Nesting

Well, as of Monday, we have 4 weeks until the due date. Most first pregnancies go past the due date, but I am really hoping for the opposite. Tonight my ribs are sore from a cute little body snuggling up to them. You know the scene from Jungle Book where Baloo the bear is scratching his back on the tree? That is what it feels like our kid has been doing on my ribs.

And forget trying to sit through movies in the theater anymore. We went and saw "Here Comes the Boom" in the dollar theater and it felt like the kid was getting into the UFC fighting spirit inside of me. It must be getting a little crowded in there for him.
I am feeling pretty prepared supply-wise for the baby, and the nursery is about 1/2 way to being done, but I feel like my nesting has switched from "Do we have everything?" to "Do we know enough to have a baby?!" Luckily I have some pretty amazing friends and they themselves are a wealth of knowledge and have supplied me with an amazing library of information. I am loving diving in and reading away. My Dr. appointments became weekly starting this week, and because the umbilical cord has one vein instead of two, I get to go for an additional 2 more times a week to do Non Stress Tests (NST's)where they check to make sure there is plenty of amniotic fluid and that the baby isn't under stress by hooking up a heart monitor up to my belly and observing it for 40 minutes. All this time waiting at the Dr.'s is giving me plenty of time to read, so I thought I'd share what we are doing to pretend to be ready to become parents:

And Baby Makes 3

I found this at D.I. and am glad I picked it up for 50 cents. When I worked at KOTM we had a marriage class based on Dr. Gottman's books. We leave this book on the kitchen table and whenever either one of us sits down for a few minutes we open it up and read a few pages. I have been worried about how the baby is going to change mine and Ronnie's relationship. I honestly feel like we have the best marriage in the history of EVER (ambitious, but probably not something I should feel guilty for thinking). Reading that having a healthy marriage is the best thing you can do as a parent makes me feel like I have a head start.

Baby Wise

This book has been recommended to be by lots of people and if it helps us get more sleep sooner, I will do anything it says. Pregnancy has started to prepare me for life with little sleep, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it.

The Nursing Mother's Companion

I have had nightmares about nursing. Strange, I know, but it is something that seems so foreign. With child birth I know that whether I know what I am doing or not, my body will do what it needs and it will happen. Successful nursing, on the other hand, is very much something I have to work for. Lucky for me, I have sisters with lots of experience and friends that are gurus. I am so lucky to have to such an amazing support system!

Hypnobirthing CD's

My friend Rebecca sent this to me and I have had several friends use hypnobirthing as a way to help with preparing for labor and childbirth. It sounds strange, but it is actually very comforting to be doing something ahead of time to feel prepared and to feel like I have tools in my belt to help me through labor. I listen to the CD's and just relax and enjoy the positive affirmations that combat all the negative things you hear about giving birth. (THANK YOU REBECCA!)

Natural Health After Birth

This is another gem sent to me from Rebecca and I am excited to start it. Everyone has all sorts of advice for how to have a healthy pregnancy and birth experience, but what about afterwards? I am glad I will have this book to turn to to help me feel like it isn't just all about baby and what to do with this strange frame I am left with once our little handsome gets here.

So there you have it. I am a little obsessed, but I am loving that I actually get to apply this stuff in my own life, and am not just learning it to help others out in my profession. I am also looking forward to having fingers that aren't the same size as Costco hotdogs and that fit a real wedding ring on them. 4 more weeks!