Bird Watch

The cute, little counter up there is telling me that there are only 10 days until baby bird is due!!! That number sounds both far away and incredibly soon at the same time.

We are officially on "bird watch" here in the Graciano house and the excitement and anticipation are overflowing! Interestingly, though I feel very calm and as Tim has observed, fairly "focused". I have not been intentional about mentally preparing for childbirth, but I think it is happening all the same. I have a deep sense of peace because I know the Lord has given me the desire to be a mother and He will protect me and provide for me. That is not to say that I won't experience pain or discomfort, but I know the end result is worth every sacrifice!

Out of curiousity, my doctor scheduled a growth-check ultrasound last week and our baby girl is looking as health as ever. Healthy and good size, to be sure! According to the measurements, she is currently around 8lbs 9oz! Although ultrasounds this far along are much less accurate than earlier, it is safe to say that she will be an adorably plump baby. Tim has said all along that he would really like to have a chubby baby, so I'm sure this is a gift especially for him!

As you have noticed by now, I did not take a 38 week picture. I spent so much time sweating over the weekend that I never really got dressed into anything more than comfy clothes or if I did, I had forgotten to take a picture before I changed again! Needless to say, the heat is becoming somewhat obnoxious, but still not unbearable. Uninterrupted sleep is hard to come by these days as well between bathroom trips and having to change positions every couple of hours. With this being my last week of work, I plan to take many naps until baby girl finally decides to arrive - I can't wait!

Hopefully my next post will be an introduction to our beautiful bird! Until then, we'll be here trying to stay cool and enjoying these last few days of simplicity.

37 Weeks

At 37 weeks, baby bird is now officially full-term! This means that her lungs should be fully mature and they would be ready to adjust to life outside the womb if I deliver before my due date. Partially because of this, Tim and I have been working hard finishing all of the baby related projects this weekend with the hope that she might come a little early. We now have the nursery nearly completed (we're only waiting on a few little things), the car seat installed, the baby's necessary items packed and ready, as well as the office rearranged and transformed into a guest room. Tim has now been trying to coax the baby out with many amusing tactics such as offering her ice cream and telling her about her fun nursery. We simply cannot wait to meet our little girl!

Bird House

Baby bird's house is nearly complete, so I thought I'd share pictures of her soon-to-be home.


We can't wait for you to arrive, little girl!

Maternity photos

Here are just a few of the maternity photos we had taken in June (thanks to Tim's parents for such a thoughtful gift):

Photos taken by Mackenzie Richardson at Studio Soul Photography.

Laundry

Folding little clothes on a Saturday afternoon and imagining what she'll look like in all of them.

Tiny socks are by far the cutest thing I've ever seen!

36 Weeks

As you can see by this picture, not only does my body look ready to have this baby, but the nursery is also getting ready! This weekend Tim assembled both the crib and the changing table/dresser all by himself (I did help, but it consisted only of holding pieces and parts when necessary and it was all done from the comfort of a rocking chair)! Once we have a few more things on the walls and a little more organization, I will make sure to post pictures of the nursery. With all of the stuff I have to put away, it is evident that she is one lucky, little girl!

Speaking of our little girl, she is now 36 weeks along (only one week away from full term). She now weighs about 6 pounds (or maybe more in our case) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. I have definitely been feeling Braxton Hicks contractions the last few weeks, but they are no where near consistent or often and are completely painless. I have a doctor's appointment this week and then every other week hereafter until baby girl arrives. Honestly, I'm hoping she comes a little early - not too early, of course, but maybe just a week or so! Here's to the last 4 weeks of pregnancy and life as family of two!!!

35 Weeks

Hard to believe that we only have 5 weeks until our baby bird is due. With that said, it may be somewhat obvious as I seem to look more and more tired with each week! This pregnancy stuff is pretty exhausting; and combined with the recent jump in temperature here, I am worn out! Fortunately, though, I am carrying a healthy baby girl and it won't be long until I'm snuggling her in my arms. Speaking of snuggling, our bird is now starting to pack on the pounds to fill out her little frame. At 35 weeks she weighs over 5 1/4 pounds and is more that 18 inches long. Tim and I are working on our "bets" about how big she will be (in pounds and inches), so if you want to join in, leave a comment or email me your best guess and we'll see who is the closest when she arrives.

This week has been an eventful one. We have had a few visitors and made quite a bit of progress in the baby preparation department. My wonderful friend, Krista stopped by for a quick visit and it was so much fun to catch up! I realized this will probably be our last time together before she officially becomes Auntie Krista! We were also fortunate enough to have both of Tim's parents in town and they were such a huge help. First, they delivered a comfy rocking chair that my mom so kindly donated to the nursery. Then, we made a successful trip to Babies R Us in Spokane followed by a Fourth of July spent painting the nursery. It looks adorable! As soon as I have it set up, I will be sure to share photos. And, as I told them as they left, this will be the last time they leave our house without a granddaughter to say goodbye to. What a great weekend! Hope everyone had a fun 4th!

34 Weeks

Here I am posting a week late again - either I have a busy social life or I am 8 months pregnant and choosing to do nothing as much as possible! In order to get to the more current events, I will make this post short and sweet. At 34 weeks baby bird is now about 4 3/4 pounds and almost 18 inches long. She is still moving and hiccuping like crazy and she remains in a head-down position which will be perfect for her big debut! Only 3 weeks until full term (37 weeks) and there's still plenty to be done before then. Wish me luck!