day 29- in this past month, what have you learned

Oh my. The whole past month! I've learned soo much. Every day that comes in this pregnancy, I learn more about myself, more about being a mommy, more about my baby, and more about how to be patient. Especially in the last month. I'm learning how to stand up for myself, how to compromise, and how to be the best domestic partner I can be to BD. I've learned what matters, and what doesn't. I've learned who my friends are, and who blows me off because I can't go drink with them at the bar. I've connected to my family on a whole other level.
Mostly, I've learned that thinking about what's best for my daughter, is what's best for me. :)

Sorry for my absence.

I am so sorry I have abandoned you. It's been less than a week, but I still felt guilty. I spent a wonderful time with the BD from Wednesday until this morning. It was really great and relaxing. :) We went up to Manistee to visit my Dad on Saturday and stayed the night. It was nice. :) We've had many great talks, about our relationship and otherwise, and I feel closer to him than ever before. :)
In other news, my Mommy cut all of her hair off. It's buzzed right down to the scalp. She's wearing her wig all of the time in public now, and she says it's itchy. She has a few bald spots. :( She wears one of my hats (an ugly pink one from NYC that I got in High School). It's the only thing that feels comfortable, she says. I want to find her a scarf, but she has a specific taste, and our tastes don't match. She has her second of 4 chemo treatments on Friday. The symptoms will be worse. I'm worried about her. I want to be there for her. Most of all, I hope this baby brings her some joy.
I talked to the leasing agent today, and Lee and I will be able to move in to the apartment on FRIDAY!!! FRIDAY! YAY! I can finally start to nest! For real!
Also, awhile ago, I read someone's post about doing a review of "Rockstar White". It's a teeth whitening system! It seemed to work really well for her, so I wrote the company and told them that I would love to do a product review. Today, I came home and had the package waiting for me! I didn't even know that they were going to send me anything! I'm pretty excited. Granted, I can't use it until after the bean is born, but after she gets here, I'm sure I'll have the whitest teeth on the block!
Stay tuned!

day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?

My sorority sisters and I one year ago. I can't believe the physical change in myself, much less in my life. A year ago, I was ready to graduate college. I was doing well in school. I had a new, but amazing boyfriend. I was ready to begin a full-time job and work my way up in a company. I was the president of my sorority, and was BUSY. I went to the bar a few times a week and drank very socially. (What can I say, I was in college...).


Here is me at my baby shower on Saturday with my birth mom. I've only gained about 25 pounds, but it looks like I've gained 60. I can especially see in the picture how big my face is... gross. It looks like I'm having twins... so weird. I'm ready to become a Mommy. I haven't partied in a long, long time. Sometimes, I even have a hard time connecting to BD and friends because my priorities have changed so much. However, I am a much stronger person. I stand up for myself, and no one will push me around.
I'm not exactly where I thought I would be a year ago. Getting pregnant definitely threw me for a loop, but I have to say it's the best and most important thing that's happened to me my whole life. And I can't wait to begin my new life, with a whole new set of priorities, as a mother.

My little bean...

I'm getting very anxious to meet you. You've been growing and gaining strength for 35 weeks now, and I think we're both getting impatient. :) Only two more weeks to wait, and then you could make your appearance anytime. I would appreciate if you waited another two weeks, until you're big enough and your Daddy and I have everything ready for you.
We had our last baby shower yesterday, and now we have EVERYTHING for you, except a crib and bottles. But we're working on it. I'll be going shopping for you (my favorite kind of shopping to do), this week after my appointment. I even set up your swing last night all by myself, and it looks pretty good. I'm so very excited to set up your nursery and get everything ready for you. We have enough diapers for your first two months, as long as you don't grow too fast. :)
You have gotten so many precious outfits that I can't wait for you to wear. You'll probably grow out of them before you get a chance to wear them all. You certainly are loved by everyone! People are getting anxious to see you. (Besides me and your daddy.)
I keep wondering what you think of the inside of me. I pretty much have your movements down to a science. I can run my fingertips down my belly, and it almost seems like I'm tickling you. You push right back, too. You totally like the heating pad that I put on my back. It's like you nestle right into my spine, which almost makes the back pain worse, but I'm ok with it. I mean, not really, but I'll have to put up with you. :)
You cousin Lilly says it's time for you to come out. And that she thinks your name should be Lilly too. She's already asked me 3 times today if you're going to come out and see her today. She helped me fold all of your outfits when I did laundry last night, and played with some of your toys. She has also asked me 5 bajillion times if she can hold you after you're born. She's pretty excited to meet you.
Lola walked around smelling your swing, diapers, and clothes today. I think she's starting to get used to all of these strange baby items. She's excited to meet you too. As long as you don't chase her around the house and pull her tail, and I'm pretty sure you'll do exactly that.

I love you, little girl. And I can't wait to meet you and match your beautiful face to the baby I dream about every night.

Love, Mama.

day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge

One of my pre-baby resolutions was to blog more. Other than getting my thank-yous out on time, it's the only one I've really followed.
There have been a number of times that I don't feel like blogging (or think I don't) until I sit down to write my daily challenge posts, and then a lot more ends up coming out. I have this challenge to thank for that success, and I will probably try to find another one when this one is finished. Thanks for reading!

day 26- what do you think about your friends

My friends can be pretty great. My best friend is Rachel, and we joke that she's the father of my baby. She went to the hospital with me two weeks ago, when they thought I was leaking amniotic fluid, and was so adorable cute about hearing the bean's heart beat for the first time. She also has said that the baby will pretty much always be known as "little bean", and I'm ok with that. I love her. She's great. :)

A vote!??? Pretty please?

day 25- what I would find in your bag

My bag... Has a lot of crap in it. I'll post a picture later.

1. Hand sanitizer
2. Wallet
3. keys
4. 4 tubes of chapstick
5. Digital camera
6. trash, receipts, etc.
7. Planner

Pretty lame, I know.

34 weeks. (37 DAYS to go. What?!)

Well, almost 35 weeks. But I finally took a pretty legit belly picture today. Better than past ones, especially since I didn't post one at all last week. :) If you can't tell, the bean has DROPPED!

How far along? 34 weeks, 5 days.

Total Weight Gain: No idea. I refuse to check anymore.

Belly button: Innie. I STILL don't think it's gonna pop...

Stretch marks: No more than last week. I have a crazy, hopeful theory that some of them are starting to fade, thanks to my very strict, very intense skin care routine.

Maternity clothes: I've given up on being comfortable. Even my sweatpants don't fit correctly anymore. :(

Gender: GIRL.

Movement: Hiccups at least 3 or 4 times a day. She's like a little alien that morphs my tummy. It's very strange to see. It's kind of like watching a snake digest it's meal. HA.

Symptoms: PAIN. And lots of it. Back pain. ligament pain. rib pain. belly pain. breathing pain. sitting, standing, and laying pain. No position is comfortable for more than 5 minutes, but it's too much of an effort to move... so I just stay in continued discomfort. It's pretty sad, actually.

Food aversions: Anything I have to actually make.

Food cravings: Not eating! Yeah! I know! My appetite has gone down sufficiently, and I've barely had any cravings. SO WEIRD. I've heard that means baby is on her way. I have been drinking a lot of fluids... and eating lots of fruit. And I guess I want salad. Sometimes sweet things. But not too bad.

What I miss: Doing anything without my back hurting. About 4-6 times a day, I am unable to put weight on my right leg. I limp. It hurts too much.

What I am looking forward to: Moving in with BD. Finally have a date: 2 weeks from today. It seems so long. Especially since we've been on a housing hunt for 5 MONTHS now. I'm just tired of commuting. I want this over now.
I have TWO baby showers this weekend! Yes, more. Ridiculous, I know. What can I say, this little baby is loved. :) Dad's side on Saturday, Mom's side on Sunday. AND I get to see my birth mama and her husband for the FIRST TIME since coming home from Hawaii! Yay!

Milestones: I finally called my first OB and told her that I won't be coming to her anymore. I LOVE my new OB in Holland. I have an appointment on Monday, and one every week after that until the bean is born! Yay!

Names we're thinking recently: Unsure. I'm still thinking Rowan, of course. BD has moved on to Zoey. Zoey Eliza to be exact. I'm trying to like it (I am the one who suggested Zoey in the first place) but I don't love it. It's nice for other people's kids... just not mine. :) Feel free to give any suggestions!

Oh! And if you enjoyed my belly pic, this post, or my blog in general, PLEASE vote for me! kthanks! :)

34 weeks.

How your baby's growing:
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

How your life's changing:
By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond). If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.

If you notice itchy red bumps or welts on your belly and possibly your thighs and buttocks as well, you may have a condition called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP for short). Up to one percent of pregnant women develop PUPPP, which is harmless but can be quite uncomfortable. See your practitioner so she can make sure it's not a more serious problem, provide treatment to make you more comfortable, and refer you to a dermatologist if necessary. Also be sure to call her if you feel intense itchiness all over your body, even if you don't have a rash. It could signal a liver problem.

Curious Friday/What I did today.

So. Today Lola and I went for a walk. It was absolutely beautiful outside, although windy. I put on some tennis shoes and Lee's big sweatshirt, grabbed some plastic grocery bags for poop pick-up, and off we went. It has been a LONG time since Lola has been on a walk. Luckily, my mom's house has a pretty big yard, so I can just let her out and she runs around and plays in the snow, and then I don't have to go out in the bitter cold. (Have I mentioned how much I hate the cold? Because I do.) I've been feeling guilty about not taking her out, but since falling on the ice last month, I thought I had better play it safe.
She was so excited! She pooped like 13 times... I was not happy because every time I had to somehow bend over and pick it up, while simultaneously trying to not fall over from her pulling me to the next tree or pee-spot. I wanted to scold her, and I know we'll have to do some re-training before the bean gets here so that she'll walk calmly next to the stroller, but it was her first time out in a long while... so I let it go.
About halfway through our walk, I started getting really intense back pain (what else is new, right?). I figure that it's because my posture is so thrown off from the bean. I'm definitely excited to get back to being active after she's out. When we got home, I drank some H2O and rested for 15 minutes or so until I went back outside and started picking up dog poop from around the yard. I'm trying to clear away as much as I can before it starts snowing again, and the job becomes even more miserable in the spring. I picked up about half (with Lola sleeping on the deck... I guess our walk tired her out) before getting such bad back pain that I couldn't stand up straight. I had to shuffle, all hunched over like a little old lady, back to the house. I was afraid of becoming stiff if I just laid down, so I took a very hot shower instead. That seemed to help with the pain a bit, but not completely. I did my prenatal yoga dvd (BD would be proud), hoping it would stretch me out, but I just became more tired. So as of now, I'm in the recliner with my feet up and a heating pad on my back.

Now, after all of that unneeded information, my question to you is: How did physical exercise go for you in your remaining weeks of pregnancy? Did you sit on the couch (like I do sometimes) because of bed rest, or pain, and eat your heart out? Were you active up until the end? Did you have to quit your "fitness" routine? And how did that affect the arrival of your child? I've heard that active mamas tend to deliver early, and couch potatoes tend to be late. Is that true based off your experience? I would like to know. :)

Also, two clicks for a tired preggo? Thanks!

day 24- your last five facebook status'

1. "Laura: It is gorgeous outside!"
2. "Laura is very very against making a facebook for your under 5 children. Or any children. WTF."
3. "Laura: and the back pain returns!!!!"
4. "Laura: why can't one thing just be easy? Why?"
5. "Laura: We are who we are because of the obstacles we face in life. Certain situations try to challenge our strength, but the true fighters show that there is no challenge other than succeeding. Day 1 of chemo. Praying♥"

Wow. I'm creative.

Vote!? Pretty please?

day 23- something you crave for a lot

I'm not sure that's entirely grammatically correct. "crave for a lot"....? Well, lately it's been food. I've kept you pretty updated about that. As far as other things go... physical contact. I had some pretty bad back/belly/nerve pain last night, along with contractions, and all I wanted was physical contact from BD. Hugging me, rubbing my back, kissing my forehead, stroking my hair, putting pressure on my hips... it all helped me deal with the pain. The closer and closer I get to the end of the pregnancy, the more I want to be held and feel loved. I want to be cuddled. I want hugs to last forever. I'm wearing Lee's sweatshirt right now because I'm missing him while he's at work. I'm so damn clingy. It needs to stop. But it's so... comfortable. :)

day 22- what makes you different from everyone else

I find this really... difficult. I'm pregnant... but it seems that everyone is these days. I'm not really sure what sets me apart from other people... is there anything that sets me apart?

I guess, compared to the typical person, this is where I believe my attributes are above and beyond:

-I'm a midget really short
-My butt has it's own zip code is very large... and not because I'm pregnant.
-I'm giving. To the point that it hurts me rather than helps anyone else.
-I'm extremely paranoid. crazy. I think something is constantly wrong. With me. With the baby. With my car. With Lola. With life. paranoid.
-I'm crazy emotional. (I hope just because I'm preggo.)

Other than that, I'm pretty normal. I don't have any talents that are special. Meh. I mean... I'm growing a human. That's more than 50% of the population can do. :)

day 21- a picture of something that makes you happy

LOLA! She makes me happy.

Sorry. My blog has been abandoned this week. It felt good. And guilty at the same time.

I wish I was this creative.

The most adorable video of a mama's pregnancy journey. I wish I could have done something like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbke1GHsejQ

day 20- someone you love

What a perfect post for Valentine's Day!

Normally, I hate Valentine's Day. I think it's stupid. If you're in love, I don't think you need a day to show it. And if you're not, it just makes you feel so much more miserable. I don't like getting flowers (when they die, it's depressing). But I told BD that if he ever gets me flowers, I would much rather get them any other day of the year.

So today, we both work and I'll see him just before midnight. We talked about renting a movie, but that usually starts an argument because we don't (in any way) enjoy the same movies. So, anyways. We'll probably hang out with some friends, or head to the bar for an hour, where I can drink water. How fun. :)

Anyways, he is the love of my life, there's no doubt about that. No matter what happens, we always find our way back to each other. We can fight and say mean things, and for some reason, we're still drawn together like magnets. Hopefully someday, it will get easier, and we will figure things out. But for now, as long as we can survive it will be enough. :)

Topbabyblogs.com

Top Baby Blogs.com has been reset! Please spare two clicks and vote for my blog if you like it! Pretty please? The bean would be real happy if you did! kthanks!



VOTE! DO IT! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!

Coming weeks.

We're getting really close. I know I say that often, but I'm 34 weeks today. So, each day will feel closer I guess. :) 3 weeks from today, I will be full term. Then the baby can come at any point and they won't stop my labor. I would like her to wait a bit past 37 weeks... to 38 or 39 weeks, but I guess as long as she's full term (or early term, as they're calling it now) it's fine with me. We have basically everything we need now (baby-product-wise), so that makes me feel much better. We're still apartment searching, which is frustrating. (Reasons why I wanted to get an apartment back in October.) I just want to be settled and be able to do the nursery before she comes. I want to be ready and waiting, not surprised and un-prepared. I guess we'll see how it goes.
I've been wondering how things will happen, lately. I really want to remember every minute of the bean's birth story. And as I sit here typing, I think, "could it happen now?" Will my water break first? And if it does, will it be when BD is with me? sleeping? in public? at work? Will I have the same contractions I've been having every day since mid-January, and then one day they just won't go away... but they'll get worse? I guess I'll find out eventually... but I'm just curious. :)
I'm so excited for that moment. The "she's on her way" moment. When I know that I'll be a mommy. For real. No more random hospital stays (the count is currently at 5) and scares. BD and I talked about that first night in the hospital after she's born, and how I can't wait for sleep and to lay on my belly. :) And to have that little baby, of course. I love her so much, and I can't wait to hold her in my arms.

Cooper baby shower!

Lee's Dad's side of the family threw us our second baby shower! It was wonderful. We played lots of games that were really fun-- no lame baby shower games! We played one where we had to "birth the baby". There were little plastic babies frozen in ice cubes, and we had to get them out without the use of our hands. Well, they had to stay in the cup and you could use your breath and insulate the cup with your hands. Lee won, of course.
There was lots of amazing food, cake, and decorations. Sue, Vickie, and Sarah did an AMAZING job, and I can't thank them enough! We received so many gifts, and I think we're set on everything we're going to need for the little bean to arrive! Including enough diapers to last us at least a month! We had a wonderful time, and it was so nice to feel that this baby is celebrated. Everyone in his family is so supportive. We're very blessed.
Here are some pictures that Vickie uploaded today:


Lee, and the baby he "Birthed".

The cake!

Lee, opening presents.

Trying to "birth" my baby.

Diaper cake.

day 19- nicknames you have and why you have them

Laura Lee... I mean, it's my name. It's what my Mom, Grandma, and Aunts call me most of the time.
Laurs... What my Mom and sisters use.
Sweet Pea... What my Dad calls me.
La or Lala... My niece and my sorority sisters use these.
Larualai... What I was called by most in high school.
Lil mama... randomly used.

day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have

Missed another day due to Lee's family baby shower. It was sooo great! More on that later.
Besides the pre-baby resolutions (which I am totally doing horrible on), my main goals and dreams are to be a fantastic mother and have a healthy relationship. Not in the mood for blogging today. :/

Curious Friday.

I have been reading birth stories like crazy. BD is worried that it will make me worry unnecessarily, but so far, it's making me feel prepared. I'm hungry for knowledge. For new vocabulary. Etc.

PLEASE feed my addiction. Share your birth story. :)

day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

This may sound really lame... because it is. But I would switch lives with Lee. Sometimes I feel like we argue because we don't understand each other. Where we're coming from, why we think the way we do, as well as many other aspects. I feel like if I was able to literally be in his shoes, I would understand him more. Granted, that's who I am. I want to make our relationship better. Always. I want to understand. I want to have a conversation without fighting. If you ask him the same question, it would probably be something like Buddha. Or some rock star. Or Hugh Hefner. But that's why we're different.

Ultrasounds available on your iphone?

There are new soon-to-be-released ultrasound machines on the way!! They are compatible with a smartphone! HOW COOL IS THAT? Not sure anyone but the BD will realize exactly how excited I am about this. It bothers me like whoa that I can't see the little bean whenever I feel like it. That will come soon enough when she's born and all, but if you could see in there, wouldn't you? Just to make sure that everything was okay? Any risk factors associated with an ultrasound are still unknown, but if it's ok for the bean, I want one at every appointment! It would make me feel so much more at ease. Anyways, these machines of the future are not available for personal use (due to the Tom Cruise law) but are intended to reach women in remote locations. Read the article, and learn more about the Tom Cruise law here.

Study finds new parents lose 6 months of sleep in 2 years.

"This ‘sleep debt’ leads to constant tiredness, fatigue, mood swings and irritability with couples arguing several times a week. For some this may have drastic effects of the couple’s chronic tiredness leading to serious rows and marriage break downs."

Read the whole horror story article here.

Oh. Good. I can't wait for that. You would think that before all of this, I would be able to sleep soundly. But no. I guess it's just nature's way of preparing me for life after labor, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. :)
When I'm out and about, I keep hearing infants cry. I have this overwhelming urge to hold and rock them. And it inspires me to enjoy what silent moments I have left while I can.

33 weeks is harder than I thought.

No picture right now. I'm too grumpy.

How far along? 33 weeks, 4 days.

Total Weight Gain: 23 lbs. I've lost a couple of pounds. Not sure why, but maybe I'm burning more calories because I'm carrying around so much weight. Maybe.

Belly button: Innie. I don't think it's gonna pop...

Stretch marks: MORE! Damn it! BD said something about it this morning. :( I just hope they GO AWAY!

Maternity clothes: Continued comfort. Kinda. I mean the clothes are fine, but I'm going to be uncomfortable no matter what. I don't fit into my work pants anymore. I have to, which is annoying. Can you tell the shift in attitude? :)

Gender: GIRL! still. hopefully.

Movement: Hiccups at least twice a day. She moves my belly around sometimes. Like shakes it completely. She doesn't somersault at all anymore. I mostly get just jabs. And her hitting my ribs/organs/cervix when I have a contraction.

Symptoms: Bebe has moved down. She is somehow putting pressure on my nerves... possibly my sciatic nerve. I can't sit or walk comfortably because I can't put any pressure on my left leg. If I do, I get shooting pains up my leg and in my hip joint. I tried yoga, but it didn't go over well. At all. Too much pain. I did listen to lots of hypnobabies today, to make up for the past few days that I didn't. It ended up with a wonderful nap, which caused me to sleep through 2 alarms. But they weren't important alarms... so I'm ok with it.
She's really hurting my ribs, and I'm not really comfortable in any position. I'm in a bitching mood if you can't tell. I'm very tired of being pregnant.

Food aversions: Not much. I'll eat anything at this point. I don't eat as regularly anymore. That needs to change.

Food cravings: Spicy food, lots of yogurt, ice cream.

What I miss: Everything. BD told me yesterday that he doesn't remember me not pregnant. I'm ready to be comfortable again. Sleep through the night. Pee on a normal basis.

What I am looking forward to: Moving in with BD, as soon as this weekend! Starting my NEW job. BD's family baby shower. etc.

Milestones: Being 33 weeks preggo. New OB, I had an appointment today. I have another one in two weeks and then I go every week until she's born. We're really almost there.

Names we're thinking recently: Completely lost. I'm trying to open it up to more names. sigh.

day 16- another picture of yourself

ANOTHER PICTURE!? Ok, well here is one of my favorite pictures of myself. Kallie took it when we did an "America's Next Top Model" photo shoot by the lake one June. Enjoy.

day 15- put your ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play

Sorry for the absence. It's only been a day... but seeing as I usually make 2 or 3 posts in a 24 hour period, it's strange to me to miss a day. I have an addiction. It's a problem.

So... as for yesterday today's post... hmm my ipod? I don't actually own an ipod. I don't have itunes. I have borrowed my little sister's old ipod so that I can listen to my hypnobabies while I'm not at home, so I guess the only songs I have are hypnobabies. :/ Sorry to be so lame!

GOOD morning!

I woke up feeling pretty good this morning. BD and I yelled talked things through until 2 am, and although that is ridiculously late for both of us, I've never felt better about the conversation. I let him know a lot of things I've been holding onto for months. And now he knows, and we've made each other promises that we will hopefully definitely follow through on.
I woke up feeling very tired (my eyes hurt, bad) but very rested at the same time. I think it's the first time I've slept through the night in about 3 weeks. Granted, I still got less than 6 hours of sleep, but it was GOOD sleep. But when I woke up, sun was streaming through my window, which normally annoys me, but it was soooo pretty! And the skies were are so blue. I woke up feeling very care-free. WHAT!? ME? Champion worrier? Care-free? Is that phrase even in my vocabulary? But yes, it was wonderful.
My baby girl was is kicking me and moving my whole body back and forth. I think she's doing jumping jacks or something in there. And my puppy dog was barking/dreaming and not making any gross licking sounds. It was possibly the best wake-up I've had since I got pregnant. It would have been better if I could have slept longer, but I have to go to work soon.
After work, I'm heading to Holland, which is awesome. I saw BD like 24 hours ago, and I get to see him AGAIN tonight! That never happens! I'm leaving from work and I'm going to try to see some friends, since I won't be returning to Holland again until I make the big move to the new apartment. I have an appointment with a nurse educator tomorrow, and one with my NEW OB on Thursday. I'm so excited about switching and I can't wait for a whole new quality of care. I'm going to talk to this new OB about my plans for a natural birth with as little medical intervention as possible, and I hope she is cool with it. Better go finish packing! I can't forget my hynobabies!

Day 14- A picture of you and your family

My family cannot be explained in just one picture... so I tried to include everyone in several pictures, and there are still some members missing... but I did my best. My family is complicated, in case you didn't know.




My adoptive Mom and sisters. The people I spent the most time growing up with.




My adoptive daddy and I the day I was adopted.




My birth family, Mama and brother.




Baby-Daddy and I.




Sorority. <3




My first-born, Lola.

33 weeks. There's an end in sight!

How your baby's growing:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

How your life's changing:
As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.

You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Try wearing a splint to stabilize your wrist or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or on an assembly line, for instance), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks — which should be frequently.

day 13- a letter to someone

Hello my baby girl,

I am getting so ready to meet you. Currently, you have the hiccups for the third time today, and it's only 12:30. You're running out of room in my belly, so you're not really kicking any more. You do stick out your butt quite often, which is usually quite adorable, but also very strange feeling for me. Your daddy and I went out for dinner last night for the first half of the super bowl (the packers won by the way... booo!), and your Daddy kept talking and talking and talking. :) He can talk A LOT. All the while I was having some very painful contractions. I was trying not to let him know, because he can freak out a little if he thinks there's a problem. We came back home and watched the second half with my Mama. I don't remember much of it, though. I was in a lot of pain. So much that I teared up a bit, and couldn't talk at times. But luckily, things settled down and we didn't have to go to the hospital.
I had a lot of time to think about things, as I needed to distract myself from the pain. I'm really hoping that the hypnobabies I've been doing works when it's time for you to make your appearance. I definitely don't want to be in pain, but mostly, I want to make your birthday a wonderful experience. I want to be calm, and let my body do exactly what it knows how to do to bring you into the world.
I'm very anxious about being a good mommy for you. I'm trying to convince myself that I will be, but it still worries me. I want to be able to give you everything you need, and be there for you always.
I can't wait to meet you, but it does need to wait another 4 weeks or so. Okay?

I love you to the moon and back.

-Your mommy.

day 12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one

I'm not quite sure how I found out about Blogger... I think I just googled "blogging". I had just started writing.. in a notebook. But then I decided that I didn't just want my personal thoughts laying around for anyone to read, so I had them on blogger. Protected so that only I could see them. A friend convinced me that I should have them public so that I could get feedback. So, fromlaurawithhope.blogspot.com was born. It is now protected once again because I have been writing many things recently that I don't want to share with anyone. I've had a couple of other blogs since, but I've really enjoyed blogger. Everything is fairly easy to set-up and change, and it's easy to connect with other bloggers. I like it. :)

day 11- another picture of you and your friends

Sam, Rachel and I spending some time with Lola at the beach. <3

Curious Friday.

I haven't done one of these for a couple of weeks, but only one person responded to my last one... so I want COMMENTS, people!!!!

Now that I've reached the 8th month mark, I'm becoming more and more anxious about when the baby will come. I'm kind of just going through these days knowing that I'll see her at some point, but I don't realize that it could happen any day. My doctor has me on meds to try to prevent her from coming in the next 4 weeks, but it could still happen. I'm just getting really anxious to see her and hold her for the first time. Plus, now that I've started doing hypnobabies, labor and delivery is becoming quite the reality. And, I have to admit, I'm getting a little nervous.

So... how did you feel about the days and weeks before you delivered? Were you feeling normal, uncomfortable, constant contractions? Share your story with me. :)

day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad

Well, I don't really listen to songs when I'm sad, bored, hyped or mad. Usually, I listen to music when I'm happy! :) It doesn't cross my mind otherwise. I really love Regina Spektor, Lily Allen, Cat Power, Train, and Michael Buble.



(Oh, hello Michael. What's that? You love me? Aww... I love you too. Yes, I will marry you.)

:-)