"Happy, jolly, most wonderful time of the year!"

31 weeks pregnant Christmas 2010

This time next year we will be parents! I cannot believe that Charlotte will be here in only 8 weeks, 8 weeks! John and I felt that once Christmas was over we'd feel ready to focus on the baby's arrival- we're ready! We purchased the co-sleeper today, created the registry, and took an inventory of what we have to do. I am ready! (John might not be, but I am!)

The Crib- Arm's Reach Sleigh Bed Co-Sleeper

The winning shower theme is "The Brewing of the Bean". I think the guests will appreciate the coffee theme in the dead of winter! I am so excited!!

Time to Plan A Shower

We are 78 days away from meeting Charlotte and I've been told it's time to plan a shower. There are a few glitches with this timeline: it will be snowy soon (even more so in Schenectady where my mom will be throwing the shower) and this is not a time that we should travel (Charlotte and I or anyone else, considering the weather). So, we have about three months to plan a shower and my mom wants to be sure it's exactly what I want (thanks, mom!). I figure the best place to start is a theme. Here are my ideas for themes, you can help by choosing which you think is the best idea.

Apple of Our Eye: obviously an apple theme- apple pie, green and red colored decor, apple-themed favors.

Cute as a Bee: I was thinking a tea party theme, tea with honey, black and yellow colored decor, honey as a favor, the menu would be desserts only. It could be a nice warm theme for the weather that will get people thinking of Spring!

A Baby is Brewing: this is my and John's favorite theme. We've been calling her "the bean" since we first saw her in the ultrasound and that inspired the name of the blog, so it just seems fitting. It would be a coffee party, desserts and sweets. This theme makes favor ideas pretty easy (custom coffee or desserts for people to take with them).

Snug as a Bug: Another warm theme (I think the weather is getting to me...). Little bugs are cute. I have no idea what this theme would entail for aspects of a party, but it sounds cute. :-)

No More Ultrasounds

Today was my last monthly doctor's visit. Starting in December, I will be seeing the doctor bi-weekly. I thought that the bi-weekly visits would consist of more ultrasounds, as we got closer to our due date, but this is not the case. The midwife informed me that the only way I get an ultrasound now is if my weight spikes, the baby starts growing quicker than would be expected or my blood pressure spikes. So, I guess I should hope I don't get to see Charlotte again until February.

I must say that the midwife I met today, I really liked her. As some of you know, I am not a fan of the crew of midwives at the Women's' Health Care Center in Haverhill. I find that their philosophy toward prenatal medical care leaves much to be desired. I don't know, maybe because of the area, the experiences of the practice as a whole is that mothers-to-be suck, but I think I'm an okay person that deserves to be treated based on my own needs and way of living, not stereotypes or the behaviors of others as a whole...just sayin'. Anyway, this woman was knowledgeable, asked questions about me and what I felt I needed to accomplish in the visit, and gave some really good advice!

For my friends that are pregnant, or are going to be pregnant, and love the gym (like I did before I got pregnant) those visible abs that we all work to achieve, well apparently that can come back and bite you in the ass when you're pregnant. I have been having terrible, burning pains (feels like my body is tearing on the inside) on the top and sides of my stomach, well it's because my abs are "too muscular" (her words, not mine). The muscle is tearing. The midwife suggested a hot wrap, there's no clinical proof that the wrap heals or stops the tearing, but it feels amazing. I slapped one on when I got home and I could move and bend so much easier!

Only 88 days 'til Charlotte arrives! Her cousin arrived Tuesday! We will be going to see Christopher this weekend!