In a Holding Pattern

I had a difficult time starting this blog entry. Not because there isn't anything going on...trust me, there's plenty of things still taking place. It's mainly because we're at the point in the pregnancy where we are in the "baby holding pattern". I almost feel like we're in a plane with Amanda as the pilot and I'm the co-pilot. We're circling the airport waiting for a runway to clear so we can bring Olivia Airlines flight #1 in for a (hopefully) smooth landing. In the meantime, we're "preparing the cabin for landing" by tying up any loose ends left dangling around. I attended Daddy Boot Camp last week Thursday and that was very educational. They had a couple baby dolls so the guys could practice changing diapers and also had an "empathy suit" so the guys could feel the extra weight and awkwardness their wives/significant others are putting up with. It was an excellent class and I would highly recommend it to any guy getting ready to be a dad.

Amanda and I were supposed to go to a breastfeeding class this past Saturday, but she felt sick with a sore throat and was simply worn down...so we'll attend the next available class in another week or so.

The appointment with the ObGyn on Monday was uneventful. The next appointment will be on the 28th and it will include the next ultrasound. Monday we also went out and purchased the last wave of items needed before Olivia graces us with her presence. Included in the purchase were diapers, wipes, crib and bassinet sheets, thermometer, children's Tylenol, and more hand sanitizer (I guess you can never have too much of that stuff). A big thank you goes out to my dad for picking up the tab from this last mini shopping spree.

Tuesday was of course Valentine's Day and it was also my Dad's birthday...Happy Birthday Dad!!! For Valentine's Day, Amanda got me three different types of chocolate collections. As a verifiable chocoholic, that's just what I needed. I'm sure my waistline will thank me later. For Amanda, I bought her some flowers and a card...but I also did some of the things around the house that she wanted to do but simply didn't have the time or energy to get finished. The biggest thing I did was put the finishing touches on the nursery. I bought a couple power strips for all the nursery items that require electricity...and the number of items totaled more than the number of plugs available. I put up the curtain rod and valence. I put all the toys away and the tools in their proper places. The result is: The nursery is now fully baby ready. Here is the last batch of pictures of the nursery before Olivia makes her arrival:





Everything is looking good...especially my gorgeous bride and mother-to-be! I got a little ahead of myself in the previous blog entry when I said it was week 34...that was actually week 33. This is now week 34:

One more thing before I wrap up this entry...this morning, my stepdad Warren (he's the one who was such a big help in getting the nursery painted) became dizzy and briefly passed out at my sister's house in Indiana. He was taken to the hospital where he's being monitored, but is doing just fine. It appears that Warren's body told Warren's hard-working mind and spirit to take a break for a few days! Still, I'd like to ask everyone to keep Warren in their prayers. Thank you very much! More to come soon!