Is it May yet???

Ugh.  That's pretty much my attitude today.  On top of all the pregnancy uncomfortablities, now I've been struck by a sinusy, nasaly, throaty wickedness that has me completely drained and miserable.  Yuck.

On the somewhat bright-side, I did go to my 36 week appointment today.  It was short, sweet & to the point.  {However, when I first got there, the power was completely out & I had to take a flashlight with me to use the restroom!  Luckily, the electricity came back on shortly thereafter.}  The baby's heartbeat was 139 and Dr. Cypher said everything looks good.  He even assured me that my grotesquely swollen feet are perfectly normal... annoying and uncomfortable, but perfectly normal.  I go back next week.

Tonight, my friend Megan & I went to get our toes done in celebration of our one-day-apart birthdays.  It.  Was.  Heaven.  I forgot how much I ♥ pedicures.  I chose a neon pink color for my tootsies in hopes that they would distract people from my hideously swollen feet & ankles.  {Have I mentioned that my right ankle now has a roll?  Yep--a roll of skin that flaps over onto my foot.  I am beginning to feel like the Michelin Man.}  Meg seems to think that foot massages will speed up the labor process.  Hmm... as long as I make it to at least 3:00 PM on May 4th (after the Third Grade Wax Museum), I'm up for just about anything.

Here are a few pictures from the Birthday Party/Baby Shower that my third graders threw for me yesterday.  These kids are just too cute.  {Oh, and the wooden woman you see standing outside my door is Mildred.  She's a wooden doll Tyler made for me to use as a decoration outside my classroom.  The kids and I coordinate her outfits for holidays & special events.  As you can see, she's also expecting....}  I didn't post any pics of my students for privacy reasons...and I didn't post any of me for pregnancy reasons.  Here's what's left. 

Birthday, birthday!

Well, I guess this baby & I aren't going to have the same birthday.  I suppose that's alright with me.  I need to keep this little bun in the oven until after our big Third Grade Wax Museum is said & done. 
I must say, I had quite a fabulous 26th birthday {although I accidentally told someone that I was going to be 22--hmm.  Not quite}.  We celebrated with my family on Sunday.  I got lots of fun presents from the fam: Just Around the Block collectibles of Alands Toy Store {I ♥-ed that place when I was little!}and Skate Castle & Butler YMCA {I worked both of those places back in the day}, a pretty nightgown & robe set with matching slippers, some B&BW shower gels & lotions, and of course some birthday money. 
Tyler ordered my birthday cake from the gal who made our wedding cake {soooooooo delicious!} He picked out the design himself {oh, he knows me well}.  I was super excited, not only because this cake has been one of my pregnancy cravings, but because I've never had a 2-layer birthday cake!  And yes, it really was as scrumptious as it looks...

Tyler also got me a digital camcorder {!!!} so I can tape the baby {not the birth...just the baby}.  I've just about got the hang of it... although i think I could give audiences serious cases of motion sickness.  I'm super excited to learn how to post videos and make montages {something I've always, always loved}.   Annnnnd--I also came home to these lovelies:

We also went to W. Rick's {yum!} for dinner.  Today at school, my students threw a surprise birthday party/baby shower for me.  It was pretty much the cutest thing ever.  I'll try to post pics tomorrow of the fun & excitement that ensued! 

Yup.  I'd say I had a pretty fantastic birthday.

Officially 36 Weeks...

My name is Cara... and I'm addicted to juice.  Seriously, though!  These are just the empy juice containers from *this* week!  I am in loooooooove with Mott's apple juice {♥} at the moment {hence the two empty containers}  Food is great & all, but I would so much rather just have a huge glass of juice.  Yesterday, I drank almost an entire 64 ounce container of orange Gatorade all on my own.  Yikes. 

Well, today officially marks my 36th week of pregnancy.  I am horribly emotional.  This weekend I cried sobbed uncontrollably because I didn't want Sadie to die.  There's nothing remotely wrong with Sadie {well, other than her behavior}.  My feet are swollen.  My ankles have all but disappeared.  Even my flip-flops are leaving impressions on the tops of my Hobbit-esque feet.  I can't sleep comfortably.  I have wretched heartburn around the clock.    And on top of it all, I feel like I should be harpooned, beached, or a main attraction at Sea World.  {Yep, you got it--I feel like a whale.}  Ugh... the "joys" of pregnancy.  Hah.

These days, I'm even more anxious for this baby to just be here.  We have all the necessities-- diapers, wipes, crib, stroller, pack & play, car seat, toys, books... now we just need the baby!  I texted Tyler the other day to tell him to mark May 13th on his calendar.  That's the day I decided works best for Baby McGrady to arrive.  {Wishful thinking, perhaps?} We'll see what happens.  I think I'm going to end up kicking myself for telling people I wanted to wait until June.

Nursery Pics- Part One

Here are the some pics (befores & afters, etc.) from Baby McGrady's nursery.  (More to come!)

Tyler re-finished the floors-- they turned out fabulously!

We got a new (& much needed) lighting fixture

The crib was mine when I was a baby!  I am in love with it!

And this is the bedding my mom & dad got for us {I ♥ it!}

And the SadieMonster... just scoping things out.

One Month to Go...

Well, since we're less than one month away from Baby McGrady's anticipated arrival, I thought it would be appropriate to start this kid his or her very own blog.  Today Tyler & I went to our 35 week appointment (holy crud... 35 weeks means there's only 5 weeks left!) and wrote up our 'birth plan' with one of the midwives (Laurie) at Advanced OB/GYN.  Initially, I was pretty skeptical of the idea of a birth plan-- the samples I found online asked for lighting choices, music preferences and lots of other frivolous decisions that the parents-to-be could make.  {I think those types of birth plans must be reserved for the Kardashians or Hiltons because we weren't really given any ambiance options.}  Basically, we just discussed how we'd like the delivery to go... We discussed all the "fun" stuff like contractions, epidurals, cord-cutting, etc.  It wasn't bad at all.  I actually left there feeling pretty prepared.... Well, except in the car-seat knowledge area.  When she asked us today if we knew how to install the car seat & put the baby in it correctly, Tyler & I just looked at each other.  Laurie suggested that we go home & practice hooking up all the straps and latches juuuuust in case.  I took it upon myself to go home & do just that.  When Tyler came home I had Baby McGrady's stuffed Yoda {Seriously, what kid wouldn't want their very own Yoda?} all buckled up & ready to go.  Okay, car seat--check! 

It's hard to believe, but one month from today, there could very well be a new little addition to this family buckled into the car seat instead of that little Yoda doll.  Can't wait!