34 weeks AKA 8 1/2 months!

How far along? 34 weeks 3 days! And I got Joey to agree to guest blog this week!

Total weight gain: Up half a pound this week, I read the weight gain is supposed to slowely start slowing down a bit. Then I've also heard that some people gain the most in the last month. What do you suppose I am hoping for?

Maternity clothes? It would be wrong not to be wearing maternity clothes with the belly I am lugging around. So wrong it feels right. Butttt I did go to pea in the pod and got my first nursing bra- which really just looks like a normal bra but has some extra hooks! I asked the sales girl if I really had to wear these every day, because as much as it looks normal, its defintiley NOT as cute as I prefer my bras to be. Needless to say the look she gave me told me I am an idiot.

Stretch marks? Okay I am  getting itchy belly syndrome which I've read means your skin is stretching which in turn means stretch marks!! So I am officially in full stretch mark freak out mode- pulling up my shirt and checking my belly for stretch marks every 5 minutes, no matter how inappropriate the environment - i.e. truefoods, bloomingdales etc

Sleep:?  I feel like my sleep is getting a little bit better. Its half nights where I am up every few hours to pee and then falling right back asleep and  the other half  being dead asleep until 6am then being in pure amazement that I have gone so long without peeing and then being unable to fall back asleep. But man does the little guy love kicking at night and early morning. brat.

Best moment this week:  We did our first baby class this week which was actually really fun and informative.  Joey and I were definitely the most immature in the class and spent an inordinate amount of time cracking up and trying to keep quiet. It was exactly like in the movies where we swaddled and diapered the babies!

It was also halloween and we get a TON of trick or treaters which makes it even more fun. Winston loves dressing up and I love buying him costumes so its perfect. Carter has no choice to be subjected to the same thing.

Realizing how close we are to meeting Carter!! We have made a list of all the things we need to bring with us to the hospital ( gossip mags, makeup, fake eyelashes, bottle of skinny girl marg etc) just kidding! Well kind of, all of that stuff is on the list aside from fake eyelashes but apparently there IS a ton of stuff we need to bring such as blanket, pillows, towels, games, movies, outfits for the little guy, outfits for me etc. Getting all this ready is SO exciting and just makes me even more anxious for the day to be here!

And I am LOVING all the holiday stuff that is going on already. I admit it, I already psychotically searched all the XM stations for holiday music and was utterly dismayed to find out that holiday music doesn't officially start playing until the 15th. Therefore I obviously had no choice but to play it via pandora all day and night Friday. Even Joey was getting into the holiday groove. And we had a million baby errands to run on Saturday and I was beyond delighted to see all the stores already decking themselves out in holiday gear! Yay for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Saturday night we had a blast going out to dinner with a bunch of our friends. There was a total of 9 of us and everyone has kids and they are all so adorable and just being around them makes us even more excited to start our family. Plus they have the best advice! We are very blessed to have them all to look up to and hear all the nitty gritty from!

Also just got a shipment of more Francine Rivers books. I am ABSOLUTELY obsessed with her books and even got Joey into reading them.  Her books are so convicting and help serve as an example of what kind of relationship I want to have with God. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. The Mark of the Lion series are by far the best!

Miss Anything? Being comfortable. I really am starting to be soo uncomfortable just sitting, laying, anything really. I cannot believe I have 6 more weeks of growing to do!

Movement:His movements are more like big shifts or stretches at this point and hiccups. He definitely throws out some kicks or punches here and there but he seems to love rolling around and sticking his little foot up in my ribcage. So pleasant. 

Food Cravings: Super cold apples!! Back on the fruit wagon. Baja Fresh. I could eat True Food for every meal.  Tomato Basil Almonds which our Ralphs and all nearby Ralphs have decided out of nowhere to stop selling. I have been searching the web to find a place to order them.

Anything making you queasy or sick: too much of any food, stomach is definitely shrinking but eye for food is not.

Gender: BOY! Boooyaah!

Labor Signs: Negative.

Symptoms: Back pain, bloating, braxton hicks,  EXHAUSTION, all the super super fun stuff!

Belly Button in or out? pretty out these days, i wouldnt say 100% but close enough!

Wedding rings on or off? ON!!!!

Happy or Moody most of the time: This IS the happiest I have ever been aside from when the daughter in Father of the Bride 2 decides to move to Chicago, someone drinks a bloody mary in front of me, or I find out its the last season of Gossip Girl.

Looking forward to: Our 3rd and final baby shower this weekend! We seriously have such amazing people in our lives, we truly could not be more blessed!!!

HUSBAND BLOG!!!!!

How far along? 34 weeks 3 days! 

Total weight gain: Me: At least 5 pounds (sympathy pregnancy cravings are the worst) Wife: who cares? All I know is she's as gorgeous as ever, but I'm probably going toe to toe with her on weight gain.

Maternity clothes? Thankfully for our pocket book, it looks like this is the one pregnancy expense we'll be avoiding, I'm sure we'll be making up for it in delivery gowns, 10 different home from the hospital outfits, Winston's delivery outfit, etc.

Stretch marks? Nothing to see here, move along.  Stomach still looks perfect, nary a stretch mark.

Sleep:? Like a baby.  12 hours of sleep is the new normal, we'll have a nice big sleep surplus by the time the baby comes.  I'll be able to manage off two hours a night for a good six months at this rate...

Best moment this week:  Well let's see, this was a big sport week.  The Giants won their second World Series in the last 3 years, the Raiders won back to back games, the Aztecs won their biggest college football game ever and the lowly Warriors even started the season off 2-1.  Probably the best sports week of my life, but I would have to say the best moment this week that trumped all of those was my favorite moment of every week.  Waking up on the weekends in bed to my beautiful wife, my almost here son and my dog.  Lying in bed, hugging my family and reflecting on how truly blessed we are.  Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than those mornings...

Miss Anything? Nope.  Life is grand.  

Movement: He's a rambunctious little fella, his kicks and punches are old news, I'm ready for the real thing.

Food Cravings: Pizza, donuts, cookies, candy, I eat all the bad stuff and she eats mexican every day.  It's a fair trade off.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Besides the Raiders defense and the inevitable hangover I get now after three drinks, nope.

Gender: Boy, no denying that even at Week 12, proud of my little guy.  We're taking over the household...

Labor Signs: Nothing yet, she's ready though...

Symptoms: Exhaustion (her from being almost 9 months pregnant, me after 30 minutes at the mall)

Belly Button in or out? Yeah, let's just call it out.  Looks fine to me.  Everything looks good on my beautiful wife.

Wedding rings on or off? That ring better never come off...

Happy or Moody most of the time: This is by far THE happiest I've ever been! I'm the luckiest man in the world and I couldn't be happier!

Looking forward to: Meeting Carter and enjoying the last 6 weeks of downtime with just me and my perfect wife, before our world changes forever.  Can't wait...