Let the countdown begin!

8 weeks - that seems like nothing right? 55 days....when I've been pregnant for 225 - I think I can handle that :)
So last weekend was my shower, and that was of course, fabulous! Friends and family and so many wonderful gifts. Keith was in shock as he carried the presents into Herm's room. The kindness was overwhelming. I couldn't have been more excited. It made it that much more real....if that's possible.
Keith and I have organized the baby's room (the best we can) and we're just putting the finishing touches in there. A couple pictures...a toy hammock, silly adorable things.
My favorite things.....the mobile hanging over the crib :) and the little hangers in the closet. I have held it together most of the way with all my cute-sie baby stuff...but once those two things found their rightful place in the nursery...it was all over. I try and stare at the crib, picturing our little baby in there....sometimes feeling like it will never be here. Then I am reminded by my hubby that we have come so far already and it's just around the corner.
Being on leave in growing on me. I can definitely tell that it is much needed. I try and keep my feet up as much as possible, and sometimes I feel like I have "feet-up police" who swoop in to make sure I have them elevated. These "officers" come out of no where sometimes :) The strangest thing for me is the swelling of my hands. It doesn't seem to go down very much at all. They feel tight and stiff all the time. Icing them helps temporarily, but geez, not a whole lot of relief. Thank God for my weekly chiropractor visits otherwise I would never walk, or sleep, or lay, or sit, or stand.......it has been a life saver. Just to have a few days of comfort is wonderful. I am managing pretty well in the summer heat, I stay in if its super hot...and I limit what I do on other days. Trying to spread out errands and remember that my to-do list will always be there in some shape or another.
I am back to reading "What to Expect..." now that there really isn't anything random to be afraid of. I want to make sure I understand Braxton-Hicks since I'm pretty sure that has been happening. Keith is funny...he gets this adorable panic look on his face and asks me what's going on..."is it the practice ones" and I say yes...since I don't know any better either. I am still watching lots of TLC - baby story and bringing home baby, just to  see if there is anything I can learn and retain from the shows. Sometimes, those women are just nuts. My next doctor appointment is tomorrow...I'm going to try and get all the details of what to do when the contractions start...when to call, when to page, when to leave our house. Keith wants me to surprise him soon with a "practice run" to the hospital. That should be eventful. We are going to take maternity ward tour in a couple of weeks, that should calm the two of us down, its definitely scarier when you have no idea where to go, so that will ease our minds I'm sure.
I'm starving :) what else is new? Time to eat.