At the Hospital!

I rarely ever "schedule" posts, but I did schedule this one because...by the time you read this, we'll already be at the hospital!

 

Please pray for a safe delivery for little Miss Kayleigh, and for the strength and energy Jesse and I will need to welcome her into our world.

We won't have any internet access while we're at the hospital, so it probably will be a few days before you get an update.  In the meantime, enjoy reading our last few letters to our little girl.

 

Dear Kayleigh: 40 Weeks, Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccinos, and Inducing

Dear Kayleigh: The Baby Red Zone (a letter from Jesse)

Dear Kayleigh: Heartbeat

I can't believe that I'll be kissing these sweet cheeks in a matter of hours ♥

Kayleigh's Nursery

Welcome to Kayleigh's room!

Jesse's mom made the monkey quilt, and it's hanging on his childhood rocking chair--right next to our shelves full of books and toys for Kayleigh to enjoy someday.

My mom made Kayleigh's beautiful baptism gown.  I'm so excited for that day!

Sweet little crocheted pinafore made by Kayleigh's future Aunt Megan

My Papa Don made this cradle over 30 years ago.  It's been passed around the family from baby to baby through the years, and Kayleigh will be the first great-grandchild to get to use it.

We're getting close!  So excited to share our little world with our Kayleigh Girl!

Maternity Pictures

I'm remembering to cherish moments like these, because it will only be a few more days until she's in our arms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love you, Kayleigh Girl!

 

Crock Pot: Garlic Rosemary Chicken

I had a hankering for something savory today...and was too lazy to make a trip to the grocery store to do anything too adventurous :-)

I looked through my kitchen and saw that I had chicken breasts, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and lots of herbs, including my fresh rosemary plant growing outside.

Voila!

This is so easy, and when Jesse and I came home this afternoon, the house smelled so scrumptious.  Totally worth the 5 minutes of prep I put into this meal :-)



For two people, I used:

♥ 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

♥ 5 minced cloves of garlic

♥ 1/2 stick of butter

♥ 1/2 cup of chicken broth

♥  4 sprigs of rosemary from my plant (or 1T of rosemary flakes)

♥ Sprinkles of parsley, sage, and thyme (it's a Scarborough Fair meal!  Get it?)

♥ 4-6 Russet potatoes

♥ 10-20 baby carrots

♥ 1 T olive oil

♥ 1 t Kosher salt

♥ Ground black pepper



Melt the butter and garlic together in a microwave-safe bowl.  Coat both sides of the chicken with this yummy mix, and place in the bottom of the crock pot.  Pour the chicken broth over the chicken in the pot, and add the sprigs of rosemary.  In a separate bowl (or ziploc if you're lazy and don't want to wash another bowl!) mix olive oil, quartered potatoes, carrots, kosher salt, and pepper together and pour over the chicken.  Sprinkle everything in the crock pot with the rest of the herbs, turn the crock pot on low, and let it cook for 6-8 hours.

It smells heavenly, and when I get that big of a smile from my Handsome Man, I consider it a great success ♥

Mama Bear

 

I have fully morphed into Mama Bear mode.

I'm hibernating...

I'm eating more than usual...

I'm nesting...

and I'm LOVING it!

 

I'm so thankful that I stopped working when I did.  I was in so much pain from being on my feet for 8 hours a day (and not just on my feet, but bending low to care for preschoolers and all of their needs!) that I made it as far as I could.  But now that I'm at home, I've felt progressively better every day.  What a relief!

Everyone says to just "walk that baby out," but I was in so much pain that walking hurt with every step.  Today was the first day that I woke up and thought, "I could walk a mile today!  Let's go!"

God is good :-)

 

Today, I'm 39 weeks and 6 days pregnant.  I really wasn't sure how I would feel about reaching my due date with no baby in sight.  I thought I would have a hard time with it.  Jesse and I were both the first kids in our families, and we both came early.  I guess I was hoping the same for Kayleigh.  But surprisingly, I'm totally at peace.  She's happy in my little luxury resort, I guess.  And I'm ok with that.  I want her to grow  and come when she's ready.  Our doctors have told us that they won't let us go over 41 weeks, so that means that there is a max of 8 days before we get to meet Kayleigh.  I'm really hoping not to be induced, so I'm praying that she decides to make her entrance soon.

 

Her room is all set, our bags are by the door,

we're ready for our little girl.

Come, Kayleigh, come!

♥

So Much Pink

Every once in a while, when I'm daydreaming in Kayleigh's room, or folding her freshly washed clothes and blankets, I think to myself:

That tech better have been right.

I sure hope this baby is a girl!

Because otherwise, our little boy is coming home to a lot of pink.

New Mommy Survival Kit

A friend messaged me one day last week and asked if she could drop by.  It was my first week off of work while I wait for this baby to decide she's ready to come, and I was happy for the company.

What a surprise when Kayse--who I've only known for a month--showed up at my door with this:

I was so surprised!

The fact that this sweet girl put together such a thoughtful collection of necessities for a first-time mommy--especially one she had only met a few times!--blew me away.

Kayse is definitely a new blessing in my life.  Her husband went to school with me and Jesse (he also played in the orchestra where Jesse and I met), but until they moved a few streets away from our new apartment, we had never met his bride--or their adorable 8 month old munchkin.

Everything Kayse put in the "Survival Kit" is brilliant.  From a one-handed water bottle to use while nursing, to flushable wipes, she thought of things that only an experienced mom would, and I so appreciate it!

She even made it cute--isn't it just adorable?!?

I wanted to share this idea with all of you, because I know that once I've got some mommy-experience under my belt, I'll definitely look forward to doing something like this for mother-to-be friends of mine, and thought you might want to, too :-)