38 weeks - i should pack

 1 cm dilated celebration pose!

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my OB checked me at my most recent visit yesterday aaaaaand, well, i'll take it.

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one is better than zero, right?  right!  she then reminded me of some natural ways labor can be brought on, but my mom is not out for the Summer until this friday (she's a teacher) so we will hold off on those for the moment. lol.  we are in no rush anyway, seriously.

i have, however, finally start packing my hospital bag.

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now that i have a bigger, better (cleaner) bag!

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i found this J. J. Cole satchel bag in Babies R Us that caught my eye (and Chiso's apparently) so i rolled with it. this is my running list so far:

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and this is what i have going as of today:

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in my bag:

  • slimming black nursing cami (Target, 22.99)

  • swaddle blankets

  • burp cloths

  • Odego's going home fit and extra onesies

  • car seat + head support

  • diapers & wipes

  • travel toiletries

 and the infant car seat is by the door!  currently researching double seated strollers... that would be smart.

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 i may have very well taken my last Wednesday night Turbo Kickboxing class before Odego gets here... we'll see what happens!

Q: moms, what did you bring to the hospital that you should have left at home OR that you wish you would have brought with you?

le

bam bam bam

after three big events three saturdays in a row:

brother's wedding

Chiso's birthday party

my baby shower

and birthday parties, graduations, etc. sprinkled in between, i'm ready to sit down and just be pregnant.  i don't even know how to do that but i've got 2.5 weeks left to figure it out.  and as soon as i do, Odego will just be like 'OOOOOH NO YA DON'T', so it's whatever!  just taking this thing one day at a time and enjoying solo time with my 1st born until ... it's time.  i gave today my best shot and ended up in Ikea pricing bunk beds with Chiso. and hey, i got this blog post in and even started packing my hospital bag, so i'd say it was a pretty productive day.

this past sunday was baby shower day! been looking forward to it ever since my sister-in-love Michelle offered to host one for me.  it's no secret that we're having another boy, and i saved so many of Chiso's things (mainly clothes) that i didn't even consider having another shower.  however, God knew what we forgot we needed and provided for us, as He promised.

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after church and a family workout sunday morning, i went and got jazzy to the best of my abilities to celebrate this little ball of energy in my tummy.  bring on the belly rubs!!!!!!

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the braids are back and so is the high bun! normally after 1 or 2 stores, i'm DONE with clothes shopping for the day, but i have my go-to dress places and usually find something super quick. sooo, imagine  how disappointed i was to walk into the Houston Galleria to find both Zara AND French Connection UK....closed!? (fyi Zara will reopen in October but i needed them RIGHT THEN!!!). wasted gas indeed. the next day i tried again closer to home and was ELATED to have found this coral Calvin Klein number in the first department store i visited.  that never happens. ok, not to me. i paired it with my nude Steve Madden pumps, some gold jewelry from Forever 21, and got up outta there.

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i appreciate and humbly thank each and every woman who came to celebrate with me.  the Egwuatus take what we can get during the week, but sunday is family day for us. (and sometimes you just want to have a day to do your OWN thing, especially if your work week begins on the following day...i get it!) so when i have to be away from my boys for any reason, i'm always anxious to get right back to them. which means i understand completely when people shift their schedules and take time out of their day to come support, spend time with, and even bring unrequested gifts to and for someone else.... it means absolutely EVERYTHING to me.

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   i thank my family, friends, & Sorors for simply being there. and for those belly rubs!!!!

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a special, heartfelt thank you and BRAVO to my hostesses who did an amazing job putting everything together. my sisters:  Michelle, Ogechi, and Kara!

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 aaand, i especially appreciated the gifts given to our 1st born, Chiso. how thoughtful!  just WOW. blessed beyond measure and i just want to thank God as it is all because of Him. all of it.

thanks for reading! 9 month update post coming right up.

le

P.S. YEP, i put my cooking classes on hold in prep for those 3 big weekends and since Odego will be here super soon, the classes will be back when i am! for now, let the hardcore nesting resume.