3 days from due date and still waiting!

I saw the doctor today and the latest news is that there has been virtually no progress since last week. Caroline is head down but still nice and high. We had an ultrasound and a non-stress test today which per the doctor showed that "baby is doing great." Her estimated weight is about 6 pounds, 9 ounces, which was reassuring to me that I'm not going to be having a 9 pound baby!! For now, the plan is to give it another week and see if she decides to come on her own. My next appointment is next Wednesday, and they'll check me again for progress. If she's still stubborn..er I mean "happy"....then we will have to look at scheduling an induction for the following week, still hoping that she will make a decision to come on her own before then. The non-stress test did show that I am having quite a few contractions, some of which have been strong enough to feel here and there, so I'm at least taking that as a sign that SOMETHING is happening. I'll be going on lots of long walks this week (smile)!

Counting Down.....

Nine days until Caroline's due date!! I am so ready for her to be here!! But.. I went to the doctor today and it seems that Miss Caroline is nice and happy where she is. She is head down but has only dropped a little bit, so for now it seems she is taking her sweet time. I was told "no July 4th baby for you!" Luckily, my doctor won't let me go very far past my due date before they intervene, so at the very most we're looking at another two weeks. Sigh. And that's only if she decides not to come on her own sooner. I'm scheduled for an ultrasound next week and a non-stress test just to check things out and make sure she's doing ok. It would be nice if she decided to make her debut before then!

Crib Shopping.....again

This weekend Zack and I went to Babies R Us to pick out a crib for Caroline...again!! Why? Because our crib was recalled! Yep, our crib happened to be one of the 320,000 cribs involved in the massive recall by Jardine Enterprises (you may have seen it on the news lately). So... back to the drawing board. We found out about it on Friday, and after calling the "recall hotline" at the manufacturer, we were told that they would be sending us a kit, in which we have to include some certain parts of the bed hardware (to render the crib unusable), and then return it to them. After this they will issue us a voucher for the value of the crib plus tax that we can then use towards buying any new crib at Babies R Us. Then, we can "dispose of the crib as we wish." Scrap lumber, anyone? All in all a big hassle. Obviously though, the good news in all of this is that we learned of it before putting our baby in an unsafe crib. AND, Zack and I picked out a new one that we actually like better anyway. Plus, Caroline will be sleeping in a bassinet in our room for at least the first three months anyway. SO.. I'm trying not to stress out about it and let go of my need to have the nursery ready and "perfect" before she gets here. Speaking of the nursery, that is one thing I didn't share pictures of in the last post and will now. Thank goodness for grandparents!! The nursery was a joint effort by Zack, myself, his parents and my mom (along with our niece Taylor and Zack's cousin Molly) working together over the last several weeks to get it done. It looks beautiful! Here's some pictures of the finished room: I don't think these pictures really do it justice... the color is a little off and some of the details in the room don't show up, but you get the idea. This weekend I have been especially impatient about waiting for Caroline to arrive. Partly because I have become somewhat uncomfortable (forget about sleeping and I just feel like there's NO MORE ROOM IN THERE!), but also because I just have this unbelievable longing to hold her in my arms, to lay eyes on her for the first time, and to see Zack's face when he holds her for the first time as her daddy. This morning as I was praying, I was reminded of how the Lord has orchestrated every detail of her being, and that the exact timing of her birth is a part of that. So... I'm trying to remember that He has a plan for her life, that includes the exact moment that she is born, and that I need to be patient...and wait. So I'll fold and refold all her baby clothes, straighten all the baskets on her changing table, check my hospital bag one more time.. and wait with anticipation until the moment she arrives.

We're getting close!!

I've been wanting to update the blog for a while now, but the last several weeks have been a whirlwind of activity from showers, to getting the nursery ready, to a weekend trip away for Zack and I! It has finally slowed down just enough to have a few minutes to update on our busy last several weeks. We were blessed with three different showers during the months of May and June. The girls in the couple's small group bible study that Zack and I are part of, along with my friend Erin threw me a wonderful shower for my friends and family. We played lots of baby shower games and I had a blast! My wonderful co-workers at Kids Path threw the both of us a shower the last weekend in May- I am so very lucky to work with such a great group of people. All of my co-workers are now having a contest to guess the day and time of Caroline's birth, and how much she will weigh. Can't wait to see who wins! The first Sunday in June, Zack's aunts threw us a shower for extended family and friends in Greenville, SC. We are so blessed with incredible friends and family who love us so much and want to welcome Caroline. One thing is for sure, she will be loved! Here are a few pictures of the showers: Zack and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary June 22. We decided to splurge a little and take a special weekend getaway in early June, as a celebration of our marriage and upcoming parenthood. We stayed at a wonderful bed and breakfast in Waynesville called The Yellow House. It was so incredible and a much needed relaxing weekend away. We visited Asheville and Cherokee while we were there and spent some time on the parkway. Zack and I may have waited a little longer to start a family than most married couples do, but we both have said that we wouldn't trade one second of the six years we've had with just each other. We feel lucky that we have had the time to establish a strong and healthy marriage which we know will benefit Caroline, too! Here's some pictures of where we stayed and some shots on the parkway: It's hard to believe we only have about two weeks until her due date!! My doctor says she basically can come "anytime now" so stay tuned- our next post may be of pictures of our little girl! WE'RE READY!!

Caroline's Tree

Ever since Zack and I were first married, one of the things we have always talked about doing is planting a tree in our yard to celebrate the birth of our first baby (and any future children we may be blessed with). We thought a lot about Caroline's tree and decided on a weeping cherry both for the beauty and size of the tree but also because it blooms pink (a necessary requirement for a girl, of course). We bought and planted the tree this weekend. Well, to be fair, Zack actually did the planting, I just gave lots of encouragement! Here is Zack working hard to dig the hole for the tree.... The planting.... Here's both of us with her tree... We hope that like our little girl, this tree will grow each year and remind us of the beauty of her life!

The Beginnings of a Nursery....

Crib.....check Changing table.....check Rocker....check (well, on order) Space for any of the above in the baby's room? What do you think? I've been spending a lot of time cleaning out the small walk-in closet and dresser drawers in what will be Caroline's room. This room had become my scrapbooking/craft/sewing room and I have had to seriously downsize my collection to fit it all into our other guest bedroom (which by the way, has a decidedly much smaller closet!). It's amazing how quickly you fill up whatever space you live in. Two years ago Zack and I could have NEVER fit all of what we have now in our little two bedroom apartment! So, the nursery is a work in progress, but it will get done! The nesting instinct comes in handy for that! A few weeks ago Zack's parents visited and his mom and I picked out and bought all the fabric that will become window treatments, bumper pads, and crib skirts. I'm so lucky that my mother-in-law is a master seamstress! She's working now on getting Caroline's nursery all ready! Here's all the fabrics laid out.... lots of pink, of course! Stay tuned for the finished product!

Spring is Here!

Spring is finally here, and we have reached 26 weeks! Six months ago, I thought time would move SO slowly, now we only have about 3 more months until we get to meet our baby girl!! My friend Karen gave me a box of precious baby things that her little girl had outgrown, and Zack and I both agreed that our favorite thing was this pair of tiny black "Mary Jane" shoes. It's hard to believe that she will be that little! We went today to register at Babies R Us and Target, which was a lot of fun, but more exhausting than I thought it would be (smile)! Zack had a lot of fun with the scan gun- reminded me of when we registered for our wedding nearly 6 years ago! We have also decided on a name for our new girl- Caroline Madison. We both really love Caroline, and Zack especially likes Madison, so we decided on the two together. Caroline has been growing a lot over the past few weeks, and now there's no mistaking that I'm pregnant! She is also really active these days, which of course I love because I never get tired of experiencing her incredible little kicks and turns. Zack and I talk a lot about wondering what/who she will look like, what color hair she will have, the little personality she will develop... lately we have just been aching to meet her! Here are some recent pictures from Easter... we had a great weekend spending time with my mom, my sister and her boyfriend.