Happy Thanksgiving

Happy (late) Thanksgiving!!

We had such a great weekend. My parents came into town on Wednesday and we enjoyed Thanksgiving lunch with my in-laws. My mother in law is a great cook and she always has a fantastic meal planned. In fact for Thanksgiving it is the same meal. Luckily it is all my favorites. After dinner and visiting for a while Owen, my parents and I left to see the movie the Blind Side. Unfortunately it was sold out so we went home. They watched a tv movie and I feel asleep. Lately, 8:00 is my new bed time.

I didn't have anything planned for Friday but we found ourselves very busy. We woke up pretty early and ate breakfast and then we decorated our house for Christmas. My parents helped and it made decorating so much more fun and bearable. I say bearable b/c my energy level is pretty low so having extra hands was nice. I forgot to take a picture but will do that tonight to post. We got a fake tree this year and it looks really good. After we decorated we made a trip to Sam's for my parents. They don't have a Sam's in Selma so she likes to go to ours when she is in town. After Sam's we went out to lunch and then made it back to watch the Iron Bowl. The 4 of us did not care who won the Alabama/Auburn game but it was a fun game to watch. By the time it was over we headed over to the Munton's for Italian Night. Mrs. Munton has coined the Friday after Thanksgiving Italian night. We have all been in to Italy so it is a fun night to remember our trips and eat really good Italian food. This year my parents contributed with making cappuccino's. My dad makes a great coffee!!! Before we knew it was 10:00 and time for bed!

My parents left bright and early (actually I think it was still dark) at 4:45 am to head to Starkville for the Egg Bowl. What a great game!!! They had a blast and Owen and I enjoyed watching it on TV. After the game we met up with Owen's family to see the Blind Side! It was amazing. I cried for the 1st hour of the movie. I love a feel good movie.

All in all this past weekend was filled with family visits and good food. I couldn't ask for a better Thanksgiving. I am thankful for so many things...here is my top 10 things to be thankful for this year.

10. I am thankful I have a job that is flexible and enjoyable
9. I am thankful my parents are able to visit me and do so frequently
8. I am thankful for my precious puppy dog who is getting better and better every day.
7. I am thankful for my friends who are there for me when I need to talk, vent, and to celebrate with.
6. I am thankful for being an American. I really am...even though I am nervous for our country in many aspects...I am always thankful for my freedom and for being born in the USA.
5. I am thankful for my brother. I am thankful he is my brother but also thankful he has listened to his calling and is serving our Lord, Jesus Christ.
4. I am thankful I have had a non stressful pregnancy this year.
3. I am thankful I am having a baby this year and will be a mom to Andrew Munton
2. I am thankful for being able to be myself and for having a family (immediate and extended) who love me and help make my life a better place.
1. I am thankful for a husband who I can depend on, love, and appreciate on a daily basis.

Again, hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving!!!

Life

Well...life as I know it is well...not comfortable. I can't believe we have 2 weeks before Andrew's arrival. I don't know how I am going to make it. Current symptoms these days are swollen ankles (actually I am just swollen) and it is so hard to walk. He has officially dropped so I have the pain associated with that. Good news is my body is progressing the way it is supposed to so hopefully I will be able to deliver in a non complicated way.

Other things going on in Munton Family are:

1. Owen's special day was yesterday! Yippee!!! I am so glad he gets into the special day spirit. I woke up and made him blueberry muffins (out of box...so nothing too strenuous). I went to church and he went to work. After church I picked him up from work and we went out to eat at Qudoba's. New mexican grill in Hattiesburg. It was very good. Owen loves Mexican grills...so this fit into the special day celebration. After lunch we went and got a fake Christmas Tree. We got a great deal on it so we were both happy about that purchase. Then off we went to buy a new TV!!!

2. Buying the new TV...Owen has wanted to get a new TV since the official switch to digital cable. Our old TV had HD channels but when we would watch the shows in HD it would shrink the size of the program. This became annoying. After much debate and looking at TV's we decided that yesterday would be the day we would purchase a new one. We found one at Sam's that seemed to fit our personality. Our personality you ask...yes we found a TV for people who only watch cable and on demand movies. We have discovered through this TV purchase that Owen and I really don't care about being on the cutting edge of technology. We don't play video games and we don't have the budget for the new "thing" in the TV world. So we bought our new 40" LCD TV and love it!!! Happy Special Day OWEN!

3. Back to our fake Christmas Tree purchase. I decided that with an infant in the house we needed to go the fake tree route this year. I had to promise to keep the tree for 3 years. I agreed to this since Andrew will be too little to understand how fun getting a real tree can be. By the time he is old enough to take to the Christmas tree farm...my 3 years will be up :) I am excited about our new tree because we are going to put it up tonight. YES before Thanksgiving. I can't believe it myself. I just want to get everything ready so I can enjoy my new baby and the holidays. I have finished my shopping with the exception of getting my father-in-law a gift. We have no idea what to get him.

Other than those three exciting things our life has been a waiting game for Andrew. I know my due date is not until Dec 9th, but my OB thinks he may be a week early. I know I don't know what I am talking about, but I also think he will come early. I am so anxious about it all. I know people say to enjoy these last few weeks...but I am very miserable with being uncomfortable. I hate to complain but my energy level is low and I want my body back. I know it won't be the same body...but I just want to regain a center of gravity...

I hope you all have wonderful Thanksgivings!!!

Love Erin

Family

This past Sunday my Granddad (my mom's dad) passed away. He went to the hospital a week or so ago complaining of back pain. They were going to do a small surgery to help his back, but ended up not doing the surgery b/c of other complications. This past Friday my mom called to tell me they had put Granddad in hospice. Not sure what that is, but she said it was the stage where they made sure he was comfortable, but would not "help" him recover from any ailments. He was on pain medicine so at least he was pain free.

My Granddad was a unique man. He had been sick for quite some time now. When we would visit him or my Grandmother you would hear him pray to die. Serious prayers...my Granddad was a very religious man. I always wondered what had to happen in our world for him to be at peace enough to leave us for Heaven. I am not sure I will ever know...but I do think it was Adam becoming a priest. I think having a family member of his become a priest was an accomplishment for my Granddad. Adam is even coming back home to do his funeral. His funeral is Wednesday. It will be a sad day, but sad because there is a void in our family now. I am not sad he has left us b/c it is what he wanted for so long and he is not in pain anymore. My Granddad was also 90 years old and lived a full life. I just hope he was at peace with his world when God took him to be with Him. In away it is comforting to know he is in Heaven with Our Father and that he is with his brothers, sister, and parents. That has to be a very sweet reunion.

too many count downs

Hey! Well we have 26 days until baby Andrew's due date. At our visit on Wednesday she guessed we will have him in 3 weeks (which is actually 21 days). That would be Dec 2nd...which sounds like a great date to me! This weekend we will put the car seat in the car and the hospital bags in the car (yes...I am packed and ready to go).

Another count going on in my world is I am on day 6 of having a head cold/head congestion. This is not fun. I am taking Tylenol products (approved by my doctor)...which seem to help. Well, actually no I don't think they are helping. I have taken 2 days off of work b/c of this funk and I am ready to feel normal again.

Also this weekend, I hope to convince Owen that we need to go get our Christmas tree. I have decided to get a fake one so we don't have to worry with the maintenance of a real tree this year. By the end of the season both Owen and I usually get sick b/c we are slightly allergic to real trees. This way no one gets sick in our house due to a Christmas tree. However, I am definitely not closing the door on real trees. I love picking out a tree and the hustle and bustle of getting the tree into the house. I will miss that, but for now I am committed to a fake one for at least the next three years!

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Holiday Spirit

I think I have mentioned this on the blog...but I am gearing up for the Christmas Holidays. Mainly because I want everything to be done and in place before Andrew gets here. I am not leaving out the blog in my quest for perfection...so I have changed my blog to reflect my excitement for the Holiday Season!!! I can't wait for the Christmas cards to come in, to put up the tree, decorate the mantle, and see my little guy experience Christmas for the 1st time. So many special days ahead...and I can't wait!!

Please know, I have not forgotten about Thanksgiving...and will be enjoying turkey and dressing with everyone else...I am not just going to decorate for Thanksgiving this year.

Happy Holidays!

35 more days

Hey! I can't believe I am going to post more pictures of my growing body...but it is in the name of documentation and you all know I love to scrap book. I can't wait for Andrew to come so I can post pictures of him instead of me!

Here I am at 35 weeks pregnant!

Results

Sleeping with out the snoogle was a bust! I went and got it an hour or so after I went to sleep. :( just 36 more days of uncomfortable sleeping. I do realize that I won't be sleeping when Andrew is here, but that will be b/c my baby needs me...not because I can't get comfortable.

5 weeks and counting

That's right, I am 35 weeks pregnant this week. Has time stopped? I feel like it has. Maybe that is b/c my days run together b/c I am not sleeping. The snoogle is not even working, in fact the snoogle and I are no longer friends. It is so hard to get out of bed now to go to the bathroom every hour. Yes I made sure to look at the clock ever time last night to make sure I was on an hour rotation. And I was. The snoogle takes up so much space and I have to exert so much energy getting around it at night that I am thinking of not using. Yep...I am going to do a little experiment.

I also have not taken a picture in a couple of weeks. I guess the main reason is I have forgotten, but maybe another reason is I am not sure I want proof at how large I really am. I was reminded how big I was when I was at Target on Saturday looking for new pants b/c I don't fit into my maternity pants anymore. Well I fit into them, but they aren't comfortable and I want to be comfortable.

Owen's wisdom tooth surgery went well on Thursday. I am glad he had it done. The healing process is going as well as it can. He still hurts and he knows something is missing in his mouth, which is an odd feeling for him. The doctor told him to eat real food by Saturday. He eased into that but by Sunday he ate two real meals. I am not sure how well he enjoyed the real food...but he at least tried.

Maybe I will get a pregnancy picture up soon. It wouldn't be right for me to quick my documentation towards the end.

Halloween Dragon

Here are pictures of Ralphie as a dragon for Halloween. He loves to dress up - it is so funny. He helped give out candy and even made an appearance at our neighbor gazebo party. He was a trooper. I think he loved the special treatment and attention.