32 Weeks!

First of all...I hate uploading pictures.  I'll get one up here by tomorrow.  I promise.

Wow...8 months down and only 8 more weeks to go!  It's starting to sink in that in a short amount of time, we are going to be parents! Crazy!

Lydia is being a champ.  About two weeks ago I went into pre-term labor, and she handled it beautifully.  Luckily I was just dehydrated and after getting some fluids in me the contractions backed off.  The down side was that I still had some intense contractions for about 2-3 hours each day for a week (usually around 4:30 am, haha).  Now I only get a few a day, which I can handle a lot better!  The bittersweet news is that I didn't dilate at all, which is great (because I don't have to be put on bedrest), but I also realized that this labor thing is going to be very tough.  The contractions were very painful (and I have a high pain tolerance, just ask my family), and they did NOTHING.  I can't imagine how hard they will have to be to actually dilate 10 centimeters.  I guess this is why I am planning on getting pain medicine up the wazoo when I actually go into labor (which will hopefully be in at least 4-5 weeks, no early delivery for this girlie!).  For now I've been instructed to rest and not overdo it.  If it happens again, it's bed rest for me!

Pregnancy has been really fun.  Lydia usually wakes me up around 4:30 in the morning and just plays around for a few hours.  I've determined I will get more sleep once she is out of my tummy rather than in it.  I love feeling her little feet press against my belly.  Joseph especially loves feeling the outline of her foot and giving her "footrubs" which really get her hyper, not sure why.  It's super cute.  I'm also growing very, very big (at least I feel that way: like a small elephant).  I've learned how to use the little energy I have wisely, and how to get rid of the swelling in my feet, which were two problems I had been dealing with).  I've been eating TONS of protein to help with dehydration and glucose stuff.  It's great because I can justify eating sausage and eggs with cheese for every breakfast (one of my favorite meals).

This little girlie has a major personal bubble.  Nothing can touch my stomach or she attacks it ferociously.  I can't be leaning against something, have anything on my belly, or have anyone touching my belly.  I'll purposely put my breakfast plate on my stomach, and within a few seconds it will begin to wobble around because of her kicking.  It's fantastic!

We almost have everything for our little girl's nursery.  It has most of what she needs, and absolutely nothing matches.  We're poor college students, so it's mismatching KSL for us :).  I've decided the theme is the "nursery of requirement".  My favorite part is all the little adorable clothes she has!  I could look at them all day.  I can't believe we will have something so small as to fit in those newborn clothes (and as I've heard they will drown her, crazy!).

Mostly we are very excited and anxious to welcome this little girl into our lives!  We know it will be extremely difficult, but I think we're ready (meaning as ready as you can be without actually having had a child before), which mostly means we're ready to attempt it.

Oh, and a lot of you have asked.  Yes, we will both be in school during the semester Lydia is born (but only Joseph will be working).  It will be difficult, but we are determined that both of us receive a degree while we are here.  School is completely paid for, so there wasn't a downside to trying.  Luckily I was able to get 4 of 5 my classes online so I can plan my schedule around Lydia's birth.  Call us crazy, but here in the Neary household we like to do hard things.