Packed and Ready!

39 weeks and ONE DAY!

Still no tell tale signs of his big entrance to the world but we are still prepping like those crazy doomsday preppers on that weird show (that I don't watch..I swear..ok just like 1 or 4 episodes..)

Pinterest is full of Hospital bag checklists that you can add to every pregnancy book and magazine checklist and then finally to the checklist that the actual hospital gives you so I feel pretty ready. I've probably overdone it, which is no big surprise if you've ever seen me pack for anything at all. We've also gone ahead and installed the car seat, making it feel really really real.

We are bringing two bags, one for us (mainly me) and one for baby. Here's what we've got (sorry about the iPhone pic quality):

The mommy bag:

1. Nursing tank top and a couple nursing bras
2. A few pairs of big ol granny panties-the ones that go over the belly button incase of a c section
3. A couple pairs of baggy pants
4. Some maternity shirts
5. A nightgown to deliver in
6. A robe to walk in in case I'm walking the halls to get the little guy out
7. Some comfy socks- I didn't get the non slip ones so hopefully I won't be sliding around the hallways..
8. Toiletries- mini shampoo/conditioner, soap, face wash, makeup remover, lotion, pads, etc..
9. Snacks ( I added a few more after this pic, we all know what hospital food is like) 
10. Hard candy to suck on if they cut me off from food
11. Speaker for music-we're thinking about creating a playlist
12. Not pictured- iphones. makeup, iPad, lap top, pillows. The stuff that we use on a day to day and can't throw in the bag yet. Also some clothes for Mark.

The baby bag:

1. I probably over did the clothes but I couldn't decide so I've packed a couple onesies and a long sleeve one too 
2. A sleep bag
3. Socks and an extra hat
4. A big warm fluffy outfit for the cold trip home
5. Diapers and wipes
6. Powder and cream
7. Receiving blanket and cloth diapers
8. Breast pads/nipple cream
9. A big warm blanket and a tiny soft one complete with teddy bear
10. Boppy feeding pillow

Now, I'm off to pack and repack a few more times..

H x

8 Month Update

So, here we are, in the final weeks (it seems like years...)

As I write this I am officially 38 weeks and 1 day and I am jumping with barely disguised hope every time I get a strange cramp or belly ache. I've yet to experience any of the tell tale signs of labor but I hope you will all say a little prayer for me that it will happen soon (go ahead, i'll wait..)

If all else fails I'm not above trying the eggplant parmesan at Scalini's down the road from my house to kick start the process. It's apparently worked for over 300 desperate ladies and everyone we meet mentions it to me, so maybe it's more than a rumour..and I do enjoy a nice eggplant parmesan.

So here's my latest (and hopefully last) pregnancy update:

Weight Gain: to be honest, I've asked the nurse not to tell me anymore because it bums me out so much. I did accidentally hear her at my last appointment and I'm right around the 40 lb mark which is more than I wanted to gain. This has probably been one of the hardest parts of the pregnancy for me as I had just about reached a goal weight that I had worked long and hard for right before I found out I was pregnant. I am already organizing a healthy weight loss and exercise plan to begin as soon as I get the ok from my doc so I won't get too down and out just yet.

To be perfectly honest, in my last 2 weeks of pregnancy,  I've reached the point that I couldn't care less, pass me another cookie, won't you?

The Bean: Man this kid has some moves. All the baby books tell you to not be too worried if you don't feel the baby move as much in the last weeks as he won't have as much room. Our little river dancer laughs in the face of those baby book authors and shuffles around like he's got his own little version of So You Think You Can Dance in there.

According to the books, he's about 19 inches and 6 lbs, give or take.

Sleep: Despite my best relaxation efforts sleep is not happening as much as I would like at the moment. I do take Unisom to help out, but all the aches and pains combined with the anxiety is just not a good cocktail for the z's.

Eating: Unfortunately, this hasn't changed. I still want to eat just about everything that you put in front of me, or that I see on tv, or that I can conjure up in my imagination. Luckily, our local grocery store is only minutes away..

The good, the bad, the ugly: I'm not going to lie, pregnancy is not a beautiful journey of glowing skin and luxurious long locks, at least not for me. It started that way, tricking me into the idea that I would have a full 9 months of compliments on how much I was positively glowing, dahling.

But, here I am, sitting on a couch, trying to see the computer around my gigantic belly with my gigantic swollen feet propped up, trying to type with my gigantic swollen sausage fingers.

I was a bit unlucky when I started getting pelvic and hip pains in my 5th month but now they can be pretty unbearable, making exercise impossible. Still, I didn't get any morning sickness so I shall refrain from complaining too much.

I have had some pretty ferocious heartburn, which, if the old wives tales are correct, means he will probably come out with some sort of afro.

Weirdly, and I debated writing this on here, my armpits have gotten really dark. Gross, right? When we were traveling in India and Nepal I kept seeing whitening deodorant, now I wish I had picked some up. And finally, just when I thought I had avoided them, the first of my lovely stretch marks have shown up. I know they are genetic but I also noticed they only appeared when I slowed down on drinking water so guzzle that H2O ladies!! Luckily, there are only a few so, again, I will not complain too much.

I'm going to get an adorable baby boy for all my troubles so it's all worth it, right?

We spent last weekend cleaning the house (nesting) and his nursery is just about ready, we're just waiting on the hand made crib from grandpa (pics to come).

The hospital bags are packed and the car seat has been installed.

Now we wait....

H x

Settled and Showered

WE ARE FINALLY IN OUR HOUSE! Cue the chorus of angels...

I've not updated in a while because, to be honest, it would have been something like:

Day 1: sat at my parents house waiting for word from the moving company
Day 2: Sat at my parents house waiting for word from the moving company, played with the dogs...
Day 3: Went to Target, still no word from the moving company..

Not exactly interesting reading..


We did, however, have a pretty fantastic baby shower thrown for us by my lovely mom and sister. I'm still blown away by the love and support we received for Baby Bean, and he's not even here yet. Baby C got a ton of good gear and I'm feeling just a little bit more prepared now.

Here's some pics of our AMAZING shower. Thanks again Mom and Amber!!!!

Thanks to everyone who came and made Mark and me (and Bean) feel so loved.

H x

7 Month update!

Baby prep is in full gear despite the fact that we're still in limbo with the move to Atlanta. The good news is we do have a house in Smyrna now and the nursery has already been painted the lovely shade of gray that we chose for Bean's first room. The bad news is, that's about all we have. A few days ago I had pretty consistent Braxton Hicks contractions which had me more than a little freaked out and once the worry had passed and we realized we weren't going to meet Bean, it hit me how much we have to do to prepare (and how much of the baby stuff we already purchased is in the container that is sat in customs..)

I've been to two midwife appointments now in Atlanta at Intown Midwifery. I will be honest, a midwifery in the states would probably not have been our first choice if we were insured, but I'm pretty happy with our decision now. We would have used a midwife in England if we stayed as it's standard procedure but it's a little bit different here.

Our first appointment left me in tears as the midwife I met was a bit old school and made me feel guilty because I 1.didn't want a water birth  2. Hadn't read the books she thought I should have read and 3. Made me feel completely and totally unprepared without offering any real help. Luckily, the second midwife I met (they are on a rotating schedule so you may meet the same one twice) was a much better fit for me. She really put me at ease and even gave me some stretches to help with this awful pelvic pain (whine whine whine...)

So, I'm in my 8th month now and here's what's happening:

Crazy Cravings: Does everything count? I mean every. single. thing, from chocolate chip cookies to jalapenos, I want it all. I'm trying to be a little more careful what I'm eating these days as the last month or so I've gone a little crazy and I'm noticing it in my increased cheek size (both sets). Only 2 months left to go so no reason to get carried away now, right?

Bean's Stats: The little guy is growing like a weed and gaining weight like mad. He is around 17.5 inches and 4.25 lbs.

Movement: Holy smokes this kid has moves. As I write this he's celebrating an Arsenal goal with his daddy.  I can feel little hands and feet move across my belly now and he's pretty good at playing bladder bongos. We're only just getting to the point where the occasional kick brings tears to my eyes but it's mostly just the sweet little movements that makes us realize he'll be here very very soon.

Weight Gain/Maternity Clothes: So far so good as I'm just over 30 lbs gain although it seems to go mostly to my face. I won't lie, I was stressing out about gaining weight because I had just about reached my goal weight before we found out Bean was on his way. It doesn't seem so important now, I just want to be careful to not go too crazy so it won't be impossible to get back to normal after he gets here. I'm still in the same size maternity pants that I started in but I do see leggings being a staple in the next few weeks.

Belly Button: In! Thank God, I'm so weirded out by the idea of it sticking out...not long left so fingers crossed it stays securely IN.

Mood: Generally good, just trying to stay busy and not think of the impending labor and delivery right around the corner (yikes!). I'm more than a little nervous about our stuff being held up but very excited about our baby shower this weekend!

Now, I'm off to finish packing my hospital bag because, as more and more people are telling me, it can really happen any time now...

H x

Campfires and Carving

So, we're still living at my parents house......

Our stuff got held up in Chicago because of a box of alcohol we shipped over, now it's being held in Atlanta because of a box of alcohol we shipped over. We really don't even care about the alcohol that much and would gladly have left it with our friends in the UK (Lord knows they like a bit of alcohol) if we'd known it would be such a big deal. I'm thinking that when it finally comes through we'll have a big party where everyone can drink all the bloody alcohol in one sitting-except for me of course because I can't have any.....

*rant over*

In the meantime we've been enjoying the changing weather and the holiday season kicking off with some pumpkin carving, campfires and long walks on the beach. We also had a cheeky little trip to the Flea Market which was a first for Mark, he doesn't like to talk about it. It's a hard life..

Also, Georgia beat Florida. yessssssssss.

Until we fix our camera, I have to rely on iPhone snaps..

 

Amber and I comparing pumpkins

 

Mark takes pumpkin carving very seriously

  

Amber's finished work

 gross

 

Beans very first pumpkin, compliments of his grandpa

 All done

 

Grandpa carving Bean's first pumpkin

 

Roasting marshmallows

  

Our first trip to Tybee since arriving in the states

 

  

Under the boardwalk

 

Amber's a zebra, not a cat.

 The only good thing to come from the Flea Market

I'm going to post a bean update today if it kills me,  as soon as I can squeeze myself into my update dress I will get it up!

H x

 

Roadtripping: North Carolina Mountains

ok ok ok. I told myself when I started a blog that I was going to keep up with it. Life has a way of getting in the way so just a couple weeks later here's what's been going on in the Cleverly abode (or the Odum abode as we're still camped out at my parents house)

We set off bright and early a few Fridays ago following my parents and their gigantic camper to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. We were hesitant to take the long trip as we only had a couple days to spend before having to jet off to Atlanta for our first midwife appointment but we decided when we moved back stateside that we would make the most of living in one of the most beautiful countries in the world so we sucked it up and made the 7 hour drive. 

Believe it or not, it was my first time to the NC mountains, so I was just as excited as M and we weren't disappointed by the views, just by the lack of time we had. We stayed in a campground with my parents camping crew that consisted of 4 other gigantic campers (I think we can call it glamping when the majority of the accommodation has marble counter tops and fireplaces..) We had walks in the woods and M got to experience his first proper Country stores. We ate fried green tomatoes and pulled pork sandwiches and washed it down with Sweet Tea (not M, he hates the stuff)

I took some photos but strangely, when we visited an old church where our friends were married years ago, a church with a long haunted history, my memory card corrupted and we lost them all. Coincidence? It's much more fun to think it wasn't...

Here's a few I snapped with my iPhone..

 

Mountain Man

H x

Farewell London

So, we've officially crossed the Atlantic and unpacked our bags in my parents house where we'll be for the next 4 or 5 weeks before we move on to Atlanta.

I love my hometown, and  I will always have a connection to Savannah that you can only feel with a place you were born and raised but I have a little hole in my heart for London.

I mentioned before that it took me a while to get used to life in the big city, and even had the occasional 'I'm-going-home-I-hate-this-place' moments but once I found my way, I fell in love. I started as the Southern girl who smiled at everyone and always waved at my neighbors, no doubt making more than a few people think I was 'special' and ended as the hardened city slicker who politely avoided eye contact on public transportation and grumpily shouted at tourists who stood on the left side of the escalator.

London is like no other city I've been to, it is bursting with history set along side an ever expanding modern mecca. An ancient Tower, where some of the worlds most powerful rulers lead and some of them died, proudly stands across the river from a building made of glass where the Mayor of London runs the city. You can't walk down a street without hearing 10 different languages and being different is embraced, not ridiculed. Fashion is life in the coolest parts of London, and although I tried my hardest, the fashion scene left me in the dust, but it was still fun to try.

In the 4 years I was there, I never owned a car and only drove once in an ill fated trip down a country road that left Mark clinging to the door handle and screaming like a small and very scared girl. We walked everywhere, and I loved it. 

About a year ago I got the opportunity to work for a London ad agency. A very good friend we met on the beaches of Thailand helped me get my foot in the door and I couldn't be more grateful, it was an amazing experience. I worked on a major fast food brand account and learned so much about the industry, the good the bad and the ugly. We had the super swanky office in the poshest part of London and I met some life long friends. 

Of course, Mark's family lives right outside of the city so we will visit often, but there's nothing like being a Londoner.

London according to my iPhone:

High Tea for my baby shower

 

 

My going away celebration at work

 

Jubilee Oxford Street

 

View from the top of the Gherkin

 

Juls and Mark 

 

Work goodbye gifts

 

One of my favorite people in England

 

Sloane Avenue dahhling

 

Handmade pottery bunting my lovely coworker

 

The Gherkin

 

Julias drum solo in the Soho hotel

 

Mind the Gap

 

Carnaby Street

 

Working hard

 

Jade

 

Creative development at work..

 

Brick Lane curry

Now, I'm off to the beach