Getting Close...

It's almost time to meet the little fella... I'll be induced next week at 39 weeks. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy went. Yeah, I admit it was difficult at times and at times I just wanted to meet baby already but I have a feeling that I'm really going to miss having him in my tummy. That and being pampered by my husband! Baby's nursery is almost complete. I just have to frame some more artwork up, put away his clothes, and make his ceiling mobile but, all that can wait for now because I just want to savor these last few days with him. I'm all emotional just thinking about it. I really can't wait to meet baby and see him grow up and see what kind of personality he develops. I love him so much already - I'll love him even more when I finally get to hold him in my arms.

I'm praying for a safe and natural childbirth. I can't wait for you all to meet him... I know you'll love him too!

Favorite Pregnancy Apps for iPhone

Today I'm going to talk about my favorite iPhone apps for baby/maternity. Since this is our first child, we "care" a lot about what goes on and how we prepare for baby's arrival. When I say that, I don't mean that we don't care about our other children after our first- I'm just saying that we are more lenient after the first one. I've seen this first hand (I have numerous nieces and nephews) and even parents tell me that their first kid was an experiment. So, when I first found out I was expecting (yes, a baby ... not a Velociraptor) I couldn't wait to do my research and sign up for a bunch of stuff! I went toBabyCenter.com and signed up so that every week I'd get an email letting me know how far along I am and what to expect. It's been SO helpful and I visit that website like every single day - every hour - seriously. There's just an abundant information for every kind of pregnant women out there. I love it! I highly encourage Mother to-be's and/or Want-to-be Mothers to sign up for an account. I feel like its the best thing I've done for myself and baby.

So with that said, I also wanted something at my fingertips in case I couldn't get access to a computer. So, I did some app searching and found two that I really like and use a lot. One is free and one is not. I'll explain below which one I prefer and why below...

This app is called BabyBump and I got the PRO version which cost me $3.99 to download. I wanted the PRO version because the free version did not have the Kick Counter, which was my number one priority because I wanted to start keeping track of baby's movements. I use this app every day to check how many more days I have left and to take photos of my growing belly. I love the easy to use Kick Counter and how I can see the history of baby's movements right there. I also enjoy the daily/weekly tips they give you too. Overall, I'd say it was worth the $3.99 download cause I use it every day.

*BabyBump is now a universal app. So download it on your iPad too!*

The next app I have is by BabyCenter.com (the website I visit every day) and is called My Pregnancy. They also have an app called My Baby, which I've also downloaded for free but I haven't used it yet. I'm thinking its for post-partum use. The, My Pregnancy, app is also very cool because it tracks your progress and gives you daily tips like BabyBump. It also has a Kick Tracker with past session history. You can also join your birth club forum and start chatting with other mothers in your club. The only thing I don't like about this app is that there is no place for you to take pictures of your growing belly and I think the Checklists is bare - meaning they should have more checklists like What to pack for your hospital bag, diaper bag, etc. because they do have those things on their website. So they should make it available on their app too. Overall, this is a great baby/maternity app for those who don't want to spend money but is still interested in their progress and the Kick Tracker.

A Baby Shower to Remember

This past weekend, we went back home to Wausau to have our baby shower. The baby shower was everything I imagined it to be plus much more. We were truly blessed with great weather (if you live in Wisconsin, you'll know what I mean) perfect for an occasion such as this. The shelter my sister rented was secluded and had a big playground for the little ones to run around and throw sand at each other. By the end of the day, they all knocked out on my parent's couches while the adults recuperated. 

There are no words to express how loved I felt and how loved I know Anakin is by both our families and friends. Thank you to our family who helped make this baby shower so special for us and thank you to our friends for joining, gifting us, or giving us your blessings for baby.