It's 4:15am

... and I can't sleep. I fell asleep just fine around 11:00 last night, and woke up around 2:15 for my normal nightly activities. The only difference tonight is that it's been 2 hours and I cannot seem to fall back asleep. I finally surrendered to the living room about 1/2 hour ago so that I can watch TV without worrying about waking Brandon up. Of course, at 4am, the only thing on is paid programming, so it is a good thing that I have FRIENDS on DVD. This show has seen me through many bouts of insomnia and it looks like it will once again be keeping me company at obscene hours of the night.

Thankfully we have a doctor's appointment at 3:15 today, which means I get to leave work at 3. I'm taking Friday off to be pampered at the spa thanks to the lovely ladies I work with and my fabulous husband who chipped in to get me an incredible 3 1/2 hour spa package. This is going to be a good week to not be working 40 hours ... I can already tell.

People speculate that these bouts of pregnancy insomnia are to prepare you for when the baby comes and there isn't as much time for sleep ... but I would just like to say that I'm not a fan. Let me sleep now so that when the baby comes, I haven't already turned into a sleepless zombie! Seriously!

Anyway, that being said, I just yawned three times ... so perhaps sleep will return for at least a couple hours before I wake up to start the week. Perhaps we should invest in a coffee pot...

Allow me to be cheesy for just a moment. :)

I don't do this as often as I used to, but I am going to take a moment and say that I am truly blessed ... my husband makes every day better, brighter, and easier. This song pretty much sums it up.

End corniness. :)

I Just Call You Mine
Martina McBride

I pinch myself sometimes to make sure I'm not in a dream
That's how it seems
I close my eyes and breathe in the sweetest moments I've ever known
It feels like home
And here I am I want to be your everything
There you are
Turning winter into spring

And everyone who sees you
Always want's to know you
And everyone who knows you
Always have a smile
You're standing ovation after years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine

I fall apart
Just a word from you just somehow seems to fix
Whatever's wrong
Oh, you reach into the weakest moments
And remind me that I'm strong
You've got to know
I'd be a fool not to see you even worse
To forget that you're more than I deserve

Cause everyone who sees you
Always want's to know you
And everyone who knows you
Always have a smile
You're standing ovation after years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine

Nothing makes sense when you're not here
As if my whole world disappears
Without you what's the point of it

Cause everyone who sees you
Always want's to know you
And everyone who knows you
Always have a smile
You're the dream that I've been chasin' after years of waiting
For a chance to finally shine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine
Everyone calls you amazing
I just call you mine

31 weeks!

So we are now down to less than two hands worth of weeks before Aspen makes her appearance. It is hard to believe that in two months, I'll be a mom! Yikes! In terms of my belly size, I think dresses are deceiving because you can't use my legs as a frame of reference for how far my belly sticks out. This is probably okay though because like I said, I am starting to feel huge! This, of course, is a good thing because it means my little girl is growing ... but still.

Your pregnancy: 31 weeks

How your baby's growing:

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

30 weeks

Needless to say, I am starting to feel hugeeeeee. And we still have 2 months to go!

Your pregnancy: 30 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

The last two weeks in a nutshell.

I haven't updated since writing about our camping trip over Labor Day weekend because not much has been happening since then. September FLEW by and I cannot believe it's already October! October means that we are only 2 1/2 months away from becoming parents -- yikes!

Anyway, the events of September (post camping in Bend) include visiting our parents in Medford, cleaning the house (in its entirety) and finally putting pictures up on the wall (it only took 3 months!), hosting a deliciously fun dessert party, and that is about it. We, of course, went to work and what have you ... but that is nothing exciting enough to blog about. I didn't take any pictures at the dessert party, although I wish I had! We had about 15 people over and a plethora of yummy treats. Luckily I had passed my gestational diabetes test earlier in the month, so we could still have the party! ;)

In other news, I have a doctor's appt on Tuesday and after that we start seeing her every 2 weeks! I can't believe it! We've made significant progress on the nursery as well. I have finished all of the canvas art I was planning to make, we purchased the crib (for $60 on craigslist!) and the dresser, have started organizing the closet (what we have so far), and have shifted furniture to where it will likely stay. We've also purchased both the infant and convertible car seats with the money Maka and Bubba generously sent us. I also finished cleaning out the extra boxes today, so now we just have baby things in the baby's room! :)

Yesterday we went to our first baby class -- Breastfeeding and Baby Care. It was really informative and although it was 8 hours long, the instructors made it pass by really quickly! One of them even popped the head off one of the babies in the middle of the class! It was an accident of course, but it was hilarious! haha We learned a lot about soothing an inconsolable baby, swaddling, etc ... as well as what a good latch should look and feel like etc. Like I said, we really learned a lot and are glad that we went. We are going on a hospital tour on Wednesday night and then we have a Childbirth Prep class in November.

As for what's coming up this month -- we're going to Medford this weekend to celebrate Sarah's 17th birthday. Also, my mom and KC are throwing me a baby shower on Saturday, which should be really fun! The following weekend, Amanda is throwing me another shower in Portland. People are far too kind to us, but we certainly will not be caught complaining! :) I think that's all we've got planned so far ... but that's two full weekends in a row. We've been so incredibly busy since we got back from Utah that it is really hard to believe! I think we've only had 1 or 2 weekends since June that have been completely free of plans! Geez!

That being said, we do have to go to work tomorrow and I am pretty tired already, even though it's only 10:00. Time to convince Brandon that it's time to venture upstairs! :) Have a great week!

Some neat progressions.

In looking through my belly pictures, I realized that I had three different sets of pictures in the exact same outfit. They are fun to look at since they're so far apart. :) I still can't believe how much my belly has grown ... or, consequently, how much Aspen has grown!

29 weeks! Only 11 to go! Yikes!

Don't mind the fact that I look like poop in this picture -- I had only been awake for a little bit and definitely had not showered yet. I do enjoy that my belly just makes my shirt a big tent these days though. :)

Your pregnancy: 29 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

28 weeks

28 weeks. I think the pictures from week 27 and 28 are funny because I definitely have pictures from early in the 2nd trimester in the same outfits. The pictures look NOTHING alike!

Your pregnancy: 28 weeks

How your baby's growing:

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

27 weeks

Yes, this is two weeks late... but that's okay. :) Here's my big ole belly at 27 weeks! Crazy to think that it's just going to get bigger!

Your pregnancy: 27 weeks

How your baby's growing:

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.