Pregnancy In a Nutshell

One of my last pregnant pictures

Love this picture!

I couldn't wait to show! Takes forever.

So before I go on about the delivery of my Emery I wanted to sum up my pregnancy. The first trimester for me was not really fun. I was excited to be pregnant, but didn't want to fully invest myself it in just in case something happened. I was nauseous from time to time, but nothing major. I didn't have an appetite ever, and when I did I went straight to Whataburger. Love those fries! I also could be seen eating out of an ice cream container from time to time. Once that was over, my second trimester was a little easier. I still didn't have an appetite, but at least I wasn't nauseous. I still wasn't really showing yet. I luckily was able to stay in my normal clothes with the use of my belly band. That is the greatest thing ever! The only thing that was awful was the whole thigh and inner thing widening. Horrible! You know your stomach is going to get big, but your thighs? Not fun. Then came the third trimester. All of a sudden, I started to get a little nausea, and then fat ankles. That was fine, but then my knees disappeared! I feel that I am fortunate that that all came at the end. Some poor things get it way sooner. What I enjoyed most was that feeling of a little girl stretching and kicking in my stomach. The anticipation of her arrival was so much fun. What was she going to look like? How was she going to be? Will we be the best parents we could be for her? Aside from the end, my pregnancy was just a miracle, and I was so priviledged to be able to experience it. It is truly a fascinating thing that our bodies know what to do to protect this little being that is growing in our bellies. Although I may not have always enjoyed every minute of it, I loved being pregnant, and would gladly do it again! After coming home with Emery after having left the house pregnant, I was actually a little sad it was over. It was a really weird feeling. There is only one first pregnancy, and my moment was over. Can't wait for the second!

My School shower

The happy parents-to-be

The best people to work with!

Krista and I delivered two days apart

My sweet friend and fellow first grade teacher Hillary and me

Me and Lindsay-she is due August 24th with a baby boy

Lindsay, Melanie and me

As everyone says, there was definitely something in the water at my school because we had 5 girls pregnant at the same time. There were losts of bellies in the hallway! Well my school shower was the Monday before I went into the hospital. I barely made that one as well. It was a triple shower. It was for my friends Lindsay, Melanie, and myself. Melanie is due in July with a baby girl, and Linds with a boy in August. I was so glad to be having the shower with them! I think I would have been too embarrassed to be there alone. It was such a neat thing to be able to have such fun girls to be pregnant with and to gripe about some the not so fun things of pregnancy, but also to share in the good things, like kicks, and shopping for the nursery... My school has been really supportive since the very beginning. I could not have been at a better place with better people!

Shower time!

Happy me!

The best friends ever! Thank you for everything girls. Love you!

We just loved this bib! I don't think Neal is going to share this one.

My constant cheerleader Jess and Amy Kerr-UTEP girls

Love these girls-Melissa, Lauren, Hillary and Lindsay

So cute!

Paige and I two weeks apart(so we thought)

Us with the grandmas to be

My last bridal shower was something that signaled to me the end of my pregnancy. It always seemed so far away, but once it came, it kind of sunk in that I was going to have this baby pretty soon. Little did I know how soon! One more week and I would have missed my shower! I had just the best time at my shower. Natalie, Lindsay, and Paige hosted it at Natalie's house. It looked so pretty! There were fairies everywhere. I kind of stumbled upon that theme for the Emery's bedding, but it looks so cute on everything else too. My Mom came in town, and I was so excited for her to meet my friends. I wanted her to see what kind of support, and what kind of great people I was surrounded by in Dallas. She has only met a few of my friends here. Almost everyone was there, and I felt soooooo blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. It makes these special moments in life so much sweeter. Emery received such great gifts from such giving people. I particularly lost control of my emotions when I was surprised with my car seat and stroller that Nat, Paige, Linds, and Paige's Mom got for me. It just screamed baby for me. It made it real at that moment. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends that had already done so much. It was a really sweet gift along with the other great things that I have been able to really put to use! Then there was the video. Nat told us all to go the where the TV was, and there was Neal on the TV screen answering some questions about me and the pregnancy. I lost it again. My emotions were already kind of out of whack and this just sealed the deal for me. It was such a cute video, and I can't wait to look at it when time has passed, and Emery is a little older. It is such a great keepsake. It was such a special day, and I couldn't even imagine how special it was going to be to actually use everything on an actual baby. It has been such a joy in my life, and no one could have truly explained what it was going to be like to be a mother. I had no clue that day. Thank you to all my friends and family for making that day a special moment in my life that I will never forget.

Potato feet

What on earth?? My feet were starting to get so big! I had had it so easy the whole pregnancy, and them poof, potato feet. I wasn't wanting to do anything. I really couldn't walk very much, and my shoes were not fitting at all. I had to go buy the ever so glamorous Crocs so that I could wear them to school. At my 35 week appointment I had gained 8 pounds in one week. Blood pressure was still ok at the point, but the water retention was crazy! Not pretty! I know it's gross, but I just have to document it!

Packing day

All clear!

The family before baby

So nice of Jeff to come help!

Neal protecting the furniture

Well it was finally time to pack up the guest room, and start getting the nursery together. I had put it off long enough. I am a really bad procrastinator, but I figured that I still had some time left! We started to pack up everything, and decided to just store it in our garage. Neal's truck can't really fit in there anyways, so we could just use up the entire half. Hillary and Jeff came over to help us move stuff down, and I am so thankful for them. That really helped us so much. Finally the room was ready for the crib! Everything was really starting to move much faster now. I felt like I couldn't keep up with all that needed to be done for some reason. At about this time, I was starting to feel really tired again, and really didn't want to do anything. Nat actually warned me that that would happen, and that I should probably get stuff done sooner. I missed that boat I guess. Next we had to get the crib in there! Couldn't wait...

And the winner is...

It is a miracle! We have finally named our little one! We have thought about it to the point of overthinking it. I finally just left it up to Neal because I got tired of thinking about it. I originally really wanted Sofia, but changed my mind. Then we wanted Savannah. From Savannah, it went to thinking about Mackenzie (Kenzie), to Emery. One thing that has always stayed the same is the middle name Nicole. We just really like Nicole! It went with every name that we picked. It especially goes with Emery which is now baby Staab's name! It was originally a boy's name, but it works for a girl as well! I am just so happy that we have decided on something! I hope she likes her name, and I hope that she looks like an Emery. I don't know what an Emery would look like, but I just hope it fits her! Whoohoo! Now I can start putting her name on everything!

6 weeks left!

34 weeks today! Why is time going so fast???? I am not even close to being ready. We are only 6 weeks away from seeing this little being that has been kicking me to death for the last month. Her kicks have gotten so hard. I am wondering exactly how big she is. I have gained 4 pounds since my last appointment and am almost at the 30 pound weight gain mark. It will probably be a ton more since my appetite has picked up! I have eaten out everyday this week. That would be okay if I wasn't eating french fries, ice cream, and pizza! Oh well, my days of doing that have almost passed! I have been very fortunate thus far. I feel pretty good! I have noticed that I am way more sleepy than I have been in the past few weeks. Also, my feet hurt a lot and get fat from time to time. Other than those things, I am pretty normal. I am so hoping that it stays this way! I won't hold my breath.