T minus 12 days!

I really can't believe that in just a few short days...I will be able to say "I'm due next week"!!   That's CRAZY!!  Cody is at his absolute limit waiting for Miss Baileigh...he is hoping I have her...like...now!  I'm excited as well, but fully prepared to wait another week or so.  I guess the looming reality of delivering a baby is slightly frightening, so if she wants to chill for a few more weeks - fine by me!

We celebrated our last Christmas as just "a couple" a few days ago.  It was a little strange.  It was our tenth Christmas as a couple, so we definitely had plenty of years together with lots of great memories.  We spent a good part of our Christmas Eve and morning talking about what next year will be like with a soon-to-be one year old.  I'm sure she'll be terrorizing our tree and eating gobs of wrapping paper - but we can't wait!

With the new year just a few days away, Cody and I have spent some time reflecting on 2012.  In January, we were both anxiously awaiting my possible acceptance letter into the Clinical Laboratory Science program at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.  I thought I had a good chance of getting into the program (they only accept 2 applicants a year), and we were anticipating I would be a full-time student for most of 2012 and into 2013.  I received the letter the second week of January, and was devastated that I didn't get in.  Cody and I had talked about this possibility, and where we would go from there.  Our number one priority was to start a family.  After almost 4 years of trying to go back to school and not succeeding, we both felt that perhaps that was not God's will for our lives.  In our hearts, we had wanted to start a family for many years, but just hadn't had any luck.  So my rejection letter was our green light to give it a try again.  It also gave me the courage to say out loud, "I hate my job and I want to quit ASAP," and to look for a new job.  That very next Sunday at church, I read about an open Secretarial position and applied right away.  Much to my surprise, I got the job and so began my short employment at HDC.  Within 2 months, much to my surprise again, I found out I was pregnant.  It was a little scary, but the happiest moment of my life.  So to sum this year up...God has taken Cody and I down a path that we never saw coming...and we couldn't be more thankful.

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." 

Proverbs 19:21

One month to go!

Well it's officially less than one month away from my due date!  The nursery is ready, baby clothes are washed, carseat is assembled, and the hospital bag is packed and ready to go!  A few days ago Cody and I tag-teamed a massive grocery list, and tonight I began Day 1 of cooking meals to freeze for next month.  Today I made enchiladas and meatballs, and tomorrow I will tackle Hawaiian Chicken, Goulash, and Shredded Chicken for sandwiches and burritos.  By this weekend our freezer will be packed! As accomplished as I feel right now - I still have that lingering feeling in the back of my mind that I am not quite ready.  I'm sure there is some truth to that feeling - I mean, does anyone ever feel completely ready for a baby?  Hopefully I'm not the only one with doubts!

Cody and I decorated our home a little earlier than usual for Christmas this year, because we knew we would be taking everything down early as well.  We usually leave all of our decorations up until the first or second week of January, but with Miss Baileigh making an appearance soon, we decided we would take everything down the weekend after Christmas.  As much as I would love to bring her home to a house full of Christmas decorations, I know our house will be filled with lots of new baby stuff - which would probably make for a packed house and cause me lots of anxiety.  Right now my motto is 'the simpler, the better' - so with that being said, the decorations are coming down early!

Maternity Pictures

About a week ago, Cody and I had some maternity pictures taken by Wendi Kuhl.  Cody and I aren't exactly naturals in front of the camera, and we felt like big goofballs the whole time....but Wendi worked her magic and the pictures turned out beautiful.  I am so glad that I have the pictures to look back on and remember this amazing time in our lives.

 

32 Weeks

Now that my baby shower has come and gone, the past two weeks (as well as the next 8) are all about getting ready for miss Baileigh.  Cody and I have been working hard in the nursery, and it is pretty much done.  We are just waiting for the rug we ordered to come in, and a few other small details.  But all in all, it turned out beautiful and we both feel a little more at ease knowing it's done.  We officially feel ready for her arrival...so now it's the hard part - waiting!!  I'm sure the next few weeks will fly by, but it seems like she can't get here soon enough.  We are both dying to meet our little girl.

Thankfully, my pregnancy has continued to go smoothly.  Yes, I feel fat and tired by the end of the day and I can barely sleep - but I think compared to most I have had it pretty easy.  I now see my doctor every two weeks.  I had an appointment today and everything continues to check out good.  The doctor said the baby has already moved to the correct position - head down - so we're just praying she stays put!  As much as I love feeling her move around, I am looking forward to the day where I don't feel like she is going to snap my right rib.  She must have her feet nestled up there pretty well, because for the past month or so she spends most of her day kicking and pushing on my rib in the exact same spot.  Although, as bothersome as it is, I'm sure I will miss it one day.


This past week at work, my coworkers treated me to a beautiful lunch and baby shower.  I got some very nice and generous gifts, as well as a beautiful diaper cake and delicious cupcakes made by my boss!  As beautiful as it all was, I felt a little sad at the end of the day because I really am going to miss the ladies I work with immensely.  Every time I think about not seeing them everyday, I start to cry!  I will definitely be visiting them often with my Baileigh!

Baby Shower!

Last weekend was my baby shower, and my sisters really outdid themselves in planning it.  They have been working hard for weeks, and it really showed.  There was love put into every last detail.  There really is no way I could accurately describe it, so instead I will just share lots of photos!  Enjoy!

The beautiful dessert bar

The cake, and the diaper cake!

My handsome hubby :-)

The girls used Cody and my baby pictures for decorations!

....more desserts

Game time!

Lindsay gave the most beautiful impromptu toast...made me cry (shocker, right?)

Baileigh's Auntie Courtney and Grandma

Thank you again, girls, for my beautiful shower!

The Home Stretch...

Well my third, and final, trimester has finally arrived - and at lightning speed.  As of today, only about 11 more weeks until we get to meet our little lady!  This trimester hasn't had the greatest start, and I have to frequently remind myself that it will all be worth it in the end.  Some new developments the past month: very little sleep every night due to my growing belly, terrible heartburn, Braxton Hicks, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, leg cramps, little elbows and knees in my ribcage...and the list goes on.  I'm only a few weeks into this last stretch, and I'm already looking for the finish line.  However, I'm sure the next few weeks will go by fast, and I'm so thankful that it has been smooth sailing so far.

You may think that these pictures are in the wrong order, but they are actually correct.  Cody and I both caught the flu last week, so I actually lost a few pounds in my 28th week.  I'm not too worried though - I'm sure I'll catch up in no time!

I feel like I am finally getting somewhere with the nursery.  I started working on a few little crafts for her room, and have a pretty detailed game plan for finishing the rest of it.  I can't wait to share the finished product!  But for now...here's a little sneak peak of what I've been working on:

Above is the color palette I chose for my paintings.

A little sneak peak of one the paintings I finished last week.  More to come soon!

I've had so much fun doing crafts for the nursery!  I can't wait to see it all come together in the end.  My baby shower is a week from today and I can't wait to see all my friends and family and celebrate our little girl!  Pictures to come!

2nd Trimester Thoughts

Most women say they can't believe how fast their pregnancy comes and goes - and now I truly believe it.  My second trimester has been wonderful and full of fun new things, and I just can't believe in just a week it will be over!  As I enter into my last stage of pregnancy, I have found myself a little fearful of what's ahead.  All of the sudden the fact that there is a PERSON inside of me seems very real - and that there is only one way out!!  While that is a little bit scary, I am encouraged daily by Baileigh's little kicks and punches that remind me of the little daughter that I CAN'T WAIT to meet!  

At my last ultrasound, we got a great picture of the little cutie's face.  She was very active, and we even got to see her smile, swallow, and hiccup.  We can't get over how cute she already is!  We were given the final confirmation that she is...a SHE, which was a big relief!  Just a few days after my ultrasound (coincidentally, on our 9th year anniversary as a couple), I went to the fabric store to get the fabric for her bedding....here's a little sneak peak:

These are the "In Progress" pictures...more to come in a few weeks!  Even though it looks like a mess right now, I am starting to see it come together and I can't wait to see the finished product!  Cody and I have had lots of talks lately about what we think her personality will be like.  The one trait we both seem to agree on, is "bubbly".  Of course only time will tell, but for some reason we both think we will have a cheerful little girl who loves to smile and laugh, and is full of life - and behaves ALL of the time...right???  So with that being said - I couldn't image her nursery being anything but colorful!

As fast as the first and second trimester have flown by, I'm sure the third will go by even faster.  Next month I have my baby shower and birthday, then its Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years....then BAILEIGH!  It will be a very busy couple of months for the Nelsons...so keep us in your prayers!  I'll wrap this up with a few pictures that Lindsay took to use for my baby shower invites: