VPG

Oh my. Where do I even begin after a week of being gone? I'll start off by saying that from now on when you see the letters VPG on this blog, please know that it means Very Pregnant Girl. When I reach the nine month mark in, oh, ten days, I'll add another V to become Very Very Pregnant Girl. So yeah, I'm having a baby this year - a daughter, in fact - and this little event is going to take place next month. It is almost baby time, y'all. I'm at that point where I can't stop thinking about it every other waking minute. I'm also at the point of continually intensifying acid reflux, delightful stomach pains after eating (not even overeating!), very light sleep, super strong braxton hicks contractions that don't feel very good, and a little bum that's flipped upside down and likes to hang out - or poke out - on my right side. That last one's actually kind of amusing.

Christmas for me was like a baby shower, which I suppose is fitting since the holiday is all about a very important baby's birth. Oh, and have I mentioned that Jackson was getting a little confused with all the baby talk? Baby Jesus, Baby Girl Jones, Baby Cael...he's had a little trouble keeping them straight. At one point he told me that Baby Jesus was in my tummy. Poor thing.

I've found it to be a huge blessing, especially the second time around, to be pregnant over Christmas. I was given a new pink Boppy pillow, a stand-on tandem stroller, some SwaddleMe blankets, a girly diaper bag, a new playmat, a new bouncer, some very sweet headbands and bows, painfully adorable socks, a big pink teddy bear, some room decorations, hanger dividers for the closet, and of course some adorable clothes. Superficially, I'll say that my favorite gift moment of Christmas Day was opening the baby's crib bedding, which I didn't think was going to be finished in time. It was a complete surprise. Oh my word, it is so incredibly gorgeous! That night I put it on Jackson's crib just to get the vision and I loved it even more than I thought I would. When her new crib comes I promise I'll share pictures. Curt's mom and dad are graciously going to treat us to a new swing. I've been wanting that Fisher Price rainforest one that goes both ways. Other than that we just need to clean some of Jackson's things off and get a new Diaper Champ. We threw Jackson's out long, long ago.

Being around Baby Cael (our four-week-old nephew) while we were in Missouri was so great. I had almost forgotten how to hold a baby that small! Of course, when I hold my own I won't have this big tummy to contend with. Cael is the sweetest little thing. We hardly heard him cry and he was still so sleepy during the day. It pains me to know how much bigger he'll be when we get to see him again. Curt's sister Lindsay is doing a great job with him, just taking it all in stride. I wish I'd had it that together when Jackson came. She had an errand to run one day and I got to help watch Cael for a bit. Two observations: One, when I put a real diaper on Jackson at night it's a size 7 in Pampers. So those little newborn diapers? Teeny stinking tiny! They're actually not that stinky in comparison. Also, I had forgotten how fast infants go through diapers. It's astounding. I'm very thankful that we're already well into potty training.

We also got to meet another baby in the family for the first time - cousin Andy and Mindy's seven-month-old son, Eli. He was super cute and such a happy boy. Curt's extended family has been extremely blessed this year. I'll have you know that Eli's DAD (who is very much a man's man) sewed his boy a felt Christmas stocking all by himself. What? I know! He's every man?!?! That is very impressive.

I'll have to save the rest about our Missouri trip for another post. We are dropping the boy off at Bibby and Pappaw's house and going out for a nice dinner for Curt's birthday. VPG has to get ready and it's taking a little longer than usual to make this woman look presentable! I told Jackson a few days ago that I needed to put on my makeup so I didn't look so tired and he said, "Too scary, Mommy!"