Yes, I am THAT mom.

...You know, that one that tries to do everything "just right" the first time around. Yeah, the one that makes all the "seasoned" mamas laugh (because they really know that nothing ever goes the way you imagine it!) and the whole reason why the book, "I was a really good mom until I had kids" hit the market. Well, today my OB gave me the paperwork for the hospital i'm delivering at. Though i'm not even quite 26 weeks, apparently the hospitals need the paperwork at least 60 days in advance. So what did I do after getting that paperwork? Went home and filled it out right away. I also admit that I started packing my hospital bag. Ok there. I outed myself.

First Baby Shower

Aaron getting all prepped for diaper changes!

Aaron with his boss, AnnMarie

Our diaper cake, courtesy of Jen!

Some of the finished burp cloths i've been sewing (plus a few more patterns i'll be using.) One side is a cloth diaper, the other a fun pattern. Totally not necessary but oh-so-fun!

More hand-made burp cloths and blankets made for me by friends Jen Naipo - from back home in Olympia, and Brooke Johnson - the wife of a Major Aaron works with.

The dress I made...perfect for pregnancy and after!

Wow, first off, we are SO BLESSED. We couldn't ask for better friends than the ones we have. Jen, the wife of one of the Colonels Aaron works with, planned this amazing lunch/brunch baby shower for us and it was a blast! She even had a friend make an incredible peanut butter chocolate chip cheese cake. Um, YES! Aaron's boss was in town for meetings, so it was wonderful that she could be there. Almost everyone from his "section" in his office came to celebrate our little boy! Even a few wives came that we had never met before. It meant so much to us and we are thankful for the support system we have here. It's true that the people, not the place, always make home feel like home. We got set-up with a few things off our registry that we need and I have to say, it's fun (and strange at the same time) perparing for this kid! Sometimes I still can't believe i'm actually a mom. I had always hoped that one day i'd be preparing for this and here I am! Aaron is going to be such an incredible dad, too. Just last night, baby was moving around a ton. He likes to curl up on my left side in the evenings after dinner time. It makes my stomach look very lop-sided. Then I poke at my stomach just to mess with him. Aaron gives me a hard time for doing this, but seriously!? If you had a person growing inside your stomach, you'd mess with him too! It's amazing. Last night Aaron put his ear/head on my stomach and the little guy gave him a nice swift kick! Aaron jumped up and had such a big smile on his face. He loves it. :) We can't wait to kiss his sweet face!

25 Weeks!

My sister asked for a "belly shot" so this one's for her. :) It's hard sometimes being far away from family because we miss out on many of the small, everyday things. Our little guy is definitely growing! Just this morning he was moving around so much that it looked like he wanted to jump out from the middle of my stomach. It cracks me up! And I love how it feels especially since he isn't quite big enough to kick my ribs yet - or else he's just being really nice to his mama! I think I've finally started gaining a little weight. I saw my general practitioner last week and if the scale there is right, i've put on about 8 pounds now. Yeah!

Today marks one week since I stopped taking my anti-nausea prescription. Zofran has helped me in many ways. For the past nine weeks its kept me from throwing up so I could keep food down. BUT, it brought with it many "fun" side effects. Sorry for TMI but it created terrible constipation. Since pregnancy already causes that, let's just say it was an interesting 9 weeks. Ready to put that behind me! I've felt nauseous off and on here and there, but i've promised myself I won't run for the Zofran unless I feel the puke coming up. It's better for me and our son to be off meds. Right now i'm battling a little cold so I feel somewhat out of it. Though overall, I seem to be finally gaining some energy. My dr. found that my iron is still a bit low, so i've started taking an extra supplement. I wondered from the beginning if this was part of my problem with feeling dizzy, but oh well. Better to try late than never! My food cravings are pretty minimal but I can't seem to get enough citrus! I'm obsessed with grapefruit specifically. I eat a half grapfruit just about everyday. I'm also loving Kashi brand foods right now. They have these meals I get from Whole Foods that have no additives or preservatives. They're low sodium and packed with protein, whole grains and veggies (quinoa, kale, etc.) I love them! Also, homemade taco salad seems to be a favorite. It's a good thing that Aaron loves all the things i'm craving these days! My weakness this week has been girl scout cookies....the caramel/coconut ones. What can I say! They are heavenly!

I have an OB appointment this Friday and I think i'll be sent for my glucose test. I'm very curious about it! I hear it tastes like really high-sugar soda. If that's true, it'll be a shock to my taste buds because soda has never been a part of my diet, let alone really sweet drinks.

I've started a few sewing projects and organizing some things for the baby, so my next post will be pictures and updates on all of that. I love crafting!

Who Will You Love?

Romans 12:9 "Don't just pretend to love others, really love them."

Sometimes it seems easier to "love" others half-way and it becomes like fake love. It's easiest to respond this way to people who annoy, frustrate and make our lives more challenging. It's amazing how I learn to love the ones in my life better who are easy to love by practicing genuine love on people in my life who are difficult to love.

I have been so encouraged this morning is many ways after reading Romans chapter 12. God's word comes to life for me every time I open it. It truly is a changing from the inside out. Physically, I wake up most mornings feeling "fluish." Between allergies, nausea and exhaustion, it feels like I have to literally "peel" myself out of bed. Please don't mistake me for being a complainer, i'm simply sharing my reality. But this morning my devotion from "Jesus Lives" by Sarah Young (I highly recommend "Jesus Calling" also) spoke to living in constant hope. Because hope transcends our circumstances. Whether we are sad or happy, broken or encouraged, the hope we have in the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ is the joy we have to keep us going through another day. And simply calling upon the name of Jesus has healing power. I am being honest with you when I say that I already feel a whole lot better this morning...even physically. My body is weak, but my hearts desire to serve and honor God is still strong. And through that committment to my father, HE is my strength. Not my own body. Praise God for His never-ending faithfulness even through the daily struggles of this life.

Romans chapter 12 - probably one of my new favorite passages in the Bible. And to think i've read it before, it means so much more to me now than at other times. That's how God's word comes to life!