February!

This year is already flying by. This is the month. THE month.

Jan 29th:
My coworkers threw me a lil thing. It was really nice and low-key, just how I would have wanted it. It made me realize how much my boss actually knows me. I’ve been there for 5 years now. I think I really will miss them, but I am happy to move on. I got fun presents, and like 3 new outfits for baby- which I realized are the only new things I have. I am actually really proud of that- that I was able to collect everything as hand-me-downs and homemade stuff. These outfits are great though, and I’m happy to have them. I got other beautiful things both for baby and myself. I felt so honored and loved by them.

Jan 30th:
The past few days have been some of the coldest this year. I mean BITTER. With the wind it’s been in the negatives. We came home from work and our storm door was cracked in two and just hanging there. Jeff of course quick-fixed it so it works for now, but I was amazed that the wind just snapped it it half like that.

Jan 31st:
The henna thing that I was gonna do fell through unfortunately. The woman who does it is going to (or has had) a baby! So happy news, but not so happy timing for me. I was sort of counting on that for some nice pictures, but ah well. My sister in law said I can get a prenatal massage instead, which truthfully I am equally excited about. oooh massage…
Anyway, I thought I would try to take some prego pictures myself. Maya has been very clingy lately, and she tends to stick right by me whenever I’m into any activity other than sleep. I think it’s sweet, but not so conducive to pictures I guess. She was of course giving my belly a nice wet kiss.

Feb 1st:

Today has been interesting. I’ve been crampy all day and having loads of Braxton Hicks contractions, and I wonder if I may be closer than I thought. I’m staying calm about it and keeping myself occupied for the most part. I know that pre-labor stuff can last for weeks so I don’t want to jump the gun mentally. I know it will happen when it happens. I do feel more like being close to home though, and I feel like rest is important right now. I’m going to do my best to follow my intuition. I plan to do some really good cleaning and last minute organizing tomorrow, just so I can feel a little more set.

I did want to talk about my beautiful Blessing Way. It was just my sisters and four of my closest friends. We had dinner, which was this amazing Mexican chicken soup where you get to add all these things to it like avocado and cheese and tortilla strips and sour cream. It was SO GOOD. Like, surprisingly delicious. We all were slurping it up and getting seconds. I will absolutely be making that for years to come, and I’ll post the recipe here as soon as I get it. You all must try this. Then everyone went around and presented me with beads for a necklace that I can wear during labor. Each bead meant something and, I think, represented the person who gave it to me. I’m going to put it together tonight and I’ll soon post a picture of it all finished.
Then everyone went around and gave me a poem or a story or something that they thought was inspiring or that I should have. My little sister wrote me a lovely and silly poem. My older sister read me this cool passage about birth from a book she’s reading. My friend Becky made me a cd, and printed me off some of the lyrics that she felt inspired by (this cd is also going to be great for during labor I think too, it’s beautiful). My friend Annie read us a children’s story. My friend Katy gave me one of her family traditions- a story that her parents would read to her the night before her birthday. It’s all about a child that wants to come down to Earth and how that child chooses it’s family and stuff. It’s actually adapted for this baby, by her (as it was for her and her sisters), and it describes the little soul peering through our window and seeing a warm house with a man and a woman and a fluffy dog and two rats. Needless to say we were all crying at the end. It was pure gushy loveliness.
Then we had homemade flan with fruit, which was also straight up amazing, and then just hung out and talked. There was of course more to the night, but I’ve highlighted the important parts. My sisters did an amazing job for me, I really couldn’t thank them enough, and I just feel so overwhelmed by how loved I feel. I really feel like people know me and care about this transition in my life, and that leaves me feeling strong and peaceful. It’s invaluable. That night was far more important and intimate than any shower that I could’ve gotten.

Also, Lindsay- I got that cd a couple of days ago! Thank you thank you! I’m so excited to listen to it!

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Gracie

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