It's Christmas Eve! Today is significant for the obvious reason--tomorrow is Christmas...and the not so obvious reason--Augustine is "late." According to the Dr., Augustine's due date has been December 23rd since my first appointment at 8 weeks pregnant. However, Luke and my calculations have suggested Christmas Day as a more appropriate due date...we are hopeful for a Christmas baby!

Yesterday, we began operation self-induction: I vacuumed and mopped in the morning, walked around Food Lion shopping for obscure ingredients for a special egg plant parmesan recipe that claims to put women into labor, went on a stroll with Luke, and was on my feet for hours making the "magical" dinner (which has yet to send me to L&D!). I also enjoyed some herbal raspberry tea.

Today we are going to try fresh pineapple...

Things I like about being pregnant:

*feeling Augustine move inside of me: Especially during this 3rd trimester, when I can literally feel my stomach and locate his feet and bum, I feel like I am just holding him all day and all night long. The first thing I do in the morning is touch him, and the last thing I do at night is touch him. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I feel him and encourage him to make a little movement. I am so thankful to God everytime he moves.

*sharing special moments of anticipation and joy with Luke: We spend a lot of time dreaming about the future of our little boy. I love living in the present as a couple, yet joyfully anticipating the exciting adventure of parenthood.

Things I don't especially like about being pregnant:

*getting dressed: For the record, I have only purchased one pair of maternity jeans, one pair of maternity dress pants, and a handful of maternity shirts (most of which still look ridiculous on me). So getting dressed has been a bit boring for several months now... I think I need to convince Luke that I can go on a shopping spree after the baby is born because I didn't spend very much money on maternity clothes!

*taking 2-3 iron pills (+ my prenatal vitamin) everyday: Admittedly, a small price to pay for a healthy mom and baby, but they are still not my favorite. I am guessing I will have to contine taking them while I breastfeed, but perhaps at some point I can stop.

*having to think before I put anything in my mouth: No sushi, deli meat, food that has sat out too long, beer, wine, caffeine, and the list goes on...

*peeing in the middle of the night every.single.night: Enough said.

Things I am most excited about once Augustine is born:

*seeing what he looks like!!!: I absolutely cannot wait to see what our Little Man looks like. It seems natural to me that he would look more like Luke since Luke is a boy, but I am sure he will have features from both of us. I am wondering what color his hair will be, how much hair he will have, what color his eyes will be, how tall he will be, etc!

*breastfeeding: Although I know it may be a challenge, I am really looking forward to the bonding of breastfeeding. I am so looking forward to the moment after he is born when I get to hold him skin to skin and breastfeed him for the first time.

*watching Augustine and Luke interact: Seeing Luke hold our baby will probably be one of the best things in the world. Luke is already an amazing Father, and it will be awesome to see that materialize once Augustine is born.

Overall, my pregnancy has been awesome, and I really cannot complain. I have loved the experience, and it has been so much more amazing that I had imagined--growing your child inside of you for nine months is incredible! I am sure nothing can compare to holding Augustine is my arms, but I will definitely miss being pregnant at times...God-willing I will be able to experience it again soon!

Picture of Augustine's nursery!

Nesting

The countdown is on! Our Little Man, Augustine, is due in 18 days!! I always thought that by this point in pregnancy, I would be so sick of being pregnant and just want my baby to be born...but Luke and I are completely content waiting a few more weeks for the big debut. (Of course, we couldn't be more excited to meet Augustine face to face, but we are also enjoying our last few weeks before he comes). At our doctor's appointment yesterday, Dr. Paoloni said he will induce me on December 30th if Augustine hasn't come on his own...just in time for Augustine's Godparents (my sister, Caitlin, and her husband, Cole) to arrive!

I have had so much energy this week! Luke has been feeling so tired, and I have been running around like the energizer bunny! Augustine's nursery is finished...and so cute! Yesterday I finally washed his clothes--I have been putting it off for weeks. There are still many small things I can do to do to prepare, and I really enjoy having this time off of work to prepare--I don't know if it's possibly to ever be totally ready, but we are ready enough. I will put up some pictures of the nursery and my ever-growing belly soon...