Baby Shower/Annoucement Etiquette

In doing a little research I'm learning all the etiquette when it comes to announcements/invitations. My girlfriend Jessica has been showing me the ropes when it comes to developing/creating/designing baby shower invites. I must say- there is a lot more that goes into it than I thought. Thank GOODNESS I have her around. ;)

Jessica - creative director of baby invitations for shower #4 & baby room mural

What’s so exciting is that I'm actually having 4 baby showers.... your probably thinking "jeez you must be loved or a spoiled brat" .... Let’s hope it's that I'm loved.

As much as I'm excited to have everyone participating and helping me out it has proved rather difficult to fit everything in. As it now stands my weekend are completely booked up until I actually give birth... let’s hope the baby has good timing and can stick to a plan. lol.

My office is having a shower at work on a Friday, and my lovely office coworkers have been SO wonderful to plan this for me!!! The two were Chelsea and Holly, they were amazing!!!!

Office coworkers during halloween!!!
Chelsea, Shayna, Holly, Raquel & Me

My office coworkers (in normal attire)
Chelsea, Holly, Shayna & Raquel

That same weekend I am hoping that my girlfriends and I can ACTUALLY finish painting the baby nursery :) Again- my girlfriend Jessica has been the creative director of this project. She was a saint to volunteer her time to paint a mural for the babies room... I hope she doesn't regret it yet. lol. 



Baby room - BEFORE





Baby room - DURING



grass addition

The following weekend my husband and father are going on a "pig hunt"... I think it's my husband’s way of celebrating. lol. I guess we will be having pork chops when he gets home. On the plus side this means that my mom and I get a mother/daughter weekend to ourselves. We also get to attend shower #2 that a good friend and coworker of mine is having at her house.

Peggy - my baby shower #2 hostess

Weekend after that I get shower #3 in Wyoming at my parent’s house. More or less we are turning it into more of a celebration party instead of a typical baby shower. I'm excited because both men and women are attending and I know it's going to be so much fun. I'm happy to know that we are not playing the typical baby shower games like "lets measure how HUGE we think the pregnant lady is by using yarn"... not that it's a bad game... but I personally DON'T want to be measured.

My mother has been everything a girl could hope for.... she has been amazing at organizing the whole thing and if it turns out like the rest of her parties have then I KNOW it will be a success. She is probably the most outstanding lady I have ever met and I think it's a compliment every time my husband says "you are just like your mother" because I just look at him and say "why thank you".

My wonderful loving mother - Linda



The next weekend is the Memorial Day weekend in which I get to clean/prepare the house for baby delivery as well as pick up any last minute supplies I might need for the baby.  It might seem silly but I’ve actually been using the checklists that those baby websites give you. Being a first time mom I don’t know exactly what to get so having something to follow has actually made me feel more relaxed and reassured that I’m not missing something important. My favorite websites were the bump.com and babycenter.com.



Shower #4 and the FINAL baby shower is happening June 4th, exactly 11 days before my due date. Yes... I know what you are all thinking.... I'm crazy for cutting it so close and hopefully I don't go into labor.

But... it was the only free weekend when I could plan it and have all those I love attend. This shower is also going to be more of a party which includes both men and women and will consist of an afternoon BBQ styled get together with adults only, it is our last hoo-raa to have adult conversations without a child. My girlfriend Jessica has been a COMPLETE saint in this whole process. I have to say that I am incredibly thankful to have her here to get everything together.

Then.... the delivery (if all goes well) will be the following week or so. At which time I'm hoping that I'll have one boy and one girl outfit picked out ready to take my little one home in depending on which we get. :)



I've also pre made all of the baby announcements which only need a picture added and stamps put on so that it makes everything less stressful when trying to keep up with social etiquette as well as announce to the world the new addition to our family!

Third Trimester

Officially hit my third trimester with no issues!! Whoo hooo.

28 Weeks

I'm excited to finally be feeling the baby move and kick. My husband has been waiting so long to actually feel the baby move for himself and I know he's relieved to know that I'm not just getting fat from the pb&j's and ice cream. lol.

The gestational diabete's test (where you drink the sugary drink) turned out to not be that bad of a test. The drink was aweful but it was very simply and my results came back great. SO ... I'm one happy camper yet again.

I will have to say that one of the best inventions was the "maternity pillow" and I suggest that any pregnant women who doesn't have one.... must get one. 

I was lucky enough to have a brother, father, and husband willing to brave going to the motherhood maternity store to find the last one on the shelf. :) I'm sure the lady behind the counter was thinking... it took three large construction looking men to get a maternity pillow?????? haha.                                      







Husband -Hank



Brother - Hal



Father - Mike

My husband and I have also been working on names.... and being that everyone and their dog was pregnant the same time as me, we opted NOT to find out the sex of the baby. This has made it interesting and exciting at the same time.

For a girl we wanted to name her after all the uncles which includes my brother Hal (above) as well as Hank's brother's Joe and Steven (below). 

Joe & Steven

What we came up with was Halle Josephine Avery!



For a boy we were thinking Hudson Michael Avery  - Middle name after my dad Mike (above)

But who knows... maybe we will change our minds once we actually see the baby. Hank is always asked which he would rather have and his response is always the same "a baby". :)

Other than slight back pain and a little swelling in the feet the third trimester has started off pretty great and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything continues to go well.

I'm just hoping that because I've had an easy pregnancy that this doesn't mean it's going to be a rough few first years with a new born. haha.

33 Weeks

Doctor's visits

Being pregnant requires numerous visits to the docotor's office. Starting at once every 4 weeks, then every 2 weeks and soon I'll be going every week.

At first I was unsure of whether or not I wanted a midwife or a docotor. However, the one thing I did know is that I LOVED the women's clinic I was currently attending.

After doing some additional research I decided to go with a mid-wife. I was assigned to one of the two they had on staff and as soon as I met her I knew that she was going to be my new best friend!!

Natalie Taylor, CNM

Natalie was born and raised in Idaho Falls and attended nursing school at Ricks College and Idaho State University.  She worked as a labor and delivery nurse in Idaho Falls for nearly 13 years before becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife.  Natalie received her Masters Degree in Nurse Midwifery from Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in Hyden, Kentucky.  Frontier School of Midwifery is one of the oldest midwifery schools in the country with very rich history in midwifery in the United States.
As a midwife, she specializes in normal birth.  Natalie respects birth for what it is, a natural, biological process that rarely needs intervention.  Further, she is well trained in recognizing complications that do require intervention and strives to help women achieve the birth experience they want to have by educating them on options and supporting their decisions.
Natalie also provides care to non-pregnant women!  She performs annual well-woman exams, contraceptive management, health maintenance, management of menopause and other gynecological problems as well as care for minor health problems.

I'm so happy to be working with Natalie! She is not only a great midwife but she is understanding, sarcastic, funny, and willing to joke around with my husband and myself.

I just hope that all pregnant women get to be this lucky. The hospital where we will be delivering is also very nice and offers exactly what we are looking for!

Our next step is to create a birth plan and choose a doctor for the baby after it is born. Currently we are looking at a list of D.O. Doctors but haven't yet settled on one.

Time is ticking......

Second Trimester

The second trimester.......

So far not much has changed aside from my ever expanding belly. I've realized that I love being pregnant and I'm thankful that it hasn't been too stressful. The only cravings I've really had, have been for peanut butter and jelly sanwiches and ice cream. hmmmmm.

16 Weeks

 20 Weeks ( I swear I woke up one morning and the belly was just there.)

20 Week ultrasound

26 Weeks



For now the only thing bothering me are the stretch marks. ;)