Update- 35 weeks

It's been a bit since I've posted, and I kept wanting to have something long, with lots of fun stories and details, and pictures, but this one will sadly be extremely quick, short, and sweet.

The doctor's appointment this week went well. The baby's heart rate was 150 bpm, growing right on schedule, I'm doing well, blood pressure's normal, etc. Baby is head down, and now we start going every week.

We've been continuing to work on things around the house. Brian worked hard to install the downstairs steps before my parents visited to help us with more remodeling projects. As far as preparing the "nursery," this week Brian helped me finish and install the valances for the windows.

We're also close to getting the basement ready for carpet, since it will probably be installed the second week of March (just in time!).

My best friends from college came up this weekend and surprised me with an amazing baby shower! Now, the baby will have clothes, a way to get to the house, lots of entertaining toys, fantastic books, blankets, etc, etc. I woke up last night thinking through all the things we received from wonderful friends and family and it started to become really "real." Not that the being inside of me bouncing around, kicking, jamming into my ribs, etc, didn't not make it real. And seeing a heart beating during the ultrasound didn't not make it real... But thinking about all the items, like the car seat, that the baby will be sitting in, and sleeping in, and we'll be carting him/her around in, in about a month, really made it real. Scary, and exciting all at the same time. I wonder how I will "change" after the baby's born. I wonder if my priorities will change, if the little things in life I value will change, how I'll manage the "balance", etc. These are things that one cannot plan for, and although I completely realize and accept that, it does make the future exciting and makes me a little nervous.