Rolesville Elementary Shower

Today was a great shower after school thrown by the wonderful 3rd grade teachers I work with! It was so nice, with an adorable cake handmade by Kelly!

I am so lucky to work at a school that is so welcoming and generous. I am so appreciative to everyone who was at the shower and for all the wonderful gifts that Baby K recieved.


This marks the final shower for this peanut! We were both so spoiled with so many family and friends already showing Baby K how much they love him or her. :)

Thank you so much RES for everything!! :) I appreciate it soooo much!

Raleigh Shower!

Yesterday this little peanut was spoiled yet again by some great friends in Raleigh! Starks, Hill, and Taxis put together a perfect shower! They had cute decorations, fun games, and delicious food! :)

The games the girls came up with were so cute! The first one was everyone had to cut string to the length they thought would fit around my belly. Stephanie Davis, who is due 11 days before me, measured her tummy as a guess-timate and got it EXACTLY right!!! We also had a list of 25 traits the baby could inherit from Keith or I, and everyone had to guess which ones they thought I would choose for the baby to have form each of us. It was actually pretty easy for the most part, just a couple stumped me. Guess who's hair I want our baby to have? :) I had Keith do it too when I got home and we were pretty much on the same page, just a couple different here and there! The last game we played was "baby scattegories," where we had to write A-Z down the side of the paper and write down a baby something for each letter...talk about a memory blank! It was fun though, I love me some scattegories!

I had a special glass that said, "Baby K is on the way!" and cute candy and candle favors!

It was so nice! We got some great things for the little one. I am so excited to get everything all set up in the nursery!

Braxton's??

I think I am experiencing my first "contractions." Yesterday afternoon I was out running a couple errands and felt this cramping feeling. I have to admit I was kind of friecking out, but knew I couldn't be in labor. They lasted for a little while while I was out and decided to come home! I layed down for awhile and drank some water, a lot of good I know that did, and it seemed to stop.

I did a little research on this cramping and it turns out it's Braxton Hick's contractions. YIKES! That word, contractions, is just kind of scary! However, I know we're getting close. Everything I read too said that Braxton Hick's are nothing, you'll know when it's REALLY labor. GREAT!!! That's reassuring! :)

Shaving the Legs

Okay I know this might be a little TMI, but it just kind of makes me laugh. So I knew there would come a time that I couldn't bend over in our stand up shower to shave my legs...well it has come! The past two weekends I have had to sit on the edge of our bathtub and prop my legs on the opposite side to shave these bad boys. It's just lovely too because when I slightly bend to reach my bottom leg my stomach quickly becomes covered with shaving cream from my thigh...I tell you, it is just so pretty! :)

Just thought I would share that lovely visual with you! I was saying for awhile that Keith was going to have to shave my legs, but I think my new little system works out just fine! :)

And We Have a Travel System...

Last night was a big night in the Kepplinger household...a little Olive Garden for dinner, a trip to Babies R Us, and a pit stop at the ice cream shop! :) (Seriously, 5 years ago this would have been a very uneventful evening, but last night, it was just perfect!)

We were very fortunate to get a very nice gift card from several New Hope friends and used that towards our car seat/stroller combination. I also happened to have a 10% off coupon too, soooo of course I had to put that towards it.

We are pretty excited and Keith is anxious to take it to the fire department to have the car seat installed into my car. It's really crazy that we are close enough to need to be thinking about a care seat for this peanut! Ready of not though, this one will be coming soooooon!!

34 Weeks Along...

On Sunday I hit the 34 week mark, which means just 6 more weeks to go. To think that if I had this baby in 2 weeks, TWO, it would be considered a "full term pregnancy," is just crazy to think about!

I went to the doctor today for my check-up and everything is still looking great. I was asking my fav doctor about this pain I feel in my right rib cage at night, he said it is most likely a foot that is stretching out! :) Oh how I love this peanut, but if he or she could please find a new home for their foot!! haha! Other than that I am right on track and doing well...after my next appointment I start going EVERY week!!

This tummy just continues to grow...I really don't know how it could get too much bigger! It is exciting though and we are getting very anxious to meet this little boy or girl!

New Hope Shower!

Some of the New Hope girls!

Sandy, Stef, Biuso, Carolyn, Miss Bonnie, and Alli!

I don't think many people are lucky enough to work with such a great group of people for four years that truly will be a part of your life forever! I was so fortunate to work at New Hope Elementary for my first four years of teaching and feel so blessed to have been a part of such a wonderful school!

On Sunday the New Hope girls (teachers and wonderful moms of kiddos I have taught) had a shower for me. It was wonderful!! I was sooo excited to see so many faces that it had been too long since I've seen. I have to say, I knew I worked with great people, but the moms of the kids I taught, are the best!!!

Miss Colby and I

This little peanut is one lucky little girl or boy! Nancy wanted to get a tummy picture, which I am NOT a fan of, but went ahead and pulled up my shirt to let her. One of my kiddos from last year happened to get a glimpse and I think she is probably traumatized for life!!

We got some GREAT new things for this peanut! I loved all the books that we got, obviously from a group of teachers! :) It was such a great day and I was just overwhelmed with how sweet of a day it was!!

Thank you SOOOO much ladies!! It was great :) Love you all!!!

YEAH FOR KEITH!!!

Scroll down to see the congrats post for Keith! We just got the OFFICIAL 100% YES news today that everything has gone through!!! I am SOOOOOOOOOO proud of him!!!!! :)

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! We hope everyone is having a wonderful day!! The Easter Bunny visited our house last night :) Bailey even had an Easter basket ready and waiting for him this morning. Here are just a couple pictures!

Keith and Bailey's Easter Baskets on the table!

Bailey checking out his treats!



Keith surprised me with the Wii Fit that I have been

really excited about getting!!! :)

ALL Day Birthing Class

Today Keith and I had our ALL DAY birthing class, we're talking from 9-4:30! It was a LONG day, but informative. I don't know that I can say it made me feel any better about the whole birthing process, but I guess I do understand everything a little bit better.

We watched videos of 4 different women giving birth...all 4 ways I guess. One all natural, one with just pain killers, one with an epidural, and one c-section. I think Keith and I decided that he is NOT going to be taking a peek as the baby is making its entrance into this world. :)

Overall it was a good day, just a LOT of information to take in! I am going to practice my breating and see what happens the day of delivery....OH I was NONE too thrilled to hear that they like to wait and give an epidural at 6 CM!!!!!!!!!!!! I think an exception will have to be made for this momma to be! :)

The Scary Part...

I have been home all day today with different people coming in and out doing repairs to our house, getting our TV installed, and getting blinds put in. It is hard to believe we have just about been in our house a year already...soooo much has changed in that short amount of time! I mean, we're going to be PARENTS in just a few weeks!

As I was peruising the internet today and checking my email about a million times, I got an email from BabyCenter.com. Their emails are sometimes helpful, sometimes just get deleated. Well today I happened to check it and read over it. They had a video that you could watch on different ways women give birth. BIG MISTAKE...I WATCHED IT!!! (Here is the link if you too feel inclined...http://www.babycenter.com/2_inside-pregnancy-labor-and-birth_3658872.bc?scid=preg_2_20090409_B:2&pe=2UwhwHj) While I have been WELL aware that this baby does need to eventually come out, I think it is starting to hit me as we get closer what exactly is involved in the birthing process. I am not going to be the mom that wants to go all natural, that just isn't me, I do want the drugs and I want them before I even walk in the hospital! :)

Ellen has been a great support and keeps telling me that it's really not that bad! I totally believe her and it can't be or women wouldn't keep having babies, right?! I am just such a baby when it comes to pain and just want to feel as little as possible! I even told Keith last night that I think I need to schedule a c-section. I'm not going to be paranoid or anything, I know it will all work out, but I just need to think about that sweet baby and NOT the process of how he or she will arrive!

Will will??

So it has been driving me NUTS that the blog survey about whether or not this baby will be a boy or a girl says "Will Will...." instead of "WHAT Will..." However, it won't let me update the question since people have already voted!! Please know that I am aware, actually brought to my attention by my sister in law, but I just can't fix it!! :)

Updates!

Here are some nursery updates...still lots more to do, but you get to see the new bedding! :)

Everything's Looking Great!

Today was the 32nd week check up and after my last visit, I was a little nervous! It's funny though because when I would go the first few months, I would be so anxious to hear the heartbeat. That would let me know that everything was going well. While I still LOVE to hear that sound, I don't get as nervous because this little baby is always moving around in my belly, letting me know everything is a-okay!

I FINALLY got to see the doctor that I love today, the doctor that was my reasoning for staying with this practice that is 45 minutes away! It was great to see him and he told me that "everything looks great," even my weight! :) Yahoo! He felt my ankles today and said, oh yeah, we have some swelling. That's not new news to me considering I have NO ankles by the end of the day!

I will be going back in two more weeks...after that I'm pretty sure it will be every week! T-minus 50 couple days until Baby Kepplinger arrives!

CONGRATS TO KEITH!!!

Baby K and I are THRILLED to report that Keith got accepted into the Leadership Development Program with BB&T bank that he has been crossing his fingers about for the past 2 1/2 years!!!!! ( I wrote this awhile ago, but we were waiting on everything to go through 100% and it did TODAY, 4/16/09!!!!)

Two Fridays ago he had his interview in Winston-Salem and felt really good about it when he left. He was told that my the next week he would find something out. GREAT news would be coming in a UPS package and not so good news would come in a letter or email. Every day that I came home from school is was a search for a package! Last Friday afternoon Keith had an email from BB&T and obviously he thought it was bad news....HOWEVER it was the tracking information for his UPS package that they were sending!!

I am sooo proud of Keith and he is SOOO excited! He has worked so hard in school and did everything he could to land this job! It is a great opportunity for all of us and something that I know Keith is going to be SO happy doing!!

We love you babe!!! :)

Nursery Changes!

Leave it to me to not stop with the nursery until it is JUST the way I like it! The other pictures I posted showed the solid white with green trim bedskirt, green gingham bumper, and polka dot sheets...WELL...I do believe I have changed my mind! I was looking for some curtains one day and was on the Babies R Us website, my new fav!, and saw some cute ones, so I clicked on them and saw a whole matching bedding set! It was a green, brown, blue, and white paisley, with a matching stripe, and brown and white polka dots. Well, I fell in love! I had to see it...only problem, it only available online! I can't believe I am going to admit this, but I think most will understand my logic here...I wanted free shipping! I called the store to see if they could order it for me and get me the free shipping, since it would be about $45 to ship everything. I think that is kind of ridiculous considering I'm not even given the OPTION to look in the store to see if it would match. So after a few transfers and speaking to a couple different employees, I got my free shipping! YAHOO! I ordered the bedding set, the hamper, and the valances.

THANKFULLY, on Friday, before we left for PA, everything had arrived! I LOVED it! When we got home this afternoon, I just couldn't wait to try it on the crib...I love it even more!!! I am pretty excited! I even convinced Keith to play around with the furniture for me ONE LAST TIME just to see if there wasn't a better way to organize it all and I am THRILLED with the results!

I am posting the picture of the bedding from the Babies R Us website...my goal during my "3 day spring break" this week is to get curtains hung and get everything a little more situated in the room, but I promise pictures will be coming!! :) Let me know what you think!

32 Weeks!

I feel terrible that I have been a slack blogger, I promise I will do better for this last EIGHT WEEKS! Yes, that's it...8!

It is so hard to believe that only 8 weeks are left! We are getting so excited for this baby to arrive and wondering more and more each day if this is a little boy or a little girl in my tummy. It is so funny to hear how so many people tell me different...one day it will seem heavy on the "it's a boy" side and the next day it will be "it's a girl." My dad even has a poll going at work with his customer service ladies...haha! (Ladies, if you are reading...you'll have to report the results to me!) My dad tells me it is very heavy on the girl side, so we shall see!

This week the baby continues to grow! I read on my update tonight that the baby is now starting to gain about a 1/2 pound for every pound I gain. I am going to ask at my doctor's appointment on Wednesday if they have any idea how big this baby is right now! I'm just SOOO curious!!

Next week, when I am writing I only have 7 weeks left to go, I will certainly be thinking about how the baby was already 7 weeks old when we FOUND OUT that I was pregnant! This month is just going to FLY by!!! We can't wait and are getting more and more ready everyday!!

Big Weekend in PA!

This weekend we were in PA for a fun filled, action packed weekend!! We left after work on Friday and got in at about 12:30am! Traffic was terrible, from what Keith said anyway! (I was snoozing!)

Saturday morning Jamie and I were up and at 'em ready to go get our hair done with Yvonne. Yvonne has been doing my hair since I was in high school, did my hair for proms, my wedding, you name it! I made my appointment with her the minute I found out that I was going to have a shower at home that afternoon! Jamie and I did that, which was great and I feel like a new person, then headed to my mom's for the shower!

Everything was so nice and it was great to see family and friends! We ate great food, chatted, laughed, and opened more gifts for our spoiled little peanut!! We had a great time :) Mom, Gran, Jamie, and Heather did a WONDERFUL job planning everything...I really appreciate all of your hard work! Thank you soooo much for everthing!!

Heath and I!

3 generations, with #4 in the belly!

The peanut continuing to be spoiled!

The precious cake!


After the shower, I had asked Heath if I could use her photography skills to take some "clothed maternity" pictures of Keith and I. I tell you what, just about EVERY website I went to to get some ideas for pictures had naked women with cloth draped over them showing off their belly. That is just NOT the look I was going for! We took some inside shots and then headed down to the covered bridge, right down the street, the same one where she did our engagement shots! We had a lot of fun and Heather is AMAZING! She got some great shots and I am so thankful for her creativity!

Finally, to wrap up our Saturday, we met the "Kearns Klan" at, none other than, Outback! Grandpa, Judy, Uncle Gus, Aunt Linda, Em (who came in from NYC for the shower!), dad, J, Keith and I had a delicious dinner and, as always, had a good time!

When we got home, oh after a Rita's pit stop!, we were set to watch the Carolina game and I think I remember watching about a MINUTE of it! We were OUT! It was a long day after all!!

We left this morning at around 9 and made good timing home! It was a SUPER quick trip to the PA state, but it was a GREAT one!!! Keith and I were thinking that this was one of our last trips to PA without a little peanut in the car with us. Momma is going to need to learn to be a lighter packer so that there is room in the backseat for the munchkin!! :)