5 weeks to go!!

As I am writing this blog entry, currently my stomach is sitting on the keyboard... needless to say... we are getting close.

A lot has happened since last we spoke. Two weekends ago, my work had a lunch at Vickery's where they presented me with all sorts of fun baby items. I received some fun patterned wash clothes, hooded towels for bath time, a rubber ducky that tells me if the temp is too hot, a couple of fun toys to entertain with, DIAPERS, baby wipe warmer, baby wipes, bottle warmer, some bottles, fun bath products, and MUCH MORE!!

My nursing buddies at Roper Hospital... so nice of them to take off on a Sunday to celebrate the Belly Queen!

Gifts gifts gifts...

( I was a little nervous with all the attention on me... quickly I was informed that I should enjoy it... because once the baby arrives.. this will all change)

( Fun bath time clothes for baby)

( Here is the cake before it did not live to see the next day... poor cake!! But it was soo good when it hit your lips.... SOOO GOOD!)

( mmm white Chocolate cake!!)

I have to stop for a second, in France there are no baby showers and Francois' family is very curious about the tradition. From what i can research, baby showers for mothers have been around for centuries and taken place in many regions. Special and handmade presents were offered after a little one was born, typically during the baby's dedication or christening. It was grandmothers that normally gave silver items to the infants.

Victorian woman in in the late 18th century started to organize tea parties, but not until after she gave birth, because pregnant ladies used to HIDE from public in those day. ... ( OHHH, how things have changed... I am trying to leave work 7 days before i am due... do you think there is a clause for hiding in the new health care policies ?? hmmm)

In the 19th century, the afternoon teas were altered into showers... mostly because during the teas.. it was known to rain and umbrellas became an emblem of such events.

Today, baby showers are customary, mostly for first time moms. For second and third time moms they are called " baby sprinkles"

SOOO, there is the history of baby showers. :)

I have to also add that during the same weekend I had this baby shower with work... Francois and I went to a pregnancy celebration for pregnant ladies at a local hospital. There were vendors with different information about breast feeding, Costco applications, child care options, etc. Along with the educational booths, there were door prizes.

WELL... for those that do not know me... I NEVER win prizes. But that day, i walked around to every booth and said in my head " I will win something today... I was determined!!

Francois and I came to the end of the Pregnancy celebration, we reached a radio station table 102.5. I signed my name and address for one of the door prizes.... A lady had asked when i was due.. I said 5 weeks, she asked about our nursery... I informed her we don't have one yet.... we are waiting until we move to get it set up.... and then she had asked if we had a crib... I said no and just kept making small talk. One of the other ladies I was talking to disappeared .... only to reappear and tell me that we needed to not go anywhere.... So we stayed ...... then she informed us that we needed to go inside the celebration where the booths were... so we did... and behold a drawing for the grand prize was " drawn" it was Hilliary Rizzetto... called to win the crib, mattress , and a 5 drawer dresser!!! An almost 700$ value for US..... and it's FREE!!

( here is the crib and dresser that we won, we have a different changing table... and of we would be decorating for a boy... but still.... it is nice and I like it even more because I WON IT!)

What a great weekend :)

6 weeks to go!!

Francois and I have 6 weeks left until D Day and the weeks are just flying by!! The past two weeks have been great. I was able to catch up with some friends from Greenville last weekend and this past weekend Francois and hosted our close friends from Montreal Ninon and Titou.

Titou was the best man in our wedding and amazingly enough, we have not seen him since!! Crazy!! We stay in touch with Facebook, emails, and phone calls... yet there is nothing like real quality time spent together that help refill the friendship need.

While Titou and Ninon were here, we visited both Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island, shopped downtown, toured the area, ate some great food and ..... just relaxed!!

As for baby, he will be showered with gifts from people at work this Sunday and next weekend in Greenville. He will also be helping me get off jury duty tomorrow... and we might just practice some labor pains during the selecting process :) Little baby French Fry is moving A TON... which is good... I feeling i will miss my little belly friend... but as i was informed by a COMPLETE STRANGER... i will be too busy to think about it.. ( I wish strangers would tell me places to use for childcare and what pediatrician to use.... you know useful stuff... not weird stuff)

Today, baby French Fry and I are headed to a new Mom shop sale, it's like a sale before a sale... so i am excited.... and I am going with another fellow Preggo.. we travel in packs... a bunch of overweight hormonal women ... scary.

My new favorite pregnancy quote to scare people away is " Watch out.. I am pregnant and right now i have a penis and a vagina so don't mess with me".. followed with a crazy eye smile... enough said... they run fast!!

We will catch up soon

8 weeks to go!!

( cooper at his sanctuary Sullivan's Island... It's a hard life!)

Today marks the official 8 weeks until..... 40 weeks, expected day of delivery, D-Day, The Big Bang, The " Ggggrrrrreat Bambino" will arrive. 

1st pic: 30 weeks

2nd pic: 20 weeks

( amazing what 10 weeks can do.. now if you only had video footage of me getting of the sofa...that's a real winner :)

................................

I had a doctor visit today, met with the last doctor in my group of doctors that i am seeing, all very nice and knowledgeable! Everything seems to be progressing as planned. I have gained 20lbs, The only time in your life that gaining weight is fun!! ( well in moderation) 

One thing about this 3rd trimester is you are not so much pregnant as you are a walking FREAK SHOW for people to look at, talk to, point, and strike up obscure conversation with... just because .... such as, "is the baby is kicking, have you picked out a name, is it a boy or girl... is he moving, are you excited, first one huh?, you don't look that bad, at least your face isn't fat yet, let me see your legs are they swollen yet, you just wait.., you can't pick that up.. your pregnant, sit down your pregnant, stand up your pregnant, .... 

For the most part, everyone has been pretty nice, i am just not happy when someone satellites around me trying to guess the gender... " Let's see.... it's a ...."  ( really they are waiting for me to chime in and say the gender so they can finish with ,. " ... boy, yep... that's what i thought.. you look like you are carrying a boy.... ( if you say so... crazy witch lady)     Sometimes when people ask what I am having, i say " a baby" or "scotch on the rocks, you buying" ... It's fun to change it up every now and then. 

Anyway,  So today i picked up the baby bed from the post office, and the clerk man says " How can i help Y'all.. being that i was the only one in line.. I thought , clever pregnant joke.. 8 weeks  more of this and i can put together a real bathroom pleaser book for women titled " Stupid Pregnancy Jokes You May Encounter , and How to be Prepared" equipped with chapter one and two, exercises on how to make pleasant facial gestures that cover the  "Eat Poo" facial expression you want to elicit... It could be a helpful tool... when that pregnancy glow isn't doing the trick  :) 

Next, off to gym for torture  and then my favorite , yoga.. twice i almost fell off my mat  and the yoga teacher must have felt sorry for me, because he was trying to take me out of the prehistoric animal birthing pose i was in and into a more calming relaxing.. "normal" pose.  I have  participated in yoga at least once a week since the beginning of the pregnancy and ... today... was ... A CHALLENGE. not to mention i was flooded with Preg ( pregnancy) talk after. I have to say, i am not entirely comfortable talking about my pregnancy with strangers... I don't have any interesting stories and i actually don't mind being pregnant. I sleep better now than i ever have, and i swell only when exercise walking and at the airport ( but who doesn't). I think people really want to tell me their stories... and boy have i heard some good ones!! 

8 weeks to go.. you never know.... the honeymoon stage could be coming to an end... but for now i am enjoying it.. I think i will miss the wave of activity in my belly at night. I like trying to balance a book on my belly while reading and see how much it bounces off my stomach. Entertaining for hours.. I will also miss the belly , preg dance.. which involves pelvic trust.. which look ridiculous with a big belly ( the point...) guaranteed to break the ice at parties!! 

In closing, this week, Francois and I will finish it up with house hunting in Charleston.. SO exciting.. we will keep you updated! .. the countdown continues :) 

Back again!!

Hello all, allow me to update you on the past..... hmm few months.. 

We have had many guests and traveled many places and I have gotten more and more pregnant since the last post. As of today, Francois and I have 9 weeks until the birth of our little baby boy!!

( This was taken at 30 weeks, we now know our baby is a little more than 3lbs, and doing just fine, he is actually in the 75% for weight, so he might be a big baby. Francois was 9lbs... if that happens to me... we will have PROBLEMS! Wake me up when it's over!)

I guess the biggest thing that Francois and I have done is visit his family in France, where

 Francois and ran I Mont Blanc. Francois ran the half marathon ( 13.1) miles and I ran the 10K ( 6.2) miles ( 6 months preggers) ... Francois did amazing, the terrain was very difficult. 

( Finishing the 10K with Victoire and Gregoire!!! What a great experience!! Baby's first race in the Alps!!)

( Francois finishing his 13.1 miles, it took him 3:49 to finish, Francois usually finishes a 26  mile race in 3:20... that lets you know how hard this race actually was, and he really did not train!! Such an Athlete!) 

( Francou and me at the top!! ) 

( having a crepe after the run, the BEST energy replacement!) 

( the entire Family at the top)

We also traveled to Switzerland, stayed in a chalet in Morzine,France,  and hiked for many miles in the Alps. I always enjoy spending time with Francois' family, they are so lively and  loving. I think the funniest part of the trip is that Francois and I had to travel back to the states with a stroller, and no baby.  As we landed back home on the 4th of July, Francois and I watched fireworks from the sky, it was beautiful!! 

( Francois training to be a dad with his book) 

After settling back home for a couple of weeks, we had visitors. Victoire, our niece from France stayed with us for 2 weeks. She traveled all by her self , at the age of 11! Her first week she went to a tennis camp at the family circle cup on Daniel Island. 

( We were so proud that Victoire traveled all the way from Paris by herself!!) 

( Victoire with her favorite uncle!!)

( Victoire, playing with Cooper at Sullivan's Island, Cooper's favorite place )

( Victoire toured around Charleston, and she couldn't miss the Citadel , where Francois spent his college years)

The second week our friend Tracy and her son Aiden came to visit. Victoire was missing her two little brothers and i think Aiden helped to fill that void. 

                  ( Francois and Victoire PLaying at the Waterfront Park, I am sure that Francois felt very sick after this!!) 

Sorry for the quick update, right now we are planing on counting the weeks down until the birth, meanwhile visiting some family and friends. One of my best friends, Lane Blackwelder, just had her first baby boy Jacob, and i may visit her to get a couple of pointers. 

We expect Caroline, Francois' sister and his mother to arrive October 14th.. in hope to be here for the arrival of the baby. If the baby has not come, Caroline will put some of her midwifery skills to use and convince the baby it is time!! The due date is October 22nd!! I hope to have another post until then, and i may even find another website to use, this one is hard to upload pics and use with a mac. 

I know that i will have lots to share when the baby boy arrives!!! We cannot wait for you all to meet him. As you may also know my brother and his wife are expecting twins, and NO they do not run in our family... it is not a genetic thing... because they are identical... it is more of a cell splitting miracle thing...  My parents will be grandparents 3 times this year!!! crazy 2009!!! 

We are all very excited and cannot wait!!! Talk to you soon!

Cravings

We made it to 20 weeks!! On Monday June 8th we find out the GENDER. I have to say the pregnancy has been SUPER great... no nausea, no weird pregnancy issues, and only one craving to speak of so far... HOT DOGS!! My dad would be proud.. he would love to get the Goode Dog Wagon out !! Sorry Dad, these are Soy dogs in whole wheat buns!! not " Dirty Water Dogs"

Stassa and Jon Bergmann, The wedding

This past weekend, I watched one of my best friends  get married!! I didn't take any pictures.. WHY?.. because my dad covered the entire wedding and when Bill Goode is around... It is COVERED! Here is a sneak preview of the rehearsal and some extra pics of Stassa and Jon around Asheville. 

The happy couple had such an amazing weekend and today they are off to St. John for their Honeymoon. I will post some of my favorite pics when I can ... Have a good day !

Biggest News

Welcome back ! Francois and I have the biggest news to share with you all.  Francois and I are expecting our first baby on October 22nd!! On June 8th we find out if we are having a boy or girl!!

This is the first ultrasound taken at 7 weeks,  on March 6th.  I will be 18 weeks this Wednesday. Everything has been progressing along and we hope to share with you all the gender of the baby on June 8th. 

We are very excited and this will be my parent's first grandchild!! 

I hope this news makes up for my recent lack of posting :)