Getting Ready for Viv

Well, here I am: 32 weeks pregnant, well into my final trimester and four weeks away from relocating to Philadelphia. Dave and I have been extremely busy lately. Our to-do list is long, and we've been feverishly trying to cross off items before our relocation. Most of our activities have pertained to preparing for Viv's arrival here at the house. I've been apprehensive about doing "too much" due to fear of coming home to a completely baby-ready house without a baby. I'm a planner; however, and the thought of being totally unprepared to bring a baby home was also unappealing. Therefore, Dave and I decided to get the "big stuff" in place. We spent a lot of time working on the nursery and now have the essentials set-up. I ended up working on quite a few of the details too, mainly because I find decorating fun and kind of therapeutic. Also, it's hard not to get excited about a baby, even when the reality of the situation is less than ideal. The "little stuff" like washing clothes and bedding, putting items away, organizing, etc. will be taken care of by my mom and sister once we feel confident Viv is coming home.

A view of the nursery accent wall that fits our rain drop theme. My friend Stephanie and I stenciled and painted the drops onto the wall. (Sorry for the poor lighting...the ceiling light hasn't been installed yet!)

A view of the crib and the painted bookcase. 

Friends and family have been extremely generous in helping us prepare for Viv's arrival. We've had three (!) baby showers - one thrown by a local friend, one at work, and one in my hometown. They were all lovely, and we received so many great gifts. We are so grateful for everyone's support and generosity; it truly means so much to us.

Finally, we had another appointment at CHOP last week. Viv is looking great. She weighs 3 pounds and 14 ounces, is practicing breathing, continues to have a strong heartbeat, and has hit every milestone she is supposed to. Even better is that her "insides" look good (except for everything being completely in the wrong place, of course). Her stomach is not twisted and her bowels don't appear to be kinked, so she's not suffering from any growth restrictions and can process the proper amount of amniotic fluid. This means we don't have to be monitored every week until we hit 34 weeks. This was very welcome news because we were expecting to travel to Philly weekly starting at 32 weeks. So as it currently stands we will return for appointments on February 16 and 23, with relocation still set for March 1.

Smile for the camera! Viv seems very content and deep in thought here. She continues to fight showing her entire face, but mom and dad appreciate her willingness to semi-cooperate!

Readers should expect our updates to come more frequently once our appointments start to pick up later this month. Hopefully they are short and boring. We'll have enough excitement once she makes her grand entrance and are more than fine with boring for now.