37 weeks

Full term! Yay! I did a little jump for joy last Weds when I officially turned 37 weeks. Its a peaceful feeling knowing that your baby is "fully baked" and now its time to just coast until labor/delivery.

This week I also started to work from home. What a nice little period of time that only really first-time mommies are able to enjoy. Think its a bit different the 2nd time around when you are responsible for a toddler. I feel great and am happy that I have a few weeks to relax, enjoy the amazing weather, and take advantage of sleeping -- since I know that will be a thing of the past once baby arrives!

Today is also hubby's 32nd Birthday. We are going to a Spanish restaurant in DC- I'm looking forward to what will probably be our last dinner out on the town. =)

Work Baby Shower

Yes I complain with the worst of them about my day to day job but really-- I work with amazingly great people! My CACI Family threw me a baby shower last Thursday and I was floored with how much they did for me, it was so unexpected. They had Danny come and surprise me, invited Karen, and others that I used to work with that are no longer in the company. They reserved the huge conference room on the 2ND floor and had balloons, ice-cream Sunday bar, a huge yummy cake, refreshments, finger foods, and adorable decorations! I felt so touched and baaaaaaaaaaaaad for all the trouble they went to! The craziest part was the huge display table covered with gifts!

Gifts from our registry and other necessities collectively from the group. Each item was adorably wrapped and displayed in the white basket.

All of the CLOTHES that we received as individual gifts from team members and others that I have worked with in the past. Each gift bag I opened up had an endless supply of dresses, booties, socks, outfits, sleepers etc - I'm worried she won't have enough days to wear everything before she outgrows it!

I cannot believe how generous people have been to our little baby. How lucky we are and she is.

Nursery Time!

I made a door name sign using her middle Korean name

The glider we finally purchased after much back and forth.

Baby's crib

Her chest

and finally...another shot of her growing closet!

Everything is washed, folded, and ready to be worn!

Hospital Bag

Had a great birthday weekend!

The hubby jump started the last stretch of preparing for the baby by surprising me with a packed suitcase full of things he had purchased to make my hospital stay more comfortable (nice to haves). Among the items are the super soft robe, slippers, and fuzzy socks from Brookstone, a wall and desk calendar specifically for mothers, a list of all the foods I've been craving (he made sure I ate everything from the list all weekend), jolly ranchers for the labor room, coupons for books, and a gift certificate to purchase any remaining items for the hospital (night gown, travel toiletries, books etc). So thoughtful and appropriate to the occasion as always.

So bag is now packed and I have one less thing to worry about, yay!

Danny's pre- Fathers Day

Ooops I totally forgot to write an entry about Fathers Day back in June! I was so quick to post about Mother's day but I guess thats sort of the way of the world though? Mother's Day seems to outshine Father's Day by far. Dannys mom always likes to ask each Mothers Day-- "Do American's even celebrate Fathers Day? tehehe"

Even so, I wanted to write a quick note on what future daddy received in appreciation foreverything he has done for our baby (and me) throughout this pregnancy:

1. tool kit so he can properly put together things for the baby

2. a little girl's fishing rod, so he can eventually take the baby on a father/daughter fishing trip that he's already mentioned

3. a new shirt, just because he hasn't gotten himself any new clothes in a long time

Father's Day may not be as revered as Mother's Day (and rightfully so...no? hehe) but I know our baby is going to having an amazing daddy, so I thought it deserved an entry for our memories.

Baby Library!

Allison's very first books have arrived!

Its extremely important to me to have our baby exposed to reading and books at a very early age, especially since I am such an avid reader. Although as an infant she won't understand what they are, having them in her environment and reading to her (if only just to hear our voices) is one of the ways I would like to bond with our baby. Hopefully she will grow a passion for reading and books like her mommy! I'm still on the quest for the type of bookshelf or display I want to start off with but went ahead and ordered baby books so I could have them on hand throughout the next year, while we continue to grow her little library. I chose some of the classics and also books recommended by little cutie/bookworm, Annabel.

I was the most excited to finally be able to use these precious book stickers that say "From the Library of Allison Nara John" that we received as a gift, all the way from San Diego.

How did she know?

These adorable book stickers melt my heart each time I see them. Not sure why but it mean so much to me to be able to label each book and make them our baby's own.

These stickeres are simply handmade with kindness and love, courtesy of gracie k. designs.

Thank you so very much.

30 weeks today!

30 is a good number. Allison is due on the 30th, my birthday is on the 30th, I enjoyed entering my 30's (despite how much I complained about it) and it just sounds like I've made it quite far in my pregnancy. I'm also very glad I waited to have a baby in my 30's (32 to be exact)...I look back at my 20's and there is no way I (me personally) would have been mentally capable. I'm glad we waited until we had a solid home, stable financials, and an overall comfortable place for her to enter this world. So yay to 30 weeks today! I'm feeling very peaceful, content, and prepared at this moment--we are ready for you Allison Nara John!

The dizziness, sudden tiredness, some nausea I've been feeling lately I figured was just a result of 3rd trimester symptoms but I received a call from the doctors office and they told me my last blood results showed that I was slightly anemic. This is great news! All I have to do is take additional iron supplements on top of my prenatals and hopefully all those yucky symptoms will go away.

Side note: I know I'm going to look back at this entry and laugh at my naive self so wanted to clarify what I meant by "prepared". I mean as much as you can possibly be for a hopeful, first-time mommy. I'm quite aware nothing will fully brace you for the mental breakdowns, the lack of sleep, the cracked nipples, and all the other not-so-nice things that people don't like to discuss. Ignorance is bliss!

What has Danny been doing to prepare for our baby? Running. Sound strange? I thought so too but when I asked him the other day why all of sudden he was running everyday - he replied "I have to be in shape for Allison because she's going to kick my butt".

There are surely different ways to display love --upfront & center or behind-the-scene and not so apparent. This is just one sliver & preview of all the different ways and colors that Danny will express his love for our baby and I'm so excited to see the layers unravel. Especially the very most unapparent ones. <3