Guest Blogger Tonight: Mommy

Hi Anthony's blog readers! This is Anthony's mommy. I think the next few days I'll be guest blogging. This picture is of me at 36 weeks...3.5 weeks before his arrival. I only got bigger...and my feet only got fatter...

Through the professional blogs I follow, I have read often times that a blog seems to be a place for people to let their thoughts out for the world to read/share. The next few nights will be just that...

Since Thanksgiving in particular, I have been reliving and enjoying the memories of these same days a year ago. Anthony was a big boy...and those last few weeks at school were difficult for me to move around. I still keep in touch with many of my friends from the school I previously worked at and still sub there on a regular basis. When I was subbing a few weeks ago, the teachers were in the middle of their Parent/Teacher Conferences. I recall last year...those being my last days of work. I could not sit, stand, walk, move, or simply "be" comfortable. My friend Liz provided some comfort to get me through that last night of conferences before I said goodbye to my classroom for my maternity leave.

As the days have passed, I continue to recall joyous memories. A year ago Monday was our last ultrasound. The technician told us that Anthony was measuring about 9 pounds. A year ago today, my doctor told me that I needed to go in to the medical center to be induced either tonight or tomorrow night. I opted for tomorrow night so that I could have one last night to rest and one more day (tomorrow) to clean the house for the tenth time (at least) in preparation for the baby.

This night last year, we went to Best Buy and purchased a flat screen tv (which was then returned THE DAY we came home from Loyola, realizing what a little expensive bundle we just brought home with us...LOL)and took a carry out home from Panera Bread. I clearly remember having a bread bowl with Broccoli and Cheese soup...and enjoying every sip. My best friend Gina was calming me down through the phone line as the fear of the unknown began to really sink in. Our 39.5 weeks of preparation were over, and the days were finally here.

My Auntie Tammy's final words of advice for me were to eat our "Last Supper" together without a child/children at my choice of a restaurant, for I wouldn't be able to eat for many hours once in the hospital. Those turned out to be mighty fine words of wisdom. That story...in tomorrow's post.