Anyone have any labor dust?

Tomorrow is my official due date. But I think most of us thought Marshall would be here by now. I wake up every morning now wondering if today will be the day....Lord, please let it be the day! The little turkey is done cooking and we are ready to hold him in our arms and stare at him all day long.

I think New Year's Eve would be such a fun birthday to have. The whole world would celebrate with you every year...and chances are you would almost always have some fun plans in store. I hope I'm in the hospital tonight. I was having some mild contractions last night (or at least what I perceive to be contractions)...it's so hard to tell if what I am feeling is real or just made up by my wishful thinking mind.

Nevertheless...we will be sure to sound the alarm when there is some real action. Plans today include watching some Seinfeld re-runs, going on a waddle, and then meeting Michael and a few of our friends for lunch at some Mexican place downtown. I'm taking my hospital bag with me just in case!

Oh, and if by some chance I am still pregnant on January 5th...I've got a reservation at the baby factory to have an induction.

Still waiting

Well folks, Christmas came and then it went. And Marshall is still snug in my belly. The phone calls are beginning to roll in..."everything ok over there?" No contractions and no baby...but yes, we are hanging in there. For the third day in a row I went on a walk (er, waddle) around the neighborhood. I even pushed the long loop this morning. No luck.

Michael and I are both tired of waiting. In fact, Michael is so stir crazy that he is now repainting our kitchen as I type this. Not that I want to complain about the way he alleviates boredom!

What's the name of that Italian place in Atlanta famous for their eggplan parmesean that triggers labor? Scalini's? Maybe that should be on tomorrow's agenda.

(That's our 9 foot Christmas tree up there at the top of this post...the best lookin' one we've ever had according to Mike)

Anticipation

Bag is packed, email list is set up, last day at work is today, and Marshall seems to be getting lower every day! It is oddly quiet though...no contractions yet and no other labor symptoms. I am dying to go back to the doctor tomorrow for another check-up to see how things are coming along.

It's almost time! Stay tuned....

Marshall's friends

A few of Marshall's friends were over at our house last weekend to celebrate Christmas. They all had a blast together...sharing each other's toys and marching around the house (Mr. Cooper walks now!). I can only hope Marshall plays as nicely as they do when he joins the club! We had a great time catching up with the Wells, Posener and Davis families.

Progress!

Ladies and gentlemen...let the games begin!

Just returned from my weekly check-up. I'm 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Doc says he can’t say much about when he will arrive at this point….but Marshall is getting ready for his big appearance! Looks like he wants to be a Christmas baby!

Full Term

We made it to 37 weeks! That means Baby Marshall is now full-term.

I went in for a check-up today and it appears he is quite comfy in there. No signs of progress yet and his head is still quite high up in my belly. Seems that he wants to "cook" just a little longer. I'm so lucky to have had such an uneventful pregnancy so far. Everything has gone according to plan...and my moans and groans about routine pregnancy ailments are the most we've had to deal with.

Anticipation is mounting though...we all can't wait to meet, see and snuggle our newest family member. He's so special!

My huge belly (last week at 36 weeks)

The finishing touch on Marshall's room...a beautiful rocker from Grammy and Granddaddy! It is our Christmas gift from them and I love it!

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to our nephew, Ethan! He turned 7 on Saturday...we celebrated over pizza at Stevi B's. Don't they look good in their hats?

Our days are numbered...

...and prenancy brain will only allow me to blog in stream-of-conscious style.

All the baby clothes are washed and smell so snuggly (I love DREFT!).

They let us pass the birthing class a few weeks ago even though we were probably the most immature couple in there...we could barely handle the breathing exercises, especially since the lady made Michael do them with me.

Nursery is complete! Barry and Arlene bought us a beautiful rocker for our Christmas gift. I took some pictures of Marshall's finished room that I will hopefully upload to the blog soon.

We've reserved our spot at the "high-class" daycare. It's honestly the only one we felt 100% comfortable with...and geez, it's not like you can really bargain shop for childcare. Looks like we will be living on rice and beans for a while!

I'm visiting the doctor every week now. Luckily my appointments have been uneventful. Everything is on track! Baby Marshall has a strong heartbeat and I've managed to maintain healthy bloodpressure, weight gain, etc.

Nearly all our Christmas gifts are bought! It's nice to have such a big incentive to get it all taken care of early this year. We even put up our 9-foot Christmas tree last weekend.

Cheers to all! I'll post some pictures soon (we bought a new camera in preparation for Marshall's arrival)...can't wait to share them!

How I know the end is near...

Baby Dawson's closet is FULL! Jam packed with cozy onesies, cute little pants, overalls, tiny little jeans, Bulldawg wear...the amount of clothes this kid has is crazy...and could definitely put any women's wardrobe to the test.




Baby equipment is slowly taking over our house...and putting it all together is becoming a weekly chore of Michael's. Check out these funny pictures of him putting together the highchair (notice baby swing in background...project #1). The first one is him all ticked off at not being able to figure out how the seat screws into the base...and the second is his smiling face when he figured it out.

I have a co-worker that keeps telling me that I have a "glow" about me...I used to think he was being kind and and now I all I can think is "Really, is that what you call this? A glow?"

I can't remember what a full night of uninterrupted sleep feels like...

Marshall feels huge in my belly...and he is running out of room in there! He let's me know by pushing his little bottom up into the side of my ribcage.

Birthing class is THIS Saturday.

Secret is finally out!

Hurray! Louie and Naomi are headed to the chapel!

I have never claimed to be the world's best secret keeper...but I managed to keep my mouth shut long enough for Louie to buy the ring and pop the question to Naomi last weekend. I was so impressed at his strategic approach to the whole ordeal...talk about doing it the right way...he took her dad out to dinner, met her mom and step-dad a few days later, bought a beautiful ring and solicited the help of his mom and sister, took her to a romantic dinner, booked a hotel room in AThens, the whole nine yards! It was all well worth it because she said "Yes".

So proud and happy for them both!

Showered.

Not in the "zest-fully clean" sense...but as in the showered with the love and generosity of our wonderful family and friends.

This weekend was so exciting...our first baby showers! Saturday my sister-in-law, Jennifer, hosted a beautiful shower at Michael's mom's house for all of the ladies of the Garmon family. And there are a lot of them (Arlene is one of seven brothers and sisters)! I was overwhelmed with how generous everyone was with us...I left with a great deal of baby supplies and enough cute clothes to fill Marshall's closet up. My mom even suggested letting him take over the master closet! I can't wait to post pictures of some of the adorable gifts we received.

Sunday my girfriends Carrie, Ashley and Renee hosted a shower at Carrie's house for my all my friends. I felt so special to have Renee in town from Michigan and Erin in town from N.C. to help us celebrate. We talked, and laughed and got emotional over the babies gifts. Well...I guess mom and I were the only mush-balls... I came home with MORE fabulous gifts and baby loot for little Marshall including adorable clothes, toys, a handmade quilt, stroller, and many other necessities that we are so thankful for!

Marshall is already so loved. I can't wait to post pictures of him enjoying all of his new things! 1.5 months to go! Here are a few pictures from this weekend...

30 and Fabulous!

I'm not sure how or why I missed posting a tribute to my friend Lindsay's 30th birthday! I think it was combination of pregnancy brain and being on vacation. We did, however, engage in plenty of celebratory cake-eating and lunch-outings.

One of her friends pulled together a smashing surprise party, complete with t-shirts for all the guests that featured photos of Lindsay through-the-years! I snagged one for your viewing pleasure...II love to spill this secret about Lindsay whenever opportunity arises.

Cheers and happy belated birthday, Redbug! 30 looks fabulous on you!

Lindsay, Circa 1997....there she is...miss homecoming queen!

Happy Birthday, Carp!

For those of you who don't know who "Carp" is...she is a friend I've had for a long, long time. I think we met in elementary school but officially became friends around middle-school age. We've been through it all together and I have to say I am so grateful for her! She is a wonderful friend and the best person to go to if you need a good laugh. Her birthday was yesterday...and in honor of that I HAVE to post this hilarious picture of her little boy, Cooper. He has his daddy's looks no doubt...but his mommy's fabulous personality!

Happy Birthday, Carp!

Who needs toys when you've got pots and pans?

And another funny shot from last month...Me, Mom, Ashley's Mom, Ash and Mr. Cooper.

"Babymoon"

Seriously, anyone ever heard of this? I've seen the term used here and there on pregnancy websites and discussion boards...but always thought it was kind of funny. Based on what I know about them, I think Michael and I just took one last weekend...

We ventured to Hilton Head to stay with my Aunt and Uncle for the weekend. One final "hurrah", if you will. We packed our bags after work on Thursday in a matter of 10 minutes and headed for I-16. As we drove down the road I thought about how different our next trip to Hilton Head would be...the car most likely loaded down with baby equipment, beach toys, extra sunscreen, coolers, umbrellas, etc. and our baby boy in the back seat sleeping peacefully (well, er, WISHFUL THINKING). Then my mind wandered even more...just a couple more years down the road and payback will surely be in full swing..."when will be be there?... I'm hungry....he's touching me!" Ah, I sat back and enjoyed our drive the rest of the way.

We enjoyed our trip and all the extra sleep. Michael even got along with cat during our stay. We got to see Aunt Patty, Uncle Moe, and Aunt Barb. Aunt Patty even took a whole day to devote what I describe as the "beautification process". MIchael, in the meantime, participated in a bar-game triathlon with Uncle Moe since it was a rainy day. Dyed my hair dark and added some highlights...with a tint of auburn color just for fun! Very exciting seeing as that my hair is the ONLY physical thing I can control about my image right now.

We didn't bring our camera with us. I know, what good is a post about a trip when there are no pictures to go with it? Booo! I promise to post some entertaining photos soon.

I've been tagged...

So, Carrie "tagged" me in her blog and now I think am supposed to post 7 things about myself you might not know or realize...here goes:

1. I was almost named “Sara Lee”…after our family’s baker they like to say.
2. I’ve never spent the night in the hospital…not one broken bone, no surgeries, no emergencies…this whole birthing process should be a real fun ride!
3. I’ve always enjoyed hanging out in my closet…even when I was a kid. It’s always seemed like a cozy place to me.
4. I often think about going back to school…again.
5. I have terribly crooked fingers. And not to mention abnormally large big toes. Seriously, you have to see them to believe it. I can’t wait to see if our little boy inherits them.
6. My curls have disappeared over the years…most think I straighten them out every day but they are pretty much gone. I never thought I would miss them but I do.
7. I’d like to own my own business someday.

Now I have to "tag" 7 more people to do the same thing on their blog, right?

How about:

1. Brother, Louie
2. Brother's girl, Naomi
3. My old friend Lauren
4. Carrie Beth
5. Jessica
6. Ashley (she's already been tagged but I'd figured I'd second that tag so she updates her blog)
7. Chelsea

Marshall's Room

Our empty guest room is looking more and more like a sweet baby boy's room finally! With "Grandma K's" help we've made some great progress over the last few months. And you'll notice by the title of this post, that we have settled on a name for our little papoose - Marshall Barry. Although for Michael's sanity I will insert a disclaimer that includes the following: We reserve the right to change the name of our unborn child at any time up until the point of discharge from the hospital.

The photo above is proof that you don't need a sewing machine to be crafty! Mom and I cut apart the valence that came with the bedset I ordered and stretched the material across a canvas backing to make wall hangings! Impressive, huh? Also, take note of the sign hanging below the window..."It's a jungle out there!" Found it at The Baby's Room in Norcross and I just loved it. It goes with Marshall's monkey/froggy theme perfectly! I should have taken a picture inside his closet. He's got such a cute wardrobe already! Just a few more things to add to the room and we will be ready for his arrival.

The home stretch...

29 weeks = Butternut Squash?

We've made it to the third trimester! Michael and I went to the doctor yesterday morning for our 29 week check-up. Baby D was not very cooperative during the ultrasound so we weren't able to get any good pictures of him this time. His head is down but turned toward my back so we couldn't get a shot of his little face. Little STINKER!

Doctor said he is growing right on track. He weights just over 3 lbs and is in the 68th percentile for size. Doc predicts he will be just around 8 lbs on his birthday. SPeaking of...our doctor let us know that he goes to Kentucky between Christmas and New Years every year. LOVELY! I started to panic but then realized that we are very fortunate to have been able to see the same doctor for every check-up. He has two other doctors who he partners with so they don't have to be on call 24/7. I guess it's fair to not expect someone to work every day of the year. And from what I hear, it's the nurses that get you through most of the process anyway.

We are going for check-ups every other week now. Stay tuned for more info.

Pregnancy Perks

This week I finally did it. I signed up for the "expectant mother" parking pass at work. Honestly, I remember thinking to myself that I probably wouldn't do that when the time came. I mean...there are plenty of other pregnant women in this building that look like they are in much worse shape than I am. Well, fast forward about three months and my opinion has changed. My back hurts, my hips hurt, my co-workers are imitating my "waddle" for fun.

The big hitch - there are only 3 reserved spots for people like us. Move over ladies...this is war! And today I won the #1 spot in the six story parking deck. Through rain, through traffic, I got here an few minutes early to claim my spot. Much deserved!

My Bro is an Ironman

I guess he is technically a Half-Ironman but heck...I say if you swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and run 13.1 miles you've earned the right to call yourself at least a Man-of-Iron!

Louie completed his second Half-Ironman race last weekend at the South Carolina Half Ironman Triathlon. He deserves major props. I wish we could have joined the rest of the fam in the cheering section. Check out the What's up in WInder blog for photos of the Man-of-Iron, his lady, and the "fan club"...they all camped together the night before the big event...family bonding at its best...what a crew!

CONGRATS, Lou!

My Belly...in all its glory!

27 weeks and counting. And to think I've still got 3 more months of growing to go....

I realize this is a little strange to post on the blog. It is a little project I've been maintaining since the beginning of this adventure....and too wild not to share! Never thought I would be less modest than I already am but I guess this does it.

Who Knew?

Who knew having a baby would include such a long list of tasks to check off the list prior to d-day?! Despite feeling slightly overwhelmed, we are making great progress towards Baby Dawson's arrival.

• Buy new bras for my rediculous boobs - check!
• Grow out of Bella Band and graduate to "real" maternity clothes - check!
• Research child-care options - check!
• Decide on child-care - no check - still not sure how this is all going to go down yet, there are good options but I'm having a hard time deciding what will be best for our new little family
• Interview pediatricians - check!
• Decide on pediatrician - check!
• Register for all stuff baby - half a check (just started last week...whew, again, more options!)
• Schedule hospital tour at the baby factory - check!
• Register for birthing class - check!
• Register for Infant CPR class - check!
• Set up nursery - half a check - making progress here...will post pictures soon!
• Have a few emotional break-downs - check! check!
• Choose a name...half a check - We have "unofficially" decided on a name although we are reserving the right to change it at any point between now and when we bring our little precious boy home from the hospital! With this in mind, we aren't widely publicising the Baby Boy Dawson's "almost-name" quite yet.

Our little guy...

Bursting with excitment today (and not getting a lot of work done, obviously). I went in for a routine check-up today. We weren't supposed to have another ultra-sound until next month but I got really lucky...Doc mixed up his scheduling and put us in the ultra-sound room. He decided he would give us a freebie look at Baby D. This is the first time we've seen his face so up-close. What a handsome fellow!! Awwww!!!

Bragging about the "CEO"

Michael and I always joke about who is the "boss" of our household. He always says he's the CEO and I'm the manager because he knows it drives me nuts. But if the role of "boss" was determined by how quickly you could run , then Mike would be CEO hands-down.

He never ceases to amaze me...this man's idea of a saturday morning jog is much different than most of ours. He can pick up his running shoes and radio and head out for an 8 mile run anytime he feels like it...not dependent on what kind of "running shape" he is in whatsoever. He's just a natural. And he is harder on himself that anyone in this world every could be...never quitting...never succombing to pain. There's definiltely no such thing as a "comfort zone" with Michael. It is what makes him the man his is...and a part of the man I love!

He clocked a 47 minute 10K this weekend at the Suwanee Day Road Race. Even walked away with some hardware to add to his collection. Not too bad for a leisurely jog! He would want me to make note that it is still 10 minutes slower than his personal best. yeah, yeah, yeah....

Budget Conscious

Michael and I have been fortunate in the fact that we have not had to worry too much about finances since we got married....and, hence, have become a little more relaxed in our spending over the last few years. Since the dawning of a new era is upon us, we've attempted to turn over a "new leaf" in budget conscious decision-making.

We are now looking at life through a slightly different lense and striving to to make small changes now that will help us have an easier time when it comes to financially supporting a family in the coming years (it's a little scary when you realize day-care can cost as much as another mortgage payment!). Mom calls this kind of shift in thinking "going on restriction" but I like to call it simply becoming more budget conscious.

A few of the changes we have made that I am most proud of so far:

Vehicles - Most of you know I sold my Lexus and got a very cool Suburu Forester a few months ago. I absolutely love it. It's roomy, fuel-efficient (24 mpg city), safe, practical, and much better suited for my driving style with extra rubber in all the right places. It's a real stress reliever knowing that I don't have to buy fancy tires, expect expensive repairs, or buy premium fuel anymore.

Eating out - We've cut back on this dramatically...and boy, does it make a difference! Seriously...we can make food that looks better, taste better, and costs a fraction of the price compared to would pay at a restaurant on Friday night...AND, Mike can have 6 Bud Light Limes for the price of one fancy beer at Taco Mac (so-long to the Passport Club!).

Entertainment - Forget movies and concerts and happy hours at the bar...we've got Netflix, free events at Suwanee town center, our yearly pass to Stone Mountain Park, and hanging out at the pool with our own cooler of cocktails and snacks!

Groceries - You can buy an entire half gallon of yogurt for $2.50 instead of buying ten little yogurts at a dollar a pop! Store brands aren't really that bad, home-made pizza is always better, and paying attention to the little coupons you get at check-out sometimes pays off big time! Oh, and you can shuck your own corn and buy a cob for $0.50 instead of buying the prepacked fresh corn for $4.00/per four. I'll admit, I still buy pre-boiled eggs at 175% of the cost of eggs you boil on your own...that's a luxury I'm not willing to give up.

That's all for now...stay tuned for budget conscious tips from the Dawsons!

Is that really me?

Ladies and gentleman...my old body has officially disappeared! Baby Boy Dawson has totally taken over. Making himself right at home, that's for sure!

23 weeks and counting...

The good news is that I continue to feel great. Nothing to complain about at this point except for a few random charley horse cramps at night and some occassional heartburn. I'm dedicated to walking 30-60 minutes at least 4-5 times/week so I can counter-balance my chocolate problem that has become totally out of control. I'm up 16-17 lbs so far. And the baby only weighs about a pound...ay, yay, yay! Hold on to your hats, people!

Mom and Dad are vacationing in Scotland right now so we are holding down the fort in Suwanee. My poor girlfriends are catching the brunt of my daily pregnancy thoughts, questions, sagas that are not appropriate to post on the blog, since mom is sipping scottish whiskey with dad. They deserve a good break, that's for sure.

Dawgs play Central Michigan this week. Thinking I may try to weather the heat for at least the first half.

THanks for checkin' in to the 'ole blog! Until next time...

Let the shopping begin!

Now that we know we have a "he" and not a "she", the shopping has begun! Mom and I found the cutest crib bedding this weekend and we went ahead and ordered it. We are going to paint a rocker that my aunt gave to us which was my great-grandmother's at one point in time. I've also convinced mom to tap into her long-since-hidden artisitic talents to help me paint canvas wall hangings to match our monkey/froggie theme. HOw fun!

I also discovered that a cute childrens boutique by my office is going out of business so I bought a $70 overall set for next summer....i just couldn't help it. Oh, and I didn't pay 70 bucks...it was 90% off!

10 Year Time Warp

It was 1998 and Green Day's Good Riddance (you know, the song that goes ..."I hope you had the time of your life..") was blasting on the radio. Everything seemed so emotional, so momentous, so life-changing. That song always reminds me of the year I graduated from SHiloh High School. It played at every dance, every senior banquet, and every keepsake video from that year. Geez, I've always been such a sucker for mushiness.

Fast-forward, 10 years. LIttle did I know that wonderful college memories would linger, fabulous friends would be made along the way, a couple would be lost, I'd start a career, get married, buy a house, go through several different hairstyles, get my masters, gain a few pounds and then loose a few, start a family...then BAM...get an invitation to the Shiloh High School Class of 1998 10 year reunion! How did that happen so fast?!

Reunion Recap
One word to describe this event...OVERWHELMING! Seriously, I hadn't seen some of those folks since May 1998. WHat do you say? Where do you even start? It was a giant whirlwind! But all in all it was a total blast! It was so cool to see who got married to who, who has kids, who looks exactly the same. Michael had a better time then he expected too! Amazing how many folks came up to him to reminice about some rediculous prank or antic he pulled back in the day. Since Mike and I started dating in college most folks already knew we ended up together...but for those who didn't it was really fun to share the news with them! Who would have guessed!?

My favorite part of it all was my best and most dear friend from high school, Erin "Stark" and her husband, Zeb, spent the weekend with us. We had a great time together like we always do. SHe's one special friend who I can always pick up where I left off with.

Here are a few shots from the weekend and from the reunion. Unfortunately I did a terrible job of taking pictures during the whole ordeal...I was too busy running my mouth for the most part.

Some shots from out night at the Braves game with ERin and ZEb:









Class of '98 Ten Years Later

Happiest Birthday Ever

A few words to describe my feelings today...

• Surprised
• Delighted
• Thankful
• Hopeful
• Loved and full of love

And quite honestly...a little freaked out. I am pretty sure that is normal (at least I hope!)

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. This is by far the happiest birthday I've ever had. Here's a picture of our little guy's evidence. The scan came out really dark so we are working on getting a better one. One of his legs was tucked up under his bottom too.

The official news...

Little Baby Dawson is not shy! He showed us his goods this morning at our ultrasound! "Money-shot" picture to be posted soon! We are so excited!!! WOW!

20 weeks in the cooker...

Here the belly shot from 20 weeks. Halfway! And only 5 days until we get to find out if we've got a boy or a girl. Stay tuned for the important annoucement next week!

Fast Eddie's 60th Birthday

We pulled it off! I've been dying to blog about this for the last few months...and now that it is behind us I can finally do it. I was so excited about it! We had a surprise 60th birthday party for my Dad. Most of you know I don't keep secrets very well...this was a serious challenge. Luckily it went off without a hitch. We rented the banquet room of Ippolito's Italian restaurant (complete with plenty of garlic rolls and our own bar, of course) and managed to get 30 of dad's closest local friends and family together to celebrate the occassion.

The "theme" was Fast Eddie...complete with an almost-life-size action cut-out of dad shooting hoops from his glory days. Fast Eddie was his nick-name (I've never asked for more details on that one...)

Here are some hilarious pictures from the event:

The big "reveal"



















"Fast Eddie" and Old Eddie



















Serenade by the Castrovinci ladies...and then the "roast" hosted by Uncle Moe.















No one deserved a party like this more than my dad. He's the best dad a girl could ask for.

Happy Birthday, Carrie!

I found a new tool online that lets you create custom slideshow birthday cards. So cool! Here's the one I sent to Carrie. Happy 29th, Big C!

Make a Smilebox slideshow