One More Day...

I can’t believe that it’s almost time for us to meet our little baby girl.  The moment that I have been anticipating and dreaming about for the past 9+ months is almost here!

My due date is actually March 18, 2012.  However, due to my continuing low platelet count, my doctor decided that it would be a good idea to induce me a little bit earlier (before my platelets had the chance to drop any lower).  I definitely did not expect to be induced, but as long as the baby is born healthy, I honestly don’t care how she gets here.  We are going to the hospital tonight at 8pm so we will probably be meeting our little baby girl sometime tomorrow (unless - as my doctor put it- “she is an extremely stubborn baby”).

 It all just seems surreal.  I mean, I feel really good.  I’m 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant and I’m not desperate for the pregnancy to be over.  I have been incredibly blessed to have a smooth pregnancy (minus the low platelet count) and I have loved being pregnant.  I’m going to be a little sad when this pregnancy is over.  Is that normal?  Pat thinks I’m a little crazy for feeling like this, but I can’t help it.  This is the only time in my life where I will have my little one with me all the time, every second of every day.  This is the closest we will ever be.  Even though I am looking forward to seeing my baby’s face and seeing what kind of a personality she will have, I still don’t feel quite ready to give up this closeness to her.  But, if I’m honest with myself, I wonder if I would ever be ready.  I’m anticipating this baby’s birth with more than a little anxiety and fear.  I know that childbirth is a natural process, but I’ve never gone through it and I’m not too proud to admit that I’m scared.  And then there is the even more daunting task of bringing the baby home and raising her.  I still can’t believe that we are going to be allowed to bring this child home!  Shouldn’t there be some kind of background check?  Fingerprinting?  Home inspection?  What if we screw up?  What if we do this whole parenting thing wrong?  Is it any wonder that I’m not in a big hurry to end this wonderful pregnancy and enter into an area that is completely unknown to me?  I’m known for being a worrier so it’s no surprise to anyone that I feel like this.  Thankfully I have an amazing husband that is a lot more calm and level-headed than I am most of the time.  He has continually assured me that everything will be fine and that we will be the best parents that we can be to this little girl.  I am so grateful that I will have Pat as my partner in the whole new world of parenting. 

The next time I post I will hopefully be sharing a picture of our baby girl…and finally announcing her name.  I am so nervous about tonight, but I am also filled with excitement.  Our baby girl is almost here!!

Here are a few pictures of my pregnancy journey:
                                                               

19 Weeks - Halloween

23 Weeks - Thanksgiving

27 Weeks - Christmas

                                            

31 Weeks - 1/15/12 (First Wedding Anniversary)

33 Weeks - Baby Shower

36 Weeks

39 Weeks - 3/13/12

Baby Showers....

...or should I say Baby Monsoon!

If I’ve learned anything while I’ve been pregnant, it’s that almost everyone is excited about the arrival of a new baby.  Colleagues at work stop by my desk on a daily basis to ask me how I am.  Strangers smile at me when I pass them on the street.  People hold doors, offer advice and tell me how excited they are for us almost every day.  And on top of all that, friends and family surround us with more love and support that we ever thought possible.  It truly is wonderful!

I was incredibly lucky and blessed to have THREE baby showers.    Our first shower was hosted by my aunts at my Aunt Lisa’s house.   It was a beautiful January day – not a snowflake or icicle in sight!  My aunts really went all out.  The baby clothes decorations were adorable and the food was fantastic!  Well, I think the food was good – I realized once everyone began to leave that day that I hadn’t really eaten anything.  It was at that point that I positioned myself at the dessert table and sampled at least one of everything.  So I can tell you with absolute certainty that the desserts were scrumptious!  What can I say – I’m my father’s daughter and I love sugar!! It was such a magnificent day and I really enjoyed seeing and talking to our families.  Living away (even if it is only two hours) means that I don’t get to see them as often as I’d like so it was really nice to chat with everyone and catch up.  I was overwhelmed by not only everyone’s excitement about our upcoming arrival, but their generosity as well.  We received so many gifts for Little Miss and we are so grateful!  Pat especially like the OSU stroller and outfits :)

My second shower was hosted by my sisters at Holly’s apartment.  This was a special shower because I was able to see all of my friend plus my awesome neighbors/extended family, The Buechel’s!  Holly and Shannon did a fantastic job with the decorations (I loved the ‘Ready to Pop’ popcorn bags!), the food and I really liked the Onesie Station.  I can’t wait to dress Little Miss up in the adorable onesies that everyone made!  Between the onesies, the UK outfit (thanks MA!) and all of the other adorable outfits we have received, Little Miss is going to be one well dressed little baby!

Our last shower was given Grandma Rita :)  Pat’s cousin Sarah, Aunt Julie and some of Grandma Rita’s friends came to shower us with gifts and well wishes.  The food was delicious and everyone was so kind and generous.  Little Miss wardrobe increased exponentially and we can’t wait to have a baby fashion show once she’s here!

The generosity of our family and friends has been absolutely overwhelming and it is hard to express just how grateful we are everything that we have been given - and I don’t just mean the material gifts.  The outpouring of love, support, excitement, and genuine happiness for us during this time has been amazing.  Pat and I always knew that we had incredible families and friends and we feel so lucky that our little girl will be surrounded by such kind and loving people. 

One year ago today...

I was never the type of girl that sat around dreaming and planning my wedding day.  In fact, as I got older, I began to wonder if I’d ever get married because I didn’t think I’d ever meet Mr. Right.  But then, when I wasn’t expecting it, I did.  It makes me laugh now because I can remember, while I was in college, telling my Grandma Boots that I was tired of being single and I wanted so badly to meet a nice guy.  I thought it would never happen and I was tired of waiting.  She told me to be patient.  She said that things happen when they are supposed to happen and that I would find that person someday.  I’m not an incredibly patient person and I really did not want to hear that.  But how right she was!  Somehow, years later, I reconnected with a childhood best friend that I hadn’t seen in over ten years, and when she found out I was single, she set me up with her cousin, Pat.  The rest, as they say, is history.  I will always be grateful to Elizabeth for introducing us.

One year ago today I woke up anxious, happy, nervous, excited and full of anticipation.  I had no idea how the day would go, but at the end I knew that I would be married to one of the kindest, sweetest, most patient men I have ever known.  I felt so incredibility lucky.  The morning and afternoon were so busy, and before I knew it I was standing in the church waiting for my dad to walk me down the aisle.  I was so nervous and shaky, but I will always remember, as we stood there waiting, how my dad leaned over and whispered “You look beautiful” in my ear.    As we started walking, I tried to take in everything - all of the smiling faces of our family and friends, the flowers, the candles, my mom’s happy face as I walked by, and Pat waiting for me at the end of the aisle.  Later, as we said our vows, I couldn’t help the tears that came to my eyes.   There we were, standing in a room full of all of the most important people in our lives, committing ourselves to each other until death do us part.  I felt so happy and so grateful that God had given us this chance.

I can’t believe that it’s already been a year since that wonderful day.  It’s been a year since we posed for pictures by the riverfront in Covington; a year since we danced together for the first time as husband and wife to “It Had to Be You”.  It’s been a year since we toasted with champagne and fed each other pieces of wedding cake.   As I look at the pictures from that day, I can feel my heart squeeze in my chest.  I was so happy that day and I don’t ever want to forget a moment.  So much has happened in a year and so much as changed.  But one thing that hasn’t changed is how much I love my husband.  I can’t wait for the next adventure in our lives, but I will always remember how the journey began. 

Welcome!

It's hard to believe it's already 2012.  As I look forward to all of the experiences and moments that this new year will bring, I find myself reminiscing about some of the most important moments of 2011 for me.  
The year started out with one of the happiest days of my life - my wedding day.  When we first decided to get married in January, I have to admit that I was filled with anxiety about all of the problems we might face trying to have a wedding in the middle of winter.  In the end, however, the entire day was magical.  And what better way to start each new year than by remembering our wedding!

 2011 was also the year that I said goodbye to my grandma, Boots.  I have so many wonderful memories of my grandma and I miss her very much.  I feel so blessed that she was able to be a part of my wedding day just a few short weeks before she passed away and I will always treasure the pictures I have of us from that day.  She looked so lovely and happy and that's how I like to remember her.

 March brought a milestone for me....my 30th birthday.  I partied with family and friends at Gangsters Piano Bar in Newport, KY in a surprise celebration organized by my husband and sister, Holly .  It was such a fun and fabulous night!
 The next few months seemed to fly by and suddenly it was summer.  It is definitely a summer that I will never, ever forget.  In mid-July, Pat and I discovered (after taking at least 6 tests) that we were going to be parents!  We were both so happy, and yet so afraid that it might not be true. When the doctor confirmed that a baby was indeed on the way, we were ecstatic!  We had fun sharing our news with our family and friends and having them share in our joy.  In October, we found out that we are expecting a little girl! 

Now, as we begin 2012, we anxiously await the arrival of Little Miss Marker in March.  We're busy painting her nursery, assembling furniture, organizing our house, hanging tiny little outfits in her closet and anticipating how her arrival will change our lives forever.   I'm hoping that I can use this blog to share all of the special moments of her life with family and friends that can't be with her everyday.  Life passes so quickly and I wanted to treasure each moment of my baby girl's life.
Til next time,
Malia