February 25th, 2012 @ 3:03pm

I don't have much time, but I wanted to post the news.  After 26+ hours of labor my little boy finally came out!  9 pounds 5 ounces and 20.5 inches long.  We are all doing really good.  We are home.  We are learning how to adjust to our new life.  And I am totally LOVE DRUNK.

Introducing:

Samuel Chase G.

I can't even express how happy I am.  He has this amazing full head of hair and the deepest blue newborn eyes I have ever seen.  My little Sam, born on my late father's birthday.  Our perfect little man.

What an Incredible Weekend!

Friday - Monday.  So really, more than a weekend.  But a holiday weekend since President's Day snuck in there.  4 days full of friends visiting from out of town, family being truly awesome, the purchase of a new refrigerator (We can make ice again!), and my Baby Shower!

My Sister-in-Law, being the wonderful party planner that she is, did a jungle animal theme shower for us!  Cake pop creatures, safari cupcakes, diaper decorations, fun games, and even little jungle animal decorated clothes pins which I totally snagged and plan to use to decorate the nursery in some fashion.

And then, of course, there's the loot.  The huge table of presents that shocked me when I walked into the room.  My mother kept warning me that we should bring both cars to town the day of the shower to make sure we could get all the gifts home, but I assumed this was an over exaggeration.  Nope.

Amazing.  Somehow Morgan did manage to fit it all into his car.  I may have had a few bags on my lap during the drive home, but he made it fit.  Tetris Master.  And now it's all crammed into one corner of our living room while I sort thru and organize it all.  Wow!

At the shower I was in shock at the generosity of my family and friends.  I was having too much fun to stop and really let it sink in.  But it hit me yesterday.  Going thru all those boxes and bags I was so overwhelmed with thankfulness.  We are pretty much set now on the baby supply front.  And to be able to say that is a huge burden lifted off us.  The journey to this point with my infertility has not been an easy one.  But then add in the cost of almost a full year of treatments, medications, supporting my MIL, and then loosing my job at almost 8 months pregnant - well, I felt guilty spending money on cute stuff for the baby.  Don't have to worry about that anymore.  So thankful.

So yeah.  I'm pretty blissed out and happily nesting with my arsenal of swaddle blankets, owl shaped pillows, diapers, outfits, quilts, and anything else you can think of.  I know only a handful of those who attended the shower read this blog, but thank you from the bottom of my heart!

37 Weeks

1.  I am very uncomfortable.  The top of my belly aches with tightness.  I can't lift my left leg for some reason.  Sleep is a joke.  My 12 pound cat seems to think the belly shelf is his personal perch and keeps jumping on it no matter how many times I yelp in pain and push him away.  But I am thankful to be in this uncomfortable state.  I can't wait to finally be a mother.

2.  I have said F You to the weight watching.  I have managed to make it this far with only 18 pounds gained.  Which means today I bought 3 boxes of these.

Judge all you want.  Shake your finger at me for consuming empty calories.  I don't care.  I have 3 boxes of happiness.

3.  Today the Dr said I am 50% effaced and 1 centimeter dilated.  Which is great!  And it means I should make it to my baby shower on Sunday without problem.  Yay upon Yay's!  Then come Monday I'll be doing as much walking and raspberry leaf tea drinking I can force upon myself to bring on baby.  

4.  Happy Valentines Day!  Dinner at the Schmankerl Stube (my favorite German restaurant) on Sunday with the boys was our V-day celebration.  So today I'm cooking dinner and a dessert of some kind for the hubby.  Speaking of dessert - take a look at the deliciousness that is the Schmankerl Stube raspberry cake.  It's their special dessert for Valentines weekend, the only time you can get it.  And it is delicious!

The Chub Is So Cute

Face with hand to the left of his eye.

Today is 36 weeks & 4 days.

Chubby cheeked face.

Today he is said to weigh 7 pounds, 10 ounces.  They kept commenting on how he's short and round.  Like a bulldog or Danny Devito.

Frowny face with hand and tiny thumb around eye.

Today my Dr looked at me and smiled as she suggested some things for me to do in order to bring on labor sooner rather than later.

Side profile, hand to left of face, arm across mouth, tiny ear!

In the past month he has gained 2 pounds, 7 ounces.  He is now in the 83%.  Dr says if he reaches 90% that is when she will start trying to suggest a c-section to me.  But she would prefer if we never have to have that conversation.  And the whole time Morgan is snickering and beaming like the already proud father he is.  Mongo, destroyer of wombs, indeed.

Getting Closer

Due March 4th. Less than 30 days. Less than a month from now. But no guarantee that I'll last the full 40 weeks. I've been having menstral like cramping and random mild contractions. This weekend it suddenly dawned on us that this baby is coming soonish. Maybe we should, you know, get ready for him.

Yes. We are brilliant.

So we now have a nursery set up with a crib. Nothing else is in that room, other than random baby supplies we have picked up or been given. But it's a start! February 19th can't get here fast enough. That's my baby shower date and I am determined to not go crazy with the baby shopping and nesting till after that. So cross your fingers for me that Mongo stays put till at least the 20th! We don't even have a car seat yet, so we really need him to stay in there till we get that at the shower. (yes, I am a registry stalker and know that some beautiful person out there has purchased that item!)

We are really getting excited over here. And Morgan has been great with helping and being totally understanding about my limited energy/bending ability. Things are pretty cramped and tight up in here. I know Mongo agrees with that statement as he keeps pushing around in an attempt to make more room for himself. I think he wants me to build an addition for him. Preferably off to the right side of my womb. Perhaps with a sun porch or a rec room.

36 weeks, y'all! It's all feeling so real now.