2 months

Jonah is over two months now. I can't even believe it! He has changed so much in the last few weeks, and I can barely begin to list everything. Unfortunately this post will be short, because I have school work to do. I just realized it had been so long since I last wrote!

At Jonah's first month appointment the nurse practitioner asked if Jonah had smiled yet. He hadn't. When I went home and told Aaron, it was like World War III between us to see who could get Jonah to smile first. He smiled for Aaron the very next day! It seems like ever since then he has been a smile machine! He's such a happy baby! He also coos now constantly and has a LOT to say! It's so adorable. He loves to lie in his crib or Pack N Play and talk to his mobile animal friends.

Jonah is far less fussy than he was a month ago. He is still incredibly fussy around 5-7 pm, which the doctor said is typical of colic babies. Unfortunately for Aaron, that is when he has one on one time with Jonah while I am at work or class. He's over two months now though, so we anticipate this improving in the next few weeks.

Jonah is awake more during the day. He takes a few very short naps, and when he isn't hungry or tired he is up smiling and talking. He was sleeping in our bed with us, and now he sleeps in his crib in his own room like a big boy! He sometimes will sleep one 4-5 hour stretch a night, but I still end up getting up with him one or two times a night. I really don't mind though because he goes right back to sleep, and I miss him when we are apart, even though I'm sleeping!

He recently had his two month appointment, and he weighted 10 lbs 15 oz and was 24 inches long! I hope he'll always be tall and skinny! He was at the 30th percentile in weight, but the doctor was not concerned because he is gaining weight and hasn't dropped in percentile.

Since I posted last, we've had another visit from my mom. We hung out for a few days here and then went to Columbia to visit family. We saw Uncle Mike, Aunt Marlea, Uncle Pat, Aunt Debbie, and Emily. We also went to Aaron's parents and saw them and Nick. It was so nice to be surrounded by family! My dad and Mary Jo also came to visit! Jonah has been so lucky to be able to spend so much time with his grandparents even though we live so far away. Next month we'll be traveling to Ohio for Joe's graduation. I'm nervous to take him on a plane, but I know he'll be great!

Fussy Baby

Jonah is now three weeks old, and it has been the longest and shortest three weeks of my life. My days have run together, and I am sad to think of how much sleep I've had these last three weeks. About a week and a half ago, Jonah started rooting to eat constantly. I would stop feeding him, and he would begin rooting right away. Or he'd fall asleep eating, I'd try to put him down, he'd start to cry and want to eat. The doctor and nurses had originally told me to feed him on demand, and since we had finally gotten ahold of breast feeding, it wasn't an issue and I indulged him. It really got out of hand though. I was exhausted all the time, never had time to eat, and never felt like I had enough milk for him. To make matters worse, I was becoming increasingly more sore and actually dreaded him latching. He started throwing fits, kicking his legs like crazy and straining hard to pass gas or a bowel movement. He also started getting hiccups regularly and throwing up after some feedings. It was terrible. It seemed like nothing Aaron or I did helped. He was keeping me up all night feeding and didn't sleep much during the day. I read that he should be sleeping between 16-22 hours a day, but he was sleeping maybe 7-9 (day-time naps and night sleeping combined!). I also wasn't able to pump hardly any milk because Jonah was draining me of it, and I was stressed because I have to go back to work on Monday. One day we went grocery shopping, and I felt light-headed and my legs started shaking. That's when I knew I had reached my breaking point. Aaron would come home from work and take him, and I'd just cry. Partly from the relief, and partly from the exhaustion. My mom convinced me to call the pediatrician, and they said he might have colic. I was told to stop feeding him on demand and start feeding him every three hours. We were also told to give him gas drops, keep him moving when he's crying, and let him cry sometimes when we couldn't comfort him. I had also read about the benefits of gripe water. So, starting yesterday we have been giving him gas drops at every feeding. We also give him gripe water any time he gets hiccups, which takes them away instantly. He goes to sleep a lot easier at night, and for the most part has stopped throwing up. He just spits up a little bit now. He is still pretty fussy at times, but it doesn't take him that long to console him. I hope this means he is on the road to recovery and it won't last long. I feel so bad for my poor baby. I hate to hear him cry. I started to get stressed when I couldn't calm him down yesterday, and I put him in his crib for a minute so that my anxiety didn't transfer to him, and all I could do was cry listening to him. It was awful. After five minutes I picked him up, rocked him, and sang to him, and he went right to sleep.

The upside to constant nursing for the week and a half is that the supply/demand system of breast feeding means I have a TON of milk now and have already created a huge stockpile of milk in just 24 hours! The downside is that I have a ton of milk. If he takes a bottle, I still have to pump because I become engorged and it feels like I have the flu. I can't imagine what it'll be like when I try to dry up. I also need to check to make sure I'm not leaking on my clothes, because that would be incredibly embarrassing. One thing I forgot to mention in my last post was how incredibly ravenously hungry and thirsty I was after delivery. It seemed like the whole time we were in the hospital I was drinking water and either eating, thinking about eating, or asking someone to bring me food. Not much has changed since I got home, due to breast feeding. I just hope I can figure out a nice balance or a nutritious diet that will give him and I what we need and keep me from either gaining a million pounds or developing a bad habit I will have a hard time breaking once I'm done nursing.

Speaking of weight, I have just 8 pounds to lose before I am back at pre-pregnancy weight! I tried on my pre-pregnancy jeans two weeks after delivery and they fit! They are a bit more snug than they were before, but my maternity pants are too loose, so this is great! I will be glad to get the go-ahead to exercise at my six week post-partum appointment, because I have about 25 pounds to lose to be at my goal weight (which may be unachievable, as I haven't been there since high school when I played soccer). But, nevertheless, I want to be much healthier and in better shape before we try for baby #2, if we decide to have another.

Aaron's parents came to visit today and were so awesome and watched Jonah while Aaron and I went to lunch together. It was really nice to get out of the house just the two of us, but I worried about him the whole time. Of course I knew he was fine with them, but I guess it's just maternal instinct. It was really nice visiting with them, and Jonah was actually pretty calm the whole time they were here! Poor Sophie freaked out though and jumped all over them. When other people hold Jonah, she acts like all our rules are out the window and she can do whatever she wants (like try to lick him). It's frustrating.

Aaron is making dinner, and it is almost done, so I'm going to post a few pictures and end this.

I love this picture because I think he looks like he is up to no good. He also looks just like my dad or brother Danny! I'm glad to see I'm in there somewhere!

Happy Baby!

I think he looks like a troll doll here, but is so stinking cute!

Sleep Boy!

I love his faces!

Jonah Aaron

The last two weeks have gone by in such a whirlwind, I can't even believe it! I'll try to remember the big details.

Somewhere in my 39th week I started spotting. It wasn't a lot, but it was every day for a few days. One day I hadn't felt Jonah move hardly at all, and I got concerned and called the doctor. He said that the bleeding was probably just a sign that he'd be coming soon, and that I should drink a coke and lie down to see if the sugar allowed me to feel him. I did a kick count, and everything was ok. I wasn't sure I believed he'd be coming soon since two different doctors said he'd probably come in my 41st week.

I woke up at 8am the morning of February 18 to make Aaron breakfast, but I was so tired afterwards that I went back to bed until about 11. I got up, went into the living room, where my mom and I sat around watching a show about hauntings on TV, and had some breakfast. Around 12:30 I experienced a weird sensation in my lower back. It felt just like a strong menstrual cramp, but I thought nothing of it. A little while later I felt another one. I asked my mom if she thought they could be contractions. I honestly didn't think they could be, because at this point I had given up hope that he'd be born on time. She said yes though! She got up and wrote down the times of my two contractions, and from there we continued to time them. Around 3pm I was having at least six in an hour, so I showered and we went to the doctor. The doctor said I was only 2 cm dilated, and since my contractions weren't 4-5 minutes apart, it was pointless to go to the hospital. I had an appointment scheduled with him for the next day, and he even made it seem like he'd see me then. He actually made me feel kind of stupid to think I was in labor at all. Disappointed, we went back home. Aaron got home around 5:15, and he sat with me and timed my contractions. My mom made us something to eat, and we just watched TV and tried to relax. Then around 8 pm, they were 4-5 minutes apart. We called the on-call doctor, and he said to head into the hospital so he could check me out. We left the house at 8:48pm for St. Mary's Hospital.

When we got there, they put us in this tiny room. Aaron and I were so bummed out because it was not at all like the rooms they showed us on our tour. They checked me again, and I was 3+ cm dilated. They hooked up my IV, and we sat for awhile longer. Then they took us to the actual labor and delivery room! Thankfully we did get a nice room. They hooked me up to the contraction and fetal heart rate monitors. I had no idea how many things I'd be attached to. It was so awkward, and I remember thinking that if my labor got really intense, I might get tangled in them all. My contractions continued to get stronger. They unhooked me from the monitors, and Aaron and I walked around the hall for awhile. It was getting hard to walk with my contractions coming so regularly.

I got back into bed, and it was pretty late, so Aaron tried to take a nap. My mom sat by me and kept me company while I labored. After awhile my contractions were coming back to back, and they were lasting a very long time. One was over 2.5 minutes long, followed immediately by another one! Although I had sworn I'd deliver naturally, I just wanted a break, so I asked for an epidural. They had to start me on liquids, and then the doctor came in. He said he didn't know if it'd work because it looked like I had a lot of scar tissue in my back. I wasn't sure it'd work because my contractions were so strong that I couldn't sit still. Eventually he got it in, and I began to feel relief within a few minutes. The nurse checked me and said I was completely effaced and 8cm dilated. I waited that long to get the epidural! I couldn't believe it worked that late. As soon as my legs were totally numb, maybe 20-30 minutes later, the nurses came rushing in because my contractions were making the baby's heart rate go down. She checked me again, and just then my water broke, and the baby's head was right there! I was ready to push! I couldn't believe how quick it happened! Had I known it was going to be so short, I would have reconsidered the epidural. I was glad to have no pain in the last stretch though. When my water broke it felt like a water balloon broke inside of me. It was so bizarre. Aaron got up and came over, and my mom left the room. They woke the doctor up, and he came in. I pushed through maybe six contractions, and although his head was very close to coming out, the doctor said I needed an episiotomy. He had to cut about an inch and a half, and then Jonah came right out! Pushing was not at all like I thought it'd be. I pushed so hard that I thought every blood vessel in my face would burst, and then they'd tell me to take a breath and push again. It was exhausting. But, our beautiful baby boy was born at 3:11 am, weighing 7 lbs 1 oz and measuring 20 inches long.

He cried a lot at first, and I was afraid that was a sign of what was to come. He is such a good baby though! They did his APGAR, both of which he scored a 9, and cleaned him up a bit. Aaron got to hold him for awhile. Then they put him on my chest, and we did Kangaroo Care. I nursed him for the first time, and my mom got to hold him, then they took him to the nursery to bathe him and finish whatever they had to do. My mom left the hospital around 5:30 am to go back home and get some rest. There was a pullout couch in the room for Aaron. He slept, but I was too excited to get much rest. Jonah came back in the room, and I did Kangaroo Care with him almost the whole time we were in the hospital. It was my favorite thing to do, and he was so calm. He only cried when he was ready to eat, or sometimes if I put him down to get some rest. I didn't sleep much Friday during the day or Friday night. They kept Jonah in the nursery and brought him to me every 3 hours to eat, and I did sleep some in between, but I was still so exhausted from labor that I didn't feel rested in the morning at all. Aaron's parents came to visit Saturday, and so did our friend Heather. Saturday night Aaron went home to get some rest, and I tried to keep Jonah with me. Jonah did not want me to put him down, and I was too afraid to sleep with him on my chest, so I barely slept Saturday night. Eventually a nurse came in and took him to the nursery so I could get a few hours of sleep. I felt bad sending him away, but I was so exhausted. Sunday we got to go home! Jonah weighed 6 lbs 12 oz when we left.

Going home!

Jonah had his first pediatrician appointment on Tuesday, and it went very well. He said Jonah was doing very well, and he weighted 7 lbs!

Jonah was a breast feeding pro in the hospital, but Sunday night my milk came in, and he was no longer good at it. We had a very hard time nursing for a few days, making for long sleepless nights and cracked and very sore nipples. I was heartbroken and thought for sure I was a terrible mother. I cried, because I thought I'd have to switch to pumping and miss out on the amazing bonding experience with him. Eventually I called the lactation nurse for an outpatient consultation. I didn't expect breast feeding to be something he and I both had to learn together! Since the meeting, he has successfully latched every time!

My mom stayed in town for a week, which was awesome. She helped around the house, showed us how to bathe him, and took him for me while I showered or napped. The first week was very tiring. We are now on our second day home alone, just the two of us, and he's been great. He is such a blessing. He still only cries when he's hungry for the most part. He wasn't sleeping well at all, and I was up all night a lot. The night before last though we decided to start dimming the lights before bed, massaging him with calming lotion, swaddling him, and letting him swing to sleep. We slept very well that night. Last night we did the same, although he didn't want to swing. He did sleep for 6 hours straight though. He does not like to sleep in his crib though, so hopefully he will learn to like it if we keep trying. I hope him sleeping so well continues!

I am doing ok. I am still pretty sore from the episiotomy and pretty tired all of the time, but I feel much better than I did in the hospital. As time goes on, I know it will get better. The soreness and exhaustion doesn't pale in comparison to how happy he makes me anyway.

I love to watch him. He has the greatest facial expressions. He looks so much like Aaron sometimes, and then a lot like my brothers or dad at other times. He is so sweet. He has the most intoxicating smell too and the softest skin. I just want to cuddle him all day. I wish my family didn't live so far away so they could meet and spend time with him. I'll post a few more pictures, and then I am going to nurse and cuddle with him.

Aaron introducing him to the animals. The cats just sniff him every once and awhile. Roxanne tries to sleep with him a lot recently. Sophie tries to lick him constantly. She's very protective of Jonah and will guard him from the cats and the vacuum.

My favorite picture of him!

39 weeks

This week has been really busy for us. Sunday night I woke up in the middle of the night to throw up. I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm not really one to throw up, so it was pretty strange. I woke up a few more times coughing on my own bile. It was awful. I woke up Monday morning with the worst pain in my right rib. I thought maybe it was from throwing up, so I tried to just relax and not worry about it and went about my day. The pain was worse on Tuesday and was radiating to my back as well. I decided to call the doctor, and they told me to go right in. I wasn't dilated at all, and the doctor said it was either 1) that Jonah was now too big for my ribs to hold, 2) a gallstone, or 3) toxemia. She only thought the last two because I had vomited. She gave me medicine for me upset stomach and took blood, but said there was otherwise nothing I could do but try to be comfortable. I was also not dilated, which was kind of depressing.

Maggie came to visit on Tuesday, and we stayed up late chatting and had a late dinner. Wednesday we hung out all day, and my mom came in that night in anticipation of Jonah's arrival. Maggie and Aaron made us an amazing dinner. Thursday we met Aaron for lunch, walked all around downtown, picked up our Locally Grown groceries, and then had a nice dinner out. Maggie left today. It was so nice getting to spend so much time with her, especially since we rarely get to do that. We missed Athey, which was a bummer, but hopefully we'll see him next time.

My rib pain has persisted, and my back pain has gotten significantly worse. I honestly think at this point that Jonah has actually bruised my rib and back. I alternate between heating and icing them all day, and have relief in short bursts. I can't sit in one position for too long without wanting to cry. The medicine has helped my stomach a lot, which I am really grateful for. It has even curbed my heartburn for the most part. I've only had to take Tums a few times this week! The blood test results haven't come back yet, but I went to the doctor today and she suspects it is just Jonah's size and position. The doctor asked if I wanted to be checked today, and I almost said no because how much could have changed since a few days ago? Well, I am 1 cm dilated! It isn't a lot, but I'll take it. We were thinking maybe it was all the walking I did yesterday. I asked her how long she thought I had, and she actually said I'd probably hold out until 41 weeks. Talk about depressing! I think I'm going to go for a walk every day and see if that helps. Our next appointment is on our due date, a week from today. I also asked her how big he was, and she guessed about 6.5-7 lbs. I gained 5 lbs in a week, which is so upsetting, but she said it was fine and probably water weight. Either way, I know it isn't helping my back any, and it's more weight to lose after he's born. Plus I am now 10 pounds over my goal weight! Ugh!

Yesterday when we were downtown we got some cute decals for Jonah's wall. I can't wait to put them up. I guess I should post pictures of his nursery soon. I am so anxious for his arrival.

Although I could probably type more, sitting just for the amount of time it has taken me to type this has put me in a lot of pain, so I am going to cut this short. I hope he comes soon.

It's February!

The last few weeks have been relatively uneventful. I go to the doctor's office every week now. Two weeks ago, she did the Group B Strep test on me, which I still haven't gotten the results from. She asked how I was feeling, and I told her I had been cramping and spotting, which she said was early "show." She measured my fundal height at 33, which meant that Jonah had dropped. She said all these things together meant that I was probably dilated, and he was well on his way! But then she checked me and said he wasn't dropped enough, so I wasn't dilated. What a bummer! She was so shocked. She just repeated over and over again how shocked she was that I wasn't dilated yet.

On Friday I woke up with a low grade fever (99.3). Thursday night I felt flush, but Aaron felt my head and said I felt fine. All Thursday night I had chills and was shivering. It was awful. But I knew I had another doctor's appointment scheduled for Friday afternoon, so I thought I'd wait it out. The doctor just listened to his heart beat, measured me, and felt for his head. He said his heart beat was great and that his head was really low. I asked if he was going to see if I was dilated, and he said no. It was a disappointing visit. I really don't like when doctors act as if they are too busy to see me and don't spend any time answering my questions. Maybe he does it a million times a day, but it is my first baby, so yes, I'd like you to check if I'm dilated even if it means nothing in terms of when Jonah will come. Do it for my peace of mind, dude! I didn't even have time to ask him about my fever, which thankfully only lasted a few hours, but still.

Teaching has been pretty difficult. Try as I might to stay seated most of the time, my students are so needy that I end up walking around for much of the labs. By the time I get home, it's hard to get out of the car. My back hurts, my feet and legs hurt and are swollen. It's awful. I also waddle more on those nights.

I'm sleeping ok, though some nights heart burn still comes to get me. I keep a bottle of Tums next to the bed. Now that he's dropped, I also have to get up and pee several times a night. I spend most of the day completely exhausted and often have to take a nap because I can't get through what I'm doing. I'm still cleaning a lot, but since most of the big stuff is taken care of, it's just little things like making sure the dishes are always clean and the floors are always vacuumed. Every other day or so I am real crampy. Friday night I had a TON of Braxton Hicks contractions, and Jonah was real fidgety. Then after awhile I had what I thought were real contractions, because they felt like menstrual cramps, but they were about 30 minutes apart. I decided to go to bed, thinking they'd wake me up when they got worse, but they actually just went away after I fell asleep. I actually thought that was it, because the doctor told me if I change positions and they stop, it's false labor. But I got off the couch, got ready for bed, and then got into bed and still felt them. But he's still not here, so I guess I was in false labor. Other than that, the only difference I've noticed is an increased irritability. For the most part, I haven't been nearly as emotional or irritable as I thought I'd be during this pregnancy, but it's starting to kick in now. Maybe my hormones are adjusting to get us ready for labor, or maybe it's how big I am, or maybe it's just my anxiety. Either way, it's so annoying! Poor Aaron, too! Speaking of how big I am, I've gained about 30 pounds now. My weight gain was so slow until these past two weeks, and he's really picking up the pace now!

Aaron and I have picked out a pediatrician, and I installed the car seat today. Talk about tricky! I hope I did it right! His room is all set up and ready. I just have a terrible feeling I'm forgetting something.

Now that it is February, and he is officially full term, I can't help but wake up and wonder if today will be the day. Ugh, I am so impatient!

Waiting

I went through another bout of crazy cleaning, and Aaron was able to get some things accomplished around the house that we desperately needed done before Jonah made his grand entrance (fixing the ceiling fan and the dryer). His room is finished now too, except that his walls are bare and I am still looking for the perfect things to put on them. Aaron got his daddy diaper bag, and now they are both filled and ready. His clothes are all washed. Now all I have to do is wash his bottles (which he won't need for almost a month after I deliver since I will exclusively breastfeed for about 3 weeks) and put his carseat in. We also need to find a pediatrician. But I'd say we're doing pretty well compared to how we were around the holidays.

After a few days of cleaning, I became incredibly exhausted again. Every time I try to do school work I fall asleep. I sleep well at night too, so I guess it is just my body tiring from helping him grow so much. I've also been experiencing relentless heartburn. I can't go a minute without it, and it is really starting to upset me. If Jonah wants a sibling, he should consider cutting the crap. It is so painful and bothersome. This morning I woke up with some spotting as well as terrible cramps and back ache, but when I called the doctor, she said to just take it easy and see what happens. I'm feeling worse as the day progresses, but haven't felt anything I would think is a contraction. Then again, I don't know what they feel like, so who knows. Maybe it'll be soon?

We don't have to teach labs this week due to MLK day today. Yay! I'm so glad, because I already feel behind in my school work. It is starting to get warm in Athens. I am so happy for the sun and to not need to bundle up every time I go out, but I'm also sad because I bought Jonah the cutest outfit to come home in because I thought it'd be really cold. Ohwell!

I had a dental appointment today, and the dentist said I have perfect oral hygiene, which he said it actually really unusual for pregnant women. He said it means my immune system is great and things must be going well. That's awesome!

I need to get back to school work, but I thought I'd plug the new blog I started. It's going to chronicle our journey through raising a child eco-consciously. www.seedlinghugger.com

Dropping

Everything went well at my doctor's appointment. I have gained only about 23 pounds, which I am so happy about. My blood pressure was great, the baby is measuring on track, and his heart beat was good. I talked to my doctor about the things I've been experiencing, and he said that if the baby comes now, there is nothing they will do to stop it. He didn't seem to think that he'd be coming this weekend or anything, but I am definitely experiencing pre-labor symptoms.

Then last night I threw up. I don't throw up much just in general, and only threw up once my first trimester when I had morning sickness, so this is not something that I find exciting. I hope it doesn't happen again.

Aaron mentioned yesterday that my stomach looked smaller. I was checking it out in the mirror, and its shape has definitely changed. I'm not sure exactly what it should be like if he's dropped, but it almost makes sense for it to be smaller since he'd be settled into my pelvis. But either way, it is definitely a different shape. Today I noticed that I can eat more than I have been able to and I'm breathing a little bit better, so I think he's definitely dropped. I've read that this means I have about 2-4 weeks. I hope he does come early!

Discomfort

I thought I would write a quick update about the change in how my body has been feeling the last few days. Last time I wrote, I was in full cleaning mode. I scrubbed the refrigerator, the shower, the dishwasher. I dusted, did tons of laundry (whether it needed done or not), cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed like crazy, etc. Then about two days ago I woke up just completely and utterly exhausted. I am so drained. It is so difficult to get out of bed and even more difficult to find the motivation to do anything. Despite my body's inability to function properly due to this exhaustion, I can't sleep very well because all I do when I lay down is think of all the things I still need to do before Jonah is born. His swing still needs to be put together, and I have to vacuum his floor. I still have no idea how to put in his car seat. I've also had quite a bit of nausea the last two days, and increased Braxton Hicks contractions. I'm getting pains here and there, and I am definitely experiencing some steady cramping that feels like menstrual cramps. In addition to a few other (more graphic and personal) details, I am starting to wonder if I was right about little Jonah making his grand entry (or rather, exit) early. I looked in What to Expect When You're Expecting, and some of these things are listed under "pre labor." We're just 34 weeks pregnant now, so I am nervous about him coming early. I really don't want him to come early if it means he'll be in NICU. I am so ready to not be pregnant anymore though, especially now that things are starting to get incredibly uncomfortable and painful. My mom is still on her cruise. I'm wondering if I should ask her to head down shortly after she returns. Any other moms out there that might read this have an opinion on this? I don't think he's dropped yet, because I still find it hard to breathe. Some women never drop though, so I don't know how reliable this is for me.

I have a doctor appointment tomorrow, so I'll post more if there is any news.

On another note, the other day I was commenting to Aaron about how convenient it is that Jonah will be born in 2010 because it'll be easy for everyone to know how old he is. Then I thought about the fact that he'll be 21 in 2031. We became so depressed after that. We're going to be almost 50 then, and somehow that is more depressing than the looming 30 that is approaching in the next few years. Not because 50 is really old, but because it'll be 2031 then! How crazy is that?!

Sophie is right now barking in her sleep. How funny!

So this is the New Year...

Happy New Year!

Our holidays were so busy! We were able to spend a lot of time with Aaron's family and our Columbia friends over the holidays. We had a nice Christmas in with his parents. We went to Christmas Eve Eve at Mike and Beth's, which was nice because we haven't spent time with them in so long. We also got to see Clare, who is so big now! It's crazy how fast kids grow up! It makes me realize that I have to cherish every moment with Jonah when he comes. It seems like we haven't seen Ben and Jeanette in ages either. It's so nice to be able to hang out with our friends from Columbia, and I wish we lived closer. We went to see Avatar 3D with BJ and Megan. We loved it! I liked it so much I kind of want to go see it at the IMAX still. We've been lucky enough to see BJ and Megan a lot lately, and that has been really nice. I hope it keeps up!

While we were in Columbia, I barely slept. It was awful, and I feel bad, because when I don't sleep much, I am not the nicest to be around. I just couldn't get comfortable and my heartburn was out of control. As soon as we got back to Athens though, I can't sleep enough. I have been so exhausted. I have been forcing myself to get up at 8 every morning so that I can get things done around the house, but I ended up taking a nap a few times just because I can't wait until night to sleep. Our bed is so comfortable too, that it is very difficult to get out of bed in the morning. I guess right now I feel really lucky because I know a lot of women have trouble sleeping in their last trimester up until the end. I hope it doesn't hit me again, because it was AWFUL.

When we came home, Aaron was still on vacation for a few days so we got to spend a lot of time together. It was amazing. I wish we were always home together. I am so lucky to have him.

On New Years Eve, we went to dinner and then just spent the night in. We watched the ball drop and cheered the new year with a beer and a glass of sparkling apple cider. Pretty untraditional, but it was nice to just relax and enjoy it together. We watched The Hangover again after, which I love. He made three resolutions: work more for himself, get "sweet" abs, and read more books. I made a few myself: successfully give birth to a healthy baby boy, be a good mom and always put my family first, keep a clean house, and weigh less and/or be more toned than I was before I gave birth. I have a few other personal goals, but I'm going to keep them to myself. I hope I can keep them all!

Over the weekend we went to Alabama to visit with Katie and Justin and go to the USC Bowl game with them and BJ and co. It was amazing catching up with Katie and Justin. I had so much fun with them. I hate that it is always so long between trips to visit with them. The Bowl game was awful. Aaron and I dressed in so many layers, including long underwear, and we were still freezing! I actually went to the bathroom just to stand in a heated room for a few times, which is sad. USC played horribly, and we left early in the 4th quarter, right before they scored their first touchdown. We went to three games this year, and they lost each one. I hope if we make it to a game next year they actually win!

I have a doctor appointment on Friday. Tomorrow we'll be 34 weeks pregnant. I can't believe that he will be here within a month and a half. I personally think he will come early, but since I think that, he probably won't. I have been cleaning like a crazy woman! Scrubbing the refrigerator, the dishwasher, the shower. Aaron and I even cleaned behind the stove and scrubbed the walls! Aaron thinks I am just going crazy cleaning like this because I have time and I'm home, not because I'm nesting. He might be right, even though I typically don't clean that much, but a few people have told me to pack my bags for the hospital. I hope he doesn't come before week 37, but I would actually be glad if he came in three weeks. I am so ready to not be pregnant anymore and to see my beautiful boy.

My family Caribbean now. I'm so sad I missed the vacation, and especially that I am missing my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary and my grandma's surprise 80th birthday party. I hope they know I am with them in spirit and I love them. In the meantime, we are here in Athens, freezing. It is supposed to snow tomorrow. We'll see.