Birthday gift

I started working on a little birthday gift for Elyse yesterday. I have been clipping pictures (Ok, more like ripping pages out of magazines and catalogs, whatever) since I have been pregnant whenever I see artwork that I like for her room. I came up with this painting for her and finished it today. I love how it turned out! The weather has been fabulous in Houston and it was wonderful to be outside painting. I can't wait for Elyse to be here so we can hang out in the backyard together.

In wonderful and exciting news, Elyse's cousin Lila was born yesterday! She weighed a whopping 9 lbs, 9 oz and was 20 inches long! Julie sent photos today and Lila so precious! I know that Lila and Ely will be close buds just like Julie and I! Congrats to Julie and Madge!!

Droppin' like she's hot!

I am just amazed at how freaking huge my belly is...

Mexican Acid Trip Nursery

My vision is complete! I have been dreaming of creating a nursery that resembles a Mexican acid trip and I believe that goal has been achieved. I am in love with this room. I sit in it and just chill and read regularly. Now, I just need Elysie in there and it will be perfect. Thank you to Mom for making the gorgeous bedding, Lisa and Jen for being my head designers, Jennie for the letters, Granny Dyer, Granny Fernandez and Lori for the gorgeous blankets and everyone else for all the fabulous things that made this incredibly cool nursery come alive!

Riders on the Storm

I am so,so,so ready for my bugger to be turned loose on the world. I was planning to have her this week and to embrace the medical technology we have today that allows us to schedule these things. However, I met with some extreme visceral reactions from people I love and am going to delay the plans for now. I am hoping Elysie will come out on her own and I am helping her by drinking raspberry leaf tea, eating rhubarb, eggplant, walking, squatting and engaging in nookie as often as possible!!

I am on a freakish nesting extravaganza--rearranging cabinets, obesessively working in the nursery, washing everything we own, making daily trips to Hobby Lobby, Goodwill and Target and stock piling supplies. It's seriously like I am on some sort of crack binge. I am in love with the nursery--mom and the family are coming over today to finish up and then I will have pics.

In the mean time, here are some pics that Jason took of me this weekend. I have finally begun to reach the "freakshow" big phase. It seems like this week, Elyse has been on a super growth spurt! My bellybutton has almost popped out. So weird!

Jay Dub

So, I gave Jay a HUGE list of daddy duties I needed him to complete and he did almost every one today! I am so impressed! I keep telling him how crappy I feel and how jesus hates pregnant people and how I cannot breathe or get comfortable. He says if I am well enough to be as verbally abusive as I am, then I must be OK. The man freakin' cracks me up---I HEART him!!

Elyse and I go in to see Dr. Nanda tomorrow. I am hitting the raspberry leaf tea hard on cousin Julie's insider midwivery tip. We will see if it has worked and if my dilation has progressed. I am very anxious to GET THIS KID OUT. It is a bit discouraging to hear smarmy comments from people about the women they know who have walked around @ 3cm dilated and 70% effaced for weeks. If I get my way, which I am determined to do, I will have her in 10 days or so...

Gourmet Goddess Shower

Holy wow!! My gorgeous and fabulous friends also known as the Gourmet Goddesses (Jennie, Lisa, Jen, Shelly, Casey, Amanda and Elizabeth) threw the most wonderful baby shower for me and Elyse this Saturday! It was a helluva party at one of our most fave brunch spots in town: Baba Yega. So many friends came to celebrate Miss Elysie and spoiled us rotten!! It was a marvelous time and once again, I am overwhlemed with the love me and Elyse were showered with. I love my friends and family so much, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

San Antonio Shower Pics

We have a name!! Finally!!

We have chosen Elyse's middle name!! Drumroll, please... Elyse Caroline Dyer. Isn't it just GORGEOUS? I am so happy with it! The name is in honor of Jason's Grandma Etta Caroline Moore (Shirley's mom.) So Elyse will have the same first two initials as her great grandma! I love the way it looks all written out. So pretty!

This weekend Shirley, and all my paternal aunts (Felici, Maggie and Susie) threw the most beautiful shower for me in San Antonio. It was at the Menger Hotel in the smae room where I had my bridal shower 6 years ago! I cannot even explain how loved I feel and how overwhelmed I am at everyone's generosity. Elyse got so many beautiful things. My cup runneth over... Thank you to everyone who participated--it was such a joyful time. I could write about it for pages and pages and I could post 200 pics--it was beyond words. : ) Much love!!!

Induction: Not the Devil's Work

Went to see Dr. Nanda yesterday and found that I am already dilated to 1cm. This news prompted me to finally muster up the key-honies to ask about induction. It turns out I can be induced at 38 weeks and 5 days, which is three weeks from yesterday!! I have decided that induction is right decision for me. I am waiting on a phone call from the hospital to get this puppy scheduled and get this kid on the ground. I am ready to go through newborn psychosis and start looking for a jobby job. I am surprised by the hostility this decision has inspired. When I tell people, they demand to know WHY I have chosen induction. I am already progressing naturally and I like the idea of having a scheduled time to go to the hospital and face the horror of childbirth. The date I have chosen is only 7 days prior to the child's due date and I could go in to labor early anyway. The reaction reminds me of when I sued to smoke menthol cigarettes and upon seeing the green Camel logo, 96% of people felt an overwhelming desire to ask if I knew they would crystalize my lungs??? Uh, yeah, I have heard that about 27 million times. The hostile response also make me wish to offer a HUGE APOLOGY to Jennie Lynn, whom I have terrorized with comments about how crazy she was for having Ells with no pain killers. I AM SORRY FOR MY HOSTILITY! Being on the receiving end sucks!! Back to the induction: I have read all about it, I have seen the Ricki Lake documentary, I know the pros and cons and I am cool with it. Hopping off the soapbox now...

This weekend I have a baby shower in San Antonio! I am going out of town one last time before I drop Elyse. Then, next weekend is my Houston shower. Then, it's GO TIME. I have taken photos of all of the fabulous shower invites that have gone out on Ely's behalf. My loved ones are so fabulous--no wonder I adore them.

35 weeks and counting...

Happy 2009! So, the photos may be inappropriate, but I guess I don't care. This belly is quite impressive and I must show it off!!!

I have reached 35 weeks of pregnancy and it seems that I am beginning to fall apart. Walking has become a bit of a challenge--I am in full "waddle" mode and it is actually pretty pathetic to behold. Rolling in and out of bed is an experiment in using gravity, but also trying not to fall on my huge ass once gravity begins to do its job. My freakish spurt of energy that helped me skate though all the activities of December is gone, baby, gone. Have had a sore throat/hacking cough and snotty nose for 4 days now and am pretty much miserable.

In good news, however, Elyse seems to be flourishing! She kicks the hell out of me and is quite active! I can see my stomach move when she does this--it is just so strange. This week is going to be crazy! I have a breastfeeding class on Monday, an appointment with Dr. Nanda on Tuesday, Dr. Monla on Wednesday and Elyse's last ultrasound on Thursday. Then, Friday, I leave for my San Antonio shower! I need a nap just thinking about it!