Shower Time!!

Last weekend, I went to Indiana for my first baby shower! My mom, sister, and sister-in-law did a great job making it happen - THANK YOU!! It was so wonderful to have so many of my friends and family there to celebrate with me. We got a ton of great stuff for Cliff - thank you all so much for thinking of us - we really appreciate it! It was the perfect mix of fun stuff and practical stuff....what more could I ask for? And to top it all off, I made it back to Colorado with everything in tow....even the gift bags and tissue paper!! I thought I did a great job of packing, but my dad could not understand why on earth I'd need to take the gift bags back with me....haha I had a blast unpacking everything to show Brad when I got back. I think his favorite gifts were the Colts binky and cups :) Sarabeth, I don't think Cliff will ever be able to have that binky in his mouth unless he has on a Broncos outfit to go with it!!

Here are some pictures from the shower:

It's a real baseball on top! Thanks, Maggie (and Cary)!

The favors had blue and white M&M's in baby food jars. The confetti was blue and white said "It's A Boy!"
We played a game where everyone guessed which baby picture belonged to which person (they're on the poster behind me and my gift-helper Kylie) - harder than I thought it would be since I knew everyone there!

My good friends Mandy, Sarabeth, Susan, Tracy, and Sarabeth's daughter Emily. I'm getting a lot of good advice from them! Sarabeth is having a girl in October, so I think Cliff will have a little girlfriend to visit when we're home in December!

I am definitely feeling like I'm in my third trimester....I wish I would have known how good things were in the second trimester because I never would have complained! My body has started feeling really sore and achy over the past week. I thought it had a little bit to do with me over-doing it last Monday....I flew back really early from Indiana and went straight to work, so it was a really long day. But I've been told your body just gets sore and you have to deal with it....not exactly what I wanted to hear!

I also think I experienced some Braxton Hicks contractions Monday night. Braxton Hicks contractions are uterine contractions that can start as early as 6 weeks in your pregnancy, and can come and go up until you deliver. It's basically your body practicing for labor....sounds fun, right? Some women don't ever feel them, and some women have a lot of pain with them. Mine just felt like huge kicks from the baby, except all over my belly at once. My lower back was pretty sore the next day, which I read is normal after having them.

I'm also have a lot of heartburn lately too, no matter what I eat. It used to be just at night, but now it's started showing up during the day too. So I've got my Maalox on the counter in the bathroom, and as much as I hate it, it actually works!

Let's see, what else? Oh yeah, I've been exceptionally emotional this week too....just ask Brad! I've started to get busy at work and will be for the next two months, so I think the stress of that is getting to me. That means working more than normal, at a time when I'm more tired than normal. So Brad is usually the one who I take it out on....not on purpose though! Bless his heart, he never knows what to say when I have a breakdown, but at least he's honest with me and tells me he has no idea what to say. Just his support and encouragement are a big help, and I know I'll need it after the baby's born too!

I had a great time visiting my family in Indiana. It's hard to believe the next time I see my nieces and nephews I'll be a mom! I've been 'just an aunt' for 10 year now, and I have to say that I love being an aunt.....now I'll have to live with the repercussions of buying the loudest and most annoying toy in the store and giving my siblings' kids back to them full of sugar!! haha

Next week will be full of updates....we start our childbirth classes on Wednesday and my next doctor's appointment is Thursday.....stay tuned!