Showers, Showers and Shower Gifts

Ok...let's start off with a recap of the past two weeks.
Remember my doctor told me that I couldn't leave Katy, so therefore I was unable to attend my shower in Daingerfield. Well...because of this we have had a knock at the door everyday from UPS...(I kind of like this) and the above picture is Walt with one of HIS presents. This is the Baby Bjorn. Walt decided that he would try it on, and he also decided that he would put Miss Gracie in it just to see if it worked. ha! From the looks of it, Gracie likes it!

Last week I had two showers at my school. One was thrown by my kiddos. They were so precious. The kids decided to throw me a "surprise" baby shower. They had so much fun eating the cake, and check out the cake below, watching me open presents and just missing some class time! I was spoiled rotten by these kids! I have pictures of the kids during the shower, but because of certain school district policies, I am not going to go there and post pics of the kids...just know that the kids are PRECIOUS!

One of my student's mothers makes cakes...is this not beautiful?? The top layer was carrot cake with cream cheese icing, the second layer with vanilla with almond and the last layer was chocolate with cookies and cream icing. I was able to take the entire top layer home for Walt to eat....man was it good! This cake is gorgeous, AND it matched my colors for Eloise's nursery!

One of my sweet students, Kaylee, got Eloise this adorable polka dot dress

Look at the card closely...Meagan wrote her a note...she spelled her name "Eliwees"
gotta love phonetic spellers!! :) Let's just pretend that I had my legs crossed in this picture...hey, at least I had on leggings!

More cute outfits for my girl

My team also threw me a shower. I had so much fun! I had requested that I have a book shower, so that I could build up Eloise's library. This was so exciting because each team at the school gave me some wonderful books! I had so much fun going through them and reading what the teams had to say to Eloise. I can't wait to start reading to her every night. My team did a fabulous job with decorations and food. If you will notice below the cakes are shaped like oreo cookies.....this has been my one and only craving throughout my pregnancy. I thought it was hilarious and thoughtful that they remembered this and used this as the idea for my cake!

LOVE my team!! And yes, since I couldn't go to my Daingerfield shower, I wore my shower dress to school!! How adorable are the girls that I work with???

My chocolate cake...shaped like oreos...and oh so good!!

Some of the pretty decorations...don't you LOVE the paper doll cut outs?

Just some of the books...

and some more...

one of the bags that Eloise received....there were "themed" books in this bag...it was perfect!

So I can officially say that NOW, FINALLY the nursery is C-O-M-P-L-E-T-E! I was waiting on a banner that I was having made from Mimi and it turned out PERFECT! This banner will accompany us to the hospital where it will go outside our hospital door, and then it will make it's way back home. I love this banner and think that Mimi did such a great job! I can't wait to use this for Eloise's birthdays! I also finally received my curtains. I LOVE them as well! I personally think they are beautiful....now all we need is Eloise to make the room complete!

At my check-up on Wednesday the doctor told me that I was 3 cm dilated....hey, at least it's better than the 1 cm that I have been for the past two weeks. Monday I am 37 weeks, so Eloise will officially be considered "full term." This was is so exciting...she has stayed put! Thank you for all of you that have been keeping us in your prayers!! Doctor still doesn't think that I will make it to her original due date of the 22nd, so we'll see....Walt and I are just anxiously awaiting the arrival of our sweet girl! We might also be a little excited because Baylor played so well today...they beat #6 ranked Texas in overtime....Sic'Em Bears! What a wonderful last couple of weeks....can you say BLESSED?!?

No change is a good thing!

My bedding finally came in!!

Big sister had to try out the bedding first!!

Do you think Eloise will be jealous?

Our bedding FINALLY came in today and I couldn't be happier!! My curtains are being shipped tomorrow, so everything is ALMOST complete!! Walt and I had a doctor's appointment today.....things look just like they did last week. Eloise is still very low, and I am dilated to 1 cm, but NO change is a GOOD thing! Doctor told me to just keep doing everything that I am doing now. She said her guess is that she is definitely here within the first two weeks of February, we'll see if Eloise follows what the Doctor thinks. The doctor did hook me up to a monitor to watch my contractions, she couldn't believe I was having so many, and she even told me I was a very tough woman because the contractions are so strong....I looked over at Walt and said, "Did you hear that, you married a tough woman!" If you can't tell, I really love my doctor!! The only disappointing news for today was that Walt and I can not go out of town this weekend to our shower in Daingerfield. We aren't allowed to travel because she is so low and I am dilated. This was extremely disappointing, but we will just have to have a sip and see after Eloise is born.
I walked out of the doctor's appointment very happy...I am glad that Eloise hasn't made any change, and I truly appreciate your prayers!! You know I'll keep you updated!

Childbirth 101

BEFORE

AFTER

I had to post pictures first, of Gracie. Gracie got a haircut yesterday and boy did she need it!! I am sure that when Walt took her into the groomer's they were wondering who in the world are her parents because she was SOOOOO DIR-TY! She looks so beautiful now, and she is ready for the arrival of her little sister!

Yesterday Walt and I went to childbirthing class. It went way better than expected. We signed up for the 6 hour course...this way we could just get it all over with. We had a really great instructor, but there was one problem that really bugged me....she couldn't spell. I don't know, maybe it is the teacher in me, or maybe it is the fact that I feel like if you are going to be presenting something to a large number of people, you should probably know how to spell these words...especially if you have been doing this same presentation for over 20 years. Here are just a few of the words that she so obviously misspelled.
Coach's list....she wrote Coache's list
Lie Down....she wrote Lye down
Transition...she wrote Trasition
False Labor....she wrote Fales Labor
Oh goodness... I was bothered... really bothered.
So... onto Walt. Walt was thrilled to be taking this class with me, especially since Baylor, who is ranked 24th right now in the NCAA for basketball, was going to be playing Oklahoma State at 3. I had a nice long talk with Walt before we got there telling him that he really shouldn't say anything inappropriate...thank goodness he listened.
At one point in time I looked over at him thinking that he was taking notes, because he is the Coach (or the Coache as the instructor would have put it) and to my surprise he was drawing. Not a big deal, but what he was drawing, made me crack up... He was drawing Gracie... (we had just dropped her off at the groomer's) so he drew a picture of her with a little bubble coming out of her mouth saying, "Save Me."
When the instructor asked about some of the signs that a woman experiences during the 1st trimester, Walt was the coach who so graciously, and loudly said, "Crankiness" and all of the other men agreed.
During another time in the class Walt looked over at me and said, "Mer, do you know I've been to 40 different countries?" As I glanced over at the notes, he had made a list of all the places he had been.
And then, when we had to watch 3 videos of 3 different women giving birth, Walt conveniently decided that that was the time he needed to go and get some more water. I won't even mention Walt's facial expressions as the ladies on the t.v. were making noises, or when he closed his eyes, and put his hands over his face because he did not want to see the baby being born.
He also proceeded to exchange texts the entire second half with his good friend, Brett. Once every 5 minutes he was getting an update on the game...thank goodness Baylor won!
Needless to say, we survived, and I was proud of Walt.

Now...onto things at home. Walt and I have been doing pretty well. We went to the doctor on Thursday to see little Bass and she really didn't want to show us her face. When the stenographer looked her hand was over her face...so she decided to shake my belly a little. This was something that Eloise did not like, because she proceeded to put both hands over her face, she was thinking, "I'll show them!" Eventually she moved her hands and we were able to see her...with her pouty lips and all. She was blinking and moving around...I just can't wait to meet her! We go back to the doctor on Wednesday for our last sonogram, and to find out what the doctor has to say about our little one making her arrival into this world. But.. I've been taking it easy...and Walt (thank goodness for a loving husband) has been doing everything around the house...and by everything, I mean everything.

Once my team found out that I needed to take things a little bit more slowly they all decided to pick up my slack. I have been completely overwhelmed with how loving and caring my team at school is. I've worked in a lot of schools, but this team is by far the most cooperative and I am truly thankful. Walt and I don't have family here...but I certainly feel like these girls are my family. I'm talking I don't walk my kids to lunch, recess, or specials AND these girls have managed to find time to bring dinner over to the house for me and Walt for the next three weeks. Words can't even being to express how thankful I am for them. I love each and every one of these girls. Here we are at JoDee's shower (we're missing Melyssa)...JoDee is the blonde, on the right, she is pregnant as well and is due two weeks before me...I have had so much fun being pregnant with her. God truly blessed me with these girls' friendship.

On another note...I am 35 weeks tomorrow (monday) and I know I haven't done a great job at showing you belly pics. Here are two... Lordy, Lordy, I am big. I remember being 5 months pregnant thinking there is no way my stomach could stretch anymore...haha, I was flat out wrong!

Hopefully it won't be too much longer until this little girl makes her debut! Her bedding is FINALLY coming in this week, her rocking chair cover will be here, her banner that I had made to hang on her wall and to take to the hospital to hang on our door will be here..and the curtains are finished! I think we will have it all together....now it's just a waiting game to see when she wants to come...I know Dr. Peterson will give us more info on Wednesday...stay tuned!

Ready or Not....

Right now I have the Fugees playing in my head... Ready or Not Here I Come and You Can't Hide....

• Today I went in for an appointment.... I am 34 weeks today....and boy did the Dr. give me some news.

• Our little girl is NOT going to wait until her due date to make her debut....Dr. is 100% sure about that....

• I have been given a prescription to stop the contractions that I am already feeling...if the prescription doesn't work...I'll be put on full bed rest...NOT what I wanted.

• As of now, I am allowed to go to work, and come home and sit...partial bedrest, as my Dr. calls it.....

• My Dr. knows Walt so well that she wrote him a prescription....it said things like he must cook, he must do laundry, he must be the one that does everything around the house, so I can just sit there...

• This was hilarious to me, but I am extremely thankful that I have a husband who already does things like this for me around the house....

Am I excited?? Of course.... Yes... Thrilled...am I prepared...DEFINITELY not.
However... Walt and I have a childbirthing class this weekend, and THREE showers next week...

• Let's hope and pray that my prescription works, and I am NOT put on bed rest...because we honestly do not have ANYTHING for Eloise yet...and after next weekend, we will.

• Her bedding still hasn't come in...we had some difficulties, but it will be here this week...THANK goodness...

• 37 weeks is the magic number... Dr. is going to do everything in her power to get her to 37 weeks, then she said after that she can come any time.

On a more personal note... she told me that her head was so far down that she doesn't understand how I am walking around...ha!

• Eloise is not going to be an extremely big baby...which makes it all that much "easier" for me....wouldn't say labor is going to be easy.

• So for now...guess I'll go to work tomorrow and get all my sub plans ready... and guess I'll be coming back from maternity leave a lot earlier than I thought!!

Please keep sweet Eloise in your prayers... let's pray that she decides to NOT come until the magic number... 37 weeks.

Sneak Peek.....

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Means

On New Year's Day, I had the honor to attend one of my dearest friend's wedding. Thomas and I grew up together and we have remained close throughout our lives. Thomas is hearing impaired and he married, Alexandria, who is also hearing impaired. To be able to experience this type of wedding, where there was so much love for one another and excitement to just get married was so refreshing! I loved being able to watch Thomas sign his vows to Alexandria and for her to be able to do the same. The wedding was by far one of the most loving and beautiful weddings I have ever been too. I am so glad that my very first day of 2010, was spent watching two people unite as one before God.

I was so excited to see Spencer and Poco!! We had a blast and I loved just being able to catch up with them. Next time I see these two....little Eloise will be here!!

Me and Walt at the reception. This is the dress that I am going to wear to my shower in Daingerfield...I was just too excited and had to wear it to this wedding as well!

LOVE my sister!! So incredibly thankful for her friendship!

I decided that I would give you all a little sneak peek of the nursery. It is not complete yet. We are still waiting on the bedding (should be here by then end of this week!) ,the curtains are not done yet, and I have something that still has to be hung on the wall. I am sure that I will go through and change something.....I just know it.

I love this saying on the wall, because this is where I am going to read stories to Eloise every night.

her changing table....there will be something on the wall to the left of this...it just hasn't been completed yet.

The sweet piggy bank that Lalee and Pops got Eloise!

Her name is hanging above her crib, but since I don't have the bedding yet, I didn't want to share the whole thing with you. :)

This print was hanging in Walt's room when he was born. Walt's grandmother bought it for his room. I fell in love with it. So, I decided to re-mat it and frame it...and it matches perfectly.

I love that I was able to use all of my Beatrix Potter stuff from when I was a little girl.

Once the bedding is here and the curtains are up, I promise I will post more!! Only 50 days until our due date...not that I'm counting or anything!!