Surreal

While I originally wasn’t a big fan of this whole induction thing, there is something very surreal (meaning: a surreal mix of fact and fantasy) about knowing when you will arrive,  little man.  It makes me look at everything just a little bit differently. 

Just a few of the things I do not want to forget in these final hours before the hospital:

• leaving work last Friday afternoon knowing that the next time I walk in that building, I will be holding you versus you hanging out inside my belly
• going to church on Sunday for the last time baby-less (but do not worry – you had quite the impact on your mom, like how she randomly cried when the lady next to her asked when you were arriving and said she and her friend would say lots of extra prayers for us, when she doesn’t even know us.  I just thought that was so kind – and these hormones make me cry)
• knowing that last night when your dad and I went out to dinner (to his favorite Japanese steakhouse) would be the last time we would go out to dinner together and not have to worry about a baby sitter or bring you along
• getting all the wonderful text messages/phone calls/emails/facebook messages/etc. from all the people telling us how excited they are to meet you!!!  You are one loved little boy already and it’s pretty special
• going through your hospital bag one more time and cramming a few more things in there “just in case” you need them
• walking into your nursery, knowing that in just a few days you will be here to enjoy all these things
• looking around our super clean house – knowing that it will NEVER be this clean probably ever again
• being completely ok with the house never being this clean again because that means you will be a part of our lives
• trying to explain to your dog brother and sister how they should act when you come home to meet them (well, that will be interesting)
• laying in bed this morning with your dad and all the dogs in complete silence…thinking about how crazy it is that it will never ever be this quiet in our house again
• being perfectly ok with not having this morning silence again because that means you will be a part of our lives (yep, keep thinking this...)
• thinking about you constantly and hoping you are ok and ready (I know you are) and then when I think about you, you move around…it’s like you can tell what I’m thinking and give me that reassurance that you ARE ok and you ARE ready
• kissing your dad goodbye this morning and sending him off to work for the last time as just a married guy.  Next time he goes back, he’ll be your dad and that’s all he’ll talk about at work, I’m sure of it

Wow little man.  You have already changed my world, my perspective and most importantly my heart in so many ways I cannot even describe it.  I cannot wait to experience that feeling of pulling out of our driveway tonight and heading to the hospital, knowing that the next time we pull back into the driveway will all be together.  Our little family coming home.  I literally thought about this day when we were looking buying this house over 3 years ago, and I can tell you this – we have transformed this house into a home and it’s ready for you and so are we.

P.S. One thing I do want back after your arrival – my ability to not cry at everything!!!  Jeez – I’m balling my eyes out just writing this, I cannot imagine what it will be like seeing you for the first time.  Surreal.  But will be all so real very soon.

39 weeks and the highs and lows recap

We are going to the hospital TOMORROW night people if this baby has not decided he's ready to make his appearance to the world on his own.  I have to say he seems like his dad in this way and doesn't mind arriving late/making an entrance in terms of timing.  Not that he's technically "late yet" by any means, but according to the doctor we are measuring 1.5-2 weeks ahead, so this boy is fully cooked and ready to grace his presence with the outside world.

Yesterday morning we were running some last minute errands and we stopped at Kohl's for some non-baby related things and the lady checking us out so politely asked when I was due.  And when I said Tuesday - she said "Oh my goodness, I knew it was soon because you both (referring to me and my huge, low hanging stomach) look so ready".  If ready is I'm pretty much over many things about being pregnant and he's dropped so low and gotten so big and popped out in the front that none of my maternity shirts fit anymore...then yes, we are ready.

It's funny because I was telling Jimmy today I remember seeing Emily when she was at the end with Jackson at our gender reveal party and she was at that point.  The point of "yep, I'm pregnant, yep, super pregnant, yep, he can come any day, yep, I couldn't be more excited for him to get here".  Well, we're there.  Here is a list that I made so I won't forget.  I won't forget the bad...but also I won't forget the good.  There are (believe it or not) some things that I really liked about being pregnant.  I know we do want to have more kids - so while I'm pretty miserable right now, I cannot forget what a blessing and complete miracle this whole process has been.  So here you have the HIGHS and the LOWS.

Actually, the "getting to drink a beer and enjoy the fall weather" is really something I am looking forward too.  Oops - I think my brain messed up when I was writing that.  Sorry, I'm not changing the image because I'm tired.  You understand, right?  Yep, that's what I thought....

I am going to skip the whole thing that I usually have done because I have no idea how big you are - but I think they said the fruit/veggie comparison is a pumpkin.  And I believe it.  Someone said it looked like I put a volleyball under my shirt - but a pumpkin is about the same, right?  So I believe it.

Am I nervous?  A little.  I really feel like this pregnancy thing has been so good for me.  It's crazy because so many of the things I thought I would be crazy and typical control-freak-Brittany about, I have actually been very calm about.  Labor and delivery...yep, I have no control over that.  That is in the doctor's hands and God's hands.  The good news is - I trust both of them a lot.  I'm nervous, but I just hope and pray that this little boy comes out screaming his lungs out and is big and healthy and all ours.  And that this mama is feeling as good as she can at the end.  That's my hope.

What have we been up to this weekend?  Well - I wasn't sure if you were going to actually stay inside all the way until this date, but as of 9PM on Sunday night, you are still hanging inside with no contractions, so my guess is that you'll hang out for at least 24 more hours??  Who knows - but it has given your dad and I some time to go out to eat (a lot), run errands that we needed to run, stare at each other and say 14 times "OMG - we are having a baby in X days and going to be parents", completely finish the nursery (including some pretty awesome signs with your dog brothers and sister and the mirror - oh yes, the mirror we have been waiting for), clean the house, finish accessorizing the new bathroom, wash some more of your clothes, pack our bags one last time, stock the fridge and go out to a Japanese steakhouse one last time and got the whole table to ourselves.  Yes, it was a productive weekend and now we are officially ready.  All the things that I had on my "nice to have done list" - they are done.  You can come now.  Any time little man.  But if you still aren't ready, sorry we are going to make you come on Tuesday.  I still cannot believe it.

We took one last "family" picture this morning of our little family of 5 before your arrival this morning before church and before we officially become a family of 6 and are parents.  Sorry for the swollen eyes.  Oh I cannot wait to look back on these pictures....haha.

Parents.  Oh man.  I can't wait to see your face, pick your name and hold you oh so close.  Bring it on little baby!!!

PS I spoiled myself with a pedicure today and what color did I get??  Baby blue - for my sweet baby boy!!!

Happy birthday to my dad - #59!

My dad is honestly the greatest guy I know.  I'm not just saying that.  If you met him, I guarantee you would pretty much fall in love with him (in a non-creepy way) too.  He's honestly the nicest, most positive and fun guy I have ever met and always seems to make things better when he's around, even if they are not-so-good.  He and my husband are actually very similar (they say you marry someone like your dad, right??) and I couldn't be more lucky to have such a great guy that has helped raise me, had fun with me, disciplined me (when I needed it of course), coached me, taught me things and helped mold me into the person I am today.  I'm pretty much a daddy's girl and Jimmy says my dad still spoils my sister and I a ton (like when he sometimes randomly takes our cars and gets the oil changed and fills them up with gas)...but now that we are adults and both out of the house, I think he likes doing that kind of stuff for us.  And guess what?  I love him for it even more because it's just those little things every once and a while that makes me feel like a kid again and that someone will always be there to take care of me - which I know he and my mom will always be there if something ever was to happen.

My dad plays A LOT of roles in his life.  He's an 8th grade science teacher by profession, but also a coach of pretty much every sport and sometimes even helps out as the janitor at school.  At home, he's pretty much the best handy man you will ever meet.  He says he can give everything a try - except plumbing.  But I'm pretty sure he has moved the cable/internet outlets in our house like 15 times (including last weekend from the nursery to the living room....) and it's little things like that he can do that pretty much continues to amaze me!

Obviously he plays the role as a husband and a dad all the time.  In 2010, he got to take on the role as being the father of the bride.  And he was pretty darn good at it.  Showing up at the hair salon with some bagels at 7AM (after driving to multiple Paneras to get the kind of cream cheese I wanted because he knew it would make me happy...), having the greatest father of the bride speech ever and of course...walking me down the aisle with my mom.  When I was thinking about who I wanted to walk me down the aisle, I knew I wanted it to be BOTH my mom and dad because they both were there for me all my life and I wanted them to BOTH be there to "give me away".  Well thank goodness for that because my mom and I were a complete mess (because when one of us cries, the other does and we cannot stop) and we were pretty much sprinting down the aisle.  My dad was the calm one, smiling and making us slow down.  I love this picture that our photographers caught.

My dad also plays the role of middle son to my grandparents that live in northwest Iowa.  Even though it's as 5.5-6 hour drive up there, he makes SEVERAL trips up there a year with us and even more just solo to go visit them.  I know he loves getting back up to Iowa and getting some time to relax and spend with his parents and helping them out and get around town with the things they need because my grandpa is sick.  He is such a great son that cares so much for his parents and it's such a great example to live by.

He also really likes to eat (but I mean really, who doesn't??).  This was my sister and him at the pizza hut buffet we found on the way back from one of our Iowa trips.  My dad loves buffets - which is probably where I get that love from, because so do I!

Another thing he loves??  SWEETS!!  And especially those that my grandma makes and sends him home with when we leave Iowa.  I found this picture and it made me laugh.  This is in my grandparents apartment and my dad is probably taking the whole thing home.  Jimmy and I always laugh because my grandma packs him a cooler when he leaves there house with food and sweets and it usually takes him an hour or less into the drive (even if we leave at like 8AM) to bust out a sweet treat for the road.  Jimmy is NOT a fan of sweets so he thinks it's crazy, but my dad LOVES them.  All sweets.

Did I mention he's fun and funny?  Check out this hat he got and wore last winter.  My dad is one of those guys that almost always has a smile on his face and is always trying to make other people happy too.  Guess what dad?  You succeed.  You can always put a smile on my face!

And check out he and my mom!  Married for 32 years this last May.  They are pretty cute and I think are starting to get more adjusted to being true empty-nesters now that my sister bought her own house.  However, they are getting ready to add some fun to their house with lots of baby stuff too!!  Oh the new roles that life brings us, right??

Bruns Family picture

Here is just a cute picture of my dad and mom and my grandparents with Jimmy and I this memorial day.  And my preggo stomach that I thought was HUGE at the time.  Haha.  5 days until I give birth and I will be the first to tell you, in May my stomach was not huge.

And of course, one of the roles that my dad loves best is playing home remodeler/house project coordinator at our house and my sister's house now too.  He is always up for anything.  We have literally renovated our entire house and changed every room in some way shape or form.  The last room we just finished was gutting our guest bathroom and making it brand new.  My dad is ALWAYS up for the challenge and is dedicated and precise...that everything always ends up perfect.  He is even good at tallying up how much everything is and asking for a check at the end!!  But we couldn't be more appreciative for all the help my dad (and mom) have been with our house and making it truly into our home.  We are so excited to bring our little baby back to this home because it's already so special to us!!

But a new role that my dad will embark on during his 59th year of life?? Being a grandpa for the first time to a BOY!!  Yep, after having two girls of his own - his first grandchild is a little boy.  In looking at all the roles my dad has played and continues to play in his life and what a great influence he is to my sister, Jimmy and I and all his students and peers....I really cannot think of a better person who would make a better grandpa.  We are still not sure what we are going to call him - I think maybe Papa B?  Not sure...but regardless of what that is, I cannot wait for my son to meet his grandpa Bruns/Papa B/my dad for the first time.  I know my dad's heart is just going to melt, which just makes my heart melt.  I'm preparing for lots of happy tears in the next week or so as we all move into this chapter of Jimmy and I's life together.

So Dad, here's to a wonderful 59 years so far, and here's to many many more.  We love you so much and cannot wait for these new adventures we will get to have with you together with our son!!  You are going to make the best grandpa ever and we love you!!!  Have a very happy birthday - and maybe I'll go into labor??? Haha!

Guest bathroom renovation - check!

So I showed you the beginning of this guest bathroom renovation and then the middle aka demolition and more demolition with the decision to remove the bathroom and THEN the addition of the window but I left you last time with just that the tile finally went up.  That was WAY back in mid-April.  So you should be happy to know it's done, I'm using it in the morning to get ready and the bathtub is ready for when our little man arrives and he needs a bath.  I have to say it has come a LONG way....check it out.

The original bathroom and our "slight upgrade" after we moved in with some paint....see those floors...

And for some pictures reminder of where we started (from scratch....) literally ripping everything down, including the walls and finding a window cut out already.  So we took advantage of that to give us some light!

Then the sheetrock and backer board went up...then the tile (with some waterproofing behind the shower tile).

We had some helpers (Dave and Evan) and then my dad did the mudding of the sheetrock himself. 

Next up - the floors and the tile was finally DONE!!  wahoo! 

After getting a coat of beige paint on the wall, we got this little vanity that I LOVE from homedepot.com and finally was able to move it up from the garage into it's spot!

And I loved it.  Especially after Jimmy put up the matching glass tile squares as the backsplash (and boy oh boy that was not easy to find those tile squares because they were OUT at Home Depot, but luckily we found 2 more 12 X 12 squares at the one in Merriam) and my dad hung up the mirror!  Ah, I love it so much!

So finally got the shower rod up and found a shower curtain at Target that fit well and could also let some light through.  And here you have it!!

Here's what it looks like with the shower curtain pulled back (baby bath is in the tub)

And ta-da, with a new light and a $50 mirror...I'd say it looks pretty awesome.

I let my sister borrow the black towels...so until she gives them back, all I have is this little washcloth to use to dry off my hands.  

Still have some decorating and final touches to do - including finding a shelf to hang up over the toilet (found some ideas on Pinterest....) and get some pictures to hang up on the other side.  

But overall, I love that everything is new and looks so good!  Thanks again to my dad, Jimmy, Dave and Evan for all the help and work they did to get this done and done SO well.  I love it and love that this final big renovation is done prior to our little man's arrival.  Getting ready in the mornings is so much more fun in this bathroom AND it will be nice for our little man when he gets older!

Nesting time

Well the countdown has begun and this mama-to-be is trying to get everything organized and ready for this little man's arrival.  Only 6 more days MAX before we meet him!!

I was talking to my friend Vanessa a few weeks ago about organizing baby clothes in a dresser.  I hadn't really thought about that before...but then when I was looking for some clothes/onesies for him to wear at the hospital and when he gets home that I was going to wash - what a mess it was!  Just with all the wonderful presents we got from people in all different sizes...I knew I needed a plan of action to make it easier for me or Jimmy to grab this baby boy some clothes.  And also for when Jimmy is putting laundry away for him to know where things go (yes Jimmy, you will be doing things like that).  So I needed to divide the drawers.  I looked up some stuff on pinterest, but then just ended up looking out in our garage and finding the box from our car seat.  So one Thursday night when Jimmy was at softball night...I went to work.

I cut the cardboard to fit in the drawers (put it in the top 2 drawers of the dresser and left the bottom two open).

Decided to make good use of some left over fabric...and apparently Milly and Willy wanted to help out as well or they were just curious as to what was going on.

Then I cut up the fabric to be about the size of the cardboard...cut some slits in the cardboard in the middle so they would go on top of each other and there you have it.

Simple, cheap and easy way to get some nursery drawer dividers.  I still need to finish my labeling and putting them in the right places - but if this baby boy waits to come and gives his mama this weekend to finish organizing things - I will make sure and do that.  If not, I can always do it later!!

But now I have the perfect spot in his dresser for adorable things like his TINY socks (OMG I died when I got these out of the washer - SO small and cute!!!)

And some adorable onesies that he's gotten from his friends all over the country!!  His soon-to-be-girlfriend, baby Calcara, sent up this K-State onesie from Houston so he and she would have matching ones to wear during football season.  So cute!!

His friends in Denver, the Griffins, also sent a pretty freaking cute onesie with suspenders and a tie! LOVE these!!

But this nesting/organization urge didn't stop in the nursery.  Last weekend it extended to our guest bathroom closet which was a complete mess!!  There were so many random things just stacked in it and it was gross and underutilized.  For some reason I got this urge on Sunday morning to wake up, take everything out, organize it into groupings (and throw lots of stuff away too), and then drag Jimmy to Dollar Tree with me  - by the way, they have the best and cheapest baskets...only $1! - and there you have it.  With some green painters tape and some labels printed off - bathroom closet organization at it's finest.  It was nice because it even got some of the baby's bath stuff out of the nursery and by the bathroom where it belongs!!!

From all the fun we had over the weekend and all the standing I did when I probably shouldn't have been due to my feet - Milly, Willy and I took a break on Monday night.  I skipped my last session of summer school (don't worry, I had a free pass to miss and I already had turned everything in) and plopped down on the couch to watch the bachelor pad with Jimmy and work on getting all my work stuff organized for maternity leave.  I think these little pups sure know how to make their mom feel better.  Milly kept licking my fat little sausage legs and toes....as weird as that is, it did make me feel a little better.  The swelling has not gone down for the record.  Waiting for that still...

So what has Jimmy been doing while I go into crazy person/organization mode??  He has been a great help in picking up last minute things with me and also working with my dad to move all our internet and cable cords that were in the nursery to another location.  So you know, just working in the attic...haha.  But he has been a big help and I think he's getting just as excited as me (however, he doesn't get the latter part of this statement as much as I do..."I'm excited to meet our baby AND not be huge anymore")!!  We went over to Bobby and Hillary's house last Saturday night and they were SO sweet and made us a delicious dinner of fried chicken, mash potatoes, green beans, a cucumber and onion salad that I had pinned (how sweet is that!!!??  She found it on my pin board and made it!).  And to top it off had some homemade berry cobbler too.  It was delicious!!  But then to top off the night - Bobby gave Jimmy a present for the baby!!

The baby's own Phi Slamma Jamma onesie.  OMG - it is so cute!!  I love it so much! I love that it's 12 month size, but I also wish we could bring him home from the hospital in it because it's that cute.  And Hillary said Bobby designed it all himself.  What a great younger brother!!!

38 weeks and the DATE

Well baby boy, you and I and your dad - we've come a long way.  This week was a big week for us!!!  Why??  Because at our doctor's appointment this last Tuesday, we learned you were about 7lbs (or 7.5?) and moving further and further down into your mama's pelvis (which I knew you were headed further down because guess what??  It's not that comfortable for me, as I'm sure it's not so great for you!).  We also learned that your mom GAINED 7lbs in just one week (YIKES!!).  Which that made our doctor pretty nervous.  Especially at our 4PM appointment she got to see in person the way my feet/legs look every day at the end of the day and just how swollen they are.  She was funny and made me feel better saying she's pretty sure that all 7lbs went right into my legs an feet in the form of fluid (she said that while she was squeezing my fat little sausage and fluid-filled legs).  A girl that I work with did make me feel better when she said - "hey, it's easier to lose fluid versus fat, right?".  So true my friend.  And as hard as that was to swallow....that did make me feel better.

So right there in the doctor's office she initiated THE conversation.  The conversation about how we felt about setting a date.  Your birthday actually.  Well only your birthday if you don't decide to come sooner.  But it came along with the dreaded word - induction.  I did think and do hope that you little boy choose to come on your own, but we made the decision to scoot you along into this world for both you and your mama.  What is that day?  Well, we will got to the hospital on Monday, July 30 at 8PM and then get the party started the morning of July 31st...and hopefully that will be the day!!  In talking to our doctor, which we trust a lot, we all felt very good about the situation.  Apparently I have Stage 3 edema swelling on my feet and legs (which the max is a 4) and because I'm pretty much in pain walking around all day, we decided it is good for all of us to set a date and get it going because you are ready, fully cooked and going to be a big baby (so she says).  Apparently my body is just not ready yet with no contractions or dilation, but 75% effaced.  And that was it.  When we walked out, it was just so crazy to think that:

1) we might not make it to our next doctor's appointment (but for the record it's this upcoming Tuesday, so we are likely going to make it there)...and
2) we had a date on the calendar when we get to meet you!!  OMG

So many emotions.  Fear, excitement, anxiety...but most of all just overwhelming love.  Thinking of the moment when your dad and I get to meet you and hold you in our arms.  After all this preparation for the last 9.5 months, we are ready.  I am ready.  We are thrilled you are ready and healthy and probably so stinking cute.  We literally cannot wait to meet you, whether that be in a few days or just a week or so.  It's just crazy to think how much we have changed during this time and how our hearts have literally changed already and molded into your parents.  It's pretty amazing and we are pretty excited.

But first, I was looking back at pictures and blog posts earlier today....and OMG - look at my stomach from the first stomach picture that I posted that I claimed to have a "bump" at - if only I would have known better as to what I would look like now!  Holy moly we have come along way you and me baby!! (and apparently I've gotten much better at taking self-timer portraits)

How far along: 38 weeks

Size of Baby BOY Carter: 7 - 7.5 lbs (maybe 8?)

Fruit/vegetable comparison: Size of a pumpkin 

Sleep: That is kind of non-existent at this point.  Tried to sleep in a recliner last night to see if that worked better, but it really doesn't!  But it will be over soon, right??

Movement: I loved that my sister got to stare at him moving all around in my stomach - he was probably stretching from just getting up from a nap (who knows!)

Unglamorous body changes: All I have to say is that if you read anything I typed above - my body is going through some crazy changes right now.

Food cravings: Still eating that watermelon like it's my job...

What I miss: I think I'm just more excited to look back now and have this little baby in my arms rather my stomach.  So very soon!!!!

Strange experiences: Just walking out with that date.  So crazy!!

Milestones: It says he might have an inch of hair (OMG - do you think it's red!?!?)

Best moment this week:  Being with Jimmy and making big decisions together. First of many as a family and it was so exciting knowing that we can do this together and still love each other and our baby boy no matter what comes our way.

So here we go - come on little baby!!!  We are ready to meet you!!