32 Weeks and 5 Days!

It seems like life is moving at a faster pace these days! With seven weeks to go I feel like I have a lot to get done. It was decided that I will only have the one shower, September 18th, and then have a "Welcome Gabriel" couple shower/party in mid November. A friend of mine from church, Joy, wants to give me the welcome shower and the baby shower will be given by a combination of people to include Josh's mom, Kristen, Connie, and my mom. I am blessed to have people who love me and want to throw a shower for me! Sometimes you go through life and you don't realize how much people love and care for you, but at times like these, when people really step in and want to do something for you without anything in return, it really makes you feel good =0). So thanks to everyone who has made my pregnancy special!

I am sitting in David Gabriel's room right now (I am sure I will live in here soon) trying to visualize the stripes as I marked them off last night. The pattern looked great on paper but now on the walls I am not positive about it. I probably won't know for sure until I actually start painting (right now its just pencil markings and a bit of tape), but I wanted to be sure before I got to that point. The room is very small and is broken up by fairly large closet. So as of right now there are stripes on wall one, polka dots beginning wall two underneathe the window, stripes on the second half of wall two and into wall three, polka dots where the crib will be (not sure about this portion b/c its going to be covered), and then stripes finishing up. So as of right now polka dots are only on two walls (one of which will be covered by the crib), and I'm not sure how uniform that is? So the debate is whether to leave it as is or to spring for a uniform look of brown, white pin stripe, khaki, white pin stripe, dark blue, and repeat with 5" stripes. I'm going to have to bring mom in for this debacle!

In other news I have been extrememly HOT lately! I have hot flashes where my hair will frizz and I sweat all over. That isn't too fun, but I deal with it o.k.. I also felt like a duck yesterday because Gabriel was on my sciatic nerve and kept making my leg go numb! I would be walking and then all of a sudden the leg is numb or has like a sharp shock moving through it. I got him to move by laying down on my side and sort of pushing him away. I wasn't having a great time in the car though. I just can't wait until labor..ha! I have had a little anxiety about labor but not bad. I know there is nothing I can do about it. I told one of my friends its like the "Daredevil Drop" at Wet and Wild, because your slowly but steadily moving up the stairs higher, and higher, and higher knowing in your mind the only way down is by the slide. So your scared and a bit anxious the whole way up until it peaks as you lay at the top of the slide, cross your arms and legs, and prepare for the drop. Once down it is totally worth it, but the built up anxiety before the ride is killer! I feel like thats labor...Once over I will be incredibly happy for the ride, but until then I'm going to be a bit anxious. Not only about labor itself but having everything ready for the little guy to arrive. I bought a nursing bra yesterday to pack in my hospital bag, but my sister informed me that it won't be big enough and I need to return it. Although happy that my boobs will be getting even bigger (yah!!!!), I don't know if I like the terms "engorgement" and "pain!" Why when you finally have something you want it ends up hurting?! Life...always fun!

Well, I suppose I am done babbling for now. Here is a picture of me at 32 weeks and 2 days:Oh, and I guess I should tell you a little about Gabriel since this is a blog about "us" huh?! He is steadily growing and putting on fat now. In just 4 weeks (since today I am almost 33 weeks) he will be full term. So technically he could be born at 37 weeks and be perfectly healthy, but I would like him to wait for the 40 week mark to get through the weddings I am shooting in September. The little dude is supposed to be about 3.75 lbs and 16.7 inches long. This explains how he can be in my ribs and in my pelvic bones at the same time! He has real hair now, hopefully anyway, and not just peach fuzz. Oh, and I'm supposed to be gaining a pound a week. We will see at my next appointment but I feel like I've gained more like 3 pounds in the past two weeks. Last time I went in I was still at 19 lbs, but I feel like I've grown a bit here recently. People are now saying, "finally you look pregnant." Not sure if that is good of bad! haha! O.k. so enough really this time. I'll be writing again soon since I'm 33 weeks on Wednesday. Love yall!