almost 37 weeks pregnant, I'm going to Monday Night Football!!!!!!!! Baby J is pumped, this is a huge game!! Does that make me a rockstar? I think so. Mary and I have great seats and we'll have a blast I'm sure. I'll be sporting a men's XXL Panthers jacket, it's the only thing in this house that will zip around me. I'll try to get a picture of it - I look like a big tire in it. But hey, at this point, warmth and comfort are really all that matters!

It's really a strange thing to be waiting for the biggest event of my life thus far, and not knowing exactly when that will be! This weekend we knocked out the two remaining items on my to do list - we had our car seat installed by a certified installer in both cars, and we got the maternity photos done. This coming Wednesday, I'll be full-term. Soooooooo, I'm basically ready to roll! And what a crazy thing to know that it could happen tonight, or in another month. That's a pretty big window of time! I'm going to try to hold it for at least a day so I can go to Monday Night Football tomorrow night. :) Look for me on the Jumbotron (I wouldn't fit on any other type of -tron). I'll be the girl in the REALLY BIG black coat waddling around, hopefully NOT trying to get Travis' attention on the field to tell him "it's time." Go Panthers! Hope they are as successful as my ACC Champion Hokies!

Sneak Peek at Our "Little" Girl

Yesterday we got a sneak peek at our baby girl. My doctor suspected she may be a little on the large side still, so she ordered an ultrasound to check it out and estimate her weight. This is EXACTLY what Travis and I had been hoping for. The good news is that Baby J is looking just perfectly healthy! It was such a welcome reassurance to see her again and have a professional tell us everything is still on track. Our last ultrasound was at 16 weeks - I am now 36 weeks. That's a long time!! My biggest, most irrational fear was that she was not a "she." I was so worried that they'd screwed up back in July and we were going to have a son in pink dresses. I saw the evidence with my own two eyes - it's a girl!!! SHEW! My other irrational fear came when I started watching that show on TLC "Little People Big World." I had no idea that average-sized people could have little people as children. Turns out both of the adults on the show are children of all average-sized adults! I asked my sister a few weeks ago, what if our baby is a little person and we don't even know it?? I don't think being little is going to be an issue for us. All irrational fears and jokes aside, we are just SO happy that things are going smoothly and she looked so good yesterday.

They estimated her weight at 6 lbs 11 oz as of yesterday. That is in the 83rd percentile for weight at this point. They said she'd gain on average another 2 pounds if she goes to our due date. Yikes! But my doctor says that's not considered big, just normal. Well I'd say that's a matter of opinion! 83rd percentile means only 17% of babies are bigger than ours at this point in the pregnancy, statistically speaking. So yeah, I'm no doctor, but I'm going to go with "big." We were relieved that they didn't think she was huge and start talking c-sections or inductions or anything. We are happy to stick with Plan A which is to sit and wait for Baby J to arrive on her own time! A week from today, I'll be considered full-term. So in a week or so, we would be MORE than happy for her to decide it's time.

We have no pictures to share from the ultrasound. The technician explained that we are so far along, it's really hard to see distinct features and get good pictures because she's so crowded. It looked terribly crowded!! We caught a quick glimpse of the side of her face, but she refused to drop the arm that she was hiding behind. I think she's going to be a little shy, more like her Daddy. She wasn't ready to show her face yet, so we'll just keep waiting!

Drop It Like It's Hot

We are happy to report that we had a fabulous Thanksgiving in Roanoke and have safely returned to Charlotte...still pregnant!! I can admit now that it's over that I was REALLY nervous about it. Just didn't like the idea of being in a city away from my doctor and our house and our responsbilities at home (Harley and Lexi) with the possibility of going into labor. I just wanted to have Thanksgiving with my family and enjoy it - and that's exactly what I did. Shew!! Now that we're back, I feel terribly relaxed. We've got a little over a month to just lay back and enjoy the ride and wait for the big day!

As usual, we spent most of our time laughing at Taylor and watching her run around in a diaper chasing the dogs. Now that Lexi has proven herself as an Angel Dog, we felt comfortable taking her with us. My parents' dog, Norman, is about 14 years old and totally deaf. Norm is a super cool dog, but needless to say, at his age, he gets irritated pretty easily and doesn't like to be startled by little kids or little doggies! Other than one or two minor altercations when Lexi and Norman got reacquainted, the weekend was flawless. Lexi was so well-behaved for Thanksgiving, even in a new house with 17 adults, 2 babies, and a cranky dog. The best part about watching Taylor play with Lexi is that her "L's" are still a work in progress. (It won't take long, trust me, my sister is a speech therapist). Anyway, that means Lexi becomes Sexy. It is so hilarious to hear her running around the house, "Where are you, Sexy? Come here, Sexy!" Or when she asked by her Uncle Chris where she was going for Thanksgiving, she answered, "Aunt Sara, Sexy!!!" Thanks Taylor, I'm not feeling all that sexy these days, so I enjoyed that story, even if you were just referring to my dog. My family threw us a baby shower before turkey time, so we got even more adorable clothes and baby gear. The fun never ends!

To top off a great weekend, Virginia Tech won today, which means they will be playing in the ACC Championship. And it wasn't just any win either, they beat Virginia, which is where my sister went to school. Ah, sweet victory!

Travis and I both can't seem to get rid of this nasty cold. It's like we're better for a day, then sick again. Then sorta better, then a lot more sick. Luckily Baby J doesn't seem to be affected at all - that little baby is just as active as ever and is all over the place. In other exciting baby news, I look different now. Baby J has DROPPED! Don't worry, this is not some graphic description of a pregnancy thing. It just means that I'm not carrying her high anymore. There is a natural progression for babies to head South as you reach the end of your pregnancy - usually two to four weeks prior to delivery. On Wednesday, Travis and I both decided there is a drastic difference in where I am carrying her. That was confirmed when I thanked him for moving the steering column in my car. Finally, on Wednesday, I could climb into the driver's seat for the first time in months and drive comfortably without the steering wheel bumping into my belly. I was so glad Travis had moved the steering wheel higher for me. Here's the kicker - he didn't touch the steering wheel. So...that confirmed that Baby J has in fact decided that the time is quickly approaching for her big debut. Exciting!!!!!!! With this excitement comes my disappointment that I may have to retire my rings until after the birth. I have been adamant about wearing my wedding rings, and it's been getting a little scary to try and pry them off at night. So as of last night, I'm now ringless, which stinks. Rest assured, I am still happily married - just happily married with really fat fingers and a nice matching pair of cankles. I'm getting along OK, but let's just say, thank goodness the finale will be in the next month or so!

Here are are a few pictures of our weekend in Roanoke!

Mom, Dad and Baby J at Thanksgiving

Taylor and her sexy pal, Lexi

Norman tries to go negotiate a kiss with Cousin MillerAfter a MAJOR wardrobe battle, Taylor refused to wear her Thanksgiving dress but ended up in this adorable outfit for the party. This child could wear a paper bag and I'd still think she was the cutest thing in the world! Can't wait to give her a baby cousin!!!!!!!!

We Are "Ready"

Childbirth class - Check! We did it - yesterday we were scheduled for class from 12-7. On a Sunday. Wow, huh? Luckily we had the instructor we love (same one who has taught several others) and she finished up by 5. It's a good thing too. I hit a wall at about 3. Here I was worried about Travis sticking it out - he was fine, I was the one in bad shape! This Mommy, while entirely interested in the class material, does NOT enjoy sitting for 5 hours at this point. I was hungry, my feet were huge and throbbing, I ached from head to toe, and I was downright cranky! On the way home, Travis stopped and got us some lo mein to share and spring rolls. That, along with the remaining leftover baby shower cake, made me happy again. We came home and watched the Panthers lose :( and made it an early night. Poor Travis...not only did his team lose, he has had an awful headcold this weekend. Way worse than mine ever was. He's doing a little better this morning so hopefully he'll be back to normal soon.

I really thought I'd have some good material this morning. I mean, the idea of childbirth class is a pretty funny thing. But really, it wasn't that bad!! We were both prepared for this terribly graphic, very gorey 7-hour description of pain with lots of nasty visuals. It wasn't like that at all! We were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't very graphic or disgusting at all. Not to say it was a walk in the park...and that we didn't have to suppress a few giggles here and there. I know my Dad passed out in childbirth class years ago. You wouldn't pass out in this class, Dad. Travis was very grateful for that, he too was worried. In fact, he was more appalled at one of the other students in a mostly spandex outfit than he was at anything we learned! I won't be rude and say too much, but let's just say there was NOT a lot left to the imagination in this outfit. And at eight months pregnant, it's preferred to have a lot left to the imagination!! The instructor is my friend because yesterday she told the Dads that a 30-minute massage to a pregnant woman has been shown to produce the same amount of endorphins as 75 mg of Demoral. (I think I got that right). She then showed them a picture of how squished our insides are, and made it clear as to why we ache and get so cranky. So I'm super excited about my 30-minute backrubs a day from here on out!! :) You can't deny science!

Travis wanted to ask our instructor about how my doctor said I was measuring large (i.e. Baby J's growth in size looked to be about 3 weeks ahead of schedule at my last visit). Even though my doctor said it had no bearing, we still wonder if that doesn't mean she'll come early. Or if not, ouch!!!, how big is she?? The teacher was a labor and delivery nurse for 20 years, so while I was on a bathroom break, Travis asked her about it. I came back in, she asked how far along I was, gave me a once-over, and started chuckling. I told her what my doctor said at the last visit. She said, how much did you weigh? I hesitated, I couldn't believe she was asking me how much I weighed at my last doctor's visit in front of the whole class!!! She saw the look on my face, I figured it out...OOOOOOOH, you mean at birth? hahaha I was 8 lbs, 5 oz at birth. She smiled and said I'd probably have a nice big baby too. She seems to think we'll go before our due date because (1) Baby J is big and they won't want her to go late and (2) doctors don't want to work on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day so they're more likely to get things going sooner. Only time will tell! Nanny has predicted December 12, so if that's the case, I've got a lot of nesting to do this week!

So now that we've finished this class, I'd say we're "ready." In quotes, because my gosh, you are never ready. But as much as we possibly can be. If nothing else, we got a little map yesterday of where to go at the hospital when it's time - so if we forget everything else, at least we know where to go and they can take it from there!

These pictures have nothing to do with our childbirth class experience...but they are too cute not to post! This is my niece Taylor and my brother-in-law, Leif. Apparently Taylor insists on wearing her sweatshirt on gamedays now...and she prefers to wear it with the hood up, and no pants, just a diaper. ha! These pictures are priceless, how can you not look at the second without giggling? Fast forward two years, and I can see a similar scene in the Justice house, only in Panthers gear of course!

I'll be sure to get some good family photos this week at Thanksgiving in Roanoke. Think happy thoughts for a quick, easy drive to Virginia and back, that Baby J will enjoy her turkey... and I will come back to NC still pregnant!!!!!

Hefty Hefty Hefty!

Hefty is the word my doctor used to describe Baby J today. Ha! I love it! Doctor's visit went well, everything is right on track. She did say the baby is measuring about 3 weeks big. No, it is not the fudge pie I made myself and have almost polished off entirely on my own. This is the baby they are measuring. She explained that the baby's size has nothing to do with whether or not she'll come early, of course that was my first question. All it means is that she may be big when she does decide to join us in this world, whenever that is! Big is fine with me. Big babies are usually healthy babies and that's all I can hope for. We got the green light to travel to Roanoke for Thanksgiving, of course with the caveat that they can't guarantee anything, so it's kind of like 'travel at your own risk.' Yikes! We are nervous, but there are no signs to make them think Baby J is planning her debut appearance, so we will pack the car seat and my hospital bag and head to Roanoke for some turkey next week. And hopefully return with Baby J in tow...still in the belly that is! Once she is born, I will not stand for anyone calling my child hefty. But as for now, I think it's an adorable word and I hope she has enjoyed the fudge pie and keeps on growing big and strong!

Travis pointed out a correction to my last post. Apparently I didn't figure out the whole Wizard of Oz thing on my own. I could swear I said, oh my gosh, that's the lion isn't it? He said that no, he actually had to explain it to me before I had the revelation. Which is even funnier. So thank goodness for Travis to help me understand these complicated films we watch. I could never make it through these twisted plots alone. hahahahahaha...

Travis the Trooper

My husband is a real trooper. I should clarify, not a trooper like the rest of his family who is all in law enforcement (yes, his brother is Sergeant Justice, HOW AWESOME is that??). He is a trooper because yesterday morning he sat through a two-hour breastfeeding class...and he was the only male in the room!! Now, the instructor told us that in all her years of teaching, she has NEVER had only one dad. They even tell you when you sign up to bring your labor coach. But we waited and waited and no men showed up. I of course kept telling Travis how lucky I felt that my husband loved me more than all the other poor pregnant girls who had to go alone. I know, so mean of me, and so not true. But it was really nice to have his support there and it honestly did make me feel like the luckiest girl in the room. Travis has a way of making me feel that way quite often. Aaaawwww, ok, enough of that. We both are realizing that this baby stuff can get REALLY overwhelming. Wow - everywhere we turn there is information overload. So I think it's best that we both try to soak it in so that when one of us is too tired to remember what to do, the other might have an idea.

I am finally starting to feel better. After the stomach flu, I then got a cold. I have been that annoying "half-sick" all week. Not so sick you want to stay in bed, but too sick to really accomplish anything. So it was a long and boring week with a lot of time spent snuggled on the couch with the animals watching TLC Daytime and watching my stomach get more enormous.

I saw a neighbor outside the other day and she said, "wow, honey, there is no way you are going to make it six more weeks." And it hit me - six weeks!!!! She is right, that's all that's left! I keep reading the online updates as to what is going on with Baby J these days. Her progress is pretty much the same as mine now - just gaining weight! Of course her lungs will be the last thing to fully develop, but I have been relieved to read that even if she was born at this stage, she would likely be fine with just a little medical intervention. Hopefully my doctor's appointment will go well this week and we'll still have the green light to head to Roanoke for Thanksgiving/Baby Shower next week.

One last terribly random comment. I mean, really random. So TBS is showing The Wizard of Oz a lot lately. I absolutely adore that movie, and I was bragging to Travis about how many times I've seen it. So we're watching the first 15 minutes or so the other night, and I don't remember a bit of it. This is the scene before the tornado, and Dorothy is all upset because the mean lady wants to take Toto. There are several family friends helping out at the farm. And then it hits me...oh my gosh...those men are the lion, the tinman, and the scarecrow when she gets to Oz! And the mean lady is the Wicked Witch of the West! As I have this revelation outloud, Travis is rolling. He can't believe I just concluded this for the first time, and he finds it completely hilarious. I really cannot tell you how many times I've seen this movie. I guess that's why it's so fun to be me. Travis thinks it is sooooo funny. Whatever - that is a complicated storyline, people!!!! ;)

Baby Shower and Baby J's Nursery

Baby J and I are recovered from the stomach bug and now fighting a little sore throat. We've had lots of quality time on the couch this week. I'm such a pansy...I'm fine, just trying to take it easy and make sure I don't get any sicker! (Is sicker a word?) This post will have a ton of pictures for your viewing pleasure. These are just a few of my favorites from the shower that my Mom took, as well as the long-awaited pictures of Baby J's nursery. Travis and I are just so thankful to have such caring friends and family to shower us with great baby gear and love. :) We also loooooooove the nursery and can't wait for Baby J's arrival to show her the room we put so much time and energy into decorating for her!! Enjoy!
Baby J and I enjoying a small (ha!) plate of food with Kim, my best friend and one of the hostesses. This is Kim's beautiful house. Seriously Kim, Pottery Barn called, it wants its stuff back. Your house totally rocks.

Mom, Me and Jen

Nanny, Me and Vicki (Travis' Grandma and Mom)

Holly, Gina, Leah and Melanie (my other incredible hostess!). Notice that spread of food - complete with a football arrangement in honor of Travis. :)

My nieces helped me open the gifts.

Taylor, Emerson and Peyton are buddies. They had the best table in the house!

Adorable diaper cake from Kim. The little take-out boxes are the Baby J M&M's I had mentioned before.

Lil T was worn out after the shower. She settled into my favorite spot on the couch for a little Backyardigans.

Future Home of Baby J - these pics should be self-explanatory. A few more details will finish it off, but it's basically ready for action!

Weekend Update

The weekend was fantastic. On Friday, my mom, sister, brother-in law and niece arrived. We hung out all day, played a little Wii, and ate dinner at the house. (My poor dad had to work this weekend and couldn't make the trip). Taylor and Jen had been fighting off a stomach bug, but by Saturday morning we all made the call that they were both well enough to go to the shower. Travis' family came over, my friend Shannon came down from Raleigh, and we headed to the shower! The shower was....what's another word for fantastic? Fabulous? Perfect? It really was. Kim and Melanie did such an incredible job. It was so fun to spend the afternoon with my friends and family and get to open sweet little baby gifts and ooh and aah. There was a delicious spread of all my FAVORITE party foods. I had two big plates - one for me but the other was of course for Baby J. :) As we left, we all got these adorable little containers of M&M's in our colors, pink and brown, that said "Baby J is on the way." I mean, come on, does it get any cuter than that??? Our friends and family spoiled us rotten. We got so much good baby gear and I feel like we are so much more ready now!! We've got the needed baby supplies and the cute outfits to go with it. I won't say we're READY yet...Baby J needs to hang out for a while longer and get big and strong. But Mommy and Daddy will for sure be organized and ready when the big day arrives!! The shower was all I'd hoped for and more - so thank you times a million to Kim and Melanie for giving me such a special day.

While the girls were at the shower, the boys went to a sports bar to watch some college football. Lexi decided to have her own party back at the house. She somehow snatched the desserts I'd made - and ate an ENTIRE batch of brownies and an ENTIRE batch of chocolate chip cookies. So there was a little drama there. I'm happy to say she is fine, just very full and a little stinky.

Saturday night Travis and Leif assembled the baby swing while I played with all the little clothes and toys. So much fun!!!!! We all went to bed...and then the real drama began.

My mom and I woke up Sunday morning with the full-blown version of whatever stomach bug Taylor and Jen had been kind enough to share. :) Yesterday was a very bad day for both of us. My mom somehow made the car trip back to Virginia - I don't know how. I threw up for 6 straight hours. Finally my doctor called in an anti-nausea medicine that they give to chemo patients. It was my saving grace. I have been drinking lots of pedialyte and ginger ale, and successfully had a little chicken noodle soup and applesauce. I wouldn't say I'm healed yet, but on the road to recovery. Travis is the only one who is still well...fingers crossed he stays that way. Lexi threw up last night and my brother-in-law was apparently ill this morning. Thank goodness for my sweet husband yesterday to take care of me and wait on me hand and foot. The stomach flu is never fun - but it's especially brutal when you're close to 8 months pregnant!

I didn't take but maybe two pictures at the shower because I was busy showing off the belly. But I saw a lot of camera flashes, so I'll get some pictures loaded up soon. Our house looks like a tornado went through since we all got sick, but soon there will be nursery pics to share as well. The sickness has been miserable, absolutely miserable...but I am so thankful that we all got to enjoy my wonderful shower before getting sick. I can't imagine how sad I would've been if I, or someone else in the fam, had to miss the shower because we were sick. Off to try some more soup...fingers crossed! If all goes well, I may even attempt to take a shower today. :)

I Pulled a Britney

I totally pulled a Britney. I grocery shop at Super Wal-Mart now. I swear, I save so much money. But that's a topic for another time. I was going to buy a bunch of stuff that, according to my baby classes, I'll need at home after we get back from the hospital. Without going into any details, you can probably imagine some of the interesting items that would fill my cart. I also needed to buy food and drinks for this weekend since we'll have a houseful of family in town for the shower. While the women are at the shower, the boys will stay home and watch football, which means I needed to buy them some beer. I hate buying alcohol pregnant - it just doesn't look right. Anyway, I get my list together and I head out. I'm wearing some of my sister's hand-me-down maternity clothes. If you've read other posts, you know that some of her clothes are a stretch for me (literally) because I am a lot bigger than she was. I get halfway down the road to the Super Wal-Mart and realize I'm not wearing my wedding rings.

So picture me, in the Wal-Mart, no wedding rings, a cart full of random new baby/new mommy supplies and a case of beer, and my belly hanging out the bottom of my shirt. I am one classy mommy!!!

She's Baaaa-aaaack!

Nesty Nesterson, that is. Back in full force! I haven't had a whole lot to write lately because I haven't done a lot that would be of interest to anyone else. I have been furiously nesting. We are talking SERIOUS nesting here. This is no joke. With Travis' help, we got the nursery pretty much done this past weekend! I will post pictures...but not yet. Will explain why in a minute. We also did some minor redecorating in our playroom (formerly known as our dining room). Up until last week, the playroom was where we kept Travis' bike, some random decorative items that had no logical home, a pink antique sofa that was my grandmother's, a wine rack, a box of sparklers leftover from our wedding...you get the idea. We spruced it up a bit. For now, it's more of a sitting room with no purpose. But as Baby J grows up and we acquire more baby stuff and toys, that is where they will go. So anyway, we are excited to have at least gotten that project underway.

So I said I wasn't ready to post nursery pictures yet. That is because, this weekend...drumroll please...is my baby shower! Therefore both Travis' family and mine are coming into town! I want to show it off in person first, so I'll hold off on posting pictures until after this weekend. I am so terribly excited for the baby shower. I remember how surreal my bridal shower was. I kept thinking, I can't believe I'm the Bride, and that my wedding is almost here, and that all these people have gathered to celebrate this happy occasion in my life! (And trust me, I remember it well...keep in mind that my bridal shower was just this past February!) :) I can imagine this weekend will bring the same feelings and it will be so fun to show off this belly which is honestly the size of a house.

Over the course of the weekend I got some awesome big belly comments from strangers. Some were the typical "twins, right?" or "must be any day now!" I especially liked a new comment I got "don't worry, I was huge too." hahahaha Huge too! Too funny! You just gotta laugh at this stuff...Travis and I were cracking up.

I am happy to report that I have been pretty busy with work lately. That is a wonderful thing. I am lucky to have new clients who aren't scared off by the sight of a huge pregnant lady. I have felt the need to justify that I can totally help them over the next few months. The fact that I work from my home office means that 90% of my real estate work can be done either (a) super pregnant or (b) with a newborn. Thank goodness for a flexible career!!!

Getting Schooled

This may not look exciting to you...but it is to us! Finally, the long-awaited baby dresser has arrived, free of damage!

Thank goodness! If it was damaged again, I was going to have to drive to the baby store and put someone in a hurt locker (as Travis would say). This weekend we plan to put a lot of the finishing touches on the Baby's room. I will plan to post some pictures when it's closer to being done.

Last night we got educated. We took an Infant CPR class followed by Taking Care of Baby. We decided after the Infant CPR class that we are NEVER going to sleep again - just take shifts watching her all night to make sure she's breathing. Of course I'm exaggerating, but it was pretty scary to think we could ever be in a situation to use what we learned. We are just thankful we took the time to learn it! On a lighter note, Travis had this creepy looking baby mannequin with a onesie on. I had an African American baby mannequin with its eyes rolled back in its head and just a diaper on. Luckily, we didn't have to actually breathe for the doll, just pretend. I lucked out on the naked baby though. Travis was frustrated because he couldn't "find the nipple line" through the onesie to locate the correct place to do the chest compressions. Yes, we paid attention, but I think you have to find the humor in something so serious...so we laughed while we learned.

Then we got a new baby doll, one per couple, to learn how to take care of a baby. This time ours was much cuter! The instructor made the dads do all the work. It was really fun to watch Travis swaddle, try the different holds, change the diaper, etc. I'm glad we started with this class. It was a good introduction because we really didn't discuss anything disgusting or embarassing. Our next two classes are breastfeeding and childbirth, and yes, Travis is attending both. The fun has just begun... I am going to a transition to motherhood class tonight by myself. We are serious about education around here!! I was taking notes furiously last night, that's just in my nature to do so. Travis found that cute. I might make him a powerpoint presentation for our diaper changing station...

The Good, The Bad, The Prego

After some reflection, here are my lists of the good and the...not so good...aspects of being pregnant.

The Not-S0-Good:
(Disclaimer: I have been extremely blessed by an uneventful and healthy pregnancy so far. I feel great overall, but of course there are frustrations which I'm listing below. They DO NOT interfere with my sentiment of loving being pregnant).
(1) Waking up each day to discover a new ache. Will it be the chest muscle I pulled, and have no idea when or how? Will it be my elbow (yes, it hurts too)? Will it be my back, heartburn, my head? What will ache tomorrow?
(2) "The Sisterhood of the Tiny Pants": At 5 months pregnant, I tried on a pair of my sister's maternity pants that she was going to lend me, and they stopped at my thighs. I said, "Oh you must have worn these early on in the pregnancy". Scared to death, Jen admitted that she was wearing those pants the day she went into labor.
(3) Pants in general. So I finally broke down and bought some really big pants, and now I can't keep them on. I need big pants for this enormous belly, but without a waistline, it is virtually impossible to keep a pair of pants on.
(4) Borrowing my husband's belt, only to find that even at the loosest hole, it wouldn't comfortably fit around my non-waist. This was supposed to be the quick fix for #3. The pants problem remains unsolved.
(5) The endless to-do lists. No explanation needed.
(6) Seatbelts and shoes with laces - two examples of items not designed with a pregnant woman's body in mind. I encounter a lot of places where I don't fit - like when I put in my contacts in the morning, but can't get close enough to the mirror to see my eyeball because the vanity and the belly meet first.
(7) Meeting another pregnant woman who is smaller than me, and finding out her due date is like a week away. This has happened on several occasions.
(8) Some cruel person who said that pregnant women should not eat anything with raw eggs in it under any circumstances. What about when you make brownies??? Or cake? You wash the bowl without licking it first? Something just doesn't seem right to me.
(9) The inexplicable tears. They don't show up all that often, but when they do, it's bad.
(10) The stinking dresser that was damaged and then slow to arrive. It's supposed to be delivered on Tuesday, keep your fingers crossed that this item will move to the good list on Tuesday.

The Good:
(1) When Baby J feels like she's playing Wii boxing. The big kicks always make me smile.
(2) Watching the belly shift, and seeing her move from one side to the other. It's a little creepy-looking, but very cool.
(3) Feeling something hard and realizing it's probably a tiny baby hiney or a foot sticking out. And if I push on it, I get kicked. I love it that she has a little attitude already!
(4) I picture Travis coming around the corner to tell our families that Baby J has arrived, and announcing her much anticipated name. This daydream sends me to tears almost every time.
(5) Watching episode after episode of A Baby Story and trying to picture Travis and I as the stars of the show.
(6) Although it is somewhat related to #5 in the not-so-good list, I do enjoy getting Baby J's room ready. I have a vision and it's slowly starting to come together. Baby stuff is so adorable!
(7) The excitement that I can see and hear each time we talk to our families and our friends. So many people are behind us, and that makes it even more exciting for us as we approach the end.
(8) Eating whatever I want without guilt. Baby J has a sweet tooth that I never had, and it has been delightful to feed her ice cream on demand.
(9) Having a due date in January will allow me half of a year before it's bathing suit season again. Can I get a heck yeah for that??
(10) Having a sweet husband that is so genuinely excited about the birth of his little girl and so supportive of me. He's going to be such a natural at this, I see it in so many things he already does, and I just cannot WAIT to see him as a Daddy.

Hot Dogs and Modeling Dogs

Hot Dogs...

There is one funny story from Braxton's visit I hadn't shared. I made Braxton a hot dog and french fries for dinner on Saturday night. Remember we'd had the three-chicken-sandwich-incident at McDonald's the night before, so this story should not have surprised me. I got dinner all ready to eat, in front of the TV!!, and we called Braxton to his plate. He gets seated and says..."Ummmmm, where's the chili?" Travis nervously asked me, "Honey, do we have chili?" Of course we did not, and Travis knew where this was headed. The irritable pregnant lady inside of me came out with some quick response. Travis likes to think it was something like "eat the #@$! hot dog - NOW." hahaha It was a little softer than that, but I was pretty firm with him. I said something along the lines of "Well, there is no chili. Chili is just a topping. Sorry we don't have it, but you have two options. You can either eat the hot dog plain, or you can eat nothing for dinner. Your choice!" At which point, I sat down and started pleasantly eating my burger and fries. He ate the hot dog, but only one fry because "they didn't taste good." hahaha Don't misread this and think I'm knocking Braxton. He is SUCH a wonderful kid - he's just a chili-loving 9 year old boy - and he had no idea what he was up against!! Next time I will have chili. I guess Aunt Sara is tougher than she thought! Remember this story if we ever invite you to dinner at our house......... ;)

Modeling Dogs...

Onto another topic, it's official, I am the Crazy Dog Lady. I took my dog on a walk and took pictures of her posing in the neighborhood. Who would've thought it'd come to this? These pictures are actually a little training session - Lexi has to learn to "place" wherever we tell her to go. We are supposed to teach it by giving her the "place" command on weird places of differing heights and textures. You can see training is not too strenuous...she seems to be loving the fall day as much as I did! Enjoy Lexi's modeling portfolio!

Posing on our sidewalk. Look Mom, no leash!

Lexi helped me plant these flowers the other day.

In the "place" command in the neighborhood park.

Training is soooo hard...

Baby J has joined me in her thirties. I am now 30 weeks pregnant - just 10 more to go!