Two consecutive weeks?! YES!

This week has gone by in a blur!

Monday my replacement at work came in for a few hours to fill out paperwork and get her "official" start date of December 30 on the books. She seems super cool and easy to get along with - which is a HUGE answer to prayer. I'm really hopeful that she'll help my upcoming transition go as smoothly as possible.

Side note: Not sure if I've mentioned this, but I plan to take maternity leave, obviously. After that, I'll only be returning to work one day a week to handle some of the "big picture" things that are currently on my plate. My replacement will be training in the next three months to handle all the day-to-day crap responsibilities that typically come my way. I'm overwhelmed and panic-stricken about training her and how to handle this major transition...but I'll breathe the world's biggest sigh of relief when it's over. So, until the end of March, I'll be working side-by-side with Emily on top of handling my own responsibilities...on top of being tired all the time and trying desperately to "nest" at home...whilst realizing that in a mere five days, I'll be entering my third trimester. WHERE IS TIME GOING.

Tuesday I took the day off like any mature adult...because it was my birthday :) Yay! Hello 29...I have high hopes for you! My winner of a husband bought me the box set of the entire series of Sex and the City (which, ahem, includes both movies). I was openly embarrassed since I opened it in front of my in-laws, but I got over that pretty quick and was able to show my true elation and appreciation. His thought was "...for middle-of-the-night nursing sessions." Oh my, Dan for the win.

Wednesday was filled with taking down Christmas decorations. All at once. We woke up with Christmas and went to bed with spring decor out. Typically I slowly transition from "winter" to "spring" but I figure, come March, I'm going to be thinking of much more important things than switching out my winter grapevine wreath in the half bathroom. So...here I sit...with 6+ inches of snow outside, a high of 7 degrees tomorrow, with a "Green Grass" 3-wick candle burning.

Thursday was a normal day at work for me while Dan took the day off...again. The guy made the mistake of not working since Christmas Eve. (In his defense, his work has holidays the two days after Christmas and the two days before New Year's.) So, man, his transition this week is going to be rough. Good luck with that, man.

Friday we drove across the state in FRIGID temperatures to a wedding in Pine Knob. It. Was. Beautiful. And fun to catch up with Dan's college friends and their wives. Everyone was so gracious and kind, telling me I looked "cute and pregnant" while I sat in a chair watching people break it down dancing, complaining that my heels hurt and I was fighting sleep at 9:30pm.

Oh, the ironies as pregnancy. I've realized these two things: I cringe every time I have to pee...which is hourly, at least; yet I insist on taking water with me...everywhere. I'm drinking all the time because I'm thirsty, and turn right around and pee it right out. AND. I tried so long NOT to get pregnant. Then I fretted so long about not being ABLE to get pregnant. Now I AM pregnant (and, don't get me wrong, am loving it), but am already very ready to NOT be pregnant again...only to realize that the closer I get I think, "No! Not yet! I'm not ready! Let me be pregnant longer!" What the WHAT?! I was explaining all of these emotions to Dan and he was baffled and, I think, is one step closer to understanding the emotional roller coaster that is the vast array of female hormones.

On that note...

I don't think I've added these pictures of the little guy to the blog yet. This was our 20 week ultrasound. It's been almost 8 weeks since these were taken...I can't imagine how much bigger he is. He's now almost 2 pounds and just over 14 inches long! Unbelievable!

Cute little button nose :)

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Those tiny baby feet!

This was pre-Christmas, preparing Baby Bear for The Boy. Dan...it was hilarious. He took it very seriously and toted the bear around like this until we were able to print his birth certificate and check out.

Welcome to the family! :)

It's been snowing oodles here today, and I don't know if this even captures it. The horizontal railing that runs along the deck...right up to where the snow is is maybe what?...two feet high? It's mounded like crazy!

Love the snow until Christmas. Then I'm ready for it to be over.

Aaaaand, there she blows. Large and in charge. 27 weeks, 2 days. I bought this Over The Rhine t-shirt at a concert when I was 12 weeks along. Boy am I excited to be able to wear it comfortably in normal social settings again.

I go in for my glucose test this Thursday and I'm terrified because I've craved (and haven't diligently fought) sweets throughout the entire pregnancy. Here's hoping I didn't just give myself gestational diabetes...

Not only is my stomach growing, but so is my butt. HOORAY!!!!!!! I can't explain to you how antsy I am to begin to exercise intensely again. My next pregnancy...man will I do so much differently.

As I type this, I'm feeling a major case of baby hiccups going on. Practice that breathing, little guy!

This week? Horrible driving conditions, a full week with my replacement, my glucose test and our first Bradley Class! Should be an exciting/exhausting stretch!