Baby Showers!!

It's getting to be that time where friends and family are starting to gather and come together to shower Baby Girl Pumphrey with all the things she needs. This little girl already has so many people that love her, and they haven't even been drawn in by big beautiful eyes, cute smile or infectious laugh yet (all of which I am sure she will have).

Last week, my co-workers showered her with lots of love. It was a fantastic shower, and the best part was that I knew how to use everything that was given to us. It was a HUGE fear of mine to be sitting in the shower and trying to smile at a gift that I knew nothing about nor how to use it (think back to the show Friends when Rachel had her shower...I didn't want to feel like that). Anyway, we were given tons of stuff from bottles to clothes to books and the staff gave a group gift of the playyard we signed up for on our registry. Whew! A big thing off our list. We were very excited to receive this gift because we planned on using this bassinet option as Baby Girl's bed until she is 15 lbs. We didn't want to see any of our friends nor ourselves waste money on a bassinet and sheet and the stuff to go with it that wouldn't be used past a certain weight. Plus now that we have a playyard we can take her to grammy's in houston with no trouble, and it comes with a flying bag, so grandma and grandpa can enjoy her in Seattle too! Anyway, we are so blessed and thankful for everything given to us, and don't worry the sign-up sheet for babysitters and holding time has a few spots open...in 2013 that is...just kidding. Thanks for all the love!



The decor

Then this past weekend, Saturday, I threw Mike a little "Diapers for Dad" shower at one of his favorite places, TopGolf. We have been a couple of times, but because it is a little far out there for us and especially for our Fort Worth friends, we haven't been nearly as many times as Mike would want to, so I invited a bunch of Mike's buddies to join him at TopGolf. The motto was "Diapers. Dudes. Drinking. Duh!"...and that's just what they did. The guys were told in the invitation to bring a package of diapers in order to gain a gamer card - and you should have seen what our dining room table looked like when Mike got home. WOW! The boys did VERY well! Oh and the best part, I sent Mike to the party with a shirt that read "I'm on Diaper Duty" I think he liked it a lot. I bet we will be seeing more of it soon ;) Needless to say, from what I heard they all had a blast. They had "manly" foods served - angus beef sliders, pulled pork sliders and daddy juice aka beer. I love that I was able to throw him a party, and that so many of his friends/relatives could make it out - I think there were 20-22 people in attendance, and the best part - I haven't heard a single complaint :)

I will have to post the picture of the dining room table and/or the closet with all the diapers pilled on/in it when I download it from the camera. Again, truly blessed. And I will get Daddy-to-Be-Mike P to pose in his fun shirt.

Lots of love,

Jaime

Illinois: a wedding, lots of food and pregnant women dancing

Whew! Last time I wrote was on May 2, and so much has happened since then - and many of them firsts. Where to start...Mike and I were given clearance from my doctor that we could safely travel to Illinois for Mike's brother, Richard's, wedding, so booked a flight and headed that way Thursday, May 3, but before we got on the plane, we had to do the unthinkable...leave our fun-loving, happy-go-lucky puppy, Boscoe at a boarding place. I think I barely got any sleep the night before wanting to spend the entire morning before his drop-off playing and loving on my puppy. We set off on our journey to Paradise 4 Paws around noon...we're pretty sure Boscoe thought he was headed to see Kingston because he was excited to be in the car...but we were really leaving him for 4 days! Mike took the leash when we got there, and walked him around the facility, took him to the pet water fountain in the lobby, and we said our good-byes to a very happy dog. We got him to the facility in time for "play time" in the pool area, so I am sure he was in heaven when we left him. Then they drove us over to the airport. This boarding place was pretty cool. It is about 2 miles outside the airport, so with your stay you get airport transportation and free over-night car parking. Anyway, we got to the airport, went through security and headed to the plane. The flight was short and sweet. Once to our destination, we met up with Vance, Lisa, Faustine (+1...yay! Baby Girl will have a friend in Seattle too!), Craig and Marley, Richard's boston terrier. Got our wheels for the weekend - a suburban, and were off to Illinois! Drove through some pretty iffy weather...the weather radar on the ipad showed we were in the black...never having seen black on a weather map until then, I hope to never see it again. Safely made it to the hotel, dropped off our bags, then headed back out to meet Mylie!!! When we got to Mylie's parent's house, they were busy making the wedding cake, so our trip over was a little short, but well worth it. It was nice meeting everyone, and we got to reunite Marley with Richard...and introduce him to Mylie's 2 dogs. That night sleep was awesome! Then Friday we woke up, met for breakfast in the lobby, and figured out the plan for the day. We had thought about heading over to Wrigley Stadium, but quickly dropped that idea when we found out the stadium was 3 hours from Peoria, and we wouldn't make it back in time for the rehearsal. Instead, the boys hung out and a few of us played mahjong. I would love to be able to insert that I won, but Vance and Lisa had the table. I think Faustine and I might have one a hand or two, but nothing compared to them. After a few games and lunch, we went to Mylie's grandparent's house for the rehearsal. They had a pretty nice house with some cool antique gas pumps and very eclectic array of tools hung on the wall of the garage with one interesting feature - a chicken foot giving the finger - I think that was the most photographed thing of them all the whole night. They served us some of the best food that night - pulled pork with sweet baby ray's bbq sauce, the BEST mashed potatoes EVER and 3 kinds of dessert - my kind of people! Then we went outside to get the actual rehearsal in before the sun was completely gone. Afterwards we went back to the hotel where the boys had some fun! I think Mike made it back to the room a little after 2 am, and things were still going on - you know what they say, what happens in Illinois stays in Illinois. Then next morning, Saturday, the girls were up and at 'em by 7 am eating breakfast and heading over to the wedding site to start decorating. Mylie wore the cutest hoodie that said future Mrs. Pumphrey. We got everything done there, and then went off to eat...again. Now that I think about it, we ate a lot, like food was at the center of everything we did. After eating, we had a little bit of down time to shower and rest before heading back to the wedding site to see a wedding!

The wedding was gorgeous! It was an indoor/outdoor wedding with the ceremony outdoors and the reception inside a giant white air-conditioned (!!) tent. The tent had some great lighting with lots of candles and twinkling lights around the poles that held the tent up. We did some dancing - I did the pregnant woman's version of "shout" - after the song one woman actually came up to me and asked if I was trying to cause a delivery for that night - I think she was over reacting a little, but I did kick up my heels during a few songs. It was so much fun!

The next morning, we ate some more breakfast, and then piled in the car to make our way to St. Louis. During the ride we played car bingo, ate at Dairy Queen and laughed a lot.

And that was our weekend!

I was a little swollen Monday - I had sausage toes, but the swelling since then has left, and everything seems to be back to normal. I went to the doctor this afternoon for my check-up, and I was told my BP is perfect, my glucose levels are perfect, and the baby's BP (150) is perfect. Next appointment is May 24, and it will probably be the same as this appointment. I was told the one 4 weeks from now will be the "fun" one that Mike will want to be at because we get a look at the baby and I get checked to see if anything is happening internally that is either good/bad or shows signs of baby coming. My doc said, "That's the appointment where it all starts getting real!"

And on that note, I will end this long post. Pictures to come of the wedding and the fun we had in Illinois soon!

Lots of Love,

Jaime

PS

Mike and I finally got registered...Babies R Us and Burlington Coat Factory's Baby Depot :)



Mike and Richard



Me and Faustine...playing with the brochures from Men's Warehouse



Mike and Richard with their Grandparents



Craig and Faustine...and October 2012 Baby!!!



 

Me and Mike...and June/July 2012 Baby!!!



Taylor and Amanda...and October 2012 Baby!!!

 

Richard and his Uncle Matt!





The beautiful center pieces that we put together. Mylie did a great job envisioning her reception site; we just helped set things up.





all the pregnant ladies








Mike's Uncle Vaughn, Aunt Tawanna and Grandpa Olan :)




Richard with Lisa. I think Mike and his mom have a picture like this from our wedding.




Mylie - the new sister in law :)



Handsome Men!



G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S DRESS!



 



The very fun bridesmaids



Mylie and her father made this cake together. What a talented family ;)



Richard surprised Mylie with her brother on scype all the way in Afghanistan. It was a special moment when he presented the gift during the wedding ceremony. Brownie points forever!




The Pumphrey's



The Horrer - Pumphrey Bunch



Latest doctor's appointment and 'babymoon'

Our last appointment, the 30 week-er, was supposed to be last Tuesday, but I rescheduled it due to work (a good thing, I promise!). I ended up meeting up with Dr. Larsen last Thursday. It was exactly 1 hour and 12 minutes long...how do I know the exact time, well, they gave me a 60-minute timer right when I got into the exam room, and I am always looking at the time in the waiting room. Anyway, why was a timer given to me? I had a test. My glucose test. I would not describe this as enjoyable, but I also wouldn't put it in the horrible category - I would say it was just unpleasant. They gave me 5 minutes to down a small plastic cup of orange flavored juice. The juice was more like orange soda minus the carbonated soda water, just the flavored syrup. You can bet I was wishing I had my toothbrush after downing it, but I had to wait. And did I wait - an hour. I got my weight in (lower than average, but perfect for the baby, YAY!), my blood pressure taken (which I was told was "like you aren't even pregnant" I am going to say, that's a good thing), and waited some more. Once the 60-minute timer went off, they took a few vials of blood to test the sugar and other levels - and I got a shot. I am A- blood type, so as a preventative for other babies Mike and I might have in the future, I had to get an Rh factor shot...in the left butt cheek. It hurt. They keep the medicine in the fridge, so they warned me beforehand that it would sting - and that it did, but I am a trooper when it comes to needles.

The trick is not to look when they poke you, and to continue talking to the person administering the injection. I promise I warn these folks that I have to talk to get through the shot...they usually seem ok with it. I guess if I were a nurse I would rather have someone talk my ear off about the weather or their dog or even their new shoes than to hear anyone cry or whimper due to the necessity of getting a shot. I will teach Baby Pea the same techniques - you know this little girl is going to be a talker!

Oh, and her heart rate was 148. Doctor said it's fine that it went below 150 - I, of course, got a little nervous since every other appointment it has been higher. She said that as the baby gets bigger and space gets tighter that it is only natural that the heartbeat will drop a little. We would only be concerned if it went below 130. She is in the cradle position low in my belly, so doctor said she is making my pregnancy easy because if she were higher it would be more difficult to breathe, but her position to me makes for long nights and many potty breaks along with a little difficulty bending over.

That's my appointment, but here's the best part about the last week - baseball and old friends. Each year for the past 6 years I have been a part of handling a special group party at the office, and this year I got to show off the belly...I think there were more hands on my belly that ever before! The comment that was made was, "...and to think I knew you before you were even engaged..." To fun! It happened all week long during the Rangers home stand. It made me pretty proud of our clients and made me realize that our clients choose us because we are a lot like them - we are all so personable.

Now onto the fun! Work is over this lovely Monday in 15 minute, and when it is over my weekend begins! Tomorrow Mike and I head out to Illinois for Mike's brother's wedding. Our day will start probably with some last minute packing, then playing with Boscoe and taking him on the longest journey of his life...to Dallas. We are sending our little boy to Paws 4 Paradise, a beautiful doggy boarding place complete with his own 4x11' suite and a dog bone shaped pool, cuddle time, recess and nightly bedtime brushing. What a spoiled little guy. It was actually a groupon deal or we probably wouldn't be setting him up in such accommodations. Needless to say, once we get there we will tour the place with Boscoe to transition him into the facility, say our good-byes and head to the airport to fly to St. Louis to meet up with family where we will then venture to Washington, Illinois...and from there the fun begins, but this post ends. More to come when I return from our last vacation as two to watch two become one!

Lots of love,
Jaime