closer than we thought???

So sorry to be such a blog slacker (seems to be a re-occurring theme lately) but I really haven't had much down time since we got back from our Tennessee trip. Got home last Monday, I worked Tuesday and Wednesday nights (2 absolutely AWFUL shifts), and I didn't really even get to caught back up on sleep until Saturday. Just in time for me to work last night. Ha! But I did have my 36 week appointment last Friday and in spite of the insomnia, back pain, and swelling - things are looking promising :)


[A favorite shot from our maternity shoot with Cassie. Was 35+ weeks here.]

The first thing I said when Dr. D walked in and asked how I was feeling was that I was certain she had dropped very LOW over the past week. (Hence the every 30 minute bathroom trips and the "screwdriver" sensation of her head turning and pushing down...) He didn't intend to do an internal - just to palpate to make sure her head was down. But when he couldn't even feel her head he thought twice. Either (a) she was breech, or (b) she really was just THAT low. Well - I was right! Her head was totally engaged and at 36 weeks I was already dilated to a 2.5!

VERY exciting news for me since I did ZERO dilating with Knox and was induced at 40 weeks from a 0. (Not fun.) So yeah - even if I don't go in to labor within the next 2 weeks or so, I'll atleast have a good start! Although I'm really hoping I can do it on my own. Just for the experience :)

So that news put me in to nesting hyper-drive and all my time not sleeping has been spent getting things done...

- Swings, carseats, etc. are washed/sanitized and installed. And my car has been detailed. (Huge accomplishment for me.)



- Bottles, pacies, and pump supplies have been run through the sterilizer and organized in to a "Hadley" shelf. Originally, both of these were "Knox" shelves, so I had to sort through and store the majority of his 63 sippy cups. Shhhh - don't tell him ;)

- Sorted through Knox's old clothes and toys and pulled out the generic things we could use. All have been washed and organized.



- Got our bags from TN unpacked and packed up our hospital ones. They're [for the most part] ready to go. The way I see it, as long as we have the important things - the cord blood kit, the camera, and BOWS - we'd be OK if I went in to labor tonight. After all, we live all of 4 minutes away... I also made sure to include my cutest PJs. Because I WILL be delivering among co-workers!  *The present is for Knox. "From" Hadley... My attempt to get these 2 started out on good terms. I want nothing more than for my babes to be best friends... For Knox to be the protective big brother... For Hadley to just idolize him... For them to know and crave a relationship with Jesus Christ... And to both feel equally loved and spoiled by their parents... Ok yeah - I think that's it ;) Now is that too much to ask???

- Last night at work I got a head start on my Thank You notes. Our friends and family have already been SO generous, if I don't start now I'll never catch up! Luckily I actually enjoy doing this. There's nothing like a sweet hand-written note on cute stationary ;)

- And while taking inventory of what we have/need - I relized we were completely lacking in one area... BURP CLOTHES. We had 2. Well, I took care of that little problem...





I dug out some of my favorite fabric scraps and pieced them on to chenille (which I'm up to my ears in ever since I bought some for a project, thought I'd lost it, and bought more), and a few clothe diapers I'd used with Knox that still looked descent. The result - 9 (and counting) adorable personalized burp clothes at no cost :) I'm kind of partial to the tri-fold chenille ones though because they are floppier and skinnier. Perfect 'diaper bag size'.

- I am O-B-S-S-E-S-S-E-D with storage baskets for organization. They're all over my house. Thanks to Michael's and Home Good's - my 2 go-to stores for cheap baskets - I was able to pick up several for the nursery (toys, shoes, bows, blankets, hats, etc.) and this large flatter one...



...To serve as my little "Burps & Booty" station bedside our bed. So between this and the cradle, I'll have everything I need within an arm's reach. I even picked up a little mini-lamp at Kirkland's so I won't completely blind James. Unless he's in the dog house, of course. Then I'll use the big lamp and insist on him waking up to burp ;)

I've got one more smaller sewing project to tackle and then I'll go back to work on the bedding. I've come to grips with the fact that the room is not going to be ready by the time we bring Hadley home, and I'm suprisingly OK with that. I just have big plans on finishing it while she hangs out in the porta-swing with me in the craft room ;) Although I do feel a little bit guilty when I log on to Facebook and see that all of my friends who are half as pregnant as I am already have finished nurseries and the whole nine yards. Then I remember... We just moved. And I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD! Yeah - it's definitely a different story the second time around. Knox may have had brand new equipment and a finished nursery, but I didn't have the time or means to do nearly as much handmade/personalized things as I have with Hadley...

Anyway - other than all that, Knox had his first dentist appointment this morning (he was very TWO), I have a sinus infection, I work again Thursday night, and have my 37 week appointment on Friday, for which I'm sure I'll have another update :)