40 Days to Go!

I can't believe it. I remember like it was yesterday that I was 40 DAYS pregnant! It seems my feelings haven't changed much since; I recall thinking then, "I can't believe it!" Yet we've come so far since then, in fact, I can't imagine my life without this baby--I already feel like a mom and consider Doug not only my husband and best friend, but the father of our child. Even though we have not actually seen him/her, I can already sense who he/she is, personality wise and how he/she figures into our life. Just ask anyone who bothers to ask, "how are you?" and they'll tell you that all I talk about is this pregnancy and this baby...he/she is already the center of my life. :)

Speaking of life, it is pretty nuts. I think nesting (or the preliminary stages of it) has officially set in--I feel the need to CLEAN EVERYTHING. I am usually a pretty neat person but I want to CLEAN...as in take everything out of the kitchen cupboards and clean, clean, clean! We recently purchased a steam cleaner--one of those lightweight ones you can carry throughout the house. I cannot wait to attack the tile grout with it! And despite my best green sensibilities, I was in the cleaning products aisle at Target yesterday, I saw the swiffer system and realized why people use it; its easier than lugging the vacuum cleaner throughout the house--and I nearly bought it. I resisted, however--I am not that desperate yet. :) Nothing like cleaning your floors with maxi-pad looking things, eh?

I also bought some of those yesterday! I felt a little strange in the sanitary napkin section...I clearly look like I have had no need of such things in quite awhile. It will be somewhat strange to resume my normal bodily cycles. I bought them to begin packing my hospital bag--I am a bit superstitious about this. If I am packed, I won't go into preterm labor, but if I am not packed, I probably will! I hear it is a good idea to have done around 34-35 weeks anyway, so I am right on time. I am somewhat nervous because the fact of the matter is, I was born at 36 weeks. I don't think our baby will make that early of an appearance but having the bag packed can't hurt to try to insure that!

We have two baby showers coming up! Over Veteran's weekend, my aunts Pam and Stacey are throwing us a shower and the fabulous ladies from our church are also hosting one. I am constantly amazed and heartened by the outpouring of love and support for Doug, myself and this baby! I appreciate the fact that everyone, it seems, wants to celebrate this little one. I guess the birth of a baby is a special event; I don't have too much experience with this so sometimes it's somewhat overwhelming--all of the attention. I honestly do love and appreciate the outpouring of care and support and really look forward to getting together with all of those great ladies--family and friends--to help welcome our little one into our lives.

And speaking of little ones--my dear old friend Tasha just had twins! I went to visit her, her husband Bill and their new son and daughter last week at the hospital. Mom and Dad were so happy and proud of the twins and those twins--oh, they are the most precious little beings. I held their daughter for quite awhile and just watched her little facial expressions, her movements. It was incredible. I sat down in the rocking chair at one point with her and as I rocked her, I thought, "wow, I could do this all day." And it was such an emotional moment because I realized that, soon, I will be able to rock my little baby all day long. "Amazing" doesn't even come close to expressing how I feel about that.