6 months has passed since my last blog.  Wow… 6 months!  Evan was 3 weeks old with the last one.  Crazy how fast time goes by isn’t it?  How much do I need to write to get caught up?  I mean, I don’t think anyone that will read this doesn’t have a facebook or a twitter to see my seemingly constant updates (“Going to run errands…”). Or my endless uploads of pictures of Evan   (“He can hold a sippy cup… woohoo!!”)

So do I really need to write all that much?  Maybe.  Because most of the time, you don’t see the emotions behind those updates.  You don’t see the flurry of thoughts that are swirling around those words even if they do seem mundane.  “Evan is sleeping.”  Ordinary to you… sweet sweet words to a tired mommy.   Updates give you a glimpse into a person’s life, and their thoughts.  Those little updates are a chance for some, like me,  to get the feelings out so they can quit chewing on them.  Maybe next time you read an update that makes you go “hmmmm.”  Maybe you should answer.  Ask if they’re ok, or encourage them.  If it’s something that’s awesome, say so!  You’d be amazed at how one little sentence can refresh a person.

Evan is 3 weeks now   I can’t belive that much time as gone by!  He is already changing.  His little face is chubbier, and he only now resembles the little person I met at the hospital.  Bringing him home and getting settled into my new role has been one that I have loved.  But to be honest, I think I’ll be ok with going back to work for a couple days a week.  I hope that doesn’t sound bad.  I love him to death, but I think that having a few hours away to not have to worry about him might be a good thing.  Josh and I had a date night on Friday night for the first time since he’s been born.  My parents watched Evan while we went to dinner and to a movie.  It was like hitting the refresh button.  When I got back, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on that sweet little face   At the hospital, the thought of going back to work and leaving him for any period of time brought me to tears.  But we’ll see how I do in a couple of weeks.

Today I was playing with him in his room and he started to get fussy and cry a little bit, so I pulled him close and started rocking him and singing “Jesus loves me” while sitting on the floor.  I moved us to the rocking chair and just sat there watching him sleep.  It was the best.  I swear every time I look at him my heart swells up just a little bit more.  I am just so proud of him and every time he hits a little milestone, (he smiled at me on Sunday!) I think to myself “My baby is a genius!”

Being the mommy to this little boy is the best thing (besides Josh) that has EVER happened to me!  Maybe I’ll go watch him sleep again… just for a second…

I should’ve done this earlier but I would like to introduce Evan Joshua Conti!!! He’s finally here! He was born on Friday, April 24th at 1:13 pm (Cher Hitte’s birthday!). Weighed in at a hefty 8 lbs. 3 ozs. 20 inches long!

We are so proud of him! I’ve been a mommy now for a week and this week has been nothing short of the most amazing week of my life. There are times when I look at him and tears just want to come pouring out because I can’t believe it. He really is a miracle. To think that 10 months ago he didn’t even exist is just mind boggling!

Josh has been great. He’s turned into the most amazing husband and father I could imagine. He’s cooking and cleaning and has picked up the fine art of the diaper change. I love having him here all day and I’m going to miss him when he goes back to work.

I am just so thankful that God has blessed me with such an amazing little boy, who at this moment is passed out on my shoulder. He’s just too sweet!

So I’ve reached the point where I’m about to lose my mind. I’m done being pregnant. I’m antsy, and can’t sit still. I was up last night at 11:30 cleaning my house and organizing Evan’s room… all while Josh was sleeping. Then I sat on my big ol’ ball and drank chocolate milk while watching TV.
I just want to see my baby! I want to meet him and start that part of our life! Josh told me today that he’s getting antsy too. I’ve been reading up on the pre-labor symptoms and signs that you’re in labor hoping I have even just one of them. Josh asks me every time he talks to me if I’ve had any contractons. Sadly, not really today.
At my last appointment, Evan was 7 and a half pounds! Already! I don’t have another appointment until the 20th because my doc will be on vacation. And if he’s over 8 and a half pounds at that point, I’m going to ask to be induced because I don’t want to run the risk of going over my due date and having a 9 poind baby! That’s a big boy!
So whenever Evan’s ready I am too… all of us are.

Well ladies and gentlemen… I only have 15 days left until Evan is supposed to be here!  Now granted, I know he won’t show up right on his due date, that would be too easy!  So he could make his appearance any time.  It could be a week, or 5 hours!  Who knows.  I just can’t wait to see his little face   We’ve got everything ready as far as I know, although I do get the feeling like I’m forgetting something important. 

We were trying so hard to get him to come before Candace left, that girl had me walking all over creation!  Bounced on a big ball for a couple of hours.  I guess Evan will be here in his own time though.  Although if he’s not here by a week after my due date, the Dr. is going to induce me.  So at least we know he won’t be here any later than the 30th!  I had an epiphany the other day.  I had been acting like if I didn’t help him along, he won’t come.  But he has to come at some point, so I should just relax

Well, I’ve almost made it! 35 weeks today and Evan’s still in there!  Late last night we did have a little bit of a scare with me having some contractions at home, so off the hospital we went to make sure the little booger wasn’t trying to escape!  But after being there for 2 hours I was allowed to go home.  Everything looks good!  Of course, all the stuff that was going on at home decided to stop once we go to the 3rd floor… isn’t that how it always works?

I’ve just got to slow down (and according to the doctor… drink a lot of orange juice *shrug*).  So today I have an unexpected day off.  I’m already down to 3 days a week so the slowing has begun.  Evan just needs to stay in there at least 10 more days because of Amanda’s wedding!  And after that I’ll be full term and he can come any time he wants as far as I’m concerned   I’m very anxious to meet him!

But while at the hospital, I watched a couple come into the triage room to get checked out… that poor girl looked miserable.  And a short time later the nurse lead them both to a birthing room.  And then Josh and I both sat there for 2 hours listening to extremely mad babies in the nursery scream their little lungs out.  It was just all so surreal and it made me nervous for a little bit because I realized that in a couple of weeks I’ll be going through all this for real!  The line on the contraction monitor won’t be staying as still as it was last night.  I guess it was our little test run.  But hopefully, the next time we go up there will be to bring our little guy home

Well, I am 2 days away from being 33 weeks.  I just realized how quickly these past few weeks have flown by and in about 7 weeks we’ll be meeting our little Evan (insert squeal of delight here)!  I had a doctor’s appointment this morning and everything was great!  He’s measuring a little big for the week that I am, so I might be in for a big boy

The first of my 2 baby showers was yesterday.  Carrie and Brittany did an amazing job!  When I get the picture of the cake that Brittany made I’ll post it, it was awesome!  I am just so thankful for friends and family who are ready to love this baby as much as we will.

Right now, I’m waiting for word from Josh who’s stuck in Orlando trying to get a flat tire fixed.  Poor guy, he hates when stuff like this happens.  I honestly wish I was over there dealing with it instead of him… I think I deal with the unexpected better than he does (sorry babe, it’s true…)

Keep me in your prayers this week!

Well we’ve been in our new place for 2 weeks and we’re still loving it!  I was telling Josh last night that it’s just more comfortable than our last place.  We’re just trying to get used to the noises.  Neither one of us have had any upstairs neighbors since our apartments before we got married!  The only really bad night was when they decided to have a little get together at 3AM!

What’s hilarious is that we don’t even use all the rooms.  Obviously we’re not really using Evan’s room yet, but the living room gets passed by compeltely!  The only TV is in the bedroom so we kind of exist in there.

Evan’s doing very well.  I’m 30 weeks and he’s getting huge!  At least to me anyway.  From everything I read, he’s about 3 lbs.  I have a doctors appointment on Monday to see how I fared with the last glucose test I did.  That would be my 3rd one!  I didn’t have to drink any gross stuff this time so that was good   I’m just amazed at how hard it is to do stuff now.  I can’t even sit up in bed on my own!  I have to roll over!  But I am having a hard time making myself slow down.  I keep trying to carry on like I have been and being busy as ever, but I’m finding that I regret it the next day.  I have to keep telling myself I don’t want bedrest to make myself slow down.

So yeah, we’re getting down to the wire!  Only 9 and a half weeks to go!  It seems like this pregnancy has gone by so fast!

I just saw that a woman in California gave birth to Octuplets. That’s 8 babies! Count em… 8! I’m feeling overwhelmed with how I’m going to take care of one… but 8?! That just amazes me. God Bless her. She’s going to need every bit of help she can get. I’m just sitting here shaking my head in utter amazement.

We had our last birthing class tonight… I’ll miss it.  It was fun!  I liked learning about all that stuff.  This class has really made the fact that we’re having a baby hit home.  It’s made it all seem that much more real!  I was sitting there in class trying to picture this little person wrapped up with crazy dark hair sticking out in multiple directions (like his daddy).   So now I find my mind mulling over random questions or thoughts periodically throughout the day.   Like, “how is the whole working thing going to work out once Evan’s here?”  or “I wonder how paranoid I’ll be while driving in the car with him in the backseat and I don’t hear any noise… is he sleeping, or not breathing?”  or this one too ” I wonder who’s going to watch him while I’m singing on Sunday mornings during the service that my parents don’t attend.”  It’s all so random!  Life as I know it is going to drastically change.  Maybe that’s why my blood pressure was a little higher than normal at my last appointment.

I realize that I won’t be able to just up and do stuff anymore.  I’ll have to have time to prepare.  Getting up on Sunday morning 20 minutes before we have to walk out the door isn’t going to work anymore so I better relish it while I can.  Everything’s going to take at least half an hour of preparation, and that’s just for the baby!  Feeding, changing (clothes and diaper), packing a diaper bag, probably changing something else, putting him in the carseat… so much stuff that will have to be done!  Can you tell my mind’s been going at a mad pace? Not unlike a hamster spinning away on the wheel in it’s cage.

But all in all Evan’s an amazing gift that we’re being given.  I can’t wait to meet him and start being our little family.  I don’t know what the future holds, but God does.  I don’t know how we’ll do, but I do know that we’ll survive… that much I do know!  Even if it’s by the skin of our teeth or by the bags under our unclosed eyes at 4am.