Countdown to single digits!

I am feeling so much more relaxed and worry free! I think I am feeling this way because there is finally a plan in place and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. [I apologize for not being more forward with the plan, just know that there is one and all will be amazing!] My bag is packed, except for the few last minute items: hair dryer and make-up. Andersen's coming home outfits are packed, now to choose which one he will actually wear might be the difficult part. The base is installed in the car and the carseat is by the door. My bedroom has been cleaned and the only thing left is to move the pack n' play up the room. Would moving all the bags into the car be jinxing my plan and make things happen faster? I don't want to risk it, so in the house they shall stay! It feels so great to have so many items checked off the list and to be able to sit back and feel like I don't HAVE to do anything. I know I will be forgetting something or there might be a last minute scramble, but that is okay. I am so excited for the single digits to get here and for Andersen to be here, in the real world, breathing/eating/moving around all on his own without the support of my womb.

Another military wife, long distance friend of mine was induced today. No word yet as to whether or not her little boy has made his arrival, but I have been thinking about her ALL DAY! Really... all day! I am so excited for her and her husband to be able to bring their baby home. I can only imagine the excitement she must feel to know that TODAY (or maybe tomorrow) is the day he will be here! Holy cow! That must be amazing! To know that after 9.5 long months she will no longer be a womb, she will be a MOM!!! [maybe it's the outrageous level of hormones raging through my body, but...] I am so overcome with emotion when I think of this friend getting to meet her son today. Wow! I don't think I can process everything that I am thinking and feeling, but I hope they know they are being thought about and how excited I am for their new family of 3. ... Soon it will be me!!

On a side note... Chicco has come out with their own snap n go stroller for their carseats. Chicco carseats have never meant to be used by any other snap n go carseat maker and most people have had to rig up the other brands to make it work. Well! I guess they got the hint that they were a little behind in the times and have since jumped on the wagon! The Chicco Keyfit Caddy's are not out in all the retail baby stores just yet, but should be by the end of the year or so? If you search hard enough, okay... not really that hard... Amazon.com had a few when I was looking for one... Anywho... I found a small retailed in NY that had them, had $5 shipping [this box was medium heavy], and also had a COUPON I could use! Well, it arrived from UPS today and I could not be happier with it! It is AMAZING! So easy to put together. LARGE basket under the carseat part with easy access from front and back. Multi-Level position handle (not like I have to move it up, but for tall people it would work well too). 2 CUP HOLDERS!! Small storage compartment between cupholders. And... the most amazing this about it... it really does have a one hand fold lever. You know most strollers say I hand fold and then it takes you 5 hands and 20 minutes to get it flat, well this stroller really is a one hand fold. FABULOUS! Let me get off my soap box, but if you have a chicco keyfit carseat, I would so recommend looking into getting the Chicco Keyfit Caddy as a light weight, easy to use for short errands, and super cute snap n go! :)

Worries and Fears

This past weekend has been a very lazy one. Not much was done or taken care of, but a lot of really dumb tv was watched. Izzy and I sat on the couch and ... moped. I don't know if it is the combination of Jared being gone, hormones, and Andersen's arrival in the next few weeks, but I haven't been able to shake the "I am sad and lonely" feeling this weekend. Normally it comes and goes and I can easily push it to the side, but all of my worries and fears have continuously been swirling in my thoughts these last few days.

I know I am good with other people's children (because you can always give them back), but am I going to be a good mom? How will I know what Andersen wants when he cries? My fear of him being naked once we bring him home has been squashed because I went out and bought MORE CLOTHES for him to wear (both NB and 0-3) - I am HOPING he is a small guy because we are no giants! Do I have everything that he will need? Will he be happy? Am I going to be able to take care of him alone for the last few months before Jared comes home from deployment? Is Andersen going to like me or is he going to wish someone else was his mom? Will I even know I am in labor? I don't even know if I have had any contractions yet! Am I ready to be a mom? Will Izzy be nice to Andersen? I sure hope she doesn't teach him to eat his doodies! Will I be able to give him everything he needs in life? How will labor go?! I have a HUGE fear of the unknown and having Andersen leads to many unknowns. I am not sure I can handle so many open ended questions and situations looming in my future.

The longer I go with nothing to do, more questions are added to the worry and fear tornado swirling in my head. Please tell me I am not the only one that is feeling this way... or if I am, please lie to me and tell me I'm not!

With a TON of help I have finished Andersen's room!

Disclaimer: I am not a decorator, nor would I ever want to be. I am not able to tell people if an outfit matches, let alone looks good enough to walk out the door. Andersen's room  has been put together with help from many people... without their help, well... let's not even think about it. I think I have done a pretty good job, but then again ... read sentence number one again. :)

Sorry if the video makes you dizzy, I wanted to be able to show everyone at home (and all my adoring fans) every aspect of Andersen's room! Please turn up the volume and enjoy your tour!

Thank you to Courtney for helping me paint the planes, Courtney/Krysten for helping me mod podge the letters, my little sweat shop worker Liz for making the curtains/crib skirt/blanket, Nikki and her sister for helping me hang "Andersen" on the wall, Scott for putting the cubes/curtain rod up, and Jared for telling me no matter what I did to the room if I didn't like it we will be moving in 6 months anyway!

Here are some up close pictures of the room:

View from door

Blanket that we will bring Andersen home with!

Why can't I get my pictures to be where I want them??!?!?