A Spooktacular Day!

Today has been the best day!  First of all, it is Gia's one week birthday!  Also my mom is in and staying with us this week to spend some time with her favorite granddaughter, her favorite daughter and favorite son-in-law!  To top it all off Gia has had a wonderful Halloween!  She had so much fun...Gramma and Mommy had so much fun dressing her up in her Halloween outfits she got from Auntie Ang, Gramma, and Mommy. :)

It is so strange that she is here to celebrate her first Halloween, considering she wasn't supposed to join us for another 10 days!  I am sure glad she got to be here though, it made this day so much more special!  Here are some photos of her outfits!  Aunt Ang, I apologize I forgot to snap a photo of her in the footies..but you can see her hat! :)

Welcome to the World Gia!

My dear baby Gia,

Hi my sweet angel.  You have arrived, you are ours, and you are absolutely perfect!  I wanted to take this opportunity to write to you about how you came into the world...and the sooner I write it the fresher it is in my mind!  Here we go, I look forward to telling you this story over the years to come!

You were not set to arrive until November 10, 2011, however God had different plans.  At Mommy's 37 week appointment the doctor said that my blood pressure was elevated and they thought I might need to go on bed rest to see if it would go down.  I tried that for a few days and with no change, they decided it was safer for you and me to go ahead and give you that push you needed to enter the world.  So, your Daddy and I (nervous, excited, terrified, anxious) checked into the hospital on Sunday, October 23 at 10:00 p.m.  They gave Mommy some medicine to wake you up in my tummy and get you ready to enter the world.  The next day at 5:30 p.m. the doctor said it was ready to start the work so we could meet you...and by 6:24 p.m. on Monday, October 24, 2011 you entered the world.  You weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces and were 20 inches long.  It is a fact that you were the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on.  You made me cry big tears of joy and I couldn't wait to hold you in my arms.  Your Daddy's heart melted the moment he heard you cry.  That day you made us a family of 3, that day you made us a Mommy and a Daddy...thank you for that!

We got to home from the hospital two days later (after many people came to see you).  It was a crazy weekend for Mae and Papa Allegri because they had just met your cousin, Holland, on Friday when Aunt Sybil and Uncle Nick brought her into the world.  Then, 3 days later they got to meet you!  As for Gramma and Pops Cunningham...you are their first and only grandchild right now and they were ecstatic to hold, love, and meet you.  You did not disappoint one bit!

It's been 6 days (your one week birthday is tomorrow!!!) and I have never been more in love than I am right now.  Every time you do something new...a smile, a coo, a cry....my heart grows more and it fills up with more love.  Gia Therese Allegri---thank you for being my daughter.  Here are some photos of us at the hospital the day you arrived.  10/24 will forever be YOUR day!

 Welcome to the world Gia!

 Daddy holding you for the first time!!!

 Dr. Sarah White delivered you, she was such a good doctor!

 Gia with Daddy, Mae and Papa!

You with Mommy, Gramma and Pops Cunningham

And baby makes 3!

Love always,
Mom

PUSHING BUTTONS!

FACT.  I love my husband more than anything.
OPINION.  I am pretty sure we are going to kill one another if this little girl doesn't arrive soon.

Since I have always kept it real on RAD, I figure I better stay true and not skip over anything that happens during pregnancy...ergo, this final chapter of BEFORE BABY is a tough one folks. 

Since being placed on bedrest on Monday it has made things a tad tense in our house!  Ironically, my blood pressure spiked last week (it had been great before 36 weeks) and now at home with my husband...we tend to be pushing each other's buttons...and my blood pressure sky rockets!  Go figure. 

Sure, I get it...I wasn't really mad about the fact that he hadn't hung the hardware on the wall so I can hang my pictures back up after painting.  And yes he is aware that I am not "calling into work" and faking a sickness so I can sleep with Brinkley all day long.  But you could damn well cut the tension in this house with a knife.  Yet comments still come out like, "Babe what did you do today?"  Knowing the most interesting thing I can come up with to say is, "I bathed."  He is aware this isn't the best conversation starter..but we still go there!  And maybe he is right when he leans over and says to our dog things like, "Mommy needs a drink" because I choose to ask him YET AGAIN if he plans to paint the rest of the hall or leave it looking the way it is the moment he walks in the door from a day of work. 

Perhaps we are trying to get those jabs in to make the time pass by a tad quicker before Gia's arrival!?

So what does this all mean?  It means we are ready.  We are so freaking ready to do this!  And we are beyond normal to be feeling this way...I know it.

Please know, I'm aware this is all in God's plan and I have enjoyed this nice peaceful time alone.

I have also REALLY enjoyed not worrying about what shoes I have to squeeze my fat feet into for work.

But in all honesty, I know this is part of the game.  We look at each other and see that we have been working so hard for something for the past 9 months and we are ready to see that finish line. We are ready to see what God has given us.  We want to meet the gift Daniel and I have created.  We are ready to experience a love that is new to us and apparently the best love out there. 

So with all the tension, stupid bickering, stomping up stairs...Daniel, I love you more than anything and could not have made this journey without you.  I am and always will be the luckiest girl around.

Madly in love with you...and hoping you are ready to pour some serious glasses of wine for this woman,
Your wife.

Time for Bed...rest.

Dang it, we almost made it! :)

Yesterday I called my doctor to run some numbers by her regarding my blood pressure, hoping she would say that is normal and this is what happens when you are 37 weeks pregnant!  Unfortunately they weren't fond of any of my numbers and asked me to come down and check into labor and delivery.  After about 8 readings on my blood pressure, a few pricks to draw blood, listening to Gia's heartbeat and watching for contractions on the monitor, and an ultrasound to see how active she was, they determined I needed to be on bed rest until further notice. She looks great and is head down and moving very well, but it's just taking a toll on her Momma at this stage.

I see Dr. Seifert on Thursday (he is the last doctor in my practice I have to meet before delivery) and we will see where we go from there.  Turns out with high blood pressure, they just don't mess around!  So here in bed I sit watching a A Baby Story and Bringing Home Baby...knowing that will be my world here very shortly!

I am not a fan of doing things people tell me to do (shocker!  I think I have mentioned this before!) so being restricted to bed rest has my mind racing!  Now all of a sudden I have a ton of errands to run and last minute items, but I need to follow doctor orders and stay put...

Day 1---and I am already bored! :)

36 Week Update

Here is an update on where we are before our daughter arrives...

Met with the doctor today for our 36 week check up and Gia is doing great!  Heart rate of 140 and she is head down and very active lately!  I am dilated to 1 cm and 50% effaced!  So at least we have some movement.  I am trying to not get my hopes up, little girl, that you will arrive early, but I sure am looking forward to holding you in my arms and saying hello.  All your aunties think you will be an October baby...so we shall sit back see---Mommy and Daddy won't mind if you come on Halloween! :)

Until you are ready, just know we are here waiting and think about how our life is about to change every single day.  You take up the majority of our conversation.  We talk about what you will look like, how much you will weigh, when you will come, and how beautiful you will be.

I have began my nesting frenzy in anticipation of your arrival.  This past weekend I started cleaning nooks and crannies and made my final shopping list of must haves before you arrive...I am excited to go shopping this weekend for things like:  a second base for your car seat, swing, extra crib sheets, ect!  Daddy installed your car seat and has started painting the kitchen and the hall---it needs to look nice for your arrival! :)  We also went out and purchased your homecoming outfit, which we know you will be very comfy in!

I love you more and more everyday!  Here is the 36 week bump...and we will see you soon Gia girl.

Maternity Photo Shoot

So one of my dearest friends, Drew Hane, is quite the photographer and he did not disappoint on my maternity photo shoot!  We have had Drew capture our engagement, our wedding, and now this special time before Gia joins us.  Drew, you have done it again my friend!  These pictures are just what I wanted them to be and more.

Hootie and the BLOWFISH!

Do you remember the 1990 Box Office Hit Misery (Stephen King)?  It starred actor and actress James Caan and Cathy Bates.  Remember the scene where she jacked up his ankles so he couldn't leave and walk?  I seriously wonder if Cathy Bates snuck into my window last night and did the same thing to my ankles. 

Where has my bone structure gone? 
Why are my toes so fat that they literally looked like little smokies? 
Where is my ankle bone?
Why, where, when?!?!?!  I have no freaking clue.

But yet, I sit here in bed and look directly at what I think are my feet and realize that if I want to explain the horrendous nature of my feet to all in cyberland---I just have to say this one word:

BLOWFISH.

My feet seriously look like the body of a blowfish and my toes would be the spikes that are popping out of the sides.  I have been confined to flip flops only (this should be fun in November) and by the time I get home and slide---wait a second...peel the flip flops off you can see the indentation of where a shoe once was, but had been eaten by skin...by a blowfish.

I think I can actually hear my feet getting fatter throughout the day.  I am a sexy beast...it's true.

And nothing helps increase my hotness factor then coming home with my blowfish feet and then putting on an XL Royals shirt (that is actually two sizes too big for my HUSBAND) and my sweatpants.  This life is glorious. 

Gia---Momma is ready for her body back just as soon as your are healthy, grown, and ready to enter this world.

Don't ever say I don't love you girl ;)

~Hootie.