Ten Days

Instagram taken by Sharon after our weekend trip to the Goshen Farmer's Market

Ten more days until baby girl is due to arrive. Ten. more. days.

It just doesn't seem possible that in less than two weeks, Christopher and I will be parents. I just can't even. I've washed teeny tiny onesies and the smallest socks in the world. Christopher has assembled the bassinet (and disassembled it to discourage kitty naps for the time being.) The carseat base has been installed in the back of our car, ready to go. Diapers, baby shampoo, blankets galore: check, check, check. We've essentially been preparing for this for the past nine months, but I still don't feel ready. The only thing I haven't done yet is pack the hospital bag... I'm half afraid that if I cross that last thing off my list, baby girl will know and I'll go into labor immediately.

Even though I've had it pretty easy with my pregnancy overall, I'm definitely feeling huge pregnant these days. Swollen feet, achey hips, a distinct waddle. Pregnancy is not a glamorous thing, don't let anyone fool you. Also, the dream hair and glowy skin they always tell you about? It's a lie, too, at least for this mama. Baby girl has stolen my beauty like the old wives' tale said she would... but it's totally worth it.

All that said, I'm besides myself with excitement. I can't wait to meet our little girl! (duh.)
TEN MORE DAYS!

Kitties + Pregnancy

Oh, just some of my favorite Catstagrams

Before I was pregnant, our kitty Ulia was my snuggle buddy. Most nights, she would curl up next to me in bed and purr herself to sleep. Cutest thing ever. Once I found out I was pregnant, though, I distanced myself from her quite a bit out of fear of contracting toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection occasionally found in kitty litter that can cause severe birth defects. Scary stuff, right?

My doctor said the chances of contracting the disease from Ulia are low, especially since she's a house cat, but that hasn't stopped me from being extremely paranoid cautious about it. That has meant no more kitty snuggles, kisses, or squishes. So sad!

I've been trying to give her a little extra attention in these few final weeks before baby arrives. After all, she is our first baby, and I'm not sure how she'll react to having an actual baby around (cat moms, any tips?) So among all the baby posts that have been popping up on GH lately, I thought I would dedicate this one to her.

I love that squishable belly, those little white paws, and her raccoon tail.

36 Weeks

Only four more weeks until my due date. One month. Technically, I've been drafting this post for a while and today is the very last day of my 36 week stretch, so we really only have three more weeks before baby girl comes (give or take a few days, of course.) EEEP!

Looking back over the past nine months, I realize that I haven't written all that much about my pregnancy here on Gathered Heart... in fact, the last bump photo I shared was three months ago! That's completely unintentional. Between trips to the hospital for appointments and birthing classes, weeknights and Saturdays spent house hunting, and the general fatigue that comes with creating a little life, it seems that all my creative energy has been zapped. My free time is spent on the couch, watching New Girl and eating Half Baked with Christopher, and that's the way I like it.

Sometimes, especially after a quick visit to Pinterest or Facebook, I feel guilty for not doing more (you know, between the morning sickness, backaches, acne, swollen feet and all the other joys of pregnancy.) Then I realize, baby girl isn't going to care whether or not I have taken weekly bump photos, or that her nursery is still in the planning phase. Really, when she gets here, all she's going to care about is sleeping, eating, and having a dry bum.

And then, after a little while, she's going to care about the bedtime story we read together at night. The way her daddy tosses her high in the air and catches her without fail. She's going to care about big pushes on the swing set, bug hunts, tea parties, trips to the zoo. That's the stuff I can't wait to document, the things I look forward to most. Being a family.

Three more weeks, baby girl! Get here safely!

Oh Baby!

As some of you may already know, Christopher and I had our official mid-pregnancy ultrasound last Friday morning. This sweet baby of ours is a healthy, kicking little girl!

I honestly thought we were having a boy (although deep down I did have my suspicions.) Christopher and I both grew up in happy homes with big brothers and were hoping our family dynamic would be the same, but it looks like things will be a little different for us! More than anything, we're happy this little one has all her fingers and toes, a perfect beating heart, tiny little bones. I was on edge for a good chunk of the ultrasound with that irrational motherly "what if..." fear, so I was so thrilled when our tech told us everything looked good. Then we went out and bought an insane amount of pink.

After 23 weeks, I think I'm finally beginning to feel pregnant. My belly is becoming rounder and I've been feeling little flutters for about a month now. Last Wednesday, I felt baby girl's first official kick. It was so strong that I jumped out of shock! And then of course, I cried. I'm so emotional these days anything makes me cry... sappy commercials, a text from Chris, the Story Corps segment on NPR. Oh baby, indeed.