The beginning of the end...

So, I think I may have reached a pivotal point in this pregnancy. The past 3 days or so, I have had some sharp "pains" that occur very low and are strong enough for me to shout out, "Oh my God."

My friend Julie and I were picking up dinner last night, and the hostess was reading off our order from the receipt to us, and it happened right there, and I freaked Julie and the hostess out a little bit. In fact, I freaked myself out. It went away right away....but I had the same pain happen earlier in the day during my first hour class....those pains were exactly 12 hours apart.

Today, (Friday) around 11:00 I started getting lower back pain...and now I feel like I am just having bad menstrual cramps. I googled what this could possibly mean and it says it could just be related to the late stages of pregnancy, or it can also be an indicator of labor coming up shortly...

We still have a ways to go, so I think we'll be just fine, but I think these "pains" will be occuring more frequently now!

Wow!

Sorry it's been awhile again...but I've been busy as always...

So, since the last post, I've gone back to work, survived meeting my new students, managed to find a wardrobe for the next 20 days that will fit me and the ever-growing belly and we also had our baby shower this past Sunday!

The shower was beautiful... it was everything I have been dreaming about for the last couple of years! We recevied almost everything on our registries!! We are so thankful to have such generous and loving family members and friends. It was truly a special afternoon being surrounded by everyone and receiving lots of well wishes for little Mergie who's on his/her way!

I will try to post some pictures from the shower, but my current camera isnt cooperating with me too well. My parents bought us a new one for the shower. I'm very excited about it. It's a Nikon professional SLR camera that take pictures an incredible speeds and produces professional-like photos. Just perfect for capturing Baby Novak's first moments!

School is going great for me. I have a good schedule and my students seem pretty good so far. I only have 15 more working days before my maternity leave, so I am counting down!! I'm looking forward to being home and setting up for Mergie!!

Last night, I went through our HEAP of gifts from the shower and broke down boxes, bags, etc. to put out for recycling this morning. It was overwhelming to see such beautiful gifts and baby gear just for us and our little bundle! I never thought these moments would come, and now that they're here...it's so surreal. Thank you to everyone for supporting us and for being so kind to us!!

My lunch break is just about over, only one more segment of class and my day is done! I'm eager to go home, open some packages of diapers, and start stacking them away for Baby Novak's homecoming!

Forgot some things...

A couple things I forgot...

1. Little Mergie is kicking me constantly now. I couldn't fall asleep last night, because there was some very rhythmic kicking going on....now that I think about it, maybe he/she had the hiccups! It felt like a heartbeat...

2. I went to the mall this past week to look for a dress for my shower. I ventured into JC Penney and asked where I could find the maternity section. The lady informed me it was right next to Petites. PETITES?? Seriously people?? How rude...send the pregnant women huffing and puffing to the second floor and then position the big, baggy, walrus-sized pants next to the PETITES! Good lord. I left annoyed, walked clear across the mall to the Auntie Anne's pretzel stand, ordered some delicious buttery dough, a large Sprite, and sat down and ate it.

A few Quick Updates

Sorry it's been over a week since our last post...things have been busy.

1. The baby's room construction was finished. It now contains crown molding, chair railing, and wainscoting. It looks beautiful and I wish I could post a picture for you, but my camera has now refused to cooperate with me. I'll see what I can do. We must be picture ready for when little Mergie arrives!!

2. Rich has to just do some touch up painting in the nursery and then it will be ready for the furniture to be moved in!

3. I've been busy getting the little details together for the shower...seating chart, RSVP's, ordering the flowers, cake, etc. It should all be so beautiful...everything I have been dreaming about for the last couple of years.

4. I've been helping my very good friend Julie with her wedding (her wedding date is October 10th...I'm hoping to make it somehow) and I just finished all the calligraphy for her invitations and I am also hosting her shower at my house in early September, so I've been preparing for that.

5. School starts on Wednesday for me. I went to my classroom early this week, and realized my computer (with ALL of my files and power-points, etc.) was missing along with a desk of mine. Luckily, I found it in the room across the hall from mine so my mom came the next day and helped me move it back. In that process, I realized that the lady who retired left behind a classroom full of brand new student desks, so my mom and 2 custodians moved those new desks into my room and my crappy, old, yucky desks were moved into the empty room waiting for the new teacher! :) HEY! Don't judge me...I've got seniority and damn well deserve those new desks.

6. I've been working more at Hohman Floral the past two weeks to set aside some extra money for my maternity leave. I work there tonight, and Sunday afternoon and that's it. I can't say it's my last day. I know I'll be back. Everyone probably thinks I'm crazy, and why would I go back to a part time job...but I REALLY like that job. It's like a little family there, and I just enjoy it. Especially at Christmas time...so I may go back for a day or two a week around the end of November to ease me back into the working world and get myself used to leaving little Merg. We'll see how it all goes...but that's what I would like. That can all change, but for now we'll call those my "plans." I will go back to teaching at the beginning of the second semester....January 20, 2009. My last day of teaching before baby will be September 19, 2008.

7. We met with the baby's future pediatrician yesterday, it went very well...I really liked him a lot. He's loud, funny, young, a daddy of three himself, and just overall, very charismatic. The office has well and sick waiting rooms, everything is brightly painted. I had fun just sitting there.

8. I think that's about it. This is going to be a fast last week of summer for me...but the weather forecast is bright sunny skies from today-Tuesday, so I plan on lots of pool time before I go back to work. But, for now, my work is getting a tan!

Getting Closer...

Yes, we're getting closer to the baby being born! That is fabulous and I am quite eager for that. However, have you noticed that we are almost a week into August already??? ICK!

August means the first day of school. Phooey. Just when I'm getting used to my summer routine, it's going to be uprooted and blown to pieces when my alarm clock starts ringing at 4:40 am and I am back at LC teaching hormonal teenagers. (I really do love my job....I just really love summer also.)

I guess it's not the end of the world, I am quite thankful that I have a job that lets me have 3 months off every summer, so I'm not complaining too much. I just hate going from doing nothing to working everyday and getting up before farm animals roll over for the last time.

I also changed my maternity leave dates today. I was going to work up until October 3...but now my last day will be September 19...so I will go back for a total of 23 working days. Not too bad! Then I'll be off until the second semester begins...January 20th. So, it's definitely something to look forward to. I just couldnt picture myself in my last 2 weeks of pregnancy teaching Ancient Roman literature and having to dress nicely...I'd much rather be in my hubby's t-shirts and pajama pants lounging around the house, watching trash TV and enjoying my last few days of solitude before our lives are completely changed. Oh, and of course spending lots of snuggle time with Winnie and taking some walks.

On WEdnesday, the man we hired to do the baby's room is coming over to put up the crown molding and wainscoting. I don't think it will take long, so hopefully we will have some pics up of that soon. We have all the baby furniture ready to go (except for the glider/ottoman) so we can move in the furniture, and then start washing clothes and putting them away!

Wow! So much to do yet...how can one little baby cause so much commotion already?? I can't wait!! Nine weeks to go!!

All Done!!

Yesterday I took my last final exam of grad school.
I needed to correctly answer 86 questions out of 130 to keep my "A"
So...how did I do??

123/130!!!!
94%
Woohoo!
Grad School is over!

And I will graduate with perfect grades...all A's, every class.
Yes, I'm bragging. I deserve to damn it.

The actual graduation ceremony isnt until December...so that means
my little baby will get to attend it! What a great graduation gift!