20 weeks!

Kind of like a half-marathon (not that I would know anything about running a half or being pregnant), we've made the 20 week point. People say this is the half-way mark, but from all of the Baby Stories I've seen on TV (trust me, there have been a lot thanks to my wife) most babies come anywhere between 36 and 39 weeks, when the baby is considered full term. Here is the reason I didn't become a professional journalist - my source for that comment was watching approx. 100 episodes of "A Baby Story" in 4 months.

The nursery is coming along. We have had everything up for a week now, but we are getting new shelving for the dresser (today, I think). There was a crack in the top piece of the old on. Nothing major, but Grandma Jan felt it was enough to get a new one. That woman can work wonders! She was able to get a brand new shelf for nothing.

Nicole's belly is becoming more prominent, which is a good thing. She says she's gained about 10 lbs, which is right at what babycenter.com says is good. Now we are to expect about a pound a week. That means my belly (because we all know it's really about the men here) is growing about the same.

~Rob
P.S. - Happy pregnancy to our friends Rob and Nikki (same names, I know!) who are celebrating their baby shower for their girl today!

I am loved.

so Rob sends me a text last night that says "i got ya a present. love ya" no offense to him, but this typically means he did the dishes or put a load of laundry in. which i might add is all the present i need :) when i get him a present, it's usually from the dollar spot at Target or involves M&Ms. anyway, so imagine my surprise when he gets home and whips out a box from helzberg...WHAT? not expecting that...it's not my birthday or our anniversary and too early for Valentine's day. i opened it up and saw what you see here. tears welled in my eyes when i read the inscription on the heart. "i am loved" it says and that's exactly how i felt. happy 20 weeks of pregnancy he told me. it's emotional because we're halfway there and still it's hard for me to believe. still haven't felt jr.'s kicks and because i read too much on the internet, i constantly worry about something or the other going wrong. it's so nice to have my husband appreciate what i'm doing not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. i used to think pregnancy meant giving up booze and getting a cute belly out of the deal. i learned really quickly that it's hard. you have to worry about something bigger than yourself. so to know that i am loved and be reminded of it when i look down at my wrist makes it all a little easier. and if men wore bracelets, rob would have one that said "i am loved back."

Away in a Manger

baby has a crib! we picked out furniture for baby's room at NFM this weekend and thanks to my momma and stevie it was delivered on sunday and assembled by my wonderful husband and my mom within hours! every preparation step we take makes this even more real! the only reason i say that is because i haven't felt him/her kick yet! one of these days i'm sure i'll be wishing for baby to stop kicking. anyway, i'm a big fan of how the white looks with the yellow walls and can't wait to start adding to the room more. i'm thinking giraffes...