showered.

People are constantly asking me what my favorite part is about being pregnant and for a while, I was unsure how to answer them. There are so many aspects of it that I love... but how do you put those into short 3-4 word answers. 

It wasn't until this past month, with Thanksgiving and Christmas and (dare I say it?!) Ty's arrival just around the corner that I realized my favorite part of being pregnant. 

The love. 

It seems as if every person in my life has come forward with so much love and advice and gifts and well-wishes that I am constantly overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude. Some days, Brandon will walk into a room where I will be just sobbing and he'll immediately run to my side all panicked and worried and ask what's wrong, and in between sobs I'll choke out how I just am constantly feeling so. very. blessed. 

I feel as if I have prayed more in the past 8 months then I have in most of my life... asking God for guidance, patience, and wisdom to bring this new life into the world but also thanking Him. Thanking Him for every single person that he has placed in my life because each one is playing such a vital role in mentally preparing me for what will become one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences of my life... whether they realize it or not. 

And as if the text messages, the phone calls, the lunch dates, and the sweet letters aren't enough to make me feel loved.... my friends and family are also throwing Ty and I showers and buying us baby gifts. It's enough to turn me into an emotional/sobbing/never-be-able-to-thank-them-enough mess. 

Last Sunday, two of my besties, Michelle and Sophie, threw Ty and me a "Cute as a Button" themed brunch shower. I've never been to a shower so lovely, much less had the pleasure of being the guest-of-honor for one!

Along with some delicious breakfast hors d'oeuvres, one of the best white cakes I've ever tasted, and some "citrus brunch punch" that I almost single-handedly finished off... there was also a onesie-making station! Probably one of the most fun things I've ever done! 

And as if all of that wasn't enough... this past Thanksgiving Day, Brandon's family threw me a spur-of-the-moment Thanksgiving Day themed shower! 

(Please excuse the poor quality of these photos... since I had no idea the shower was taking place, I, unfortunately, was unable to properly document how wonderful and lovely it truly was.)

With carrot cake, apple cider, and a "Katie's Pregnancy" trivia game (that even I didn't know half the answers to) it ended up being a surprise memory that I will cherish and never forget. 

My only wish is that Ty knew and understood how lucky he is. He is being born into a world where most of the people who he will come to know have loved him unconditionally since he was just a lemon-drop in my belly. He (along with Brandon and I) is very lucky, indeed. 

love it & really?

First and foremost, Lola and Ty are going to play "Who Wore It Better?" because she just looves wearing his baby clothes. 

Actually I'm lying. She hates it. And me, for making her do it. But she's such a good sport. 

Love it.

- Ty is officially getting getting BIG. My little man is weighing just under 4 pounds and gaining about AN OUNCE a day!
- Having Brandon away for work during the past 2 weeks but still getting to see him yesterday and the day before because he was staying in hotels only a short drive away. Yay for cuddles!
- The little road-trip my mom and I are going to take this weekend to Houston so that we can pick up some of Ty's first furniture! And let the nursery decorating OFFICIALLY begin!!!
- Having the energy and patience to do Wal-Mart during rush hour. It's a pregnancy miracle!
- Brandon telling me that he just loves our family so much. Our family. Whoa. We've officially started one of those.
- Passing my glucose test with flying colors! And according to my mid-wife, my blood pressure and iron levels are "textbook perfect"! Yipeee!
- And because no "love it" post would be complete without the mention of food - the vegetable lo mein I just inhaled was pretty flippin' amaaaazing. 

Really?

- The fantasy I have of bed-pans. Kinda mortifying that I actually fantasize about being able to pee without leaving the comfort of my bed but I totally do. 
- Eating an entire pecan pie by myself in a 3-day time period. Oh, the gluttony. 
- My butt is literally getting flat and wide. Is granny-ass a pregnancy side effect? Because it should be. 
- Pregger brain running dry. Brandon, at this stage, probably thinks he married an idiot. 
- Hypnobirthing. I took a class and I sucked. My mind just does not have the capability to completely calm itself into nothingness and total relaxation. Instead, I was that girl that couldn't stop giggling. And when I tried to stop, it just made matters worse and I giggled harder and louder. What am I? A thirteen year old? 
- Looking at myself naked in the bathroom mirror (what? you do it. just because you don't announce it to everyone....) and realizing that my belly is becoming the shelf to house my ta-tas. Part of me is like, Yay! My boobies are getting big! and the other part of me is like, Dude. Look at your stomach. Look. At. It. You're a whale.
- And while we're on the subject of being totally inappropriate... pregnancy causes constipation, ya know? So when the deed is done, I feel the need to let Brandon know. And he responds with a "Good job, hun!" and we really are both so excited. It's totally weird but I kinda love it. Now I'm just debating whether I should buy a potty chart to hang on the fridge to put gold stars on. 

at 31 weeks.

At 31 weeks:
- I'm literally dying to meet him. And secretly hoping he comes a teensy bit early. 
- I'm craving pecan pie. And honeycrisp apples. And anything that horseradish can be added to. 
- Ty is being a good little boy and keeping his head down. I have the sore ribs to prove it. 
- I feel fat. My clothes are literally stretched to the max. And I swear I won't let people take pictures of my face for fear of my double-chin. 
- All pillow talk is consumed with talk of our new little family and all the things we plan on doing with our little man. Baths, feedings, reading to him... and letting him be naked. Because nothing's cuter than a little butt with baby cellulite. 
- I feel like I can't breathe. Constantly. Thank you, uterus, for squishing my lungs to the point of suffocation. 
- When sleeping happens, it's the most amazing sleep ever. But most of the time I just lay there. Which is totally okay because that's usually the time Ty is the most active. So I just put my hand on my belly and rub him. I'm totally in love. 
- My balance is whack. I'm tripping and bumping into EVERYTHING. I'm actually currently nursing a busted pinky toe right now. 
- We haven't purchased a single thing for Ty's nursery yet. This probably means something... 
- I cry. All the time. Over everything. I can be happy... sad... or in the case of yesterday, have no emotion at all and just start crying. Gotta love preg hormones. 

In 6 weeks we'll be full term! Can you believe it?? Oh, baby boy, we can not wait to meet you!