October 7th, 2012

The next morning came super quick. We spent the early morning hours cuddling our Emma and trying to take little cat naps. The morning was also filled with more vital checks and another visit from the lactation specialist. Emma was latching perfectly (painfully, but successfully).

 Around 12:30 we got a knock on the door...and it was my parents! Such an amazing moment. I still can't believe they got there soo fast! They had taken a 5AM flight out of Manchester, NH and now here they were in Columbus, GA! It was so special because they were Emma's first visitors.

What an incredible moment that was. Introducing your baby to your parents, who at that moment became grandparents. I am so thankful they came right away to share all those special first moments with us.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing, taking little naps, more vital checks, and of course just falling even more in love with Emma. Later in the day my Dad and Jeff left to get some food, the hospital food was just not cutting it for us. Emma also had many visitors that came throughout the day.

October 6th, 2012 ~ Part 5

The next few hours we spent admiring our new obsession. We called/texted our family and friends to let them know the good news. While Jeff was on the phone with my parents Emma was crying and they could hear her cry over the phone. I'm sure that was a surreal moment for them.

We couldn't be released to the 'mother & baby' wing until I was able to walk and pee. When I felt my legs again and felt strong enough to stand I gathered up the courage to go to the bathroom. It might sound crazy, but this was the moment I was most scared of. Thinking about anything else coming out of that area was petrifying to me. The nurse helping me advised me it might be best not to look down because obviously there was going to be a lot of blood. Thank goodness for her, because she gave me so many good tips on how to accomplish this horrific act.

Once I was done and showed them I was able to walk around we were ready to make our way to our next room. In this hospital they make you walk to your next room while pushing your baby in the bassinet. It seemed kind of ridiculous at the moment. Like you want me to walk to another wing....in a hospital gown...after I just pushed out a human being..really? But really it was to show them you were doing good and didn't have any bad reactions or complications from the epidural.

When we were settled into our new room it was about 3AM and we were exhausted. Emma was sleeping soundly, Jeff looked like he was about to pass out, and I was still in shock of the events of the day. Was my beautiful baby really sleeping next to me? Was she really here safe and sound, and healthy and perfect?! The nurses told me to try and get some rest, even though I was exhausted it was hard to sleep because of the million thoughts going through my head and the overwhelming joy that was bursting from my heart. Plus it was hard to sleep when the nurses would come in every few hours to take Emma's and my vitals.

We also had a lactation specialist come in to see how the first latches were going. Emma was more interested in sleeping then eating, so it was going really slow.  When Emma woke up a little, she did successfully latch so the lactation specialist wasn't concerned we would have any issues.

October 6th was an amazing, amazing day. It will be a day we will never forget because God gave us our perfect angel.

October 6th, 2012 ~ Part 4

I began pushing about 9:30ish and thankfully I couldn't feel anything. I could feel pressure, but no pain. It was also a very calm and peaceful time, nothing you see in movies haha. I was so focused I didn't realize the increase of people in the room. It was my doctor, 2 other doctors, my nurse, and 2 other nurses....I quickly realized that something was probably wrong. Basically, Emma was stuck and it seemed her heart rate was decreasing. It got to the point where they told me I had a couple more pushes or they would have to go in and get her. They were also prepped and ready incase she didn't come out breathing. They also said they would take her right away to the warmer instead of putting her on my chest like I originally wanted.

I had my own cheering squad in the delivery room. It was awesome. All the doctors, nurses, and Jeff were so encouraging. When I had one push left, I gave it my all. I realized I had to give it everything I had in me to get her out so she was safe...and one more push was all we needed. I pushed so hard that she and my placenta (sorry TMI) came flying out (literally). And she came out kicking and SCREAMING. When I first heard her cry my heart melted and it was the most amazing feeling of relief. My baby girl was here, she was healthy, and had the sweetest cry. The doctors still brought her straight to the warmer to check her out, and she was 100% perfect. While they were fixing me up, Jeff went over to see her, since I couldn't see her from my bed, I asked Jeff how she was. Jeff turned to me and barely choked out "shes perfect." Writing this still brings tears to my eyes. The man didn't cry at our wedding, he never cries, but here he was so emotional. This is hands down the most incredible moment of my entire life. There are no words. It was the best day of our lives. Yes your wedding day is special and amazing...but the day your first child is born blows your wedding day out of the water. How incredible a moment to meet part of you, and part of the one you love the most. And just the sheer fact that you created a life. A tiny, perfect, healthy life. Babies are nothing short of a miracle. How can you not believe in God as you hold a baby?

The doctors asked Jeff if he wanted to cut the cord. Jeff doesn't do well with anything 'gross' and has an awful gag reflex. We had talked beforehand and he decided he wasn't going to cut the cord, which was completely ok with me. However, at that moment he said "Yes." I was shocked, and brought more tears to my eyes. I was so incredibly proud of him. So yes, Jeff cut her cord :) 

When they were done doing what they needed to do with me, done cleaning up Emma, they finally handed her to me. Instant love and joy is an understatement. Looking into my baby's eyes for the first time is a moment I will never forget. Her perfect, beautiful eyes. She was perfect. She was healthy. Up until this point she was still screaming, testing out her little lungs, but as soon as she was in my arms and our eyes locked, she stopped. It was incredible. She knew that I was her mommy and that I would do absolutely anything for her.

After awhile I handed her over to Jeff. Seeing Jeff hold our daughter brought more tears to my eyes. It was such a beautiful moment and if it was possible, I fell even more in love with him. He was holding OUR baby, our miracle, our Emma.

So the stats - Emma Lynn Bender. Born at 9:56PM. 6 pounds 15 ounces and 20 inches long. PERFECT!

Emma's first picture

Daddy cutting Emma's cord

There are no words....

Happy Birthday baby girl!

So incredibly happy

October 6th, 2012 ~ Part 3

From about 6:30PM-until now...has been a complete blur.

After I was finally admitted I walked (yes, I was still able to walk, it wasn't fun, but I made it) to my delivery room. It was strange walking into that room because I knew I was going to walk out of it with my baby. I put on my "stylish" gown and hopped into the bed. They hooked up my IV (I took it like a champ) and drew some blood. The blood was 1. for labs and 2. incase I needed blood after the delivery. I thought this was a good idea that they do this so you don't have to get someone elses blood.

My contractions were getting stronger and coming quickly. The Doctors and nurses kept saying that it could be awhile because it was my first baby and she would probably have a October 7th birthday. They called my doctor right when they admitted me to let her know I was in labor, but she apparently thought it could be awhile too because she took her sweet time getting there.

By 8:00 it was obvious I was in full-blown labor and I was in SO much pain. It felt like I was having a contraction every minute. The nurse was like lets check you out and see how far you've progressed. To all of our surprise I was already at 9cm. The nurse was like "this baby is coming!" This kicked everyone in a higher gear.

At this point I was begging for my epidural. They were still waiting for my labs to come back. Side note- I had no idea there was a chance you could not get an epidural, all your levels and platelets had to be good in order for you to receive one. That made me a little nervous because I had no idea. They called down to the lab and requested to have those labs rushed. They offered me IV drugs until I could get my epi, but I stuck to my birth plan and through tears and gritted teeth I said no. IV drugs are a narcotic and I didn't want that for my baby. I'm still so proud of myself I said no! Go me! Another side note- I realized that when I am in that amount of pain...I cry....I don't scream or get angry....I whimper and cry haha.

Finally- when I was fully dilated, and almost ready to push- I got my epidural. Praise the lord. However, let me just tell you, that getting a HUGE needle stuck in your spine while having extreme contractions every other minute was NOT fun. You have to remain extremely still and sit straight up...um yeah near impossible at that point. Thank goodness for Jeff. I sat at the edge of the bed, and Jeff was right in front of me encouraging me, stroking my hair, and letting me cry into him. Even though getting an epidural is painful, scary, and just plain awful, at that point you just don't care. When the anesthesiologist was done doing what he needed to do, he ran a series of tests to see if it had worked. My entire right side, waist down was numb,....but to my horror, my entire left side was not. I could feel everything. And every contraction felt 10x more intense because it felt like it was concentrated to my left side. It literally felt like someone was stabbing me over and over again. The anesthesiologist and my nurse decided to roll me on my left side to see if it would help the medicine flow. Thankfully, after another 10-15 minutes I was finally completely numb waist down. It was SO nice to take a nice, calm, deep breath.

I realized at this point that maybe we should update some family and friends of what was going on. Thankfully, Jeff had been in constant contact with my parents, and sent my siblings a text.

At 9:30 the nurse and my doctor decided I was good to go to start pushing. Jeff & I were both shocked, we were so surprised with how fast everything was going! Literately, it felt like we hadn't had time to process anything. At this point I was starting to get nervous because 1. the thought of pushing a baby out was terrifying 2. being the hypochondriac I am, I was so nervous to see how she was, like if she was healthy and perfect.

Fully dilated, just got my epidural, freezing to death....and ready to go!

October 6th, 2012 ~ Part 2

The ride to the hospital was calm. Well, I was at least. It was a beautiful day, I wasn't in pain...yet, and I was so excited to find out if this was really it! Jeff on the other hand was anxious. So anxious. It was so cute and so funny. Traffic for some reason was pretty heavy for a Saturday afternoon and the roads seemed to be filled with slow and 'dumb' drivers. I kept thinking to myself thank goodness I wasn't having insane contractions because I probably would be freaking out too.

On the way I thought I would text my parents, even though I knew they were in church, to just let them know that maybe something was happening.

We arrived at the hospital around 5:15. I still was leaking and still wasn't having contractions. I walked calmly up to Labor & Delivery and was just like "Hi, I think my water just broke." The nurses I think didn't take me completely seriously because I was calm and it was obvious I wasn't in insane labor pain.

After about 15 minutes they finally led me to an examination room and we waited for what seemed like forever. Around 6PM I finally started having contractions. I was hooked up to a machine to monitor if I was contracting or not and Jeff had a blast watching the lines go up and down. He would get so excited if it was a "big one." He kept saying "oh my god, you just had a big one!!!" Really Jeff? I had no idea, haha. I have never seen him SO excited. When it was obvious I was having regular, strong contractions he was bursting at the seams with excitement. It makes me smile thinking back on it.

Finally, a Dr came in and said he was going to do a series of tests to confirm if it was my water that had broke. The first test he started to do was to just take a peek and see if I was dilated. And a peek was all he needed. After about 30 seconds he was like, that was definitely your water that broke because you are already 4cm dilated and I can see your daughters head. He said there was no need to run the other tests and he was going to admit me. OH. MY. GOD. We are having a baby!!!!

In the exam room...starting to have contractions!

October 6th, 2012 ~ Part 1

It was a gorgeous day. I woke up feeling EXTRA exhausted which was strange because I actually slept pretty decent. Best night of sleep I've had in months because I didn't have any contractions. I stayed in bed until about noon and finally got up and showered. Jeff was busy running errands. He had his own 'nesting' list he was trying to accomplish before Emma showed up.

Around 2PM Jeff came home with new rose bushes for our front bed that he wanted to plant. He also brought me home a bagel for a very late breakfast (what a guy!). Around 3PM I decided I needed some fresh air so I went outside to hang out with him and decided to help him out. While he planted the roses I swept the front patio. Obviously, after 15 minutes of 'helping out' I was exhausted so I went back inside to relax and have a popsicle.

At 3:45PM Jeff came inside and decided he needed to reward himself for all his hard work with some xbox time.

4:00PM Still felt exhausted so I laid on the couch with Lex and decided to catch up on all my DVR'd shows...first up was Real Housewives of Miami.

4:15PM UM....what was that? I felt a slight gush....and thought either I just peed myself, I'm leaking fluids, or my water just broke. I was a bit confused because I wasn't having any contractions. I felt pretty good, other then being tired.

4:17PM I walked upstairs to Jeff's man room still a little surprised and was like "Jeff....I think my water just broke..." The look on Jeff's face was priceless. I'm actually surprised he believed me and wasn't like "are you serious...are you joking!?" He automatically jumped up, turned off his TV and xbox and was like ok I need to hop in the shower really quick (he was covered in dirt) and lets go!

I still was in a state of shock, but completely calm. I wasn't 100% sure if it was my water that had just broken so I didn't know what to think. I called Labor & Delivery and asked if I should come in, and they of course said yes, come in! This put Jeff in a complete frantic mode. I on the other hand was still calm. I decided I wanted to freshen up my hair and make up, and do a bit of touching up around the house. While running around getting ready, I was still 'gushing' fluids....and I kept thinking to myself....I think this is it.

I felt like I was in such a surreal moment. You try to envision this moment for 9 months, and it was so hard to believe that the moment we had so wished for, was actually here.

I guess I was taking my sweet time because Jeff kept trying to rush me out the door. After the house was tidy, I was put together, Lexi had many hugs and kisses we were on our way to the hospital.

I posted this on the door to our garage a few weeks ago, very thankful I did!

39 Weeks!

On Thursday, October 4th, we had my 39 week check-up. Baby was sounding great, her position was still perfect, and my vitals were still perfect. My Dr asked if we wanted to see if I was dilated at all, and I decided against it. It was so painful the first time, and hey, she will come when shes ready.

At the end of our appointment Jeff, our Dr, and I joked how we hope she comes on Tuesday so we could all enjoy the long weekend.

WELL . . . !

The last belly pic I took...38 weeks and 4 days! My Dad and sister requested a belly pic, and thank goodness I actually took one!

So...

So yes....its been a month...and our sweet Emma Lynn is here! This month has been quite a whirlwind and we've loved every single second of it.

Let me catch up to a month ago as my sweet baby sleeps on my chest...!

He's Ready!

He's ready for his Emma!

Lexi is such a big helper!

Lex was such a big helper when I organized, washed, and folded all of Emma's clothes!

Such hard work....she needed a nap

A Little Pats Fan in the Making?

Will Emma be a Pats fan like her mama .....or a Giants fan like her daddy...!? We will see!

Uncle Andrew apparently is trying to make her a Pats fan!.....Jeff was not impressed!

Top 10 Things I Can't Wait For

1. Meeting Emma, holding and seeing her for the first time
2. Sleeping (I honestly think I will sleep more once she is here)
3. Feeling 'normal'
4. Diet Coke
5. Wearing cute clothes again
6. Going for long walks with Lex & Emma (and not worry about being winded or swollen)
7. Wearing my wedding rings again
8. Getting back in shape
9. Dunkaccinos and mochas from Starbucks (I've been avoiding ALL caffeine...even decaf coffee's because they can still contain 30% caffeine)
10. And seeing my parents! When Emma comes, my parents come!

Haha!

So I haven't done this yet....but I thought it was hilarious.

OCTOBER!

UMMM IT IS OCTOBER.......ITS BABY MONTH!!!!!!

Just had to freak out for a moment....!

We are ready for you Emma!

Its so unpredictable of when she is going to make her debut. Is it going to be tomorrow...is it going to be this week...next week..when!?!?

Well whenever she decides she is ready, we are ready for her! Her room is all set, our hospital bags have been packed and in the car for weeks, the house is clean, and most importantly, I think we are pretty much mentally prepared.

Part of her sweet 'going-home' outfit <3

Can't wait to meet you sweet angel!

38 Weeks!

Umm....I am 38 weeks?!?!!?

Ok....letting that sink in....

WOW!

ANYWAYS! On Friday the 28th we had another check-up! Everything was perfect! The day before I was having a lot of irregular contractions so I was CONVINCED I was at least a centimeter dilated....but much to our dismay....I wasn't. I wasn't even close. I was kind of disappointed because I honestly felt like with all these 'practice' contractions it was doing something. But nope. ALSO- Let me just say....checking to see if you are dilated is the most painful thing ever......oh my god. Being my first pregnancy I wasn't aware of how they actually check....but let me just say it is PAINFUL.....or it was for me.

The most shocking news of the appointment was finding out that our baby was estimating at a whopping 7-7.5 pounds. UM WHAT!?! Jeff & I were both small babies and never in my wildest dreams thought I would have a baby over 6.5 pounds. Hearing that she is AT LEAST 7 pounds at 38 weeks blew us away. Jeff & I apparently make big babies! It doesn't worry me in the least, if anything it makes me really happy because I know she will be healthy!

And on another happy note- my GBS test came back negative. WOO! One less thing to worry about in the delivery room! 

Towards the end of the week Jeff got sick..... booo. He's been working so hard in the yard lately (I think its his version of nesting), so I'm not surprised he caught a cold or the plague or something. So for a few days we spent "avoiding" each other so he wouldn't get me sick haha. Poor guy.

And I just noticed we have been slacking on the belly pics.....but trust me you are not missing much....just me HUGE! Apparently this week baby is the size of a pumpkin. Well yeah, kind of looks like I have a huge pumpkin under my shirt hahaha. It is also fitting that shes the size of a pumpkin for Fall...(even though it has yet to feel like Fall here)!

For My Little Lilly Love!

Emma's first Lilly Pulitzer! I can not express how excited I am to have a daughter to share my obsession with!

The item on the left is her first bathing suit for next Spring! It is tooo cutee!!!

Fat Hands

Here's a nice picture of my poor hands at 37 weeks. Thank god I took off my rings awhile ago. Jeff & I call them my little sausages.

Diapers!

We are fully stocked-up on newborn and Size 1 diapers (and have a few boxes of size 2 and 3)! We decided to use Pamper Swaddlers. I've heard nothing but good things and everyone says they are the best! So we will see!

I can't believe a tiny-little bum is going to go in here!!!! eeeee!!!!!!!!!

What to Expect When You Are Expecting

Over the weekend Jeff and I watched, "What to Expect When You're Expecting," and all I have to say is it is HILARIOUS!

Jeff & I were laughing sooo hard. I have to admit my pregnancy is most like Elizabeth Bank's character and definitely not like Brooklyn Decker's. I was sick from the beginning, had a few issues, was huge from the beginning, and definitely didn't feel the 'glow' that everyone talks about.....minus the hemorrhoids, gas, and being a complete emotional wreck (thank god).

It was such a great movie and really touched upon all the different aspects of pregnancy, the good and the bad. Watching Anna Kendrick's character made me bawl because I just couldn't imagine. It broke my heart, and reminded me how blessed I was and how all the aches and pains are more then worth it.

And of course, at the end of the movie once all the babies were born, I just couldn't contain my tears. It just made me so emotional knowing that in a few short weeks I will be delivering and meeting my baby for the first time. I can't imagine a more magical and special moment. And I know, just like Elizabeth Bank's character, I will find my 'pregnancy glow' once Emma is in my arms.

37 Weeks!

Well baby girl is FULL-TERM! We made it!!! Its so crazy to say...that our baby is full-term and can literally come any day. Its a waiting game now! I've definitely been having much stronger Braxton-Hick contractions or "practice contractions," and they are terrible.

Wednesday the 26th we actually had our first 'false labor' scare. I was having irregular 'contractions' all day, and around 5pm they became really strong, and really painful. We decided to wait it out and not jump in the car just yet because they weren't regular. Sure enough, they subsided around 8pm.

But ok body, I am so done with all this practice, lets do the real thing!

Other then god-awful 'contractions,' I've been feeling ok....heartburn comes and goes and sleeping...well lack-there-of I'm getting used to. This week I've noticed my appetite has increased. During this entire pregnancy my appetite has remained the same, pre-pregnancy, it wasn't like I was "eating for two" it was just like I was eating normally. But lately I am always starving and eating a lot more frequent. Another fun thing is I am SO swollen....my feet, my legs, my hands, and my face. Omg I hate having a fat face! But my hands are the worse. I wake up with my hands throbbing and I have to do a few exercises to relieve the pressure and get them working again. Opening a water bottle is so painful.

So happy to have Jeff home- he had 2 weeks of rubbing to make up for!

Lexi was so happy daddy was home!

 

So sweet

She already loves her Emma. They're going to be best friends! Love my babies!

36 Weeks!

The highlight of this week was our 36 week check-up on September 13th. Baby is growing perfectly, I'm measuring right where I should be, I'm gaining weight right on track (woo....lol), my blood-pressure is perfect and baby's heart-beat is still sounding great...and baby is head down!! We are in good shape! My Dr also estimated her to weigh about 5.5-6 pounds already....!!!! I also had my GBS test done, thankfully it was absolutely painless and a lot less intrusive then what I was expecting.

I was also 'pre-admitted' to the hospital. At 36 weeks they pre-admit you, meaning you just go and fill out a bunch of paperwork and make sure everything is in order for when you do go in labor. Who wants to fill out paperwork while they are in labor? Thought that was a nice touch that my hospital does...(surprisingly, ha!)

This was also the first appointment that Jeff missed, which is a small miracle in itself because of being in the Army and his insane schedule. But Jeff was in the field for training for two weeks but thankfully he had his phone and was reachable through a few texts. If something did happen like my water broke or I started going into labor I had different phone numbers to get ahold of Jeff if he was unreachable. They would've just radio'd out to him and sent a humvee to go get him. But thankfully, we didn't have to resort to that!

After my appointment I texted Jeff and updated him on everything and said they 'pre-admitted me.' Right away, I got a frantic text back, "right now...???? are you ok? why?" I guess I scared him hahaha. I responded, "Breathe, I'm ok, not in labor, they pre-admit everyone at 36 weeks." Text back from him, "Ok" ....I think he had a mini-heart attack in the field!

Lex took good care of me and "rubbed" my feet while Jeff was gone :)

I also found myself having a bit of energy part of the week so I was able to cook and freeze about 10 different meals. Glad to have knocked that off my to-do list!

Halloween Costumes!

And this year....the Bender Girls will be.....zebras!!!! Hehehe! I saw this adorable costume for Lexi and I knew I saw a similar onesie at Carter's.....soo my baby girls are going to be zebras this year! Emma's onesie is perfect since we don't know exactly when shes coming and we didn't want to put her in a full-blown Halloween costume at possibly only a few weeks old, so this onesie is comfy and warm :) It's perfect. We are so excited!

We're getting close!!

Just a few more short weeks....I think it finally hit Jeff....apparently he needed to check his blood pressure. Hahaha!!

....and it was normal...of course!

35 Weeks!

Well 35 weeks was pretty uneventful on the Emma front (thank god)....however my poor Lexi baby had surgery :( Last week I discovered a bump on her tummy. She was acting normal, eating normal, going potty normal, but she had this strange lump on her belly. Thankfully, it ended up being a hernia and not something more serious....but my poor baby still had to go under the knife.

This week was full of snuggles, naps, and pampering my Lexi baby.

 

My poor baby :( Ouchyyy!

Even though she was in a lot of pain, she still smiled :) Shes mommy's little trooper!

Poor baby!

34 Weeks!

Just when I thought I couldn't get any more tired......

My to-do list keeps growing and I'm finding it harder and harder to get anything done. Baby girl, you can drop at any time so I can breathe a bit easier. Walking up a flight of stairs makes me completely winded and I usually need to sit down for a few minutes.

I also decided that I wasn't loving Emma's nursery decor anymore, so I started changing some things up :) Jeff thinks I'm insane.

33 Weeks!

My first full week of "maternity leave" pre-baby! I spent the week making a list of things I needed/wanted to get done before Emma arrives. It was also sooo nice to just relax, lay down when I wasn't feeling well, and nap when I was tired. Lexi was also really happy that I was now a stay-at-home-mommy :)

This week I also experienced a LOT of braxton-hick contractions. Basically they feel like awful period cramps. Also, for some reason I had a lot of issues keeping food down. TMI I know. But Emma was not feeling anything that wasn't simple and bland. I ate a lot of cereal and grilled cheese this week.

Also, to be honest, the past couple of weeks I've been really anti-social. I just have not been in the mood to be social. I am quite content relaxing and spending time by myself or Jeff. I'm not exactly sure why but I haven't been in the mood to 'chat it up.' I think most people who have been pregnant can relate and know exactly what I'm talking about. Its nothing personal, its not that I'm avoiding people, its just I have limited-to-no energy...call me the pregnant hermit!

Ouchy: Carpel tunnel. Legs and feet are so swollen. Braxton-Hicks.

Baby is size of ...a durian fruit? Not sure what that is, but it must be big! haha.

Last Day of Work - Hello Mommyhood!

Today is my last day of work! I'm extremely sad to go, but at the same time really ready. I had the pleasure to work with the most incredible people and I couldn't have asked for a better job. However, for many different reasons, I've decided to be a stay-at-home-mommy and I could not be more excited!

I'm also excited that I have a few weeks completely to myself. I can sleep when I want, nest when I want, and basically do whatever I want when I want....but I'm mostly excited about the sleep part. I'm having troubles sleeping at night. Its to the point where I get up about every 1.5 hours, so come morning I'm so tired.

Also, my to-do list keeps growing so I know I'm going to have to start tackling that.

Even though this job is ending....I'm so excited for my new job to start! I know it is the most rewarding job a girl could ever have! So lucky :)

Pink roses from the hubby to celebrate me going on 'mommy leave!'

Preggy Pics!

We had Preggy pics done last night! I almost cancelled because I was feeling AWFUL. I had been having braxton-hick contractions all day, I was beyond exhausted, and I just felt plain yucky. Plus it was 100 degrees and super humid, so being outside in the heat, smiling was the last place I wanted to be haha. Buttt I'm glad I sucked it up and put on a smile and had our maternity pics done.

Here is a sneak peek!

No, I swear my butt and legs are NOT that big haha, damn dark jeans blended my legs together.

Emma's First White Dress

My Mom found the perfect baptismal gown for Emma! It is gorgeous! If we are able to go up to VT for Christmas we hope to have her baptism then :)

This gown will become a "Durfee heirloom" all my, Andrew's, Matthew's, & Emily's baby girls will be baptized in this gown. And then all their children's children....and etc etc etc! My Mom wants to then have each baby's name that is baptized in this gown embroidered in the slip. Such a sweet idea!

Perfect

The back with the bonnet

The next "white dress" she will wear is for her First Communion....and then her wedding dress. Oh man lets not get ahead of ourselves, overprotective Daddy may have a breakdown! :)

32 Weeks!

We are getting soooo close people!!!! Only 5 more weeks until she is full-term!

Baby is a size of a squash!

In one word to describe this week.....exhausted. At night I wake up on average every 2 hours from not only having to pee....but also from Emma kicking. She is the most active little peanut! I love feeling and seeing her move around...however since space is limited she is now starting to kick organs....and its not pleasant. Sometimes I have to completely stop what I'm doing, wait until she is done kicking or punching whatever organ she is, and just breathe. Silly baby! Speaking of breathing....yeah that is getting hard too. I can not wait until she drops and relieves the pressure on my lungs. I forget what it feels like to walk up the stairs and not feel winded.

Highlight of the week....Jeff installed the carseat!

Emma's chariot!

Happy Birthday to the Best Guy Ever!

Happy, Happy Birthday to the most incredible guy I know!

We spent most of Jeff's actual birthday in the car traveling back from New Orleans, so we celebrated the next day :)

May 26 be an incredible year for you...I know it will be! And just think, next year Emma will be here to help you blow out all those candles! Love you!

Lexi giving Daddy his annual Birthday gift!

And of course...birthday kissys!

31 Weeks in New Orleans!

So instead of resting and nesting like a normal pregnant girl should, at 31 weeks we headed to New Orleans for a wedding. I was probably the only pregnant person in that entire city. Why else would a pregnant person go there? Its known for its spicy, seafood, fried food; its late nights of debauchery; and its hot weather (well ok I guess I'm used to that because GA is usually hotter). Overall, it sounds like a preggers worse nightmare.

Seeing the Mississippi!

At Cafe Du Monde!

Well Jeff and I are good people and travelled the 6.5 hours to NOLA to attend the Brigman-Baines wedding. And I'm so glad we did! The entire week I had been hyping myself up to not be a party-pooper. I knew it was going to be exhausting and take everything I had in me to make it through that weekend. And let me say I was a trooper! I walked more then I had in my entire pregnancy, I stayed up later then I had in months, and I was NOT a party-pooper!

The wedding was beautiful. It was an evening wedding on an old Southern plantation outside the city. It was also a military wedding and Jeff was part of the saber arch. Their wedding pictures are going to be breath-taking. Congrats to Mr. & Mrs. Brigman, we are so happy for you both!

Isn't he SOO handsome!? Love him in that uniform!

Congrats Brigmans!

Yes, I looked awful & huge in this pic, but Jeff is just so dang handsome! How did I get so lucky?

It was really nice to get away with Jeff for one last weekend, just the two of us. We both agreed that we were really happy we went and glad we crossed NOLA off our bucket list.....but we don't think we would ever go back. Not really our scene and not what we were really expecting. It was stinky, dirty, hectic, and overall I didn't feel safe anywhere we went. But the one plus was Jeff LOVED the food!

It was a great weekend but we were soooo happy to get home.