Top 10 Things I'll Miss About Pregnancy:

1) Random Acts of kindness from perfect strangers.

2) Expectant Mother Parking at the grocery store!

3) Eating whatever I want when I want it.

4) The nesting instinct.

5) Having Grant surprise me with his kicks and movements in my belly.

6) The anticipation, it's so exciting...

7) Celebratory get-togethers with friends and family.

8) Ron's 24/7 concern over every move I make and well being.

9) The extra help with housework and household chores from my hubbie.

10) Riley resting his head on my belly, it's his favorite pillow! :)

My bags are packed, I'm ready to GO!

It's been awhile since I've actually updated you on how the pregnancy is going. Let's just say, I'm over it! I'm now 38 weeks and pretty miserable. Ron and I have been doing a lot to prepare for our little one's arrival. We took a childbirth education class, a breastfeeding class and I took and infant CPR class which were all extremely beneficial. Ron stated he didn't realize there was so much to having a baby! I packed my bags this week for the hospital in hopes that we would be needing them sooner than later. All the babies clothes, blankets and socks are all washed and waiting. I started seeing my Doctor weekly at 35 weeks and yesterday I went for my 38 week appointment. I was a fingertip dialated which is equivilant to 1/2 a centimeter which is equivilant to pretty much NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! HA! Yesterday, my doc started talking induction which is a topic that I have mixed emotions about. The advantages of being induced would be knowing exactly what day you will go into labor which would be very convenient for our families traveling from NC. Also, you can plan and have everything lined up for out of town guests, there's also no embarrasing water-breaking-in-public action, or false labor scenarios. You also are assured that your doctor will be the one delivering your baby. Disadvantages: It can take hours upon hours for your cervix to dialate which means you could labor for days... this is what I'm particularly afraid of and the likelyhood of the induction ending up in a C-Section is very high. Inductions are a common practice down here in Southern Alabama. In fact, my good friend Kimmy does not know a single person who went into labor on their own. I asked my doctors nurses yesterday what percentage of his practice is induced and the answer was 80%. In NC, this just doesn't happen. You let nature take its course, right ladies? After my appointment yesterday I was lured into scheduling an induction for next Monday the 24th. After much thought and talking with our families and friends I have decided to postpone that date until the 31st and hopefully Grant will just arrive on his on and we won't have to worry about this mess! I just don't want to go past my due date and the concern with that is you have to schedule an induction 7-10 days in advance around here, they are that booked up and if I don't get something scheduled now, there's the possibility of delivering around Labor Day Weekend and let's face it, my doc will be out of town and I just don't want to be pregnant anymore! AAAGGHH!!! So here's hoping that Grant will decide this weekend he wants to "Drop it Like it's Hot" and move down south to meet his wonderful, patiently waiting parents! Please pray for me and a safe delivery!

Diaper Cake: Revealed!

Remember the fabulous diaper cake I received at my baby shower in Clinton? It was a gift from Mrs. Pam Griffin and by far the best diaper cake I've ever seen! Well, I finally took it apart and had to share photos of the aftermath and all the wonderful surprises that were hidden in its layers!

Here is a photo of the cake used as a centerpiece at the shower:

Here it is in the middle of the demolition:
Here's all the loot that was on the cake, can you say score! I have enough toys, and teethers to last for the first year of Grant's life just from this cake! The cake also included two monogrammed blankets not pictured.

Total of 60 diapers were used in the making of this cake, they will be put to good use!

Thanks Mrs. Griffin for the awesome gift!

White-Spunner Baby Shower

Last Tuesday, Ron's co-workers and company honored us with a Baby Shower for Grant which was completely unexpected! I met Ron at his office at 11:30 and we all enjoyed a BBQ lunch with all the fixins'! After we all ate, Ron and I opened the gifts and were once again overwhelmed with gratitude for the kind generosity that was bestowed upon us. The different divisions of White-Spunner had gone in together to give us group gifts. We received some must have baby necessities such as diapers and wipes, bottle brushes, bath toys and bibs but what I was really excited about was the $350 in Target and Babies-R-Us Giftcards they gave us! I used these giftcards to buy the video monitor I have been hoping for, Grant's swing, a sound machine and an inclined to sleep positioner. Ron and I can't believe how fortunate we have been throughout this entire pregnancy with the outpouring of generosity from friends and family. We have received everything we need for our little guy and I haven't had to buy anything except for the furniture for his nursery! I can't thank you all enough for all the wonderful gifts and love we have received over the past couple of months. We are incredibly blessed!

Lunch at White-Spunner: I'm in the back in the blue shirt. The majority of the guests were the women of the company, the men all kind of came and introduced themselves and got their lunch to go! Guess baby showers aren't their thing, haha!

Opening their gifts, I received some awesome onesies and clothes!

Ron with a picture frame for Grant's nursery.

The Village at Auburn University: Mission Complete!

I couldn't resist sharing the news with all of you about the project that brought Ron and I to Alabama! Ron began working for White-Spunner Construction in April of 2008 after his career in the Marine Corps. The company moved us to Auburn where he would be working as an Assistant Project Manager on the $100 Million Dollar Project of building eight dorms on Auburn University's Campus, called "The Village." Ron was immediately "thrown" into his new career and spent many, many long days, nights and weekends ensuring the success of the project. Ron carried many jobs throughout the project but mostly was in charge of the logistics of ordering all the supplies and coordinating the deliveries of all materials. He signed for every single piece of lumber that was used in the project and for this his cell phone rang non-stop for over a year! The opportunity came this past April for Ron to move on from the Auburn project before its completion and he was given his own project in Selma, AL building a $15 Million Dollar State Trooper Training Facility. Ron had mixed feelings about leaving Auburn before the job was completed but it worked out best for us especially with Grant on the way! Last week, White-Spunner handed the eight dorms over to the University and the students began moving in. These are not your average dorms and honestly it makes me sick to think about my living conditions on ECU's campus compared to the lap of luxury these kids are about to enjoy!
The new Village Community will house 1800 men and women in eight residence halls. Auburn’s social sororities will be housed in three of the buildings and a fourth building will house members of the Honors College. The remaining four buildings will be coed housing both freshmen and upperclassmen. The Village units will be configured in “super suites” shared by four students. Get This: The suites consist primarily of four single bedrooms, two bathrooms and a common living/dining area. (Seriously???)

My boss took Ron and I for ride in his airplane when we first moved to Auburn. This was an aerial view I took of the dorm project in the very beginning with the football stadium behind it.

Ron showing my parents around the project in February of this year.
Ron hard at work! Thanks goodness I don't have to deal with trying to wash that red dirt out of his pants any longer! haha "The Village" Complete except for the landscaping

Fabulous, huh?

So this is an example of the kitchen and living area that the students will share with their four suitemates. Not Fair!

This girl already has her room (to herself) decked out and ready for the school year!

The Village suites floorplan:

Overall, I'm thrilled that Ron's first project with White-Spunner is complete and I couldn't be prouder of my hubbie and all the other men and women that gave their blood, sweat and tears for the successful completion of this project! Now on to the successful completion of the Selma Project scheduled for July 2010!

*Fingers are crossed!

Grant's Coming Home Outfit

Remember back to the posting from my trip to Illinois where I was surprised with a baby shower from Ron's family? Ron's Mom surprised me with a gown she had sewn for Grant to where home from the hospital. Throughout the week of our vacation she taught me how to smock and I diligently worked on smocking the center of the gown. After many, many hours successfully and unsuccessfully smocking the gown I finally completed the project. Trust me, I had to start over countless times! At the end of our trip, Jody took the gown back home with her to finish the hem and final details. She brought the gown back to me the weekend of the shower in Wilmington. Thought I would share the completed project with you. I'm awfully proud of my handywork although, I'm not in a hurry for another project anytime soon!

Receiving the gown at the baby shower in IL, It's a blank canvas...

Diligently working on smocking the gown...
The masterpiece is complete!

Close up of my hardwork!

Tag Jody included on the inside that reads, "Smocked by Mother"

Isn't Grant going to be a handsome boy in his beautifully smocked daygown the day he comes home from the hospital?

Three Years Baby!

My Wonderful husband and I are celebrating our third wedding anniversary today! Our wedding day was the best day of my life and it's hard to believe that three years have passed since the day we said our "I do's!" Ron and I started dating the summer after our sophomore year of college in 2002. We were not always exclusive but things turned serious our senior year and have been going strong ever since! I'm so lucky to have Ron as my best friend, husband and soon to be father of my baby boy! We have been through a lot in our three years of marriage and our adventures have taken us all over the country, in Ron's case, all over the world with his career in the USMC. Our travels and time spent away from North Carolina have just made our foundation that much stronger, we rely very heavily on eachother for the love and support that was so readily available to us from friends and family in NC. This past week Ron found a video of a news report done in the Mt. Airy area, where his parents currently reside. On a break from college Ron and I visited his parents one weekend and traveled to the Virginia line to buy lottery tickets. Upon arriving we were approached by a camera and news crew asking us if they could interview us for a story they were doing about the lottery and the advantages it would bring to our state. Of course, we obliged. The video is hillarious, you can hear me in my best southern drawl asking the cashier for "$5 worth of quick picks!" Ron stated after finding this video, "We're going to have to save this for our 5oth wedding anniversary and splice it into the slide show of our lives!" I quickly told him he was wishing our lives away but however thought it was incredibly sweet he's already looking ahead and planning our 50th wedding anniversary! I'm incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful husband, life and so much to look forward to with the soon to be arrival of Grant Fitzgerald. Here's to you, Babe!

Here is one of the first digital photos I have of Ron and I. This was taken in 2004 at the Beef Barn in Greenville, NC. Go Pirates!

Our wedding day, August 5th, 2006
Ron returns home from a seven month deployment in 2007, oh happy day!

Reunited and it feels so good!

Ron and I at an Auburn University Football game. We moved to Auburn, AL from Hampstead, NC in May of 2008. Total distance from our old lives to new: 544 miles, 8 hours and 40 minutes. What an adjustment that was!

Present day, settled into our new home in Spanish Fort, AL. An additional three + hours south of NC. Total distance from home: 757 miles, 11 hours 58 minutes. With our first child on the way, we're as happy as can be and look forward to a very long life together and hopefully staying put for awhile!

What a Weekend!

Ron and I had a wonderful, busy weekend with my parents in town. We were constantly on the go trying to pack in as much as we could during their visit. Saturday we enjoyed a day shopping and sight seeing in Fairhope and later Ron and I were honored with a couples cookout to celebrate Grant's upcoming arrival hosted by our great friend's Nathan and Kimmy Cox. Sunday we ventured to Orange Beach, AL after church. My parents enjoyed their first dip in the Gulf of Mexico and loved it! The beach was beautiful that day and I enjoyed the view from under an umbrella, I just can't take the heat these days! Enjoy the photos from our fun packed weekend!

Cookout at Kimmy and Nathan's:

How cute is the Dumbo stuffed animal with Grant's name on the ear?

The Hostess with the Mostess, Kimmy and I

Ron and his friend, Charlie

The Folks with Ron and I

Ron's first experience opening baby shower gifts. He didn't quite know what everything was but had fun nonetheless!

Jumperoo from Kimmy and Nathan!

Boppy, Yay!

Adorable monogrammed diaper shirts and a monkey playtime mat/rug from Ross and Lindsay, love them!

Many thanks to the Cox's for hosting the cookout in our honor. We are so lucky to have you and have you so graciously welcome us into your fabulous circle of family and friends!

Wayne and Jane Claire infront of the Mobile Bay in Fairhope, AL.

Orange Beach, AL. 35 weeks. Check out my tan on the front of my very swollen legs, not the back!

Yep, that's my shadow! Had to capture it, couldn't resist!

One Month Countdown!

Grant is officially due one month from today and I am ready! I had my 35 week doctor appointment yesterday and my parents were able to tag along. Everything went great! I had an ultrasound in which the ultrasound tech told me Grant already weighs 6 pounds 5 onces! It was wonderful seeing his little face on that screen and seeing his belly contract while breathing, what a miracle! Later, I saw the doctor, he told me the ultrasound is only about 30% accurate at predicting the weight of the baby. He felt my abdomen and guessed Grant is an average size baby weighing in at about 5 pounds and he thinks he'll be around 7 at the time of his birth, thank goodness! My blood pressure was great and he said not to be concerned with my swelling. He actually said the swelling will get worse after Grant is born and then take a couple of weeks to go away completely. So much for losing all that water weight in the hospital... :( I'm having a very difficult time at this point getting a good night's rest. I wake up every two hours like clock work to use the restroom. I have heard this is God's way of preparing you for all those sleepless nights once the baby has arrived. I have started dreading going to bed at night and all the up and down has really gotten to Ron to. It's impossible for him to be rested in the morning as well. I'll chalk it up to small sacrafices for the ultimate reward!