Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Bean Bassinet

In the post about the bean stroller I mentioned the fact that we'll be using the bassinet portion of the stroller as a portable bed for the chiquita. The plan is to obviously use it with the stroller when we go out on errands and also keep it by our bed at night until we feel like the bean is ready for independent sleeping in her crib. We're going to try and use the crib from the very beginning during the day, but I think it will be a whole lot easier having her close at night. Does this seem like a good idea?

Uppababy(the stroller maker) sells a lovely stand specifically made for their bassinet, but it's definitely out of our price range(although even if we had the money, I wouldn't buy it). Here it is in action.

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{cute, but definitely not $350 cute}

After realizing this was not going to work with my frugal ways, I went on a search to find an affordable option. I searched and searched and found....ta-ta-ta-da:

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{the rocking bassinet stand by jolly jumper}

I actually originally found it in a baby store in Marin where they carry the Uppababy and a stand almost exactly like the one above. The one I got is actually better, in my opinion. I was able to try it out with the exact bassinet and found it fits perfectly! woo hoo. Yet, being the cheapskate frugal girl I am, I wasn't about to pay $90 for it at the baby store. This is where my friend the internet came in to play. You can find everything on the internet. I did a quick search and found it for $45, actually $42 with tax after using a coupon code I found on the internet. Thank you internet! I didn't mind paying that much for something we probably won't use for more than a few months. The other cool thing about the internet option is that they have it in seven different finishes. I bought ours in black because the bassinet is mostly black and I wanted it to match. I considered the cognac to match our furniture in the master and then I thought about white to match the bean's furniture, but black won this time. The other neat-o thing; it's universal. Basically, it works with any average bassinet or moses basket. yay. Yeah, I'm excited. Oh yeah, and the stand rocks! 

Friday, March 26, 2010

Bumpers: How-to

Whenever I want to start a new project the first place I always visit is Joann's. To me, it is full of inspiration. When I decided that I was going to make the bumpers for the bean crib, I headed over and luckily found the batting all precut and meant for bumpers! Like I mentioned before, it even came with a little card with directions on how to make them, but I still did my own search on the internet for various examples. I ended up finding the following website with really detailed step-by-step instructions and pictures.

Image
Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Thursday, March 25, 2010

My Sweet Girl

Dearest Beanette,

Just a quick note to tell you how excited your daddy and I are about how far we've come along. We love you more than anything in the world already and cannot wait to meet you in about 127 days!

Love you lots little mover and shaker,

mommy

Monday, March 22, 2010

The Bean Bump: Week 22




{There they go}



{The bump}


{The bump snug as a bug}

Week: hola week 22
Bean Size: Chiquita, you are now the size of a spaghetti squash or about 8 whole inches! They also say you are one entire pound. Keep packin' on that fatty!
Total Weight Gain: I was right, although I was freaked out when I went to the doctor and came up with 7 lbs. more than my last visit. My doctor appointments are usually in the morning after I've only had a small breakfast. This last week it was in the late afternoon, not too long after I'd eaten my afternoon snack (or meal?) and had sipped tons of water. The next day I weighed myself after my breakfast and the scale went down by 3 lbs. Phew! I'm officially at 14 lbs. added to my original weight. I brought up the weight with my doctor because it surprised me and he said it was nothing to worry about. He complimented me on the bump and he thought I looked healthy and great. Why, thank you doctor. He reminded me I'm over halfway and that it's not bad.
Maternity Clothes?: Si. I went to Nordstrom's Rack this past week and found some cute non-maternity tops and a fun dress. It wasn't much cheaper than the real maternity stuff, but it was definitely more stylish. I love jersey. Oh, I also bought some maternity leggings from Target. Love them!
Sleep: Fabulous! The feather pillow and I have a bond no one can break right now. nancy + feather pillow 4 eva'
Stretch Marks: Nope. I shouldn't be worried, but I am.
Movement: LOTS and lots and lots. She's getting stronger too! Sometime I can tell she's stretching because I feel her on both the left and right side of my bump. She's dancing right now! I think her favorite time is after I eat; that's when she tends to move around the most.
What I Miss: wine and not having this awkward sagging crotch thing with my pants because they're always sliding down. How is it that teenage boys can walk around looking like they took a big dump in their pants and feel comfortable?!
What I'm Looking Forward to: holding my sweet babe, of course! I'm definitely trying to enjoy the whole pregnant thing, but I get so excited about meeting our little beanette. I wonder who's she's going to look like. Curly hair? Dark or light hair? Light eyes like her daddy or chocolates like mine? What a wonderful surprise! Right now I'm very excited about finishing the slipcover for the glider.
Best Moment this Week: I have two juniors in my Spanish Lit. class that are just soo nice to me. They always ask to help me do things like pass out papers, stamp the kid's agendas, pick up papers, and read things on the board. They're just plain sweet. I already had good rapports with these two boys before they were in my class this year, but they've been especially considerate since I told them about my pregnancy. 
Preggers Bod-New and Exciting!..maybe: My bump is getting bigger and higher! I still am carrying pretty low, but it's making it's way up. After eating, my stomach fills in and then my bump really looks like it's up close to my chest. 
Bean Milestones: Making meconium by sucking up all that fluid and special stuff floating around. Sweet girl, you can make out all kinds of sounds; like my voice, my heartbeat, my gurgling stomach, and my circulating blood. How cool is that?!
Food Cravings: This beanette is consistent in her cravings. Nothing new...again. Yet, I have noticed that when I want something, I really want it. 
How's the Rice?: He's wonderful. He stopped reading Pinocchio because it was depressing and surprising terrible. We both feel Disney did a great job of interpreting and reworking that story. We've moved on to something lighter and more bump-friendly. This week he tried to feel the bean kicking  several times, but she just happens to stop whenever we position his hand on the bump. Last night, we waited longer for her to move again and I felt a big kick and the hubby thought he may have felt something. I think he's probably expecting a big kick to get him, but this girl is not big enough for that yet. 

Tid Bits: Last Friday I started to feel like my allergies were starting up again for the season. Itchy nose? Check. Scratchy throat? Check. Watery eyes and dark circles? Oh yeah. I thought I'd be able to avoid them this year since our environment is very different than the Petaluma fields and cows. No such luck I thought. Well, the watery eyes and the itchy nose disappeared and the scratchy throat got worse...and worse. Then, it became a terrible phlegmy cough. I've got the runny nose back and a full-blown cold...again. I went to work today, but left early and I'm not planning on going in tomorrow. I've got to rest up for the bean and for Angela's party on Saturday. I'm really excited about getting together with the girls. Our friends from Santa Barbara also visited yesterday (HI Brian and Andrea!!) It was super duper nice to see them. We loved having them over.This past weekend I worked/sewed a fair enough to get parts of the glider slipcover finished. I also started another one of the art series in the nursery and hung up some the bird houses. I'm in love. 





{3 out of 4 parts finished! I just have to sew the part that goes over the entire chair. 
That's the easy part. Please excuse the mess}


{The bird houses are hung}


{the vintage alphabet}

I bought this set of alphabet cards about 3 years ago. They're by Martha Stewart for Michael's. I saw them there not that long ago, so they may still be for sale. I loved them as soon as I saw them and imaged them in a future nursery. We weren't even married then! I hung them up using a somewhat complicated method, which, I will explain later. They are on little clothes pins. Aren't they cutie? Oh yeah, and you can see our crooked ceilings. That's what you get in an old Edwardian home in the city. Thank goodness that molding is straight. 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Bean Bump: Week 21

{where's the bump? It's definitely bigger to me}


{i don't know if it's my top (thank you Stephanie!!), but my bump looks smaller this week}


Week: welcome week 21
Bean Size: I've got a large banana in my stomach and my uterus. This baby girl is about 10 and a half ounces.
Gender: niña or like my mom likes to say when she calls me, la nena. She used to say that about me, now it's all about the bean. When I talked to her on the phone this weekend she said she has to come visit in order to talk to the baby so she'll recognize her voice. What about hanging out with me?
Total Weight Gain: I'm guessing 14 lbs. I have an appointment on Thursday, so I'll know the exact number then. I've been doing lots and lots of walking and a bit of swimming and I'm hoping it will keep me gaining weight steadily. We'll see.
Maternity Clothes?: Yes, sir. Are there any websites where you can get advice on how to dress during pregnancy? I need pictures to help me visualize cute outfits on this new body of mine. Also, why are preggers clothes so pricey? Or at least the cute stuff. I'm currently sticking to basics and accessorizing, but I'm running out of ideas. I don't really want to wear the same outfits every week. Ideas girls?
Sleep: Mucho betta! I'm currently loving the feather pillow between the legs (ummm...okay, that sounds kinda weird after reading it again). We've also purchased a gate to keep the doggies out at night. Yes, we do have a door, but the hubby feels guilty completely locking the dogs out. Isn't he a sweetie? I also rarely have to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. More sleep!
Stretch Marks: Nope. My old growth spurt on the upper portion of my legs ones are still there. I feel like they're making themselves more visible now, but they're barely noticeable. I'm feeling good about them.
Movement: LOTS! She's up in the morning, during my school day in the late afternoon, in the evening when the hubby gets home, and while we're resting in the living room before bed. When I have mentioned this to random folks they always give me something along the lines of, "Uh oh, she's going to be a crazy one." I think she's going to love dancing just like her momma. That's what it feel like she's doing in there sometimes.
What I Miss: skinny face. I pulled some pictures that were in my car out and left them on the credenza. When the hubby saw them that night he commented on how I really do look different. Yup, I thought so. I also really want wine. Maybe I'll a sip during Angela's bachelorette wine tour.
What I'm Looking Forward to: the summer when I can be at home with the pups, my big belly, and warm days to spend walking around, or perhaps I should say waddling. The summer will also bring our sweet babe.
Best Moment this Week: My brother and his girlfriend welcoming their little guy, Corbin Jett. He arrived on Friday morning after about 10 hours of labor. He is such a cutie! My brother sends me daily updates and pictures of Corbin on my cell phone. He looks just like my brother as a baby. I can't wait to meet him in person.

{look at all that hair!}

{look at that tie on his onesie. adorable!}

Preggers Bod-New and Exciting!..maybe: The last week brought me some back pain. It's on and off, but I definitely feel it after being on my feet a lot, which, I do every day while teaching. My belly is definitely bigger and very firm. I also finally bought new bras from the maternity store and I LOVE them. I didn't think I'd grown that much, but I have. I was shocked when I heard my new size. It's weird not having my shirts fit across my chest. One of my bras is made by the Spanx company and it is fabulous! All the straps are made of the same material they use for their other products. Any woman, pregnant or not, should try these bras out because they are super duper comfortable!
Bean Milestones: Sweet girl, your head is now about 1/3 of the size of your body now. You can make rapid eye movements and you can hear when I talk or sing to you. We're trying to do that a lot. I'm speaking lots of Spanish every day to make sure it sounds familiar. Baby girl, you are swallowing lots of fluids now. It's good practice for when you're hungry once you're here. Your heart is growing stronger and it can soon be heard with a stethoscope.  Fat continues to accumulate on your cute little body and your bones and muscles are getting stronger each day.
Food Cravings: Nothing new really. Same old cravings: meat, cheese, citrus, berries, and anything tart. I love me some lemonade and cranberry juice. I recently discovered sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches on an English muffin with a glass of orange juice on the side. heavenly. mmmmm...
How's the Rice?: He's great from my perspective. He's so great about reading stories to me and the baby girl at night while we're in bed. I think she loves it. We spent some time walking around enjoying the weather and picking out some used children's book at the little shop in our neighborhood during the weekend. He did a wonderful job of picking out books. We found one that was absolutely adorable (that we didn't end up buying that day) and made me cry at the end. It was called The Other Dog. It was a story told from the perspective of a dog in a home and her reaction to "the other dog," the baby, arriving in it's home. It reminded us very much of Enzo and how we're thinking he'll probably feel. He was our first "baby." The hubby has been reading the original Pinocchio the last two days. He was also very sweet to listen to my constant talking about the stroller options for days. He's the best!

Tid Bits: I've started working on making the slipcover for the glider this week and I'm going to try real hard to finish it this weekend. I'm not getting my hopes up though since we're going to start our search for the new car. We were originally thinking we wanted a Toyota, but...it's not looking like a wise option. I really want a wagon and the hubby in on the idea. It makes sense for us: a baby, two dogs, and my love for purchasing and working on furniture. 

Monday, March 15, 2010

The Bean Stroller

Not surprisingly I changed my mind about the stroller. I thought we'd decided on the Bumbleride Flyer, but I changed my mind after finally getting some one-on-one help from a stroller expert at the baby store. The first time we went on a Saturday, it was CRAZY. There were so many people there and it was nearly impossible to get an employee's attention. When we finally did get some help, our employee wasn't the most informed or experienced. She was helpful, but we definitely lacked information and comparisons. We still left thinking we'd found the winner, until I stopped into a small baby store in Corte Madera last week. The employee at this store was super helpful and suggested another stroller for our lifestyle. We don't drive very much, we walk almost everywhere or take the train, the stroller is not going to be collapsed very often, we live in the city...etc. I also returned to Lullaby Lane today (I had the day off!) to get more advice, since the store in Corte Madera didn't carry the Bumbleride Flyer, and an opportunity to ask all the questions I wanted. I left the store again convinced that the one we needed was not the Bumbleride, although it is a very nice stroller, but instead the UPPAbaby.


{UPPAbaby Vista in Carlin Green}

This is why the hubby and I were convinced:
  • bassinet- the baby can sleep comfortably from day one in it. It detaches from the frame and can be used as an in-home bassinet. You can purchase a stand through UPPAbaby for lots of money or a generic stand for a lot less. We figured this will be really nice until the bean is moved permanently over to her crib. The mattress inside is cozy.
  • big basket- it's got a huge basket! 
  • big wheels- the tires are solid and can be used on more "off-road" type of terrain as opposed to the smaller wheels on the Bumbleride flyer. I don't know how often we'll really be doing that type of riding, but it's an option. The bigger wheels also allow for easier maneuvering. Also, if they are in any way damaged; you can replace the wheels without having to purchase a new stroller. 
  • car seat attachment- you can purchase a car seat adapter for a really small price and use it with the car seat. We were thinking of buying the stroller base a lot of you girls suggested, but this will work the same. 
{Graco adapter on Vista}

  • easy fold- That is self explanatory. They compare this one to the Bugaboo a lot and this one folds a whole lot easier and faster than the Bugaboo. It also allows you to fold it down with the toddler seat in place. The Bugaboo does not. 
  • toddler seat- The toddler seat has lots of options for sitting upright or reclining. 
  • We found one on Craigslist!- I knew there was no way the hubby would be okay with spending $700 on a stroller, especially since I'm not willing to, so I started looking on Craigslist after my visit at the baby store last week. I had to find it for a deal in order to get the hubby to buy in and I found one yesterday! The problem with the one on Craigslist, no toddler seat. The solution: When I went into Lullaby Lane today I asked about buying just the toddler seat and it's possible to do that. Yay! The cool thing about this stroller system is that you can purchase all the parts separately, if needed. One thing breaks, you only have to replace that one part. So, we bought the one on Craigslist at a super fabulous deal and plan on getting the toddler seat later. The cost of doing that is still cheaper than the Bumbleride Flyer and the toddler seat will be brand-spankin' new! I also get to pick the color. I'll probably just pick the classic black. The one we brought home tonight is the color in the picture. I love green, but you can't go wrong with black. =)
  • rumbleseat- when we do decide to have another bean, we can use the same stroller to carry BOTH of our frijolitos. 
{Rumbleseat behind car seat}
{Rumbleseat behind toddler seat}






Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The Bean Crib Bedding

I am sooo excited and very happy with the way my little sewing projects turned out. The crib bumpers and bed skirt have been completed! One more thing to check off the long list on the "before bean" list.  The hubby is a sweetheart and when I finished he complimented me on how "professional" they look. I don't know if he's ever laid eyes on a real crib bedding set, but I'll accept the compliment either way. It took me one entire weekend to finish the bumpers and one and a half days to finish the crib skirt. I took my time because I really wanted it to be perfect and to me, it really is. I will explain the details after each photo. I tried to get home in time for some natural light in order to take the pictures, but this day has turned out to be gloomy and thus no light.

The Crib Bumper:


{all six bumper pieces together}

I found the batting inserts at Joanns and just figured I'd use those. It even came with directions on how to make the covers for the bumpers. I followed them somewhat because I chose to add the piping and change the way the ties were attached. 


{close-up: ties and fabric}

I went with a fabric called Manhattan Quilted in Natural from Calico Corners. The ties are simply twill ribbon cut by the yard. I didn't want the ties long enough to make ribbons at first, but I ended up tying some of them this way. 


{inside of the bumper}

I know there's a lot of crib bedding that has a different pattern on the inside and I thought about doing that. But I just absolutely love how cozy and cute the quilted fabric is. I decided to do the same on both sides and on the piping. There are a lot of options on how thick the bumpers can be and I chose to make mine simple, not thick, and firm. They say that the firmer the bumpers the better; for safety reasons. 


{other details. that sheet might change. a yellow one perhaps?}

{Close up of texture}

I ended up buying 3 yards of the quilted fabric and I had more than enough. I used some in the crib skirt, also made a small pillow, and I still have some left over. 

The Crib Skirt:

{oops. lopsided picture}

For the crib skirt I used Robert Allen Khanjali in Glacier from Calico Corners. They had the best price on the fabric. The little split in the skirt has the same quilted fabric I used on the bumpers. I've sewed it open like that, but I'm not sure I'm going to keep it that way. I just used a few hand stitches and they can easily be undone. 

{hey skirt!}

I lined the skirt with a blackout fabric because Khanjali is linen and we'll be using the space under the crib for storage. Also, I wanted to add some weight to it to keep in always down and flat. Like I said before, I took my sweet time measuring, ironing creases, and then finally cutting. Since I'm a bit of a perfectionist, I made sure the fabric patterns like up perfectly all the way around the crib even though you can't tell because of the wide part of the crib corners. No one will know, but I will. =)


{side of crib}

I made the skirt up of 3 pieces. The front piece and two separate side pieces. There are a few reasons I did this. First, the base of the crib that the mattress lies on is not one big piece of wood or metal. It has slats and the slats on the front and side are not on the same level. I know that sounds odd, but the crib is new and in perfect order. If I had attached the skirt to one solid piece of fabric to place across the base, it would not have dropped the same length on all sides (remember, I'm a perfectionist like that). Also, I want to be able to adjust the skirt later on when I need to lower the base because of a larger bean. This leads to the next point. 


{tricky tricky, it is sticky!}

You can sorta see what I'm talking about with the wooden slats not being on the same level. I attached the skirt to the crib with sticky Velco. Velcro is sticky, but this one is sticky on both sides. Those smart Velcro people! I thought about sewing the velcro to the fabric, but it actually does a hell of a job sticking onto the fabric, so... one less seam on the fabric! 


{side of crib skirt}

Making the skirt this way also made sure that I could cover all the wooden slats that were visible. I didn't make a back side to the skirt because the crib is pushed up against a wall. It's not like anyone would ever see it, so why spend the money on it? I purchased 1.5 yards of this fabric and it was plenty, especially since I was also planning on making this...

{a small pillow for the glider}

I used the quilted fabric for the piping and the back part of the pillow. I still have a little bit of the fabric left over and I'm going to think of something good to use it for. I might have use it in a quilt. I think I am also going to buy another yard just to have around in case I want to make something else. I'm totally in love with that fabric right now!

We've sorta made a decision to not paint the walls. I still want to, the hubby doesn't...so, we're not. But, it's alrighty because I've decided I want these lovelies on our window!!! Just a bit of girly decadence for my beanette! It'll also add the yellow I most definitely want to emphasize. I adore these, but not the price. Hey, I couldn't have my paint. I gotta have something. =)

[Picture+3.png]

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Nursery Bits

The hubby helped out with something for the nursery today! While we were out running BORING errands, I mentioned that I really wanted to go by the thrift store to find some kind of stool or ottoman -like piece of furniture because I thought it be really nice to have along with the glider I found on Craigslist months ago (that I have yet to slipcover. oops. I've got time, right?!) Anyhoo, on our way back from all those super dull errands, the hubby spotted a glider and ottoman hanging out on the corner close to our place just waiting to be picked up for free! If you think this is unusual, it's definitely not in the city. People put things out on corners all the time and they always get picked up. He quickly asked me if I was interested and we whipped around the block to pick it up. 

Before:
{the right price gliding ottoman}

This piece is in perfect condition. We were wondering why anyone would put a perfectly working glider and matching ottoman out on the corner, but as we approached it we realized the arm on the glider was completely broken off. The ottoman had a slightly dirty top, but is in fabulous gliding condition. I didn't care what it looked like and as soon as we got home, I set to work on the cover for it. 

After: Ta-da!
{newly slipcovered ottoman!}

Man, it looks wrinkly even though I ironed that fabric about 5 times before finally putting in on. I made a slipcover in a tan twill and white denim piping. It's the same combo of fabrics I'll be using to make the slipcover for the chair you see the hubby sitting in. It's the pink chair we thought was white until we saw it in the light of our house. Either way, fabric changes I can easily deal with. The chair is super comfy and we love it!

If you look at the hubby closely, you can see Rosco sitting in his lap sleeping. Eric and I have been reading children stories to the beanette and I just bought a small collection of books in Spanish. The hubby has been enjoying trying to read the Spanish versions on his childhood favorites and I really love listening to him attempt it. =)

When I mentioned some of the art that's going up on another wall, Maggie was wondering where I got the art and frames. Just thought I'd answer that question and show you something I worked on tonight as well. 


{other collection of art}

Elephant watercolor painting in the back: I bought the painting at a thrift store in San Rafael. It's an original piece in a small collection. I'm not sure who the artist is although I have all that info as well as background on the collection on two slips of paper I inserted into the frame. It's a pain to open that frame, so that's really all the info I have for now. I bought it months ago just because I thought it was beautiful.  The frame I recently purchased from PB. It was their floor model and thus was able to purchase it for $30. I believe they still carry that particular frame, but it's $100. It's fairly large and heavy. 

Birdie La La La print, Girl with Wheat Hair, and Girl with Scarf Print: One of my favorite websites for baby nursery decor inspiration, Spearmint Baby recently mentioned a fabulous source for downloading free art. Feed Your Soul is an art project where artists contribute downloadable prints of their work just to make people smile. Each month a new set of artists donate their art and all you have to do is visit their website, select an image, click to download, and print. I love that site! Well, those three prints I found via Feed Your Soul. The frames are all from Michael's. I've had the white ones for a while, but I just bought the small distressed grey wooden one last week. Oh, and I'm not sure if I'm going to keep the girl with the scarf print. I like it, but it's not working for me right now and it also doesn't fit in that mat.

Bunny painting: This one I just painted tonight on a canvas about the size of a sheet of paper. I bought canvas as a set of two for $5.99 at Michael's. I wasn't sure what I was going to paint on them, but I've been in love with a bunny print from kiki and polly for a while and just felt I had to have it in our baby girl's room. I would have bought their print, but I want a mix of canvas, framed prints, and 3-D materials for the collage of art on the wall. I feel like I've already got a lot of framed art and so I basically just tried my hand at painting their image onto the canvas.  I used acrylic paint and some fabric for the yellow parts of the ears. I am absolutely in love with the way it turned out! Isn't it considered flattery to copy an artist? 

{my version of the fabric eared bunny}

I think I'm going to paint something colorful on the other canvas just to balance out all the color of the bunny painting on the wall. I'm not sure what, but perhaps something geometic. I also want to get a big wooden letter to hang up in the mix. What letter? The baby's first initial; once we pick a name. I'm feeling like I have my top three contenders for the beanette's name. I just hope the hubby concurs. 

Monday, March 1, 2010

The Bean Bump: Week 18/19

{bump covered: week 18}


{a look down: week 18}


{bump covered: week 19}


{baby girl bump: week 19}

Week: We are seriously getting soo close to being halfway! OMG!
Total Weight Gain: I was wrong last week. When I had my doctor appointment last week it turns out I've actually gained 10 lbs. total. That's alrighty with me. Although, I do have to say that when they started weighing me, I was in my winter weight, so I wouldn't mind losing those 3 extra pounds after the bean arrives.
Bean Sex: chiquita banana! 
Maternity Clothes?: What else is there? During my "ski week" break I went to the Gap and found the cutest stuff all on clearance! Score! It turns out they make all the stuff for non-preggers in preggers sizes. Cool beans.
Stretch Marks: nope! Aside from the genetics side; I'm also gaining weight at a steady pace and therefore decreasing my chances of these. There's no science in that theory, it's my very own. =)
Movement: Yup. Randomly, usually around bed time when I'm lying down on the couch. I wish I could feel this little girl more. I'm sure I will more later. 
What I Miss: I'm running out of clothing options. I'd been using my before-bump sweaters and now they're looking kinda funny. I want, need warm weather.
What I'm Looking Forward to: Having the hubby feel the beanette's kicking.
Best Moment this Week: Finding out I've got two girly parts (tee hee), getting the crib bumpers sewn, receiving the crib skirt/glider pillow fabric in the mail, and buying girly-specific clothing. I HAD to buy a onesie that says, "daddy's little girl" on it. The hubby thought it was cutie.
Preggers Bod-New and Exciting!..maybe: the bump is definitely bigger. I was standing at the stove making dinner the other night when the hubby came home from work. He gave me a sideway smile and stared at me kinda funny. I asked him what he was thinking and he said I definitely look pregnant now. Also, when I got back from "ski week" many students commented on how I really look pregnant. ha. I told them that's what happens. Baby in the belly = big belly. 
Bean Milestones: Hey baby girl, you're now around 10 inches in length! Crazy huh!? But, if this seems a bit shocking, you've not actually grown over 3 inches, but your little legs are now straight enough to be measured. The doctor will now begin measuring fetal growth from head to toe, (no longer “crown to rump” or CR). Lanugo (little hairs) covers your entire cutie patootie body now, trapping that charming cheese-like vernix caseosa to the surface to the skin. Mmmm...cheese. Mmmmm...oil...oh wait, we don't crave that. This week you're starting on an appetizing diet of amniotic fluid. Mmmmnnn...amniotic fluid. You are now capable of swallowing, digesting, and passing the fluid as far as your tiny “large” intestines. Great job! Keep working hard!
Food Cravings: Baby girl J wants, in no specific order: lemonade, orange juice, pickles (YUM), cucumbers with lemon and salt, berries, meat, nuts, and introducing for the first time....my dear friend, Sugar! Cake, ice cream with hot fudge, whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry (yes, please!), bear claws, sour gummy worms...woo hoo! I'm of course regulating my sweet friend. I really want to go crazy on the sugar, but I'm holding back. A lot. 
How's the Rice?: He's sooo cute. He's sitting eating ice cream right now wearing his "baby daddy" shirt. He looks so happy. The hubby wanted a baby girl from the beginning just like me, but perhaps not for the same reasons. He thought he'd be off-the-hook on the teaching our baby things like "shooting a gun, playing sports, and doing guy things" (his words) if she was a he. But, after work on the same day we found out we'd be having a girl, he came home a bit freaked out. He realized he wasn't going to be completely off-the-hook. haha. He's still gotta be the daddy and play that role forever. He's so funny.

Tid Bits: I love the nursery right now. It's not even close to being done, but what is in there, I absolutely love. It's soo calming and sweet. I enjoy going in there and just hanging out in the glider. Here are some of my favorite things in there right now:

{all the fabrics!}


{the giraffe lamp}


{some of the art I'm hanging on another wall}