This time last year...

I was in RI... visiting... but still there!!! It was warm & sunny & oh so nice... this year.... not so nice:)

I miss my WARM & HOT & HUMID RI weather... it just doesn't get any better than a nice hot day spent on the beach:)

If we had a beach here (one that you could actually sunbathe & swim @) that might make it a tiny bit easier... but WA is a stupid state... not a sunbather in sight... who can live that way??? Not this girl! If I have to be on this coast I guess I would be a CA girl:) Not one for rainy non beach oriented areas!!!

Well... hopefully this time next year we will be back in RI - or at the very least on the East Coast where there are beaches & sunbathers EVERYWHERE!!:)

Weekly Dr. update

Ok... so I did this yesterday & then we lost our internet connection... so round 2...
We went to the Dr. yesterday & I am finally dilated. Only 1 centimeter - but hey... I'll take it.
What he had to say....
Baby could be here by this time next week... Scary & SUPER EXCITING!!!!
Big baby... which I had a feeling it would be & it makes the weight gain a little easier to deal w/ but I'm not feeling so fabulous about DELIVERING a BIG BABY!!!!
He gave us his cell phone # which leads me to believe that he's thinking this kid is definitely ready to get the heck out... I do NOT blame him/her - it can no longer be too comfy in there... it's definitely not to comfy for momma:)
I lost 2 lbs... super excited about that for 2 reasons
1. I didn't gain any weight last visit... so that means that I haven't gained in about a month:)
2. I red somewhere... that when you're getting close to labor time you tend to lose weight:)
I think that's it for the update... It could be baby time... ANYTIME:)

Oooopppss...

I realize it has been 5 days since my last post... sorry. Didn't mean to alarm anyone - no baby yet... also nothing of importance to say:)

I have been getting increasingly cranky... I'm just soooo ready for this pregnancy thing to be over (I don't think I've mentioned that in the last 5 minutes... so there it is)

We (or I should say I... Luke is going golfing... you know priorities... prego wife - golfing w/ the coasties... jk I told him to go... if I'm not in labor than he doesn't REALLY need to be there) go to the Dr. on Friday & if I'm not dilated... you do not want to be in that Dr.'s room:)

So that's that... keep you posted as always:)

Still No Baby...

but things are progressing... not as quickly as I would like though:)

We went to the DR yesterday & I am 70% effaced. That's it... nothing more... no dilation:(

I took the day off yesterday for the DR apt. and we had some returning/buying to do. So we got that all done & had a nice whole day of just the two of us... we even managed to enjoy each others company:) Luke gave me a mini pedicure (just painting of the nails basically... & a little cuticle trim) & he did a OK job:) I gave myself a manicure & it came out freekin' fantabulous better than the freekin' Chinese lady who did it last week:) There just aren't any good manicure spots here:(

Well... that's the update... keep you all posted

Baby Showers

So... I totally forgot to do a little post about my WA Baby Shower. It was last Thursday & due to the cankles it was conveniently forgotten:)
Any ways... the shower was really nice. My former friends/colleges from Doodlebugs were there & ladies from Groveland Cottage where I work now. Plus a few friends of friends. All in all I think there were 15 people there (much more manageable than the 50 @ the RI shower:))
Of course Luke had taken the camera to work so no pictures... sorry:(
It was nice... really good food - it was potluck & everything was super yummy. Lots of presents for this baby:) and a few for mommy too:)
Well.. that's it for now... I'll keep the info. coming:) I'm afraid if I don't post semi often you will all think I've gone into labor:) So I'll try to post at least something every few days... if it goes a week w/ out anything... baby Marland is probably here:)

The weekend in Review

So... it seems like we are making the most of our weekends without baby.
Luke was off & even though I am in a FOUL mood as of late - we did try to make the most of our weekend together.
Saturday we had to go to lovely Babies R' Us so we stoped to pick up a co-sleeper on the way in Gig Harbor... really cute town reminded me of Maine a little bit. We had an awesome breakfast at this little dinerish place right on the water (we were the only 2 in there but the food was sooooo good & pretty cheap). Then off the BRU - where I am soooo glad we drove 2.5 hours to get to since THEY WERE OUT OF EVERYTHING WE NEEDED!!!!!!!!!! So I had to walk around the store on my swollen fricken feet to find NOTHING:) Good times.... REALLY good times! We also stoped real quick @ Target & I don't know how it is possible for me to NEVER leave there spending under $100 no matter how hard I try!!!! I mean I was holding back... A LOT!!! Oh have I mentioned that the temperature on our little shopping spree was a mere 90 degrees??? No... well it was... my ankles did not appreciate the lovely warm weather! So by the end of the day Luke was pretty sick of me & I am pretty sick of him lately (well he is the reason I am a beached whale w/ ankles the size of North America) but I still love him... he managed to make me laugh on numerous occasions during the dreaded shopping day... Yes I just put dread & shopping in the same sentence *I AM NOT FEELING OK* I must lay down w/ feet up immediately:)
Sunday... hmmm sunday... another lovely day of cleaning house! I feel like that is all we do on the weekends now... Now that we can actually see the dog hair on the floors (gross carpet - thank goodness it is gone) we actually have to vacuum:( & pretty much everything is done in baby's room... we're ready (well kind-o- sort- o) And no bugging me for nursery pictures... you're not going to see it until it's officially done which isn't going to be until this little thing appears... since we have gender appropriate colors going on the walls & we don't know which gender this little one is:) So sorry:) You might just have to come out to visit to see it ... haha:)
So that was our weekend in a nutshell... We have a Dr. apt. on Thursday so... more news then:)

Sausage Fingers & Cankles

I am SWOLLEN!!!! I love that our weather has warmed up but the mix of warmness & the last few weeks of pregnancy... YUCK!!! I can't bend my fingers & my feet feel like they went from super narrow to xxxxxxwide! & I no longer have a separation between the calf & the ankle... everything just blends together:(

Good news is... We went to the Dr. today & I am about 50% effaced. & the baby is SUPER low down... he said w/ a head that low I should go around about on time (he didn't want to be too specific... he was very evasive but we should get more information next week when we go back again) I was so excited that he thought I may not go past my due date though:) Hopefully it comes true!

Belly & Crib pics

Less Rib Pain...

I am starting to drop... thank the Lord!!! I started to notice it a couple of days ago & then when I could actually sleep for a couple of hours at a time last night due to less rib pain I was super excited!! don't know if this means I'll be going early or what but I'm just soooooo happy that I don't have feet in the ribs 24/7 :) Simple pleasures.
We've got a Dr. apt. on Friday so I'll keep you all posted w/ the effacement/dilation news:) Hopefully it's all good & this kid will be showing up soon... Not too soon though since we're not quite done w/ all the preparations.
I am sooo excited for this weekend. It is supposed to by in the 80's friday & saturday (which is unheard of hear except during heat waves in July) and I will have my handsome husband all weekend long!!! I've missed him this week since he's had to work even on his off days... I so want him to get a freekin' 9-5:) I'm done w/ rotation schedules!!
I know that I've been slacking on the pictures as of late but assuming I don't go into labor before the weekend ... we'll try to have a little photo shoot.

Military Spouce Appreciation Day

This is an email that Luke sent me today... It's nice to know I'm appreciated... now get me the bleep outta here:)

Happy military spouse appreciation day, you are the best spouse in the world and I thank you for your wonderful support. Love you

MILITARY SPOUSE APPRECIATION DAY
1. THIS FRIDAY MARKS MILITARY SPOUSE APPRECIATION DAY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING THE OUTSTANDING HUSBANDS AND WIVES OF OUR COAST GUARD FAMILY FOR ALL THEY DO TO MAKE OUR SERVICE POSSIBLE.
2. GROWING UP IN A MILITARY FAMILY, AND THROUGHOUT MY OWN CAREER, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT SPOUSES ARE THE HEART, SOUL AND BACKBONE OF THE COAST GUARD. SPOUSES SECURE THE HOMEFRONT, TAKE CARE OF FAMILY, AND PROVIDE THE SUPPORT FOR US SO THAT WE CAN BETTER SERVE THE NATION.
3. PRESIDENT BUSH RECENTLY RECOGNIZED MILITARY FAMILIES DURING A WHITE HOUSE OBSERVANCE OF MILITARY SPOUSES. AT THE CEREMONY, HE HONORED SIX MILITARY SPOUSES FOR THE PRESIDENTS VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD. ONE OF THOSE WAS RAMONA VAZQUEZ OF THE COAST GUARD IN BALTIMORE. MS. VAZQUEZ IS PRESIDENT OF THE BALTIMORE AREA COAST GUARD SPOUSES ASSOCIATION. SHE CREATED AND MAINTAINS A WEB SITE FOR COAST GUARD FAMILIES COMING TO BALTIMORE, AND SHE ALSO FOUNDED A SERVICE THAT PROVIDES FREE DIAPERS, FORMULA, CLOTHES AND TOYS TO MILITARY AND CIVILIAN FAMILIES. SHE HAS MADE REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR SERVICE THROUGH HER SELFLESS SPIRIT. MS.VAZQUEZ AND ALL OUR MILITARY SPOUSES ARE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SUCCESS.
4. TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE THE DEDICATED SERVICE OF THESE SPOUSES, I ENCOURAGE COMMANDERS, COMMANDING OFFICERS, AND OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE TO HONOR AND PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR SPOUSES DURING MAY. COMMAND CEREMONIES ARE APPROPRIATE, AND EVENING ACTIVITIES MAY ACCOMMODATE THE SCHEDULES OF WORKING SPOUSES.
5. MY WIFE PAM AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK YOUR HUSBANDS AND WIVES.
6. ADM THAD ALLEN, COMMANDANT, SENDS.

weekend update

So... we had a great weekend! Friday we went to home depot to get our ecofriendly non-toxic paint... that costs a freekin' butt-load! Then we went out for a nice dinner since those will be few and far between VERY soon. It was nice to sit, relax, chit-chat & have a delicious dinner.

We got a good amount of "stuff" done around the house. Luke tried to put me on bed rest on Saturday... that didn't last too long but I did get some reading done. Looks like I might just get through my stack of books before this baby comes...

We had a nice night last night too... we made felafels that were SO YUMMY - thanx dad for the recipe... yum-o! Then since it was soooo nice out... we decided to make a fire outside & sit in the rockers on the front porch. All in all... nice weekend w/ my favorite hubby!

20% Effaced

As in 20% of something has started toward this whole kiddo thing... I am 20% further toward birth then the last time I went to the Dr's. Not that it means I'm going into labor anytime soon or anything but it's kind of exciting to know that @ least something is going on & I will get this kid out of me soon:)

I have another appointment in 2 weeks so hope for a lot of movement in the giving birth direction ... I am soooooo over being pregnant:) My ribs are killing me on my right side and then my hip is killing me on my left then I've got the crampage of the calves going on. You should have seen me hobbling around the super market yesterday... I was a sight:)

I can't wait for Luke to get home tomorrow... maybe now the waiting on hand & foot can resume again... It stopped during my 2nd trimester when I was feeling so good. I was seriously hoping that the Dr. would order bed-rest today!!!! No such luck:) Keep your fingers crossed that I go early... not too early but as soon as it's safe early! I cannot go on like this for much longer!!