What an amazing (albeit crazy busy) week.  

Quick trip to Kansas City for two shoots.

70s and sunny for mid-March.

(Belated) birthday dinner with the girls at Ziggy's on the patio.

Birth class.

Baby care class - where it seemed like everything they said conflicted what I have read thus far.

Edited pics.  Posted pics.  Need to edit more pics.  And more.  And more.  And more.

Cats win!

K-State watch party at our house on Saturday for lunch with Chick-Fil-A mini sandwiches.  Because we can.  Since it finally opened on Thursday just down the street.  YUM.  Big day for Wichita.

My mom comes today.

And Andrew's parents come on Sunday

For our first baby shower on Sunday!

One of these days, I will have enough time to relax for more than 30 minutes in the evening before bed.  And make the nursery room art.  And sleep in.  And cook dinner.  And deep clean our house.  And organize the basement.  And pull weeds outside.  

Until then...there is always time for this.

 Especially so he knows he is loved and spoiled and adored just as much as he always has been when Pat arrives.

Happy weekending!

When the clock struck 12:01 on Saturday, March 10, I turned 27 years old and the bean turned 30 weeks.  

 

Ten. More. Weeks.

Where has the time gone?

I bet if you asked my parents that, they would shake their heads and wonder the same thing.

We had our 30 week appointment last week and everything is measuring right on track again.

And, if I'm being completely honest, I have to fess up that when I said I gained five pounds in four weeks, it was really six pounds.  Five just sounded better.  But then at this week's appointment I had actually lost a pound so I guess I was just retaining a lot.  I even looked bigger then.  Not that the scale is ruling my pregnancy...it just feels good to stay on track with my healthy goal.  Never fear, I eat when I'm hungry and snack on mainly fruit, but definitely have gotten my fair share of Girl Scout cookies this year.

But back to the doctor's appointment.  

Pat's heart rate was once again right between 155 and 160.

It has been all along.  And, that, along with several other factors, make me think Pat is a GIRL.

So, I think we should take a vote.  Play along...it will be fun!

I had no inkling about the gender until the night before Thanksgiving when I had a very vivid dream and the baby was a GIRL.

I wasn't nauseous or sick at all.  But, neither was my mom with me, my brother or sister.  In fact, she carried low with all of us and had very similar pregnancies despite the gender.  TOSS UP.

When we did the needle/belly gender test during the Super Bowl, it was a GIRL.  Twice.

When I peed in a plastic cup onto baking soda, there was no fizz.  GIRL.

My worst pregnancy symptom has been breaking out.  Horribly!  It's so frustrating, because a lot of products I would have normally used are off the list because certain chemicals can be absorbed through your skin and aren't good for the baby.  Boo.  The Old Wives' tale says if you break out, you're having a GIRL because she's stealing the mother's beauty.

I have just started getting the pregnancy line - the one that runs vertically underneath your belly button.  Mine is also showing up above my belly button, and a friend's doctor calls the above belly button line the GIRL line.

Andrew is the middle of three boys.  He swears Moore's only produce BOYs.  His older brother does have a son...

We really don't care either way, but it is so fun to speculate.  And wonder what he or she will be like.

Will it be a he and have two chins like Andrew?  

If so, there's hope.  He grew out of it.  

 And then looked ornery as you-know-what.

Or will Pat be a she? 

Oh, we are in for such a surprise. 

We started childbirth classes tonight.

I'm excited.  I think having more information will either put me more at ease and make me feel prepared or have the exact opposite effect and give me even more anxiety about actually having a baby.  Oh yeah, did I mention I plan to do this naturally?  Six weeks of two-hour sessions on Monday nights could really do some damage.  So far though, it's been positive.

I asked Andrew when we got home if he thought Franklin would give us a head's up when the baby's going to come.  Use that animal instinct.  I thought he would say, yes, for sure.

Instead he said, well I will know.   And so matter of fact.

Of course I make the mistake of asking why...thinking maybe he would list a few of the things we just learned in class.

Andrew's answer:

Because he could always tell when cows were about to have their babies.

Oh yes, we are back to relating human (YOUR CHILD's) birth to cows.

--

Speaking of animals, I'm pretty sure my turkey timer is about to pop.

AKA my innie is destined to become an outie.  I am positive.

That doesn't mean the bug's done cooking.

Which is good because we have a ways to go and things to do.

At the end of this week, I'll be 30 weeks pregnant.  That means 70 days to go until our due date, although I'm thinking of our due date as May in general because I'm mentally preparing for Pat to make a late appearance.  That seems to be pretty normal, especially for first-time moms, so no need to get stuck on May 19th as the date.  I guess babies don't follow the "best if used by" rule like food. 

I started having Braxton Hicks a little over a week ago.  Totally painless and totally normal.  Apparently you can have them from very early on in your pregnancy, but don't notice them until about 28 weeks.  Which is exactly what happened with our situation.  I literally got my Babycenter.com text last Saturday morning when I hit the 28 week mark that said I might start noticing them and literally that night I did. 

And, I'm glad they started because our teacher said most times when Braxton Hicks start early, labor is easier.

So I've got that going for me.

Time will tell.

This. Is. Really. Happening.

REALLY!