8 weeks to go!

My mom and I at the "Girlie" Shower

How am I feeling?

Good enough to post pictures!

My hand is ALWAYS numb. I wrote about 30 thank you notes on Saturday and really regretted it on Sunday morning. I had a hand hangover. Also, I will not be styling my hair as much for the next eight weeks... which gives me the perfect opportunity to try the curly girl method to styling curly hair that I found on Pinterest, unless it turns out I'm just too lazy for that, then I will do the greasy, frizzy with extra fly aways ponytail method that I learned in college.

The ladies are excited!

After two baby showers this weekend, a couples shower on Friday and a girlie shower on Saturday, I also feel extremely thankful and lucky to have so many thoughtful friends and family members.

The hosts made all of my favorite foods - which it seems all
include cream cheese. And look at that strawberry cake!
 And the Charlie needlepoint thingie! They made those!

They showed up in full force and "showered" us with awesome swag for Charlie. That so many people wanted to celebrate with us and support us made both Preston and I feel really special.

I keep thinking...

• My arms look fat! My hips look fat! I thought I looked good in the mirror, but in that picture I just posed for, I look fat! I thought I could fit through that space between the wall and that chair, but I can't and now I feel fat! That person just looked at me and now I feel fat! I thought I looked fat in that photo from back in December, but that maternity skirt I was wearing doesn't fit anymore and that makes me feel FAT!

• So many people give much better gifts that I give. Seriously. I've received some amazing gifts from everyone at the baby showers this weekend. I know handmade stuff by me isn't going to impress anyone, so I need to up my gift budget!

• I would pay extra to purchase baby items that are preassembled - pack n' play, swing, bouncer. I also wonder how profitable an "assembly" business might be... for special events like baby items, Christmas and birthday parties. You buy it, we put it together. I think people would pay for that.

Pres and my dad put together the swing while
Cooper made sure there was no funny business.

• No vacation planning for this girl. I've realized that I keep trying to do things like plan dream vacations and rip out the plants in my flower beds and replace them with a scene from a photo in Southern Living Magazine when what I need to be doing is reading the labor and delivery chapter in What to Expect When You're Expecting. Although, I will say that Preston did some excellent flower beds last week while I stood behind him and pointed to where I wanted to put each petunia and verbena.

• I'm wondering how long it's going to take me to get rid of this extra chin. In the meanwhile, I'm going to name it Carla and say things like, "Geez, Carla is always in my way!" and "Make sure Carla isn't in the picture with us."

Oh Carla, you're funny!

Cravings
Apples, strawberries, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread, cheese cubes are back, tomatoes with avocados, goat cheese and lime juice - at first it was mozzarella with tomatoes and lime, but I guess it's changed a bit.

Sleep

Really, the worst thing about sleeping is that my hands fall asleep. I think the Luna Lullaby pillow has saved my sleep life. I still wake up and have to really try to get back to sleep (NO I am NOT typing this post at 3 am on and Monday morning while washing a load of baby laundry that I won't use for two months!), but I don't have any pain or discomfort issues at night. Except I will say that when I get up to go to the bathroom at night, and when I wake up in the morning, my feet feel tender, but after a shower, it's much better.