Watermelon

Happy almost Independence Day everyone! I hope you have a nice relaxing day planned for tomorrow, and the extended weekend if you're lucky enough to have Friday off too! (Not so lucky here!) Tomorrow I'm going to sleep in and do some baby prep or cleaning before a picnic at my mother's house. A laid back family gathering with good food and company is exactly what I need to break up this long week. As you can imagine, my days and weeks seem to be getting longer and longer. Sometimes I think time stops all together during the uncomfortable sleepless nights I've been having. But tomorrow is a time to forget all of that and RELAX with my loved ones. When I asked my mother what to bring to the picnic, she said, "How about a watermelon?" Ha ha ... I get it ...

It just so happens I carry a watermelon with me quite a lot these days, as that is the new "fruit measurement" of my little girl. 6 pounds, 5 ounces of juicy delight. We just went to the doctor last night for an ultrasound and check-up. Baby's head is down, and ready to deploy. She was stretching, and drinking, and waving at mommy and daddy, as if to say "Can't wait to meet you in person!" Well, we can't wait either, little one, so hurry up and come on out!

I'm really happy with the progress we've made in preparation for our sweet little arrival. I'd say the nursery is compete, minus the rocker, which should be coming soon. I recently bought a bookshelf from Target that I turned into an open closet with tension rods for hanging outfits, and pretty baskets for folded blankets and onesies. I'm really happy with the way it came out. Thanks to Pinterest for the idea! It certainly helps for a small old house like ours, with no closet and limited room for a large dresser. Plus, seeing these adorable outfits on display is refreshing. Every day, if I'm feeling stressed or sad, or if I need to gain a little baby perspective, I go and sit in the nursery, look at all the stuff, and feel better. The sleepless nights, the getting up to pee every 20 minutes, the general lack of energy or motivation to do anything at all, really takes a back seat when I shake a baby rattle or hold a tiny dress in my hands.

I keep saying to myself, "Keep your eye on the prize!" With less than 4 weeks till the baby's due date, and the possibility for her to decide to come any time before then, I really need to stay focused on the end result, and a little less consumed by the day to day ... misery? My pregnancy reminds me of the movie "What to Expect When You're Expecting." If you've never seen it, two women, who are pregnant at the same time, have polar opposite pregnancies. One woman is happy all the time, barely phased by the whole ordeal, and bubbly and elated in everything she does. The other? Not so much. As you can imagine, the second woman's pregnancy resonates much more with me. Sure there are happy times, when someone says, "you look great!" or you feel the baby kick, or you set up the nursery. However, most days you're too sick to move, or too emotional to function. The kicker to the movie was that most women appreciated the honesty of the painful, miserable pregnancy rather the perfect one.

Now, I wouldn't say I'm MISERABLE, but this pregnancy was certainly not what I imagined it would be. And for all I know, the next one might be completely different! I just think it's important to be open and honest rather than feel like there's something wrong with me. I know I'm not alone! I also know that pregnancy, good, bad, or ugly, will still yield the greatest gift anyone can hope for, and that is worth sticking it out for. So if you see me looking overwhelmed, or hear me complain one too many times, you are free to remind me to ... come on, everyone, let's say it together ... "Keep your eye on the prize!!!"

I hope you all have a great 4th of July. Have a slice of watermelon for me!

xoxo Liz