October Update - 37 Weeks

It's been a few days since I've updated and I can explain. Between birthing classes, work, getting last minute things for baby, an unexpected hospital trip, and trying to spend a lot of quality time together while it's still just "the 2 of us", Derek and I have been extremely busy!

I am happy to report that our car seat, as of this past week, is now installed in the Jeep. Since this is the car I drive around in the most, and the one we will be taking to/from the hospital, it just made sense to put it there first.
The Saturn will be getting her (yes our cars are females) car seat base installed at some point, but neither of us has felt that it is crucial, despite the fact that installing the base is a piece of cake. Derek also put together the stroller, and we finally figured out all of the features, as well as how to collapse the whole unit. Derek even cleaned out our front closet and made a great space to store the stroller! Way to go Derek!!

The baby's coming home outfit has also been decided upon! Call us dorks, but we (and I really mean me) decided to bring this little one home in a sports themed outfit. Since we don't agree upon Michigan State being far superior to the University of Michigan, we went with something neutral, the NHL. There is no debate in our household over which hockey team to support, Derek is a die hard Detroit Red Wings fan, and it's rubbed off on me (I like the fights - can you blame me?). I found a great website that allowed me to customize the onesie, so on the back is the baby's name (sorry no one can see this till he's born, end of discussion) as well as the number 10, since that was the number Derek always wore in sports.
Paired with that outfit will be a pair of white socks, the cutest little itty bitty jeans you have ever seen (seriously baby jeans are the most adorable thing ever)

And of course a little white baby beanie hat with Detroit Red Wings logos on it. Now I realize it will probably be chilly when this guy has his birthday, but we fully plan on having him wrapped in a blanket and then some for the short trip from the hospital to the apartment.

Everything else is going well! We did have a brief excursion to labor and delivery, not because I was having labor signs, but because my doctor's office thought I had a kidney stone! I was sure relieved to hear that I did not have a kidney stone. Although, I was not thrilled that we had to spend 4 hours in the triage unit to hear that response. We did get to listen to the baby's heartbeat the whole time (I am not a big fan of fetal monitors, they just get plain uncomfortable after 10 minutes!), and everyone who came into the room kept remarking how well his highs and lows were and one of the doctors/residents/nurses even remarked that he was just phenomenal and commented on how impressed she was with his highs and lows. She told us that he was the best on the monitors that they've seen in a while. Way to go baby, he's already off to a great start!

Lately I've also been realizing just how excited I am to meet him. I have never been this excited to meet someone before. The only thing that is somewhat close, and then again not even, is the excitement and anticipation that built up before I finally met my first host family in Belgium in 2003. This is similar, but my excitement and anticipation levels are about 5 millions times more than what they were for that event! I also am realizing just how much I love this little stinker and he's not even here yet! I find myself crying when I see pictures of friends who are having babies with their newborns, or when I hear of other people announcing their pregnancies. I know "A Baby Story" is pretty much the worst show ever, but for some reason, the parts of the birth they do show make me lose it these days I think it's because I realize that very soon (and don't tell me any day now, because he still has a couple of weeks to cook and I fully intend on him staying put until then) that will be me, and Derek and I will finally get to see what our son looks like and we'll be able to hold, kiss, and cuddle him all we want. For the time being we are limited to rubbing my belly and seeing if he kicks back - usually he does and it ends up getting me in the ribs (hence the reason why I call him a little stinker).

Last, but not least, I now know of 7 or maybe it's up to 8, people who are due in the March through May time frame! I don't know if I just pay more attention to these things now that I am pregnant, or if I just know more people these days, but there has to be something in the water. I fully take responsibility for starting the baby bug in my building at work, there are now 2 other ladies there who are expecting, and our birth instructor just told us that she is also expecting and is due during that 3 month time frame!

Oh and one last thought for anyone still reading, I really hope our kitties take a liking to the baby. This evening, I caught Butters, Derek's cat, sitting in the baby's crib. Here's a picture of Butters
Needless to say I flipped out on him, that's the first time he's done that and it is not ok!! The 2 cats enjoy sleeping under the crib and exploring the nursery/office (we only allow them in there when one of us is in there, otherwise the doors stay shut), and so far neither one of them has tried to jump into the crib. My biggest fear is that we'll get up to change and feed the baby and not realize that one of the cats has snuck into the room, and they will jump into the crib with him. Derek and I have had to start a "cat check" before we leave the apartment. It goes something like this:
Arwen: I can see bebe, but I can't find butters
Derek: I don't know where he is either, he's not in the living room or our bedroom
(insert frantic meowing and little white paws appearing from underneath the nursery door)
Arwen: Nevermind, he's locked in the baby's room
Derek: How did he get in there, he wasn't in there when I checked?
(insert eerie creepy music here - this little kitty seriously walks through walls)