SunshineBound: 28 Weeks

28 weeks, the start of my third trimester, and Baby Mazz is the size of an echidna! I celebrated this milestone by flying to NJ for the weekend to hang out with friends and fam.

Eric is saving his vacation days, so I flew up alone. My body decided to get sick two days before my flight, so I was freaking out that my eardrums would rupture on the plane and I would lose my hearing and become permanently deaf. You know me, always going straight to worst-case scenario. My sinuses magically cleared up right before my flight at 6am (by magically, I mean by grossing everyone out at the airport and blowing/squirting saline solution in my nose). So here I am, this sick, short, obviously-pregnant girl, and not a single person offered to help me lift my carry-on into the overhead compartment. This wouldn't have bothered me so much if no one was watching or could tell I was pregnant, but people were sitting there staring at me struggle. It made me not want to ask any of them for help, because they would have already been helping if they wanted to. I would've just asked the flight attendant when I got onto the plane, but I honestly thought the man in front of me would probably help me. He did not. People are rude. A nice guy helped me take it down though after the flight.

ANYWAY, I spent Friday hanging out with my parents. I was too excited to take a nap when I got home, so my dad took me to the diner for an early lunch. Scrapple and french toast were exactly what I needed, of course. Then, my mom took me to Hobby Lobby, which is like a combination of Home Goods and Michael's. I wanted to buy all the things, but couldn't, so it was torture. I finally napped and headed over to my cousin Chris' house for a little shindig for Kadie's 11th birthday. 1. It was nice to see that side of the fam (minus Kim, who was in Florida! We switched places! Ha), but 2. I was sitting there playing Apples to Apples with the girls, and it blew my mind how quickly time has flown by. I remember holding (/being terrified to hold) them when they were born, and now they are playing Apples to Apples with me. Before you know it, we'll be playing Cards Against Humanity together, geez...

Saturday was Lindsay's bridal shower! I was so happy I could make it up for this. All the bridesmaids and Rob and Lindsay's moms worked really hard to make sure the day was perfect for her, and I really think it couldn't have gone any better. I lied, it would have gone better if I could have taken a buddy shot with Linds, but there will be plenty of time for that at the wedding. It was a Pinterest-perfect shower, honestly. We set tables out in the yard with mismatched china, there were flowers everywhere, a mimosa bar, cute sandwiches and tons of desserts, and even a little set of white wicker benches for the gift-opening area. I finally got to meet the other bridesmaids who I hadn't met yet, and we all get along so well! Planning parties like this can be stressful, especially if you don't really know the other people you are working with... OR, it can be fun, because you make new friends. This was the latter circumstance, so it was awesome. And I got to meet Hershey, who is definitely going to be Nym's boyfriend when they finally meet.

Alas, after this lovely day, I got home that evening and realized that wearing 4-inch wedges all day in the sun is not a good idea for a pregnant lady. My feet and ankles were swollen like crazy. But I am not prepared to sacrifice my style yet, especially being so short, so I wore wedges all day the next day too, for my BABY SHOWER!

They were initially calling for severe thunderstorms and a tornado, but the weather miraculously held off until after everyone had left (and then our power went out for a couple hours but was back in plenty of time for Game of Thrones, so it was fine).

I can't even express how grateful I am to everyone, especially our moms and Linny, for making sure everything was perfect. I know my mom was going even more insane than usual having such a huge event at our house, but it really was the best day for Baby Mazz. Linny put together the cutest literary-themed bash, which was awesome for a bookworm such as myself :) A fuck ton of people came, which I wasn't expecting, so Baby Mazz now has a billion AWESOME books for his collection, and tons of thoughtful and useful gifts. I had to try really hard not to cry while I was reading cards and opening things.

It was the best being able to see most of the people I wanted to see all in one place. Next time I see most of my family and friends, I will have a baby. It's so weird. The day went by so fast and seemed like a dream, like the rest of the past six months have, honestly. But after everything was settled down last night, it hit me that this is REALLY HAPPENING. All the sickness, the annoying pregnancy symptoms, the stress... it's all going to culminate in a REAL LIVE BABY in a few months. I am probably never (I'll never say never again, but PROBABLY never) going to be pregnant again, so this is it. This was the baby shower, feeling him move for the next three months is the last time I'll feel a baby move from the inside, and time will fly by even faster after he is born (even though it might seem like it's dragging when I'm getting no sleep at first ;) ). I am trying to take it all in and be present in these moments, but it's hard when I just want to meet him and know that he is healthy and happy. I already love him no matter what, and after yesterday, it's pretty damn clear that a lot of other people do, too.

Pictures I have stolen, because I took none of my own, because I am a failure without my photographer husband documenting our lives:

A massive cold and no sleep can't keep me away from celebrating my little rock star dude <3

Everyone filled out one of these cards. Some were sappy (lots of hoping he travels and loves his family). Some were funny (learns Swahili, loves the snow, learns to be a Pokemon master, becomes a hypothetical badass, to name just a few). All of them will be seen by Baby Mazz when he is older. :)