Abby’s Saturday // Two Hundred And Twenty-Seven

Highlight of the Week

It’s been a wonderful Thanksgiving week! Thanksgiving is always such a wonderful holiday – a day completely centered around gratefulness & food – what more could you ask for? Under our “usual” family tradition, this year we should have spent Thanksgiving with the Abbey’s, while spending Christmas here at home, but with our little baby’s due date less than a month away, we unfortunately were unable to travel. Yep! We’re that close to this little guy’s arrival that he could literally come at any time now! So, we spent Thanksgiving here, at home. We woke up & watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on TV (Braelynn was still so bummed from not getting to see the Light Up Night parade last week due to us not going because it was freezing raining that night. She loved watching the parade on TV though – and so did Mom & Dad!) Then we watched the dog show (which she was equally enamored with, she even found Abby’s leash & proceeded to walk her around the house afterward). And Thursday afternoon we had Thanksgiving dinner with my family. It was delicious & delightful & so relaxing to just hang out with everyone.

I think the best part though has been having Derrick home these last few days! He had Thanksgiving Day off, but also Friday off – so we’re in the middle of a 4-day weekend & it’s been absolutely grand. Since we can’t travel, our plans for the days have been super laid back & relaxed & it’s been a dream. Braelynn especially has loved having her Daddy home so many days in a row – she told him yesterday she doesn’t want him to ever go to work again.

Yes, This Happened

• I am now 37 weeks pregnant & baby boy is approximately the length of a bunch of swiss chard – officially “full term”! Baby boy can now come & I can not only deliver at the Midwife Center (like my heart so desperately desires) but he’s far enough along that he wouldn’t have to spend any time in the NICU. Whenever you’re ready, baby boy – we’d love to meet you!!
• The reason I specifically say I’m thankful to have reached 37 weeks (and the benefits of having arrived there) is I’ve been feeling really strange all week. I can’t really pinpoint exactly “what”, but just been feeling “weird”. It doesn’t help that I simply cannot get comfortable – no position, sitting or laying down, is particularly wonderful anymore. So, that, along with having a lot of low-back pain & pressure with baby boy dropping lower & lower has made my days long. I don’t remember ever being quite so uncomfortable with Braelynn!
• We watched “The Star” one night this week and afterward, Braelynn told us she had a “great idea” for a name for the baby. We asked, “What?” and she said, “Jesus!”
• Speaking of a name for baby boy: I think Derrick & I have officially narrowed it down! We’re about 97% settled on his first name & have 2 different ideas for his middle name. WHEW – that is literally the hardest decision ever!
• We go to the library almost every Monday for Story Time. This week though, instead of Story Time, they had “Music Together” class – an interactive music class that comes to the library about once every 6 weeks. It’s so much fun! We know most of the songs & hand motions now & Braelynn just loves it! Anyways, there is always a huge turnout on Music Together day (at least 3x the number of parents/kids come out over regular story time), so basically, the class is almost always just super chaotic. And that’s fine! The teachers are so chill & wonderful about all the little ones running around. So, on Monday, there was one particular little boy, who was probably almost 2 years old, running around and being quite the little “terror” – I promise, I’m not labeling/judging him – his poor Mama was following him around, apologizing to everyone. Anyways, he chucked an instrument at Braelynn & as his Mom came over & said she was sorry, she noticeably looked down & took note of my swollen belly. “What are you having?” she asked. “A boy,” I smiled. She turned around & walked away muttering, “I’m so sorry,” but then she turned around & clarified, “Boys are just so different from girls, you’re in for an awakening.” Thank you?
• The nursery is officially done! Last Sunday afternoon, my sisters Amy & Emma came over to help arrange the furniture, hang things on the wall, and put the finishing touches on the room. I’m so thankful for their help! It’s so much fun to walk by the nursery & look in to see the finished room – I absolutely love it!

Feeling Blessed

So, coming into this season, I had a long list of things I wanted to accomplish before baby boy was born. I had a similar (although not quite as long) list when I was expecting Braelynn, but I kept putting most of the tasks off. When Braelynn was born a week early, it caught me by surprise & I was disappointed that I hadn’t accomplished more of my “list”. So, this time, I have been as proactive as possible in checking items off my “list”. What’s on my “list” this time around? My long list consists of things like “Finish Christmas shopping by November 30”, “Wrap all of the Christmas gifts by December 1”, “Print out our family photos & mail Christmas cards by the first week of December”, “Have at least 4 weeks of blog content written & scheduled”, “Get a jumpstart on tax season by pulling together as much business stuff together as I can” (some of it just can’t be finished until after the year turns over), “Make at least a week’s worth of freezer meals for after baby is born”, etc. There’s more, but you get the idea. I’m so thankful & proud to say that I’ve been chugging along with everything on my list & have made such good progress! I just have a few more Christmas gifts to buy (and they’re all coming from Amazon, which is why I’m holding off & waiting for Cyber Monday), my Christmas photos have been re-ordered (it’s a long story), I’m writing blog posts like a crazy person, and I officially have a freezer full of prepped, frozen food. As much as I’d like to meet this crazy little ninja who has been growing inside of me for the last 9 months, if he would just hold out another few days – I should be able to check almost every single thing off of my list before he arrives!! But seriously, he can come whenever he’s ready.