Week 34 and counting

Holy cow, we are down to 7 weeks! YIKES...guess there is no backing out now! Sorry for the delay on the blog, things have been super busy and stressful. Last we chatted, we had just finished up on our first baby shower. We made the trip down to McAllen a couple weeks later for another shower, this one put on by Tia Cristy. This was a "Ladies" only party, but I made the trip down to bring all the booty back! Val will talk more about it below.

The baby room is finally done! Wooohooo! Last thing to do is put the baby seat in both cars. Hopefully get to it this weekend.

Natalie has been kicking up a storm lately! Its great to watch Val's tummy, seeing all the little feet and hands moving around. Val says I have to stop asking Natalie to "Come out and Play"...guess we need to keep her in till the timer goes off in the Daubert Incubator! hehehehehe.

Last week we went to our first Lamaze class. Very educational. They showed a couple videos of real births. MOM, YOU NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THIS! I kept looking for the stork, but it turned into a scene from ALIENS movie! hehehehe...it was funny to watch all the soon to be dads squirm and fidget! We couldn't believe how long the labor could last, and what we are going we are in for. But I promise to be a great "Coach" for Val, and be by her side through everything!(Guess that the least I could do, seeing I did this to her..hehehehe) But seriously, I am getting so excited to see Natalie, and to bring her into the world. Val still looks great, people don't even know shes pregnant when they see her from behind..but when she turns around WHOA....hehehehe!

We have big news from our circle of friends:

The Sullivan Twins are here!! Miranda and Julian are adorable and even though they had to stay at the hospital for a little while after their birth, they are doing very well and have come home! Mike always said that Darlene and Kevin would be good breeders. CONGRATULATIONS SULLIVANS!!

Rubi and Carlos from McAllen also have good news.....they are about 18 weeks along and having a little boy early next year!! Yay, we need some more boys! Julian will have someone to hang out with in his "boys only" tree fort when we have parties at the Sullivan's. :-)

Even our Mexico friends are joining in! Lee Anne and Lalo are expecting a little one in about seven months in Manzanillo, Mexico. We are looking forward to hearing more from them. Boy, girl? Will they find out?

I'm ready for Natalie to be here too. I know it's going to get worse, but that is why I feel like I should be sleeping better now and getting some rest. I am getting tired faster lately and the bathroom trips are more frequent, so I think these are all signs that Natalie is getting bigger, pushing down and telling us she's getting ready to come out.

The shower in McAllen was a big success. Tia Cristy did a fabulous job and received a great response with about 40 women. We played games, wore diapers on our lapels and oooh'd and aah'd at all the cute gifts we received. The girl has more clothes than me already! I want to thank everyone who made it to the shower, especially Sally and Laurie who came all the way from Wisconsin and Chicago to be with us!

Here are some pictures of the finished nursery. Mike has done a great job putting together the furniture and putting up shelves...well, doing everything while I watch and try not to boss him too much. As soon as things settle down a little after the baby is born, (does that ever happen?), you are all welcome to visit and meet Natalie and see the cute nursery....of course, the best room in the house.

Love from the wet, but nice and green, Austin, TX.
Here are pics of the Natalies Room..FINALLY DONE! whew!


And now some notes from the DAUBERT INCUBATOR!

My Baby
Your baby's preparing for his arrival in just a few short weeks! This week, the protective vernix (that white, waxy coating that's keeping his skin safe) begins to thicken, ensuring his birthday suit stays smooth and well-moisturized during D-day. Your baby will likely arrive covered in the stuff, especially in the folds under his arms, behind his ears, and in the groin area. But it'll all be washed off very shortly after birth -- during his first-ever bath. (So adorable!) By now, your baby weighs around 5 pounds and may be as long as 20 inches, head to toe.
My Body
You may feel like you've been seeing your doctor more than you see your best friend these days. You're likely visiting twice a month now, and starting in the next two weeks, she'll probably want to see you weekly until your baby's born. At these visits, your doc will keep tabs on the baby's growth and vitals. She'll monitor your cervix to see how much you've dilated -- a sign that labor's approaching.
And speaking of labor, does your belly feel a bit lighter these days? Called dropping, lightening, or engagement, it's common around this time, as your baby settles lower into your pelvis to get ready for her big move outta there. Another labor signal to watch for is extra-thick vaginal discharge that's pink or even a bit blood-tinged. It's the start of -- excuse the yuck factor here -- your mucus plug dropping. The mucus plug is a ball of tissue that's been blocking your cervix during pregnancy to keep your uterus safe from germs. Losing your plug doesn't mean that labor's starting ASAP, though. Many women lose their plugs up to two weeks before labor officially begins.

My Life
Been pondering how you'd like your baby to enter the world? Granted, you can't totally control what will happen during labor, but you're bound to have preferences about some things, like relieving pain, who'll keep you company, and what'll make labor easier on you (a designated coach or having your iPod handy, for example). This is why birth plans were invented: So that you, your partner, and your doctor will all be on the same page when it comes to how you'd like things to go -- in a very ideal world, of course. Some women are comfortable enough with a thorough talk with their doctors and partners; others might feel more at ease by putting it all down on paper. If you do draft a birth plan, be sure to keep it short and to-the-point -- one page or less. Doctors and nurses might glaze over if they're handed your version of War and Peace.