Roxanne Cooks

Someday you will make me delicious baby food dear steamer. Right now you shall make me yummy steamed veggies, rice, and fish.

Progress

Today was my first weekly checkup with Dr. Williams which was exciting in itself because that means we are getting close to the end. Even more exciting was the progress Mckinley and I are making.

1cm dilated and 60% effaced.

I know I could potentially walk around like this for weeks, but it is nice to know my body is doing something. I am honestly not surprised because of the pains I have been having. I am not getting my hopes up, but even if I go a few more cm before everything really starts happening I would be happy. Hopefully effacing continues which is the biggie.

I thought I would be freaking out, but I am honestly REALLY excited and ready!

To Do...........Again

I had to add a few things to my To Do List because I forgot to add them on in the first place, but thank you to online shopping I have gotten a few more things checked off.
Things To Get

1. Bottles We're going to wait until Baby Love gets here to see what type she likes/what works
2. Pump and pump accessories (storage bags and accessories)after we make sure everything is a go
3. Nursing Stuff
4. Baby gate to keep dogs out of nursery
5. Bottle Bag Check Check
6. Baby Carrier Check
7. Wipes for Brent Check
8. Things needed for mommy after baby comes Check
9. Diaper cream
10. Laundry detergent (we will be trying to use up the sposie diapers people have gifted upon us (for when we give up on cloth) before we start our cloth diapers since the first few poops are really yucky so we won't need this right away)
11. Clothes line/clothespins
12. Wet bag for nursery Check
13. Diaper Bag Wet Bag Check
14. Flushable Diaper Liners Check
15. Breastfeeding Book Check
16. Keurig Solo Cup dispenser for Mama's new coffee maker Check

Things To Do

1. Hang Pictures/Cabinet Check
2. Pack Hospital bag (I have added a few more items:toiletries, towel, pillow, boppy, nursing bra, slippers, long dress to wear home. I still need: yoga pants, tank tops, under ware, nursing pads, reading material, and the items we need now but can't pack yet: phones, ipods, camera,  and all of their chargers)
3. Car Detailed
4. Install car seat
5. Hair Cut Check
6. Mama Massage Check

Once again I am just sitting and waiting for something to start happening and I am bored out of my mind and we have a long time to go! I am officially 36 weeks today which means in a week I will be considered fill term. My weekly Dr. appointments start this week and I am not sure if I want Dr. Williams to check me for any signs of dilation. It will be depressing if nothing is happening and even if something is happening that doesn't mean anything. I could walk around a few centimeters dilated for weeks before anything really starts happening.

You Are Getting Very Sleepy

I should have kept my big fat mouth shut a few weeks ago when I kept bragging about how great I was sleeping! There are many pregnancy discomforts that I have been able to avoid and I will not even mention because I don't want to jinx myself. These past 2 weeks have been miserable when nightime hits and I am over it! Last night I couldn't fall asleep and was up until 2, then I couldn't stay asleep. I had to get up to pee, I had to roll  over so my hands didn't hurt or to switch hip sides because they hurt. At around 6 when Brent woke up and after he left I transfered back into the bed (I thought I might sleep better on the couch instead of the bed and keeping Brent up all night) where I slept pretty good (because I was in an exhausted coma) for almost 4 hours. I guess I am whining but for the Love of God I am tired!

I am actually looking forward to Mckinley getting here because I may not be able to sleep through the night, but at least sleeping won't be painful and I will be so exhausted I will never have a hard time actually falling asleep. So it may be a win/ lose situation, but as long as my fingers don't hurt all will be right with the world again.

Now for random birthday ideas. I have been planning what I wanted to do for Baby Love's 1st birthday since I found out I was pregnant (I know very cart before the horse) and ever since my MIL made this perfect name banner for my shower

I knew I wanted to use these as my inspiration, but how can I pass up a
Beatrix Potter themed party???

This may be the sweetest party ever, but I am not sure if it would be better for a little boy. We have plenty of time to discuss and decide I think.

It's Not Cute Anymore

I was looking back on my belly shots today while adding some new pictures to my first baby album and I am amazed at how fat I have actually gotten.  few weeks ago I think I could honestly say I felt kind of cute pregnant, but I guess when you get this close to the end you just feel fat. I am also shocked because I felt like I had gained so much weight before I got pregnant and I look back at my earliest pictures and I look *gasp* skinny! God I hate being a girl because no matter how you will always tell yourself you are fat!

I am so ready for this whole pregnancy to be over now
A) because I want my BABY! I might just explode if she doesn't hurry up and get here (not too early though keep baking Baby Love, but get here soon!)
B) My fingers are killing me and they are making sleeping miserable
C) I want to work out. I mean really work out (run, bike, lift weights) anything to get these fat arms and other fat areas to go away quickly!
D) I can't stand for anyone to touch me anymore because I am downright fat! I got a massage the other day and it felt amazing, but all I could think about was how disgusting it must be for the massage lady to be touching my fat belly. Also a few weeks ago I loved for people to rub my belly, feel Mckinley kicking, etc, but now I might just swat your hand away because I know you really don't want to touch my giant belly you just feel obligated to.

I keep telling myself we only have a few more weeks to go and I can make it, but man will I be glad when this is all over and she is finally here. Oh and we are now in the 20's people! Potentially 29 more days until baby day! Holy Crap!

They Try

Husbands that is. My dear sweet husband really tries to help me out and make my life easier, but sometimes you have to wonder what goes through their minds.

Take the dishes for example. Last night I cooked some delicious homemade individual pizzas for Brent and I. His was loaded pepperoni and mine had feta, cherry tomatoes and fresh spinach. I have been "trying" and not really succeeding to keep the house really clean before Baby Love gets here and I am of course a tad emotional and irratable so small things non pregnant don't ever even phase me, but for some reason this made me crazy. Brent called from the other room and asked if the dishes were clean or dirty. I callled back I wasn't sure, I knew they were dirty, but I just wanted to see if he would actually take the time to open up the dishwasher and check. Now to this day I am not sure if he just assumed they were clean then he should have assumed that he should have unloaded them to be able to load dirty dishes or he opened it to see and wasn't sure if I would be annoyed if he stuck a dirty dish in with some clean dishes mind you I never wash a non full load of dishes so I am not sure how he could assume this non full load of dishes were clean. Like I mentioned before normally this never would have phased me and I would have stuck the dishes in and moved on, but I was ANNOYED! So I went ahead and stuck the dishes in and since I wasn't feeling well moved on and layed my behind on the couch. Now to fnish this pointless story on how much the dishes have annoyed me. When I woke up this morning after my adorable hubby had left to play golf with my dad I stumbled into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee on my awesome new Keurig and noticed yet another pile of dishes in the sink. I guess he thought the pizza stone (that would have been nice if he had cleaned that last night since I cooked a delicious dinner) was still in the sink I guess he just assumed that the dishwasher was full, clean, or in some other state that he could not place his dishes in also.

This is not our sink

The funniest part about all of this is I really can't be mad at him because my dear husband truly understands how OCD I am about loading the dishwasher. I have to group all of the correct utensils together in the little basket, everything has a certain place it must go, and I hate when a load is washed when it is not jam packed full. I can only imagine the fear and panic in my husbands eyes when he called from the other room to see if the dishes were dirty/clean because it really is difficult to tell because I pre-pre rinse everything.

Nor is this our dishwasher

So can I really be mad at him or fault him for my slight pregnancy rage when putting his dirty dishes in the dishwaser for the second time. And maybe I am too nice but the poor boy had just finished cutting the front and backyard (we are going to have to discuss what constitutes a properly tended yard at a later date) so can I really fault him. Plus I spent the morning getting my poor swollen pregnant body massaged thanks to the awesome Mother's Day gft from my hubby and MIL.

Next time I won't already be pre-ragey (I know that is not a word, but I am pregnnat and can typr whatever made up words I want) from deling with Verizon and cell phones all night. I am still amazed by my self control I have been able to keep this entire pregnancy. Yes I may be a bit moody, but I think I am allowed because as of now I feel like Shi%. It really isn't that bad, but I never thought swollen achy fingers and ankles could cause so much misery. Besides that I am feeling great and really can't complain.

Cankles

Oh and by the way my Bump page gave me this tidbit of info. this morning

I think the most important point is that we could have 30 days, it could be less then 30 days, or it could be more then 30 days. That is the life of a pregnant woman who does not want to schedule the exact day my child will born becasue she will come when she is ready. So now we are just waiting to see when things start happening.

I guess the moral of this entire post is men need clear cut directions to complete any task the way you want it done. That will make your life and their life easier. From now on instead of letting yourself become mad just tell them exactly what you want them to do and then if they still don't do it right then you can get mad and make them suffer.

I've Got A Feelin (Woohoo)

And not a good one. People lie when they say baby doesn't flip around much at about this point in pregnancy because my child moves all day long and she moves a lot and she moves all over the place. I really love feeling her move around (sometimes it can be a tad uncomfortable), but where I am feeling her now is not a good place. I am getting a sinking feeling that she is laying across my belly instead of head down like she was a few weeks ago. We still have a few weeks before she arrives , but I just have this strange mommy feeling that Mckinley may be being stubborn and now has gotten herself all turned around. I am by far not an expert and hopefully when I go to the Dr. next week she will tell me otherwise, but for now I just have a feeling my child is not in a birth friendly position. We shall see and hopefully I am wrong.

We Could Put A Baby In There

Even though Baby Love won't go straight into her nursery at least it is ready for her whenever we are ready for her to go there. I am sure it will be sooner rather then later, but for the first week or so we are going to keep her in her bassinet by the bed since things will be a bit crazy for a while. Nesting wise it feels SO good to have this checked off of my list. It of course couldn't have been done without my AWESOME parents and my sister who is much better at visually seeing if things are straight or not (I do not have this ability). Now for a tour of Mckinley's Room.

Snuggle Spot

Pretty Lights

Book shelf by door when you first walk in

My favorite corner

Baby Girl's Bed (The pictures over the bed will stay there, but the pictures are being changed out to some brighter nursery rhymes)

So many books

Mckinley's growth chart is the only thing yet to be hung up

Changing Table

Baby Love's Sweet Nursery

I Don't Think Your Ready For This Belly

I have been taking my belly picture each week, but somehow I have forgotten to post them. Between Baby Brain and getting ready for baby it has just slipped my mind. I believe I ended with weeks 28-31 so I need to catchup with 32-35.



32 Weeks



33 Weeks



34 Weeks



35 Weeks

 I am seeing a trend in my later pregnancy clothing. Since I am home almost all day everyday there are less and less "outfits". Even when I do go out though my wardrobe normally consists of anything black, comfortable, and I tend to wear the same outfits over and over again since nothing fits very well these days even the things I have been wearing all along. I even tried on some of my pre pregnancy dresses today just to see how small they have gotten and now I am afraid it will be a while before I can get back into them. The main reason is that most of my pre pregnancy dresses are XS and my boobs are definitely nor will they be for a while. Hopefully after my belly goes down a bit I will be able to fit into at least some of my dresses because it looks like that is all I will be wearing after Baby Girl gets here. 

Another Check List

I have checked off a few more things thanks to my awesome sister. She stopped by one of my favorite stores Garden Ridge and picked up some lamp shades that I plan on getting crafty with in the next few days.
 Here is my list with everything completed now lovingly erased.

Things To Get

1. Bottles We're going to wait until Baby Love gets here to see what type she likes/what works
2. Pump after we make sure everything is a go
3. Nursing Stuff Check
4. Wipes for Brent 
5. Things needed for mommy after baby comes Check
6. Diaper cream 
7. Clothes line/clothespins
8. Wet bag for nursery Check

     Things To Do 

1. Hang Pictures/Cabinet This should be done very soon
2. Pack Hospital bag Still in progress and probably won't be complete until we are leaving for the hospital but babies bag is packed
3. Car Detailed
4. Install car seat
5. Hair Cut Check
6. Mama Massage Check

Yesterday I got something big checked off of my checklist. The office/dog room has been thoroughly cleaned and reorganized. I did a lot of nesting yesterday and am feeling the after affects today because I am exhausted! Now if I could get the dogs to stop shedding my house would always be clean.

First Father's Day

McKinley may not be here just yet, but Brent and I decided we wanted to celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day this year. I couldn't wait to give Brent his present so I went ahead and gave it to him last night.

Ever since I told him I was pregnant and especially since we knew Baby was a girl Brent has said he wanted pink new balance shoes for her. I searched and searched until I finally found newborn size 0 pink new balance shoes and hid them away in Mckinley's closet for the past 3 or 4 months.

I am SO thankful to have him in my life and by my side. I can't imagine going through all of these new adventures with anyone else. Bless his heart he has put up with me for the past few months which thankfully I have to say (he may say otherwise) have been pretty easy. I like to think I have not been your typical pregnant wife with mood swings and lots of aches and pains and I have yet to send him on a late night craving run (besides the below freezing night I wanted YO LO, but he wasn't upset to get some free yogurt). He never complains when I ask him to help me do something or help me clean and he always does it with a smile and a song (normally with his own made up words).

I can't wait for Mckinley to finally get here to meet her daddy because I am pretty sure she will get a kick out of him as much as I do.

I guess our first real Father's Day celebration will be next year when our little is actually here, but it feels really good to celebrate him today (even though he did make me breakfast. See that is why I love him so much!)

Happy First Unofficial Father's Day My Love!

And Happy Father's Day to the best Daddy ever!

Work In Progress

This is what it looks like after setting up all of the big baby gear (swing, bouncer, strollers, etc.) And what the nursery will look like with everything piled into the crib.

 

As you can see there is JUNK piled everywhere.



  

 

The nursery and the house are definitely a little on the wild side right now. There are large baby products sitting around waiting to be put in their rightful place or returned (infant car seat, toddler car seat, extra car seat base, running stroller, stroller frame, regular stroller, bouncy seat, night light). There are also many items that are non baby related that need to be put away and are sitting out in our tiny house like chairs, coolers, golf clubs a large basket of things sitting out for a baby shower I am helping to throw in a week  as well as the stuff I pulled out of our pantry, junk drawer, and laundry room that still has not found a new home our tiny little house is quite an organized mess. I still have yet to tackle the office/dog room, but that is another story in itself.

Now for something that has been finished. I already checked it off of my baby to do list, but I had to take some before and after pictures even though you can barely tell a difference. Before the dresser was a yucky old cream color so my sister and I painted it white and I dry brushed the lightest pink on top. I washed and sanded it really good before starting which helped the paint stick better.

 

 

 

I love the end result, but I wish it was a bit pinker.



The end result of all of the cleaning, sanding, and painting. A place to store Baby Girls Cloth Diapers.