Belly Pic

Ok, here I am at 35 weeks and 4 days! I'm starting to be just huge!! My sweet friend Jenifer said she didn't see a difference between me like 2 days ago and me at my baby shower! I looked at the last picture and the picture today and she's wrong (though I appreciate her saying it anyway!)!!

T.I.S.

Torturous Itchy Syndrome-otherwise known as PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy). My sister, Lisa, and I like TIS better. Anyway, by any name, I've got it. Apparently it's a pregnancy rash that is more common in first time pregnancies (and now I'm less likely to have it in subsequent pregnancies) and in those resulting in a male child. It's no fun, though! I told my doc about it last Monday and by the weekend my lower legs were covered in a red, bumpy, itchy rash that I kept scratching open. It was horrible! My doctor recommended a lotion (because there's no "cure" other than having the baby!) that Shane and I bought and it was my only relief. Thankfully, a friend of mine online recommended a PUPPP relief soap. I found it online (http://www.rainiersoapworks.com/puppp_relief.htm if you're interested) and bought 2 bars. They came in the mail last Thursday and WOW!! I'm now using it once or twice a day and the rash and bumps and scabs have finally started to heal!! I think this and the morning sickness have been the two worst parts of this pregnancy!!

In other news, I'm now getting the belly ocean wave movement I've always heard about! It's so fun to just watch my belly move! He's running out of room in there with only about 4 weeks left till my due date!!!

I'm starting to feel ready to have this baby on the OUTside! I'm ready to see what he looks like and who he is and what kind of personality he has! I'm still enjoying feeling him move though and we still have several things to buy for him (no car seat yet!!), too. So 4 weeks seems like a pretty good amount of time...though check back with me in 2 weeks and we'll see!

Shower and Nursery

I had my baby shower this weekend. My friend Jocelyn generously had it at her house. My friend Jenifer, my sister Lisa, and my cousin Paula were the other hostesses. I can't express just how much I appreciate all that all of them did for me. They put a lot of hard work into it and I appreciate it so much! My shower was beautiful, the food was yummy, and I had a great time! Shane and I feel so blessed to have so many generous, kind friends who are helping us get ready for this little guy! We really were amazed by people's generosity!

We have been working on setting up our nursery. Shane painted it light green, installed some trim, painted the ceiling, painted the closet doors (we have horrid closet doors throughout the house), and just generally redid the room. Of course he refinished the floors all through the house several weeks ago with his best friend.

Shane, Autumn, and I put together his crib last weekend...she is so excited about her baby brother!

After the shower yesterday, Shane and I have been able to get the nursery a lot more put together! My mom made INCREDIBLE bedding, curtains, cushions for our rocker, and a lamp! She has decided she is also going to make a diaper stacker. Shane and I spent our afternoon putting together the stuff that we got at the shower that required assembly. I have to say it's crazy having a baby swing in the living room (not to mention the bassinet in my bedroom)!! I can't believe we're finally here...that we're really planning on bringing a baby boy into this house to live in just a few short months!! I'll get some pictures online once I finish getting things more organized in there.

New Belly Pic

Here is the latest belly pic. It was taken last week at 28 weeks, 6 days (or around 7 months).

What's in a Name?

We named our baby boy this weekend. His name is Dillon Chas. The middle name has special significance to us. My father in law's middle name was Charles, my mother in law's father's middle name was Charles. My father and grandfather's middle names were Carrol (a form of Charles). Shane had a good friend in high school who was later murdered named Chaz. Chas is a form of Charles, by the way. So we feel the middle name we chose honors 5 men who meant a lot to us but are not here to share in the joy of our new son. The first name means "son of the sea". It is the Irish spelling as befitting both of our ancestry (and our Scottish last name) and the extra bonus is my (step)dad's favorite musician is Bob Dylan. My sister especially likes the meaning of his first name because she calls him "Turtle"! We've kind of gone crazy on the "turtle" theme. The nursery bedding will be pond themed with turtles and frogs. My mom is making the bedding. It will have 70s type materials in green, turqouise and brown. I think it will be super cute! I'll post pics of it when she finishes it. Everything seems to be coming together and we're very excited to meet Dillon in around 3 months!!

New Belly Pic

Here is a new belly pic. It's already several weeks old but this is me at 23 weeks, 6 days pregnant (around 6 months). I'm 26 now! It's amazing to me how fast parts of this pregnancy are going!!

And the verdict is......

BOY!

We had our "big" ultrasound on Friday and we found out most importantly that our baby has all his parts and is perfectly healthy. Secondly, we learned that he's a BOY! He has a cute button nose just like Autumn which Shane proclaimed the "LastName" Nose!! (His/our last name of course!) He is a very handsome guy already. I bought the cutest little sleeper that is blue with navy designs of guitars, drumsets, and music notes on it! Now Autumn has a couple "rockstar" shirts, Daddy has his guitar shirt (not to mention a few band ones), and baby boy has a "rockstar" sleeper! I guess I need to get something! Shane says a shirt that says, "This Mom Rocks!" We're on cloud nine right now! I will post ultrasound pics and maybe even a pic of the sleeper later.