...and We're Still Waiting!

Our Christmas Day due-date has come and gone, still no baby. I joke and say that Baby would be smart to stay inside until June with all of the cold, nasty weather we get up here. Calie doesn't seem to find that very funny. But she is doing well and feeling fine, just ready to have the baby and begin the next chapter of this always exciting journey into parenthood. If Baby doesn't come on his (or her) own within the next couple of days, we will be going into the hospital early on Tuesday, December 30th and Calie will be induced! Please keep Calie and Baby in your prayers!

Until then, here are some beginning pictures of the baby's room:


Because we still do not know if we are having a boy or a girl, it was not easy coming up with a "theme" for our room. Of course, we have also been known to make these decisions much more difficult than they really need to be. But we now have our "jungle theme" and a homemade sign to welcome people to our child's room.

Our first wall sports our fancy, coffee-colored dresser and changing table. As you can see we have a sweet jungle lamp and three lovely wall-hangings: a monkey, a tiger, and a giraffe.

Just beyond our fancy dresser/changing table we have a lovely, comfy rocker given to us by one of our favorite Our Redeemer church ladies. The chair is surrounded by the Diaper Genie (part 2), a jungle pillow boppy, and the very-beginning stages of our library. And that ridiculously beautiful picture hanging upon the wall is a maternity picture that Calie and I had taken somewhere in month eight!

Turning the corner, you will see our lovely crib. Overlooking the baby you will see a well-crafted shelf (more on that later). What you can't see too well is the baby's own boom box for bedtime lullabies and his (or her) very own humidifier.

Let's start with what you can see: a simple shelf with a few jungle animals overlooking the sleeping place of our future bundle of joy. What you can NOT see are the plethora of unused holes and broken screws that accompany this masterful final display. Also not visible is the dent in the aluminum closet doors to which I threw a hammer and wrench at in my assembly frustration. After using enough four-lettered words to make a sailor blush, the only other thing that would help was hitting or throwing something!

And off to the right of the crib, our elephant and frog wall-hanging complete our jungle decor.

Mary's Journey

So I know that many of you have been checking and hoping for an update. Sorry it has taken us so long. Each time I think of blogging I think, maybe I'll wait and just update it when the baby comes...so far, obviously no baby. And so here is the update...

There has not been a real significant change/progress in the progression of labor. I just found out this morning during a non-stress test that I am having Braxton-Hicks contractions. No big thing though, I hardly know when they are happening. It only means that my body is getting ready for birth. So if we don't have the baby before December 30th, I will be induced. So we will (keep your fingers crossed) have a baby before the New Year!

I was thinking about this whole experience the other day, and realized that since it is the day of Jesus' birth, Mary and I have something in common. I know it may be a stretch, but being due around the same time, I was thinking how uncomfortable I am. That led me to think about Mary and how she must have felt. I have the luxury of riding in a car, wearing shoes, and not traveling on a donkey across a desert and mountains. I can only imagine that must have been what induced her labor. I am excited that tonight I get to reflect more on this thought and celebrate with all people the joy that I am feeling and the joy that Mary felt too.

I wish you all a Peaceful Christmas and time to enjoy your loved ones company. We will be thinking of you all during this joyous season.

Merry CHRISTmas!
With love from the Vera's

Ready or Not...

I can't believe how busy we have been... and we haven't even had the baby yet! Yikes! Our apartment has long looked like it was hit by a mini-tornado. Now with part of a day off, I am hoping to do some serious cleaning. These past few weeks since Thanksgiving have flown by; we have had something going on just about every weekday night and weekend since then. It seems like we are only in our apartment for sleeping and an occasional bathing! So as we have been running around, the boxes and garbage and dirty clothes have all been piling up. By the way, thank you to all of you who have sent gifts and cards to us for Baby Vera!!!

Advent is indeed a time of preparation. Calie and I are anxiously looking forward to the birth of two babies. The birth of our own, and of course the birth of the Christ Child who must never be overlooked at Christmas time. It certainly appears that these two babies may have pretty similar birthdates as Calie is perfectly on schedule to deliver pretty close to our December 25th due date. Unfortunately, the doctor certainly didn't seem think the baby would come any sooner. Hopefully they decorate those hospital rooms nice and cozy for Christmas time. Calie is still feeling very good—no sickness or anything like that! Her feet are a bit more tired at the end of the day but she's a trooper and rarely ever complains. She is definitely ready for this little bundle to leave her body, but she would be the first to tell you how lucky we've been thus far. But as you can imagine, we are sooooooooooo excited! We sat at our church's childcare Christmas program last night and couldn't help but become even more excited about our own incoming cutie as we watched all the kids singing their Christmas carols. Although this is being said BC (before children), but I'm even looking forward to getting up multiple times in the middle of the night to attend to a crying baby. I know, I know I’ll change my tune quickly in a few weeks! Oh yeah, and my sister sent me a "Father to Be" t-shirt a couple of weeks ago. It's pretty dang sweet. I think I have worn it more days than not. In fact, I am wearing it as I sit here blogging.

This upcoming Saturday afternoon our church is throwing us a baby shower. The congregation that has already warmly embraced and shown us so much love is now very excited to share in this baby experience with us. Our newborn will have plenty of honorary grandparents and I'm sure that, at least for once in our lives, we will never be at a lost for babysitters! So on Sunday after church, Calie and I hope to spend the rest of the day making sure we are ready for whenever Baby Vera arrives. We'll make sure our diapers and spit-rags are well stocked. Put the finishing touches on the baby's room decor. Finish installing the car seats. And probably head to good ol' Target for some last-minute essentials. I'm not so sure that we'll ever be really ready, but hopefully this weekend will give us a chance to feel a bit closer!

That's about all for now. Please keep Calie and Baby in your prayers, for safe and healthy delivery for both! And stay posted as we'll have news and pictures up as soon as possible. May this Advent season fill you with hope and joy as we celebrate the in-breaking of Christ and live in expectation of His return. Merry CHRISTmas!