"Any Time Now, Really."

35 week belly shot with Mia-dog!

That is what my doctor kept saying at yesterday's appointment! Bruce and I just kept looking at each other with blank stares. They checked to see if I was dilated and the answer was no, but according to our doctor, "the baby is low and has already started navigating his/or her way down and out." :)

He also thinks that we will have a "healthy baby"...meaning he or she will be around 8 - 8 1/2 lbs. Hahaha - craziness!

We are now just in a holding pattern! We cannot wait to meet him or her and also see if we have a September baby instead of an October baby!

So Wonderfully Spoiled....

That is what I keep saying in my head, over and over again. This baby, myself and Bruce are all so spoiled by our family and our friends that it is really surreal.

A shower was hosted in our honor this past Sunday by my best girlfriends in the world. I really hit the jackpot to have all these ladies in my life. The shower was held at my friend Tiffany's beautiful house and was also hosted by my 3 sister-in laws -Maria Mehok, Kimia Mehok and Kristina Mehok - and my beautiful friends - Heather Thompson, Joanna Odom, Melissa Bollins and Tiffany Parker.

(me with all my hostesses!)

I walked into a beautifully decorated house and the dining room table covered in really some of the cutest baby related things I have ever seen at a shower! Heather keeps telling me that she stole all the wonderful ideas...but I think she is being modest! She had the most adorable boxes of favors with my name and the shower date on them and they were filled with candy fishes! (my nursery decor is a fish theme) She also had mini diapers that were filled with almond candies! Yum! There was the cutest green fish piggy bank too with a note that read, "A penny saved is a penny earned, it's true! Let's start baby Calkins college fund long before it becomes due!"

She also had midnight diapers, where all my best wrote cute and funny notes for Bruce and I to read when we are changing those diapers in the middle of the night! :) She also framed a picture of our last ultrasound and had the shower invitation matted and everyone that came to the shower signed it too! So cute!


Tiffany made a precious diaper cake for us! I hate to even think about taking it apart! And all the girls gave us a book for baby Calkins! I cannot wait to read them all!

The shower hasn't even started and already we've gotten all of these things!

Next comes the amazing spread of food...chicken salad, pasta salad, pigs in the blanket, fruit salad, spinach dip, cheese/crackers, bacon wrapped water chestnuts and of course a yummy and precious cake!

So many of my girlfriends were able to come and share in this special day with me too. I was overwhelmed by every one's generosity and I left there in absolute awe of the whole day.

Thank you all so much from the bottom of our hearts! It really was everything and so much more than I ever expected!

Baby and I are still doing really well! We had an ultrasound last Friday and s/he is already measuring at 6 lbs. 4 oz.! Holy Crap! They are estimating that if I make it to my October 10th due date that I will have an 8 or 8 1/2 pounder! I can handle either one of those 2 options, but let's not get any bigger than that...mmmkay? ;)

Here is another and the last close up profile shot of our baby until we get to meet him or her in person....
So, now we just wait until she or he decides to make their grand entrance into our lives! To say the anticipation is killing us would be the understatement of the year. We are so ready to meet you...whenever you are ready, of course! ;)

30 Weeks, 3 Days

67 days left...that can't be right???

It is just craziness. We are really in the final stretch of this pregnancy - it is truly unbelievable. Had my 30 week ultrasound this past Friday and everything is still looking great! Baby is measuring at 4 lbs already...or so they tell me. I have to go back in 4 weeks so they can take another look and just make sure that I am not going to have an enormous baby, but I am not rushing to schedule a c-section anytime soon. I'd rather only have a c-section when and if it is absolutely necessary, so we will just wait and see what baby Calkins decides is best for him or her! But I am totally psyched that I get to see my sweet baby again at the end of this month!

30 week profile

I am feeling pretty good still. I am uncomfortable at night, especially when I am trying to "relax" and watch TV. Aside from that, I really cannot complain. I am definitely feeling the extra weight in my belly (see Exhibit A below) and tire easily, but I make up for it with naps and sleeping pretty soundly through the night!

Bruce and I got back from Akron, OH last week where I had another wonderful shower! I will post pictures and updates from that soon!

30 week belly shot (with Mia sneaking around the corner)

Eeeesh...maybe I can believe my baby weighs 4 lbs already....YIKES!

Belly Shot time!!

I need to keep up with this better, so here is one taken with the camera phone this morning!

27 weeks - 6 days pregnant

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

~ Carrie

Would you like some sugar with your baby?

Passed the 1 hour glucose test! Thank Jesus! No gestational diabetes for me! Woot! The experience itself was not too terrible - the drink tastes like flat orange Fanta and the worst side effect was trying to keep my eyes open!

The only thing that came back off was that I showed slight anemia, but that is nothing some iron supplements can't handle! Going to pick those up after work!

Thanks for being nice to your mom, baby. :)

Time keeps on passing me by...

Where is the time going? Bruce and I sat on the couch last night staring at our calendars and wondering where all of our time is going. Got got home from Michigan this past Sunday (more on that trip in a minute) and we are home this weekend, but the next we fly to Ohio and then the following week we were taking off to have some "us" time. Ha! Not so much! The whole week is now filled with doctor's appointments, hospital tour and a visit from life insurance exam people. So, much for relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Ugh.

The best part of all of our time going bye-bye is all the fun showers that are being thrown in Baby C's honor! We had our first in Michigan last weekend and it was A LOT of fun! It was a very laid back cookout hosted at Mom and Dad Calkins and almost all of the Aunts, Uncles and cousins were there! It was so great seeing everyone and catching up! We got lots of great things and we cannot wait to put them to good use come October! Here are some pictures from the festivities!

How cute is this cake made by Bruce's cousin, Holly?

Us with Holly and the precious cake!

Us with Aunt Rhoda and the adorable handmade blankets they gave us!

Us with Grandpa Calkins the next day!

I wish we had taken more pictures, but that is what I get for putting Bruce in charge! ;) It really was a wonderful time and so nice to have all of the Calkins together in one place.

So, we had to Ohio the weekend after this and visit with all the Conways, Mehoks, Tavoliers, etc from my side of the family! We cannot wait to see everyone.

I have less than 12 weeks and 2 days left, if baby decides to make an appearance on his/her due date! Craziness! Still feel great and cannot complain one bit about any of it. We are both very lucky and blessed.

Double Digits?!?!

Yup, we are in double digits. 96 days until our baby is finally in our arms. We couldn't be more excited if we tried!

Here is a picture of me last week - 25 weeks, 5 days pregnant.

Also, here are some pictures of the nursery so far. The glider/rocker came in over the weekend! It is so comfortable and I am very happy with the way it turned out!

Aside from getting ready for our trip to Michigan this week, we are finalizing daycare, pediatricians and child birth classes this week! Exciting and scary shit, I tell ya! ;) ;)

23 Weeks 5 Days

I am still in shock how fast this pregnancy is going by! Yesterday we had a regularly scheduled OB appointment and everything is still looking great. Blood pressure was normal and I am now up 10 lbs in weight gain. I am actually back to my starting weight before getting pregnant - I actually lost 9 lbs. when i first became pregnant and sadly I attribute this to not drinking beer and wine anymore. *sigh*

Baby Calk is moving A LOT and I love it. S/he is in the breech position currently and makes that very obvious by kicking me in my bladder regularly.

Next OB appointment I am scheduled for my 1 hour glucose test and I am praying that I pass that without any issue. I also need to schedule my 30 week ultrasound in the next week or two!

Beginning in July we start getting really busy! July 4th weekend Bruce, my sister-in-law Maria, my brother-in-law Robbie and Maria's 72 year old father are running in the Peachtree Road Race here in Atlanta. There are 2 people listed above that have been training regularly for this race and the other two...not so much. Let's just say that the 72 year old will be smoking Maria and Bruce in this race. :) Him and Robbie will be running together, while Maria and Bruce bring up the rear. They are crazy! Bruce has train a whole one day...yep, one day. Thank God they have medics working the race. ;)

The weekend of July 11th we are heading to Michigan where my in-laws are throwing our first baby shower for us! We are too excited!

The weekend of July 24th we are heading to Akron where my relatives are hosting a second shower for us. It has been too long since I have been to Akron and cannot wait to see all my aunts, uncles and cousins!

When we return, Bruce and I will be taking a week off of work to be with each other. Probably go to the pool a lot and working on these nasty tan lines that tennis has given me and enjoy yummy dinners around Atlanta.

At the end of August, my favorite girls are hosting a shower for me in Atlanta. And in September, my mom's friends are hosting another shower for me. I am a lucky girl. And from the looks of it - Baby Calk will not be without everything s/he needs.

I think that is it for now! XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

I love...

feeling this baby of mine kick and tap dance all over my tummy. Best.Feeling.Ever.

The Latest and Greatest!

We had another ultrasound on Friday at 20 weeks 6 days! I sound like a broken record, but everything is still going great! Baby Calkins is measuring right on schedule and weighs a whole pound!

Here are some pics from the ultrasound:

Baby's face arm and tummy!

Whole Bunch of pics of the babe!

Baby flexing his or her muscles

We are working on the nursery right now too! It is looking so cute, in my opinion! :) I will take some good pictures and post them soon! I want to buy the rocker soon and get some decorations up!

I feel great too. My stomach is starting to get hard and bending over is getting challenging, but that is about the most of my complaints!

If you want to make a guess on the gender, weight, date of birth, etc. click here:

http://www.expectnet.com/games/BabyCalkins

xoxoxoxoxoxo