36 weeks.

wow. 9 months. No more then 4 weeks left... but probably less. I've always had the feeling that she is coming early, and I feel it even more now.

Yesterday was nothing short of a blast. We had our LA baby shower and were so overwhelmed by all that Brandy and Jennifer did to prepare for it. They turned our very empty pool area into the sweetest baby shower ever. Brandy was up and over here early and went so far and beyond anything I could have asked for. I can't wait to get the pictures from it. Brandy's sister in law, Heather, made the deserts and they were incredible! Everything was so delicious.

Speaking of pictures. Our friend Jennifer Jasso who also did the shower... took some rad pictures of us down in hollywood at Amoeba records. It was CRAZY windy that day. But for the ones that she sent me over so far... they came out great. They don't even look like us! haha. It was a lot of fun, and I'm so glad that we get to have these pics to remember our time with the nerd inside. She also took some pics of the party of course and some of us in the nursery... so I'll post those when we get them. How lucky am I to have such talented friends.

Baby: she is still moving around and it is so much fun to feel her. I think I'm actually going to miss it when the time comes. Funny hu? I was so nervous to feel her in the beginning.. thinking I wasn't going to like it. But we've come a long way. She is dropping lower and I've even felt some contractions here and there. Its definitely exciting to know that she'll be here soon enough.

Mom: I feel really prepared and that is reassuring. My mom got her flight booked today for the 14th... so thats exciting. It's going to be fun having my family around to welcome their first granddaughter.

woops.

I am so THAT girl! The one that can only talk about her dang baby. haha. I would talk about other things if there were other things in my life to talk about... but especially in the last few weeks and days, Naz and I have just been focusing on getting ready. Well... if thats what I've become then I'm just gonna have to embrace it. ok at least for right now.

It's been amazing though seeing Gods provision throughout all this. Getting pregnant was such a huge answer of prayer to both Nazareth and I... even though we had two different questions we were asking. All along He has guided us... and now that we are so close to having her here, His provision is all around.

1. We were able to move into a 2 bedroom apartment! Such a good deal... and we got to stay in the area we love and the complex we love. It was going to be a stretch every month... but then a month later Naz got a 2% raise! just enough for our increase in rent. DANG! God is so good.

2. My sister is letting us borrow all the essentials like her stroller, car seat, breast pump, and cradle.

3. We got a great deal on a dresser and mirror... were gifted the money for a book shelf.

4. Our baby shower was great. And Naz's parents got us, not only the big car seat and the most beautiful bedding, but they also got us the prefold diapers that we so desperately wanted. We were so shocked!

Seeing how He has provided all along in our 6 years of marriage just reassures me of His provision for the whole rest of it. And that's including the birth! haha.

This monday is our LA shower, and its going to be so much fun. My friends Brandy and Jennifer are going crazy! We are having a co-ed pool party here at our complex. My sister Jamie is driving up too so its going to be an awesome day. Naz wanted to have the girls room all ready to go for the party... and hanged if it isn't. We finished it up yesterday and it looks great. I'll have to do a post of it later with pictures.

35 weeks.

We have officially ended our Bradley Birth classes. I can't believe 12 weeks went by so fast! We had a blast going to our classes and learning so much about birth and babies. I would highly recommend them. Even if someone wasn't planning on a natural birth, there is so much to learn about the whole process... and these classes were so helpful. We feel as prepared as we are gonna get!

Since it was our last class, the couples all decided to go out for dinner at BJ's afterwards. It was so much fun getting to know them all even more. And the stares from other dinners were pretty comical... seeing 5 very pregnant ladies walking in a row. How bizarre!

I am still fighting my sickness. I had a fever most of friday and saturday but it's gone now and left me with sniffles, coughing, spitting, and blowing my nose. I also still have a crick in my neck that I got from sleeping at my sisters house. It wasn't her fault of course... I totally slept on it wrong. But I feel like its getting more stiff. So I'll be looking into a local chiropractor this week. Oh I wish I could just go to the one I love in SD... but thats just not going to happen.

My dad is coming for a quick visit this thursday. He travels a lot for work and will be meeting with some schools in the area so he gets to come by for a visit. I can't wait. I miss my dad SO much... so I'm really looking forward to it. He'll come again after the little girl is born while my mom is here. I am stoked.

Baby: She's getting bigger... I can tell. Specially the amount of people asking me if I'm having twins. sadness. After this week... We're gonna do it all to get her out as soon as we can. haha. I just hope it works. But her little movements are still so fun to feel.

Mom: looking forward to our LA shower this weekend. Its a co-ed pool party shower and it's gonna be a blast. I can't believe how close we are getting to holding our little girl.

getting anxious.

I have now an overwhelming feeling to see my baby. And of course that would also mean to have my body back a little bit (all but the boobs I guess) which would be nice. But I can't wait to hold her in my arms and see her little eyes. See her in her little outfits and wrapped in blankets.

The last few days I've had a bit of a cold. It started with the awful soar throat and now I have a hacking cough.. not very easy without abdominal muscles. But it should be gone soon. I haven't had a cold or anything for such a long time I guess I was due. haha.

34 weeks.

Well our weekend was awesome... but boy did it wear me out! The shower was so much fun. I can't wait to post the pictures when I get em. It was so nice getting to see so many awesome friends who were just as excited as me for our little girl. We got so much good stuff that we needed, and I feel more ready then ever for her arrival. We're borrowing the infant car seat and stroller from my sister... and its all in the car. installed. and ready for another round of baby. And since we were down at my sisters house we did most of her laundry. Knowing that that's all ready to go too is fun.My eldest sister Jen came out for the shower and brought a bunch ofclothes, toys and blankets that we all wore when we were little and they are so rad! I already know what i want her to wear home from the hospital.

It was rad having my sister here for a few days. I showed her as many bits of LA as possible. We had breakfast at aroma, went down to west hollywood for shopping and had lunch at CPK. Next day we went to Glendale to the galleria and the americana.

Heres me and naz at the place we got married 6 years ago.

We can't wait to bring the girl here.

baby: I told my doctor my plan to try and induce labor at 37 weeks and she was totally fine with the idea. So in 3 weeks we'll start pushing on the pressure points. haha.

me: Since the weekend my feet have been swelling like mad. its pretty funny to look down and not recognize your own feet. And life is becoming a little more uncomfortable and slow... but I'm still having a blast being pregnant.

And some sad news: I totally burnt my tea kettle to oblivion. I thought I had turned the stove off and was letting the water cool a bit, but I went in there and it was already gone. The handles were totally melted and the pretty blue color now has brown spots all over. The smell was awful, I couldn't even look inside. I loved that kettle, and I can't seem to find it anywhere online... like they don't make it make it anymore or something. Oh well... I guess its a travesty of a pregnant brain.

shower.

I'm having my first baby shower tonight down here in San Diego. I can't wait. Its going to be so much fun to talk about my little girl all night.

I got a rad dress/outfit that I can't wait to wear. I feel like I've been wearing the same three things everyday. So it was tons of fun to go and feel like a cool girl again. haha. It sounds so vain! but i couldn't show up to such a cute party that my sisters and bff are planning wearing janky jeans and a tank top. haha.

Today is also Nazareth's and I's 6 year anniversary. We went to lunch at sushi deli. We have yet to find a sushi place in LA with as good and as much variety as this place. oh it's so good. After lunch we went to Balboa Park and hung out at the place we got married. It was emotional for me for sure. Thinking about how gracious God is to us. I had no idea how perfect Naz was for me when we got married. But God knew. He knew exactly the man I would need for the rest of my life. And now we are getting ready for the next phase in our life. We can't wait to kiss her little fingers.

33 weeks.

The reason I stopped blogging last week wasn't because I wasn't doing my list, but because my power cord (and my extra one one hand) decided they didn't want to work anymore. At first I thought it could have been the battery, so I took it in to get looked at yesterday. Thank the Lord it was the cord (hey that rhymes) which they replaced under warranty, AND they replaced my key board. I guess I had a kind that was under recall... it had started to crack, so they replaced it. For Free! and I feel like I have a whole new macbook.

The list: Things are flying off it now. Last weekend Nazareth and I were able to get the shelves we wanted for the living room and for the baby's room. Her room looks so complete now! Of course there are still some things that need to be done, like hanging curtains and some pictures, but it looks like her room now. So rad.

I got a dress for my baby shower today which is a huge load off my mind. I am down to about 4 things I wear? I just can't justify spending any money on something I know I'm not going to need in a few a weeks.

Mothers day: I woke up to breakfast in bed (the first time Naz ever made eggs) and a home made card and some flowers. It was the sweetest thing ever. I am constantly in awe of how romantic my husband is. That day we went to see a 5 dollar movie, and then our birth class. It was the perfect day. It even included a stop at a thrift store where I scored a little vintage white whicker hamper.

Baby: I had to go in for another ultrasound today. Why? I dunno. Cuz they want more money. They said that she is already about 6 pounds. I kinda doubt that... but I'm sure she is close. With that said, I've always felt that she was going to come early. So now I just feel more sure of it. If I am at 33 weeks now, in 4 weeks she will be full term and I'll start doing everything possible to get labor going. HA! we'll see hu? God could have completely different plans for us.

Mom: I'm getting really excited for my shower this weekend. My sister Jen is flying into LA tomorrow night and I can't wait to go pick her up. I am a little worried when I look at our registries and see that nothing has been bought. But there is nothing that our Heavenly Father can not provide for His children.

so much done.

I didn't blog yesterday due to the fact that I was kicked out of the apartment yesterday. They had to redo the entrance way and stairs to our apartment which means... a ruthless smell in the house, and me feeling sick. I was bummed that I had to leave but I used the time to get a lot of stuff done. These were things that needed to be done for at least over a month.

1. Got the car washed. Our little black car was looking more grey with all the dirt on it. My sister is coming next week and there was no way I was letting anyone else inside that car until it was cleaned. It looks great now.

2. Went to the mall: Returned some stuff at Macy's and got mothers day cards. I also realized how out of style my 8 month pregnant style has become. This is why I stay out of stores. When you don't have the money, ignorance is sure bliss.

3. Got extra keys made. We have been using one key to our apartment for some time. No longer.

4. Returned some junk at Bed Bath and Beyond.

5. Got to the beauty supply.

I was also able to throw in a 5 dollar movie, lunch at panera (which, they put meat in everything I got... had to go back and get it again.) And was able to spend some time reading.

As far as the embroidery project, I got the stencil transferred. And now its onto picking out some colors and starting to stitch.

TODAY: I need to spend some time cleaning. (and do my nails.)

one thing checked.

ok maybe two.

Yesterday i posted that I needed to get the invite list and addresses to Brandy and Jen and by George its done.

I also called about the hospital tour and got the dates they have available. Looks like we are going in May 25th at 5pm. I am just waiting for the girl to confirm the reservation before I officially cross it off.

TODAY: I need to get started on my embroidery project for the little girl. I have done other pieces for friends but when it came to doing something for the little girl I didn't really know what I wanted to do. But now I think I have a pretty good idea so now it is simply just getting the prep done. The stitching part is the fun part, and it is something I can do while in bed or on the couch at night. So getting the pattern onto the fabric is what I want to work on today.

(this is a pillow I made for a friends baby girl)

32 weeks. to do list.

I am so lazy. And I really don't want to be anymore. Simply because I have a list that is growing and there is a definite deadline. I have at least 5 weeks till I am full term, and I would really like to be done with everything then so that I can just hang back and chill and wait for this little girl to get here. Already I am seeing the calendar fill up... and my mobility slowing down. So the time is now.

I have always been the type of person who does much better with accountability: loosing weight, at work, in my relationship with Jesus... So this blog is now going to be my "to do list" accountability partner. I would love to say "one thing a day"... but there are some things on the list that are going to have to wait for Naz and the weekend. So I'm just going to write that day's "to do."

on going: get brandy the names and addresses for our LA shower.

today: call the hospital to set up a time to tour the maternity ward.

mom: when my sister was pregnant this last time she started to get this crazy pain in her hip/leg/groin area and now I have it. Its the craziest thing. So now instead of developing a waddle... I now have swagger. (BAH!) If it wasn't for that.. I would feel just fine. slower... but fine.

oh and I think I've been getting braxton hicks contractions. my belly gets all hard for a while.. so I'm assuming thats them?

baby: I got worried the other day when it seemed like her movements slowed down. I started counting them and it was fine, but it was a little nerve racking. I hope she never does that again. haha. For now she's back to her ol' antics now.