30 weeks

The final countdown on my belly button has begun... it's almost gone.



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After all of those weeks of not feeling pregnant, just chubby..

it's insane how the third trimester prepares you for getting this baby born.. ;) It's such a blast, being pregnant. I have had a lot of fun, and enjoyed myself, for the most part. I still want beer, sushi, a night with only coffee for dinner, and such.. but in all reality, it is absolutely worth any of those sacrifices. Ever since mid-December I've been able to feel the little bean dancing around, and practicing all his moves. Here lately, as we are both getting fatter and fatter..

his dancing around is becoming a tiny bit intrusive..

and I know that it will get more intrusive over the remaining 11 weeks of my pregnancy.

It is comical! In the past weeks, I've noticed that I am able to feel little Vinny by touch, and can sort of push him around in my belly.. and now that he's gotten so much bigger, it's funny.. his moves are so much stronger. Occasionally I get a kick in the side that feels like someone hit a 'funny bone' (e.g. my hip or a rib) from the inside, and it jolts me almost out of my chair.. ha!

We were lounging on the couch just last night and Luke was talking to Vinny, as he does every night when he gets home..

and we discovered that he can 'tap' at him by tapping on my belly button,

it makes this hollow tapping noise, although will become impossible, soon, by the looks of it..

and it must irritate him cause he just wiggles around and kicks as if to say "Stop it! Dang it! I have to listen to this loud mouth Mowrey-Mama all day long,

the last thing I need is you knocking.. "

ha! So we were prodding around at my big round belly trying to determine where he is, and what his actual position is.. After visiting Nellie-belly, my sister, who is now mother of SIX children.. she was explaining to us how she is able to determine which way the baby is laying.. head/butt etc.. so we start pushing around, and figured out where his head was, his back/butt, and whether it was likely feet or hands poking back at us.. it is so cute because Luke is so concerned, that we don't disturb the little guy unneccessarily... he was somewhat freaked out about the whole thing, yet amazed.

The other morning, I was freaking out because for almost four hours after waking up, I couldn't feel him moving, and so we tried the flashlight to the belly trick, we even played him some rap and rock, hoping a good beat would get him moving.. and nothing.. I was panicing.

So, Luke just starts talking to him and sure enough.. the little turd kicked right back.. ha! So he likes his Daddy already. He always kicks for Luke, when he talks to him, but not me. I'll be so sad and empty once he's born, because he'll get all that attention from his Daddy directly, instead of through me.. :)

To sum it up, I absolutely love being pregnant, it's like being part of a sciencefair-miracle... I can't even explain it. The fact that I weigh, oh, almost 30 lbs. more than my husband is a little defeating, but... to be fair to myself, we started at the same weight, so it isn't as bad as it seems!! Luke, I think is a bit jealous, that I get to be pregnant, and he doesn't, and it's a good reminder to me, that it is in fact such a miracle to be able to conceive, carry, and birth a child.. I feel very blessed, and every passing day, with my belly and our baby growing bigger reminds me of just how lucky we really are. Being part of something wonderful always feels so good.

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Now, I will admit, I thought being pregnant would slow me up enough to catch me up on blogging, but sure enough.. it hasn't.. we're still very busy with this old house.. but here's the good news.. this old dining room of ours..

Here are the before pics...

this one is really old, before we ripped out the nasty carpet..

... and, here is a good shot of the room prior to the work starting. The old stenciling was great, the colors weren't bad, but the room was just in POOR condition, and besides, I love red. Love it. You should always have something red in EVERY room of your house, it promotes happiness, and is indeed the color of love..

This pic allows for you to see the stencling better, one day I may replicate the idea.. with something somewhat similar.. we'll see..

SO.. it all begins with a little bravery..

Once you get past that part, it gets easier.. and much more fun! :)

The really tedious work was in painting the trim.. ugh.. all that trim.. but worth it in the end, for sure!

As usual, a little orange guy is helping out..

The FINAL product..

Aaaahhh, the above picture is OF COURSE taken by me sitting on our couch..

Our newly finished dining room makes it official.. the downstairs of this old house is finally done.. and now we shall head upstairs to work on a room for our little Vincent.