Baby Shower #1

My amazing bosom buddies threw me my first baby shower this weekend. I can't believe how great it was (actually, I can believe it. They're pretty crazy good at what they do). I stole pictures from Jess and Mandy. They get the credit.

The Hostesses: Jess and Rachel (who opened their townhouse for the occasion) and Mandy who flew from afar to be here!

The food and decorations...made with love.

I have to tell you about these paper flowers. Jess took vintage childrens' books and folded them into flowers. Then Jess and Rachel grew real wheat grass in glasses and "planted" the flowers in them. Amazing!

These shoes were handmade (!!!) by Jess and Rachel's mom, Deb. Could they be any cuter? What a diva this baby will be!All the "showerers" (minus Mandy's mom, Kay, who took the picture). I love them all!

The "Seven" minus Brittany (who couldn't be there because she is being a missionary in Ukraine. I guess we'll let her off the hook. She was very missed, but she was with us in spirit and in the button decorations!)

With all the preciousness of the day, there had to be a little silliness, too. Here are Mel and Jess modeling the Bumbo chair (hopefully the baby will use it correctly)!

Molly and Tara's present had this extra large bow on it. Mandy said, "You know that's ending up on your belly at some point, right?" And so, it did.

I can't tell you how blessed I felt that day; and how I feel to have these women in my life. I hope the Bean is influenced by every one of them!

Inappropriate Question of the Day

Co-Worker (pushing the hair off MY forehead): Oh...are you breaking out like that because you're pregnant?

.....Yeah....I've never felt so beautiful.....

Sinful

Why...

...are all...

...the wonderful foods in life...

...so very, very...

...naughty?

These foods are on my post-pregnancy wish list. It's an ever-growing list. Forgive me for having such wicked thoughts.

Discipline

I'm quickly learning that I don't have it! After failing my glucose tests, I learned last week that I have gestational diabetes (meaning, it should go away when the baby comes). It's a common problem for pregnant women to have, but a bummer nonetheless. I have reluctantly started a carb-counting diet. Basically, I have to cut all the fun out of eating. Cravings for naughty foods have never been so strong. And I know they aren't pregnancy cravings. They are just "I've-been-told-no-and-now-I-want-what-I-can't-have" cravings. I normally don't think about food much; now, thoughts of food consume my brain!!!! I can smell fast food at stop lights. There are entire aisles at the grocery store that need to be avoided now.

Of course, the benefits of following the diet are a healthier baby and a healthier me. If I don't keep my blood sugar at a healthy level she could be born with wacky blood sugar, too. AND she could be born large. No thanks. I would like a normal-sized baby, please and thank you. So, pray that I can stay disciplined on this carb-counting, no fun or frills diet! We want the Bean born healthy. :)

I am now 30 weeks pregnant. CRAZY! Gerrit and I are taking on cleaning projects to make room for Bean. Hopefully, she can be welcomed into an organized home. That's the news in our house. Here's my 30-weeks picture:

Happy Monday!

Challenge Day 18 and Some Banter

Welp, it's been awhile, so I feel like I should write something. I've really dragged this photo challenge out. Sorry folks. But here is:

A Photo of One of Your Classes

Obviously, this isn't a picture of one of my classes. However, it is a photo of my first day of my Junior Year in high school. My grandpa was visiting at that time and this may be the only picture I have of the two of us together. He passed away the next summer and I wish I remembered more of this visit. I do have little tidbits of memories of him. The clearest is of him reading the newspaper whenever he came to visit. He would devour each section and then turn to me and say, "Well Cassie, I guess you'll be wanting to read the 'technicals' now." Then he would hand me the comics. I have no idea why he called them that, but I still think about that each time I read the comics. :)

Besides being pregnant, there's not a whole lot going on in our household. We're trying to clear out the office space to make room for baby stuff. As my due date draws nearer, my feelings about this whole experience are getting stronger. I'm absolutely grateful for this pregnancy. We're excited to meet our little girl.

But I'm going to be honest.

Ready?

I do NOT like actually being pregnant. It's the weirdest, most uncomfortable thing my body and mind have ever been through....and my pregnancy is normal! It's not even complicated! I have nothing to complain about! But I certainly find plenty.

I also find it humorous how people react to pregnant women. Apparently, social norms do not apply when conversing with me, a pregnant woman. Suddenly....

• It's perfectly acceptable to comment on my body. Example: Wow, you look big today.
  
• Co-workers can ask personal questions and then give advice with no prior personal conversations in our history. Example: How many times have you gone to the bathroom today?

• Sharing a terrible birth and labor story is offered as a comfort, because what I'll go through could NEVER be as bad as that. I won't scar your mind with the examples I've been given. Glass-half-empty comments are the new optimism. Example: Oh, you aren't sleeping well? Your back hurts? Just you wait....it's only gonna get worse.
  
• Commenting on the food I eat is no longer seen as rude. Example: You're eating for two, so I guess it's okay for you to eat SO much.
  Example 2: You didn't finish everything on your tray. You really should eat more now that you're eating for two.
  

I, for one, don't understand where this new social openness comes from. It's fascinating. But it comes with the territory, I suppose. I'll just smile and nod and tell them THEY look really big today, too. :)

Kid Quote

Kindergarten Boy: Miss Cassie, is it uncomfortable to have a baby in your tummy?

Me: You know, sometimes it is. But not all the time.

Boy: Yeah, I bet it's hard work. Mamas gotta be tough.

Me: You think so?

Boy: Yeah, I mean....you gotta be a strong lady to grow a baby. You gotta be tough. You're a tough lady.

*Now here's a guy who understands. :) He must have a smart, tough mama at home.*

Challenge: Days 16 and 17

I find myself here at the computer because Gerrit and our friend, Pat, are playing video games....AGAIN. I was contently reading in bed, but I started falling asleep at the too-early time of 8 p.m. In an effort to keep myself awake, I think I'll give you not one, but two days of the photo challenge in one entry! Lucky you. You're welcome.

A Photo of the Last Party You Went To:

The theme of our friend, Adam's, (27th) birthday party was Batman. It was decorated accordingly. We all got Batman tattoos, goody bags, and memories to last a lifetime. :) Everyone loves a theme party! I know you're jealous.

Okay, so Day 17's challenge is a drunken photo of yourself. Good luck finding that picture. It doesn't exist as I have never been even a little bit drunk. Instead, I give you:

An Embarrassing Photo

Actually, I'm not embarrassed by this photo....cause it's awesome. My side of the family celebrated Christmas over Thanksgiving, since it was an In-Law year during actual Christmas. We decided to celebrate with ugly sweaters; not a new concept, but a fun one I think every family should enjoy. Besides the overwhelming cool factor here, this picture is great because we are all in it (with the extra-special bonus of Grandma)! That so rarely happens.

And, just because I love you all so much, I'm adding a third picture for the price of two. It's my 23 weeks pregnant photo.I never thought I'd be one of those gals to feel fat during pregnancy (it's natural; you're body is supposed to change; you're growing a life; it's beautiful...yadda yadda yadda). I'm just gonna be honest- I feel fat. That's just the way it is. And I will continue to get bigger. It needs to happen. But you can't talk me out of my feelings. So there. Who are these women who say being pregnant is the most beautiful they've ever felt? I'd like to meet them....and smack them (but not while they're pregnant. THAT would be wrong).
But all that to say, I love the Bean. She's worth it. I will grin and bare the belly. It's a blessing that I cried and prayed for. And it's not totally unrealistic to think that I'll be leaving in skinny jeans from the hospital.....right? :)