A False Alarm

Dear Pickles,

Today I had an interesting day at work.  It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon.  I was at work trying to resolve a client issue with my friend, Alfonso.  Before we went to speak to our friend, Ken, to help us with our client issue, I told Alfonso that I had to go to the bathroom.  (I spend a lot of time there every day going #1 since you have nestled so close to my bladder.)  After taking care of business, Alfonso and I went to Ken's office to discuss our client issue.

As your mother tried to explain what she believed was going on with the client, I was stopped mid-sentence with a strange feeling.  "Hmm... What's that?  Is that...?  No... It can't be..."  Sensing something wrong, Ken and Alfonso looked at me.

"Are you okay?" they asked.

"Um... I either just peed my pants... or my water just broke," I announced.

A flurry of activity happened from that moment to get me out of the office and to the hospital.  Alfonso agreed to drive me (even though I wasn't having any signs of contractions).  On the way to the hospital, I called the triage nurse, and she advised me to do the following before coming to the hospital: change into some dry clothes, put on a sanitary pad, and if it's still wet or soaking in 15 minutes, I should come to the hospital.  If it's dry in 15 minutes, I probably just wet my pants.

Instead of going to the hospital, I asked Alfonso to take a detour to CVS to buy some adult diapers for me (what a trooper!).  Then, we went to his house, since it was nearby, and I borrowed some sweat pants from his wife, Beth.  I did as the triage nurse ordered; I changed my clothes and waited.  All I could think was, "I'm not ready.  I haven't even finished the nursery.  I haven't finished my birthing classes!  I don't even have a bag packed!  Crap!"

After 15 minutes - there was nothing.  I called the triage nurse back, and we concluded that I just wet my pants.  She said that it was a common occurrence for women at my stage in pregnancy since the baby is pressing down on the bladder.  (I thought that it was weird since I literally went potty seconds before the accident... Oh well.)  At that news, I decided to go back to work.

On the way back to work, I couldn't help but think of this scene from the movie, Billy Madison:





Best quote from this scene? "You ain't cool unless you pee your pants."  So there you go.

Love,

Mommy

A Happy Mother's Day

Dear Pickles,

On Mother's Day, mommy walked down stairs to find the most wonderful surprise waiting for her on the kitchen table... an array of gifts to enjoy from you!  (What a clever girl you are to outsource daddy from the womb for help!)




I even called my mommy (your Mimi) to wish her a happy Mother's Day, too.  I told her how you gave me the sweetest card that read:

Mom, for love above and beyond.


I owe you big time.  Happy Mother's Day.


Thanks for making me.  Love, Izzy.


P.S. Every time I kick, it's just me letting you know how much I love you and want to get out there so you can hold me.

I would like to say that I spend the day relaxing, lazing about, and watching the awesome selection of DVDs you picked out for me, but, instead, I spent the day nesting.  Mommy spent the day washing your awesome wardrobe in scent free, allergy free detergent and softener.  I also unpacked a lot of items in your nursery, organized your closet, and put finishing touches here and there in the nursery.  (I can't wait to reveal the finished product to you.)

When I wasn't nesting, I took short breaks to read Bossypants by Tina Fey... And while I'm on this topic, I have a confession to make... Even though you gave me this awesome book for Mother's Day, mommy already bought herself a copy of the book the day before...  Sorry Pickles.  Daddy reprimanded me for buying myself something before a major holiday... But I couldn't help myself!  This chick rocks!  I hope you find her to be one of your heroes growing up.  Seriously, she's awesome.  Don't believe me?  Watch this clip:

See what I mean?

Thanks again for the Mother's Day presents.  We'll have to collaborate soon to get daddy something special for Father's Day next month.

Love,

Mommy

Japanese Baby Shower from Your Mimi

Dear Pickles,

This past weekend, your father and I traveled down to Swansboro to see your Mimi and Pop Pop.  Who are Mimi and Pop Pop?  They're your mommy's mommy and daddy (your grandma and grandpa).  Lennox, your cousin, is the first grandchild on mommy's side of the family, so she got to choose what to call them.  I think you'll really love your Mimi and Pop Pop when you meet them.  I know they love you so much already.

Mimi and Mommy

Pop Pop and Lennox (and Daddy)

The main reason we went to Swansboro to visit your Mimi and Pop Pop was because your Mimi organized a baby shower for you and invited all of her Japanese friends from church to come.  Many of them could not make it to your first shower but still wanted to do something special for you.



All of the women chipped in and made so much wonderful Japanese food for the party.  It was all so delicious!  This is the kind of food mommy grew up eating.  (I hope you like Japanese food -- it's a huge part of your heritage.)



There were also lots of desserts to enjoy, including a lemon cake with lemon filling that said "Baby Girls are a Blessing."  Your Aunt Barbara got that cake for you.  She has a little girl, too, so she knows how precious you will be.

Lennox and Aunt Barbara

For the baby shower, your Mimi organized a quiz game where she offered new boxes of tissues as prizes to the guests who could correctly answer questions about mommy and daddy.  She also had guests draw pictures of what they thought you were going to look like, and mommy and daddy got to pick the winner.  It was a hoot!

The Winner!

For entertainment, the Japanese pastor and his wife sang a beautiful song for you in English, and the all of the other women there sang two Japanese songs for you, too.  It was so pretty to hear their voices harmonizing in Japanese.



After the entertainment, we got to open presents for you.  Lennox helped mommy open all the gifts.  She was such a good helper.  (One day, you can be my little helper, too.)



It truly was a sweet little shower.




Mommy and daddy are blessed to have so many people care for you already.  We can hardly believe that you'll be here with us in approximately seven weeks!  See you soon, sweet baby girl.

Love,

Mommy

An ECU Easter Weekend

Dear Pickles,

Your mommy had a wonderful visit with her ECU friends this Easter weekend.  Your Auntie Angela organized a reunion with our dear friend, Emily, and her two sons, Phoenix and Kingston.  We all met in college and have been friends ever since.  We have been in each other's weddings, have traveled with each other to places near and far, and now, I will be sharing the joys of motherhood with them.

Emily came up from Georgia and brought her sister, Megan, with her to help with the boys.  Angela came later with Zora, and everyone stayed at our house for the weekend.  They came to throw you an ECU Baby Sprinkle.  We chatted, went Easter egg hunting, napped, and joined some of our other ECU friends for a lovely dinner at Twisted Fork. It was nice to catch up and spend time with one another.  No matter how much time passes between our visits, it's funny how when you get together with old friends how easily you are able to pick up right where you left off.  (I hope you have friends like that one day.)

Kingston, Zora, and Phoenix

As a new mommy, it was nice for me to see how mommyhood has changed Emily and Angela.  I was able to see a new side of them that was beautified by the way they have raised their children.  They have different approaches, but both have raised beautiful, well adjusted, happy children.  I hope you know how much I want to do just that for you.

Phoenix and Zora

In less than two months, you'll be here to join this happy group of children one day as I am sure this will not be our last visit.

31 Weeks - Not much longer to go!

One day you'll get to meet the women who helped to shape your mommy into the person she is today.  They have stood by me and have offered nothing but their support and friendship.  What more can a girl ask for?

Love,

Mommy

Baby Shower Blessings

Dear Pickles,

On April 2, 2011, your Aunt Jeanine and Aunt Barbara organized and threw a wonderful baby shower for you.  So many of our close friends and family came to the event.  It was held at Lake Wheeler on a sunny (but windy) day.  The entire party was gathered under a nice picnic shelter where we enjoyed BBQ from The Pit (courtesy of your Mimi and Pop) and homemade potato salad, macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, and baked beans.  Aunt Jeanine even ordered an adorable lemon cake for you.



And your Aunt Barbara designed this gorgeous diaper cake for you.


Because it was a coed baby shower, your Auntie Angela also helped to organize a day of festivities known as the "Who's Your Daddy Baby Olympics."  It was a riot to watch daddy and all the other men present participate in the events as the women watched and cheered.

Egg Toss Contest

Baby Food Tasting Contest 

(I LOVE grandma's face in this... Yes, it was quite disgusting.)

Blind-Folded Diaper Changing

Bottle Racing (Chugging Apple Juice)

Stroller Racing!

As you can see, it was a hoot!

There is a reason why they call parties for babies a shower... Mommy and daddy got to experience all the "showering" of love and support for the blessing that is YOU to come.  We received so many cards and gifts and words of encouragement and happiness that it truly was a blessed event for us.



I think the best moment of the shower was when we were opening the last gift from your grandma, Joyce Irene.  One thing to know about your grandma is that she loves finding the "perfect" card - and by perfect, I mean, she likes editing cards to make them say exactly what she wants them to say.  Knowing this about your grandmother, your daddy and I giggled when we saw her edits on the front of her card.



But then we opened it...  Inside the card, your grandma had the following message for us.


Before going to the shower that day, daddy and mommy had a moment in the car where we were missing your grandpa, Larry Dale.  We wished he could be there that day at the shower to join us in the celebration of you.  So, as you can imagine, seeing your grandma's message made us a little emotional.

Mommy and Daddy Thanking Everyone Through Tears

Afterward, we went to your grandma to thank her and told her that we were glad her card was opened last.  What would we have done if we opened it first or in the middle of opening presents?  I told her that it was a happy accident.  She said, "No.  It was a Larry wink."  That made us smile.  Your grandpa was with us after all that day.

All in all, it was such a lovely shower.  We can't wait to bring you into this world to meet all of the people in mommy and daddy's lives who can't wait to meet you and continue showering you with all their love and affection.

Love,

Mommy

My! What a Pretty Face You Have!

Dear Pickles,

On Wednesday, mommy had to go to the doctor to complete a glucola test.  This is a test where the doctor gives mommy a yummy, sweet orange drink to drink (within 5 minutes), and then, exactly an hour later, a nurse takes a sample of my blood to see if mommy has gestational diabetes.  The test takes about two hours to complete.  Daddy was a good sport and kept mommy company while she had to complete the test.  While we were there, we also had our regular check-up.  I told daddy about how feisty you were the last time you had your heart beat checked.  You didn't fail to deliver that same attitude this time around either.  This time, as the nurse tried to locate your heart beat with the heart monitor, you kept slowly inching away from her.  Once she got you into a corner, you kicked the nurse's monitor away from you.  This made mommy and daddy giggle, although, perhaps, we should not be encouraging that feisty behavior... but you're just so darn adorable.

After the check-up, we had a "fun ultrasound" scheduled with the sonographer.  For a fee, we got 57 3D pictures of you.  It was so cool!  Daddy was nervous to see you, but I couldn't wait.  Whose nose would you have?  Whose lips would you have?  Once we saw you in 3D, we were amazed... You were beautiful.

By the time we started the ultrasound, you must have been tired and going through a sugar crash from the glucola test.  You were very sleepy and just wanted to keep your hands by your sweet little face.  The sonographer shook and tapped mommy's belly to get you to move, but you just furrowed your brow and hid.  Nevertheless, mommy and daddy were entertained.  Here are some of the best shots we got to see of you that day:

 Our little thinker

Our serious girl

 Our furrowed brow girl

 A body shot

 "No, don't look at me."

 Little Miss Yawny

 Scrunched up face time

 A smile for mommy and daddy

I think you look like Daddy... and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I love you.

Love,

Mommy

First Time for Everything, I Suppose

Dear Pickles,

Things with the pregnancy have been going as expected... that is, until last Friday.  Mommy woke up with a stuffy head and sinus pressure.  For my whole life, I never had to deal with allergies due to pollen or spring time blooms, but through this pregnancy, I've discovered that things change.  Daddy had to take care of mommy on Friday when she got home from work.  I was achy, stuffed up, and just plain miserable.  Daddy was a good sport and waited on mommy hand and foot.  He even missed a party with friends to take care of me.  (He's pretty swell.)

Although the doctor cleared Benadryl as a safe allergy medicine for me to take, I wanted to try to avoid taking any medication if at all possible.   I had daddy take me to the pharmacy to buy a netti pot instead.  What's a netti pot?  Well, my dear, it's a tea pot for your nose.  You fill it up with specially made saline water, pour it through one nostril, and watch all the water come out of your other nostril.






The first time mommy tried it, it worked brilliantly.  But as my sinuses got more and more stuffy, it stopped working.  I wish you could have seen mommy and daddy trying to figure out how to use the darn thing.  I thought we were going to drown from all the laughing we were doing at each other.  As one would watch and laugh, the other would laugh and squirt water unfavorably out of their nostril, getting salty nose water everywhere.  Eeeewwww... 

We'll have to show daddy how to have a proper tea party when you get here -- one with real tea and girlie snacks and no nose water.

Love,

Mommy