ONE MONTH to go and some lists

Monday was my official ONE MONTH mark! 

Take that in for a minute. 

ONE MONTH and I'm going to be a Mom. I am so freaked out and excited I don't know what to do with myself. 

Can you believe how fast this pregnancy has flown? I realized today that I have been really pretty awful about documenting everything that has happened and changed and stopped, etc, etc. I feel like my mind is so full of baby doings that I can't hardly form a full sentence anymore. I think they call this pregnancy brain. 

I originally wrote a post full of all of the "stuff" that I'm experiencing right now, but TBH (too be honest, I just found out what that stands for and I'm trying to fit in with the cool kids, so I thought I'd use it) it was kind of overwhelming to read. I wanted to update you on how I'm doing, what's new, what's old, what's awful, etc. But, because I love you guys, I decided to break it up into three separate posts. 

POST NUMERO UNO: 

New and fun things- 

• Baby showers. I love baby showers. There is something entirely more fun about a baby shower than any other kind of shower, or party for that matter. Everything is miniature! It's cute and soft and ruffled! And the toys- oh my heck- don't get me started! I've gotten the most adorable trinkets and dolls and bunnies, so many bunnies! I've been totally spoiled with what I've received and couldn't be more grateful for the incredibly giving people in my life. This baby is going to be so spoiled!

• You never have a food baby, because you have a real baby. Seriously, you never know if you feel big because baby had a growth spurt or because you ate an entire steak burrito with tortilla chips! And, who cares!? You're growing a little human! 

• My hair finally decided to act like I'm pregnant and has gotten intensely thick over the past month. Some people would think this is a bad thing, and it does make blow drying take extra long, but I feel kind of like a super model. Do super models have thick hair? 

• Baby kicks... and punches... and dance parties. This baby LOVES to move! All day long she practices her contemporary dance moves and makes this momma so happy. Unfortunately my dance skills are lacking so I'm sure her technique is terrible, but it's fun to have the constant reminder that she's okay. 

I'm sure there are so many things that I'm forgetting! Oh pregnancy brain, you win again.

Hugs and Kisses,

Cami and baby 

What to do when your husband leaves you (for the weekend)

I realized halfway through typing the title of this post that unless I clarified what I meant by "leaves" people might get the wrong idea! Have no fears, I'm talking temporary leaving- like the kind after a Target trip. You can't stay away for long!

Now that we have that out of the way... I have felt like a part time widow this year. My poor little Matty poo (he hates it when I call him that. "I'm an adult.") has been traveling a few times a month since December to Vegas for work. I should be grateful, right? He has this awesome job that allows him to do most of his work from our apartment and all that's required is a few paid for trips down to his homeland a couple times a month. I don't know how people go months without seeing their spouse! One day and I start getting shaky from withdrawls. I'm kind of pathetic, actually, I just really really like him. But, I've been working on it AND I have come up with a few ways to survive when you're husband leaves you (temporarily).

1. Eat all of the food in the house- no need to go shopping. It's only you and you can eat every last morsel of that Special K with strawberries for dinner... and dessert.

2. Watch as many episodes of "your show" on Netflix as you can without feeling guilty- for me it's usually three. Then I have to switch to sappy chickflicks or DCOMs.

3. Pin everything- desserts seem to help with the loneliness in a way that only desserts can.

4. Attempt to make said Pinterest dessert- you'll feel better if it has the word "skinny" or "healthy" in it. Ain't nobody got time to waste on exercising while he's gone.

5. Paint your toenails/fingernails- do it right in the middle of the living room, and if you're really feeling risky, don't use anything "in case of spills." He'll never know... unless, of course, he comes home to a mint green nail polish spot on the carpet.

6. Break down and text him- it's not crazy because you're already married.

*evidence that: 

A- I really did eat all of the food in the house

and

 B- I really did text him multiple times in a row.*

I didn't even last until 8:00 pm. 

Sad. So so sad. 

7. Use that burst of motivation you got from having him text you back to clean the house- or don't. It's up to you.

8. Go to bed- all of that loneliness is exhausting.

9. Repeat as necessary.


My life is kind of embarrassing isn't it? If only you could hear my incessant giggles right now. I think I'm hilarious, despite being moderately pitiful.


Yours, in all her glory,

Cami

R E N O V A T I O N

Oh. My. Heck. Who else is OBSESSED with my new template? Cue the happy dance.

....dance.... dance.... dance.... dance dance...

My beautiful friend Maddie from college is starting her blog design business and I offered to be her test drive dummy. I think this is the best decision I've made this year. Wait, let me think about it..... Yep, definitely the best decision so far! But, it was also probably one of the hardest I've had to make. I know, poor me, my life is so hard. I can't be the only one that finds it nearly impossible to make menial decisions, though, am I right? I take these things way too seriously, but hey, everyone needs a hobby right? Mine just happens to be freaking out over font size and color palettes. It's no big deal.

*sigh*

Okay, rant over, and if your blog needs a facelift too email maddie and maddiclinedesign@gmail.com! She will change your little blogging life and leave you on blogger cloud nine.

Love,
Cami

At last I blog and TEN weeks to go

Who has two thumbs and has been the WORST pregnant blogger ever? This girl!
Holy smokes, you guys, has it really been months since I've last blogged? That's embarrassing. I know you've all been on pins and needles wondering if I'm still alive, so here I am, and I'm going to post TWO posts this week to make up for it. I have a few posts started that I'll share with you guys so if it looks like I'm backtracking in this pregnancy, I am. I'll try to make it as least confusing as possible (least confusing? less confusing?).

I'm almost thirty weeks pregnant.

Let me say that again.

I AM ALMOST THIRTY WEEKS PREGNANT!

Who else is in semi-shock about this?
I start to have a minor panic attack every time I think about the whole pushing a human being out of my lady parts thing, so mostly I've been ignoring it. I've seen labor, a couple of times actually, so I know what happens, but man, it is a lot scarier when you think about yourself doing it. It will be fine. I won't be able to sit or walk for a few weeks, but hey, who wants to do that anyway right?

Now down to the goodies:

How far along: 29 weeks + 5 days

Total weight gain: I don't believe in weighing myself at home, but a week and a half ago I was up 15 pounds at the doctor's office. I'm pretty sure this little baby waby had a growth spurt last week though, so we'll see when I go back in at 32 weeks. 

Maternity clothes: Ross saved my caboose (literally) and provided some inexpensive stretchy jeans for my growing tummy. So far I have five maternity shirts and one pair of pants. Is it obvious I hate shopping?

Stretch marks: Zero so far. I blame my mother's great genes. And by blame I mean thank my lucky stars. 

Sleep: I haven't gotten up to pee, uh hmm, excuse me, use the bathroom (sorry Mom) since I was in the first trimester. The restless legs have gotten increasingly worse, although, I had that before I got pregnant. I guess I don't have much to complain about. 

Best moment of this week: I {FINALLY} had a patient ask if I was pregnant! 

Miss anything: Being able to wear whatever I want, although, I've got a dang cute tummy to show off these days. 

Movement: The third trimester meant baby started running out of room and the movement hasn't been as constant, but when she goes, SHE GOES! It looks like something is actually going to break out of my stomach. And it's awesome! 

Food cravings: Water and chocolate, but only the weekends. Being pregnant is weird. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Have you started to show yet: Oh heck yeah. 

Gender: Girl! 

Other changes: The fatigue is back with a vengeance. So far I've made it through the days by listening to 80's pop and refusing to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time. 

Until next time!

-Cami and baby 

Drum roll please....

Get ready for everything pink, lacy, and hand picked for a perfect little girl! 

We are so excited! 

(Now if I can only convince Matt that we don't have to buy everything

for her right now...) 

Love,

The Lish Ladies and Matt

One year later

                               

I know I told you my next post would be the gender reveal, but my heart and mind were too full of these thoughts today not to write.

Almost exactly one year ago I sat in the surgical waiting area at UVRMC while Matt underwent surgery to remove one foot of his intestines. The surgery wasn't complicated. We had a surgeon we trusted and I had enough knowledge from Nursing school to know what was expected. But I was terrified. I brought Matt's laptop thinking I would be able to keep my mind off of what was going on by scrolling through Facebook, and maybe even blogging (man, I was ambitious back then), but it turns out WIFI at the hospital is terrible and I only got a few solid minutes of distraction before my impatience set in.

My skinny mini husband before surgery.
He weighed 140 pounds. He'll probably
kill me for posting this picture... oops.

Matt and I had been talking about having a baby for a while at that point. When we were dating we had decided to wait a year to "figure this marriage thing out" before we would seriously discuss expanding our family. Matt isn't very good at following my plans! It wasn't very long after we said "I do," that he brought up having a baby. Imagine my shock! We already knew at that point that his Crohn's disease wasn't cooperating with, once again, my plans for a healthy husband, and all Matt could think about was bringing a little bundle of joy into the world. I told him no. There was NO way I was going to raise a baby and take care of a sick husband while working forty hour weeks at a job I wasn't thrilled with. That was that.

Well, that was that for at least a month or so. Every time we saw someone with a new baby he would make a little comment about how much he wanted to be a dad. I wasn't interested. This went on for a long time, and it had only been after we decided Matt needed surgery that I relented my stubborn attitude and decided we could start thinking about babies.

As I sat in that waiting room I couldn't help but think about our maybe baby. I wanted my babies to have a dad that could play catch with them in the backyard and take them to the store for ice cream as long as they didn't tell Mom. I imagined babies with dark, curly, eyelashes like Matt framing big brown eyes like me. As the hours ticked on, my nerves started getting the best of me. He was supposed to be out of surgery by now!

The family sitting behind me had come in around the same time as me and whispered anxiously over those three hours we waited. I admittedly eavesdropped when their surgeon came in and asked them to go to a private room so they could talk. That didn't sound good. I knew it wasn't good. They knew it wasn't good, and the women didn't make it out of the waiting room before their crying filled the silent air. The next hour consisted of family and friends showing up with tissues wadded tightly in their hands and hugs being offered to the sobbing woman I assumed was the wife. She had a brand new baby in her arms. When Matt's surgeon finally came to me, hours past when I expected him, I gulped back concern.

But everything was okay. The surgery took longer than expected because they didn't realize fully how scarred Matt's intestines were. He was in recovery now and they were trying to wake him up and get his pain under control before they moved him to his room. An hour later the PACU nurse came and told me his pain was still uncontrolled but there was nothing more they could do so they were moving him to his room anyway. I forgot about that family I had shared the waiting room with. I was so ecstatic that my husband was okay, I didn't think again about the sobbing wife and child that would be raised without a father.

After Matt had returned home and the dust had settled around us I heard stories about a young man that had passed away in the hospital shortly before Christmas. I remembered that family from the hospital. I poured over articles about the woman who had lost her husband just days after giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. He was a BYU student. Just like Matt. He had a bright future ahead. Just like Matt. And, just like Matt, he had been in surgery that day.

My heart goes out to that man's family, to the son that will never get to know his dad, and his wife who doesn't have a hand to hold in the car and a warm body to put her cold toes against at night. That's my greatest fear. Right now, I have a baby that dances inside of me when I play music and a husband that kisses me good night. Matt's healthy. Sure, he has bad days, but he's still around one year later.

That's not a burrito, that's a baby!

TA DA! The long awaited baby bump picture has arrived! I'll be 18 weeks tomorrow so this was a day or two ago, but it's something to start with, right? 

Also, please excuse the poor phone quality and the pretty background of my front door, but hey, sometimes it's raining outside and your camera battery has to charge so you just do what you have to do.

Until next time (when I post the gender!!!) 

Love,

Cami, Matt, and Baby