38 Weeks

OH. MY. GOODNESS. 2 weeks to go!?!?!?! (Well, possibly 3, and possibly less!).
My supervisor and went over my yearly development plan today and she commented that in spite of all the worry and potential for disaster, I've made it! I'm really going to have a baby! And it totally changed my point of view. Yes, I am still anxious to meet my little monkey and hold her and love her. But what does it matter if that is 12 hours from now or 3 weeks from now? All that matters is she's healthy and well developed. So while I am SO DONE with being pregnant and will continue to do what I can to initiate labor, I have a new-found sense of patience. I don't WANT to wait on God's timing, but I will. And I will endeavor to do so with a joyful and thankful heart.
I am sitting here in my very nearly finished nursery. I just have a few tiny things to finish. BUT I simply cannot wait any longer to post pictures! So. Without further adieu, MY NURSERY:

The Clocks

The Crib

The Bed
(Thank you Target for the Big Ben, Empire State, and Chrysler Building statues)

The Changing Table
(I still need to get hardware for the drawers and find the perfect picture for that large frame)

More Crib, Clocks, and my collection of Eiffel Towers

Yes, Of course I made a Boppy pillow cover to match.

The Closet

Guardian Angle Icon and the song my grandfather used to sing to us when were were little, in his own handwriting! Such a special addition to my nursery and something I will sing to my Monkey.

I really cannot believe I sewed all of this stuff! And I am SOOOOO glad to be nearly done! I still have one more pillow case to make out of the pink fabric for my body pillow and I would like to get another crib sheet made too. When Monkey officially has a name I am going to paint and hang some wall letters. I THINK I will put them above the bed. And I think I want to add some B&W photos above the crib. But we'll see. For now I am satisfied that the majorly involved projects are out of the way! A HUGE thanks to Jamie, and Erin for helping me paint and to my mom for painting the furniture and helping hang shelves.

All we need now is the Monkey!

36 Weeks!

Wow. Any day now. And I have SO MUCH left to do. The house is a disaster. The nursery isn't finished. I'm totally overwhelmed. I'd better make myself some lists:

Nursery:
1) Touch-up paint walls and dresser
2) Finish seaming bumpers and throw pillow
3) Hang shelving
4) Find paper to match bedding and cut to fit inside clocks b/c the clock face isn't flowing in the room.
5) Find print for large picture frame, buy and get matted
6) Name letters, paint and hang (which will actually have to wait until she officially has a name)

Sewing:
1) Make extra Boppy covers
2) Finish the flannel sleep gowns I started
3) Hem curtains for nursery (again, this will probably be waiting a while)
4) Design and sew a cover for the swing

House:
1) Find somewhere to put all the baby stuff that has accumulated in the living room
2) Pick up/organize all our stuff that gets left lying around the living and bedrooms. (Ahem, and by that I mean Justin's stuff)
3) Deep clean kitchen and bathrooms
4) Vacuum and Steam clean all floors with new Shark Deluxe

That list may look short, but trust me, it's a WHOLE LOT to do and just thinking about it makes me feel like melting jello and makes me want to take a week of vacation to get it all done. I did manage to finally get my haircut yesterday. It was looking SO bad I chanced it and went to Master Cuts. The girl that I got was sort of stand-offish and akward. But she ended up doing a pretty good job. My hair always ends up longer on the left side because of the way I part my hair. She totally understood and was able to compensate for it when I showed her what I meant. Most other stylists just look at me like I'm too much of a perfectionist. I've still got to touch it up a little on my own with my thinning shears, but overall I'm glad I took the risk.

I've been bouncing on my exercise ball at work in an attempt to get monkey's head engaged in my pelvis and to hopefully prevent her from turning out of position again. And hopefully it's also putting her head down on my cervix so some progress can be made! It better be anyway b/c it makes me sort of nauseated and I want that nausea to be worth it.
If the ultrasound says she's looking to be a big baby I'm going to ask the Doc if he can sweep my membranes next week. Although with the way he was feeling me up in there yesterday he might have already done it and not told me. He's pretty stingy with information.
I've been having lots of contractions, some have been pretty strong but they don't exactly hurt so I'm thinking that they aren't getting any dilating or effacing done.
I've also been a little dizzy and short of breath lately. When the scale said I'd gained 5 lbs last week I freaked that it might be Pre-eclampsia. But Doc says my BP and urine look fine so it doesn't look like pre-E. And for ONCE he didn't mention my weight gain. I'm really hoping it's just from swelling. All of the sudden my rings and shoes don't fit anymore. I'm talking shoes that just earlier this week were comfortable are now so tight my heels hang off the backs!

Wow. I really can't believe I'm actually going to have a baby. All that I've been waiting for is finally on my doorstep. Just hold on thru the weekend baby girl so I can get the majority of that list knocked out and then we'll be as ready as we can be for you to join us.

Here we go again...

More contractions.
I was feeling "off" yesterday. Which had me totally paranoid since so many women say "I just didn't feel quite myself the day my water broke/I went into labor". I debated skipping work, but went because I had a training class I didn't need to miss.
I had a few contractions last night and this morning and thought again "maybe I shouldn't go in today". But I went. I started feeling a lot of pressure in my hips, back, and cervix. So at about 10:30 I made the decisions to go home. Better to err on the side of caution, right?
On the way home the contractions/pressure got a bit worse. I lied down for a while and they seemed to ease up. I got up to get food and they came back. After I ate I took a nap and when I woke up I was still contracting. And that's where we're at right now. Nothing unbearable, but enough to concern me...especially with all that pressure. I can only assume that her head is pressing on my cervix.
I haven't called the Dr. He'll just tell me to "lie down and drink more water and if I feel like I'm in labor or my water breaks to come in to L&D". Duh. I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon anyway. I'm just going to stay in bed until then and ask him to check me and see what he thinks we need to do. I can't think of anything more heartbreaking than having to leave my baby in the NICU after they send me home. So if there's an inkling of progress I'm thinking I will just ask to be put on bed rest if Dr. Fat Nazi doesn't offer it first. Especially since they seem so blase about me going into labor this early. It's almost like since they are in the top 6 ranked neo-natal care centers in the country a 5 week preemie is just old hat to them.
And on top of all this Justin is supposed to go to MEPS this weekend! I am so royally fracking POed at his stupid recruiter for not making this happen the first 2 times it was supposed to. If I go into labor while he's gone I think I'm going to have this moron tortured (the recruiter, not Justin). Ugh.
Oh AND Justin is getting sick. He's starting to get this congested cough. So it looks like I might be headed to my mom's for a while. The last thing I want on top of contractions is a hacking cough.
Pleh. What a day. I guess I need to finish packing my hospital bag tonight. Luckily I only have a coupld of things to throw in there and then my list of last minute stuff (which I won't need right away, so if I forget anything someone can go pick it up for me).

In other news the nursery is getting closer. I hung the curtains yesterday. They aren't hemmed, but they look ok for now. If I have to wait a while to finish them, no big deal. At least they are functional. I nixed the changing pad cover. I'm just going to buy a white one. So all that's really left if to finish touching up the paint and get the bedskirt finished. Neither of which I'm too worried about right now. If it's not all done before she arrives it's ok. It's close enough that I can tuck and pin stuff if I want to take some pictures.
I also ordered a cozy wedge bumper. I like the bumper I made, but I've been a little apprehensive about Monkey getting stuck with her face against it and suffocating. The cozy wedge is something I've been wanting because it is not only safe, but stylish (unlike the breathable bumper I was going to get) and it's low enough that it can be left in an older child's crib without concern that they could use it as a foot hold to climb over and out. BUT it's $60! I happened to see it on sale for $29 so I jumped on it and ordered a pink one. The color probably won't match, but I'm hoping I can whip up a cover for it out of my nursery fabric. It doesn't look like it would be too difficult to sew a sleeve like the one it comes with.
And finally, I'm so excited to have started prepping my cloth diapers! The prefolds (like what our parents used on us) are so tiny and cute. I really hope they work out for us, at least for day-time use. They are SO much less expensive than pockets or all-in-ones. And honestly look to be the easiest to wash and care for with no elastic and snaps to worry about breaking (and heck, if we destroy them it's no big deal to just order some more).
Listen to me. From "People who cloth diaper are NUTS" to "Well, these pockets and AIOs are neato. I'll try those, but NEVER prefolds" to "Please let PFs work for me" all in less than a year. This cloth diaper thing really grows on you.
Alright, adios for now. I'll give you the skinny from the Doc when I get home tomorrow.

34 Weeks

GASP! If I were to go into labor tonight I wouldn't be leaving the hospital without a baby!!! This is surreal.
Mom told me the other night that she was in labor with me for 2 hours and my sister for 4! I've heard that the length of your labor tends to be similar to your mother's. So WOAH! I sure HOPE it happens that fast...but I'm not counting on it. I'm not counting on anything actually. Why set myself up for disappointment? Oh well, except the epidural. If for some reason I can't have that they are going to have to knock me the heck out and do a c-section.

I'm eating like a cow lately...I am just constantly hungry. And if I wake up in the middle of the night (as I am SURE to do at least twice) I am usually too hungry to fall back asleep and I have to go downstairs for a bite. Ugh. I'm going to be HUGE. Please come a little early OK monkey? Save mommy a couple of weeks of weight gain.
She's definitely dropped down. People are commenting on it. And I'm feeling lots more swingy leg movements up by my ribs. It's odd, but I'm actually feeling MORE out of breath now that she's lower. She much just be stretching her legs up into my lungs.

I had my last baby shower today. Some of the girls at work got together and threw me one. It was SO sweet. And I am just amazed at the generosity of my co-workers! I got SO MUCH stuff and lots of gift cards too! I'm especially impressed with all the single guys that brought me gifts! I couldn't feel more blessed and loved.
And I think between all my showers and my mom and dad I'll be able to get just about everything I need and want for the little monkey. Now I'm just waiting on those darn registry completion coupons. While I wait I'm compiling a list of everything I still need/want and figuring out the best way to spend my various gift cards and cash so I get the most bang for my buck. (I know...obsessive right? Does that count as nesting?).

It's overwhelming making all these lists and thinking about ALL of the things I need to get done before the baby comes. And so many of those things can't be done until all my sewing is done...which I am just totally unmotivated to do right now. I guess I'm just all sewed out. Although I am close to being done. I need to finish up the drapes, bedskirt, and changing pad cover. I know it doesn't SOUND like much. But it feels like it. My plan is to work the bedskirt first and then the changing pad cover. Then hopefully I won't feel so overwhelmed and can muster the courage to tackle the drapes. Normally I'm not so intimidated by straight stitching, but they are HUGE and I don't have a pattern for them. And winging it with my precious nursery fabrics is just plain scary. Then after I can put away all my sewing perephenalia I can get the living room and kitchen back in order and cleaned to a sparkle...or at least trust someone else to do it if I can't. But I don't want anyone else touching my sewing...and it's EVERYWHERE.

The hospital bag is on it's way to being packed. I've got a few more little things to buy for it and a list of items to be packed last minute. I also need to get a baby book and a take me home outfit for the munchkin...but nothing seems special enough...Although does it really matter what we bring her home in? I'm going home in PJs, she might as well too. LOL.

For some non-baby related news: I paid off 2 credit cards today!!!! Thank you Uncle Sam! You can't imagine what it feels like to have knocked 2 monthly bills off my budget!

33 Weeks!

Saw Dr. Fat Nazi today. But I only gained 4 lbs in the last 3 weeks so he had nothing to comment on. =P
He checked me and said I've not made any more progress since my trip to L&D. He's not concerned. He said that the fetal strip from L&D looked great and that the thinks we're both fine. And apparently I were to go into labor next week they would not try to stop it. MEEP! It's still just totally unreal to me that sometime in the next 7 weeks I'll be taking home a real live baby that no one can take away from me!!!
He also said that baby monkey is head down. I'm totally confused by this because I definitely feel a big round bulge on each side of my belly. But whatever. I'm just trusting God to give me the delivery that I will handle best.

Some of the girls at work told me today that they are planning a baby shower for me for next week! How sweet is that? I'm so touched.

Jamie and Erin are planning to finish painting the nursery tomorrow and Mom and Dad are bringing the changing table over on Sunday. (Well it's actually a 4 drawer dresser and it's the very same dresser they used as MY changing table, but sporting a new coat of paint and new hardware.) I am just THRILLED to have an end to the chaos of baby stuff strewn about the house in sight!

32 Weeks

Woke up with some MAJOR cramping this morning. Worse than any PMS like cramps I've ever had. I am trying to stay mellow about stuff (since every time I call the Dr. for something -- even something he TOLD me to call about -- he totally blows it off as normal). They lasted about an hour and I had 3 contractions on top of them.
Contractions are super fun. I can't tell what's a Braxton Hicks and what's a real contraction anymore. Monkey still refuses to turn and each contraction stretches my uterine wall over her head on one side and her butt on the other and it's really not comfortable.
I'm also having some WICKED round ligament pain. The last couple of days I've had to have Justin help me out of bed (more like pick me up out of bed) and hold me while I walk a little to stretch out the ligament, before I can put all my weight on my left leg. I'm not sure it's supposed to be this severe. If it persists thru the weekend I will call the Dr. on Monday. Otherwise I'll bring it up at my next appointment.
My cravings for sweets have been crazy in the last couple of days. I have a feeling I'm in for another lecture from Dr. Fat Nazi. Oh well. I already have SO many restrictions on what I can eat. It seems like everything that is healthy but still convenient and yummy is off limits! So I'm OK with gaining a little weight for now and having to work hard to get it off later when I can eat things like deli meat, salads from the salad bar, and etc.
Jamie and Erin are coming over tomorrow to paint the nursery while I work on the curtains and remaining bedding. I decided to just go with white walls.
I will be so happy when the nursery is all done and I can get the rest of the house in order.

31 weeks

Yes. I am SO lazy these days that not only do I not post belly pictures anymore I can't even update on time. Sorry. Get used to it. When the monkey gets here it will probably be even worse.
Nothing much new. Monkey's movements have started really slowing down. I'm still getting more then 10 within an hour after a meal or sugary drink, so I'm not worried. But it's a big change from her maniacal kangaroo boxing.
I finished my crib bedding. I really love it. About half way thru I was afraid I wasn't going to, but all put together it's so chic. I've still got to finish the curtains, a skirt and pillow cases for the bed, paint, and wait on the changing table from my mom. Then it's just a matter of hanging pictures and organizing. And now...CRIB BEDDING PICTURES:I am at a loss on paint. I have tried 5 different shades of pink and they all look disgusting. I thought about trying a chartreuse...but honestly I'm a little sick of trying to pick a color. I think I am just going to paint the walls white and give the room that "loft" feel. With all the black furniture, black bedding, and bright pink bedding I think white is really my best option. And who knows how much longer we'll be here anyway...white will be the easiest to get back to the "off white" shade the rest of the house is if we are trying to sell/rent in a few months. Sigh. Justin will be thrilled at least. He prefers white walls. I'll just have to jazz it up with wall decor.

Banking on a girl.

I bought this fabric AGES ago when I saw it at Wal-Mart for $0.50/yard. I bought the WHOLE bolt (12 yards) thinking that, when I had a girl (and I will have one, because despite what Justin says we're not stopping until I get a little princess of my own), I would design her nursery around it. A posh jet-setter theme in pink, black, and white:
Then I found the crib bedding pattern I wanted on e-Bay for $5. And a few weeks ago I spotted some pink polka-dot fabric at Jo-Ann's for $4/yard (so I bought that bolt too). SO! Yesterday I decided that since I just FEEL like my monkey is a girl I'd go ahead and get started making some bedding. If monkey surprises me and comes out a boy, well, no big deal. I'll have only wasted a little of my time and $$$ making bedding for a girl. And honestly, I can just put it away and save it for when we do have a girl. BUT if I wait I doubt I'll be able to find the time and energy to drag out my sewing machine and take on a project of this magnitude. Better to get it done now than not be able to later, right? (And if it's a boy I'll be doing a golf theme in honor of my daddy. And I've found the cutest blue and green argyle bedding for cheap that I can buy online after he's here. So I'm covered on that front too...Can you tell I'm not into cutesy baby stuff?)
And now for pictures of my progress!
Crib Sheet:Bumper: There are 6 of these . This side faces the outside of the crib...The pink looks a little lighter in the picture than in reality.And this side faces the inside of the crib:Dust Ruffle: This is only the top half (and not the full length of course). The bottom half will be a wide black and white vertical stripe...as soon as I can find some that isn't upholstery fabric. I looks like I'm going to have to order it online.My other plans for this nursery include:
1) Light pink walls, maybe striped with a pink a shade or two darker, we'll see how adventurous I'm feeling and if it will even work with the Spanish lace treatment on the walls.
2) Panel window treatments on the sliding glass door with the black and white vertical striped fabric at the top (for about 1.5 feet), a thin pink stripe, and then the print fabric the rest of the way to the floor. And white sheers under those.
3) Several clocks in a row on the wall with London, Paris, and New York time (and maybe Moscow too. We'll see what looks better 3 or 4.)
4) Black and white photographs of the monuments in the printed fabric. There are a few on etsy.com that I've been eyeing.

AND since I already had the sewing machine out I cut up some old and ugly receiving blankets and baby towels I got from a friend and made myself some double sided cloth wipes. Not the prettiest, but certainly functional. And best of all: FREE. I've whipped out about 10 so far. The cutting is the tedious part. I'm going to take the stash of blankets and towels to work with me and cut squares to bring home and sew. Justin has requested larger wipes for him to use. I think he's nuts wanting wipes bigger than a quilt square, but I'll make him a few to try out until he realizes that my smaller, wipe once and get a fresh one, sized wipes are easier to use...and not as messy as trying to fold over a poopy wipe to use the other side.
So here's a pic of a few of the wipe:

And now I am going to bed because I'm so tired my stitches are starting to get sloppy. Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!