D-day is almost here!

Here is our last blog post until after Baby CC arrives! I wanted to fill you guys all in on our Thanksgiving and what we've been up to lately. There's been a lot of work going on around here in preparation for CC...lots of lists being made and even more being crossed off!

Let's start with Thanksgiving. This year was special in the since that it was a very small but intimate gathering. We had a quiet day at my mom's house and then a couple friend of her's came over for dinner. The food was excellent, especially since I didn't have to cook at thing this year! My mom was the chef and wouldn't let me do a thing! It was awesome!!!

He wants to know where his plate of food is!

Yummy!!!

Brian, Jay and Linda enjoying their dinner and wine

B getting some quality snuggling time with his PG!

I think this was B's favorite part of the dinner...blowing out the candles at the end!

 The next day we didn't waste any time getting to those "to-do before the baby arrives" lists! We started off by pulling all the Christmas decorations down and setting up the tree. Mark was a super husband and did almost ALL of the work! B was a good helper too! They even put up Christmas lights on the outside of the house...it looks SO nice! It's very festive around here...all ready for Christmas and Baby CC!!

Taking down all the Fall things and getting ready for the Christmas decorations.

Daddy's big helper!!!

 That night after B went to sleep, Mark and I tackled the Christmas tree. It took us about two hours but we finally got the whole thing decorated! We had to be very specific in how the ornaments were placed this year...nothing breakable on the bottom or within arms reach of a toddler! The next morning B was so excited when he saw the tree all lit and decorated! He of course wants to touch everything but we've set limits and so far so good!

He was so excited that he went and grabbed Mark to "show" him the tree!

He kept naming all the different things he saw on the tree..."Santa!, Alligator!, Star! Snowmens!!!"

Look another snowman!

We set up these little trees in the back livingroom and Brooks has sort of made them his own...they are just his size!

He must hang and re-hang these stars 20 times a day!

Here's a not so good pic of the outside decorations...but you get the idea!

We've also been busy baking cookies and spending quality time together...here's B eating his favorite kind of cookie...raw!

Stealing some sugar!

Yummy cookie batter!

 Brooks received a very special "early" Christmas gift this year from the Wollitz family. He actually opened it up this morning and was so excited! It's his very own "Elf on a Shelf!" For those of you that don't have a clue what that it is, it's a little stuffed Elf that stays in your home during the day and keeps an eye on all that you do (good and bad) and at night reports back to Santa on your behavior. He comes back every morning but he is hanging out in a different place in the house so you have to "find" him! It's a really cute concept and B is actually into it this year! The Elf comes with a story all about being good and taking good care of your Elf...you even get to name him! I asked Brooks what his Elf's name was and he told me it was "Pete" I have NO idea where that one came from! :)

Opening his very first Christmas present this year.

Brooks and his Elf he named Pete!

Here's Pete hanging out on our mantle!

In other news...Brooks came down with a nasty cold this past Saturday. I'm not usually an alarmist when it comes to him being sick but with the upcoming birth of CC I started to panic! We took him in to see the doctor Saturday morning and sure enough he was running a 101.7 fever, wheezing, and had a croup cough! The doctor didn't play around either...he put B on breathing treatments for the wheezing and prednisone for the cough! We are so lucky that today he turned the corner and is finally starting to feel better. Unfortunately, he passed along his cold to me...no fun!!! I feel like poop but I'm not going to let it get me down...I've got to have a baby tomorrow! :) I've not been sleeping well because of the cold but that is nothing new to me these days. Please be praying that I can kick this cold by tomorrow and will be feeling better so I don't pass anything along to Baby CC!



Here's B taking a Neb treatment...he's been such a big boy about "breathing his smoke!"



This week our baby is 38 weeks old. Tomorrow he/she will be 38 weeks and 6 days to be exact! The baby has really plumped up now too. He/She weighs about 6.8 pounds and is over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). Baby CC has a firm grasp, which we'll soon be able to test when you hold him/her hand for the first time tomorrow! The organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Here's the latest belly shot of Baby CC...I've definitely grown over the past two weeks...it's pretty noticable!
 

So what's the plan for tomorrow you might ask??? I received all the instructions today at my pre-op appointment today so I feel as ready as I can be! Tomorrow morning Mark and I have to be at Winnie Palmer Hospital at 5:30am! Our surgery isn't scheduled until 7:30 but I guess they don't want to take any chances we might be late! :) I'll be delivering on the 2nd floor and Dr. Snow will be doing the c-section. Now Dr. Snow is not my regular OB or the doctor that delivered Brooks but he is a great doctor and very well known here in Orlando. My doctor was put on bed rest last week for high blood pressure and will actually be having her little boy this weekend too! She's made it to 37 weeks and that is an awesome answer to prayer. We really love Dr. Thatcher and wish she could be there to announce to us what little Baby CC is but we also want the best for her and her baby boy! Dr. Snow is a great second and he can't be all that shabby of a doctor seeing that he was the one that actually delivered both of Tiger Woods' kids! :)
So tonight Mark and I are going out on our very last date as parents of one! We are going to carry on the tradition we established with Brooks and eat at Del Frisco’s...yummy!!! We have to go sort of early though because I am not supposed to eat or drink after 9:30 tonight because of the surgery! And I definitely want dessert tonight too! :)
We are super excited to finally meet the newest member of the Batia family tomorrow!!!! We can honestly say that we do not care whether or not it's a boy or a girl...either one will be perfect for our family! I'm excited for Brooks to meet his new brother or sister and to see his reaction...I know it will be love at first sight all the way around! We will be in the hospital until Monday so if you're in town, stop by and see us! :)