Happy Friday!

Will be a short post today as we don't have too much to update you on in Ethan's world! Other than being extremely cute, it's been a quiet week for us! We had a playdate with our friend Cooper, went for a walk, took a bath, snuggled, had lunch with Ginka - ohhh the life of a newborn! We are looking forward to our visit with Great-Grandma Ann, Great-Aunt Sharon, and cousin Sarah this weekend. We also get to see Aunt Kristen and cousin Jayden! Look for Ethan's two-month update next week!

Hoosier In Training!

Let me start off by saying how excited we are that daddy's home from Florida!! Ethan took his first "big" trip to Indianapolis on Friday to pick him up from the airport. He did awesome - slept the whole way there and back! Daddy couldn't wait to get his hands on him! While we did just fine during daddy's trip, it's amazing the difference an extra set of hands can make! (Big shout out to Ginka and Papaw who helped me so much the past two weeks - and every day)!

We took Ethan to his first Indiana football tailgate on Saturday! He definitely wasn't as excited as his parents =) We had a group of friends coming down from Chicago/Indy and they couldn't wait to meet him. Ethan got passed around like a little football yesterday! Everyone couldn't believe how small and well behaved he was. Despite all the loud music, people talking, different smells, etc., Ethan made us proud and was an angel. I wasn't sure how long we would last in the grassy fields, but he was so easy-going and we were out there for 5 1/2 hours! We certainly look forward to all the Saturday tailgates we have in our future! 

We are officially out of premie diapers! Isn't our world exciting?! He's still sleeping really well (especially for seven weeks old) and is clocking anywhere from 7-8 hours a night. Naptime - not so much. Occasionally, he'll take a couple long naps, but usually they are 15-30 minutes. He's like a possum, you think he's sleeping and then next thing you know he's wide awake! Usually, I can put him down for tummy time or in his swing and that allows me enough time to shower, pick up around the house, etc. 

We've got another busy week/weekend ahead of us - Ethan's great-grandma from Kentucky and aunt and cousin from Georgia are all coming to visit on Friday. To say they are beyond excited to meet him and hold him is an understatement =) Can't believe he'll be two months old! 

Six Weeks!

This is my surprised look! 

Ethan must've known that daddy was out of town and he needed to go easy on his mommy because we had a great week! Now's the time for me to brag on my little man - every night this past week he slept 6-7 hours straight! Friday night, he even slept from 10:30pm-8am! It's so nice (and rewarding!) to see a loose schedule taking place. His eating schedule is every three hours - it's funny how he can be napping and he just knows when to wake up and eat. I've been reading a popular book called "BabyWise" that emphasizes the importance of getting into a routine with your newborn. Most experts say a schedule won't start to form until six weeks of age so I'm really pleased with Ethan's behavior so far. I'm halfway through the book right now and so far the main thing I've learned is the feeding/wake time/nap time routine. Most people think a nap should immediately follow a feeding session. However, the older Ethan gets the more he'll be awake. Now, after he eats we do various activities for wake time - lay him on the play mat, lay in crib and watch the little aquarium toy that plays music, tummy time (which I have a funny story about later), etc. Then, I try and put him down for a nap. The book talks about how you should lay them down awake (and sleepy) - not when they are already asleep. This will be my 'experiment' for the next week because right now I've been holding him until he's sound asleep. Today, we had major success with this new concept though. After he played for awhile, I put him in his car seat in his crib while he was sleepy. Even though he was fussy and cried, he eventually fell asleep and took a great nap. Did the same thing later where I put him in his pack-n-play while he was still awake and then he fell asleep for a nap. Hopefully, this trend continues! It all leads to a happy baby that sleeps through the night - and also happy parents!

Who needs exercise?

Tummy time is highly recommended so babies can strengthen their neck muscles and learn to crawl faster. The first couple times we did tummy time, Ethan hated it - cried and cried until I picked him up (was letting him do it for a couple minutes). Well, starting this week he loves tummy time - as in, I lay him down and he falls ASLEEP! Haha, this is supposed to be a stimulating exercise, but not for this boy! He said, "Mommy, I've been strong from day one. I don't need tummy time exercises!" It's the funniest thing. I rub his back and pat his bottom and it's so soothing to him. Last night, he fell asleep in the middle of the floor and was oblivious to everything going on around him! He takes after his mommy who loves to sleep on her tummy!

Me & My Boys!

Ethan had his first play date with his friend Cooper this week. Cooper was born three days after Ethan and it's really fun to have a friend the same age. His mommy Kelsey and I get to compare notes and see all the similarities between the two. He also got to play with cousin Jayden and friend Ella this weekend as well. Ethan's a popular boy as we have two more play dates set up for this coming week with Landon (8 months) and Elijah (5 1/2 weeks)!

Ethan really does get cuter by the day. I've just started to notice how full his cheeks are now and how big his belly is (finally)! He loves to stare into your eyes, he loves to furrow his brow and look like he's so concerned about something, he loves to eat his hands, and most importantly he loves to be bundled up and snuggle with anyone who will hold him! We love him to pieces!

Ethan Outruns Cancer!

We've had a busy, busy weekend full of family fun! We celebrated Eric's birthday on Friday evening since he'll be in Florida on his actual birthday. Mom cooked up a surf-and-turf meal, Eric opened some presents, and we topped it all off with a yummy Oreo ice cream pie! Saturday, we woke up early to meet Grandma Graebe at Hoosiers Outrun Cancer. This is a wonderful event held every year to help support cancer research - and extra special this year celebrating Mary beating breast cancer!! We've all marveled at how gracefully she's handled fighting cancer this past year. She had her reconstructive surgery last week and is well on way to a full recovery. Hoosiers Outrun Cancer has always been a special event for me as I used to walk in memory of my friend, Jenny. Now, it has even more meaning and was so thankful I got to share it with Eric and Ethan for the first time (Ethan slept through the whole walk)! We also got to visit with Uncle Jeffrey, Aunt Kristen, and Jayden this weekend as well. We are loving all their trips home lately!

Sunday, we had to say goodbye to Daddy as he left for his training. Whew, talk about water works. I don't think Eric had any idea how hard it was going to be leaving Ethan. I knew it was going to be a long two weeks for him so I made a little care package as a surprise and snuck it in his suitcase. He has an envelope to open each morning that contains either a picture of Ethan, a card, a note, etc. When I talked to him tonight, he said the first envelope is already waiting by the sink so he can open it as soon as he wakes up =) I know we'll all be just fine, but this is the longest we've been apart from each other since we got married two years ago. We will have lots of Facetime/Skype dates this week and I'm already looking forward to picking him up from the airport on Oct. 12!!

Earlier in the week, Eric and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary! Ginka and Papaw watched Ethan while we went to Gratzi for dinner. We had a couple people tell us it's okay if all we do is talk about Ethan - which of course we did! How could we not! He's such a blessing and we will never get tired talking about how cute and perfect he is. I was in such a rush to get home - every time I'm gone, I picture him screaming and crying and giving the grandparents grief. But, after a couple text messages from my mom reassuring me he was okay, we came home to a baby still sound asleep after a four hour nap! =)

We had our check-up at the doctors on Friday which went great. We knew Ethan must've been going through a growth spurt because he was an eating machine last week!! He was eating more frequently and never really seemed satisfied. Well, that definitely proved to be true when we put him on the scale and he now weighs 6 lbs. 7 oz!!! He gained 9 oz. in 8 days! We were so proud!!

We are looking forward to the month of October - it'll be a busy month! We've got a lot to look forward to with Ethan's first IU tailgate, more walks outside in the beautiful fall weather, most likely heading to Chicago for a wedding and our first "big" trip, and so much more!

One Month Old!

Look at me! I'm one month old! 

Can you believe I'm one month old today? I've had a great life so far - mommy and daddy are doing such a great job taking care of me. Even my kitties are warming up to the idea of me sticking around for awhile! Overall, I've been a great baby for my parents. Even though I may cry, it's just because I'm usually hungry or tired...but mostly hungry. They keep telling me how important it is that I gain weight so I can be big and strong like daddy. I've gotten pretty good at sleeping. Most nights, I like to sleep from 11pm-5am. Mommy feeds me a bottle or nurses me and then I'm back asleep until about 8:30am. Then we do the same routine over and over (and over!!) again all throughout the day! Mommy and daddy like it when I sleep for that long throughout the night. They say that is what keeps their sanity - I don't know what that means, but I know it's good =) Mommy gets up with me during the week because my daddy works - but come weekend time, daddy takes over the late night/early morning feedings.

I thought you might be interested in what I like to do during my days now that I'm four weeks old. Here are a few of my favorites:

• I like to trick mommy and daddy after they've given me a clean diaper and blow it out. 
• I like to squeak. In my sleep. Sometimes my squeaking turns into snoring. 
• I like to stretch, stretch, stretch. I'm usually swaddled up most of the day so it feels soooo good when my arms and legs are freeeee! 
• I like to smile when I'm drifting off to sleep after a full belly.
• I like to look into my mommy and daddy's eyes - we call it facetime!
• I like to spend time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends - I'm always up for visitors! 
• I like to hiccup - A LOT! And sneeze - I hope I don't have allergies like my daddy
• I like it when my daddy sways me to sleep - and when mommy rocks me to sleep.
• I like to sleep in my car seat still - no crib for me, I'm too little! 
• I like to be swaddled, wrapped in a fleece blanket, and then held until I fall asleep - mommy hopes this means I will be always be a cuddlebug.

As you can see, I like a lot. Now that I'm growing and interacting more, my senses will continue to develop and slowly but surely I will show mommy and daddy a little of my personality. I can't wait to see all the fun and exciting things that await me! I love you all!

Growing Boy!

Cuteness Defined.

Hi friends! Well, my little man keeps putting on the weight and is now up to 5 lbs. 14 oz! We had an appointment today with the lactation consultant at our pediatrician's office. Ethan is quickly becoming one of the most popular babies because of his dashing good looks - the nurses LOVE him! They may be a little partial because they know Eric and I being from Bloomington, but they make me one proud momma when they coo over how adorable he is! 

Ethan is definitely keeping us on our toes - constantly switching things up to make life interesting! =) Last week, he slept through the night every night! This week, not so much! He seemed to be very irritable and was waking up every 1-1.5 hours. We thought he might be going through a growth spurt since it's very common for babies to go through one at three weeks of age. Maybe he did because we were so happy with his weight gain today! He very well could hit the 6 lbs. mark by his first month birthday! We will find out next week during his appointment on Friday! 

This is me in my happy, alert state!

 Nothing really too exciting for me to write about so I'll make it a quick post! I'm trying to snap some cute pictures of him, but honestly all he does is nurse and sleep! And a lot of times in those waking moments he's crying because he's either hungry or tired - haha! Can't wait for his little personality to start shining through!

             I love to look around and listen to mommy and daddy's voice.                                                                                                      

I like to hang out with my mommy in this cool sling!

My New Life!

I can't believe Ethan is going to be three weeks old tomorrow! Part of me feels like he was just born and the other part of me feels like we've had him for so much longer than 21 days! We had a doctors appointment on Monday and received the good news that he's still putting on weight - he's up to 5.96, so just shy of his birth weight of 5 lbs. 10 oz. Prior to his appointment, we were having a string of bad nights...he just didn't want to sleep! I knew from reading that babies can't distinguish between day/night yet - and our little man was proving to be a night owl. We're talking being awake from 9pm-5am - yowzers. I don't know what magic occurred after the appointment, but kid you not he's slept through the night every night since. Eric and I have been able to sleep from 11:30-7, 12-8, and 11:30-5. Such a blessing!! 

My days with Ethan consist of feeding, sleeping, getting to know each other better, and waiting for daddy to get home from work =) Ethan usually takes a long nap in the morning where I'm able to either go back to bed or take a shower. We've definitely learned one thing about Ethan - he LOVES to be cuddled and surrounded by as many blankets as possible when sleeping. And right now, the only place he'll sleep is his car seat. So don't judge by the picture, but this is our new set-up. Him sleeping in his car seat in the crib (mostly because that's where the video monitor is). But, hey if this is producing all-night sleep sessions then I'm okay with it!! I've left the house a couple times this week to gain some confidence under my belt! Ya'll would laugh if you had a hidden camera on me though - I literally stopped and checked on him FOUR times the other day while I was driving...and we were only out for about 35 minutes, haha! I can't help it! 

I started pumping this week which will turn out to be a huge benefit in the long run. My goal with pumping is to have enough to take care of one or two feedings a day to give myself a break. Eric fed him his first bottle the other night while I went to bed early and it was a huge success. I'm hoping to build up a supply so others can feed him and also to "free" me a little and give me the opportunity to be away from him for a longer period of time (i.e. actually go to dinner with my sweet husband to celebrate our anniversary and not be worried about feeding Ethan)! 

We gave Ethan his first bath this week! I've been looking forward to this since he was born - probably because of the all the adorable hooded towels I got at my showers! =) Needless to say, he wasn't too pleased with the bath - but, boy was he cute and smell good afterwards! We're trying to do a better job of taking pictures, but honestly all he does is sleep and eat! If anything, we need to record a video of him sleeping. He makes the most adorable sounds while he's sleeping - anywhere from cooing, to little whimpers, to full out snoring! 

I stopped by the hospital today to drop off some thank you cards to the nurses that took such good care of us. Not gonna lie, the trip was pulling on my heart strings! Just remembering that only three short weeks ago, we were there and met our little guy for the first time. It will always be such a special place now =) We still talk about how amazing creating a child is. We honestly feel so lucky - and also feel blessed that we're able to provide Ethan with a stable, loving, protective life. 

 I'm hoping to schedule some newborn pictures here in the next couple days. Jeffrey, Kristen, and Jayden are coming down this weekend for the IU game so we can't wait to spend time with them. Kristen and I are determined to take a picture of the two kiddos in matching onesies (the first of many, I'm sure)! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

{Ethan Perry Graebe}

My last post was made Thursday, August 23 at 8:04pm. When I went to bed that night, I randomly made the comment to Eric, "I hope I don't go into labor." Not ten minutes later, my water broke. It was 11:45pm. It was just one more sign that Ethan was running the show! From there, we woke up my parents, Eric packed his bag, I finished packing mine, and we called the on-call doctor. Thankfully, it was Dr. Stowell who was scheduled to deliver Ethan the following week. He told us to come on in and "think about having a baby tonight!"

The ride to the hospital was surreal. We called my dad, my brother, Eric's mom and dad, and sent texts to our siblings. By the time we arrived at the hospital, I think it was around 1:30am. From there, it all happened pretty fast. All our parents met us at the hospital, I was prepped for surgery, and we were well on our way to meeting our sweet baby boy.

As they wheeled me in to the operating room, they made Eric wait outside and told him the nurse would come get him when ready. Well, that felt like a lifetime (for both of us)! By the time he was allowed to come in, I was pretty out of it because of the spinal block and morphine. Eric was right there with me next to my head giving me support and keeping me updated on the status of baby Ethan's arrival. We welcomed our precious baby boy, Ethan Perry Graebe, into the world at 2:59 am.


I do remember seeing Ethan for the first time, however I don't think it completely registered. I felt like I was fading in and out of consciousness and even remember asking the doctor at one point if I was okay - I told him I wasn't breathing right and he said, "you're right, you're not - and that's completely normal." Meanwhile, Ethan was getting the best care from the nurses and Eric was his #1 fan taking pictures all along the way. I do remember the nurse bringing Ethan over to my face for the first time - again, being completely out of it, I think the only words I managed to stumble out of my mouth were "hi" - haha. But, he must've known he was talking to his mommy for the first time because he kept putting his hands on my mouth...so precious. Eric and I both were shocked when they weighed Ethan and announced he was (only) 5 lbs. 10 oz! Not two days earlier at our ultrasound appointment, they had estimated his weight at 6 lbs. 12 oz!


About 90 minutes later, Eric, Ethan, and I were wheeled into our post-partum room where we were met by four very proud grandparents who just melted when they saw him. The first day of Ethan's life is pretty much a blur for both Eric and I. Since we never went to sleep Thursday night, we had been up for hours on end and felt completely delirious. The nursing staff served as our life savers that day - and for the three days after for that matter. We spent our time in the hospital getting to know baby Ethan, working on breastfeeding, welcoming all the visitors we had, eating pizza and breadsticks that was delivered straight to our room from one of our local favorites, and just soaking in the fact that we created life - and a very adorable one at that! =)

We were released on Monday afternoon and have been settled in at home since. I'll make the next post about our first week as a family of three! So, that was a quick, condensed version of our little man's birth! We marvel at the pure sight of Ethan. We study his fingers, his ears, his little button nose, the hair on his head - and realize it's all perfection. Our lives were enormously blessed and changed forever at 2:59 am on Friday, August 24th and we will never be the same. We are so grateful for the best gift we've ever received!

Choosing A Birthday!

It's not too often you actually get to pick your son's birthday! We are happy to announce his scheduled birthday will be...August 30!! (Now, let's just hope I don't go into labor before then)! =)

39 Weeks!

We had an ultrasound done at our appointment on Tuesday because I was measuring small for 38 weeks. It was just to ensure baby is doing well and confirm there is still plenty of amniotic fluid in the placenta. We didn't get too many clear images of him (how do these technicians know what they're looking at?!) because there's not too much space left! She measured his head, his tummy, and his femur - that helps the doctors to make sure he's at a good weight. Dr. Stowell said for us to expect him to weigh high 6 lbs./low 7 lbs. We were hoping to at least see his face, but low and behold, he was turned face down! We just had to laugh because he showed us how 'stubborn' he could be by turning the wrong way and now he won't even show his face...we're convinced he wants his arrival to be a BIG surprise!! I'm at such peace and feel so relaxed now that we have a date set. It doesn't feel real that in one week I'll be holding my sweet little boy.

One of the main reasons for moving back to Indiana was to be closer to our families. We couldn't be happier that (almost) everyone will be there for Baby G's birth (we will miss Eric's brother Chris and his family who are in Texas)! Besides both sets of parents being there, we are also so excited that my siblings (Laura, David, Jeffrey), brother/sister-in-laws (John, Arynn, Kristen), niece (Sydney), and nephews (Aidan, Jayden) will all be in attendance!! It's rare that all four of us kids are together at the same time so for everyone to be in town Labor Day Weekend will be absolutely amazing. This little guy is joining two awesome families who already love him so much!! Look how lucky he'll be - he will have:

- 4 grandpas
- 3 grandmas
- 2 great-grandmas
- 6 aunts
- 6 uncles
- 7 cousins

Not a bad start to his life, right? =) And, hopefully there will be plenty more cousins to add in the future!

The doctor said to anticipate a three-night stay in the hospital so my next blog post could be from my hospital bed...as a MOMMY!! I know I will be one proud mama who is ready to show off her handsome son!

Look at that belly!

What A Difference A Week Makes!

38 Weeks!

We received the surprising news this week at our doctor's appointment that Baby G is breech!! That little stinker turned around in my belly and is sitting very comfortably in the 'frank breech' position (with his head up by my ribs, bottom down, and legs up by his face). The doctor said we could try an external version where they push on my belly and try to turn him around manually. It was definitely something I wanted to try so Thursday we went into the hospital to get the procedure done. It was by far one of the most excruciating experiences I've ever been through, but it was worth a shot. The doctor was able to get him to move a little (and we thought he was actually going to turn), but then he slipped right back into his comfy pocket and didn't budge. The doctor even said we've got "a stubborn one on our hands"!

So, now we are going to schedule a c-section. We have another doctor's appointment on Tuesday where we will be able to talk with the doctor about our options. There is a small chance we could deliver on Friday the 24th, but we'll need someone to go into labor early and free up a spot at the hospital =) Otherwise, we will plan for the week of the 27th-31st and see what availability there is. Either way, he will be an August baby for sure and we're literally starting to count down the days until we meet him!

I feel like everyone is telling me to "enjoy the last days" while I can - go to that movie, eat that milkshake, do whatever I want...so I guess I have been! It's crazy to think that in less than ten days we could have a baby! There is definitely part of me that gets 'sad' thinking about not being pregnant anymore - but obviously those feelings are outweighed by the joy I know I will feel once he's here.

I will be keeping everyone updated after our appointment on Tuesday - thanks for all the well wishes this past week! We have said it before, but Baby G is one lucky guy to be surrounded by such amazing family and friends!

And So It Begins...

I guess you can say my body has officially begun to prepare itself for birth! As of Monday, I was 0 cm dilated and 20% effaced (a percentage the doctors use to show how thin my cervix is getting). Hopefully, those numbers will continue to improve every week and before you know it Baby G will be here! I had a really good week starting off with a great check-up at the doctor. Last night, Eric and I attended our "baby basics" class and learned the ins-and-outs of being first-time parents (haha)! Most of it was common sense and stuff we already knew, but we took away a couple good pointers in regards to techniques in soothing baby, how to swaddle, giving oral medication, etc. Mom and I went up to Indy on Tuesday to return all the duplicate items I received from my baby showers and to purchase the last round of stuff I needed. We are officially set and ready for little man's arrival!! (just need to pack my hospital bag)! =)

The one thing Eric and I wanted to splurge on before baby got here was a nice camera. It was one thing we could invest in that would produce great pictures of our handsome fella. We did lots of research and the camera we wanted was delivered this week. Eric has been hilarious thinking he's the next big photographer about to hit the scene. Every night, he's taking pictures of Max and Paisley trying to learn all the different settings. We are so excited about it though - definitely one of the best purchases we've ever made!

37 weeks - three more to go! Heading to the doctor on Tuesday - will keep the updates coming!

9 Months!

Can you tell how much baby is growing?? Look at this belly! =) 36 weeks down - staring at the homestretch! As previously mentioned, we start going to the doctor every Monday now for a quick check-up. This past Monday, the doctor said she thinks we're going to have a "small" baby - around 6-7 lbs. I've had a couple new experiences this past week as the baby decided to lie on my sciatic nerve one day - ouch! I stretched and stretched and stretched trying to get him into a different position. Well, apparently that position was up underneath my ribcage! It feels like I have a broken rib in my back and makes things very uncomfortable, but hey - it's all part of it. Not too much longer with all these aches and pains!

We have an exciting week coming up - childbirth classes!! We've got one Monday night and one on Wednesday night. I think it'll be great - definitely won't hurt to get an in-depth look into what to expect! I'm actually getting really curious about labor - not nervous, not scared...just curious. I wonder what it'll feel like. Will it be as painful as you imagine? How long will it last?  Will it be a breeze? Haha! We shall find out soon enough!

Have a great weekend! Hopefully, I'll have my first progress report on Monday!! =)

Sweet Summertime

FIVE weeks.

Another week off the calendar and I can't believe I'm staring at the home stretch! While there is a small part of me that thinks "sad, I don't have that much longer to be pregnant..." - let's be serious, I'm ready. I feel like it's written all over my face. Baby is definitely running out of room and making mommy very uncomfortable. His kicks, his jabs, his hiccups, his head butts - everything is so much more intense. And sleep? Forget about it! =) It's a never-ending battle. Our bed has been taken over by an ever-growing number of pillows and I just flip-flop side to side all night. I know it'll all be worth it though - I just need to keep my thoughts positive and stay focused on the end result - a sweet, healthy baby boy!

Some good news came our way last week when Eric accepted a job here in Bloomington! He'll be working for Lincare, a company that specializes in respiratory care. Essentially, he'll be selling respiratory equipment to hospitals, doctors, and in patient homes. We are really excited about this opportunity and I'm so proud of him for making it happen this quickly! Now, I just need to find something to occupy my time in the next five weeks! Everyone keeps telling me to relax, enjoy the time, etc., but that's so hard to do when you're used to being BUSY! I worked a lot in the nursery last week and started to put things away, wash clothes, and organize. My friend, Jessica, is going to come down next week and help me decorate a bit - something that's definitely not my forte! I will be certain to put some pictures up once things are finished. 

This past week was a good reminder of what an amazing husband I have. Eric has been my number one supporter through this entire pregnancy and nothing has gone unappreciated. Whether it was taking care of me this past week while I was sick (bringing flowers home like a gentleman), coming to every single doctors appointment, making me laugh during my emotional breakdowns - he's been my rock no doubt. I'm sure I haven't always been the most pleasant person to be around in the last part of this pregnancy, but he always makes me feel like number one. I definitely feel like one lucky gal! =)

Hope everyone has a great weekend - excited for the Olympics! GO USA!

Home Sweet Home!

We are officially back in Indiana and couldn't be happier! We arrived last Tuesday and have done a good job feeling as "settled" as we can. Eric is busy on the job hunt and I'm busy getting things prepared for baby! I finally went through all my gifts I received from both showers and have made a list of what I can return, what we still need, etc. Thankfully, my list of "still need" is very short thanks to everyone's generosity! Eric put the crib, changing table, stroller, and other fun baby items together so the nursery is starting to take shape!

34 Weeks!

We had our first doctors appointment on Monday at Southern Indiana Physicians. It is a practice of four doctors and we will rotate meeting with them until the delivery. I hadn't been seen in three weeks so I was relieved when baby's heartbeat was beating strong and fast (and he even gave a little kick to the microphone to say hi)! The doctor said I'm measuring normal for 34 weeks and the baby should be around four pounds already! I'm definitely growing! Just in the week I've been in Indiana, I've gotten a lot more r-o-u-n-d! We will go back in two weeks (July 30) and then start going for weekly check-ups. I know everyone tells me not to expect him to come early, but I can't help but think about how soon he could make an appearance! We are getting so anxious to meet our little guy and I'm sure the anxiousness will just continue to grow as the days fly off the calendar!

Now that we're finally back, it just confirms that moving to Indiana was definitely the best (and right) choice for us. We are so blessed to have (most of) our parents here and have enjoyed the time spent with them so far. There's nothing like going to church and seeing old friends, going to Target and running into old college buddies, going to the pool and seeing your first cousins, seeing people from high school when you're out to eat, etc. Our hearts are here and we know we are right where we should be.

Hopefully, I'll get back into a routine of posting every Friday. We are heading up to Indy tomorrow to see Jeffrey, Kristen, and baby Jayden...and I also get to meet my friend Jessica's baby, Lilly, for the first time! Have a great weekend!

8 Weeks To Go!

Wow, has it really been two weeks since I wrote my last post?! Time is flying by! I'm officially 32 weeks - only 8 more to go! I flew home to Indiana this past weekend for my baby shower and let me tell you - it was a fabulous weekend! We kicked off the festivities with my family renting a pontoon boat on Lake Monroe on Friday. With it being 104 degrees outside, the lake felt awfully nice!! Saturday was the day of my shower, hosted by my best friend, Jennifer, and my sisters Kristen, Laura, and Arynn. I loved every detail from the personalized "baby graebe" banner, the baby wish lists everyone got to fill out, and the yummy food for lunch! Baby G and I were absolutely spoiled rotten and received so many nice things - again, everyone's generosity just blew me away. I felt so blessed looking around the room at who was there - family, childhood friends since kindergarten, family friends that were at my mom's baby shower when she was pregnant with me, sorority sisters, in-laws, etc. Just so lucky to have them in my life as my support system! I feel so much more prepared now that I've had two baby showers. I definitely have all the essentials I'll need right away - crib, changing table, car seat, stroller, swaddles, sleep sacks, bottles, etc. The nursery is ready and waiting for us to get there so we can decorate it and make it feel like 'home.'

My sweet family

My wonderful hostesses!

My beautiful sorority sisters

Four generations!

 So, the big move back to Indiana is TUESDAY - as in, five days. It has really snuck up on me. July 10 felt so far away and now I'm staring straight at it. The majority of the packing is done, but there still seems to be a lot left that you have to wait until the last day or two to pack. My "to-do" list triples about every day, but everything will get done. My last day of work is tomorrow, Jennifer flies in Saturday, we're having a get together with our friends on Sunday, last doctors appointment and picking up/loading the truck on Monday, and hitting the road first thing Tuesday morning! My, oh my, oh my. It's been an absolute bear trying to tie up everything with the Coast Guard - the stress has been indescribable. Every day brings a new challenge or bump in the road...feeling like nothing can swing our way. But, we keep saying if we can just get through this part, our handsome reward (literally) will follow soon enough =) 

"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear. But, when you are tested, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Our last doctors appointment with Dr. Kling is on Monday. Thankfully, I was able to schedule an appointment with a practice in Bloomington a week later on July 16. I can tell the baby is growing because the movement and squirms are definitely getting stronger! Baby should weigh about 3.75 pounds and measure 16.7 inches long (according to the all-knowing babycenter.com)! I should be gaining about a pound a week, half of which goes right to the baby. In the next seven weeks, he should gain a third to half of his birth weight as he fattens up and gets ready for his big debut - I'm so curious about everything he's doing, who he's going to look like, how much he'll weigh, etc. I know people say the last couple weeks can really drag on, but I'm hoping I'll be distracted with all the excitement we have going on! 

Next post, we will be official Indiana residents again!!