100 Happy Days Challenge: Day 58

37 weeks, 5 days pregnant. 16 days until due date.

It was a pretty chilly, rainy fall day, but I actually kind of enjoyed the weather. We've all been enjoying this unseasonably warm fall weather, especially after the rip off that "summer" was. But it was kind of nice to have it feel like a fall day. They are calling for higher temps again over the weekend (14 &  20, I heard) and knowing this makes the cool days tolerable. It's when I see snow in the forecast that I start swearing like a sailor in my head.

It's crazy to me that it's possible that we might be bringing our baby home in warmer fall weather and not snow. All this time, I've been imagining packing up the newest little man in our household and braving the negative temps for that most exciting journey home, but if our city is selling this +20 business, hells yes, I'm buying.

So,  in addition to enjoying the weather, I liked today because:

1. I had a really productive morning. I feel immediately good and happier when I'm productive, as opposed to lazy. Being lazy is a self-perpetuating, bad cycle and it's easy to become down because of it.

2. I met for a long-overdue coffee with the uber-talented Ali Lauren today. We met through our awesome husbands, who have been really close friends for years. Ali is a photographer and how quickly she books up lends evidence to the truth that she's a damned good one.  Ali was the only other person I knew (other than Jeff and my doctor) who was in the room during Carter's delivery. She did birth photography for us and captured some pretty incredible moments. We met today to discuss her doing birth photography again for this baby, if all goes well. I hope it works out and she's able to attend. These are the kind of pictures I could never ask anyone else to take, and I still cry when I look at them.

While we met with the purpose of discussing birth photography, it was a great catch-up chat. We're both busy, so we don't get together nearly enough and it was so good to see her and check in.

3. We pretty much finished the baby's room today. We have to hang a couple things on the wall, and then it's done. I do also want a rocker/glider in the room, in the other corner by the window where the baby's bouncer is, but I haven't been able to find exactly what I want, and I'm not spending upwards of $400 on something I don't really, really love. But, other than completing a deep clean of my house (hahaha) we're ready for this baby.

In labour. Ali barely made it to the hospital in time for the birth. I arrived at the hospital, already 8cm dilated and Carter was born about 2 hours later. 

Coming to the realization that we are parents. 

First kiss. 

With the gorgeous Ali Lauren. 

Mom and Dad didn't know the sex of the baby. As Jeff ushered them into the room, he said, "I'd like to introduce you to Carter Owen," and that's how they were told that they had a grandson. My dad was beaming and my mom was more emotional than I'd ever seen her. 

December 24, 2011. Best Christmas gift ever.