Officially 9 months!

Well hello there... Sorry that I have been a little M.I.A. It's just that with all the aches and pains that I had in my hands, I could not bear to type for fun after spending entire work days on the computer. 
But Today, I have so much to share with you! and I am so excited to - so let me get started... this update will have to be in multiple posts because I have so many pics, it would just be way too much to put in one.   Since my last update, we had barely began the baby preparation process.  I have since discovered my very first GRAY HAIR! What the devil?! I mean, my little sister apparently has had them, but I thought I wouldn't find one in my head until much later.. sigh. I panicked and pulled it out. LOL.  Maybe I was stressed out at first by adjusting to how much pink is invading my life - my least favorite color... However, I am actually kind of getting used to it and seriously can't help but to think its really cute for baby girl stuff. 

Just to give you some idea as to how much pink...  Here is a sneak peak of her Nursery that we are still finishing. I absolutely love the monogram that I ordered from Etsy from Elegance Letters. This is the 26" unfinished vine connected monogram letters.  It took me about three days to paint these letters just because of being indecisive and changing colors throughout the process. It's not yet hung because we are now indecisive as to which wall it should go on. 

When my feet started to swell, it definitely took me by surprise. 

 I had only had some cramping and swelling in my fingers and my feet and ankles were still doing great. Not the case anymore. To give you an idea, my feet only fit in UGGs because of the width.

This was my last day in business shoes.. and they were already a size and a half up from where my actual shoe size is... do you know how I would cry if they do not go back to my regular size just because of my shoe collection?

REAL TEARS.

So if mommy has UGGs, I had to get Baby Girl a pair right?! 

It seemed only right. 

And of course, they are pink.. depending on this winter season, she may just end up with the camouflage colored ones as well.

Mornings in our home are still never a dull moment... 

My husband is excited about Baby Girl to say the least and has been absolutely great at "serving" me during my pregnancy. He definitely keeps my spirits up as I adjust mentally with all these body changes and what not. And definitely makes sure that I am "taking care of" his baby. 

One morning, I come downstairs to say good bye to our visiting family and he is down at the foot of the stairs, playing guitar - he tried his hardest (mind you, he plays Piano), but I thought it was as sweet as it was hilarious!

Another thing to pass the time, reading.. 

Awesome Blogger Heather Alexander of The Mommyhood Blog sent me her great book - I am just about finished and want to give an appropriate review at a later time but thought I would mention how else I am spending my days. 

When I am not reading, shopping or sitting at work with my feet up...

I am SLEEPING! 

Every chance I get!

This Baby is literally a dancing machine. She has surpassed those cute little kicks to let mommy know she is awake. She has moved on to full body flips, elbows, booty dances and straight up painful kicks and punches. She even gets hiccups, which as cute as it sounds is also so annoying at times. Imagine trying to eat while your stomach is jumping to a rhythm. Its frustrating enough to just say forget trying to eat right now. 

And of course.. 

Doctor's Appointments. 

Can't you just feel his excitement? LOL

We are now in the Doctor's office on a weekly basis. Somehow the wait is not as crazy as it used to be. I must've initially gotten pregnant during a baby boom, but now its like the last few left and the wait is reasonable. 

We will start checking her progress beginning Monday to see if she is in position and if I have started dilating yet - biting my nails.. I am so nervous.. 

Also, we made sure to interview pediatricians in advance versus go with a pediatrician recommendation from our hospital. Presently, I am being seen by OB/GYN's who are all Black Women. The practice encompasses 4 different women each with a different bedside manner but pay particular attention to things that affect Black Women at a higher rate. 

I wanted the same out of a Pediatrician and now have a Black Female Pediatrician for Baby Girl, not so much because she was Black but most importantly because she had a reasonable answer for every single question and concern that I had, made us feel comfortable and was recommended by women from all avenues of my life. Not to mention, as we waited in the waiting room, each kid that she called to come back, even for vaccinations were all so excited to go in the back. None seemed to be traumatized one bit, which let me know she has great relationship with the kids and the parents. 

We were seen in the Pixie Princess room. Amos said it was "too girly" LOL. He has no idea how outnumbered he is about to be.

This month, I cracked the whip! Amos got his friends together - Baby Girl's "uncles" came over to help put her room together. Nursery furniture was assembled, furniture was rearranged, all while I sat and gave directions. I love that already her uncles are making sure that she has what she needs. 

Sadly, other "people" are not as happy that Baby Girl will soon be here. 

Our part-time pet Arista, a curious Daschund decided that she would get into the trash which caused a digestive infection where she had to have surgery. 

She wouldn't let her stitches heal properly so the doctor gave her this huge cone! 

I died laughing when my sister sent me this picture of her. 

I think she did it for sympathy. LOL

We also had Baby Showers -- which will be a separate post all together just because of the pictures alone, but of course you know afterwards it was all about completing the registry, which was my favorite thing to do. 

Of course I have to wait for my chauffeur to get off the phone before we can pull off.. stay waiting on him to finish checking or posting to Instagram. LOL

Lastly, for now.. 

I know the last time I posted, I was talking about a few issues with work- 

The major stress of the POINTLESS Federal Government shutdown. 

Like it or not, I support the Affordable Healthcare Act - just because of my own experience and believe that if people educate themselves enough they can find a plan that works best for them. Because of it, I got an email that my Breast Pump is being shipped after zero cost to me (not even shipping) once I ordered it and placed my insurance information in the payment screen and my husbands prescriptions went down from $70 for 30 days down to $10 for 90 days... 

BUT - 

Thats neither here nor there.. 

I got transferred!

From the office in S.E. Washington, DC where I was close to the Navy Yard to an office in N.W. Washington, D.C.

I spent a few days packing my boxes and now I am on a team where my Field Partner and Neighbor is..  We work as hard as we have fun. Yup, I am STILL working and plan to up until Dec. 2nd or when she arrives, whichever comes first.

The one thing that I will miss this year... 

That I probably won't be able to go to Christmas Celebration especially since its a lot of live animals and my due date is smack dab in the middle of the production dates. 

I usually do make up for the show which means whole days on my feet doing make up.

So I HAD to go visit the cast and make-up team during rehearsal just once while pregnant to say hi. I'll miss them this production but I hope to be back by Easter Production. 

Whew you made it to the end. 

36 weeks - Officially 9 months Pregnant.. 

and still just as thankful as the first day!