Well, here is my adorable baby shower invite. My wonderful friend Natalie did a spectacular job picking it out. I know my mom would have loved it and she would be so excited to be a part of this day. I will enjoy it and celebrate because I know she would want that.

Well, I didn’t think it was possible, but baby Hillborn has made himself quite comfortable turning upside down.  His head is on the right and his feet are tucked under his rear. Baby is totally fine and as my doctor says “they don’t get dizzy in there”.  This photo is from last Thursday. So if you can imagine, Baby is on his hands and knees. No wonder I keep getting kicked on the left side. He is fully horizontal, but face down. He is growing tremendously, and my doctor was amazed at how much.  As for me, im all good too, I have another appt this Thursday so stay tuned for progress and belly pics!

I can finally feel Baby Hillborn!! Its the most bizarre but amazing feeling ever. This little person is moving and kicking and punching! All of the sudden I have been able to feel little kicks on the left side and little pushes on the right. It usually happens in the morning around 5 or 6am and then at night, around 10 or 1030pm. Craig was able to feel the baby last night, he just left his hand on my belly and a few minute later, we got a little push and roll. Its so exciting and really just such a fun time to feel this little life moving and growing. I imagine all the time what he or she will look like and we both cant wait to meet him. Craig has begun talking to Baby Hillborn and we have a few books that we are going to read to him. Its never to early to start! I have posted a photo of the 21 week ultrasound. My checkup was great yesterday and my doctor literally said “This baby looks awesome, I am so happy for you both” Its always such a relief.  Anyway, I see her again week after next. At this point, I will go every other week until I hit about 30 weeks and then ill go on a weekly basis. But, so far so good. My doctor is also very good about not showing the lower half of Baby Hillborn since she knows we don’t want to know the sex!!! I also decided to go for a full color dress for the bump photo. It is getting bigger every day!

Well, here is my latest bump photo. There is also a bare bump photo, that is Craig’s favorite. He likes to see the expansion bare belly….im starting to notice my face is getting a bit rounder, but maybe its still puffy from the crying yesterday. Today was a good day, I went in the pool, finished a book and took some time for me. Yesterday, not so much. I was just so incredibly sad and I couldn’t stop crying. I realize that there are many people out there with so much less than me, and that I am lucky. But, I miss my mom. The simple phone calls, the sound of her voice, her decorating skills and wanting so much to share this with her. I think about how the hell am I going to know what to do when Baby Hillborn arrives? Most people at least have a mom of some sorts to come help them, but Craig and I, we don’t. Im not feeling sorry for myself or for us, I just simply miss my mother and there is no pain in the world like it.  But, I know that with each really bad day, there are good ones to follow. Its just the way it goes. The first year is always the hardest….but I will find the strength. I have a beautiful little person that I need to be strong for.

Baby HIllborn is growing! We had the anatomy scan where they measure all parts of the baby, from the legs, arms, stomach, liver etc. He is 3 quarters of a pound and geting bigger by the day! This was the coolest appointment yet. After the doctor did all the measurements and said “your having a perfect pregnancy”, which i was stunned at because I never hear the word perfect, she let us watch our little baby. He or she was moving so much. His legs are sticking straight up in the air, its hilarious. His one little hand that is always behind his head moved to grab his feet and the other hand followed. He yawned and swallowed. It was truly incredible to see this person growing inside. Its really magical. If you notice the red line on one of the photos, that’s the little guys foot and if you follow it down, you can see his legs. The first picture we like to call his Halloween photo. Its a full frontal of his face, kind of skeletal and weird but amazing at the same time. This was the first time in so long that things are going normal and the doctor used the word perfect. That never happens to me and after everything Craig and I have been through this year….We both feel incredibly blessed that things are going so well for me, the pregnancy and most importantly this amazing little person we have created. Baby Hillborn is measuring at 20weeks and 1 day and is right on track for where he needs to be.  Again, we don’t know if its a boy or girl, but I just instinctively feel like its a boy and since the beginning I have used he as a descriptive term rather than saying ‘it’.  Well, as for other things, my modified bed-rest started this week. So far, its been nice to be away from a stressful work environment and just take care of me. I am able to use the pool and I can do little things. Luckily its not strict bed-rest, i don’t have to lay in bed all day and I can manage around the house. Im able to cook, put dishes away, go get the mail….So, I go for a weekly checkup to make sure all is going well. In a way, its kind of a relief that I get to see my doctor once a week. I feel lucky to be getting such great care and being able to keep such a close eye on the baby and everything else. Well, that’s it for now….bump photo coming soon.

Here is the pic as promised. I didn’t think I got that much bigger, until I saw the photo!! Sheesh…it looks like a round basketball. I cant wait till I can feel this kid

I will have another belly shot later I promise! For starters, here are photos from yesterdays ultrasound. Baby Hillborn is quite the mover! He was rolling all around so it was hard to get a good pic of him. But the one thing that remains the same is his little arm that is always waving up by his head. The Baby seems to keep his one arm up behind his head, and then when its photo time, he waves it. Of course he cant see me, but I still think its pretty cute that he moves it for the ultrasound. In both of these photos, you can see his head and most of his upper body. Its amazing to see how developed he is already, with bones and fingers and everything. To me, it looks like he has long arms and hands, but what do I know. Most of the time, Ilook at the ultrasound and have no idea what im seeing I mean really, who can tell these things! My doctor is wonderful though, she keeps reassuring me what is what and that all parts are there. Plus, she keeps seeing a super strong heartbeat. She says that a baby that moves all the time is a healthy baby, so thats all that matters to us!!  As for me, I am doing very well. I had my procedure last Thursday and everything went great.  My last official day of work will be September 12th. Then I get to rest for 4 1/2 months. Luckily we have a nice pool at our place so I am able to swim and do some physical therapy exercises in the water.  Other than that, not to much else is happening with us right now. Well other than the Eagles playing their first game of the season on Sunday! Go birds!!! Of course Craig is already telling the baby that he must be a birds fan…baseball, he can be a Yankee fan.  It’s our compromise.

stay tuned for the next belly shot!!!

Here is my 16 week belly shot. I have gained 3 pounds in 2 weeks!! That feels huge, but the doctor says so far, my weight is on track. We had our 16 week ultrasound today, and Baby Hillborn is growing like a weed and still looking perfect. Unfortunately I got no photo this time. They were low on paper to print them on. Oh well, she promises me more next time! Anyway, we were able to see a full profile of the baby, his heart beating away and his very long legs. Also, he has his one arm bent up by his head, almost like he is resting his head on it. Kind of funny. This was a fun ultrasound today and they are almost able to tell the sex of the baby, but again we DO NOT want to find out.  So, you guys will all have to wait along with us. I will say, that my gut feeling is a boy, but who knows, we are having fun guessing. So, the latest update is that my procedure will be August 28th and my last day of work is now Sept 12th, so i get an extra 2 weeks. Thats a good thing. So far, my doctor is very pleased with how everything looks and is progressing, so I feel lucky that I have had a very good pregnancy so far. No major issues….I am eternally grateful.  Here are a few more shots of the baby room. Its coming along Otherwise Craig and I are doing well and enjoying preparing ourselves for this little miracle. Lately though, I have been very sad….as excited as we are, there is a constant empty feeling. So many times I go to pick up the phone and call my mom. There are so many leopard baby items, its hilarious. Those of you that knew my mom, are aware of her obsession with leopard. So, everytime I see them, I can hear her say, ‘Erin those are fabulous, you have to get them.’ or ‘ Its never to early to start liking leopard print’.  Alas, my mother is appearing in all that I do and somehow is influencing some of our design choices. Craig recently found us a leopard tray!!!  I suppose thats a sign that she is always close by no matter what.  More to come, so stay tuned.

This weekend we decided to get the baby’s room in order. Since I wont be able to do much physically after Sept 12th, I need to help Craig with all that I can. We painted the room a very light pale blue called Clear Skies. We both love anything blue, and this color was perfect. Our theme has always been moons and stars. Gender neutral! Well, truthfully, I have always loved that theme and knew that one day it would make the perfect baby room. I have collected a few things over the years and its amazing when it all comes together. Craig liked it too and as long as nothing was to girly (which im not into) he was all for it. Of course if you know Craig well, once he gets into something and likes it, everything has to be perfect and done right. We had a lot of fun decorating the room and it came together very easily. We found our crib and dresser/changing table at a great baby store and it was on sale for half price. Its a really nice Amber wood color and its not to light, not to dark. Again, it can work for a boy or a girl.  Last summer my mom found these adorable shelves for me at a consignment shop in the Hampton’s.  They are blue with yellow stars on each end. She of course said i had to have them and she was right. They are perfect and I have never seen anything like them and they look so great in the baby’sroom. She would be so proud. You can see them in one of the photos, along with a blue and white star quilt that she bought us as well. The other photos are of the yellowmoon and stars we put up above the crib and a very sweet sign that i bought last year. It reads “Sweet Dreams, I love you to the moon and back.”  Oh and for fun, there is a picture of our cat Gigi who loves the bouncy seat that a girlfriend lent to us.  I have to say it has been really fun getting the room together and Craig and I both are so excited and happy about whats to come. Well, that’s it for now. Ill have a 15 week belly shot tomorrow or the next day.