All I want for Christmas...

I've mentioned before about my extreme love for everything Christmas, especially the music and movies. Well this weekend, as we close in on the final week before Baby Bogart's due date, I found a whole new appreciation for one of my favorite Christmas songs: Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You". If you listen to the song and pay close attention to the lyrics it makes perfect sense. See!

Click me and listen to the song! You know you want to!

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree

I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas
Is you

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
And I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree

I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas Day

I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby

Oh I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow
And I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe

I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click

'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do?
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
You baby

Oh all the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air

And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need?
Won't you please bring my baby to me?

Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door

Oh I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
You baby

All I want for Christmas is you baby
All I want for Christmas is you baby
All I want for Christmas is you baby

See what I mean?! It's such a perfect song for me this Christmas. So perfect, in fact, that I've started blasting it multiple times a day while singing it to Brock. I'm hoping he gets the hint. But have no fear! I remind him on many occassions that I don't mean for him to take it too literally... I definitely don't need him to wait until Christmas to make his appearance. In fact, I'd prefer that he didn't. I want him to be here before so we can enjoy our first Christmas as a family of three. (Preferably not in a hospital bed with cafeteria food.)

But I guess in all actuality at this point I'm not being too picky... I'm just so ready for him to be here that I will take whatever day he picks to make his debut. Even if it does mean spending Christmas in a hospital and forever trying to make his birthday special even though he has to share it with Jesus. Although, I cannot tell a lie - I'm a pretty big fan of the "sooner rather than later" philosophy if I had any say in it.

But here comes the fun part! In an effort to keep myself mildly entertained this week as I very impatiently count down the days until this Friday when he's due to arrive, I want to start a poll of sorts. I want to know everyone's guesses for a) when Brock will actually decide to make his grand entrance and b) just how much his little (or big!) butt will weigh. I haven't decided yet if there will be any sort of prize other than just bragging rites for the winner(s), but humor this desperate pregnant lady and play along. Pretty please? Just leave a comment either here on Blogger or on Facebook with your guesses and I (in my true nerdy fashion) will start up a spreadsheet to keep track of everyone's guesses. It'll be fun, I promise!

Besides, who doesn't love a little friendly competition on a Monday morning? But make your guesses soon just in case my wishful thinking and out-of-tune singing actually entices the little man to come out in a timely fashion!

Good Luck and Happy Monday!

Lots o' Lights (Fo Free!)

I apologize cyber world for neglecting you all week... please forgive me! It's actually been a surprisingly busy week for the Bogart family. More so for Ryan than it has for me I guess since he's been busy with actual obligations and I've been busy just trying to stay busy (so I don't sit around and dwell on the fact that I'm still pregnant). I've done more cooking, some baking, a lot of Target/mall walking (even though my Christmas shopping is completely done) and I even treated myself to a pedicure, too! It's been a good relaxing and yet productive week. Ryan even took some time out of his busy schedule on Tuesday for us to go see the Bentleyville Tour of Lights.

For those of you who aren't from the Duluth area, or haven't had the pleasure of experiencing the magic of Bentleyville before, you are missing out! It's pretty much amazing. It has been held in downtown Duluth's Bayfront Festival Park for the past couple years now, but  it was first started by a man named Nathan Bentley back in 2004 when he hosted the event on his own property.  Now it is the largest light show in the upper Midwest with almost 3 million lights and it was voted the "Best Light Show in Minnesota". I told you.. it's pretty much amazing!

Plus, it's free! That's right - it costs nothing. It's sponsored by the Salvation Army and various businesses in the Duluth area and it's set up, staffed, and tore down completely by volunteers. And while you walk around the paths enjoying the pretty lights and views of Duluth you can sip a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, munch on some cookies or popcorn, and roast marshmallows in little fire pits for free! They even have Santa there every night too handing out Bentleyville embroidered hats to all the kids. You guessed it - for free!

Since it is sponsored by the Salvation Army, they appreciate canned food or new toy donations to support their other projects, but it's not a requirement. It's just such a cool event for the community and I've looked forward to it every year since Ryan and I first drove out to the middle of nowhere to experience the original Bentleyville our freshman year.

This year they added something a little different to the lights display - dinosaurs. Sort of weird, right? Not exactly something you would expect in a holiday light show. There was even an article in the Duluth Tribune a couple weeks back commenting on how that and how it didn't fit in with the "holiday theme" and apparently that offended some people...? I don't know. It didn't offend me but it's definitely unique, that's for sure. On a side note, Ryan wanted me to add here that it was his favorite part. (Go figure, right? Ryan liking something that everyone else finds weird and/or offensive... that's so unlike him! Hahahaha!)

The pictures I have don't really do justice to how great Bentleyville really is since my fingers were slightly numb.. So you should all visit the website, learn a little bit more about the "Best Light Show in Minnesota", and go enjoy it for yourself! It's open until December 26th!

http://www.bentleyvilleusa.org/



TGIF!

Taco Bell, you know me too well

Nothing much to report from the Bogart household today, so I figured I'd just share a tiny bit of humor with you all compliments of Taco Bell... Enjoy!

With my overall general love of Mexican food and my increased craving for it with this pregnancy, we've been eating at Taco Bell more frequently as of late. And you know how they have those taco sauce packets there with the funny/clever little sayings on each of them? I love those! And it's pretty much the highlight of the trip for me picking out a handful to put on our food and reading which ones I get while we wait for our food. Well, somehow the past three (yes, three!) times we've been there, I've managed to get exactly one with this saying:

The first time it happened, Ryan and I both had a good chuckle. The second time, it was even more funny. By the time it happened a third time last week, Ryan insisted that I take a picture and post about it on the blog because he thought it was so funny. It might just dumb luck that I keep getting this message and it might be the employees strategically placing it on the top of the pile for me to grab as they watch me waddle up through the parking lot yet again... either way, it's still pretty funny.

I feel your pain, Mr. Hot, I really do.

Oh Christmas Tree! Oh Christmas Tree!

This Monday night, after a long weekend of Thanksgiving festivities in Walker, Ryan and I finally put up our Christmas tree. I know what you're probably thinking - "Finally? It's not even December yet, you're way ahead of the game!" And you would be right. It isn't December quite yet, and it is only the first week after Thanksgiving, but I have been itching to put up and decorate a tree since it hit November.. so for me it felt like I had waited about two lifetimes.

We decided to go with a fake tree this year despite my hesitation. It just makes sense for us with all the uncertainty of having a baby around the holidays because Lord only knows how long it will stay up past December 25th. I figure taking down Christmas decorations probably won't be my first priority with a brand new baby in the house and exhaustion to go with it. But it still does make me a little sad on the inside... it's just not the same! I miss that delicious pine tree smell! I just have to keep reminding myself about how much less maintenance it's going to require - no crawling under the branches and getting poked by the needles in order to keep it hydrated and no daily vacuuming to pick up those pokey needles either. My tired, pregnant body appreciates that part for sure.

To Ryan, it's not an issue. His family has had a fake tree for many years and so that's what he's used to anyways. Not me.  For this northern Minnesota girl with fond childhood memories of picking out a real tree every year with my family the day after Thanksgiving, it is slightly heartbreaking. But there's many more years of Christmas yet to come! And in anticipation of future years filled with great-smelling, pokey pine needles we got our tree on Black Friday for 50% off at Target. That way we won't have to feel guilty if it only gets used for a few years. :)

What's even more heartbreaking than not having a real Christmas tree this year, though, is not having a fireplace to hang stockings over. To a lot of people, I'm sure I must seem crazy. But being the daughter of a fireplace manufacturer, that's a pretty big deal! I was out buying Christmas decorations a couple weeks ago and I got all excited when I found these super cute stockings because we didn't have any and of course everyone needs stockings... and then I got home and realized - "We have nowhere to hang them!" But have no fear friends! Ryan helped me find a suitable place on the wall for them and they still look super cute.

Now if only we could get some snow to go with my stellar Christmas decorations, it would feel like it's almost December... Plus, rumor has it that low pressure systems can help induce labor. I don't know about you, but I could definitely go for this baby being born in time to enjoy our fake Christmas tree and a white Christmas. Just saying.

Happy Hump Day!

Remembering to Give Thanks

Recently, and this week in particular, I've found myself grumbling and complaining a lot. But, in my defense, it's hard not to when you're 9 months pregnant... I'm achy, I'm hormonal, and I'm SO ready to meet this baby! But I shouldn't make excuses for it... Really, it's a bad habit to complain all the time. So today I finally decided to stop and give myself a reality check. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving - a day devoted entirely to giving thanks for the all good things in your life that you may take for granted the rest of the year. I realized today that I should spend less time complaining and more time remembering the abundance of things I have to be thankful for. Especially this year. Because I have so many.

So I played this game today. It's called "What I Say vs. What I Mean". Basically, every time I had a complaint throughout my day, I stopped and thought of a good way to say the same thought so I seem more grateful for my multitude of blessings and less like a spoiled brat. It went something like this:

What I say: "Wow, my back hurts again this morning. Imagine that."
What I mean: "Back aches suck, but I'm so thankful that a few aches and pains are all I can complain about when it comes to being pregnant. It could be so much worse."

What I say: "Did these stretch marks grow more over night, or is it just me? Either way, my stomach sure does itch!"
What I mean: "I'm thankful that my son is still inside growing big and strong even if it means getting more "battle scars". I'm so thankful for whoever invented Palmer's Cocoa Butter. It's like heaven on itchy, stretched skin."

What I say: "I really wish Ryan didn't have to be gone all day, everyday with work and school. I get lonely all day at home alone."
What I mean: "I am beyond thankful that I married such a motivated, hard-working man. It's so great that he can go back to school for something he loves and get paid to do it.  It's only because he works so hard that we can afford for me to stay home with the baby after he's born and I'm really looking forward to that."

What I say: "How is it possible that our laundry has piled up so much? I really don't feel like washing, folding, and putting away clothes ALL DAY."
What I mean: "I'm so glad to have a closet full of clothes (even though half of it doesn't fit right now). It's awesome to wake up in the morning and not only have something to wear, but to have a choice about what I want to wear."

What I say: "Bills, bills, and more bills! I hate checking the mail and finding bills almost as much as I hate paying bills."
What I mean: "I live in a heated, lighted apartment that has internet and Netflix and I have enough money in our checking account to pay for all of these luxuries. I am one lucky girl."

What I say: "This child has SO. MUCH. STUFF. It's not even fair. He probably has more things than Ryan and I combined. I'll never have his nursery organized and cleaned before he's born at this rate."
What I mean: "We have been beyond blessed by our amazing friends and family with almost everything we could ever need or want for our baby boy. We'll never be able to fully show our gratitude for their extreme generosity and kindness even if we tried. Our son is already loved and he isn't even born yet. My heart is so full of love for him and our support system that it might burst at the seams right along with his dresser drawers."

You get the idea now? It's a great game. I felt a heck of a lot more upbeat and positive today than I have in a while when I just took a couple minutes to gather my thoughts and get a new perspective. And how could I not? When I just sit back and look at all the things I have to be thankful for this year, it makes me teary-eyed. Yeah, yeah, I know part of that is the hormones talking... but seriously!

Okay, enough with the mushy-gushy talk for one day! It's time for me to pack my bags and prepare for the trip to Walker tomorrow where I'll get to see my amazing family and friends and stuff my face with good food. Oh! I almost forgot! That's another thing that I am thankful for this year! I don't have to restrain myself when eating Thanksgiving dinner for fear of gaining a pound or two... I'm already "fat" and I'm allowed to get "fatter" for the next three weeks until this baby is born! God bless being pregnant over the holidays!

Thankfully Yours,
-Big Mama Bogart

The Week of The Baby

You know how the Chinese calendar has every year represented by an animal? Like "The Year of the Dragon"? Well, I feel like this week in the Bogart family is "The Week of The Baby". It all started last Saturday with another wonderful baby shower thrown at my mother in law's house by Ryan's aunt, Wendy, and my sister in law, Jen. There was delicious food, baby-themed games, and many more presents for little Baby Bogart. Seriously, this kid's stuff is going to overtake our apartment before he finally decides to make his grand entrance. No joke. Who knew such a little person could have so much stuff?!

After our busy weekend in Rogers, it was back up to Duluth for a week jam-packed with baby classes. Last night was the first class of the week: "Bonus Night" aka Infant CPR and Carseat Safety. The class was "free" if you signed up and are taking the Labor & Delivery courses at the hospital. It was super informative and slightly terrifying at the same time. Although I do feel much more informed and better prepared, I'm also terrified that I will be one of the 80% of parents to incorrectly use my car seat or that I will actually have to do CPR on my own child. What? I'm actually going to be responsible for this life that we've created? Holy. Crap.

And as if the class last night wasn't enough to make me sweat a little, this weekend Ryan and I will be taking the actual Labor & Delivery classes as well. It is going to be a long Friday night and all-day Saturday spent in good company with other soon-to-be-parents learning about all the "fun" we'll have sometime within the next month or so. I'm sure that these classes will also make me feel better prepared and more informed, and really I wouldn't want to not take them, but I guess I'm just a little terrified in general of the whole daunting task of delivering a baby. I hear that's normal though, right?

Really though - I guess I'm not even that worried about him actually being here and taking care of him as much as I am worried about me having to get him here. Sure, I'll be exhausted for a while and it will be a major adjustment for our family, but at least I have a little bit of experience with babies. The labor and delivery part? Yeah, not so much. I wish we could just skip that part. Wake me up when he's here, okay? :)

Thankfully, after the fear-instilling classes this weekend I have something else to look forward to. My nerdy and totally awesome chemical engineering friends are throwing a party in honor of Baby Bogart on Saturday night. I guess, technically, they are calling it a baby shower but it's more just an excuse for all of us to get together, eat some food, and play some games. I'm just impressed that they found the time and energy with their crazy school/work schedules to fit in anything besides more sleep this weekend. But I'm so thankful that they fit me into their busy lives because I never get to see them anymore since I'm not in school and that's where they practically live. I can't wait! Hopefully I can stay awake past 8 pm to enjoy it.

So there you have it, folks! The Week of the Baby! So much celebration and preparation for such a little person. Hopefully with all this excitement he'll get antsy and want to come out sooner rather than later to join in on the fun. We can only hope...

35/35 on 11/11/11

Today is a big day Blogger World! I am 35 weeks pregnant today! Which means I only have 35 days left to be pregnant! (35 weeks down / 35 days left! Woot woot!) How super duper exciting is that? Sooo exciting! Here I am this morning being very excited to only have approximately five weeks left before I can finally meet our little boy:

And in honor of me making it this far without any major difficulties (thank The Lord!) and also in honor of my new friends, Stretch and Marks, who decided to rear their ugly heads this week for the first time (bleh! I thought for sure that I would get lucky enough to squeak by without any!)... I wanted to share with you all this beautiful pin that I found on Pinterest:

Granted, my stomach isn't nearly as marked (yet) as the pictured one is. But even if it was it wouldn't matter to me anymore. The caption is so true and it brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. And that might just be the hormones, but it is very touching whether you're hormonal or not. There is something truly beautiful about a mother's marked stomach. But I didn't always feel that way... I used to be terrified of getting stretch marks because, well because, I'm still young and I'm selfish and I want to be able to confidently wear a bikini again darnit!  But if a few (or many) stretch marks is the price I have to pay for my baby to be born healthy then so be it!

Well, I'm off to lather on the coco butter! I'll take the stretch marks if I have to, but I won't go down without a fight!

TGIF!
-The Marked Mama