35 and 36 Weeks, Baby Shower, and More!

When I was 35 weeks pregnant, my mom flew in to California to help me out around the house.  She knew my last few weeks of pregnancy would be draining and exhausting, so she wanted to be around to be the extra set of hands that are coming in super handy right now.  I feel guilty allowing her to do dishes and cook, and run errands for me.... but she says that's what she's here for, so I will take it.  Thanks, mom!  We have a sort of ongoing joke... she referred to me as "miserable" to someone and I was quick to correct her that I'm in fact very very happy.  She said that she considered me being so exhausted and in some pain and discomfort to mean I was miserable... but I said I just feel that miserable is such an extreme word.  Even though I'm exhausted (I could sleep around the clock), I moan (and occasionally ask for a push) when I get up off the couch, I have to sit when we are out and about for too long, I whine about heartburn and getting kicked in the ribs.... I'm not miserable.  Sure, it sounds like it, but you just have to understand that even through the discomfort, I TREASURE this time with Luke in my belly.  I absolutely adore feeling him kick and seeing him move and get comfortable.  It's an incredible feeling that I am going to miss in just a little while!  So mom now understands that I'm not "miserable" but rather just exhausted and achey.  Haha :)

So anyway, mom flew in on the day I became 35 weeks pregnant, and that day also just happened to be  the day of my baby shower.  My girlfriends out here put on quite the shindig!  It was beautiful!  In our church fellowship hall, we entered to see stars hanging from the ceiling and walls, blue for my baby boy, and food and gifts galore.  The star and moon theme came because Luke's nursery theme is "Twinkle twinkle."

Here I am just entering the room... you can see the balloons and the decorations throughout the room.

Here's the food table... complete with sandwiches cut into stars, and a huge and DELICIOUS chocolate cake with chocolate icing.  YUM! 

And the adorable little party favors... MOON PIES!  BECAUSE WE ARE OVER THE MOON!

Isn't that just precious?!

And look at this cake that was to die for... "Sent from heaven above, a baby boy for you to love!"

On the table across the room, there was a table full of gifts and an ADORABLE diaper cake that Rose made... check this out:

There was a sweet elephant on top for baby Luke, wash cloths stuffed throughout, an embroidered bib, a bottle brush, car seat toy, and a pacifier with a cover that closes when it falls on the floor!  It was adorable!  Rose had to be out of town, but she was there in spirit.

Here we are at the shower... she has a "Grandma to be" pin on her shirt, and I have a "New Mommy to be" pin on my "New mom to be" sash.  The girls were just so sweet to us.  I'm still kicking myself for not getting a photo with them!  I can't believe I didn't think to do that!  Doh!

We were blessed with many baby items that will help us take care of our little prince.  Marramonie sat to my right and kept track of all of the gifts, so that I could send out thank you cards.  Amanda brought gifts to me and then shuffled them to the gift table, and cleaned up the trash from opening the gifts.  Ruia and Michelle made sure everyone was comfortable and replenished the food and drinks... and Rose had to be out of town on this specific day.  But these girls... man, I can't thank them enough.  Oh, and see the banner over me in the photo below?  It's in three sections that reads "Welcome Baby Luke" and it was handmade by our friend Megan.  She was unable to come to the shower as well because her sweet girl had her second birthday on this particular day... June was a crazy busy month for everyone.

We played one shower game... everyone was given a blank bingo card that they had to fill out with items they thought I would receive as gifts.  Once I opened it, they marked it down on their card and the first person to get "Bingo" would win a prize!  There was also a signature mat for my shower attendees to fill out, so Luke will have that hanging in his room soon.  The hostesses also had guests write silly and encouraging little notes for midnight diaper changes.  They wrote them right on the diapers, and I have to admit I did take a little peek... and they are hilarious!  Some of them are encouraging, reminding me that this is only a short season that we are going through, and others say funny little things like "Daddy's turn!"  So sweet.  Women of encouragement, let me tell ya.

Here is a belly shot of the 35 week bump (taken after church the day after my shower).

And then here we are this week at 36 weeks.

This week, we are slowly working on getting Luke's clothes washed and organized, and putting all of his little goodies away.  We are also working on finishing his nursery... I'm working on sewing his crib skirt, valance for his window, and changing pad cover.  I also hope to make him a pillow for his rocking chair, and we will use extra fabric for a few other little projects I will share with you soon.

We've also been enjoying the leftover party favors (moon pies) every night.  Yesterday, when we got home from church, we discovered SOMEONE had two moon pies while we were gone..... she had chocolate all over her face, her little pink belly was poking out, and she was passed out for the entire afternoon and evening.  That night, when my mom picked up a moon pie for her dessert, this little girl ran over to my mom and started begging for one.  Up until that day, she cared less about us eating the moon pies...but she had a taste of the goodness and wanted more.  Belle!  Mommy's not happy about that, little one... chocolate is bad for you!  

She says "I don't care, it was worth it.  Yum!"  See the chocolate on her face going down by her neck?

Hopefully my next update to you all won't be TOO long away... like I said, I've just been worn out.  Blogging hasn't been a priority, unfortunately.  I feel like there isn't enough time in the day to get everything done.  Millions of errands, lamaze every Wednesday, laundry piling up and the regular cleaning and maintenance to take care of.  But these are all wonderful "burdens" to be blessed with, so with that in mind... I'm going to go straighten up my room and head off for a prenatal massage that Luke got me for mother's day.  It is time to use it!  That is considered a priority!  Right?!  Yep, I thought so.  ;)