34 Weeks and Change...

34 Weeks and feeling it. I am definitely feeling very tired before I finish my work day and moving quite a bit slower. I see why women take maternity leave early and the next 9 days can't go fast enough! I am ready to not be on a set schedule that involves anything other than napping.

Speaking of that, I am still loving being pregnant even though I waddle like crazy and it is getting hard to breath because a baby is crushing my insides. I already know I am going to miss this time so much. The sweet tenderness with my husband just admiring my bump as our daughter dances around. Enjoying her kicks and grinning from ear to ear because I get to feel them all. Discussing random baby stuff/gear we have never heard of and Googling endlessly to find the safest/cheapest/best stuff. And bonding over our shared confusion in regards to baby stuff in general. I know I will miss being pregnant but I already think Hope is the coolest ever, I can't wait to meet her and Andy feels the same. We want to hold this baby in our arms, which means I need to push her out! Thankfully we just finished our Lamaze classes and we are feeling more prepared than ever. We can no longer say "I don't know nothin' about birthin' no babies!" I'm very glad we decided to take them and I think they will help us quite a bit. Andy is a dream coach and I can't wait to see him in action on the big day.

Seriously popped now! And in my new glasses. :)

I get lots of questions, but the most frequent question I get is about my belly button. I'm serious. I was VERY curious as to how the belly button situation would play out but I had no idea how curious other people would be! I have indeed lifted my shirt to show my bump button on multiple occasions. No shame in my game people. It is just gone, it looks like a circular scar in the middle of my bump. Sometimes it sticks out just ever so slightly like a cartoon character's nose.

The middle of her face is my belly button.

I have tons of fun talking to strangers and loved ones about the baby, they get so excited. It is really nice to see some connection and camaraderie in the world. How often do you connect with a stranger? Share a polite smile and some friendly conversation? I welcome this behavior. I had a stranger recently sit down next to me and rub my belly like we had known each other for decades while she reminisced about her own daughter and granddaughter. The friend I was with was horrified but I explained to her how sweet I thought it all was. Here was this woman enjoying this beautiful time in my life and sharing with me her experience and it was fun to connect. There was a glow about her as she recalled those days and it was beautiful. I am grateful for these people, all these wonderful people of the world reveling in my pregnant belly and happiness. I want to share it with them and I want them to share with me, especially because there is always some jackass that wants to tell me how horrible labor is or how fat I am. Luckily I have had WAY more of the good wonderful people of the world cross my path than those negative Nancys. I welcome the good and the sweet and the love. In fact, at that same event, one woman asked what we were naming the baby and we told her Hope Olivia. She almost got misty eyed and said that it was beautiful and it gave her some hope in such a dark world. That is exactly what I want for my daughter and from her. I want her to come into this world seeing the beauty and love it has to offer and bring hope and light to everyone she encounters. There just isn't a reason to be negative. Ever. Period. Change your attitude and change the world. A little bit of kindness goes such a long way.

Speaking of kindness, some unbelievably AWESOME women got together and threw me one heck of a baby shower. Kareena, Teresa, Stephanie, my Mom, and my Mother-in-Law teamed up and planned, organized, and threw the best shower ever. It was full of love and delicious food and so many of my favorite women. I can't express my gratitude to these women and my party guests enough. Everyone was above and beyond generous and I had a blast. I only wish it could have lasted longer! Like a week or two. :) I also have a special thank you to my husband for cooking up the pulled pork and dedicating his time to a Pekema Project while the shower went on. He stayed home and worked on the project so we could open gifts together at the end of the shower just like I wanted. What a Prince Charming! You can read all about his day here.

This photo captures how I felt the whole day.

Party Planners Extraordinaire!

This guy. Perfection.

In a week or two I will be considered full term and in less than 10 days I go on maternity leave! I can't even wrap my brain around how quickly this all went, I have to get my butt into that nursery and organize!