So it's official, I'm 6 weeks out from getting to meet my dear sweet, kicking little boy! It's amazing how time flies by. I feel like yesterday I was trying to absorb the enormity of just being pregnant and now I'm sitting here with a full round belly, swollen feet and a smiling face --- 6 weeks! Hip! Hip! Hooray!

I have been super busy with trying to get the nursery finished, my house organized, wrapping up some of my bigger cases and preparing the office for some time off. My mom has laughed because she swears I have taken a "Man Approach" to being preggo and child birth and I think she may be right. I have been super blunt, and to be honest I've been kind of silly and jokey about the whole thing. I know deep down in my guts I'm just scared of what's to come and my coping mechanism has been to laugh about it all. Here are a few of my insights into pregnancy that no one shared with me:

1. All of my friends have told me what a fantastic and sweet feeling the baby moving and kicking in my tummy would feel like. Truth: It's not sweet and it's not fantastic! It hurts! Ever been kicked in the ribs from the inside out? It hurts like HELL! haha! Ever been kicked in the Va-ja-ja? OMG! It takes your breath away! So yea, not sweet at all.

2. The heartburn is horrific! I buy Rolaids at SAMS in the huge ECONO bags because I can't seem to keep the acid reflux from feeling my nose! I puke about every other day and it consists of water and acid. BOO!

3. The exhaustion is almost debilitating. I have recognized that I can only go up so many flights of stairs, I can only bend over so many times and I can only walk so far in a days time. When I hit the "Pregnancy Wall" I am done. Spent. Finished. Exhausted. I am simply dead and there is nothing left in me.

4. Your feet and hands swell towards the end and if you're really lucky like me -- Your face! Has your face ever been so swollen you can feel it? And by "it" I mean your face. It is possibly the weirdest feeling every. You can actually feel your cheeks and lips to the point of noticing they are abnormal without ever seeing your reflection. 2 weeks ago I helped my parents out with an event they had and spent too much time on my feet only to be super surprised with feet that looked more like sausages than extremities. My dad, building my self-esteem says, "Honey, sausages doesn't do your feet justice, it's like you've slammed a rack of ribs in your shoes!" haha! Thanks Pops.

I just keep telling myself, "KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE!" We had our 3D/4D ultra sound and getting to see my (not so) tiny little angels face makes all this mess, all this pain, all this exhaustion 100% worth it. Check out that profile! Those lips! Those chubby little cheeks. I'm in love!

In the last couple of weeks I have not felt good at all. I'm just exhausted, exhausted to the 100th degree. Justin has been wonderful, he recognizes when I've hit my wall and sends me to bed to get in some sleep and to rest. I guess I'm in a bit of a panic. I recognize that the next 6 weeks are going to fly by and I am in a fury to get everything on my "list" done and ready for baby.

The bedding came in for the nursery and it is utterly FABULOUS! I will post some pictures soon when it's all done. We finished up our last birthing class tonight and getting to see those tiny tiny babies in their little beds just made all of this so real! I can't wait!

Justin and I had our baby shower this weekend in NC and I have never felt so loved in my whole life. My mom, sister and sister-in-law truly truly outdid themselves. The theme was "Cotton Candy Wishes and Candy Apple Dreams!" AMAZING! Getting to see all my friends and family and spend time and hear baby stories was beyond words perfect. **Side note: My great aunt Barbara only gained 1lb during pregnancy with her 2nd child. WTF?**

So the goals of the next few weeks: Get the nursery ready, get rested up for the baby and try to enjoy being pregnant. This pregnancy has been hard on my and my body, so the goal is to try to sit back and just enjoy the ride, what's left of it anyways.

-A-