The day has come!

It's 4:30 AM on Friday, March 4 and we are getting ready to head to the hospital. We had to take one more pic of the baby bump. I know I am going to miss this bump, but I cannot wait to meet the little man that is causing it!!

This is all happening pretty quickly, but I am so ready. We went yesterday for our 2nd appointment of the week and walked out of there 3 hours later with a c-section scheduled for Friday, March 4 at 7:15 AM! It was a huge decision, but we all thought it was best to go this route. So, here we are! I cannot begin to describe what I am feeling, but anxious and excited are definitely up there. Next time I post something, it will be his birth announcement!

38 weeks!

Went in Monday for another ultrasound, non-stress test and appointment. Jr. did not want to cooperate and poor Darin and I were stuck in the non-stress test room for almost an hour and a half, which doesn't sound all that bad, but it was about 9000 degrees in there. But, some Angry Birds and People magazines seemed to help pass the time. All looks fine and we are hoping to meet our little guy this weekend! I am honestly feeling fantastic right now...I don't know if I am just too excited to notice how uncomfortable I am or what, but I feel better this week than I have in weeks. Maybe it's the calm before the storm....

37 weeks

Went to the doc on Monday for one of my two weekly visits. We got another ultrasound and the (not so) little man is weighing in at 6lbs 14oz and is super long...and chunky! He is looking healthy and has dropped, so I am hoping he decides to come earlier than expected...like next week! Yeah, I know, wishful thinking.

But, the bets are on! My family decided to have a little fun this past weekend and make bets on when Jr. is going to make his arrival. So, if you want in on the game, I would love to hear your comments below! My original estimated due date is March 14.

Bean's Nursery

As promised many weeks ago, here are some snapshots of Jr.'s nursery. I know I am biased, but I think my fabulous husband did an amazing job with the painting and I think we did a pretty good job picking out the bedding, furniture and decor! It has pretty much been done for awhile now...we just had a few odds and ends to finish. And, to be totally honest, I had a bit of a hard time going in there after Lauren and needed some time. However, I am starting to find comfort in it again and cannot seem to keep myself out of there. Hoyt and I spend quite a bit of time sitting in the recliner. Now all it needs is initials on the wall over the crib and chair (if we ever choose a name for the poor child)...and a precious baby boy!

And the child's walk-in closet packed with 0-6 month clothing! Not to mention all of the drawers in both dressers are stocked with clothes too.

1 month to go!!

I cannot believe I only have a month left (hopefully a little sooner!). It's crazy. We have officially completed the nursery (minus putting up the wooden letters of his initials since we still have no clue what they will be!), washed the clothes, packed the bags, and assembled all baby products! So when everyone asks if we are ready, we can say yes. However, I am not so sure that includes the mental aspect of it. I would like to think we are ready mentally, but I don't know if you can ever be fully ready for this. But, we are excited and nervous and I think that is what is to be expected. And more than anything, we all want him to be here safe and sound in our arms. He is definitely going to bring some much needed joy to my family.

Here is bean @ 35 weeks. Those cheeks kill me!

And here is the belly at 36 weeks...pretty obvious I only slept 4 hours the night before!

Waddle This Way...

Yep, it's official. I have started waddling. I guess I should be proud I made it to 35 weeks, but it was still a little hard to admit. It is also getting very difficult to get out of bed or off of the couch. Watching me attempt these small feats must be quite humorous...Darin seems to find it funny! I really am actually starting to get pretty uncomfortable though. My whole body is always sore, I find myself out of breath very easily, and the reflux is still terrible. However, I am most certainly considering every pain, ache, and jab to the rib/bladder/etc. an absolute blessing. I have really tried to be a pleasant preggo and I think I have done a very good job. And, especially in light of the family's recent loss, I am taking none of this for granted. I am grateful beyond words and hope our little bean stays happy and healthy over these final few weeks.

Catching up on previous weeks:

33 weeks

34 weeks - yes, the belly ballooned.


35 weeks - looks like a beach ball under there!

Guardian Angel

To say that I am writing this with a heavy heart is a complete understatement. I cannot even begin to put into words what I am feeling right now. Angry would probably be at the top of my list, and that is putting it nicely. I will never even begin to understand why this happened, but I know that for Bean's sake and for my sister and Jeremy, I need to be strong. I think it will be awhile before writing these posts are actually for enjoyment rather than because I feel like I have to keep it up. But, I wanted to write one in honor and memory of my precious niece, Lauren Elizabeth, who as one of Lindsay's friends put it, must have been too sweet for this world.

We all had visions of these two cousins growing up together since they would have been about 6 weeks apart and it is just maddening to know that will not be the case. No one should ever have to go through a tragedy like this. You should never have to hold your baby and say goodbye at the same time. It just makes no sense. However, through all of this, I have found a tiny bit of comfort in knowing that our baby boy will always have a Guardian Angel watching over him.

No words or actions can make this situation any easier or less tragic, but prayers for my sister, Jeremy, Braden and the rest of our families are all we can ask for. My sister is one of the strongest people I know, something she must have gotten from my parents. And, she means more to me than I could ever even express. She has always been my rock, but even more so throughout my pregnancy. Always answering my stupid questions and giving me advice even when I know she had her own pregnancy ailments. This just makes it even more difficult to understand why God let this happen to them and their baby girl, but I can only pray that He gives them strength to somehow get through this and someday find peace.

Precious Lauren, please know that you were loved from the very second we knew about you and you will forever be in our hearts.

Surprise Baby Shower!

I just want to say that I have the best co-workers and work for an amazing company! Today they surprised me with a baby shower over lunch! I was not expecting it and am grateful to everyone who coordinated, came or contributed to it. We were spoiled with more wonderful presents and some yummy cake. And, it was great to celebrate with co-workers. So, thanks to all of you and I am lucky to work with such wonderful people. Can't wait to bring Baby Boy Weber in to meet all of you!!

Clothes Galore!

This child has more clothes than I do! Probably more clothes than I have had collectively over the years. It took us all weekend to separate, wash and organize everything. Eight loads of baby laundry...and that was just 0-6 month clothing and a load of towels/wash cloths! I would like to note that my amazing sister donated Braden's clothes and accessories since they are having a girl. This turned out to be 11 garbage bags stocked full and a few other bags of random stuff. All of this ranging from 0-3T (thanks to my wonderful Mom for sorting and labeling everything!). Plus, we are lucky to have so many wonderful friends and family members who cannot seem to resist buying adorable baby clothes for him (I cannot resist either!). The washing/organizing process was a bit overwhelming at first, but Darin's OCD came in VERY handy and we had quite a bit of fun together!

I had my 32 week appointment today and all is looking good! He is definitely going through another growth spurt, but I expect to have quite a few of these moments over the final weeks. I am still fairly comfortable, even though the pregnancy insomnia has reared its ugly head again. I am not sure how I am supposed to heed the advice of others regarding getting all the sleep I can now when I wake up 12 times to go to the bathroom and then cannot fall back asleep. But, I guess my body is just starting to prepare for the MANY sleepless nights ahead! Even with all of the "fun" that comes with the final months of pregnancy, I am still loving every minute of being pregnant. It is crazy to think that this will all be over in less than two months and a new journey will begin!!

Starting to fill out a little in the face :).

Showered with Love!!

I had my third and final shower this past weekend. And can I just say that I feel so incredibly blessed after all the "showering"! I would love to send a huge thank you to all of my amazing family and friends who either hosted and/or attended one or more of my showers (and for those who were there in spirit!). Darin, Baby Boy Weber and I are so fortunate to have you in our lives and we really appreciate each one of you! Now, the hard/fun part is going to be rifling through all of his new stuff and organizing everything. A tad bit overwhelming, but we have 9 or so weeks (yikes!) to get everything just the way we want it. It is quite amazing how many things a little baby can require though, but thanks to our wonderful families and friends, this little man is set!!!!!

First Shower with the Taylor side of the family on November 27, 2010.

Second Shower @ Weber Christmas on December 11, 2010.

Third Shower @ the Wittes with friends and family on January 8, 2011 (love the BHS Class of '00 Reunion pic...with Emmy!).

Belly @ 31 weeks!

Holy Hiccups! And, 30 week update.

Talk about a funny feeling! I thought maybe I had felt him hiccuping before, but could not be certain since he literally moves non-stop ALL of the time! However, I was certain on December 26. Must have been all the Christmas cookies I devoured! We were visiting Darin's grandma and it felt almost like repetitive pokes or a heart beat, but it was definitely the hiccups. Kim and Darin both got to feel them! And, Mom was able to feel them again on New Year's Eve at dinner! Now, he gets them quite a bit...poor thing! But, it is kind of fun to feel something different...you know, besides his feet in my ribs! And, I read something that said getting the hiccups is actually a really good sign because it means his lungs are maturing and developing!

I had my 3o week appointment today. I am on the every two weeks schedule now, which is kind of crazy! Time is really flying now. Everything looked great! My belly is measuring spot on, which is quite the surprise! It appears that the rapid belly growth/weight gain has tapered off some in the last month...whew!

Lastly, I know I promised pictures of the nursery, but we have a lot more decorations/furniture coming over the next few weeks, so I am going to hold off on the reveal. However, I will give you a sneak peek because Darin did such a fabulous job!!

Our Little Wax/Clay Baby!!

We had our 3D/4D Ultrasound appointment on December 29, 2010 when I was about 29 1/2 weeks. Darin and I invited our parents to come since 1) we had already seen the little guy so many times and had shared those moments together, and 2) neither one of our parents had ultrasounds with any of their children and we thought it would be neat to share that with them. I was honestly a little hesitant to do this type of ultrasound because I really do think they are a bit creepy. The babies look like clay or wax and it is a bit odd! But, I definitely had a totally different opinion upon seeing my own child!

It was so incredible to be able to see him in 3D. Granted, he was not the most cooperative and decided to cuddle up against something, which made it very hard to get any good pictures of him. We saw quite a bit in the 2D form, but every time she switched it over to the 4D, I swear he would nestle up against the wall and hide his face. Or the cord would get in the way or something! Therefore, a lot of the pictures we have of his face kind of look like Jabba the Hut because you cannot really distinguish his full head...it's kind of molded together with whatever he was using for a pillow! However, it was pretty cute to see him snuggling...I hope he is a snuggler on the outside too!

We did manage to see quite a bit though. We were able to see his little eyes and mouth open and shut a few times. He also was not shy about showing us that he is in fact a boy! Guess he just wanted his grandparents to see!! We also got a sneak peek of his little feet and toes, but not a very good one since he has decided to keep them up in my rib cage! We also got to see some hair, which makes me SO excited!! He is definitely a chunky little boy and appears to already be running out of room. His chipmunk cheeks were almost too much for me to handle...I just cannot wait to smother them in kisses! He definitely has his Daddy's nose and the cutest, plumpest lips. OK, I will stop gushing about my unborn child now, but I highly recommend having a 3D/4D ultrasound done...it really makes you want to meet and hold your baby even more!!

Hello 3rd Trimester - 28 weeks!!

After the last scare, we had a pretty uneventful few weeks! I was very excited for the week of December 20, partially because of my love for Christmas, but mainly because I was getting another ultrasound at my 28 week appt. to check on that pesky placenta. I was amazed by how much the baby had grown in 8 weeks! He was so cute and I could have stayed and watched him all day. Apparently, he is going to have really long fingers...the ultrasound tech was just amazed by how long they already were! But, let's be honest, we didn't really think this baby was going to be small!! It was pretty neat though because he was opening and shutting his fist a ton during the u/s. At one point, I saw his mouth moving and thought maybe he was sucking his thumb. The tech said, nope, I am pretty sure he is licking his fist!! I about fell off the table laughing because I thought about how well he and Hoyt will get along!

I then met with Dr. Santiago, who told me more great news...my placenta was right where it should be! However, now the baby was breech. But, nothing at all to worry about, as he is still small enough to flip...which I am pretty sure he will based on how much the little turkey moves around during the day (and night!). This just means that I will get one more ultrasound...putting our total to 8, including the 3D one we are getting on December 29. It has been a rough road thus far, but I honestly feel pretty lucky because we have been able to see him so much and love watching him grow in there!! I also had the Rhogam shot since I am Rh+...wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! Pretty quick and mostly painless!

As you can see from my pic, I have quite the basketball belly! It just keeps growing, but I really feel like I am mostly belly (I am still squeezing into my pre-preggo jeans!). I am not sure how much bigger I can get over the next 12 weeks, but it will be interesting to see!! Time is flying and I can't believe in less than 3 months, Darin and I will be holding our baby boy!

Here we go again...another trip to the ER @ 26 weeks

We had another minor bump around 22 weeks, but nothing that warranted going to the ER. I was hoping this would be how the rest of the pregnancy would go. Not so much! I was honestly feeling great - getting a little uncomfortable with my big old belly, but overall was loving every minute of being pregnant. On December 4, my family went to Chicago to see Wicked. We had a fabulous time and Bean loved the music! I was also looking forward to going to Kristy and Dave's housewarming party that night (mainly because I thought she was going to be announcing something very important that night...and I was right! Bean is going to have a friend to play with!).

We got home around 8ish and I decided to go to the bathroom before we left, only to find I was spotting. Of course this happens on a Saturday night when my doctor's office is closed. I had also experienced what I thought were Braxton Hicks contractions the night before at my work Christmas party, so I decided to call the on-call doc. She told me to be safe and head to Labor and Delivery because it could be a sign of pre-term labor. The tears were flowing yet again and Darin did such a wonderful job of keeping me calm (as did my parents and sister!). We headed to the ER and I got wheeled up to L&D. They hooked me up to the contraction machine and also put a heartbeat monitor to keep track of little bean's heartbeat. It was hilarious because he literally moved or kicked the ENTIRE half hour I was hooked up. At this point, I figured all was OK. Sure enough, they found nothing wrong and I was sent home. The next day was a bit rough, but I figured the cramping and pains were mostly in my head. I already had a doctor's appointment scheduled for the next week, which was reassuring. Granted, it was for my Gestational Diabetes testing (which I passed!!!), but I was able to follow-up with the doctor as well. They pretty much told me that a lot of people will experience 2nd trimester bleeding because of all the growing and shifting inside. I was just one of the lucky ones to experience it! Another sigh of relief that everything seemed to be just fine.

First Kicks!!

I was amazed how quickly it went from me not being able to feel anything to feeling him move all of the time. It was October 27-28 when I felt my first hard pokes and actually felt it from the outside too. I started to keep a log of when he was the most active and will be interested to see if it is the same when he is on the outside!

Day by day, his pokes were turning into full fledged kicks and I was able to see my stomach move from the outside on November 9. It wasn't until November 17 when Darin finally felt him move. I think he would get shy around his Daddy...he would stop moving every time Darin put his hand on my tummy! But, we finally got him and I was glad to share that with Darin. Now, I feel like this little guy is a ninja or break dancer with how much he moves! Feeling kicks is definitely another one of those surreal moments...and it makes you realize even more that you are growing a human inside of you!

Picture is of Lindsay and me on Thanksgiving @ almost 25 weeks!