Big Baby Belly!

Here is a picture of my 38 week baby belly we took this morning. I like wearing these sweatsuits because 1. They are really comfortable and 2. They accentuate my belly. I still get lots of comments that I look small, however, according to the doctor I am still measuring right on. With the sweatsuit though I think I look just about right!

38 Weeks!

It is really hard to believe that we only have two more weeks until the baby's birthday! With Brad home it seems that time flys even faster. Since his return we have enjoyed every minute together. You really appreciate every moment when they come home.

Everyone always asks if I am just so ready to have the baby at this point, but I don't know if I am quite there yet. The third trimester has been really good to me. I have definitely had my moments with acid reflux, sleepless nights, and general discomfort, but for the most part I have been feeling good and still enjoying the pregnancy. I am also enjoying feeling him move more and more as his movements continue to get bigger and bigger! So for me there is no urgency to get him out. We get to have the rest of our lives with our little guy so I am just really treasuring the last few days of it being just us.

As you know from previous posts I get several e-mails from various baby sites on what the baby is doing and how they are growing this week. The baby at 38 weeks is full term, meaning he is fully developed. He is on average 6.8-7 pounds and around 19-20 in long. One of my e-mails this week compared him to the size of a leek. The other e-mail said he was the size of a watermelon. I'll take the leek.

I am also happy to report that we are making progress on being ready for his arrival. Nesting is starting to kick in although we still have a lot to do. The nursery is pretty much ready (pictures coming soon) and the main project we still have in there is the closet. We cleaned quite a bit this weekend so I feel like the house is in pretty good shape for the most part. We are also starting to take classes. Brad has been able to arrange his schedule so that he should be able to go to all of them with me which is the best part. We have 3 classes scheduled this week and next: Breastfeeding, Labor and Delivery, and Baby Basics. One down and two left to go! Also, based on my doctor's friendly suggestion last week, I have started packing a bag for the hospital. It is really harder than it seems it would be. This is mostly because at this stage there are very few things that fit me so I wear them all the time. Hence I can't pack them if I need to wear them! I do have some of the basics packed though and a couple of cute outfits to bring him home in and such so we will get there.

I had an appointment today and all was well. There is not much to do at this point as long as everything seems good. Since I have no plans on inducing the doctors at my office will not check to see if I am progressing until the 40th week. So no news on that front. The heartbeat sounded good, the head is down and the rest is just a waiting game!

Big Night Out

Last weekend with almost all of the guys home from their deployment everyone was in the mood to celebrate! We got all dressed up and went to Columbia (the BIG city!) to go out to a nice dinner and night on the town. I managed to squeeze my pregnant self into a dress and heels!

With some of the lovely Tiger wives

My handsome husband and I

As a fun gift, the "second in command" from Brad's squadron gave everyone Pez dispensers. There were all sorts of fun characters but the best part was when Brad ended up with one that actually looked like him! Especially with his post-deployment scruff that had grown out. Everyone got a kick out of the fact that Brad had his very own Pez Dispenser!

Car Seat.... Check!

We are one step closer to being ready to bring our little man home. Brad took advantage of the beautiful day on Monday and got the car seat installed. Good thing, because I don't think they will let you leave the hospital without it! So now even though we might not have a bag packed, or any classes taken, we can at least leave the hospital with our baby :)

" How does this thing work?"

"I am smarter than the car seat!"

"Victory!!"

Maternity Pics

Today I am 37 weeks... only 3 weeks left to go. Or in the words of my Doctor at my appointment today, "You could come any time! You better get ready!" Nothing to report she just wanted to make sure we knew we are now "Full Term". This morning we got maternity pictures done by a wonderful photographer and friend, Raleigh. You can see a sneak peek of the session on her blog:
http://raleighannphotography.blogspot.com/2010/02/matherne-maternity-photo-session.html

I love everything I have seen so far! Thanks Raleigh for the fun session and the GREAT pics!! I can't wait to see the rest!

Home Sweet Home

If home is where the heart is we are both HOME! Brad has been working all week toward getting back today. You would think that in an F-16 it would be pretty fast but in reality it is quite a production. He first went from Afghanistan to one of the "out processing" bases which is about a 3-4 hour flight (F-16 time). There were six jets returning from the squadron in the group Brad was in so they had a couple days wait until all six of them got out of Afghanistan and they could leave for the next stop. They then went on a roughly 10 hour trip to Spain. Brad said it was beautiful there, especially seeing trees after being in the desert so long. The guys spent about a day and a half in Spain and after getting rested up they took off this morning for the last leg of the flight, also about 10 hours, back to South Carolina.

In the meantime I was cleaning like crazy for the past three days. I guess I finally believed Brad would really get in on time and that kicked my nesting into high gear! I wanted Brad to come home to a really nice clean house with fresh towels and fresh sheets, freshly vacuumed floors, and a super clean bathroom. I cleaned and cleaned, the kitchen, the living room, sweeping floors, scrubbing toilets, getting counters wiped down. Unfortunately the nursery still got none of the nesting love. After all that cleaning the time finally came to go get Brad. One of the really great things about the Air Force community is that even though this was a relatively small return of people, there were still so many people who came out to show their support of the guys coming home. There was banners and balloons and lots of food and friends to show support! I showed up at the squadron around 12:30 and the jets were scheduled to arrive around 1:30. I was also lucky to have my great friend Debra (whose husband is in another squadron and currently deployed to Iraq) come and play photographer for me so I could capture this very special homecoming. Around 1:45 we got word they were approaching Shaw. Here is the pictorial summary of the rest of the afternoon.

Once it got closer to landing time we all waited outside the squadron and watched for the jets to arrive. One of the great things about having your husband fly a jet home is that you aren't gonna miss 'em! They always have a way of loudly announcing their arrival!

And here they come! There was a four ship leading with a two ship following close behind. Brad was number 2 in the formation.

They circled around the base and then positioned for landing. Each guy breaks off the formation one at a time and comes in for their landing. Above Brad is breaking off for his landing.

Then they have a long (well it seemed long!) taxi back to where the "parking spots" are in front of their squadron. Everyone got to go out and stand in front of the parking area and the families of each pilot were allowed to stand right in front of where the jet would pull in.

Welcome home Honey! Here is your nice (almost) 36 week profile view for daddy! We have missed you!

And then you just think "Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up!!!!!"

and again, "Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up!!!!!"

Finally!!!!!!!! Sweet Reunion! Nothing is better!

After unloading, turning gear in, and yes, some customs forms (He was out of the country!) we finally were able to head home!

I had a special sign made to welcome him home. For all of you military spouses out there check out http://www.buildasign.com/. This wonderful website lets you make a free banner to welcome your loved one home from a deployment!

On that LONG flight home from Spain one of the things that Brad said kept the guys going was the thought that when they arrived they would get to have Christmas! I had almost convinced Brad a few weeks ago that I was nesting and went on a cleaning frenzy and opened all his gifts so I could put them away. I had him going for a while, but as you can see I am a good wife and saved each one of them for him to enjoy on his "Christmas Day". He loved all the gifts, Thanks family!!!

We had lots of fun looking though all the baby stuff that has accumulated while he has been away, opening Christmas gifts, and spending time together. After a quick dinner Brad was fast asleep on the couch by 7:00 pm! So I cleaned up Christmas, came to update the blog, and then I am going to go cuddle up to my wonderful husband for the first time since September and go to sleep! What a wonderful day!

One Well Traveled Baby

As I was finishing my last airplane trip before the baby comes (yes, I know, I know, I took it up to the last possible minute I was allowed to travel) I began thinking about how well travelled this baby is. I am not sure how adventurous his life will be once he is born but inutero he has definitely "seen" a lot! Here is the list of states we have been to in our 9 months together:

Alabama

Arizona

California

Colorado

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Kentucky

Louisiana

Massachusetts

Mississippi

Missouri

Nevada

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

20 States! Some were longer trips and some more of a drive through but that is a pretty big list considering... He has been on planes, trains and automobiles. We are certainly not the type to sit around! Hopefully this will make him ready for more adventures when he born since the Air Force never keeps us in one spot too long.