31 weeks and the first day of summer vacation!

So much has gone on in the last weeks....lots of stress at work, check ups, packing up a classroom, report cards, 2 baby showers at work, lots of good byes...it's been quite a roller coaster but we got through it. As I sit and type this entry, I am sitting on the couch, two doggies at my side, drinking my favorite chocolate moo milk, eating my favorite cereal watching the Today Show, and trying to wrap my head around the fact that I don't have to go to work until "I don't know when." As hard as I try, I can't seem to really understand or comprehend NOT going to school/work in September and that in just a few short weeks, I will be a mom-there will be a baby that is OURS in this house. It just doesn't seem real.

Work: In short, the last two weeks at work were extremely stressful, almost to the point where Dr. Werbin-Silver wanted me to stay home the last couple of days. I was having a lot of those Braxton Hicks contractions both in school and at night at home when I'd try to relax going to bed. I'm just glad that it's all over. It was very hot and I had a lot to pack up at school. I don't know what will happen when I go back, when I will go back, or where I will be put, but I'm just glad it's over and I can focus on things that are more important and not on the crazy drama that is a daily ritual there. On the 14th, the staff got together after school and had a shower for me. Baby Boy got so many clothes! It was really nice. My mom and dad were both there and Marisa brought our other FGL baby for a visit! 

Okay Sabrina, give me that baby!

Baby Melina and me <3

Table of goodies at school shower

I planned an end of the year party for my class last Monday and, to my (sort of) surprise, the class moms had planned a shower for me from my class. I was completely overwhelmed by all the gifts and how many parents showed up. It was really very sweet and it was very hard not to get teary in front of the kids. They gave me this scrapbook of "Wishes for the Baby." Each child wrote notes to me and wished me luck. Some wrote about what they hope the baby is like. It was hard to hold back the hormonal tears. I was very overwhelmed. 

So now I'm home for a couple of weeks before I'm off to do some curriculum work. I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that school is over and I can relax....there is still so much left to do and this baby is coming soon!

Love the "Baby" cake - made by Lisa Goetchius (love her)

My kiddoddles

Madisen-she thinks I'm naming the baby Marvin, even thought I've told her about 7,000 times that's not the baby's name. She even wrote it all over her leg on the last day of school.

I look absolutely elephant like in this picture (which was Madisen's original name for the baby before Marvin). This is what she would do to me all day from February until the last day of school.

Birthing Class

Amidst of all of the chaos this week (Relay for Life, my shower, etc.), I totally forgot to mention my child birthing class, which was quite interesting, but honestly, they really didn't give me any information I didn't know. We got to see the L & D floor again, we saw babies in the nursery (which I LOVE), and they basically gave a lot of information that I had read tons and tons about over the last 2 years because, I as I mentioned in a previous post, I am an information person and need to know and see things before they happen. I'm totally not a surprise person....

I just find it very amusing when people try to throw their "opinions" on you about a topic. For instance, the two big ones are breastfeeding and natural childbirth. I don't really get a lot of flack about breastfeeding because I plan on doing it, but the natural childbirth people drive me crazy. My feeling about child birth is that the baby is going to come out how and when he wants. There have been so many advances in the medical field that can make this a somewhat comfortable experience. I am not putting myself through hours and hours of insane amounts of pain so that I can "say" I gave birth naturally. Then people get all judgmental and criticize you when you give your opinion about things, meanwhile they are saying their way is the ONLY way to do it right. My whole mantra now is to just say "Whatever." Apparently you become public property when you are pregnant and people think they can say whatever they want to you. It's hard not to get worked up and flip out and it's hard to keep good boundaries during all of this...especially as the days and weeks creep by.

My Baby Shower!

It seems like only yesterday that we were telling everyone that we were having a baby...it's hard to believe that today was my baby shower. Am I really 28 weeks pregnant? Has it really gone by this fast?

My shower was AMAZING, of course. Any party hosted by anyone in my family is generally pretty over the top and fantastic (not to be conceited or anything, but my family really knows how to do parties.) My momma hosted a baby shower brunch at the Lexington Square Cafe in Mount Kisco, NY. And no, it wasn't a surprise-she had that thrill when I got married at my bridal shower. I needed to be involved in this party. The theme (or sorta theme) was "baby clothes line" since that's what my invitations were. The cake was decorated just like the invitation and the room we had the party in had a long clothesline hanging for people to hang onesies and clothes. The tables were decorated with white baskets filled with yellow star gazer lilies that people could take home. My Sissy made the favors-"Baby Cakes." Everyone got a box of 4 cupcakes to take home-all decorated with different baby goodies, like a fondant bottle, white onesie, and blue chocolate shoes. Most amazing.

I think the one thing that really overwhelmed me was how generous everyone was. I can't believe how much stuff we got. I remember thinking the same thing at my bridal shower, but holy, I was totally not expecting to get almost everything we had asked for. I was truly at a loss for words (and those of you who know me, know how rare that is). I feel truly blessed by everyone's generosity and am so grateful for having such a wonderful day to spend time with the people I love most in the whole world. There were people that I missed having there, but they were there in spirit. It was such a great day that I will never forget.

I've posted some photos below from the shower in case you were there and wanted to see or in case you missed it!

Early pics with sissy and 2 cousins

Most delicious chocolate raspberry cake ever!

Me with my sissybearfluffybunny

Sissy's cupcakes

Round 1 of presents...3 carloads worth.

Yay for the MMS friends!

Sissy's Babycake Favors

Me, Sissy, and Momma Bear

Yay for my FGL friends! <3 you!