Shane's World: "Baby Sista" tomorrow!

Shane is in for a big surprise tomorrow as it is the day of my scheduled c-section. I will be 39 weeks and 1 day pregnant! Of course we have been telling Shane that he is going to be a big brother for a while now, but he really does not understand. When he hears the baby's heart beat at my doctor's office, he says, "Baby Sista!" However, that is usually followed by him lifting his shirt and showing me that he too has a baby in his belly. I let him feel my belly, but I am sure that he has no clue that an actual person is moving around in there and that she will be coming home with us to live in our house and share his parents with him! We have moved his baby furniture into the third bedroom and told him the crib is now for his baby sister and last week Dan put together the baby stroller and we had the infant car seat installed. Shane acknowledges that the other seat is for his "baby sista" and that the double stroller is for him and his sister and he loves to go in her room. However, to him I think it is just a room that he calls "baby sista's room" and a seat to put his animals in. We definitely feel that he senses that something is up because he has become extremely needy for me and my attention. In fact, I am the only one who can do anything for him. If he needs a glass of milk and Dan tries to get it for him he takes the glass back and says, "No! Mommy do it!" I am the only one who can put him to sleep and read him his books in his car bed (Do you have any idea how hard it is to sit in that thing in your 39th week of pregnancy? It is LOW to the ground!) and it is me he wants to put his blanket over him, etc. I am feeling guilty about being in the hospital for 3 nights because I know how hard that will be on him. I have never been away from him for this long! In fact the longest was the night of Melissa's wedding when we stayed over at the hotel. That was a year ago and Shane at 18 months was not attached like he is now... I know he is going to be an amazing big brother and that he will adjust. After all, he is the most amazing little boy ever born!
OK, so on to what we have done this week. On Monday Debbie took us out (she is amazing) for my birthday! Shane had a great time hanging out with her, showing her his vacation pictures, and playing with the wonderful puzzle she brought for him. It was also great because Debbie will be staying with Shane while we are having the baby tomorrow. She will be bringing her doggie Ashley who Shane also adores so he should be happy! Here are a few pictures from the day! Shane is so lucky to have "Aunt Debbie"!

On Wednesday, Shane joined me for my last OB visit before the baby. We tried to prepare him by telling him it was the last visit before we had the baby so he spent the week leading up to the visit saying, "Dr. Kagen - one more time!" He truly loves going to the OB with me! He loved it when I got my progesterone shot, when we listen to the baby, and most of all when we walk in and the nice receptionists have a sticker for him. Now he says, "Sticka pease" as soon as we get there! To mark the visit, we took a picture of Shane with his favorite nurse (who shares my birthday) and of course with Dr. Kagen!

When we got home from the OB visit, Melanie came over! She is living in Michigan now and it is always such a treat to see her! Of course, I did not take any pictures! UGGGGHHHH! She made the baby this amazing blanket, sweater, and hat! She did the same for Shane and his sweater and blanket will be treasured forever, as will the ones she made for this baby. Shane sleeps with the blanket she made him every night! She also brought Shane some wonderful jumbo board books and he LOVES them! Shane is definitely more in personality like Dan than he is like me, but he loves to read like I do! He is silly and crazy like Dan though! On a quick side note, his new favorite thing is to repeat a silly phrase - any phrase will do such as "Ello Fellows, Elllllo Baby, Second Man, etc" - over and over again cracking up hysterically as he says them! He is a big goof like his daddy! Anyways, thankfully, he loves to learn and read like his mommy too! The truth is that Dan's outgoing personality will probably get him farther in life than my somewhat quiet and reserved one!
Ok, on to Thursday! We did one more trip to Aurelio's for dinner with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Shane's buddy Ryan came along and of course I have a few more pictures!

On Friday we went out for dinner for my birthday again! I am spoiled rotten!!! On Saturday my parents, Dan's parents, and Jorie and Jason came over for dinner and cake. We just ordered pizzas, opened presents, and hung out! it was nice! Shane loved the flashlight that Dan's mom gave him and had a blast playing with it! Here are a few pictures!

We let him take the flashlight to bed since he was so tired. I went in his room 5 minutes after he went down and snapped a few pictures! In the first one, it is a bit hard to see anything because I turned the flash off on the camera and his room is really dark. I also took one with the flash so you could see how cute he was in bed with his flashlight! The flash artificially lights up the room, though.

Shane also spent some time showing his beloved Aunt Jorie some of his vacation pictures! They did this after they ran around the house like wild ones for 30 minutes! I never got a picture of that though!

Next we opened presents! My mom's great friend Bertha made us some baby clothes and a blanket! She made 2 shawls that are just beautiful! As is the blanket! Again, these gifts, made with love, will be treasured forever! She also made Shane a beautiful blanket when he was a baby that he loves & uses all of the time! Inside the baby of gifts for the baby was an adorable stuffed dog for Shane! He loves it and is such a lucky little boy to have so many people who love him! Thank you Bertha!!!!!

Next up was ANOTHER homemade gift for the baby! This one was from Grandma Carolyn! She made a beautiful sweater, hat, and blanket for our baby! She did the same for Shane and of course it means the world to us! I know how much time and effort went into that set and we absolutely LOVE it! One day our daughter will be able to pass on her special hand made items to her own children! What an amazing gift!

Grandma Carolyn also bought a few outfits for the baby!

And for my birthday she gave me a wonderful gift card for Kohls and a nice top to wear post baby! I love it!
My parents also had presents for the baby! They included some adorable bibs - one of which said what happens at "Grandmas stays at Grandmas!" Too funny! The other was a Daddy's little Princess bib! Adorable! Some zip up sleepers were also in the bag - YAY! The worst thing in the middle of the night is a million snaps! My parents and Jorie also gave us some baby picture frames which are so needed! We have a million ones for Shane so we need to get her started! For my birthday, my parents gave me some cash for some new shoes - yay! My feet are so swollen that I think I have ruined all of my shoes and will need some new ones once they shrink back down! They also gave us some new pads for our steam mop! I definitely needed those!

Dan's cousin Kathy also sent a present for the baby! She is one lucky little girl! Kathy, the onesies are so cute!

After dinner it was time for some cake! Shane loves to blow out candles! He was singing the happy birthday song to his stuffed animals during his nap yesterday - so cute!

Finally it was time for a few family pictures!

Once everyone left, I realized I did not have anyone take a picture of Dan, Shane, and I - our last as a family of 3! We propped up the camera on the counter and set the timer - it is not the best picture in the world, but it will do! I am going to try and remember to ask Debbie to take one for us when she gets here tonight, but if I forget - a definite possibility - then at least I have this one!