Babies babies everywhere!

My two cousins who were due with babies before me both had their babies last week! On the same day! And the same first name! Isn’t that adorable? I think that’s really cute. They don’t live in the same city (not even in the same state even) so it’s not like the babies will be around each other constantly and it would be strange. Instead they will have a special second cousin who they will share a birthday and name with. I think that’s neat. And both are adorable and look so little in the pictures their parents sent of them in their car seats. :)

Of course, now it’s hitting me that all the people “ahead” of me to have babies have now had them. That puts me and Jon next in line. Hmm. Not quite ready for that. I’m not sure we thought this whole “baby” thing through completely. We’re due in only 4 weeks! I’m hoping Elijah pushes that back to more like 6 and doesn’t decide to make it 2 instead. I still need to pack my bags for the hospital, wash his clothes, wash his sheets for the crib, finish decorating the nursery, etc. Keep cooking, little boy, your mom is a procrastinator and needs more time! :)

Girls’ weekend (and Elijah tagged along too of course!)

This past weekend was a girls' outing weekend for myself, my mom, my sister-in-laws, and my sister-in-law’s mothers (did that make sense?). We headed to Chicago to see the exhibit of Jacquelyn Kennedy’s dresses that was at the Field Museum. And we did a little (okay a lot!!) of shopping! :)

The exhibit was really excellent and well done. I’m younger and didn’t realize how colorful the clothes were that Jackie wore – all the TV clips I’ve seen of her from that time are in black and white so I never knew how beautiful her clothes really were. They were gorgeous and such beautiful fabrics and shades. It was very interesting to read some of her personal memos and notes as well -- to see her perspective on things, the fight she went through to restore the White House, and the little details she needed to be aware of and handle everyday being the President’s wife. It really gave me an insight in to how pressure-filled her life was. I don’t know how she did it – it certainly wouldn’t be a job that I would be up for. The only downside to the exhibit was that there was a ton of people inside at one time (even with timed tickets and limited entry) so we were always fighting to see and read the signs and were on our feet so long walking around the exhibit. My feet were killing me by the time we got done at the museum and we hadn’t even started shopping yet! It couldn’t believe how quickly I got tired and felt worn-out.

We had a hotel one block off the Magnificent Mile and I’m so glad we decided to stay in Chicago on Saturday night instead of heading back out into the ‘burbs. Thanks to that brilliant idea by my sister-in-law Jill, :) after the museum and lunch we were able to head to the hotel and check in and rest for about an hour. Then we headed out to shop and look around. I’d never really walked around much of the north end of the Magnificent Mile, so it was fun to check things out. Plus we found some clearance sales at Baby Gap and Gymboree and I got the cutest little outfits! We walked and walked and walked and had such a good time! Then we ate at The Cheesecake Factory (mmmm) and took cheesecake slices back to our room and played cards. :)

Sunday we headed to the outlet mall – sales, baby clothes, more walking! We got some great deals, but man I was tired by the end of the day. And we still had to drive home! I had such a wonderful weekend but I think I should have rested more. At the time I was caught up in all the excitement and fun and just kept going. I don’t want to make it seem like all the girls just kept pushing me to keep going or anything – I did rest and sit quite a bit – but looking back I should have rested more. When I got home and all the excitement wore off I couldn’t believe how much my hips and legs and back hurt. I had such a great weekend though -- I’ve just learned that I need to take it a bit easier from now on!

Nursery Painted!

At long last we finally have the nursery painted! For a while I was getting afraid that we would be painting the room as I went into labor, but we finally finished painting last week, so that’s a load off my mind!

I really like the color of the room – we painted it “Sea Sprite” blue, in an eggshell finish. It looks really nice with the bedding and the crib. It took almost two gallons to do the room though, which was surprising (it’s not really a very big room). I think because it was the first time the room had ever really been painted (other than when the builders painted it the first time) it really sucked up the paint!

The only thing I’m a little disappointed in is the baseboards. I normally don’t tape the baseboards off and prefer to do my cutting in without tape, but I knew I would get tired much easier than before so was afraid of having to take so much time and be meticulous in painting near the baseboards. So I gave in and taped the baseboards off – and some of the paint got under the tape and made the boards messier than I would have liked. I’m still deciding whether to paint over them or just leave it. Jon says to leave it since I’m the only one who will ever notice (there are no major spills onto the baseboards, just minor ones that bug me).

We had contemplated painting stripes in the same color, just a glossy finish (so there would be matte and then glossy sections). I don’t think we’re going to do that now though. The room isn’t that big and doesn’t have that much open wall space to even show off the stripes. Plus, I’m tired. And our due date is only 5 weeks away and we have so much other stuff to do. I don’t think it would be worth it. We’ll have to see. I keep going back and forth on that too!

Next step is to figure out what to do about curtains and window coverings. We took down the horrible roller shade that was in the room and kept falling down and gouging the window sill. But now the room seems so bright! We need something to block some of the light out. Also we need curtains -- the ones that match our bedding set are way too expensive so I’m thinking about making some myself (and by “myself” I mean asking my mother-in-law to help sew them, hehe). :) There’s a lot to do in the next few weeks, I better stop taking naps and get working!

Hospital Tour

Well, Jon and I were, I think, officially freaked out and confronted with the reality of this whole baby thing we got ourselves into. It started when we went on a tour of the hospital birth center last week. It was a very nice center – brand new and really top notch. But it was very strange to think the next time we come here we will be HAVING A BABY. I’ll be in LABOR. And then they are going to let us TAKE HIM HOME?!? Hmm, maybe we should have thought this whole thing out more. Maybe Elijah could just stay in for an additional month past his due date? I need some more time to get adjusted to the idea of an actual baby! :)

Like I said, the center was very nice and new (with a three story waterfall in the lobby!). The labor and delivery rooms were really large and have hardwood floors, Jacuzzi tubs (2 of them at least) or showers, and are very swanky looking. The beds seemed really narrow though -- I don’t know what that was about. That’s the only part that concerns me, since my rear would not be categorized as “narrow” by any sense of the word. :) The mother-baby rooms that you transfer to a few hours after delivery are not brand new unfortunately. They are still nice and clean, but not as large or nice as the labor rooms. Since I don’t really want to stay in the hospital very long after delivery anyway I’m guessing it really doesn’t matter and I’m not going to care. At least there are chairs in the mother-baby rooms that fold out into beds so Jon can stay the night comfortably.

There were only a few women in labor the night we were there, so we didn’t see anyone walking the halls in labor or anything. There were a lot of pregnant ladies on tour that looked like they were about to pop though. I instantly hated how all of them looked pregnant and cute while I feel like a whale. I’m carrying Elijah so low too that I don’t have the high pregnant tummy look that most of them had going on. Oh well! I’m sure Elijah will be smarter than all their babies. Especially if I can talk him in to staying in a little longer and letting mom and dad get more ready for him to arrive. :)

Day at the spa . . . what a glamorous life!

I would highly recommend a day at the spa being pampered for any pregnant lady! Jon’s mom and I spent an afternoon a week or so ago (I’m posting late, I know) getting massages, a facial, and a pedicure. The experience in one word was “heavenly”. All my aches and pains in my back and hips were massaged away! And the best part was that they had a special table there were I could lay on my stomach again -- it had a section for my tummy to fall into so Elijah didn’t get squished. Since I’m usually a tummy sleeper it was so great to be able to lie on my stomach again. I miss the little things like that the most. :)

Another treat was the pedicure – something I can’t do since I can’t reach my feet anymore (and when I try I imagine it looks quite amusing to everyone else). It feels good to have pretty toes again – painted “cherry” like Jon requested! Maybe I’ll have to get another pedicure before the baby is born. :)

After the spa Mom and I went out for dinner and got dessert and the whole works (cappuccino crème brulee, nummy). We really did have a wonderful day together! Like I said, I’d recommend a relaxing day like that for any mommie-to-be!