Surprise, Surprise!

Hi everyone,

Last week and weekend were full of great surprises! I thought I would recap since I know how much everyone loves being surprised!

Last Thursday, I was planning on going to lunch with two of the women that I work with. I was really looking forward to getting out of the office and having a good lunch...little did I know, they were having a suprise baby shower for me and my entire department was there waiting for my arrival! It was honestly the first time I had a surprise party (my birthday is 3 days after Christmas and we all know how the holidays are!) and I was completely in shock especially since I have only been in my new department for a couple of months! It was so much fun and everyone was so generous (again!) and bought us so many great gifts!

Here's a picture that does a good job of showing how surprised I was!




The story (and suprises!) continues...My mother-in-law hosted a shower for me on Saturday so my mom and sister flew into town. I knew that three of my college girlfriends (2 that live in Florida and 1 that lives in Chicago) were making the trek for the shower as well but I was told that the rest of my favorite girls were unable to make it. So Friday night we were at our house catching up when all of a sudden the doorbell rings. I had NO idea who it could've been so I asked Greg if he could get the door. As I look up, I see my friends, Kimmie (from Seattle, WA), Kathrine (from NYC), and Aryn (from Ohio) walk in! I WAS SO SUPRISED AND SO HAPPY TO SEE ALL OF THEM! It was the best surprise a girl could ask for.

Here's a picture of all (but one) of us!



We all met and lived together in college and have been great friends that have stayed in touch since...except 1 of the girls was missing. I didn't want to seem unappreciative to have the majority of the girls there so I didn't say much about Lesia not being there. She has a baby boy, lives in Boston, and is a working mom so I completely understood why she wasn't able to make it. Fast forward to Saturday at the shower...all of the girls walk in and I noticed there was one more. I, of course did a double take because I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Sure enough, Lesia flew in late the night before so she could make it the shower too! It was so much fun to have all of them there and again, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world!

Here's the complete package!



Here are a few more pictures from the shower!



This is my beautiful sister, Natalie and I!




Florida Girls! Jess, me, Angelique and Brooke! We can't forget Chloe.




My sisters-in-law, Jill and Jodie, and Lynn (Jodie's boyfriend's mom!)




Greg's Grandma and Aunt Gerri!




The adorable umbrella cake made of cupcakes! YUM! :)


Thank you all again for those who traveled and those who didn't have to! You all made my Florida shower so wonderful. The baby and I feel so loved! By the way, Greg knew about all of the surprises and did such a great job of not slipping. He's such a good husband!
Love,
Kim

33.5 Weeks...Only 6 more to go!

Hi everyone,

I had a check-up today so I thought I'd share the progress with everyone. We got an ultrasound, which was fun since we haven't seen the baby for several months. Our baby girl looks great, weighing in at 5 lbs. (50th percentile) and measuring 18.5 inches long already! The ultrasound technician said her legs are really long (thanks to her daddy mostly!) measuring where an average 35.5 week baby would measure! She apparently also has big hands (not sure where she's getting those from!), some hair on her head, big, pouty lips (I'm assuming those are from me!), long eyelashes (thanks to her daddy!) and chubby cheeks (also from me!). Her heart rate was 142 beats per minute, which is great, and all of her organs looked perfect! I'm doing well also, my blood pressure was 100/72 this time, and my weight gain is consistent and on track! :) Both Greg and I are so excited to be in the home stretch now. We can't wait to be parents and hold our baby girl!

We hope all is well with everyone and you're all enjoying the fall weather...btw, it's still in the 90s here in Florida!

Love,
Kim

Q&As

Hi everyone,

Throughout my entire pregnancy, I have been asked some of the same questions, so I thought I would take advantage of my blog and do a little "Q&A" for everyone.

1) Do you have any weird cravings? If so, what are they?

In the first trimester, I was craving red apples...then it changed to green apples, mashed potatoes...then it changed to baked potatoes, toaster strudels (strawberry flavored), and lemonade. Now I HAVE to have Eggo waffles every morning with a little margarine and syrup. Fortunately, I don't have a waffle maker (I've added it to my Christmas list) because I think I would make them ALL the time!


2) Have you decided on a name yet? If so, what is it?

We have a few names in mind that Greg and I really like and out of those few, we're definitely leaning towards one of them. We have decided to keep it a secret though until the baby is born. That way it's not a big deal if we change our minds once we see her adorable little face! I know, I know...the suspense is killing you! :)


3) Are you going back to work after the baby is born?

Yes, I am. Recently, I changed positions at work - from sales to account management. In my new position I don't have a quota (which is way less stressful), I can take time off at the end of each month, quarter and half, as well as around the holidays, and I can work 2 days a week from home. I started August 1st and I love it so far so I think it's going to be a great situation once the baby arrives. Greg has flexibility with his hours and his mom lives closeby and has also offered to help (we are SO lucky!) so we're pretty much covered.


How many clothes does the baby have already?!

HA HA...this question makes me laugh. I have no idea what the number is, but let's just say she has more shoes than Greg at this point, and will be in a new outfit until she's about 2 years old! Little girl clothes are so cute and it's hard to resist them, plus it seems like we receive a gift in the mail or in person with a cute little onesie or bathrobe every single day from our generous friends and family! :)


I think that about covers the questions I have been asked thus far. If I'm forgetting anything please remind me! I hope this helps!
Love,
Kim

30 Weeks!

Hi everyone,
Well yesterday I had my 30 week appointment, which went well. It was pretty run-of-the-mill with the nurses checking my blood pressure, weight gain, etc. My blood pressure was great, 114/75 so the nurses were happy considering it has been very low most of my pregnancy. I've also gained 25 pounds so far, which is average. With temperatures in the mid 90s everyday and the heat index in the 100s, carrying an additional 25 pounds is not fun. All I have to say is thank goodness for air conditioning! :) My next appointment will be in another 4 weeks so hopefully everything goes well between now and then! Both Greg and I are getting really excited about the birth of our baby girl. We can't wait to meet her and hold her!

In other news, we've been very lucky in escaping the tropical storms and hurricanes thus far (knock on wood). Yesterday one of the nurses asked me if I had heard about the woman who gave birth twice in hurricane shelters...once for Katrina and this time for Gustav. I hadn't heard the story nor did I really want to hear it because now I have one more thing to worry about! Keep your fingers crossed that the rest of hurricane season calms down and that Southwest Florida is safe!

Love,
Kim