waiting for baby...

I am trying to catch up on my blog posts! My parents arrived in Alabama on December 10 and we spent our days anxiously waiting for our little boy to come! We took them on a tour around town and showed them the tornado damage and took a tour around campus. We also went on a lovely little walk at the Riverwalk park and enjoyed the Black Warrior River. Mom and Dad loved Alabama. :) We celebrated Christmas one night and had fondue. It was delicious! Mom and Dad are hooked. We also played lots of CLUE. Mom and Dan are very shrewd. And looved that game! Of course once the baby came we were plenty busy loving our sweet baby. Dad left on Sunday and Mom stayed until Thursday and helped. She was so sweet to take care of us and help us during the overwhelming transition phase. She cooked, cleaned, did laundry, and took shifts with the baby so we could sleep. It was a sweet memory for me to have my sweet mother with me, a memory I will always treasure and never forget. It was so wonderful to have my dear parents share this wonderful experience with us and I'm so thankful they came!

We hid behind the column at the airport and surprised them.  It was GREAT.

Mom is always collecting leaves and other nic-nak's from nature. :)

Outside of Bryant Denny stadium 

Bear Bryant

The soon-to-be mama & papa :)

Admiring the history of Alabama football. Of course my Dad read every word on every plaque. He was a little naughty and was rooting for the Cornhuskers in Alabama territory!

Tender hand-to-hand moment with the statue. She's the funniest! She was being naughty too and sneaking around in the gameroom looking at the playbooks!

Me and my two favorite guys on the Black Warrior :)

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We loved the beautiful green moss

Fondue night!

Mom loves the calendar we made her!

Dad writing his history :)

Mama bear, soon to be Grandma bear

Thank you so much to my sweet parents for taking care of us and visiting us! We love you!

39 weeks...

My due date is tomorrow! We are waiting anxiously for him to make his debut. The nesting is complete. The parents are here. The bag is packed. Now we just need baby! Come on little guy, whenever your ready... :)

pram daddy

Soon my precious danny will be a daddy! 

This post is an ode to him.

Thank you for loving me every day.

Thank you for making me laugh every day [dooky howser].

Thank you for offering to shave my legs for me.

Thank you for always picking up whatever I drop on the floor.

Thank you for cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming the apartment for me.

Thank you for putting the suitcases under the bed and organizing the shoes and baby clothes.

Thank you for knowing what's best for me, especially when I don't (it's probably better to stay home today).

Thank you for trusting me and not judging me when I buy bags of "snacks."

Thank you for plunging the toilet with the broken plunger. 

(That one might take the cake)

Thank you for giving me more kisses in one day than I could count.

How did I get so lucky?

Thank you for making the little things fun and enjoyable and being a Christmas angel.

Thank you for supporting me in everything, from cloth diapers to decorating.

Thank you for wearing your wool socks right now, you look adorable and just made my morning.

no man should look that good with a pram

Thank you for taking me to Pepito's the other day. We are taking every opportunity to celebrate. :)

Thank you for surprising me with that delicious special drink.

You make me feel special.

I love you soo much.

I can't wait to experience this new adventure with you.

I can't wait to see you holding our baby.

I know my heart will change and will never be the same.

I hope he is just like his daddy!

numbers

Well, I successfully completed my last night of work! Walking out of those wide automatic doors at 7:27 was everything I had anticipated. The cool chill nestled up to my face that had the biggest grin on it. I felt silly as people walked by and I was just the giddiest little girl. I was literally giggling as I walked away. Such a wonderful feeling.

It was only a few short hours before Dan and I returned to the hospital, this time for our last appointment with Dr. Smith before the due date! I was feeling a little emotional and nervous. Dan was feeling a little tired and grumpy. But of course we both had the biggest smiles on our faces when Dr. Smith walked in.

OHH... did I mention the baby's heart rate?

143

He knew I needed that. Did I mention how many pounds I have gained?

40

It's the best. I love my doctor because he doesn't even mention it anymore. My blood pressure was 

118/78

A tad higher than usual due to my anxiety and that I had just stepped off the scale... but still healthy as can be, thank goodness. Dan and I sat down in subwaiting and he asked, "How much do you weigh?" I started to cry. The doctor was so proud that was I continuing to progress. I am already dilated to 

3!

Go us (me&baby). The next seven can feel free to come this easy. Dr. Smith thinks that I will have the baby on Monday or Tuesday, but not before Saturday (when my mommy & daddy get into town!) Baby is being so cooperative. Such a good little boy. Only a few more days and we will get to see that precious little face... oh my goodnesssssssss.

one more night....

one
more
night.

of work.

could my joy be any more full? i think not. i keep imagining the moment when those large automatic doors open, the cool chill and misty air hits my smiling face and i walk away from the hospital.

never to look back.

until i go back to deliver the baby at least. maybe a week. but i will be the patient! i will be bringing a precious new human life into the world! and my joy will be even more full than i can even fathom at this little moment in my life.

speaking of life, it's wonderful. and happy. my sweet danny seem to be more in love every day. i can only imagine and dream of what the coming years will bring. whatever it is, i'm ready and i know we can make it through together. as long as i'm with him i will love life. i love that our life is one big adventure that we are going on together.


our stroller pram came in the mail yesterday!!! and two of our precious diapers!! we are cloth diapering, bumGenius style. i'm thrilled about it. last night we watched the polar express and sipped some delicious hot chocolate by the glow of the Christmas tree. it was lovely.

that's all for now... i will keep you posted!

38 weeks

Thirty-eight weeks and still cookin! And kickin. We are both doing so good. I've been working this past week but it hasn't been too bad. I will be all finished up with work on Thursday morning, and then I'm home free! I'm ecstatic. No contractions. The baby is being good to me so I can finish up work. :) Dan took me on our last real date on Friday night. We had some delicious Mexican cuisine at Pepito's and Dan secretly ordered me a Daquiri Fresa (strawberry daquiri) in espanol. It was the best surprise. Then we came home and played Skip-bo and Uno by the fire and the Christmas tree. Oh, lovely night! We are so happy and so excited. (Oh, and maybe a little anxious/stressed too).

Loves!

"I love you Mr. Krueger"

Dan and I went to the Christmas devotional tonight and the sweet words of the First Presidency. I absolutely love the Christmas devotional. We get to hear from my three favorite men I've never met in the world. They are so humble and inspiring. Dan said that it doesn't quite feel like Christmas until the Christmas devotional, so now it's official! I hope this year Dan and I can keep our hearts on what Christmas is all about, amidst the hustle and bustle of a baby on the way and the stress that has made its way into our lives. We are so excited and blessed to be welcoming a baby boy into this world at the same time we celebrate the birth of our Savior. It is especially special to me and I hope our son will stay as close to the Savior as I know he is now.

We got home, cuddled up in our little loveseat next to the lights of the Christmas tree and watched Mr. Krueger's Christmas. What a precious movie that most certainly made my heart swell. :)

Clarissa loved Mr. Krueger, Mr. Krueger loved Jesus, Jesus loves us, and I love you!