An Emotional Week

So...I was really excited to find out the sex of the baby so that I could start buying stuff. That lasted for maybe a week, until I realized quite how expensive babies are! Between health insurance for a family, child care, nursery furniture, and diapers...that's my entire year's salary!!! How overwhelming!! We have officially registered now at Babies R Us, and are extremely grateful for all of the generosity we have already received from family and friends.

We got the nursery furniture ordered. We went with the iron crib in antique white, an armoire with gold bumblebees painted on the doors and matching knobs, and then a white changing table with dresser on the bottom with gold dragonfly knobs. It's on a slow boat from China, and Kaitlin is expected to beat it back.

Mom picked out a soft green for the paint on the walls, and has been working on designing a monogram to be painted above the crib. So...we've been at work trying to decide on a name. We have Avery Elizabeth picked out, but are not sure about the spelling. The options are Avery, Averey, and Averie. We are leaning towards either Avery or Averey.

The material came in for the curtains and bed skirt, so Mom's getting to work on that, and we've picked out bedding and a pink glider. The room is being cleared out currently, as we have found a place to store a bed and dresser until we move to our next home. We cleaned out the closet today and took a trip to Goodwill, and removed the pictures from the walls. We are about ready to paint.

I haven't taken medicine in 3 weeks!! Woohoo! I've only thrown up like twice since Fall Break. I've been feeling better for the most part, but need to make some adjustments to fill my best. I've been slacking off on working out, eating right, and getting enough sleep in the past couple of weeks. I feel guilty about it because it's not just me anymore.

We've been thinking hard and talking about child care a lot lately. I went and visited Georgetown Child Development Center on Friday and really liked it. There were only two babies in the infant room, so I was thrilled. The people were super nice and the kids were super happy. It was a good start to a dreaded process.

Grad. school is AWFUL!!! It's getting to the point where I'm either going to have to take like a year off and regain my motivation or transfer schools. This professor has ruined my image of UK, and I'm so jealous of my friends who are finishing their programs in 1 year. I'm completely over doing research, and I'm just now getting into the classes that are the processors of writing my thesis. Yuck!

Avery moves all the time now. She is such a busy bee. Ben says it feels like she is dancing. I love it! I woke up one morning and could feel what I think was her head above my belly button. Then about two hours later, it was down near my bladder. The worst is when she pushes on my organs, but I can usually get her to move pretty quickly. I love feeling her move, and Ben is getting to feel it a lot now also. It's so cute to watch his face when he feels her.

My birthday week was wonderful. Mom made dinner on Sunday. She spent all day making my favorites: chicken tetrazini, corn pudding, monkey bread, and chocolate/ mint cake. Kami and Whitney came down and enjoyed it with us. Then, on Tuesday, Ben made me breakfast in bed and then surprised me at school with lunch and flowers. My friends at school surprised me with a delicious pumpkin, chocolate chip cheesecake and gifts. Then, Erica, Sara P., Amelia, Elizabeth, and LB surprised me at my favorite Mexican restaurant on Wednesday. Then, Arden, Michelle and Lisa took me to lunch and to get a pedicure on Saturday. What a wonderful week with friends and family!!! Thank you so much!!

Kaitlin tried to call on Tuesday for my birthday. I missed her call, because I was talking to my mom, and an Ohio number beeped in. I didn't click over because I didn't know who it was and just let it go to voicemail. Then when I got off the phone and checked my message, I realized what I had missed. I tried calling the number back, but it was out of service. I have picked up my phone SOO many times in the past couple of months and wanted to call Kaitlin but realized that I couldn't. Email just isn't the same. So...Kelley called next, and she got to experience my CRAZY pregnancy emotional meltdown from missing Kaitlin's call. Sorry about that...and while I was talking to her, Kaitlin beeped back in. I clicked over this time, but could barely talk because I was crying non-stop. I didn't want to be like that for her, because I'm sure she misses us so much more, not getting to see or talk to anyone. I just couldn't help it...and then in a quick 7 minutes, her calling card ran out. It was great to just hear her voice and know that she is doing okay.

So, needless to say, it's been an emotional week full of surprises. Thanks to everyone who helped make this birthday a great one! Keep praying for baby and I and our health. Thanks for all the support. :)