Griffin Update

Today marks the beginning of our TEN DAY COUNTDOWN to Griffin! (assuming I make it all the way to our induction date of Wednesday, April 24th).  I am beyond uncomfortable, but given how swollen and MISERABLE I was with Mason West at this point I really don't feel I can complain too much :)  

This was my last "official" week at school (I'm still planning the Middle School SemiFormal and 6th Grade Movie Night so I know I'll be up at school often) and several students surprised me with sweet little gifts for Griffin.  I'm LOVING This sweet little hat :)

I got ALL my hospital stuff ready and packed... I'm "living" out of my makeup bag and my favorite pjs are washed and ready - it's crazy I'm already here!!!  And yes, Griffin has her own bag to take to the hospital :)  With the boys I put an outfit in a ziploc baggie and threw it in my purse... Griffin has two different gowns, a couple of bows and a sweet blanket from her brothers packed away in her own bag. SO FUN!

After an emotional night on Thursday (hormones, coupled with Friday being my last day of work and the realization that I was going to have to BIRTH another baby kind of hit me all at one time.  I didn't take any classes this time, read any books or do any of the traditional baby prep and so I kind of had a freak out moment.  It wasn't anything that a good cry, bowl of cookies and cream ice cream and shower couldn't handle, though), I was looking through pictures from the hospital with both boys and came across these...

 Both of these were taken late at night on the days that they were born.  Mason West on the top and Luke Buchanan in the bottom pic. Thinking about these sweet snuggles helped put some of my anxiety at ease :)

I ordered this dress pretty much because 1) it's unique and 2) her car-loving big brothers will DEFINITELY approve :)

My plan was to work all the way to Friday, April 19th, but with my sub in place and a need for some rest before baby I opted to make this Friday, April 12th my final day.  My sub observed me teach on Monday/Tuesday and then I turned my classes over to him on Wednesday and observed/offered help/answered questions/etc the rest of the week.

This is Griffin and I (and a cute little photo bomber) before leaving for work on Friday.

Who's excited to be on maternity leave?!?!?! THIS GIRL!!!

A cute little Fall ensemble arrived in the mail on Friday :)

I got in touch with a friend who does embroidery a couple weeks ago wanting a few onesies done to match some legwarmers, pants, and shorts that I had and, sweet lady that she is, she offered to do them as a baby gift!  All of her kids went to MCA and I had the privilege of having her youngest in Student Government for a couple of years.  She did such a great job!

I was dilated a bit last week and hope that by this Tuesdays appointment I will have made even more progress.  Both Luke and Mason came on their own, before their due date - and that's what I hope will happen with Griffin.  Until then, I'm eating lots of strawberry popsicles, putting my feet up as much as I can and nesting like CRAZY (seriously, that's a post in itself).  I'm trying to get lots of rest and really enjoy the boys before my attention is "diverted".  :)