29 November 2011

No Peeking!

So much to catch up on!
I didn't realize it has been so long since I've posted something fabulous (or anything, for that matter). I had a doctor appointment on Nov 23rd, and he informed me that I was 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. I thought for sure I'd be headed to the hospital within a few days...no such luck. 

Thanksgiving was a GREAT time with friends. 
We shared a potluck style meal, and everything was delicious!!


Chris and I did a lot of relaxing and watching of football over the weekend. We wanted to be extra caught up on sleep if Mini decided to make her arrival soon.

On Sunday I had a few contractions, with no consistency in between. They fizzled and faded away after a couple of hours. We even took the dogs for a walk in hopes of getting things moving a little faster. Again, no luck. 

So what do I do? Bust out my crafting stuff and get to work, of course!
I bought some fabric at JoAnn's to make my own nursing cover. After seeing so many in stores, I couldn't swallow the $40 price tag that most of the stores stocked. 

I purchased 2 yards of fabric and 20" of boning. A whopping $13 total. I chose to make my cover with a  "lining", just to be extra private. I don't want nobody peeking in on me when my parts are hanging out.

I used this link and that link, combining the two styles together. I already had a couple of D rings left over from making the diaper bag, so I used them for the strap.

I had it completed in just a short while. Here I am (looking oh so grand) sporting the new cover.


I loved the "hand drawn" look of the paisley. I figured I had to choose a girly fabric to let people know that I've got a little girl under there. To even further prove my point, I lined it with hot pink. Yes, I did. If you know me, this was a big pill to swallow. However, I Aimee'd it up with a secret little pocket for a burp cloth.


After finishing the cover, I gave it one last college try to put my self into labor. I vacuumed the ENTIRE house. Chris will stand by me on this one. He thought it was cute that I was nesting, but it was a combination of nesting and exercise, really. I was working hard!

Since Sunday night, after no more improvements or changes, I've been cleaning the house daily, and sleeping- trying to stock up. I've got another project on the back burner- as always. Maybe I'll get that out this afternoon. At this rate, I'll be so bored of waiting that I'll throw myself into several projects, have them spread all over the house, and then have to rush to the hospital with the house looking like a tornado came through. Ah, well. Such is life. I'll get over instantly once that little bundle lands in my arms.

Any guesses as to what day she'll be arriving? How big she'll be? Dark/light hair? 
I just can't wait to see my little Mini in person!



17 November 2011

Let it snow... kind of.

While perusing Pinterest this week, I came across an ingenious idea, taken from a department store window display. The designers found a miraculously cheap presentation of fake snow.

Cotton balls and fishing line.

Behold.


OK, let me back up.



It'din'it purdy?


I was so please with the way it turned out, I made more.
Lots more.


It's hard to see with the windows open, but that's how I got the best lighting here.


Even if we hardly get snow in Arkansas this year, I'll have snow at my house!


Now here's the rest of the holiday cheer around the house.
I still have yet to make Mini her stocking. And no I won't take a picture of it when it's done unless she's already arrived. Her name will remain a secret until she gets here. She told me she wanted it that way.


The ornament clusters are to go outside on our garage lights, but I'm not going to be that person in the neighborhood to put them all up before Thanksgiving. 

A little party-time cheer in the kitchen.
These were left over from one of my baby showers.


Lastly the tree.
Nothing fantastical, but all of our ornaments are from Chris and my childhood years or our recent years of marriage together. They all have great meaning, which is super sweet.


Side view.
Oh, you noticed it's a little bit close to the wall? That's because I didn't add all of the branches this year so that it would be a bit more "out of the way" while family, friends, and baby things invade our home upon her arrival. I'm pleased with how easy it was to squeeze it into place.


Have you guys thought of how to decorate for the holidays? I thoroughly enjoy looking at the designer photos of home decorations, but I'm so stuck to tradition and sentimentality that I'm afraid Better Homes and Gardens will never be knocking at my door to photo my home during the holidays. Better for it. There's something to be said for a season of green and red. Any other time of year it just seems silly to pair the two together. Why not celebrate the twosome in all their glory... after Thanksgiving, that is.




16 November 2011

Tummy update!

We are now officially under 20 days until the wee one makes her debut. Hopefully. I'm betting she's going to arrive early based on what the Dr. said this last week. He mentioned that I've started to thin out quite a bit already. We'll get another update tomorrow at my appointment. Chris and I are betting November 26-28 as her window of arrival. Do you have any guesses?

Today I'm sitting here at 37 weeks and 2 days. I THINK I've started to have some Braxton Hicks contractions, but I'm not exactly sure. There are times when my stomach will get insanely tight and you can't feel her positioning at all, but this doesn't hurt and isn't a lot of pressure either. I'm crossing my fingers that this is what's going on and I'm just "immune" to the pain.

Other than that, I've really be so lucky with a great pregnancy thus far with hardly any complaints. My back is holding up strongly, and my feet don't look like stuffed sausages yet, so we're doing OK!

Here are some pictures that we shot yesterday (after a nap, hence my lovely appearance).




I wish I had more to post about with projects around the house. The truth is I've been nesting and getting the house organized and all of my supplies purchased before we bring her home. I did get my Christmas decorations up yesterday in preparation for her homecoming. I decided that I didn't want to be putting decorations up after Thanksgiving in my 39 week...if I last that long. If I waited too long, I'd be putting them up after she's born...in which case Chris would be putting them up. Disaster. So I opted for the extremely early approach. No one can blame me. I'm pregnant. I do what I want.

Today will be spent vacuuming out the car and installing the car seat. Also making a run to the store for last minute items to throw in my hospital bag. Then to choose my going home outfit and get that packed (hers has been decided on and packed for MONTHS). Then we will finally be in business. The bags will go in the car and we will be ready for whenever her little heart desires to bless us with her presence. Don't worry, the cameras [still and video] are already packed and charged. Expect photos very soon after the birth, as I know we'll be anxious to brag about her immediately.

Any plans for your lovely Wednesday? Any guesses as to when she'll arrive? Any last minute guesses on her name? (No, we're not giving it away, but the guesses keep us entertained!) Later gators.

09 November 2011

Dancing Queen

So... Miss Mini has been dancing up a STORM lately, and I broke out the video camera again to document her new found love. She's quite a bit more active in this video over the last, so enjoy.





I think she really gets her hips into it. Or elbows or feet. Whatever it is, it's cute. 

Music by: Dave Barnes "Crazyboutya"

06 November 2011

Feature Creatures

This week I got my hands dirty in the acrylic again...
I painted a lovely little something for Miss Mini's room.


I saw all of these little creatures in multiple prints and totally thought I could gather them all together to make a nice forestry scene. The grass is painted newspaper in various shades of green. Much more fun and "poppy" than more brush strokes. The sun if strips of fabric with a fabric flower embellishment in the center (from an old shirt I've been scrapping out).

The nice thing about it is that I could incorporate all of the colors in her room (which is pretty much every color) rather than searching for the perfect print or painting that's already been created.

There have been lots of updates in the room- most of which I haven't blogged about.
Here's what you see now when you enter her room.


And the opposite wall.


And the doorway.


The painting fills a void above the crib nicely. I'm sure I'll continue to add little projects here and there, and eventually I'll give you a close up tour of everything in here. But until then, enjoy everything from afar. Only 4 more weeks (ish) until she's here. So hard to believe!