Due Date! (a day late)

Took this photo yesterday, 03/26/13, on the due date! Check out that belly button nub!

Pretend there's no snot on his face. This poor boy has been sick with a cold since Friday or Saturday. Get well, Big Brother! And don't get Mom and Dad sick! Photo of us playing in the backyard yesterday, collecting acorns.

Ford got to spend time with Uncle Roy and Aunt Cheryl yesterday so Brad and I could have a "due date date." We got sushi to help take the sting out of going past the due date, and Ford got to play with Ellie the dog, run around in the backyard, find Easter eggs and watch a little bit of Toy Story!

Well the due date has come and gone with no baby in our arms! Unlike when I was pregnant with Ford and TRULY content to wait as long as he needed (he arrived at 40 weeks + 6 days), I was actually a little down yesterday. Not sad, not throwing a pity party, but I guess like my doctor, I expected SOMETHING to be happening, since this was the second baby and not the first. Not like I thought she'd BE here yesterday, but I thought I might have at least had some contractions at this point, or that I could feel myself carrying low (see photo above... could she BE any higher?!). And I've started having people say things like, "Maybe your due date was off and she's actually due a lot later," which I just don't think is true... If anything, I think she was "due" a few days earlier. And I had one person ask me a couple of days ago why I was still "so small" if I am 40 weeks, and was I sure my "fluid level" was okay. I just think comments like that aren't helpful. And yes, I've gotten at least a couple of texts from well-meaning people who have asked "Where is the baby?!" and I don't like feeling like I'm late on something.

So while my heart tells me that this waiting period is right and good and just to be grateful, my head is causing me to doubt, "Is this normal?" I can't think of anything else I can be doing to get some progress going that I'm not already trying (and I'm not really looking for suggestions :). I AM cherishing these days with Ford, although he's got a full-blown cold AND he's getting ALL FOUR canines at once, and I've heard those are the most painful teeth to erupt. Makes it a little hard to do things like go on "field trips" when a meltdown is always imminent and he has a scary-sounding cough (I'm not worried about it, but it sounds bad!). And finally, Brad has a broken foot... I don't think I've mentioned that here, but he broke it a couple of days after he ran the half marathon on February 17. Needless to say, our daily family walks have not happened for a while, and we're not doing things like going to Northpark Center or White Rock Lake together like we often do. Maybe I have to take back what I said a minute ago... Am I throwing a pity party?! Ha. I guess I just expected these days to look a little different, that's all, and I'm having to adjust my expectations. 

Still, like I posted a few days ago, we have TONS of people blessing us in really wonderful ways. Roy and Cheryl have watched Ford once a week for the past THREE WEEKS so Brad and I can go on a date. We had a fun time splurging on sushi last night and just enjoying what may be one of our last dates for a while! It was really sweet (and delicious!).

Overall, everything is great and we are so fortunate to be where we are, waiting to welcome a new baby into our family. I am still nervous about HOW she's going to get here, praying that she's not OP, that the delivery is quicker than last time, smooth and uncomplicated, that C-section will be avoided (and induction, too! Why not?), for a healthy baby and that everyone will adjust well to the changes.

More soon. Sorry if this seemed like a big complaint... I don't mean for it to, just trying to share the state of my heart and where we're all at! In the meantime, I'm going to take Ford for a vigorous walk! :)

40 Weeks Update

Two posts in one day! See below for a post on how much I have appreciated sweet gestures and random acts of kindness lately!

How big is baby? I guess close to 8 lbs, if she's following the trajectory my doctor predicted! Hoping she doesn't get much bigger, eek. 

Weight gain/loss: No gain from last week! Still 24 pounds gained in this pregnancy.

Sleep: Well, you know. Predictably not so good, but it's just part of God's way of preparing me for nights with a newborn. Just wish I could nap during the day... I'm really not a good napper! 

Movement: Moving! I saw a different doctor this morning for my weekly appointment -- my doc was performing an emergency C-section -- and he was a lot more positive and encouraging. I had seen this doctor once before, right after I delivered Ford, and he was just as nice as I remembered. Anyway, this doctor was able to feel for the position of the baby just by palpating my belly. He could tell she is turned so that she's facing my right hip (at least during the appointment she was, but she's moving a lot!). That put to rest some of my fears that the baby is OP, like Ford was, although Dr. J did say she could turn either direction (posterior or anterior) once labor begins.

Symptoms: Leg pain is back! My right leg spider vein has been throbbing. I'm even sleeping with my compression stockings on now. Overall though, feeling very good.

Belly button: Out!

Food cravings: Nothing in particular, although I have been eating the chocolate cake like crazy (see post below).

Gender: Sweet Baby Girl! 

What I miss? Not much! Really, I'm cherishing these last days of "relative autonomy," before a newborn turns our world blissfully upside-down. :) Lots of sweet time with Ford and Brad, walks by myself, treasuring feeling baby girl kick...

What I'm looking forward to? Still just having some idea of how baby will arrive and when. The doctor this morning guessed it will be at least another week, so we may be having an April baby rather than a March baby. More expensive birth stone! Ha. I'm totally not impatient at all, and I want her to come when she's ready. But I know some people are making travel plans (and Easter plans!) around the baby's arrival, which stresses me out just a little. Not because they are MAKING me feel stressed, but because I would like to be able to give them a definitive date. And of course I don't want my doctor to start getting impatient, or maybe I should say more impatient. So it would be nice to have a clear idea of when she will be here! I guess she'll be here before April 8, since that's two weeks after my due date. I have been going to the chiropractor, who told me my sacrum was out of alignment, and the acupuncturist, who was shocked when I came back for a second appointment ("You no have baby yet? I think... you have... baby tonight.") Also taking lots of walks, herbs, stretching, doing my "spinning babies" poses to do everything I can to avoid having her turn OP... We're in full-on "get ready for baby" mode!  

Big Brother:Oy. I know I have said this every week for the past few weeks, but his love for "Mama" knows no bounds. I'm actually a little nervous about how he'll handle me being at the hospital for a couple of days. Brad took him to run an errand while I was at my doctor appointment this morning, and when they returned to an empty house (my OB and chiro appointments both ran way late), Ford burst into tears and was screaming "Moooommmmmy!!!!" Overall, he's still cracking us up daily and blowing me away with the new words he's learning. Lots of fun. With that, though, have been two or three days of skipped naps, a cold (and bronchitis?), teething... Lots of good with a few challenges mixed in to keep us grounded. He discovered the train table at Barnes & Noble last night and was OBSESSED. He has been asking to read the "New Baby" book a lot, a Little Critters book called "The New Baby." The thing is, I don't like that book much -- makes bringing a new baby home sound like a drag ("I read my favorite picture book to the baby but all she did was cry!"), so I always make up words ("Sometimes babies cry, but it's their way of telling us what they need. Babies are sweet!"). Ha.

I'll try to be back tomorrow with a due date post! 

On Kindness

Just a little bit of kindness

Can go a long, long way

Just a little bit of tenderness

Can brighten up a day... 

Excerpt from "Kindness" by Alice Joyce Davidson

I recited the full text of that (admittedly pretty cheesy) poem at the Association of Christian Schools International Speech Meet when I was in third grade. Funny how the things you learn and memorize way back then stay with you! I may not remember my drivers license number every time, but I do remember most of my speech meet pieces!

That stanza sets up the point of this post, though: How MUCH I have been touched by the kindness of others, particularly at the end of this pregnancy! From texts and Facebook posts by sweet and encouraging friends (read: NOT the ones who say things like, "WHERE'S THAT BABY?!" but the ones who remind me of the fun ahead and tell me that they're praying for the birth) to my surprise baby shower to other incredible acts of kindness.

A few more that come to mind are my friend Lisa from Bible study gifting me some really fantastic used baby gear; my acupuncturist/herbalist giving me every piece of personal contact info that he can in case I need him at any hour; Alison and Lola coming over for a playdate/visit and bringing us an armful of Starbucks pastries; our neighbors and Brad's aunt and uncle watching Ford so I can either get stuff done around the house or Brad and I can go on dates; Abby coming over for a visit and making the sweetest framed art for baby girl's room; and more, so much more!

To be clear, people have done a TON of stuff to bless us during this pregnancy. My mom has bought baby girl a TON of sweet clothes (and Aunt Brittney, Tara and others have added to her stockpile, too!), and Tara and Katy loaned me maternity clothes, and Shelly gifted us a boatload of Liliana's precious smocked dresses and other special outfits, enough to keep her well dressed for at least a couple of years! Above are just a few examples of things that have blessed us in the last few weeks. If I didn't mention you by name, please don't think I'm any less grateful! 

I wanted to share some pictures from the play group shower, but they have disappeared from my phone. Basically, a bunch of us gathered at Kimie's house for the normal Monday morning play group, but Kimie had rallied the girls to bring some hand-me-down (many with tags still attached!) baby girl clothes, since I hadn't had any showers. Anne brought cupcakes and Kimie made bran muffins with cream cheese frosting, along with yummy oolong tea. I opened gifts and "ooohed" and "ahhhed" while the kiddos milled around and played. I will forever cherish the memory of that time with friends!

A couple of weeks ago, Kimie so sweetly agreed to take pics of me and Ford at a park in Richardson to capture what it's like in these last days of it being just Mommy and Ford. She took up photography as a hobby not long ago and is REALLY talented! Below are a few of my favorite shots from our time together. Such a sweet gift to have these precious days captured in photos!

Ford and his friend, Kimie's daughter Lucy, whom Ford affectionately calls "Nnnlooooosy." And she reciprocates by signing the word for "forehead" for his name (or at least she did once, which Kimie and I thought was hilarious!).

Do not try to get between a toddler and his snack.

Feeding the ducks. Ford gave them approximately two small bites of bread and ate the rest himself.

I feel like Ford looks like a stuffed animal here. Does that make any sense?!

Again with the snacks.

Toddler Thug Life.

And finally, this knocked my socks off... Brad's cousin's wife Shelly, whom I've mentioned here before, has been such an encouragement to me during both of my pregnancies. She is a childbirth guru, both because she apprenticed with a midwife when she was 19 or so (Shelly, correct me if I'm wrong!), and because she has had four beautiful babies herself, and each birth was a little different, so she's seen and experienced the full spectrum of how things can go, from a birth scenario. She is also just really wise and discerning. She recently moved from the Denton area to Montreal with her family as her husband works with a church group in Canada. I emailed her a few weeks ago telling her that I missed her and I could really use a piece of her amazing chocolate cake. She emailed me again early this week to say that her chocolate cake was on its way. I couldn't imagine what she had planned... Mailing me a box of ingredients? Going to have her mom, who still lives in North Texas, deliver a fully baked cake? It was exciting all week to see what would show up and when! So Saturday it was SUCH a treat to have her cousin's wife, who happens to be a friend of mine through our church, show up on our doorstep bearing a GIANT chocolate cake with pink, cream cheese frosting, and gifts! Murphy (Shelly's cousin) and Lauren also brought along a couple of gifts: one was a pink piggy, like Liliana's beloved Piggy, from Shelly, and the other was a sweet little Janie & Jack sailor dress from Murphy and Lauren. Such an AMAZING surprise on a rainy Saturday, and the cake could not be tastier. I have already eaten an embarrassing number of servings! Ahhhh! Shelly dreamed up this sweet surprise, and Lauren executed it. I could not have felt more loved or supported!

My heroes! Murphy and Lauren Stroope. An added bonus of their visit was learning that we live really close to them! I feel like no one from church lives within a 10-minute radius of us, and they are within 10 minutes! P.S. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT CAKE.

Of course Piggy had to have a slice, too. :)

39 weeks update

Another week, another doctor's appointment. Must be time for a weekly update! But first, here's a funny photo of me getting photobombed while trying to snap a 38 weeks belly shot. :)

How big is baby? I guess close to 7.5 lbs, if my doctor is accurate! Crazy, that sounds so big to me.

Weight gain/loss: I've gained 2 lbs in the last week, so that puts me up to 24 lbs gain. Fingers crossed that it comes off quickly! It did last time, but I think that was because Ford was SUCH a hearty eater. Hoping for a voracious appetite with this little one too.

Sleep: Oh goodness, it's been rough! I think because we're in that in-between phase of not really needing AC but not needing heat either, I just feel so HOT at night! I finally caved and turned on the AC, which made for a more comfortable night.

Movement: Moving! She's head down and I think she's facing my left hip, based on where I feel rolls, punches, etc. She is still CRAZY high, according to my doctor, and not even close to being "engaged," which he says she should be at this point. I'm discouraged but not without hope. I still have a week until my due date, and I'm plenty happy to go three more weeks (to 42 weeks) before any interventions (induction, etc.). I had thought I would wait until the due date before starting any natural induction methods, like acupuncture or chiropractic, but I was more progressed at this point with Ford, and you may remember that even that was not much. So I went ahead and scheduled an acupuncture appointment for later this week, just to see if we can get baby girl moving in the right direction. It worked last time! I went into labor a little over 24 hours after my first of two acupuncture appointments with Ford. I definitely don't want to jump start anything before Baby Girl is ready, but I would also love to know that SOMETHING is happening.   

Symptoms: Occasionally a sore lower back, which makes me fear she is OP like Ford was, but it could just be normal pregnancy aches, too. All in all, feeling better than I probably should! Ha! 

Belly button: Out!

Food cravings: Nothing in particular! I'm eating fewer carbs, which is good, since I had been overdoing it for a while there. Tonight is date night while Brad's aunt and uncle hang out with Ford for a couple of hours. We're going to get spicy Indian food to see if that spurs Baby Girl to move into position. I think that's just an old wives' tale, but we do enjoy our Indian food!

Gender: Sweet Baby Girl! 

What I miss? Not much! Asking God for peace during the waiting and peace whatever the outcome. I would love to have a smooth, uncomplicated delivery, no C-section, and a healthy baby girl, but ultimately I just want Christ's peace to reign in my heart and mind.

What I'm looking forward to? Same as last week: Knowing how this is all going to go down. :) Waiting is hard. It was easier and sweeter last time when I was blissfully unaware of how difficult Ford's birth would be. Now, especially after my appointment, I just have this sense of nervousness. I know that's not from God, so I'm asking him to give me a peace that passes understanding and can only come from the Spirit of Christ ruling in my heart!

Big Brother:What a funny boy. In SUCH a "mama" phase right now. He has been a total angel for me the last few days, and we had a lot of fun over the weekend while Brad was out of town... Lots of sweet, special "Mommy and Ford" time. But he can turn on a dime (I guess that's part of being a toddler??), usually at the most unexpected moments. He was playing at our neighbors' house over the weekend so I could get a couple of things done. I should mention, he ADORES our neighbors and asks for them daily. We can't even go play in the backyard without him pleading, "Don Don? Don Don?" as if he's saying, "Can we go to Don's house?" But something set him off during the time he was there, and he couldn't be consoled. That has happened with Brad watching him recently too, and then when we picked him up from Brad's aunt and uncle's house last week after a short date, he totally came unglued for no apparent reason. It's just hard to know what's going on in his mind! He has such a sensitive heart. We were watching Peter Pan a couple of weeks ago, and the part where Captain Hook and the crocodile are playing cat and mouse COMPLETELY freaked him out. Running from the room, sobbing, hysterics. He has started asking for his friends by name, which warms my heart because it makes me feel like he's developing the beginnings of real friendships. He also loves to exclaim, "FUN!" when we're doing something he enjoys. He's putting together strings of words, like "Mama's shoes" or "head hurts" or "red ball," and he answers questions that have to do with more than just, "What color is the ball?" "Yeddow (yellow)"; like if I ask him how he slept last night, he'll say "Good." We were playing in the driveway over the weekend, and he pointed at my car and said "Mama's car," then he pointed at Brad's car and said "Dada's truck," then he stopped and I could see the wheels in his head turning before he exclaimed joyfully, pointing at both cars at the same time, "TWO CARS!" Of course it sounded more like "two tawhs," but I can't even explain how exhilarating and fascinating it is to watch him learn and discover. Life with Ford at this age is never, ever boring! My sweet friend Kimie took some pictures of us at a park recently, and I want to do a full post soon with those pictures and some other goodness. Stay tuned!

38 Weeks Update

After this week's doctor's appointment, I'm deciding to do away with the March 20 due date (I had been given two due dates based on the baby's size), so we'll just go with the later one, March 26. More on this below.  So that makes me 38 weeks today!

How big is baby? At my doctor's appointment today, the doctor guessed that the baby is currently seven pounds even! With at least two weeks to go, sounds like this could be a bigger baby than Ford, who was 7 lbs, 7 ounces at his birth. Babies at this stage of pregnancy gain about half a pound a week, so it's looking like she'll be in the neighborhood of 8 pounds. Yikes! I know that's nothing for many of you, but I'm nervous about having a big baby, since my kiddos' heads seem to be on the LARGE side anyway... Ummm... And I know she could be smaller than he thinks, but that doesn't help to put my mind at ease right now. 

Weight gain/loss: No gain since last week! So in total I have gained 22 pounds.

Sleep: Good! I have had a couple of rough nights in the last week, but that's due to Ford's night-waking, not the pregnancy. If he starts crying, I can't help but hear it and wake up. Nine times out of 10, I'll check the video monitor, see that he's okay, and stay in bed awake until he stops crying. But he's had some mystery medical issues since Saturday afternoon (all is well, no worries - just random toddler rashes and whatnot), so Saturday night I ended up going in his room twice and rocking him until he fell back to sleep. Sweet boy. 

Movement: Moving, though less dramatically than when she had more room. This morning my doctor asked me if I was having any contractions, and I said "no," which seemed to concern him. He followed that up, worriedly, with, "She is moving, right?" And I just about wanted to smack him. Like, because I am not having contractions, you make me think there could be something wrong with baby girl or me? I assured him she was still moving plenty (even had a few cases of the hiccups in the last few weeks!). Overall my doctor's appointment ANNOYED me and scared me! Dr. N was in a bad mood... My appointment was supposed to be at 10:20, and after I waited until 11, they came in and told me he was still doing a difficult birth and that they would have to move my appointment to 1 p.m. at his other office. I was actually okay with that, and I understood, even though I could have seen it as an inconvenience. Brad was working from home and watching Ford, so while it was a bit of an inconvenience for him, it was kind of a nice "mom's day out" for me. So I went to the downtown office at 1 p.m. and Dr. N proceeds to tell me about the hellish birth... It was a "second time mom, so it was supposed to go fast," but she was an "ineffective pusher" so they tried forceps, then the baby's heart rate dropped so they did an emergency C-section, then as he was pulling the baby out, the baby threw his shoulder... I started to tune him out at this point because it sounded awful, and it also sounded like something that could totally happen to me, based on my last go-around. I just thought it was insensitive (and kind of inappropriate to be sharing all of that, right?). Then he was shocked that the baby's head was still SUPER high. I asked him what station the baby was at, and he said, "Oh she's not even at a station, she's WAY up there, you could go on a cruise and come back and still be pregnant." I asked if there was anything I could or should be doing, in addition to my regular routine of exercising, taking Red Raspberry Leaf and Evening Primrose Oil, doing stretches, etc. to get the baby into position. And he just said, "Nope, there's really nothing you can do," so I said I was a little nervous since this feels like a repeat of last time, where the baby didn't want to drop and I avoided a C-section by the skin of my teeth, and he just sort of brushed me off (or at least that's how I felt). I know he can't tell me I won't have to be induced or won't need a C-section, but I do think he could be more helpful. Sure, he had a rough, frustrating morning, but I left his office feeling really discouraged. All of that, plus his guess that the baby is already seven pounds... Just not encouraging. Heart rate was good (141 bpm) and my belly is measuring right on track. But like I said above, I'm throwing March 20 out the window and going with the later date of March 26 (Gee's birthday!), just for my sanity's sake.  

Symptoms: Nothing new! I stepped up one of my workouts last week and ended up having a sore lower back, but that only lasted a day or so. At this point with Ford I was having pain in my hips and joints, so I'm glad to be avoiding that, even though if the baby would drop I'm sure the discomfort would be worth it... 

Belly button: Out! I went for a walk this afternoon after my appointment and was wearing a tight-ish tank top, and you could totally see my belly button sticking out through the shirt. Was kind of gross-looking, but whatever. 

Food cravings: Nothing in particular! Cold fruit, maybe? Strawberries and stone fruits are favorites around here right now. Brad could sense I was discouraged and frustrated after I got home from my doctor's appointment, then the chicken I was going to roast for dinner still hadn't thawed out, so he suggested we go out for pizza (a REAL treat around here, since we don't eat a lot of grains!). We headed gleefully to our favorite pizza place in Deep Ellum, Serious Pizza. We got Ford to start chanting "Pizza!" with us to distract him from how hungry he was. Then we find a meter, walk up to the restaurant, and... they're closed because the interior is being repainted. So we went to El Fenix for Mexican food instead, which was fine and still a nice treat, but not pizza... wah wah.

Gender: Sweet Baby Girl! 

What I miss? Nothing much! Grateful to be where I am. Praying for God to ease my anxiety about the birth and about everyone's transition to having a newborn in the house. Join me in prayer that baby and I will avoid any complications during birth, and that I'll be able/allowed to go into labor on my own!

What I'm looking forward to? Knowing how this is all going to go down. :) Waiting is hard. It was easier and sweeter last time when I was blissfully unaware of how difficult Ford's birth would be. Now, especially after my appointment, I just have this sense of nervousness. I know that's not from God, so I'm asking him to give me a peace that passes understanding and can only come from the Spirit of Christ ruling in my heart!

Big Brother: Still totally in love with mama. I have a bunch of cute stories from the last week, but I'll just share a couple of them here. It's a really fun age and stage. He says a Bible verse now, with hand motions: "God made the heavens (hebbens) and the earth (earf)." He usually repeats after me, but he came up spontaneously last week while Brad and I were sitting at the kitchen table and said, "God (pointing to the sky)... maaaaade (motioning like he's molding something in his hands)... BELLYBUTTONS! (lifting up his shirt)" So funny! Guess he got a little distracted along the way. ;) I also realized today that he has been telling me "I love you," but I have been thinking he is saying "Where are you." Kind of comes out "Whyyy wuhhh youuuu." His favorite activity at the moment is pouring water from one measuring cup to another, and he would choose prunes over candy. I have caught him doing a lot of pretend play with his stuffed animals, and he's still OBSESSED with doing his ABCs. He knows all of the letters now and no longer confuses V with Y. This morning he was trying to bite his boiled eggs into the shapes of letters. I also heard him count to six while he was playing with his blocks. I KNOW I'M TOTALLY BRAGGING right now, and I feel a LITTLE bad about it because I'm sure it's annoying, but I also want to chronicle this stuff because it blows my mind. Of course, he's not perfect... Still lots of temper tantrums and boundary-testing, but he is responding to discipline well. I thank God daily for what a sweet gift he is to me and Brad!

37-38 Week Update!

In case you haven't seen it, I posted photos of the nursery last night! Check them out below or click here.  

Also, I saw my doctor this morning for my weekly check-up. All is well in babyland. I am fully expecting this baby to go past her due date, since I haven't been having any contractions (real or false). Brad is going on a business trip to Nebraska at the end of next week (only four days before baby's earliest due date), so I asked Dr. N what my chances of going into labor before or during that time were. He pressed on my belly and had me do the same, showing me how HIGH the baby's head is. I could float the head up almost to my belly button when I pushed it upward! As Dr. Norwood put it, Brad could go to Antarctica next week and he still wouldn't risk missing the baby's birth. Ha! I would be discouraged if I weren't already so convinced that the baby is not coming early. It's just been a part of my mentality all along. I told Dr. N that I want an Easter baby, and he told me he is on call that weekend, even though he doesn't normally work weekends. So that may be a good thing, assuming he lets my labor go as long as it needs to and doesn't insist on a C-section at any point (unless there's a legitimate medical necessity). I also shared with him that I am starting to get nervous about labor the second time around, since I was one push away from C-section last time. He assured me that second births are much, much easier, which I have heard, but I figure I am very likely the exception to the rule. (Okay, I know I'm being negative, but my theory is that I'm good at pregnancy and bad at birth. And yes, I base this on one birth.) I asked if there was any way to find out if this baby is OP/sunny-side up like Ford was, and he said all babies start out transverse and rotate during labor. I don't know if that's true... not to act like I'm smarter than him (I'm not!!!), but I know there are a ton of resources on how to spin a transverse baby before labor... blah blah blah. If anyone knows more about this than me, please weigh in. 

Now on to the weekly update!

How big is baby? Somewhere in the neighborhood of 6.5 - 7 pounds and almost 20 inches long! Ford was 7 lbs, 7 oz and 20 inches when he was born about a week after his due date. I'm thinking this baby will be about that size, depending on when she decides to grace us with her presence.

Weight gain/loss: As of this morning, I have gained 22 pounds.

Sleep: It's okay! I had a week or 10 days when I didn't take any Benadryl before bed but slept through the whole night without waking. But I've had three rough nights in a row, waking up to use the restroom or just waking up with insatiable thirst! I think tonight I'm going to cave and take a Benadryl. Worth it.

Movement: I can tell it's cramped in there. Lots of rolls and jabs, but limited in their range of motion. I love feeling her move though, and I know I'll miss it when she's here (even though I'll be happy to have her here!).

Symptoms: Nothing new! I actually feel pretty good. I still have what I call my "Horsehead Nebula tattoo" on my right calf, the gnarly spider vein that appeared during this pregnancy, but it doesn't seem to hurt anymore, so I guess there's not much pressure anymore on whatever vein is supplying blood to that area.

Belly button: Top part is still out!And I'm not even trying to tape it down anymore. Haha.

Food cravings: I have noticed I am eating a ton of carbs! Probably not good. I've never really craved carbs, like breadsticks or donuts or whatever. I don't even eat cereal for breakfast. But now I want cereal for breakfast, a bagel for lunch, and garlic bread for dinner. Weird! Maybe it's because I'm sort of low-energy but not napping, so I feel like I need to fuel myself with carbs... :-/ I also really am wanting seafood. Brad and I tried out a new seafood place close to our neighborhood (relatively speaking), and I got fish & chips. It was okay but didn't live up to expectations. Still need to scratch that itch!

Gender: Sweet Baby Girl! I think we finally have a name. Not 100 percent sure, but sure enough that I bought two infant caps and got one of them monogrammed. I'm saving the other one in case we change our minds. :)
What I miss? This may sound terrible, but I have actually been thinking about what I will miss when baby girl is here. I have it pretty good. I can get a lot done while Ford naps (projects for work, stuff around the house, baking/cooking/crafting, even just sitting and reading and eating a Honey Bun, ha), and I have a feeling those leisurely naptimes are coming to an end, once there are two kids on different schedules. That probably sounds a hundred different shades of selfish, but it's really been on my mind, thinking of how I'll deal with the change. I know our lives will be so much richer with another child, but the reality of newborn craziness is coming back to me. I had such a hard time when Ford was new. He was a tough, tough baby. So cute but OH so hungry all the time, not a great sleeper, not a happy boy. Nothing anyone could have said would have prepared me for how much he cried, and nothing I did seemed to help. I think Ford just had a spunky, determined personality from the start; he still gets easily frustrated, though I love how determined he is. I'm praying that baby girl has a peaceful, gentle demeanor from the start to help me transition into being a mom two times over. But to answer the question more directly, I do miss having more than a few outfits that fit and make me feel good!

What I'm looking forward to? Lots! For all of my anxiety that I mentioned above, I really am looking forward to having a tiny baby. It will be nice to have family up here, and I'm also excited for Ford to do an Easter egg hunt where he actually knows what's going on. Here's a video of his first "hunt" for puffs-filled Easter eggs. He was about eight months old and a fairly new crawler. The smiles at the beginning just melt me! And watch around 4 min, 15 sec for a "mama bear attack."

Big Brother: At 19 months, such a mama's boy right now! We are fortunate that Brad gets to be home a lot during the day when he's not out visiting customers, but if I disappear for even 30 seconds, even if Brad is right next to him, it's "Mama? Mama? MAMA!" He has also started calling me "mom" some of the time, which I'm not a big fan of, but it's kind of funny. He walks around the house chanting rhythmically, "Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom..." He is obsessed with "Finding Nemo" and asks for it several times a day (we let him watch it maybe once a week, tops). He also likes to entertain us by "speaking whale," like Dory does in the movie. His favorite activity is swinging in the backyard, and he takes great pride and doing things on his own. If he climbs on the couch by himself or finishes his entire dinner or puts his toys away without assistance, I'll hear a cheer of "DID IT!" from Ford. He has been calling animals by their sounds since he was about a year old (dog was "woof woof," cat was "meow," monkey was "oooh oooh ah ah"), but now he says the animal names. Monkey is a favorite, but it comes out munt-nee. He also tells me when he thinks things are delicious by saying "nishuss." So much cuteness, I can hardly stand it. He'll start mother's day out in June one day a week, then two days a week in September. Hard to believe how fast he's growing! 

As you may remember from my last post, I've had some nervousness over how Ford will adapt to sharing the stage with a baby and having less of my focused attention. Brad's cousin Shelly, who is a kindred spirit and SUCH a blessing to me, told me that with her four kids, she has always tried to project what she expects, meaning that she just expects them to love their new brother or sister because that baby is a gift, and their lives will be full of so much more joy because of that sibling. That resonates with me. I'm trying to have a really positive, hopeful attitude about how Ford will adjust. I know some days will be very hard, but in the grand scheme of life, it's a good thing. 

The Nursery Reveal!

Note: I'll be back tomorrow (??? I HOPE!) with an update on my thoughts on Ford bonding with his soon-to-be new sibling, an update from the doctor (appointment in the morning) and a few words about a surprise SHOWER that my incredible play group friends threw for me.

At long last, here are photos of the nursery! I think it will evolve over time, and again, there are things I would do differently if all other things were equal. However, this room still has to have some guest room components (futon) and office storage (closet), and I didn't bother repainting the room or removing the shelves that were already nailed into the studs... but I'm happy with how things have turned out. All of the photos of the nursery were taken on my iPhone, so excuse the funny lighting on a few of them.

Here is a photo of what the room looked like a couple of months ago, when it was a full-fledged office and guest room:

And here's where you can find pictures of Ford's nursery (click here).

Now for baby girl's gray, coral and mint/seafoam nursery, the hardest working room in our house!

Futon. No other place to put it, so we made it work in this room, where it has been for the last few years. It will probably be good for middle-of-the-night feedings, or when/if I want to sleep in her room after she has transitioned out of our room. The bigger art piece on the left was made by one of Brad's relatives on his dad's side. It is super intricately WOVEN onto canvas. Pretty incredible.

Art ledge. This was a "make it work" area... I used only art that we already had. I think it will continue to evolve over time, possibly turning into a gallery wall with more frames hung directly on the wall. The watercolor with the horse was a fun project. I didn't paint it, but I replaced the mat (it was kinda 1980s before -- peach and green double-matted with notches cut out) and painted the frame from speckled brown to white. Happy with the new look!

Love this corner with the crib! I made the canopy and pom poms. The blankies in the crib were mine when I was a baby. The print I already owned ("Choose Joy" in French), and the colors match the room perfectly. The sheet is mint-colored (hard to tell in photo), and the crib skirt was a cheap one I purchased and added the coral trim. The canopy tie-backs are from Urban Outfitters (detail photo below), one of the few purchased items for this room.

 

Ahhh the big pillow looks wonky in this photo, but it looks great in person! I made covers for two pillows we already owned. They're just a little smaller than Euro shams. I found a pinky-coral heavy duck cloth at Joann's in the remnant section for super cheap. I sewed them into pocket pillow covers and added grosgrain ruffle trim. Probably the girliest items in the room! The "hare" pillow was found at IKEA a long time ago, and the kind of ikat long pillow was a West Elm purchase from many moons ago. I sewed the peach polka dot pillow (not very well, but whatever), as well as the funky little felt heart pillow. 

Just another corner of the room. The deep nightstands hold baby clothes, swaddles and diapers. The closet is full of office supplies, including our printer and scanner! Baby girl is sharing a closet with Ford (his room).

This was really hard to photograph on the iPhone (haha), so the photo looks weird, but it may give you an idea of how the room is oriented. The nightstand under the window will be a changing table for middle-of-the-night diapers while she's tiny. Otherwise, we'll use the table in Ford's room.

Also hard to photograph since it is so backlit, but I made this wreath out of a styrofoam floral ring and the leftover scraps from the pom poms over the crib. I want to put baby's monogram in the middle once we are sure of the name. I purchased the window shade from IKEA (Emmy roller shade) and removed the roller to give it a swoop shape, added coral trim to the seams and made coral trim ties.

Maximizing every inch of storage space! Under the futon I'm using (already owned) IKEA storage boxes to hold hats, shoes, hair accessories and other accessories, while under her crib you'd find pretty baskets filled with baby blankets and burp cloths, as well as a nursing pillow. Sheepskin throw was purchased from IKEA a couple of years ago.

Weird coloring in these two photos! The dresses hang right next to each other. My mom made these* for me when I was a baby! I have so many pretty smocked treasures because she sewed/smocked her fingers off when I was little, with the goal of making one new dress or outfit a week! Insane. The hooks will eventually hold more practical items, like a diaper bag and play clothes, but I love the way these look on the pretty hooks for now (purchased from Urban Outfitters).
*UPDATE 03/05/13: Mom has informed me that while she did indeed "smock her fingers off" when I was a tot, these dresses were not actually made by her. My dad's mom, known to us grandkids as "Gee," made the blue-green dress, and Gee's friend Lil made the pink dress. How fortunate am I to have so many creative women in my life?!  

A couple of detail shots. You can see a little bit of the pouf I sewed on the left, and the two shelves on the right have been in the room from the time it was an office. I added coral chevron washi tape to the facing edge of the shelves. The ballet slippers hanging there were my wedding shoes!

Just some random pretties on the top shelf. The bottom shelf holds practical stuff, like wipes and a noisemaker, but the top one has a Madame Alexander doll (slightly creepy, but baby's only doll!) from when I was a baby, some shells and coral, a butterfly vase I made and painted in middle school, a vase from Anthropologie, and an amber glass jewelry holder (purchased from Urban Outfitters). And also, apparently, a Sharpie.

More detail shots. On the left, I'm obsessed with the knobs on the refinished dressers/nightstands. They don't photograph well, but in person they are the prettiest mother of pearl or capiz! Detail of the canopy tie backs and the amber glass closet door knobs (purchased from, you guessed it, Urban Outfitters!).

I love the way the room looks in the dark with just the "Chinese lantern" string lights illuminating the room! So soft and peaceful.

Thanks for taking a tour with me! Can't wait to add the finishing touch to the nursery: a little baby girl!