Last Day of School and One Month Until the Due Date

Today is a big day for me (Julie)...it is the last day of school with kids and it marks the one month until the due date!! It really didn't feel like the last day of school, but I know the kids are super excited about getting out...me...well...it just means that much closer to finishing my masters and meeting my little man...can't wait!!!

35 Weeks Down, 35 Days to Go ...

It is so hard to believe that we are at the 35 week point in the pregnancy. I say we, because I hope that in some aspects it has been a team effort, though I can promise you Julie's doing all the heavy work :)

In the past 35 weeks, I've seen Julie blossom from a loving wife to a loving mother. She's so excited about this baby (I am excited, too, but there is just something about Mothers) that I know she is counting down the days ... 35 to be exact until she can hold Turner. In the past week, following our unfortunate trip to the hospital, a la Burger King, we've been blessed with two fantastic showers and an outpouring of gifts from friends, family and colleagues. There are two more showers left on the schedule and all I can say is that Turner is going to have a very posh childhood. There are warmers for bottles and wipes, there are gymnasiums for the floor that have all the bells and whistles that would blow Walt Disney's imagination, not to mention some of the most adorable clothes!

The picture above is from our good friend and family photographer extraordinaire Reagan Powell (check out Memories of a Lifetime on Flickr). We had these shots done on Mother's Day and Julie just looks so amazing. I joked that I was only eye-candy for the photo shoot, but anyone that sees these knows that I am by far the luckier one! We've been so blessed by God to have every need met, a healthy pregnancy, a loving home to bring our baby into, and such great friends. We're 35 days away and I can't wait to see what other awesome things God has prepared for us.

Welcome Back to Work ...

So after the chaos that was this past weekend, today was a wonderful day to get back to work. Just to recap the weekend quickly ... Thursday, Julie gets food poisoning and goes to the hospital. Seven IV bags, contractions, a shot to stop said contractions, two rooms, an ultrasound, lots of 15-minute naps, and we finally get home Saturday. I get her settled just in time for a sinus infection later that night, complete with 103-degree temperature on Sunday. The medicated two of us rested on Monday before getting her released to drive and go back to work at the OB/GYN on Tuesday ... and I had detailed the car where the fun started on the side of the road that Thursday afternoon.

Today was a return to normalcy. Our regular 5a.m. wakeup, me getting breakfast and lunch done and heading to work. I have to admit I was still a bit weak and foggy for my 9a.m. Main Street Board Meeting. The excitement though had to be getting to go to the shower thrown by my staff (Thanks Kyle and Juanita) and the City Clerk. Several dear friends and colleagues showed up. After a fantastic cake and some punch Julie and I got the chance to open some terrific gifts. We got some cute outfits (one perfect for Georgia games!), a couple of gyms for his muscle growth, a set of baby monitors, a beach dome (perfect for Hilton Head), a bassinet pad and sheets, bottle brushes, baby toiletries, the cutest sock (that look like converse tennis shoes in every color), a beautiful engraved photo frame, rocker, a bottle cooler, a bottle warmer, a luvy, and gift cards. It completely filled my car and my heart. Such great friends!

The day was perfect, but another gift awaited at home. Our carseat and stroller system from Britax. Now we can bring the baby home (legally)! I have to admit that I walked around the house pretending Little T was already in it. I practiced picking up and putting it down without josseling him too much. I also practiced taking the handle to the down and up positions as well as rocking. Only a few more weeks left, but I'm getting more ready every day.

Good News!!

Great News!! We went to the doctor this afternoon and I am good to go back to my "normal" routine. He checked me and said that Turner is not ready to come...he is head down, but nothing "else" is ready. That is wonderful news for us...we want him to cook as long as he needs...plus, it gives me more time to get things "just right" for him here around the house! Although, if he did come at any moment the car seat is set to arrive tomorrow afternoon...so after tomorrow afternoon he is welcome to come anytime :) The doctor also informed us that he did not think I was growing a 9 pounder, but that he is not going to be a 6 pounder either...he predicts high 7's low 8's as far as weigh goes...and I predict from the kicking and leg movements he is going to have some really strong legs!! He may have his momma's thighs...hahahaha ...although I did squat 325 pounds in high school. Regardless of what he weighs or looks like, we just are so excited that through all this crazy sickness he is doing great...there is no telling what he was thinking during the really "rough" times on Thursday night and Friday morning...he probably thought his momma had gone crazy...of course I kinda have gone crazy since the moment I found out I was pregnant...I cry at everything...I was NEVER a crier before...I am more protective of everything and I know the moment I see him the first time that is overprotective self is going to go into hyper-mode! I can't wait until I am Turner's mommy! I thank God everyday for giving him to us and in just a few short weeks I am going to hold this precious gift in my arms!

To feel human again...

Well, this is Julie...let me share with you what has been going on in our lives for the last few days...

It all started on Thursday afternoon...we were going to have a Talent Show at school at 7pm that night so I decided that I would go grab a snack after school and then come back and work on my Masters Capstone with my fellow teacher, Kelli. Well, I just went through Burger King drive-thru (BIG mistake)...well, Kelli and I were just working away on our project everything was going good...although my stomach started rumbling...just thought it was from a long day. In the meantime, Billy made it to school to help me take down stuff for the end of the year since my preggo belly is not allowing me to reach certain places that I have posters and decorations. Well, the time was 6:45pm...I remember because I was thinking about going to get changed for the talent show when my stomach started to REALLY hurt...I went to the bathroom and told Billy and Kelli that I needed to get home and just lay down that I was in NO shape to do anymore work or be in the talent show...well, I made it halfway home and with about a 2 second warning...well...you can just imagine...Billy had not seen me pull off on the side of the road so it took him about 5 minutes to find me...although I had 3 people pull over and ask if I was okay and if they could call anybody for me...there are really good people still out there!! Then one of my most favorite people Mrs. Whitmire and her husband happen to be driving down the same road I was on the side of...they stopped...I had to be the grosses sight...anyways...Billy finally made it and I drove myself the rest of the way home.

Once we were home things just got worse...I couldn't stop getting sick...so after Billy was on the phone with the doctor the decision was made to take me to the hospital...we finally made it there around 11:45 Thursday night. They quickly got me to a room and on monitors to which everyone was surprise to know that I was having contractions! They were coming 1 minute a part to 10 minutes a part, but little did I know what was going on...at this point I was so out of it...I was still getting sick every 20 to 30 minutes. After signing what felt like 100 papers that Billy was pretty much just pointing and telling me sign...they put the IV in, after two tries because my veins were not good because of the dehydration. They started giving me shots to get the contractions to stop and shots to get me to stop getting sick.

After a few hours the contractions stopped and the getting sick slowed down to every few hours. Needless to say we didn't sleep that night and at 8:30 Friday morning they came to do an ultrasound on the baby...well, guess what...he was just happy as could be...they said that he already weighs 5 and 1/2 pounds :) and everything looked great with him! Hooray!! There is no telling what he thought was going on the whole time...but he was just kicking and moving which normally I love, but when I was feeling so sick didn't help matters...but it gave me reassurance that he was good.

The doctor wanted me to stay until at least Saturday afternoon so that I could get rehydrated..so around 4ish Saturday we finally left the hospital for home. They put me on modified bed rest and instructed me to not do anything until Tuesday afternoon when I will go see the doctor again. So here I am...just waiting, sitting, taking it easy...just Turner and me...he is moving and kicking as I write this...

I have to give Billy a lot of credit...he definitely proved (not that he had to) that he is going to be a wonderful father!! He had to see, catch, smell, clean and take care of stuff that NO ONE should have to unless it is for their kid and even then most men wouldn't even come close, but make their wives do it...but he did it without even hesitating. He was wonderful!! And bless his heart...he ended up with a really bad sinus infection and having to go to the doctor.

If anything this has given me the hurry up mode...and I came home and ordered the carseat just in case he decides to come early and I have ordered a few more things that I want to be here when he gets here...so it has definitly made me realize that he could be here anyday!! I am excited, but nervous at the same time...I can't wait to meet this little man, but at the same time I want him to be good and ready to come on his own! :)

Amazed ...

I grow more amazed by the day. I cannot even begin the phathom how she feels. I see the results of this wear on her body everyday. I see the constant checking of her sugar. I see that she cannot eat her favorite things. I see her get out of breath walking up the hills in our neighborhood. I see the swollen ankles at night. I hear the nightly trips to the bathroom. I see the occassional cringe when Turner kicks too hard in unfortunate spots. I see them, but I cannot feel them. I guess that's both the beauty and tragedy of fatherhood.

There are several times that I think to myself that there is no way I can be a good father. Being a father means providing a better life. It means passing on knowledge, but most times I find myself with more and more questions and less and less answers. Fatherhood means taking care of everything ... but even now I mess up with just to two of us. If it wasn't for Julie, I'd be completely lost.

Then I look at Julie. I don't know how she does it. She gets up early, I mean 5:30 a.m. early. She goes to work in the most admirable profession. She works on her masters. She puts on the Service League 5K. She makes sure the bills are paid. She handles the physical and emotional aspects of pregnancy. She is simply amazing. She always gets things done.

I'm amazed beyond belief at what this beautiful woman can do. I know that she makes me look better. She picks up my slack. She carries my fumbles for touchdowns. She keeps me in line like no one else can when I get a big head or get cocky. She is my rock. I know that this baby will mean a lot of change for me, for us. I know that it will be the biggest change to ever hit my life. I know that it will become less about me and more about them. I know that with the hand of God I can do it. I'm not perfect, but with Julie I feel perfectly complete.

Sometimes I get nervous. Sometimes I get concerned. Then I look at her and I am amazed.