Hey everyone! I know I've been silent for nearly a month now, but that's just because I was taking most of that time to enjoy my mom's visit and to get a hang on this whole mothering thing. Now that I finally have a day that's a little bit more relaxed though, I think it's time for a proper update.

Valentine's Day 
As I may have mentioned last time, Thomas and I made our way to my 38 week check-up on the afternoon of the 14th. I'd been feeling especially pregnant (lots of soreness and Braxton-Hicks contractions) that whole week before, so I wasn't at all sure what I'd be dilated to. It turned out I was 3 cm (for real this time) and still without any complications.

While we were talking to the doctor, I let it slip that my mom was coming in for three weeks, starting that Saturday, in order to help out with the baby and all...so he decided to schedule us for a tentative elective induction on the following Tuesday. That way, if we had the baby then, not only would my mom get her full three weeks in, but he'd also assuredly be the one in the practice on delivery duty. Up until then, Thomas and I hadn't really been too keen on the whole induction idea. Sure, it's convenient, but we didn't need it. We talked about it again however and decided it actually was something to at least think about. Besides the aforementioned perks, it would allow Thomas to have a full paid week off (with President's Day) and I'd be facing induction in a week or two anyway if I hadn't had Adam by 41 weeks (the stillbirth rate dramatically increases then). So, after a few days of talking things through, we decided that, if I hadn't given birth by the day of the induction, we'd go ahead and go through with it (we could also still back out the morning of if we changed out minds).

February 18th
I hope that all of you, or at least most of you, know that this was my 24th birthday. I had originally asked to have the baby shower that afternoon because, while I didn't have anything I wanted for myself, it'd still be nice to have some sort of celebration that day. After we looked at the dates though, we decided to have it the next day and instead, my mom would be flying in that day and we'd all go out to dinner that night.

So, Thomas and I met up with Chaise that morning; drove to airport to pick Mom up; and then headed over to Sesame's (in old North Charleston) for lunch. Having not seen each other for over a year, it was really great to finally get the chance to relax and enjoy a slow afternoon together: a great birthday present. After lunch, we returned to Goose Creek; chilled at my grandmother's house; and then headed out to Summerville to have my birthday dinner at The Mustard Seed, which was especially nice, because I got to be surrounded by my entire immediate family, my husband, and my best friend. I think it was the first time, since the wedding, that we'd all gathered together like that.

Mel and I definitely had a few high school flashbacks that night too. Besides the fact that that was where Thomas and I had our first dress-up date (and I hadn't been there since then), it's also where Mel and I celebrated one of our last nights with the Winterguard, as well as where we went with a few other friends for dinner before our Senior prom. To top it all off, the radio was set on a station that seemed to play solely hits from that same year.

Mel and I at the Mustard Seed

 

I was originally planning to include the baby shower in this post too, but I feel like this whole post is very dry and boring, so I'll wait until I have a bit more creativity running through my veins and I'll give it it's own post.

So, until then (which hopefully won't be more than a day or so),
Cheers!