The Twilight Zone of Pregnancy

I'm pretty sure that the final weeks of pregnancy turn into a sort of twilight zone experience. You feel like time is moving slowly, yet fast at the same time. You have no idea when this whole labor thing will happen, so you just sit around and wait while feeling nervous, yet excited, yet impatient. For many women, you're also pushing through a fog of exhaustion and hormones and the strangest symptoms that could be straight out of the twilight zone itself. And if you're like me, then you already have everything prepared for the baby and feel like you're just twiddling your thumbs, waiting for this big moment that will change your life, and there's nothing you can do but wonder when it will happen!

Patience, Ashley. Patience.

^^^(Nicole's room. No decorations yet, but right now I'm just breathing a sigh of relief that the big things are done before baby arrives.)

Speaking of the twilight zone, Doug and I are convinced that Nicole has a 6th sense or something. When we first put her in her new bed, to ward off having a toddler who started waking up too early out of the excitement of having the freedom to get out of her own bed, I told her: "Nicole, mommy and daddy sleep until 7 o'clock. That means if you wake up before 7, I will come in and tell you to play for a bit until it's time for mommy and daddy to wake up. Okay?" (It's a technique I'm trying.) So for the past week and a half, Nicole has woken up at 7 each day, almost on the dot. Sometimes slightly earlier, sometimes a bit later, but always right about at 7. Impressive body clock, right? Well... then this morning she woke up at 6:35. I lay in bed, expecting her tiny hand to come knocking at any moment and preparing myself to have to get up and tell her it was still too early. I listened to her sing, play, and talk to herself for nearly HALF AN HOUR and then, shortly after 7 (7:03 to be exact) she finally started knocking on the door. How did she know?!?!?! I'm telling you, it's ESP or something. Haha!

I'm glad I have a daughter like Nicole. Her sweet, easy-going nature makes me a bit less nervous about being a mom of "two under two" (I'll be the proud owner of that title for a month and a half until Nicole's birthday haha). I can't wait to see her be a big sister! I am seriously SO excited!

Meanwhile, I'll just spend my time continuing to deep clean the house and check things off my fall bucket list. Last night we got the opportunity to go through Nightmare on 13th up in SLC (sans Nicole, of course) and I was SO glad I got to do something haunted this year. Anyone who really knows me can testify that I don't get scared in haunted houses, but I LOVE going through to see all the special effects and tiny details, and Nightmare on 13th never disappoints. I can only imagine all the time and planning that goes into creating the attraction (they switch themes every year to change it up). There's a reason it's one of the most popular haunted attractions in the state! Thanks, Nightmare on 13th, for the fun little date night! I guarantee that Doug jumped more times than I did. And he was a gentleman who let me go into every room first. ;)

I was very pregnant last time I went through this place, too. I guess I need to make it a tradition to get a picture here with each of my baby bumps ;)

Now it really feels like Halloween season! Eeeeeeeee, I love this month so much!