40-week photo shoot

What do the Pearsons do when we're 4 days past our due date? Mark sets up a photo shoot! It was dark out, so Mark had to do some interesting things with the lighting, but we're really happy with how these turned out, especially since it was such a spontaneous idea!

I'm scheduled to be induced on Tuesday- I'd MUCH rather she come on her own, and I much prefer the element of surprise that is the opposite of induction, but I am getting pretty uncomfortable and SO excited to meet this little baby that is still very active in my belly.

So, here's to hoping she comes out on her own before Tuesday! Hope you're all enjoying the day! I'm off for a nice long walk and maybe a latte. =)

Waiting...

* This is definitely the most exciting event we've ever waited for. I am anxious, but can't wait for "it" to happen.

* It is now February, the month we've been waiting for for almost a year, really. So far, I think I'm being pretty patient in my waiting, but I can imagine by the end of next week, if nothing happens, I may get a bit more, ahem, cranky about the whole situation.

* My house is super clean, my laundry is done, the baby's things have been organized and re-organized about 5 million times. I've cooked and frozen meals, baked goodies, and talked on the phone a lot.

* I feel like, for the first time in my life, my name truly represents my character with all the nesting that is going on around here...

* We had almost $50 in change that I turned into bills sitting in our change jar, so Mark is coming home early and we're going out to celebrate "waiting"...and then watch the season premiere of LOST.

* Last year, we had planned to go over to our friends' house for dinner and ended up having to reschedule because our friend went into labor - today, that friend called and they're planning to come over to our house for dinner on Friday...we're hoping they can return the favor. =)

Things are beginning to happen...

So, day 4 of being a child-less SAHM is closing, and so far I'm SO grateful not to be at work this week. I have needed the extra rest, and also the quiet of my home while I putz around doing "stuff". I've been out every day at some point, and it's amazing how much more exhausted I am by a short outing this week than I was last week...guess that means I'm getting close. I'm looking forward to staying in tomorrow and cooking some meals to freeze, watching another great 80's movie (I watched Footloose yesterday) and napping.

I had an appointment on Wednesday and I'm 1.5 cm dilated, 60% effaced, baby is at a -3 station and dr could feel her head. CRAZY! I have to say, this news is making me more anxious and excited at the same time, and I marvel at how my body is beginning to do what it's supposed to do to bring a baby into this world. It truly is a miracle that I'm experiencing! I'm hoping that when I go back next week, a bit more progress has been made- we shall see!

On a random side note, we are going through The Truth Project at church and our small group is encouraged to ask these questions every week to see what people say...so, I thought this would be a good venue to solicit responses from many people at once...only respond if you want to.

-Who is God?
-If you believe there is a God, how do you know?
-If someone said they knew God personally, what would that look like/how would it be manifested in their life?

baby girl's room

As usual, pictures are out of order. Oh well. As you can see, our bags are packed!



Close-up of the shelf that hangs over the changing table, with a framed Psalm that Tiffany made and read at one of baby girl's showers. I read this Psalm in such a different way now that I'm expecting a child.


A close-up of the polka dot garland that Anne helped me make. I had an idea in my head for this project- since the window isn't that big, I didn't want a curtain or valance, but I knew I couldn't attempt this craft on my own. Enter Anne with her awesome Cricut machine and her great idea for assembling the garland. I love how it turned out- so cute and EXACTLY the idea I had in my head! Thanks, Anne!


I sit in the glider all the time...I like to take my coffee up there with me and just think about the fact that I am sitting in my baby's room...wow. I can't WAIT to meet her.


Fun friends in the crib.


We wanted to create a bright, cheerful room for baby girl to sleep and play in...I think that is what we ended up with! We plan to add wainscoating to the bottom of the wall, but as many of you with kids know, you can't always get everything done at once! :)

Child-less SAHM: day one

{8:00} get up, breakfast, coffee
{9:00} meet with doula
{11:00} walk
{12:30} grilled cheese & tomato soup
{1:30} nap
{3:00} wake up
{4:00} shower
{6:00} make dinner
{9:00} watch 24
{10:00} bed

stay tuned for tomorrow's exciting adventures! :)

HUGE!

36 weeks and I swear I don't look this big when I see myself in the mirror! I'm standing in the nursery- pictures to come soon- I'm waiting for "Crafty Anne" to help me create one final touch for baby's room. :)

I have 8 days of schools left, which is very bittersweet. I love my job and will miss my students and friends so much, but I cannot wait for this new adventure of mommyhood to begin!

I'm beginning to feel really irritable lately, which isn't my character. I find that I feel overwhelmed if people get too close to me or ask me how I'm doing or how I'm feeling. I hate feeling this way because I don't want to seem rude...all "the books" say this is normal. I still also feel pretty apprehensive about sharing this babe with anyone except Mark...I think I'm just feeling really protective about our little family lately. I never expected to feel these emotions, and I'm hoping they'll go away with her birth so I'm not annoyed with everyone around me and become a hermit! :)

As I write this, there's another load of baby things in the dryer (love it) and I did seriously consider using a toothpick to dig out the dirt in the cracks of our floor planks this afternoon, but got distracted with some other crazy activity...I feel like I'll go into labor after my due date, but I've had 3 friends in the last couple weeks deliver at least a week earlier than expected- one 17 days early! So I'm starting to feel like I want to get EVERYTHING done, which I know isn't possible...but at least something to aspire to!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday so far- we had a fabulous weekend full of celebrating a dear friend's life at a memorial, celebrating baby girl's life at a shower, and hanging out with some of our favorite people for dinner and to celebrate Mark's birthday! We are so blessed with the opportunities to connect and share life with others!

New beginnings...

Guess what? We're having a baby...next month. I can say that now because it's January.

Crazy.

This holiday season was wonderful and focused on the most important things in life, faith, family, friends...and can I also add food to that list? Okay, thanks. Food.


This is a year of new beginnings for our family. Life without green carpet, my final 3 weeks teaching begin on Monday, the countdown to baby girl's arrival, and learning what it's like to live with a

very
small
person.


Within the last 2 days, 2 friends have been lost. One, a friend our family has known since childhood, and the other, someone I went to college with.

Life is so fragile- each day is a true gift.

Such a sad way to begin the year, thinking of the families who surround these men that passed away.



As my focus shifts this year towards serving Mark and our baby full-time, and as I think of these families who have lost someone they love, I want to remember each day to be thankful for who and what I have in my life. We have so much that we don't need and all that we have, we don't deserve...yet we serve a God that chooses to bless us with so much anyway.

Why are we so loved?


I have so much more that I'm thinking tonight, but I keep deleting what I write because it all comes out so jumbled.

asdfoiansigubvvriewawe. Like that.

I am excited, nervous, anxious, and so happy about 2010 and all that the Lord has in store for our little family.

Mark is having fun playing with his new camera he bought recently...he's really good and I can't wait for him to have a tiny little model to pose and take pictures of.

That makes me smile.