Jimmy gets his Masters

The day finally came (yesterday) that Jimmy officially earned his MBA! It was a long two years, but so worth it for his present - a job he loves at Southtek Systems - and our family's future.  I couldn't be more proud of him! Here's photographic evidence of the special occasion and our celebrations - drinks at Satellite and Level 5 followed by dinner at Deluxe.

Graduate students filing in...

Spotted!

Screenshot from the online video, but the best angle we've got!

Life is good...

38 Weeks Wednesday

Please let it be a fluke, coincidental, just because and it's not a new pregnancy symptom...ladies and gentleman, I've had trouble sleeping the last two nights and it sucks. I mean it's one thing to be up in the night or wake up early for a purpose. It's something else when you just wake up wide-eyed...in the middle of the night... and you are unable to go back to sleep for no apparent reason. I feel totally out of it. Anyways, I'm rambling. I blame it on the lack of sleep...

Went to the doc yesterday and all is well. No new developments re: cervix observations, though I do feel like he's dropped ever so slightly.  What do you think? Maybe a little?

P.S. - Yes, that's a non-maternity shirt that I've just decided to stretch over my big belly. I am running out of things to wear and refuse to buy anything this late in the game.

It's funny because just in the last couple days or so, I've had multiple strangers come up to me and ask me, "when he is due" or just smile at me and say, "you're having a boy, aren't you?" Though it's all myth anyways, I guess my b-ball shape just screams BOY! Or maybe I just look like a woman in for some trouble.

Otherwise, just continuing to cross things off our to-do list each evening. I don't know what it is but tasks like packing the diaper bag and putting away his little socks makes me feel closer to him and close to him is what I want to feel, so that's just what I'll do.

Domesticated

Jimmy and I had a big day on Sunday. First up was breakfast at IHOP. Then we went shopping at Lowes and Walmart for some home organization needs. Finally, we spent the rest of the afternoon reconfiguring "my" closet in our bedroom to a hers and his, so I could reclaim the nursery closet as Baby O's again. I'm sorry, but I can't help but draw a parallel between Jimmy and Frank the Tank from Old School.

Frank: I told my wife I wouldn't drink tonight. Besides, I got a big day tomorrow. You guys have a great time.
College Student: A big day? Doing what?
Frank: Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time.

And then last night we put together the book/toy shelf and I finally started putting baby things in their place. So relieved to finally be making headway. Did I mention how excited I am to see Miss Shiva this weekend??

Cause to Celebrate

I have not 1, but 3 happy things to share this morning! In no particular order, first off, Jimmy attended his last class EVER on Thursday. He turns in his last paper on Monday and graduates...with an MBA...on Friday. I couldn't be more proud of him. He, of course, is so relieved to have those two years behind him.

Shiva's little brother, Aria, is also graduating this coming weekend (with his undergrad from UNCW), so she's flying in from San Fran for the weekend! What a rare treat to see my West Coast bestie just weeks before Baby O is born. We could use a good belly rub from Shiva. 

Last, but certainly not least, I'm happy to say that my pops has found (back in Fall 2011) a wonderful lady friend and they've made plans to marry this summer. And we all gain her adorable 7-year old son Mac to boot! Belated congrats to my Dad & Beth on their engagement!

37 Weeks Wednesday - FULL TERM

It's just crazy, crazy, crazy to think that I'm officially full term today. On the one hand, the time has flown by. On the other hand, it seems like it was ages ago that Jimmy and I were in Charleston celebrating our 2 year anniversary and finding out we were expecting our first baby. Needless to say, it's been a very special time!

No new or different symptoms for this week - just feeling "full" of baby. I went to the doctor on Monday and I'm 1 cm dilated, cervix is starting to thin and baby's head is very low...like as low as it can possibly go until I dilate more. Doc says that's good for the labor process, but it also means that I shouldn't expect any diaphragm/lungs relief from the baby dropping in the last couple weeks. Poor guy has no where to go but out at this point, so that's just what my belly will do. As all mommas know, the cervix observations don't mean anything as far as when exactly labor will happen, just that my body is preparing for labor sometime in the future. I know I'll feel differently when I see my due date come...and go...but right now I'm glad that most first time moms don't go early because I still feel like I have a lot to do. I won't overwhelm you with my mammoth list, but, for starters, the nursery is a wreck. I've organized everything into piles, but I've yet to put anything in it's place.

One of many said piles

As a side note, I don't know why I have continued to single out my every 4 week posts as ones with "Belly Shots", when I showcase the tummy growth all the time. Oh well - maybe I'll apply more rhyme and reason next go round. Anywho, here she blows...sporting an outie... at 37 weeks.

And, yes, I know I where these pj shorts all the time

36 Weeks Wednesday - Belly Shots!

You may have gotten your fill of belly shots from Jenny's 35 week photo shoot, but it's tradition that I reveal the belly growth every 4 weeks, so it was time for an update.

Here's the belly at 32 weeks:

And here's me at 36 weeks:
(Note: this is night shot, post dinner and my weekly Lamaze chocolate milkshake)

I've certainly noticed a big difference over the last of weeks - both in how I feel and the size of the belly. Still feeling really good, just more tired and less agile. The belly definitely seems to have really "popped".  My Lamaze instructor and classmates all made comments tonight about my "basketball belly" and how I've grown a lot since last week. Speaking of Lamaze, tonight was our last class. Below is a bad shot of me with my make-shift diploma. Here goes nothing!

Maternity Pics

Lucky for me, my good friend Jenny Ryder is an amazing, budding photographer who wanted to use my 35 week belly as her most recent subject! So last Thursday, while Jimmy was at class, Jenny and I replicated some of our favorites pinned on Pinterest over the last couple months. Check out the whole album and more of Jenny's work here. Below are just a few of my favorites. Thank you so much Jenny - I  think they turned out absolutely amazing! I will cherish them forever.