Well, as usual, it's been longer than I'd planned since I last wrote. Things are quite busy as my work schedule is almost full-time. I've moved into the "nesting" period of pregnancy where I'm feeling the exciting need to organize everything and do both necessary and unnecessary projects around the house in order to prep for baby. I'd heard people describe this before. My friend, Carolyn, has said that she went around the house putting everything into containers and neatly labeling them. I have to say, it's a great God-given feeling and I think very appropriate, considering when baby arrives I will be busy, busy and everything will need to be in it's proper "place." Things will need to be clean and easy to find. I do suddenly feel anal about things though, which I don't like. I've also been getting stressed out easily and feeling like there is not enough time in the day. I tell myself that as long as I keep doing little things here and there, it will all be done by the time baby comes.
My job is very demanding, at least mentally, and I think I just come home a little fried most days. My patience is gone by 4pm due to students making up excuses for things, sitting staring blankly at a blank Microsoft Word screen, and me caring more about their classes than they do. I now empathize with teachers and other educators more than ever before and especially for those who work with Special Ed. students. May God bless you, seriously! Therefore, I'm trying to come up with ways to cope: continued exercise, bubble baths, self-given pedicures and manicures, gardening, listening to Worship or soothing music, reading, prayer, and Bible reading. I just hope I'm not driving my husband crazy.
Bernie has been acting a little different lately. She's been testing us outside, which has led to more time on the leash and even more exercise for her than she's gotten before, which, believe me, is a lot. I'm very thankful that I've been able to keep up the running, even though it is fairly slow and short most of the time. I think most of Bernie's difference is due to me working more and not being around as much.
Wow, has this blog been negative so far! Yikes! Okay, so things aren't bad like they sound, I assure you. I'm feeling incredibly blessed in between stressed moments and even in stressed moments. I truly feel like the luckiest girl in the world most of the time! Jared is an amazing husband and is more excited about our baby girl than I could've imagined. He is helping me out a lot! We talk about little girl names all the time. And, no, I'm not about to give you some of the ones we've been considering. We're really not sure ourselves. We think we've narrowed it down to two first names, but we're still not sure about middle names. I love to imagine that precious little one, calling her by name, holding her, kissing her, playing with her, etc. Jared and I have both said how when we see little kids around the neighborhood or out-and-about, we notice them more now. This is strange to me considering I've always noticed kids a lot. This past weekend, Jared went skiing with some buddies and said he rode the lifts mostly with little kids who were either taking lessons or who are on a ski team. This is always amazing to us, as we did not grow up skiing or around skiing and there are 6 year olds skiing down double-black diamonds, when I'm still on the green (don't worry I haven't skied at all this year) and Jared is mostly still on blues. We have to remind ourselves that they do have a lower center of gravity, so at least they don't have as far to fall. Anyway, he was saying how he had a lot of fun talking to the kids and how it made him think of our future daughter a lot. He is going to be an awesome dad! Who knows, our little girl may be on the slopes in a few years or so. Jared and I are making an effort to have alone time and little "dates" here and there. We went to a diner in Santa Cruz a couple of Saturdays ago for breakfast and then went to the Patagonia Outlet where we bought the cutest 3-month bunting suit and 6-month coat, both pink! We also bought some mittens that actually seem like they'll be able to stay on her little hands.
We are going to get to have a babymoon in a couple of weeks, thanks to attending a time-share presentation last year on our Tahoe trip. We have a free three night stay at a nice resort. We're going to spend most of the time together, but Jared is going to do a little skiing and I'm going to have a spa day! I can't wait. Besides that, we'll relax and eat some good food, I'm sure. The week after that, I'm taking a trip to Alabama to see family and have baby showers that they are so lovingly planning. I'm extremely thankful for my family and friends who care so much! I love you all. I'm very excited. I've always thought baby showers were the most fun thing. I have a pink maternity dress that I found at a consignment shop, which I'm planning to wear.
Meanwhile, the baby is growing and growing and growing and I really am not sure what this body of mine is going to be like by the end of the next 12 weeks. I'm still pretty comfortable, but have moments of weirdness, thinking "maybe I won't explode." I love to feel the baby move, which she does all the time. It's the best feeling! I can see her move a lot too, which is just crazy to me.
More to come soon...
