Freedom!

It has been a long time coming, but I am finally finished with work and can fully focus my attention on the little one growing inside. My line of work coupled with Wisconsin's winter weather (which hit like a freight train this year!) have made the past month of my pregnancy the hardest. Imagine helping 16 four-year-olds get ready to go outside in frigid temperatures (yep, 1 degree F) when you can't even bend down to tie your own shoes! I have loved my time at work, working with wonderful people and adorable kids, but I am oh so happy to be done! I unleashed my belly for a photo to celebrate the end.

As you can see from the photo, my hardest month of pregnancy has also been the one of most growth. We are seeing the doctor every two weeks now. Between our late November visit and our early December visit, I gained 8 pounds! I mostly chalk that up to my father-in-law's yummy Thanksgiving dinner, but it was quite a surprise. I have tapered off now and am just concentrating on eating well, resting a lot, and putting my swollen feet up as much as I can. I officially cannot fit into any of my shoes comfortably. I have been living in slippers and my tennis shoes that are hardly tied. Anyone have any fat laces?

As much as I've been preoccupied with the little things in life lately (commuting, aches and pains, tasks to complete, etc.), the wonder and amazement at what is happening inside me is always forefront. The baby is head down now and I receive nice little kicks in the ribs every now and then. He's so big in there now that his rolling around is a little less frequent, but he takes my entire belly with him when he does roll. What a strange feeling! I feel incredibly blessed to have life growing inside of me and Greg and I continue to feel a mixture of assured confidence and complete ignorance when we think about the impending responsibility of parenthood. I do know that our kid is going to be super loved and that seems like priority number one at this point!